The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith graduation ceremony held Saturday (May 16) marked a major milestone for the university – the largest graduating class in its history.
 
UAFS will confer a projected 1,475 degrees and certificates to graduating students in the 2014-15 school year, a 16% increase over last year, with 833 receiving bachelor’s degrees, 349 receiving associate degrees and 293 receiving certificates. The numbers also reflect a 98% increase in bachelor’s degrees awarded compared to the 2009-10 school year.
 
Julie Burdick, vice chancellor for enrollment management, pointed to the university’s strength in providing high-quality, career-focused degrees as a primary reason for the increases.
 
“We celebrate the success of our students and give credit for the growing number of degrees earned to the wonderful teaching efforts of our faculty, who engage students in undergraduate research and career-focused discussions about the important next step in their lives,” Burdick said. “Many students participate in internships which build great resumes.”

Burdick also said more than 70% of UAFS seniors respond to a job/graduate school placement survey, with placement outcomes as high as 85%. She also said more than 15 degree programs maintain a 100% placement in the last 10 years.
 
The growth in students earning degrees also stems from the university’s expansion of its degree offerings, according to Burdick. In the last four years, UAFS has increased the number of four-year degree programs with the addition of degrees including international business, finance and media communications.
 
Burdick said the fastest growing bachelor’s degree programs over the last four years include biology, criminal justice, information technology, marketing, organizational leadership, psychology and nursing.

Van Buren-based USA Truck has named Mike Barnes, Darrell Bloodworth, Steven Cazee, Joseph DeMuth, Joseph Ghoshen, Mark Johnston, Tom Miller, Ken Petti, Robert Williams and Jodie Yoder to its driving team for the 2015 Arkansas Truck Driving Championship, which will take place June 11-13 in Rogers.

Driving team members earned their spots during the 2015 USA Truck Driving Championship on May 15 in Van Buren. Team members earned the opportunity to compete by being collision-free and employed with USA Truck for at least one year. 

Competitors were scored on three components: written exam, vehicle inspection and driving skills course. Yoder compiled the highest cumulative score — along with the top vehicle inspection score — to earn USA Truck Grand Champion honors. He was also USA Truck Grand Champion and third overall at the state level in 2012. Yoder, a military veteran and a Haubstadt, Ind., resident, has been with USA Truck since October 2008.

Cazee (second overall) had the best score on the driving skills course and Miller (fourth overall and 2014 USA Truck Company Driver of the Year) turned in the highest written exam score. Williams, the 2014 USA Truck Grand Champion and 2014 Arkansas Grand Champion Runner-Up, returns to Rogers to defend his state title in the Sleeper classification. He placed second out of 111 competitors overall and topped the 33 entrants in the Sleeper classification in 2014.

“This event has become more prominent within our company each year, and rightly so,” said Jeff Lester, executive vice president, risk management and safety for USA Truck. “Our driving championship is a great way for our driver team members to showcase their skills and test themselves in competition. It’s also an opportunity for us to honor them for their good work, professionalism and dedication to safety. We look forward to competing and excelling at the state level.”
 

Fayetteville-based Startup Junkie Consulting is asking for support to be moved on to the next step for a $100,000 grant from Chase’s Mission Main Street program.

The local small business catalyst and startup mentoring firm has applied for a $100,000 grant from Chase’s, Mission Main Street program that would allow the startup to expand the free mentoring, counseling and support mission for small businesses in the region.

Cofounder Phyl Amerine said local residents can help by voting online before June 19 at the Mission Main Street website.

The guidelines require Startup Junkie Consulting to submit a questionnaire outlining a business plan that will result in growth of the business and receive at least 250 votes to be eligible for a grant.

“Based on a review this past year’s metrics, this grant would allow for a substantial increase in our ability to reach many more veteran, women and minority owned business as well as minority investors and mentors,” said cofounder Jeff Amerine.

Through Mission Main Street Grants, Chase will award $2 million to 20 small business across America. All businesses that apply for a grant and meet the eligibility requirements will receive access to a small business webcast by Premier Sponsor, LinkedIn. The 20 grant recipients will be announced in September 2015.

Five Arkansas companies received the 2015 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Global Trade during an awards luncheon held today at the Governor’s Mansion. The award honors companies for their leadership in exporting goods and services throughout the world.
 
