Entrepreneurs Put John Brown On Business-plan Map

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Much ado has been made about the success of collegiate business-plan teams from the University of Arkansas, and rightfully so. This story from the current issue of Arkansas Business highlights the accomplishments of these student entrepreneurs and focuses on the continued success of UA teams on a national level. Most of the teams that hail from The Hill are graduate-level, but undergrad teams from John Brown University in Siloam Springs have been enjoying their own success lately. JBU teams swept all undergrad categories at the 2011 Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup, then took first and second overall plus won the agriculture and elevator pitch awards and the graduate Innovation award at the 2012 event. [Read more…]

Collegiate Entrepreneurs Earn Renown

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Being from Arkansas carries a certain degree of swagger in some fields – retail, poultry, rice and trucking, for example. Perhaps it’s time to consider adding collegiate business plan teams to that roster. The young entrepreneurs who make up these teams, most of them from the University of Arkansas, are helping create a strong entrepreneurial brand for the state. For the past several years, Arkansas students have continued to fare well at national competitions and, more importantly, in the real business world. Several appear to be headed toward “big exits” – selling out to big corporations for big money or perhaps even launching an IPO. [Read more…]

Arkansas Capital Corporation: Connect Arkansas Aims For Positive Link To Internet

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One of the ways Connect Arkansas is showing high-speed Internet’s relevance is through the utilization of video and livestreaming.
One of the ways Connect Arkansas is showing high-speed Internet’s relevance is through the utilization of video and livestreaming.
While it may not be a parent’s worst nightmare, it was still a situation Kendon never expected to be faced with. “The other day, my son asked me what a synonym was,” he said. “And for the life of me, I couldn’t remember. So we looked it up on the Internet right there, while he was doing his homework.” [Read more…]

Arkansas Math & Science School

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Arkansas Math & Science School, Hot Springs, ARNew residential facilities have been constructed for the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts in Hot Springs by partnering with Bank of the Ozarks, the Heartland Renaissance Fund (HRF), Governor Beebe’s contributed stimulus funds, and the University of Arkansas School System. The students at the Math and Science School were residing in an old hospital that had been re-purposed as a dormitory. Unfortunately, the building had many of the issues that come with an older structure and was in need of being updated or replaced. With the help of the above partners and the New Market Tax Credit Program (NMTC), Delta Student Housing was able to build new residential facilities, a project totaling approximately $15 million dollars.

Arkansas Flag and Banner

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The partnership between Arkansas Flag and Banner and ACC is another great example of how the right lending partner makes a big difference. Watch the video and listen as Kerry McCoy explains how Arkansas Capital Corporation was there at the right time and how that relationship is still flourishing years later. [Read more…]

John Brown, UNLV sweep Tri-State Awards

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After a full day of oral presentations, ten judges from across the United States selected collegiate business plan teams from John Brown University (JBU) of Siloam Springs, Arkansas, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), as the 2012 winners of the Donald W. Reynolds Tri-State Awards at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Both of the winning undergraduate teams were from JBU, while both winning graduate-level teams were from UNLV. First place winners took home a $30,000 cash prize, a team trophy and individually-personalized plaques. The second place winners received $20,000 prize, a trophy and individually-personalized plaques. The teams’ faculty advisors earned a $3,500 check as well. “The quality of the winning business plans is phenomenal, as are the students who produced them,” Arkansas Capital Corporation Chief Executive Officer C. Sam Walls said. “These students are not only business savvy, they are creative and well-equipped to successfully become the business leaders of tomorrow.” The winning undergraduate teams are: [Read more…]

Heartland to Finance Producer of Torrefied Wood Pellets

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Heartland Renaissance Fund (HRF), an Arkansas-based Community Development Entity, announced today that it financed a substantial expansion to a torrefied wood pellet manufacturer, BTH Quitman Hickory, LLC. Heartland utilized $24 million dollars of its New Market Tax Credits (NMTC) to finance the expansion. The new equipment should increase the plant’s capacity and provide additional employment opportunities at its Quitman Mississippi facility. [Read more…]