TuffTek by NanoMech is among the products honored with a 2014 Edison Award. Inspired by Thomas Edison's persistence and inventiveness, the annual awards recognize innovation, creativity and ingenuity in the global economy. Each recipient will be honored April 30, at the Edison Awards Annual Gala in San Francisco.

"It's exciting to see companies like NanoMech continuing Thomas Edison's legacy of challenging conventional thinking," said Frank Bonafilia, Edison Awards' executive director. "Edison Awards recognizes the game-changing products and services, and the teams that brought them to consumers."

Edison Award nominees are judged by more than 3,000 senior business executives and academics from across the nation whose votes acknowledge the finalists' success in meeting the award's stringent criteria of quality.

"The TuffTek platform is the company's patented, award winning and nanoengineered advanced coating technology incorporated into cutting tools and wear parts for machining materials used in automotive, aerospace, energy and other sectors, and critical wear parts for machines and vehicles," said company CEO Jim Phillips. "Its novel bio-inspired surface architecture -- designed to mimic a lotus leaf -- is capable of self-sustained lubrication.”

NanoMech was founded in 2002 by Dr. Ajay Malshe, chief technology officer, who credited this award to his team of scientists, and the support of Nano Materials Science and Engineering Institute at the University of Arkansas. In 2003, NanoMech began working to develop nanomanufactured products based on a coating technology pioneered by Dr. Malshe and exclusively licensed from the UA. From 2003 until 2008, NanoMech developed various applications of the NanoSpray technology under government and industrial sponsorship.

"NanoMech could not have received this prestigious award without the tireless work of our world-class team of scientists, including Dr. Wenping Jiang, Vice President of Manufacturing,” Malshe said.

He also commended the National Science Foundations and the Environmental Protection Agency for their contributions over the years in support of nano technology.

Deborah Wince-Smith, CEO of the Council on Competitiveness and a member of NanoMech's Board of Directors, praised NanoMech for its innovative work.

"The ability to develop and deploy the most cutting-edge tools and products to bolster U.S. advanced manufacturing will deliver outsized benefits to the U.S. industrial base. NanoMech and TuffTek are at the leading edge of a resurgent U.S. manufacturing capability - on that is not dumb, dirty, dangerous and disappearing: but is smart, safe, sustainable and surging."

• Hillshire Brands to acquire Van’s Natural Foods
Hillshire Brands has signed an agreement to acquire Van’s Natural Foods from private equity firm Catterton Partners for $165 million.

Van’s Natural Foods is based in Phoenix and is a “better-for-you” brand in frozen breakfast and snack foods including waffles, pancakes, cereal, crackers and snack bars. Van’s frozen breakfast and snack foods are available at grocery stores, mass merchandise stores and natural food retailers nationwide.

“The Van’s brand is a terrific addition to our portfolio,” said Sean Connolly, CEO of Hillshire Brands. “Not only does it expand our presence in the frozen category, it also gives us a proven health and wellness brand with extendability beyond frozen.”

Van’s has an expected net revenue of $60 million this year. The deal is expected to close in May, pending regulatory clearance.

Van’s Natural Foods will become part of Hillshires’ retail segment, pairing with brands such as Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm and Ball Park. Van’s Natural Foods’ management will continue to lead the business.

“As a leader in branded foods including breakfast products, Hillshire Brands is an ideal strategic partner for Van’s,” said Eric Kufel, CEO, Van’s Natural Foods. “Our positioning in the large and growing wellness consumer lifestyle segment is a perfect complement to Hillshire Brands’ product portfolio.”

Hillshire Brands is a supplier to Wal-Mart Stores Inc. with a local sales office in Bentonville.

• TreeHouse to acquire Protenergy Natural Foods
TreeHouse Foods announced plans to acquire Protenergy Natural Foods, a developer and manufacturer of private label broth, soups and gravies. TreeHouse has agreed to pay Canadian private equity firm Whitecastle Investments, $150 million in cash for the business, subject to an adjustment for working capital, according to the press release on Monday, April 21.

TreeHouse expects the deal will impact earnings by about 6 cents this year, and add between 11 cents and 14 cents to its 2015 earnings. The transaction is expected to close late in the second quarter of 2014, and is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

TreeHouse said it will finance the deal through borrowings under its existing credit facility. Following the acquisition, TreeHouse anticipates pro forma 2014 sales of approximately $2.7 billion.

