Connections: 40/29 hires Craig Cannon’s successor as news anchor

Northwest Arkansas’ ABC affiliate, KHBS/KHOG (40/29), named Brandon Evans its weekday evening news anchor. He is replacing Craig Cannon, who retired in November after 37 years with the station.

Evans will co-anchor the station’s evening newscasts at 6, 9 (on sister station The Arkansas CW) and 10 p.m. weekdays with Paige Preusse, chief meteorologist Darby Bybee and sports director Mitch Roberts.

A Tennessee native, Evans anchored and reported at Hearst Television Inc. sister station KOAT-TV in Albuquerque, N.M., since 2018. He also anchored and reported at WTVC in Chattanooga, Tenn., and has reported, anchored and been a digital producer at various media outlets in Georgia.

Evans will join the station in late April.

NEW HIRES
Banking & Finance
Chris Hawkins
Fayetteville
Employer: Today’s Bank
Title: vice president, commercial lending officer
Previous employer: United Bank
Previous title: assistant vice president, loan officer

Marketing & Advertising
Zane Halverson
Rogers
Employer: MHP/Team SI
Title: digital media strategist
Previous employer: Leverate Media Americas
Previous title: senior digital media specialist

Amy Hughes
Fayetteville
Employer: MHP/Team SI
Title: senior account executive
Previous employer: J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc.
Previous title: senior account executive

Rachel Bruton
Fayetteville
Employer: MHP/Team SI
Title: account manager
Previous employer: The New School
Previous title: communications manager

Spencer Casavechia
Rogers
Employer: MHP/Team SI
Title: content producer
Previous employer: University of Central Arkansas
Previous title: marketing and public relations manager, department of campus recreation

Nonprofit
Layne Hyatt
Bentonville
Employer: Peel Compton Foundation
Title: program manager
Previous employer: city of Bentonville
Previous title: recreation supervisor, Bentonville Parks and Recreation Department

Real Estate
Butch Gurganus
Bentonville
Employer: Focus Commercial Real Estate
Title: president and co-founder
Previous employer: Colliers International
Previous title: principal and senior vice president

Lindy Janes
Bentonville
Employer: Focus Commercial Real Estate
Title: director of property management
Previous employer: Colliers International
Previous title: senior property manager

Oksana DeMaris
Bentonville
Employer: Focus Commercial Real Estate
Title: brokerage associate
Previous employer: Colliers International
Previous title: salesperson

APPOINTMENTS
Healthcare
Crystal Lougin
Fort Smith
Employer: Baptist Health
Title: director of behavioral health
Appointment: Arkansas Governor’s Board of Examiners in Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy

Nonprofit
Ed McClure
Rogers
Employer: Matthews, Campbell, Rhoads, McClure & Thompson, P.A.
Title: partner
Appointment: board member
Organization: Arkansas PBS Foundation