This year’s winners are:
• Georg Fischer Harvel LLC (Little Rock) – Large Manufacturer Exporter
• Knesek Guns Inc. (Van Buren) – Medium Service Provider
• Galley Support Innovations Inc. (Sherwood) – Small Manufacturer
• Jobco Inc. (Fort Smith) – Small Service Provider
• Collective Bias Inc. (Bentonville) – Rising Star

“Our businesses must compete in the global market if our state is to reach its economic potential,” said Gov. Asa Hutchinson. “The Governor’s Award for Excellence in Global Trade recognizes those businesses that are forging the way and finding success. They are great examples of how businesses must continue to evolve in the 21st century.”

This is the sixth year for the program which is co-sponsored by the Arkansas District Export Council, Arkansas Economic Development Commission, U. S. Commercial Service, and the Arkansas World Trade Center.

Judging criteria was based on factors such as most recent percentage of export sales to total sales, growth of export sales over the past three years, the company's goals and commitments internationally and the number of jobs saved or created due to the company's export performance if applicable.
 
According to Census Bureau data, Arkansas’s export shipments of merchandise in 2014 totaled $6.9 billion. There were 2,242 Arkansas companies exporting goods from Arkansas in 2014. Arkansas’s largest trade partners in 2014 were Canada ($1.4 billion), Mexico ($738 million), France ($440 million), and China ($437 million).
 
The Arkansas District Export Council is composed of business leaders appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. District Export Councils contribute leadership and international trade expertise to complement the U.S. Commercial Service's export promotion efforts through counseling businesses on the exporting process and conducting trade education and community outreach.
 
THE WINNERS
Georg Fischer Harvel LLC is a producer of plastic pipe and fittings used for the transportation of water, gases and aggressive media. Five years ago, Georg Fisher Harvel LLC found the local market highly saturated and worked to expand into the international market. To date, 20 percent of their gross revenue is derived from international sales. They have focused on emergent international markets in which an increase in local and foreign investment is leading an increase in infrastructure improvements. They are currently exporting to more than 50 countries. The innovative approach to expanding their market and the dedication to developing international relationships to ensure their supply lines remain open and active are why Georg Fischer Harvel LLC was selected as this year’s Large Manufacturer Exporter.
 
Knesek Guns Inc. (KGI) saw an international need for advanced firearms and equipment and has grown to meet that need. Based out of Van Buren, Arkansas, this company exports to 76 international markets. They first envisioned international expansion after attending the IWA trade show in Germany. Through discussions in Germany with potential customers they saw that there was an international need for specialized firearms, modified to meet individual country regulations that no other American company was filling. They took this idea and have worked with foreign governments and defense companies to expand their global reach. KGI has also expanded into several offshoot businesses to enhance their manufacturing enterprise. The way that KGI stepped up to meet a global need and the focus of the business on export markets is why Knesek Guns Inc. is this year’s Medium Service Provider.
 
Galley Support Innovations (GSI) based out of Sherwood, Arkansas, designs and manufactures interior hardware for planes, trains, yachts and more. They work with customers to custom design hardware for their transportation systems. While GSI focuses primarily on planes at this time, they are reaching out to international markets in rail, marine, and automotive industries as well. Currently more than 20 percent of their annual sales is derived from their exporting business. They are exporting to eight foreign markets currently and have started working directly with end users overseas to increase this market share. GSI’s willingness to change and expand to meet the diverse international demand is why they are this year’s Small Manufacturer Exporter.
 
Jobco Incorporated started in 1981 as a wholesale distributor for manufacturing companies within the Fort Smith area. Over the last 30 years, they have expanded their reach and now serve as a wholesale distributor for international markets. They have embraced technology and utilized a web based sales approach to market to internationally based companies. They have retained these customers and increased their exporting markets by providing custom products to countries that are unable to locally produce products to meet their manufacturing needs. Through their web-based approach, they have doubled their international sales in the last year and hope to further increase their reach in the year to come. This focus on customer satisfaction and embracing technology is why Jobco Inc. is this year’s Small Service Provider. 
 