"We are delighted to welcome Protenergy Natural Foods and its innovative capabilities in premium food and beverage products to the TreeHouse family," said Sam K. Reed, chairman and CEO of TreeHouse Foods. "The acquisition of Protenergy is expected to expand our existing packaging capabilities and enables us to offer customers a full range of soup products, both wet and dry.

TreeHouse Foods is a supplier to Wal-Mart Stores Inc. with a local sales office in Rogers.

NorthWest Arkansas Community College is offering a tuition discount for out-of-state veterans that will enable them to attend NWACC or complete online courses at the reduced rate that in-state residents pay.

The college’s board of trustees approved the out-of-state tuition waiver at its March board meeting, and the new policy becomes effective with the fall semester. The cost for in-state tuition is $122.50 per credit hour.

“We are committed to honoring the dedication of our nation’s service men and women, and we believe this waiver will help support returning veterans who are seeking additional education,” said Dianna Portillo, director of NWACC’s Veterans Resource Center. “For some veterans, this step removes a significant hurdle. Under the terms of the post-9/11 GI Bill, the Department of Veterans Affairs only covers the cost of in-state tuition for a service member.  The waiver eliminates that extra out-of-state expense that may have put college out of some veterans’ reach.”

The waiver will be available to any veteran with a DD214 who was discharged under honorable conditions.

“The tuition waiver is the latest of many steps the College has taken to show continued support of veterans,” said Dr. Todd Kitchen, vice president for learner support services. “NWACC offers academic advising for all enrolled veterans and dependents of veterans and assistance for guardsmen and reservists submitting their tuition assistance applications through Go Army Ed,” he said.

Portillo noted that the College also has recently added two scholarships that are available to veterans. The Veterans Resource Center currently serves 400 veterans and their families.

More information about the tuition waiver or veteran services is available online.

The Cherokee Nation will hold a groundbreaking for a new casino located about six miles west of downtown Fort Smith on April 29.

According to a press release, the casino will replace the tribe's casino located at the intersections of Interstate 40 and U.S. Highway 64 in Roland, Okla.

Plans for the casino call for 170,000-square-feet of space spread between a casino and a "6-story, resort-style hotel, featuring 120 rooms along with convention space."

The casino-hotel will feature 850 electronic games, as well as table games and a private high limit poker room. Two restaurants will also be included within the new complex — what the tribe described as a grab-and-go café and a Las Vegas-style buffet. The new facility will also feature a live music venue.

The casino now located at the same intersection as the planned development opened in 1990 as the Cherokee Nation Bingo Outpost, according to the release, and houses a 50,000-square-foot gaming venue with 600 electronic gaming machines, as well as eight poker tables and seven table games. A 24-hour diner is also located at the site.

Cherokee's planned expansion will bring the area's second casino-hotel complex. The Choctaw Nation opened an upgraded gaming facility with a 7-story hotel tower in late 2012 as part of a $60 million expansion. It houses a total of 2,200 electronic gaming machines and employees about 850 people.

A cost estimate for the Cherokee Casino-Hotel project has not been announced.

The Roland facility is one of two casinos the tribe operates in Sequoyah County, the other located along I-40 in Sallisaw. The tribe also owns the former Blue Ribbon Downs race track, which is leases to a horse training company.

The tribe also operates the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Catoosa, Okla., which features two hotel towers and thousands of electronic gaming options.

Groundbreaking for the new casino-hotel will be April 29 at 11 a.m.

Bentonville-based America's Car-Mart Inc. announced the opening of its 134th dealership on Tuesday (April 22). The dealership is located in Dalton, Ga., and makes the company’s fourth dealership in the Peach State. It also marks the tenth new dealership opening for fiscal year 2014.The Dalton dealership will be managed by Michael Kelley. 

Car-Mart management also said it expects to open two additional locations very soon but these openings will take place just beyond the April 30, fiscal year-end.   

Car-Mart will report earnings in mid-May. The buy here, pay here, used auto dealer stock was trading at $36.30 following Tuesday’s announcement. Shares were down 31 cents.
     

