Arkansas companies named to Inc. 5000 list

New York-based Inc. magazine recently released its annual list of the 5,000 fastest-growing, privately-owned companies in the United States, and 18 Arkansas companies, including 11 in Northwest Arkansas, are on it.

The 2022 Inc. 5000 shows Surfco Restoration & Construction in Fayetteville is the fastest-growing company in Northwest Arkansas. Companies were ranked based on percentage revenue growth from 2018 to 2021. They must have been established and generating revenue by March 31, 2018, and had at least $100,000 in revenue in 2018 and $2 million in revenue in 2021.

Incorporated in 2016, family-owned construction company Surfco provides water, fire and natural disaster restoration. Ranked No. 397, Surfco’s revenue rose by 1,517% from 2018 to 2021. President Brock Emanuel, who has about 40 years of industry experience, said Inc. considered multiple factors to determine its rank, including awards, certifications, financials and growth over three years.

“We were climbing the ladder each year, and they liked the … pace we were going,” Emanuel said. Operations manager Dillon Emanuel added that Inc. also looked at its project profits and projected growth.

Asked how the company achieved the 1,517% growth over three years, Brock Emanuel said the company retains little debt, landed good projects and built a good team. Surfco has 40 employees.

Making the Inc. 5000 for the second consecutive year, Rogers-based e-commerce marketing firm Bold Strategies is the second-fastest growing company in Northwest Arkansas and the third-fastest growing company in the state. Led by Allan Peretz, the firm that provides services to consumer packaged goods companies was established in 2017. Ranked No. 874, its revenue rose by 727% from 2018 to 2021.

While Bold Strategies was the state’s fastest-growing company in 2021, the title has shifted to Mountain Home-based Hughes Technology/SmartData Dashboard, an education technology company that identifies at-risk students using data analysis. Led by Harvey Hughes, the company was founded in 2013. It was ranked No. 89, and its revenue rose by 4,668% from 2018 to 2021.

With the fourth-fastest growth in the state, Little Rock-based RMRJ Assets was No. 911. Led by Ron Jumper, he started the bathroom remodeling company in 2018. Its revenue rose by 700% from 2018 to 2021.

The state’s fifth-fastest growing company is James+James in Springdale at No. 964. Founded in 2011 out of a garage, the hardwood furniture manufacturer is led by James Smith. Its revenue rose by 672% from 2018 to 2021.

“We’re proud to be one of the fastest-growing, privately-owned furniture companies in the country,” Smith said. “Many of our larger competitors have started to notice what our little garage-started company has been doing. Our team is on fire, and over the next five years, we’ll make a lot of noise in the furniture industry.”

Fenex Healthcare Consulting, which is relocating from Missouri to Rogers, is the state’s sixth-fastest growing company, ranked No. 1,121, according to Inc. Revenue rose by 578% from 2018 to 2021. Led by Kyle Tilley, the consulting firm that provides services for healthcare companies was founded in 2015.

Following are the other Northwest Arkansas companies and their rank:

• Rogers-based Acorn Influence, No. 1,523
• Bentonville-based Stratice, No. 3,106
• Fayetteville-based Slim Chickens, No. 3,600
• Fayetteville-based Greer and Greer Independent Insurance, No. 3,657
• Lowell-based Natural State Pest Control, No. 4,026
• Bentonville-based Nuqleous, No. 4,179
• Bentonville-based 4media group, No. 4,345

According to Inc., the other Arkansas companies were Chenal Family Therapy PLC in Little Rock (No. 2,911), Elite Exteriors Roofing & Restoration in Hot Springs (No. 3,021), Ron Sherman Advertising in Little Rock (No. 3,549), First Orion Corp. in North Little Rock (No. 4,257) and Few in Little Rock (No. 4,798).

The 18 Arkansas companies comprised 176% median growth, $495.4 million in revenue and 742 jobs added. Overall, the Inc. 5000 companies comprised 230% median growth, $317.5 billion in revenue and 1.17 million jobs added. No. 1 was Jersey City, N.J.-based financial services firm BlockFi, with revenue growth of 245,616% from 2018 to 2021.