Peterson stated, “I mean, a 24% increase in wages and a 1/2% increase in reimbursement doesn’t add up for long-term success.”
Austin Albers, owner of the Buffalo Outdoor Center in Ponca, made the list for his comment on the redesignation controversy surrounding the Buffalo National River.
Albers stated, “I am a supporter of collecting the facts and having an educated conversation about what it would do for the economy, for the local businesses and the schools and health care system.”
To see the full list, visit this story at ktlo.com
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“Were in neck deep.
Pace Burt of Albany, Georgia, on the $12 million investment to date to redevelop Little Rock’ VA hospital into the 168-unit Flats on SoMa apartments.
“I kind of take this stuff personally.”
Johnny Allison, chairman and CEO of Conway’s Home Bancshares Inc., on a lawsuit against former Texas staffers for allegedly stealing confidential information on their way out to a competitor.
“We’ve kind of fist-fought and did it the Arkansas way.”
Gary Head, chairman and CEO of Fayetteville’s Signature Bank of Arkansas, on the 18-year climb to more than $1 billion in total assets.
“I worked in the oil fields as a kid, and I’ve seen the boom and the bust. And I think this thing is bigger than the boom.”
Magnolia Mayor Parnell Vann, on the development of commercial lithium mining in the Smackover Formation of south Arkansas.
saved us.”
Ted Herget, founder of Gearhead Outfitters, on the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on business.
“I have about 150 drivers and out of those 150 drivers, I’m going to say 50% would quit if I got driver-facing cameras. I am 110% against it. I will never have them.”
Joey Berkemeyer, director of safety for Wayne Smith Trucking in Morrilton.
“It’s kind of a labor of love, and it’s kind of constant.”
Warren Stephens, CEO of Stephens Inc. and owner of the 94-room Capital Hotel, on maintaining the historic Little Rock property.
“They’re paying crazy prices is what they’re doing.”
Tammy McCarter, Montgomery County assessor, on the willingness of out-of-state residents to spend for local property since the pandemic.
“That doesn’t mean that it’s dead in the water.”
Lyon College President Melissa Taverner in November discussing the Batesville school’s plan to put dental and veterinary schools on the Heifer International headquarters campus in Little Rock, even though a deal to buy the property fell through a few weeks earlier.
“I mean, a 24% increase in wages and a 1.2% increase in reimbursement doesn’t add up for long-term success.”
Ron Peterson, CEO of Baxter Health of Mountain Home, on the tough environment for hospitals in Arkansas.
“I am a supporter of collecting the facts and having an educated conversation about what it would do for the economy, for the local businesses and the schools and health care system.”
Austin Albers, owner of the Buffalo Outdoor Center in Ponca, on the redesignation controversy surrounding Buffalo National River.
“It’s a time of great change in the organizations that we do business with, and so out of change comes opportunity.”
Tracey Geren, CEO of the printer Weldon Williams & Lick Inc. of Fort Smith, talking about the shift from paper tickets to digital ones.
“We have to start with the milk and bring them to the cornbread.”
Arlo Washington, president of the minority-run People Trust Credit Union in Little Rock, on bringing financial literacy to historically underbanked customers.
“It’s not easy to recruit to a rural area when many are wanting to go to the larger urban areas where there may be less call coverage and things like that.”
Phillip Gilmore, CEO of Ashley County Medical Center, said of the Crossett hospitals move to temporarily close its labor and delivery unit.
, and we paid only $13.1 million for insurance. And now those carriers are probably going to pay out an estimated $135 million. Its the worst year our program has ever experienced.”
Shannon Moore of the Arkansas School Boards Association’s risk management program, discussing the soaring cost of property coverage for school districts.
“I’m still actually impressed by that.”
Dillard’s CEO William Dillard II during the Dillard’s Inc. annual meeting about the Little Rock department store chain returning $1.8 billion to shareholders in the last three years.
“We are constantly recruiting and we always have been. We are never at full staff.”
