Sam Walls Retires As CEO Of Arkansas Capital Corp.

Sam Walls, who served as the chief executive officer of The Arkansas Capital Corporation Group, has retired after 24 years of service.

“I truly believe that the intersection of my path with this company was an extraordinary event,” Walls said. “I needed this company and it needed me. And as I enter retirement, my greatest hope is that the culture and personality I have cultivated will carry on and grow.”

Under Walls leadership, The Arkansas Capital Corporation Group expanded its lending activities to grow from an organization that managed a small portfolio of business loans to an organization that has facilitated more than $1.4 billion in loans to Arkansas businesses.

Walls also diversified the organization to include entrepreneurship education, New Markets Tax Credit allocations, high-speed Internet advocacy and a program facilitating foreign investment in Arkansas. Walls was also behind the Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup collegiate business plan competition, which has awarded more than $2 million in cash prizes to students and faculty since its inception in 2001.

Rush Deacon, who has served as Chairman of the Board of Arkansas Capital Corporation, is now serving as the acting CEO for the company.

“Sam’s commitment to the businesses, entrepreneurs and students of this state is without precedent, and he always conducted himself with the highest level of integrity and dedication while empowering those who worked both for and with him,” said Deacon. “The company has an excellent team of professionals, and I look forward to working with them to foster the organization’s spirit of creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship that Sam created.”