Collective Bias, based in Rogers, Arkansas, uses the power of storytelling to influence market demand and branding for companies around the world. They focus on utilizing social influencers to tell their stories about different brands and products and their experiences using these products. In this way companies can use real life examples to shape their image and to encourage new markets. People in general are engaged in the act of reading about other people’s impressions of different products as they are mentioned in the process of storytelling, in this way potential customers do not even realize they are being influenced to look for those products the while they are shopping. These authentic stories are shared across social media platforms, thus expanding the reach of the story. Collective Bias took this idea global. They have worked with major companies to increase markets for lessor utilized products. They have found social influencers who were using these products in new and exciting ways and started Twitter campaigns to highlight the reach of these ideas. This creative and innovative approach is allowing Collective Bias to influence shopping decisions worldwide, while increasing Arkansas based jobs. This is why Collective Bias is this year’s Arkansas Rising Star.

Wal-Mart Stores said it is expanding its veterans hiring promise to provide 250,000 jobs to qualified veterans by 2020. The retailer says it has hired more than 92,000 veterans since the Veterans Welcome Home Commitment was launched two years ago on Memorial Day.

The original plan was to hire 100,000 over five years but given its success Wal-Mart is now expanding its promise by one and a half times. The retailer said another 8,000 veterans have been promoted in the past two years as well.

“We’ve experienced a tremendous response to the Veterans Welcome Home Commitment in our first two years, and as more service members transition out of active duty, we know we can do more,” said retired Brigadier General Gary Profit, Walmart’s senior director of military programs. “We believe veterans represent the largest, diverse, talent-rich pool in the world and are an essential segment of the next generation at Walmart.”

The Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff estimates 250,000 service members may separate from the military each year over the next five years.

“Walmart’s Veterans Welcome Home Commitment assures our nation's veterans that there is an opportunity available for them through a much needed short-term job or the start of a long-term career,” said James Schmeling, co-founder of the Institute for Veterans and Military Families and managing director for programming. “Walmart, Sam’s Club and the Walmart Foundation have been strong partners, supporting IVMF’s work building impactful programs, including for veteran and family business ownership, through the educational institutions and communities where veterans and families are preparing for important transitions in their lives."

On May 5, Wal-Mart Stores participated in the launch of the Coalition for Veteran Owned Business, which will work to create opportunities for veteran and military-family owned businesses with American businesses and supply chains. The retailer invites military and veteran-owned businesses to apply for its annual U.S. Manufacturing Summit and Open Call to be held July 7-8 in Bentonville.

The summit and open call will provide an opportunity to meet with Walmart’s buyers and facilitate meetings for current and potential suppliers with key state economic development officials.

In addition to hiring veterans, Wal-Mart and its foundation have also committed $20 million of additional funding to assisting veterans and their families though 2019. This commitment was extended from the $20 million promised in 2011.

Senior Print Production Manager Greg Shira has been promoted to vice president/production at CJRW.

Shira coordinates all print-related production and supervises the agency’s production team. He has been with CJRW, Arkansas’ largest advertising, marketing and public relations firm, for nearly 19 years, starting as a production manager and later being promoted to senior production manager.

“Greg’s constant dedication to the highest quality in print production and his work to keep CJRW on the leading edge of technology and new industry trends have earned him this promotion,” said Darin Gray, CJRW president.

Shira works with printers across the nation, and his clients have included the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, Visit Hot Springs, several banks, the Clinton Presidential Center, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. Shira holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Picasolar Inc., a solar start-up company affiliated with the University of Arkansas, dedicated its new headquarters on Wednesday (May 20) at the Arkansas Research and Technology Park.

The 2,300-square-foot space in the Enterprise Center at the technology park allows Picasolar to shorten the time it takes to produce its patent-pending product. That product, called a hydrogen super emitter, improves solar cell efficiency and reduces the amount of silver needed in the manufacture of solar panels, making them more marketable and affordable.

The hydrogen super emitter could save the average solar panel manufacturer up to $120 million annually. The super emitter represents the single largest technology leap in solar power in 40 years, said Douglas Hutchings, Picasolar’s CEO.

“This is a big step for our company,” Hutchings said. “With 1,000 square feet of new lab space, we will accelerate our proprietary process to make solar cells more efficient. The infrastructure and equipment we have assembled will streamline our transition from research and development to commercializing products.”

The University of Arkansas has supported and partnered with Picasolar through its development as a company.