Brad Bruns, 58, has announced he will seek re-election to the Springdale City Council, Ward 3, Position 1.

Bruns is a long-time resident of Springdale, calling this his home for over 33 years. he has served on the Springdale City Council for the past 4 years and chairs the Finance and Parks & Recreation committees. Bruns worked with Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse to bring the city’s parks bond issue into reality that voters asked for in 2012. To date, the bond has purchased over 200 acres of land, pre-engineering is complete and the design has made it through the planning commission with a unanimous vote. The city is now awaiting bid returns. 

Bruns grew up in Arkansas graduating from Mountainburg High School. He graduated from the University of Arkansas and began a career with the University of Arkansas Police Department in 1979, serving as an investigator, Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Captain before retiring with more than 23 years of service. Bruns was responsible for overseeing the department's operations budget and staff. He attended three Police Academies, including the FBI National Academy.

After retiring from law enforcement, Bruns has spent the past 12 years in the real estate industry, and is now working with Lindsey and Associates.

"Serving the citizens of Springdale on the City Council is a way for me to be a team player, work hard and give back to the city I love,” Bruns said in a statement. "I will continue to look for opportunities to make Springdale even more business friendly and improve the quality of life for our residents."

Bruns moved to Springdale in 1981, where he lives with his wife Rhenda and 13 year old son, Aaron. Bruns has served as president of FBINAA, Springdale Kiwanis and is an active member of Cross Church  and the Springdale Rotary Club.

"I still believe it is crucial for a council person to know and understand the history of Springdale to be able to help lead it in the future. Springdale is moving forward in such a positive direction now but we still have more work to do. Our best years are definitely ahead."

A May 28 application deadline has been announced for the 2015 Leadership Fort Smith class, a selection of local residents who will take part in a year-long program focusing on developing future leaders in the area.

A total of 25 individuals will be selected to the class from varying professions, businesses and organizations. Nominations are currently open, and anyone living or working in Fort Smith can be nominated.
 
The program, which is offered through the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, examines the Fort Smith area and educates the class on how they can improve the community. Ten monthly sessions are held from August through April, as well as opening and closing retreats and a commencement banquet.
 
Participants will involve themselves in the community, with activities including serving on boards, working with various agencies, or undertaking a community project that identifies a specific need.
 
Barbara Harvel of Fort Smith, director of LFS, said the program will educate its participants on the realities, opportunities and problems of the area.
 
“The purpose of Leadership Fort Smith is to provide a program that will build a competent leadership pool for the greater Fort Smith region, motivate emerging and existing leaders, and develop the participants for community leadership and decision making,” she said. “The desired outcome is that graduates of the program make a commitment to continue their involvement in the community.”
 
Harvel added that the program, which is beginning its 27th year, promotes one of the most important qualities for citizens to possess.
 
“Leadership is the single most important ingredient to develop a thriving and successful region,” she said. “The future of the greater Fort Smith area is more dependent than ever on our leaders’ quality, commitment and ability to work together.”
 
To nominate someone for Leadership Fort Smith, go to www.uafs.edu/lfs and click on “Nomination Form.” To complete an application, click on “LFS Application.” Self-nominations are also allowed and encouraged. For more information, contact Harvel by telephone at 479-788-7810 or by email at barbara.harvel@uafs.edu.

Danny Loe has been promoted to vice president-enterprise customer solutions for Fort Smith-based Arkansas Best Corp. following the retirement last month of Jim Keenan who previously held the job.

Loe will report directly to Arkansas Best President and CEO Judy McReynolds, and his start date is effective May 1.

The Enterprise Customer Solutions group was formed in November 2013, to drive sales and revenue across the ABF Freight, ABF Logistics and Panther Expedited Services businesses.

Loe is a 17-year veteran of the company and most recently served as vice president-yield management for ABF Freight System since 2010. He held a number of increasingly senior positions in the ABF Freight pricing department after joining the company as an associate pricing analyst in 1997. He also served as director of Marketing & Public Relations for ABF Freight for six years until assuming his current role.

"Danny's deep experience in pricing analytics, combined with a strong knowledge of our customers' needs, will be very valuable in his new role as we look to better serve our customers across the supply chain and particularly drive additional sales of multiple services across ABF Freight, ABF Logistics and Panther," McReynolds said in a statement.

