Author: Talk Business & Politics staff

Talk Business & Politics staff

Forty Under 40: Ryan Vessell

Ryan Vessell worked his way through six positions, from entry-level analyst to vice president, in 11 years at Tyson Foods. Impressive, especially at a Fortune 500 company. In March 2019,…

Forty Under 40: Allison Van Matre

In her role at Walmart, Allison Van Matre manages 360-degree communications, strengthening Walmart’s brand reputation, engaging and inspiring associates, building stakeholder trust and driving growth. “We want to be the…

Forty Under 40: Keith Tencleve

Keith Tencleve has established a career at the intersection of two strengths: business and engineering. This symbiosis of skills has benefited his endeavors with aviation projects and now as an…

Forty Under 40: Madeline Taylor

Madeline Taylor is one of the youngest members at the oldest company in Arkansas. She earned the promotion in 2019, three years after joining Rose Law Firm in Little Rock,…

Forty Under 40: John Strack

John Strack’s career in the construction industry was put in motion by some advice from his mother. Strack was a business student at the University of Arkansas when his mom…

Forty Under 40: Matt Smith

Matt Smith’s occupation with one of the state’s most recognizable companies did not start with a grand plan. “I never really planned on making [banking] a career,” he said. “Fifteen…

Forty Under 40: Carson Roncketto

Carson Roncketto was looking for a change when she joined Creative as chief operating officer in August 2017. After working in the nonprofit sector, the North Little Rock native sought…

Forty Under 40: Joe Rollins

In his work at the Northwest Arkansas Council, Joe Rollins has the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives. Rollins serves as a liaison between students, educators and business…

Forty Under 40: Emily Reynolds

In 2012, the law firm Emily Reynolds worked for placed her on a secondment assignment for a client — Walmart. Eighteen months later, she transitioned to a permanent in-house job…

Forty Under 40: Brad Phillips

Brad Phillips believes data tells a story and drives sound business decisions. He’s passionate about providing that resource to his owner group of 11 doctors, helping them make metric-based, data-driven…

Forty Under 40: Zoe Naylor

Zoe Naylor is a native of Australia and now an American citizen practicing transactional immigration law in Northwest Arkansas. She is also an instructor at the University of Arkansas, the…

Forty Under 40: Rachael McGrew

Traditionally, the names of CPA firms consist of a string of partners’ last names. But when legacy firms Beall Barclay and Thomas & Thomas merged in 2018, Rachael McGrew suggested…

Forty Under 40: Margot Lemaster

Margot Lemaster joined the Northwest Arkansas Council in 2017 and is focused on advancing diversity, equity and inclusion for the region. EngageNWA is a council initiative. “More diverse communities are…

Forty Under 40: Krista Langston-Wiles

Krista Langston-Wiles has worked in senior leadership positions at multiple healthcare organizations across the state and overseen more than $35 million in grants to support programs and projects. The Melbourne…

Forty Under 40: Mike Klaas

Working for a large company like General Mills appealed to Mike Klaas as his father and grandfather worked for more than 30 years for big companies. “I really kind of…

Forty Under 40: Adam Kirkendall

Adam Kirkendall has started two successful businesses from the bottom up. Originally from Tulsa, Okla., Kirkendall attended Evangel University in Springfield, Mo., graduating in 2007 with a marketing and management…

Forty Under 40: Brad Kingsley

Brad Kingsley developed an interest in architecture starting in middle school and initially was more interested in cities and urban planning. High school mentors led him to consider an architecture…

Forty Under 40: Aaron Huntley

Aaron Huntley is a creative soul, perhaps rare in the banking industry but, he believes, particularly useful today. Huntley, a Pine Bluff native, joined First Western Bank in 2019 as…

Forty Under 40: Katelyn Huddleston

Math was never Katelyn Huddleston’s strong suit. She planned to be an English teacher. Originally from Claremore, Okla., Huddleston worked as a teller in 2005 in Arvest’s Pryor, Okla., branch…

Forty Under 40: Hazel Hernandez

Hazel Hernandez has always enjoyed travel and its impact on others. And when she determined nursing wasn’t for her, the Mena native switched her major to hospitality administration. “The more…