Profiles

A directory of Profiles for Northwest Arkansas Business Journal Awards

Fast 15: Christina Wilkerson

Two years ago, James Smith was looking for the right person to head up his growing Springdale furniture company’s sales department. That search led him to Christina Wilkerson, a high-energy…

Dylan Trichell didn’t waste much time transitioning from freelance engineer to full-time entrepreneur. A Springdale native, Trichell founded Faytown Designs in 2017 during his sophomore year studying at the University…

Fast 15: Charu Thomas

While studying at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Charu Thomas knew she wanted to be an engineer and hoped to impact a lot of people. The Atlanta native moved to…

Fast 15: Skyler Ray

Bentonville native Skyler Ray was studying for a bachelor’s degree in finance at the University of Arkansas when he started working for Tyson Foods in late 2014. Before joining the…

Fast 15: Dequeshia Prude-Wheeler

Dequeshia Prude-Wheeler’s desire to be an attorney began as a child, watching Clair Huxtable, the attorney/mom on “The Cosby Show.” “I saw the prestige associated with being an attorney, the…

Fast 15: Omar Kasim

Born and raised in Tulsa, Okla., Omar Kasim completed his studies at the University of Arkansas in only three years. He was a magna cum laude graduate in May 2015…

Fast 15: Hunter Gehring

Hunter Gehring enjoys helping other people be successful. As a wealth manager, he offers financial counsel to his clients to have peace of mind when they are ready to retire….

Fast 15: Quintin Canada

Quintin Canada has always been interested in healthcare and has family members who’ve worked in the field. “I just wanted to be in and around where you could make a…

Fast 15: Sean Campbell

Sean Campbell’s mission is to radically serve people. “That’s what fulfills me — not money, not awards,” he said. “I feel like I’ve been given this special assignment where I…

Fast 15: Alexis Durham Brown

Always on the search for new flavors is maybe the thing to know about Alexis Durham Brown. The daughter of a single mother who spent the first 14 years of…

Fast 15: Kanat Bektemirov

When he was 15, Kanat Bektemirov’s family immigrated to Fayetteville from Uzbekistan for his father’s job at the University of Arkansas. Because he loved programming and meeting people’s needs, while…

Fast 15: Blake Barron

Bentonville native Blake Barron grew up watching his father work as a merchant for Walmart. Andy Barron was a merchant for 27 years. Blake Barron’s first role at Walmart was…

Fast 15: Kayla Anthony

The lesson from Mom was that the medical field could be rewarding, but education before beginning a career and family is an easier path, Kayla Anthony said. “Seeing my mom…

Fast 15: Matthew Allen

Matthew Allen learned how to work hard from his father and grandfather. “It was ingrained in me,” he said. “My grandfather always said he’s never considered himself the smartest person…

C-Suite: Hunter Yurachek

FAST FACT: Yurachek oversees a department that posted a record $139.5 million in revenue during the 2018-2019 fiscal year. Has it been a good thing or bad thing in terms…

C-Suite: Jeff Webster

FAST FACT: Webster has decades of experience in executive roles, including being CEO and chief operating officer for multiple startups in technology and human performance. What has been your toughest…

C-Suite: Marvelyn Stout

FAST FACT: Stout started the firm in 2006, and it focuses on placing employees for Walmart supplier teams. If you had $1 million to give, what would you support? Ensuring…

C-Suite: Kelvin Parks

FAST FACT: Parks is responsible for the healthcare system comprising 1,800 employees and more than 60,000 veterans in three states. Has it been a good thing or bad thing in…

C-Suite: Angela Grayson

FAST FACT: Grayson has worked in patent law since 2001 and founded Precipice IP in 2015. What keeps you up at night or worries you the most? My clients’ worries…

C-Suite: Erin Gattis

FAST FACT: Gattis started her career at ArcBest in 1999 and was named to her current position in 2016. What has been your toughest leadership challenge during the pandemic? As…