Feature Stories 7 COVER STORY: GOV. SARAH SANDERS: HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING TO WIN IN EDUCATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 10 THE ARKANSAS ADVANTAGE: RELATIONSHIPS BUILD AN ECOSYSTEM FOR GROWTH 15 EXECUTIVE TESTIMONIALS: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR ARKANSAS 16 ENTREPRENEURSHIP: ARKANSAS IS FERTILE SOIL FOR GROWING BUSINESSES 18 ON THE MOVE: NEW ARKANSAS RESIDENTS TELL THEIR STORIES 21 SMALL TOWNS, BIG BUSINESS: RURAL COMMUNITIES THRIVING IN ARKANSAS 24 WHITE GOLD: ARKANSAS’ LITHIUM INDUSTRY MAKING GLOBAL IMPACT 27 TAKING FLIGHT: MILITARY INSTALLATIONS DRIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH IN ARKANSAS 29 COMMERCE SECRETARY HUGH MCDONALD: PUTTING OUR FOOT ON THE GAS 2 ARKANSAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE ARKANSAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE TABLE OF CONTENTS 29 18 74 ARKANSAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE 766438 Business Strengths 34 CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE: ARKANSAS WINS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 38 INTERNATIONAL APPEAL: ARKANSAS GAINING MOMENTUM IN FDI 40 THE FANTASTIC 4: FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES IN ARKANSAS 43 BUILDING TOP TIER TALENT INARKANSAS 46 ARKANSAS: NATURALLY BUILT FOR BUSINESS 50 BY THE NUMBERS Industry Profiles 52 FORGING AHEAD: HOW ARKANSAS BECAME A GLOBAL LEADER IN STEEL PRODUCTION 55 FEEDING THE WORLD: FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY GROWING IN ARKANSAS 58 ROOTED IN SUCCESS: ARKANSAS CULTIVATES FORESTRY AND AGTECH INDUSTRY 60 SOARING HIGH: AEROSPACE & DEFENSE INDUSTRY WINS IN ARKANSAS 62 LOCKED AND LOADED: FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION INDUSTRY IN ARKANSAS 64 THROUGH THE LENS OF ARKANSAS 66 WHY ARKANSAS IS THE NEXT BIG THING FOR TECH STARTUPS Case Studies 68 CASE STUDY: TREX 70 CASE STUDY: WESTROCK COFFEE 72 CASE STUDY:SIG SAUER 74 CASE STUDY:WEYERHAEUSER Life in the Natural State 76 OUTDOOR RECREATION AND QUALITY OF LIFE 82 PHOTO GALLERY: ARKANSAS IN ALL ITS GLORY6 ARKANSAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE ONLINE EDITION TAKE THIS GUIDE WITH YOU ENJOY Read the digital edition on your tablet and phone. Click on links within articles for even more information. SHARE Share the magazine on social media with your friends and community. LINK Feature the magazine on your blog, website or newsletters with a link or one of our easy-to-use tools. siteselection.com/cc/arkansas The publishers believe that the information contained in this publication is accurate. However, the in formation is not war ranted, and neither Conway Data, nor The Arkansas Economic Development Guide, assumes any liability or responsibility for actual, consequential or incidental damages re sulting from inaccurate or erroneous information. PHONE: (770) 446-6996 • TOLL FREE: (800) 554-5686 FAX: (770) 263-8825 email: editor@conway.com web: siteselection.com/cc/arkansas The Arkansas Economic Development Guide is published by Conway Data, Inc. 6625 The Corners Parkway, Suite 200, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 USA. PRINTED IN USA. ©2024 Conway Data, Inc. Publisher/Director LAURA LYNE Executive Vice President RONALD J. STARNER Editor in Chief ADAM BRUNS Editor Emeritus MARK AREND Senior Editor GARY DAUGHTERS Associate Editor ALEXIS ELMORE Assistant Custom Content EditorLINDSAY LOPP Art DirectorNEGIN MOMTAZ Production Coordinator/Designer BOB GRAVLEE Lead Designers SEAN SCANTLAND RICHARD NENOFF Designer ASHLEIGH PORTER Data Services Manager KAREN MEDERNACH Senior Research Associate BRIAN ESPINOZA Research Associate McKENZIE WRIGHT GLOBAL SALES & MARKETING Vice President of Sales CHARLES FITZGIBBON Regional Director — Northeast U.S. MIKE GLENNON Regional Director — Midwest U.S. CATHY McFARLAND Regional Director — Southeast U.S. MARTA RUSSELL Regional Director — Western U.S. PAUL NEWMAN Regional Director — U.S. MARGARET ROSE EuropeBRENDAN DOHERTY, +44 7999 786752 Japan HIROKO MINATO, +81 50 8882 3456 Korea CHUL LEE, +82 2 466 5595 Sales Administrator CHRISTI STANSBERRY Sales Development Representative BRE ROGERS BUSINESS DEPARTMENT Chief Financial Officer DEBBIE PORTER Accounting Associate DAVIS WILSON CIRCULATION Circulation Manager JULIE CLARKE DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY TEAM Director of Programming & Analytics DANIEL BOYER IT CoordinatorMARK BERTRAM Webmaster DANIEL MONAGHANARKANSAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE 7 Her first two years in office show a track record of many firsts. by RON STARNER Governor Sarah Sanders: Hitting the Ground Running to Win in Education, Economic Development o say that Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders hit the ground running after her inauguration on January 10, 2023, would be an understatement. During her first two years in office, she: • Cut taxes. • Implemented sweeping reforms of the state school system. • Delivered the GOP responses to the State of the Union Address. • Passed universal school choice. • Streamlined state government. • Launched the Natural State Initiative to grow Arkansas’ outdoor economy. To be fair, this is not her first time in the political spotlight. As the daughter of former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, she witnessed leadership firsthand as she watched her father make many difficult decisions. Later, she served as President Donald Trump’s press secretary, a post that put her in the public eye of America — and in the crosshairs of the national media — on practically a daily basis. When people say she’s unflappable, they mean it. She has earned a reputation for plainspokenness, unapologetic conservatism and unflinching family values. She also served in the U.S. Department of Education under the administration of President George W. Bush, and later ran her own father’s campaign for president. When you forge a resume like that, there is no political storm you haven’t seen and no tempest you haven’t been called on to manage. Through it all, she has shown grace under pressure and courage under fire. T COVER STORYNext >