Seth Shumate invented the super emitter as a student at the UA, and Hutchings and Shumate have worked with Hameed Naseem, a professor of electrical engineering, in the Photovoltaics Research Lab at the Arkansas Research and Technology Park.

The firm’s business plan was honed in the New Venture Development graduate course in the Sam M. Walton College of Business. Competing as a graduate business plan team, Picasolar won more than $300,000 at graduate business plan competitions in 2013, the same year it started operations at the research park.

“It is exciting to see Picasolar continue to grow and be successful,” said Jim Rankin, vice provost for research and economic development at the UA. “There is a great deal of promising solar research occurring at the University of Arkansas and we look forward to seeing it transition from the lab to the market.”

In 2014, Picasolar raised $1.2 million in equity investments on top of receiving an $800,000 SunShot Initiative award through the U.S. Department of Energy. In April, Picasolar’s super emitter was recognized with a prestigious 2015 Edison Award. The Edison awards, inspired by Thomas Edison’s persistence and inventiveness, recognize innovation, creativity and ingenuity in the global economy.

Out-of-state students will save $50 per credit hour on tuition at NorthWest Arkansas Community College beginning with the fall 2015 semester.

The college’s Board of Trustees recently approved a reduction in the out-of-state tuition rate from $175 per credit hour to $125 per credit hour.

“We believe this change will make college more affordable for those students who have wanted to take college classes with us, but felt the out-of-state tuition rate put their dream of a college education out of reach,” said Dr. Evelyn Jorgenson, the college’s president.

A wide range of students will benefit from the change, said Steven Hinds, executive director of public relations and marketing.

“The potential beneficiaries of this change include students who are taking classes online with us, students who qualify for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status or students who live in bordering states such as Missouri and Oklahoma, but outside the narrow service area currently receiving the in-state tuition rate,” he added.

Jorgenson said the college administration believes this action is a way to make college more affordable in an era when many institutions are being forced to increase tuition rates to balance budgets. NWACC’s Board of Trustees raised some student fees, but did not increase tuition costs for the 2015-16 academic year. This marked the third straight year the community college has not increased its tuition rates. The cost per credit hour for those students living within the college’s taxing district (Bentonville and Rogers school districts) is $75 per credit hour, and the out-of-the-district, but in-state rate is $122.50 per credit hour.
 

The Walton Arts Center announced a $500,000 gift from Tyson Foods on the heels of like funding from J.B. Hunt Transport last week which is designated for the $23 million fundraising campaign by the nonprofit.

The Investing in our Future campaign seeks to add 30,000 square feet of space, including a new and expanded atrium lobby that connects to Dickson Street, significant renovations and expansion of Starr Theater, expanded space for back of the house technical and theatrical equipment, and new administrative offices.

The goal is to complete the Dickson Street renovation by fall 2016. Heavy construction of the main lobby and Starr Theater will occur during the off-peak summer months of 2015 and 2016 to minimize the impact on regular programming and ensure the arts center has a full season.
 
“Thanks to the long-time partnership with Tyson Foods, Walton Arts Center is able to provide enriching arts opportunities for children and audiences in Northwest Arkansas,” said Peter Lane, president and CEO of Walton Arts Center.

He said Tyson Foods has sponsored season programming, education programs and capital projects. This gift will continue the legacy of Tyson Foods’ support of Walton Arts Center by renaming the renovated exterior Tyson Plaza and naming the primary entry from the Dickson Street entrance as the Tyson Entrance.
 
“In the last few years our region’s population has grown by nearly 8%, versus the 3% nationwide average. Needless to say, this area is booming,” said Tyson Foods’ Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs Sara Lilygren. “We find it so important to give back to this community, and we’re delighted to support access to cultural and recreational assets like the Walton Arts Center.”
 

With the completion and opening of the Scott Family Amazeum less than three months away, the organization has ramped up its staff.

Randy Graham has been named director of guest services, and Kelsey Howard has is the new school and community programs manager.
 
“Final preparations are being made as we approach our opening on July 15,” said Sam Dean, Amazeum executive director. “These additions to our staff round out an incredible team of individuals who each bring a specific skill set to the interactive exhibits at the Amazeum, engaging the imagination of children and their families throughout the region.”
 
