Forty Under 40: Joe McClung

Joe McClung was born in Prescott, Ariz., but his family moved to Eureka Springs in 1973 to pursue a business opportunity in real estate sales and to fish.

There arent many lakes in Arizona, McClung joked.

He began to follow in his fathers, uncles and grandfathers footsteps when he graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in finance in 1991. But real estate sales in the area werent as hot as they are now. So after two years in the family business, he took a job at A.G. Edwards & Sons and became a registered representative.

In 1995, King Gladden hired McClung as the branch manager for the bank that is now Arvest. He worked there until 1997 when his childhood friend Charles Cross asked him to come work at the Bank of Eureka Springs. McClung felt it was a natural fit. In 1999 he was put in charge of the banks asset management division.

The division has grown in managed assets by 25 percent a year for the past six years, he said.

McClung and his wife also own the Flatiron Flats building in downtown Eureka Springs.

His advice to up-and-comers: Youve got to find a passion Youve got to like it for a long time because it takes a long time to become successful.