Succeeding Loe in his role at ABF Freight will be Eddie Sorg. Sorg, who most recently has served as director of Pricing, has been with ABF Freight since 1995. In addition to various positions in pricing, Sorg also served as a director, Revenue Accounting.

The Board of Directors of The Montessori School of Fort Smith has named Jessica Hayes as director of the school effective May 5, 2014.

“We are thrilled to have Jessica lead the school moving forward,” said Scott Branton, Board president. “She brings a skill set to this position that will allow the school to keep its focus on education, but also plan for strategic growth – in terms of both our educational offerings and the school’s role in the community.”

Since 2008, Hayes served as the vice-president of Operations for the U.S. Marshals Museum.

“In a lot of ways, my work at the U.S. Marshals Museum played a key role in my love of Montessori education. As I’ve learned more and more about traditional classrooms, my appreciation for the opportunities offered in a Montessori classroom has grown tremendously.”

Montessori education was developed by Italian physician, Dr. Maria Montessori in 1907 when she opened Casa dei Bambini or The Children’s House. A child-centered approach to developing the whole child – physical, social, emotional, and cognitive, Montessori classrooms provide opportunities not found in a traditional classroom, according to the Montessori statement.

The Montessori School of Fort Smith has been open more than 40 years. The Montessori School of Fort Smith enrolls students ages 3 years to 6th grade. For more information about the school, call (479) 646-7225.

Graduate NWA will conduct two financial aid workshops as the program continues to reach out to adults interested in returning to school to complete their education.

The workshops will be from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 27, in Burns Hall at NorthWest Arkansas Community College campus in Bentonville and in the Baldor Technology Center at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith.

“This workshop is a great opportunity for adults to learn about financial aid and receive help applying for it,” said Penny Pendleton, UAFS dean for students services. “While high schools provide counseling and guidance to their students planning to go to college, there are fewer resources for adults wanting to attend college for the first time or who are returning to school to complete their degree. UAFS and the other Graduate NWA partners want to help adults return to school and complete their education. It is truly in the best interest of the student, their families, and our community to help these adults achieve their degree.”

Volunteers at the workshops will help attendees fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and answer individual questions about how to pay for a college degree.

Three financial aid workshops were held April 2 on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville, at Northwest Technical Institute in Springdale, and on the Rogers campus of John Brown University.

People who attend one of this month’s five financial aid workshops can enter a drawing to receive one of the 10, $500 in tuition reimbursement scholarships being given away by Graduate NWA. A similar tuition reimbursement program that was part of last fall’s Come Back to College Fair has helped 10 students who enrolled this semester at Northwest Arkansas colleges. Another 10 scholarships given away at that event are expected to be disbursed in the fall. 

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that more than 70,000 people living in Benton, Sebastian and Washington counties have some college credit but no college degree, and the workshops will target those individuals, said Stacey Sturner, the Graduate NWA program manager for the Northwest Arkansas Council.

Purchase money loans for Arvest Mortgage Company (AMC) grew from $818 million in 2012 to $934 million in 2013, according to a statement from the Northwest Arkansas-based bank.

Purchase money loans accounted for 43% of all mortgage loans in 2013, and for 33% in 2012. A purchase money loan is a loan used to buy a home, rather than any type of loan that is taken out after you buy a home such as a home equity line of credit or a refinance mortgage. A borrower can obtain a purchase money loan from a bank, a credit union or a private source of funds.

This increase in purchase money activity comes as refinance activity has slowed in recent years. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) has projected a continued decrease in the percentage of refinance mortgages originations this year. The MBA is projecting that refinance mortgage originations will fall from 62% in 2013, to just 36% in 2014.

“We saw a strong growth in purchase money mortgages in 2013, and are anticipating continued growth in 2014 as refinance loans continue to decrease in 2014,” Steven Plaisance, president and chief operating officer of Arvest Mortgage Company, said in the statement. “The continued increase in purchase money transactions is a positive sign and we know that homebuyers are looking for local lenders who can be with them through every step of the mortgage process. That personal level of service is always our top priority.”

Arvest services 99% of its mortgage loans, meaning that customers make their payments to Arvest and deal with Arvest for any needs after their loan closes. Arvest’s mortgage servicing portfolio had a strong 2013, servicing more than 66,000 loans. The total value of loans serviced in 2013 was more than $ 7.7 billion.