As director of guest services, Graham is responsible for leading the vision, launch and sustainability of the Scott Family Amazeum’s front-line team, which includes admissions, store, café and other business centers. 
 
He comes to the Amazeum from Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, where he served as group tour manager. In this role, he oversaw the development and management of the group tour program while collaborating with guest services, education, culinary, curatorial, and trails and grounds aspects of the museum.
 
Prior to museum work, Graham served as parks and recreation director for the City of Lamar in Missouri. His experience also includes speaking, consulting and ministry positions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas.
 
As school and community programs manager, Howard oversees the development and delivery of programming for Amazeum guests, schools and community groups, and will be responsible for daily activities in the Hershey’s Lab. 

Prior to joining the Amazeum, she worked at John Brown University in Siloam Springs as an adjunct professor and reading and writing specialist. She also has several years of work and volunteer experience in numerous museums such as the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, Okla., and the Courtauld Gallery in London.

Before settling in Northwest Arkansas, Howard and her husband, Jordan, lived in South Korea, working as ESL elementary school teachers. Upon receiving the Ralph R. Kirchner scholarship through Rotary Club District 6110, Howard continued her studies in London at the Courtauld Institute of Art, where she earned her master’s degree in the history of art.

Dr. Evelyn Jorgenson, president of NorthWest Arkansas Community College, and Dr. Alan Marble, president of Missouri Southern University in Joplin, recently signed an agreement that will facilitate transfer students taking honors courses at the respective colleges.

The agreement allows students from NWACC to enroll in challenging courses that will count toward their degree requirements and make a seamless transition into Missouri Southern’s program, the institutions’ leaders said. The transfer agreement is effective with the fall 2015 semester.

A variety of courses are offered through NWACC’s Honors Program in English composition, literature, history, biology, astronomy, geology, philosophy, psychology and gender studies.

Monica Kumar has been selected to serve as the new executive director at Downtown Bentonville Inc. (DBI).

Brenda Anderson, president of the DBI Board, announced the appointment Thursday (May 21) saying that, “Monica’s background in community programming and engagement, as well as her expertise in organizational administration and non-profit management, makes her a great fit for DBI."

“She also has an innate enthusiasm for our community and its people – we are very fortunate to have Monica on the DBI team,” Anderson added.

Kumar and her family moved to Bentonville in January 2014 from Silicon Valley area of California where she worked in community development and program positions. Since her move to Bentonville, she has created a community storytelling website called the Bentonville Project.

She was born in the United Kingdom where she attended law school and practiced family and human rights law. Prior to that, she practiced corporate and commercial law in the Turks & Caicos Islands. 

“I am passionate about community building and believe that Bentonville is an incredibly unique example of what can be achieved when local stakeholders work together. DBI has made a dynamic impact on the development of our downtown and I am privileged to serve in this capacity. I hope to build upon the positive success of DBI and continue to advance our community together.”

Kumar holds a bachelor's degree in law and a legal practicing diploma from the London College of Law, UK. She and her husband have a five year old son and live in downtown Bentonville.

In typical Wal-Mart fashion the settlement it reached with comedian Tracy Morgan and others in the June 7, 2014 fatality accident involving a Walmart truck on the New Jersey Turnpike was sealed. The retailer did release a statement to the media Wednesday (May 27) regarding the settlement with Morgan, Ardley Fuqua and Jeffery Millea but said the terms and conditions of the settlement with Morgan and the other plaintiffs are confidential.

“Our thoughts continue to go out to everyone that was involved in the accident," said Greg Foran, Walmart U.S. president and CEO. "While we know there is nothing that can change what happened, Wal-Mart has been committed to doing what's right to help ensure the well-being of all of those who were impacted by the accident.”

Foran adds that the company worked with the plaintiff’s lawyer Benedict Morelli, and is pleased to have reached an amicable settlement that ends this litigation.

“We are deeply sorry that one of our trucks was involved,” said Foran.

Wal-Mart spokesman Randy Hargrove told The City Wire that the driver, Kevin Roper, is still employed but he remains on administrative, non-driving leave.

Wal-Mart did not respond to questions about any changes in protocol that might result or have already resulted from this high profile accident.

The plaintiff’s counsel Benedict Morelli said he worked with the retailer to reach the settlement on behalf of the victims and Wal-Mart took full responsibility for the accident.

