Influencers of the Year 2021

Dr. Jose Romero doesn’t see himself as a character in a Michael Crichton novel. On the contrary, Arkansas’ newest secretary of health is a self-described academic/physician. That’s all. It just so happens that his expertise lies in infectious disease and…

Matt Bell has been an influencer in the finance and construction industries, and as partner at Little Rock’s Entegrity, he’s now influencing the solar and advanced energy fields. Prior to co-launching Entegrity with Chris Ladner, Bell co-founded a commercial general-contractor…

The question isn’t so much, “Is Brent Birch an influencer?” The question is more, “Just what doesn’t he influence?” Under the guidance of Birch and the LRTP board authority, the tech park has remained viable through COVID-19 and continues its…

Bret Carroll was named CEO of Conway Corp in 2017, just the sixth person to hold the title in the company’s more than 90-year history. He started at Conway Corp in 1998 as the company’s chief financial officer. Since taking…

Jay Chesshir is well-known for his involvement in the capital city’s development. In 2006, the proud native of Nashville (Howard County) became the 15th president and CEO in the 143-year history of the chamber. Chesshir began his career at the…

Bryan Day has been involved with state and local government for more than 35 years, and the wide array of positions he has held have allowed him to focus on building and strengthening communities. Day was appointed executive director of…

Dr. Jennifer A. Dillaha is State Epidemiologist and the medical director for Immunizations and Outbreak Response with the Arkansas Department of Health in Little Rock. She has been in practice for more than 20 years. Dillaha graduated from the University…

As president and chief executive officer of Walmart U.S., John Furner oversees the strategic direction and performance of more than 4,700 stores and more than 1 million associates. Furner previously served as president/CEO of Sam’s Club from 2017-2019. Under his…

Kalene Griffith is the president and CEO of Visit Bentonville, which promotes the city of Bentonville as a world-class travel destination. Griffith played competitive softball at Dodge City Community College and rugby at Kansas State University. She started her community-focused…

As president and CEO of Hathaway Group in Little Rock, Hathaway uses local knowledge and deep experience to overcome real estate challenges, all while displaying a deep adoration for the Natural State’s capital city. Hathaway has been selling real estate…