Monday Kudos: UA Walton College Recognizes 3 Business Alumni

News from the University of Arkansas, Arvest Bank, Innerplan and Arkansas Farm Bureau:

UA WALTON COLLEGE RECOGNIZES 3 ALUMNI
The Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas held its 20th annual awards banquet on Thursday, April 18, at the Fayetteville Town Center. In addition to recognizing the achievements of its outstanding students, the Walton College honored three alumni for their business and community achievements.

• Outstanding Service Award – Ann Bordelon, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in accounting and computer information systems, 1989.
• Entrepreneur of the Year Award – Craig Hughes, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in marketing and transportation, 1976.
• Lifetime Achievement Award – Charlie McMurtry, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in marketing, 1970.

Bordelon was appointed senior vice president and chief financial officer, Walmart Asia, in February 2013. She joined Walmart in 2003 as assistant controller and has served in a variety of finance and accounting roles, most recently as senior vice president and chief financial officer of Sam’s Club. Prior to joining Walmart, Bordelon was a senior manager in Ernst & Young’s Assurance and Advisory Services Business. She also worked for Tyson Foods in finance and accounting positions.

Hughes is founder and chief executive officer of Total Transit Inc., in Phoenix, Ariz., which operates the largest hybrid cab fleet in North America. The company kicked off its Prius project on Earth Day in 2008, putting 20 Prius taxis on the street with a promise to have 250 hybrid cabs in three years. Its Discount Cab division now operates over 700 hybrid taxis, saving more than 2.5 million gallons of fuel a year. Total Transit, founded in 1984 by Hughes and his wife, Christine, currently operates a taxi dispatch center that handles more than 11,000 calls a day on average.

McMurtry, who lives in Bella Vista, had a 40-year career with Fortune 500 companies, including NCR, Walmart, Dell and Hewlett-Packard. He retired in August 2012 as a senior vice president in Hewlett-Packard’s Information Technology Division. McMurtry started his career in a sales position with NCR in Little Rock, working in their newly formed computer sales division. During his more than 14 years there he held numerous positions in sales and systems engineering. As an account executive responsible for Walmart, he helped NCR gain its first foothold with the retail giant. In 1987, he joined Walmart in its IT Division, spending 14 years there, including time as vice president, applications development.

ARVEST BANK WINS ANOTHER J.D. POWER AWARD
Arvest Bank says it has been ranked highest both in the South Central Region and in the Southwest Region in the J.D. Power and Associates 2013 Retail Banking Satisfaction Study. Arvest has won more J.D Power awards than any other bank in the country in the past five years, and is the only bank to win two regions this year. Arkansas is part of the South Central region.

INNERPLAN WINS DESIGNATION
Innerplan Office Interiors has been designated as a 2013 Best In Class dealership by office interior designer Haworth, Inc.

The annual Best In Class distinction, which was established in 2011, is awarded to dealerships based on exceptional performance in market development, sales and customer satisfaction, operational excellence as well as enterprise development. 2013 is the second consecutive year that Innerplan Office Interiors has earned the Best In Class designation.

“Exceptional client experiences begin with a common vision,” said Rob Hendrickson, Director of Dealer Development for Haworth. “Earning the distinction for two consecutive years exemplifies Innerplan Office Interiors’ commitment to high performance. The 2013 Best In Class program reflects new economic data, market initiatives, and current best practice ideas.” Innerplan Office Interiors is one of 25 dealerships to be awarded the 2013 Best In Class distinction.

FARM BUREAU RECEIVES VINES SCHOLARSHIP
Japhanie Gray of Blytheville (Mississippi County), a sophomore broadcast journalism major at Arkansas State University, is the 2013 recipient of Arkansas Farm Bureau’s Marvin Vines Memorial Scholarship. The award was announced at the University’s College of Communications Honors Banquet April 17.

Gray, 20, is the daughter of Stephanie and Leon Gray. She is on track to graduate in May, 2015 and hopes to pursue a career in video production or graphic design. She has a 4.0 overall grade point average.

Gray has gained valuable experience in television production having the opportunity to work as a crew member and cable puller for several local sporting events broadcast by ESPN and a remote broadcast with Gary Jones Productions. She has also assisted with the annual United Cerebral Palsy Telethon.

Arkansas Farm Bureau endows the scholarship, which honors the memory of Marvin Vines, farm director for more than 25 years at Little Rock radio station KAAY. Since 1980, it’s been awarded annually to a broadcast major at Arkansas State.