“Wal-Mart did right by me and my family, and for my associates and their families. I am grateful the case was resolved amicably,” Tracy Morgan stated in the release.

Earlier this year Wal-Mart settled a civil suit with the family of James McNair, the comedian killed in the Morgan accident. That settlement was also confidential, with Wal-Mart admitting no liability for the accident.

Roper plead not guilty to charges of vehicular homicide and assault-by-auto. Federal investigators found that Roper was driving 20 miles per hour more than the speed limit just before the crash. Wal-Mart has said the passengers were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash.

The Fayetteville Advertising and Promotions Commission announced the hiring of Kody Ford and Madison Lanza.



Ford was named digital marketing coordinator at the Fayetteville Visitors Bureau. He has 12 years experience in media and public relations having worked for several Northwest Arkansas nonprofits. Ford holds a master’s degree in communication from the University of Arkansas. In his spare time, he is editor of The Idle Class Magazine, a statewide publication focused on the arts in Arkansas.



Lanza has been chosen as the event manager for the Fayetteville Town Center. Lanza is a recent graduate of the University of Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree in food, human nutrition and hospitality. She brings with her several years of experience in the event planning and food service industry.



"We are experiencing tremendous growth in Fayetteville’s tourism and business economy, and it’s exciting to be able to bring more talented people on board to help us accomplish our goals. I think both Kody and Madison will be wonderful additions to the A&P staff and the Northwest Arkansas professional community,” said Fayetteville A&P Commission Executive Director Kym Hughes. “They each bring a fresh perspective and enthusiasm to our team and I look forward to working with them both.”

Cate Huff has been named senior account executive at Little Rock-based CJRW where she has joined the agency’s account services team.

CJRW is one of the region’s leading advertising, marketing and public relations firms, and has an office in Northwest Arkansas.

Huff was previously with Publicis Hawkeye and TracyLocke, both of Dallas where she was an account executive on such accounts as Pizza Hut and T-Mobile and prior to that was a project manager on the Texas Lottery Commission account. Her experience includes campaign development and management, product launch strategy, local marketing programs and branding.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas with focuses in psychology and English/journalism.

“Cate brings a very specific skill set of program and project management and creative involvement,” Darin Gray, CJRW president, said in a statement. “She is extremely adept at managing multi-faceted campaigns, and is a tremendous addition to our agency team.”

Sparks Regional Medical Center has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award and made the “Target: Stroke Honor Roll.”

The award recognizes the hospital’s work in ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence. This is the fifth year in a row Sparks has received this honor.

“With a stroke, time lost is brain lost, and this award demonstrates our commitment to ensuring patients receive care based on nationally-respected clinical guidelines,” Dan McKay, CEO, Sparks Health System, said in a statement. “Sparks is dedicated to improving the quality of stroke care and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines-Stroke helps us achieve that goal.” 

According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the number five cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. Representatives from the American Heart and Stroke Associations presented the award Wednesday (May 27) during an open house and ribbon cutting of the new Sparks Neurology Center located at 1504 Dodson Ave.

Sparks Regional Medical Center is a Gold Seal accredited Primary Stroke Center offering neurovascular medical and surgical care for patients suffering strokes and/or aneurysms. Sparks is this region’s only accredited Chest Pain Center with PCI by the Society of Chest Pain Centers.

The University of Arkansas Community Design Center received two new awards for a food sustainability project that promotes local urban agriculture.

The project dubbed Fayetteville 2030: Food City Scenario, won a “2015 Great Places Award” from the Environmental Design Research Association. It also received a “2015 Green Good Design Award” from the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and the Chicago Museum of Architecture and Design.

The Community Design Center led an interdisciplinary team at the UA that speculated on what Fayetteville might look like if the city’s growth integrated local urban food production sustainable enough to create self-sufficiency.

Fayetteville’s population of 75,000 is expected to double over the next 20 years. The plan also factored in the high rating for child hunger in the immediate region.

Steve Luoni, director for the Center and UA professor, said the Food City Scenario sought to link urban agriculture back into the city environment, with the prospect of helping Fayetteville achieve greater food security and resiliency.

“Food has been absent in planning and urban design, but that is changing as cities worldwide are trying to build greater resilience. Food City asks what kind of infrastructure would a city have to develop if it cultivated a local food system?” Luoni said.

