Profiles

A directory of Profiles for Northwest Arkansas Business Journal Awards

Fast 15: Jennifer Ford

There may not be a friendlier person at J.B. Hunt than Jennifer Ford. No really, it’s true. It’s a matter of fact that Ford has twice (2006, 2009) been named…

Fast 15: Josh Clemence

John Lennon famously said, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” That lesson came early for Josh Clemence, who, shortly after graduating from the Fay…

Fast 15: Matt Hartness

A self-described “people person,” Matt Hartness thrives on interacting with others, through both his work and mentoring. It took him a little while after college to find his niche, but…

Fast 15: Michelle Hurst

At an age when other kids may have been riding teeter-totters or watching “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” Michelle Hurst went to work. When Hurst was 6 years old, she began working at…

Fast 15: Stuart Collier

Stuart Collier began his career in health care by washing dishes. That was in 2006, after Collier graduated with a degree in psychology from the University of Arkansas and applied…

Fast 15: Susannah Shinn

As a child, Susannah Shinn joined her grandfather every Saturday as he went out to volunteer with different organizations. “When I was young and forming all these really pivotal opinions…

Fast 15: Tracy N. Rowan

When Tracy Rowan found herself in a field that has little to do with what she studied in college, she addressed the situation with her trademark passion and energy. Translation:…

Vincent Straszewski still smiles when he remembers seeing Saatchi & Saatchi’s years-ago work regarding gun violence. Straszewski was struck, he said, by “how clever the communication could be.” “I wanted…

Forty Under 40: Melanie Arterbury, 38

For Arkansas native Melanie Arterbury, each day brings new client problems — and she loves solving them. At least that’s how it’s been for more than 12 years.In 2000, the…

Forty Under 40: James Brandenburg, 36

When James Brandenburg went to work for JVS International, a retail supplier of dining textiles (tablecloths, placemats, etc.), he “took care of Wal-Mart, and that was about it.”That strategy made…

Forty Under 40: Bryan Billingsley, 36

Bryan Billingsley began working at HEBCO Inc. as a summer job while in high school. President of the locally owned and managed federal defense contractor since 2005, Billingsley said he’s…

Forty Under 40: Luke Briggs, 31

When opportunity knocks, Luke Briggs is ready.That was evident when Briggs graduated from Tulane University in 2001 and took a consulting job at Ernst & Young. Working in a “robust,…

Forty Under 40: Jody Dilday, 39

Jody Dilday was a high school senior in Sioux Falls, S.D., when her dad got a job at Jones Truck Lines in Springdale. The move to Northwest Arkansas was critical,…

Forty Under 40: Ryan Gribble, 38

Ryan Gribble went all the way to Japan just to get home.An Arkansas native, Gribble attended Westminster, where he met Phil Bradley. Bradley played pro baseball in Japan and helped…

Forty Under 40: Jonathan Janacek, 28

Between his dad working as CEO and his mom serving as office manager, fourth-generation builder Jonathan Janacek isn’t exaggerating when describing his firm as a family affair. A full-time employee…

Forty Under 40: Brian Henry, 36

Despite working at big-time law firms in cities like New York and Chicago, the chance to “run deals, be on point” in relatively tiny Bentonville was too much to pass…

Forty Under 40: Troy A. Kestner, 39

Two weeks in graphic design and architecture was all Troy Kestner needed — all he needed to head to the business college.Once there, Kestner knew he’d found a home, taking…

Forty Under 40: Clint Lazenby, 37

Clint Lazenby left the University of Arkansas with an international economics degree, but a study-abroad program proved most beneficial.“What I walked away with is you can think the process drives…

Forty Under 40: Laura Kellams, 38

Five minutes is all it takes to know why Laura Kellams loves her job. “The people we represent are too busy working and trying to feed their kids to go…

Forty Under 40: Mark McWhorter, 37

Mark McWhorter spent years in the investment sector and liked most of it, but one thing bothered him.“Sometimes the market just doesn’t cooperate,” he said, laughing.McWhorter craved something more tangible,…