Richard Turnage, vice chancellor for regional campuses at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, on the physician shortage in the hospital industry.
“Absolutely never.”
Jerry Webster, president of Little Rock’s Webster Corp. and a commercial real estate broker specializing in apartment properties, on when he thought he would see per unit prices go higher than $200,000 locally as happened in 2023.
“I had my bachelor party at AQ. There are things as you grow up that you have an attachment to. And I just could not stand to see it closed. You dont take something that’s 76 years old and just shut it down and forget it.”
Springdale businessman Tom Lundstrum, speaking about his familys decision to revive AQ Chicken House.
“The focus has been to really turn it into a nationwide brand and a world-class-type retail brand, and we’re making really good progress.”
Drew Ritger, COO and director of franchising at 7 Brew Coffee Co. of Fayetteville.
, and they don’t emit any carbon. Our customers these days are very in tune with reducing their carbon footprint, and without emissions-free power, businesses are not going to come here and existing industries are not going to expand.”
Former Entergy Arkansas executive Kurt Castleberry on the continuing 50-year legacy of Arkansas Nuclear One near Russellville.
“We made it about six steps to an interior hallway. We instantly fell to the floor as the ceiling was coming down on us. The good thing was that the ceiling tiles are not very heavy and then 4 to 6 inches of insulation formed a pretty good protective barrier.”
Roller-Chenal Funeral Home President Bill Booker, describing the killer March 31 tornado that hit his business but spared him and others who were still in the building.
“It sounds unbelievable, but apparently NASA has a pretty good track record with these long-term weather projections, and it predicts that Arkansas will be second only to Texas for eclipse-viewing weather next year.”
Bill Solleder, marketing director for Visit Hot Springs, on the total solar eclipse happening on April 8.
“They are actually getting squeezed from three ends. Youre selling a more expensive car with a more expensive loan to a customer who is making less money.”
Vincent Caintic, an analyst with Stephens Inc. of Little Rock, on a tough moment for buy-here-pay-here used auto dealers like America’s Car-Mart Inc. of Rogers.
“My coping mechanism is to recognize and be very appreciative of the good things I’ve had in my life. I’m sitting at home on the lake with a beautiful view. But this has been devastating. The one word I keep coming back to is heartbroken. This company was our baby.”
Mitchell Gold, co-founder of furniture-maker and seller Mitchell Gold+Bob Williams of North Carolina, which collapsed in 2023 after 34 years in business and nearly 9 years of ownership by the Stephens Group of Little Rock.
“We’re at the point of being at or near a crisis here.”
Bradley County Medical Center CEO Leslie Huitt said the hospital is losing $1 million a year by keeping its labor and delivery unit open.
“If someone wants to live and work in Branson, go live and work in Branson. We don’t need to recreate another Branson here.”
Misty Langdon, owner of Steel Creek Cabins outside Ponca, on her opposition to a possible redesignation of the Buffalo National River.
“We’re doing very well. Our biggest challenge as a company is we don’t want to be a one-hit wonder.”
CEO Joe Ehrhardt of Teslar Software in Springdale, on the company’s expansion goals.
“Bentonville has established itself as one of the places to go, and definitely the U.S., probably North America, to do mountain biking. And we want to be as close to those riders as we can be. It’s a vital city for our brand to be a part of.”
Donny Perry, the director of retail at Fox Racing of Irvine, California, which sells mountain bike gear and motocross merchandise, on its decision to open a store in Bentonville in May.
Gentry C.
“Wahlmeier’s conduct is precisely the type of greedy, self-serving behavior that gives lawyers a bad name and seriously injures the reputation of the legal profession in society at large.”
Attorney Matthew R. House of James House Swann & Downing of Little Rock, said in a complaint against the Van Buren attorney who is accused of charging two developmentally disabled Arkansans nearly $200,000 for basic work that should have taken at most a few hours. Wahlmeier, in his filings, denied the allegations.
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