“The scenario led to the invention of planning tools for reclaiming a missing middle scale of urban agriculture between that of the individual garden and the industrial farm. Food can simultaneously build greater prosperity, social capital and a true sense of place,”
he added.

The Great Places Award program recognizes projects that show concern for human factors in the design of the built environments, as well as commitment to promoting the links between design research and practice. This is the center’s fourth award from the association.

This year’s Green Good Design Award recognized 65 consumer product designs and 25 pieces of architecture and urban planning projects from 24 countries.

• Post among the bidders for Hostess
Hostess is drawing a number of potential suitors including Post Foods who reportedly entered a nonbinding bid for the snack-cake maker this week. Hostess is worth an estimated $2 billion.

Post joins the ranks of Grupo Bimbo, Flowers Foods and Swiss-based Aryzta AG who owns Otis Spunkmeyer cookies as well as several private investment firms who entered bids before deadline. 
Just two years after buying the Hostess snack cake business for $410 million, owners Apollo Global Management and billionaire C. Dean Metropoulos are looking to flip the maker of Twinkies, Donettes, Ho Hos, Ding Dongs and other snack brands for a high multiple.

Apollo management has said a new owner can take the brand they bought out of liquidation and build revenue from its current $650 million level to near the $1 billion it attained before Hostess collapsed into Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2012.

Suitors invited into the second round will take roughly the next six weeks to study the business before making binding offers.

The new Hostess has roughly 1,000 employees and five factories, compared with 9,000 employees and 14 plants prior to its reorganization. It relies on contract drivers to deliver products to stores less frequently than the old company did.

• New CEO chosen for Dollar General
Dollar General named Todd Vasos as its new CEO to replace Rick Dreiling who will stay on at the discount retailer for the remainder of his board term through Jan. 29, 2016,  the company announced Thursday (May 28).

Dreiling said an extra slot on the board will be added for Vasos, who has been the chief operating officer at the retailer since 2013.


“On behalf of the entire board of directors, we are excited to have Todd Vasosas as our CEO and look forward to working with him in his new role. Todd is a proven leader and the right person to guide Dollar General as it enters this next chapter in the company’s history,” said Mike Calbert, Dollar General’s lead director.

Springdale-based Tyson Foods has petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn a judgment and $5.8 million award for workers in its Storm Lake, Iowa pork processing plant. This has been a long fought battle between Tyson and its labor who claims they there were not fully paid for the time spent donning and doffing protective gear required for the job prior to 2010.

The suit (Tyson Foods Inc. v. Bouaphakeo) involves past and present workers in this facility who previously won their case in U.S. District Court with a $5.8 million award and attorneys fees. Tyson Foods appealed the judgment to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld the lower court’s ruling.

In its petition to the Supreme Court Tyson argued that the Eighth Circuit wrongly certified the lawsuit as a class action.

Representatives from the University of Arkansas and NorthWest Arkansas Community College on Thursday (May 28) signed a memorandum of understanding that allows the transfer of courses in child advocacy to transfer to UA.
 
The agreement provides the opportunity for NWACC students who complete courses that adhere to the evidence-based child advocacy studies curriculum offered at Winona State University and the UA School of Social Work to transfer those credits into one of several bachelor’s degree pathways at the UA at the advanced 3000-level. 
 
NWACC students seeking to transfer the courses must meet several requirements. These requirements include earning an associate degree from NWACC and completing the 2000 level classes within the child advocacy studies curriculum at NWACC.

Students also must have been admitted to the School of Social Work or be majoring in sociology, criminal justice or psychology or be pursuing a human environmental sciences degree or be pursuing a nursing degree at the UA.
 
Dr. Ricky Tompkins, vice president of learning and chief academic officer at NWACC, said the agreement is another step in the ongoing collaboration and partnership between the two higher education institutions.

“This memorandum of understanding allows for a seamless transfer of courses for those students preparing to serve children and who seek to create an environment where all youngsters can be safe and have the opportunity to learn,” he said.

Tompkins noted prior to the signing ceremony that during the next 18 months more than 30 non-credit training sessions are being planned at the Melba Shewmaker Southern Region National Child Protection Training Center in Bentonville that serves 16 states.