Leadership Arkansas announces Class XV

Thirty-one individuals from throughout Arkansas have been selected for Leadership Arkansas Class XV, a program operated by the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and the Associated Industries of Arkansas.

This year’s class is approximately half the size of previous classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic and requisite social distancing requirements. This reduction in class size will better enhance the experience of class members and also provide Leadership Arkansas a greater opportunity to hold class sessions in person, organizers said.

The Underwriting Sponsor for the 2020-2021 Leadership Arkansas program is Citizens Bank of Batesville. The presenting sponsor is ARcare. Statewide program sponsors are Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, Farm Credit Services of Arkansas, Nucor Steel Arkansas, Southwest Power Pool, and Walmart.

The members of Class XV are:

• Allison Bermudez, Strategic Communications & Media Relations Advisor, MISO, Little Rock
• Jill Bobo, Development Director, The CALL, Hot Springs
• Kent Bridger, Regional Community President, Simmons Bank, Jonesboro
• Danna Caldwell, Sr. HR Consultant, JTS Financial LLC, Russellville
• Nate Caldwell, Operations Manager, Weiser Brown Oil Company, Magnolia
• John Cantabery, Senior Project Manager, Garver, Conway
• Jennifer Christman Cia, Associate Editor, Arkansas Living, Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, Little Rock
• Sammie Cribbs, Chief Operating Officer/Chief Nursing Officer, North Arkansas Regional Medical Center, Harrison
• Jake Fair, Attorney, Wright, Lindsey & Jennings LLP, Little Rock
• Jill Floyd, Project Manager & Director of Community Outreach, CDI Contractors, Little Rock
• Jay Geaney, 154th Training Squadron Commander, Arkansas Air National Guard, Cabot
• Jeremiah Gentry, Vice Wing Commander, Arkansas Air National Guard, Fort Smith
• Maggie Jo Hansen, Senior Manager, Tyson Foods, Fayetteville
• Nathan Harris, SVP – Commercial Lending, Citizens Bank, Fayetteville
• Jeff Hatley, Public Information Officer, Ozark Regional Transit, Rogers
• Allison Hestand, Chamber CEO/Economic Development Director, Paragould Regional Chamber of Commerce, Paragould
• Aaron Huntley, SVP – Strategy, First Western Bank, Springdale
• Chad Kinsley, Director of Operations, Black Hills Energy Arkansas, Springdale
• Courtney Little, President, ACE Glass, Little Rock
• Rusty Meeks, Assistant General Manager, Arkansas Travelers, Little Rock
• Jennifer Morales, Director of Delta Dental Smiles, Delta Dental of Arkansas, Benton
• Joey Msall, District Director, CenterPoint Energy, Jonesboro
• David Orr, Director of Development, ARcare, Russellville
• Ryan Pettigrew, Sr. Manager, US Realty Operations, Walmart, Prairie Grove
• Grace Rains, Director of Operations, The Conductor; Executive Director, Ark Angel Alliance, Conway
• Brandon Resecker, Sr. V.P – Energy, Crafton Tull, Conway
• Karen Shaw, EVP & CFO, Citizens Bank, Batesville
• Hunter Stuckey, VP of Lending, Signature Bank of Arkansas, Bentonville
• Ventrell Thompson, Regional Customer Service Manager, Entergy Arkansas, Little Rock
• Amy Williams, President/CEO, Cabot Chamber of Commerce, Cabot
• Drew Williams, Vice President of Business Development, Baldwin & Shell Construction Company, Redfield

Leadership Arkansas Class XV launches its activities with an orientation session Sunday, Sept. 20 – Tuesday, Sept. 22 at the Fairfield Bay Conference Center.

The mission of Leadership Arkansas is to challenge, inform, inspire and engage current and future business and civic leaders to enhance the economies of – and the communities within – the state of Arkansas. Leadership Arkansas is a nine-month class program consisting of nine multi-day sessions held in different locations throughout the state.

Since its inception in 2005, Leadership Arkansas has educated and engaged nearly 700 alumni, who represent nearly every Arkansas county.