Forty Under 40: Jake Newell

Developer Jake Newell enjoys seeing the fruits of his labor in downtown Bentonville, while coming and going from his office on Southwest Fifth Street.

“When I turn the corner on a weekend, and the people living in our townhouses are throwing a party on their patio, and I can see that we actually created a place that people are enjoying, that’s what makes me want to get out of bed and keep building the next project,” he said.

Most of all, Newell said he is motivated by his wife, Jennifer, and their 8-month-old son, Joseph. “I want to develop a community that we as a family can be excited about and proud of.”

While building community is his passion now, it’s not a career he initially set out for.

In 2004, Newell graduated from the University of Arkansas with a marketing management degree and no plans for a career, except that it would not be in corporate business.

He moved to Colorado and worked odd jobs for a couple of years and, when he returned to Northwest Arkansas, took a job at a local construction firm, where he discovered a love for the industry.

In the late 2000s, Newell got into development, building several residential properties in south Fayetteville.

In 2013, he turned his attention to building boutique apartments and townhouses in downtown Bentonville and founded Newell Development.

Newell serves on the board of directors for Downtown Bentonville Inc. and is involved with Trifest for MS and the Bentonville Sessions, a concert series that benefits hungry orphans in Africa.

In his spare time, Newell enjoys mountain biking and traveling.