by - February 28, 2024 11:19 am
Nearly 90 years ago, electric cooperatives were the first utility to power — and empower — rural Arkansas. Today, the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas continue to have a wide-ranging economic…
by - February 25, 2024 11:32 am
The tides are turning for cybersecurity regulation and enforcement. And if businesses do not adequately prepare, a wave—in the form of a breach, attack or hefty government fine—may pull them…
by - February 11, 2024 8:10 am
Do these thoughts sound familiar? “I don’t want to tick that person off.” “I don’t have time to deal with people’s feelings.” “Don’t rock the boat.” “Maybe if I ignore…
by - February 6, 2024 3:51 pm
If you have been to a clinic or a hospital recently, you may have noticed newly posted signs that read: “We respect you. Please respect our staff. Attacking a healthcare…
by - February 4, 2024 10:35 am
Every four years, I’m reminded of former Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton’s unheralded election as President of the United States. He entered the 1992 race a year earlier when incumbent President…
by - January 22, 2024 4:45 pm
Over the last 25 years, I have had an exciting career that has spanned various levels of government, various citizenship statuses and various responsibilities. I pride myself on being a…
by - January 22, 2024 2:10 pm
As someone who has been the founder of a half dozen businesses, the co-founder of several others, an owner in a half dozen more, an outside board member in still…
by - January 15, 2024 4:28 pm
There is a growing sentiment by many that employers overuse non-compete agreements and that low-wage employees should not be subject to such agreements at all. The common example used by…
by - January 13, 2024 1:58 pm
I’ve been traveling to Jonesboro and Northeast Arkansas for more than 30 years. Those early memories are fond ones, but not inspiring, though now I see the region in a…
by - January 9, 2024 11:29 am
The Internal Revenue Service puts limits on the amount of money workers can contribute to Investment Retirement Accounts (IRAs), Roth IRAs, 401(k)s and other types of retirement accounts because each…
by - January 9, 2024 7:17 am
$100 million. 800 new jobs. Dassault Falcon’s recent investment announcement in Little Rock means a lot of things. More than anything, it shows the new energy that’s pumping through Arkansas’…
by - January 6, 2024 5:23 pm
The cybersecurity headlines aren’t encouraging. The first three quarters of 2023 saw 70 percent more ransomware attacks than the first three quarters of 2022. More than 360 million people were…
by - January 4, 2024 10:33 am
Burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem with an increasing number of interested funders? Check. Premier College of Agriculture conducting millions of dollars of research each year? Check. Massive agri-food companies investing heavily in…
by - January 4, 2024 10:03 am
Ten years ago this month, the major parts of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) became effective. Two of the biggest were the availability of healthcare coverage through Medicaid expansion for low-income adults…
by - January 1, 2024 3:32 pm
Fort Smith and Ebbing Air National Guard Base continue to prepare for the arrival of the Foreign Military Sales Program (FMS) Pilot Training Center, hosting F-16 and F-35 fighter jet…
by - January 1, 2024 11:25 am
A recent news article I read asked, “You’ve heard of the Great Resignation, but what about the Great Retirement?” The article, titled “The US has too many retirees,” was authored…
by - December 27, 2023 7:54 pm
Today’s high interest rate environment doesn’t mean business owners have to cancel or delay planned expansions or projects, but it does mean that more, and earlier, planning is likely required to secure…
by - December 21, 2023 9:05 pm
SmileDirectClub, a prominent player in direct-to-consumer teeth straightening, on Dec. 8 announced the immediate shut-down of its global operations. This abrupt closure significantly impacts its customers and has raised pertinent…
by - December 21, 2023 9:26 am
The other day, I thought about what I wanted to say in this last column of the year. And what immediately came to mind was wanting to ask some common…
by - December 13, 2023 5:14 pm
If we’ve learned nothing else about former Gov. Asa Hutchinson in the past several months, it’s that he’s demonstrated considerable resolve and his own sense of timing. In January 2022,…
