Northwest Arkansas Business Journal announces 2020 Forty Under 40 class

The Northwest Arkansas Business Journal has announced the honorees of its 24th annual Forty Under 40 class, presented by Intrust Bank. These professionals are already making their mark on the local business community.

“Our Forty Under 40 honorees are inspiring and reflect an abundance of young talent across Northwest Arkansas,” editor Paul Gatling said. “It is our privilege to honor them and shine a light on their success for the business community to see.”

The Aug. 17 edition of the Business Journal will include profiles of this year’s honorees. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, this year’s Forty Under 40 luncheon has been canceled. Instead, a virtual celebration will be held Aug. 17 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at avad3, a media production company in Lowell.

“We are looking forward to working with our event sponsor, Intrust Bank, on this virtual Forty Under 40 event,” publisher Rob Gutterridge said. “Obviously, we hoped that the circumstances would have been different. However, we think this will be an exciting and interactive way to celebrate this year’s class during this challenging time. The team at avad 3 is helping us with options that will allow us to continue to promote these successful leaders in our business community.”

Gatling and Talk Business & Politics editor-in-chief Roby Brock will host the live event, with viewing options for co-workers, friends and family to participate with and watch. Virtual tickets and tables are available. For more information and other questions, contact Gutterridge at [email protected].

The 2020 Forty Under 40 class includes:

• Kathryn Allison, Harvest Group
• Channing Barker, Benton County Government
• Ricky Beauchamp, Norris Taylor & Co CPAs
• Andrew Branch, Northwest Arkansas National Airport
• Herbert “Boo” Buchanan, Restore Humanity
• Ed Cyster, 4media Group
• Tyler Farrar, Arkansas Colleges of Health Education
• Jenna Fogleman, Miller, Butler, Schneider, Pawlik & Rozzell PLLC
• Jennifer Ford, J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc.
• Jonathan Fry, Home Instead Senior Care
• Matthew Fryar, Crouch, Harwell, Fryar & Ferner PLLC
• Donna Graham, University of Arkansas
• Neil Greenhaw, Haxton Road Studios
• Michelle Hauge, Strategic Partners Inc.
• Melissa Haynes, MH Design
• Hazel Hernandez, Experience Fayetteville
• Katelyn Huddleston, Arvest Bank
• Aaron Huntley, First Western Bank
• Brad Kingsley, Hufft
• Adam Kirkendall, A-CO Construction
• Mike Klaas, General Mills
• Krista Langston-Wiles, UAMS
• Margot Lemaster, Northwest Arkansas Council
• Rachel McGrew, Landmark CPAs
• Zoe Naylor, Bogart, Small + Naylor
• Brad Phillips, Ozark Orthopaedics
• Emily Reynolds, Walmart Inc.
• Joe Rollins, Northwest Arkansas Council
• Carson Roncketto, Creative
• Matt Smith, Arvest Bank
• John Strack, Nabholz Corp.
• Madeline Taylor, Rose Law Firm
• Keith Tencleve, Garver
• Allison Van Matre, Walmart Inc.
• Ryan Vessell, Tyson Foods Inc.
• Casey Weatherford, Kind Creative Inc.
• Amanda Whittaker, Paradox
• Mike Williams, Northwest Arkansas Food Bank
• Paul Wilson, Intrust Bank
• Whitney Yoder, Cox Communications

Beginning in 1997, the Business Journal has annually honored 40 outstanding professionals under the age of 40. Honorees live and work in the six-county coverage area of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Sebastian and Crawford counties. They were nominated as best in class by their peers in all industries.