Arvest Bank operates more than 260 bank branches in more than 120 communities in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas through a network of 16 locally managed banks, each with its own board and management team.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. announced Thursday (April 23) its board of directors declared a 20-cent per share dividend on its common stock.


The regular quarterly dividend is payable to stockholders of record on May 9 and payable on May 23.

Shares of J.B. Hunt Transport closed on Wednesday at $76.02, down 13 cents. The largest individual shareholder is co-founder Johnelle Hunt whose 18.452 million shares have a street value of $ 1.4 billion. Her dividend payment for the quarter equals $3.69 million.

Gov. Mike Beebe on Thursday (April 24) announced the following appointments to boards and commissions:

Staci Croom-Raley, Maumelle, reappointed to the State Board of Private Career Education. Appointment expires April 15, 2021.

Billie Dougherty, Ward, reappointed to the Governor's Advisory Council on Aging. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2018.

Mandee Harper, Malvern, to the State Rehabilitation Council. Appointment expires Feb. 1, 2015. Replaces Eddie Miller.

Doyle Harrison, Texarkana, reappointed to the Governor's Advisory Council on Aging. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2018.

Philip Hathcock, Maumelle, to the Arkansas Education Television Commission. Appointment expires March 23, 2022. Replaces Dr. William Downs.

Wallace Hattenhauer, Little Rock, to the Criminal Detention Facility Review Committee, Judicial District 6. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2016. Replaces Chris Palmer.

Robert Hodges, Russellville, reappointed to the Governor's Advisory Council on Aging. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2018.

George "Skip" Holland, Hot Springs, reappointed to the Arkansas Education Television Commission. Appointment expires March 23, 2022.

Dr. Calvin Johnson, Pine Bluff, to the War Memorial Stadium Commission. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2016. Replaces Jim Hill.

Mike Long, Little Rock, to the Arkansas Independent Living Council. Appointment expires Feb. 1, 2017. Replaces Catherine Lyon.

James Mather II, Rogers, reappointed to the Arkansas Independent Living Council. Appointment expires Feb. 1, 2017.

John Miller, Cabot, to the Arkansas Science and Technology Authority. Appointment expires Jan. 1, 2015. Replaces George Williams.

Dr. John Page, Fayetteville, reappointed to the Arkansas State Board of Health. Appointment expires Dec. 31, 2017.

Sandra Porter, Bryant, to the Academic Facilities Review Committee. Appointment expires Aug. 6, 2016. Replaces Wayne Gibson.

Robert Roe, Omaha, to the Criminal Detention Facility Review Committee, Judicial District 14. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2018. Replaces Edward Lucas, Jr.

Archie Sanders, Pine Bluff, to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Board of Visitors. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2021. Replaces Torrance Walker.

Gary Smith, Little Rock, to the State Banking Board. Appointment expires Dec. 31, 2018. Replaces Rodney Parks.

Sean Williams, McCrory, reappointed to the Arkansas Fair Housing Commission. Appointment expires Feb. 1, 2018.

Summit Medical Center has earned a Silver Hospital Quality Excellence Award from the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care.

The Quality Awards are designed to recognize improvement in an individual health care organization’s performance in AFMC’s quality improvement projects. The Silver Hospital Quality Excellence Award recognizes exceptional organizations whose comprehensive quality program demonstrates an overall commitment to excellent patient care.

“Quality improvement is a team effort and everyone here at Summit works very hard to deliver the very best care possible to our patients,” Beth Puckett, RN, Infection Control at Summit, said in a statement. “We are proud and honored to receive this recognition. It serves as a reminder to all of our associates that what they do every day is important.”



Summit was recognized for outstanding improvement in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Value-based Purchasing (VBP) program. Through the Value-based Purchasing program hospitals are paid for inpatient acute care services based on the quality of care, not just quantity of the services they provide.



Summit Medical Center is a fully accredited, 103-bed acute care hospital located in Van Buren.

Steven Kolb, 59, of Springdale, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for willfully failing to pay withholding taxes to the federal government.  Kolb was also sentenced to three years of supervised release, and a $2,500 fine.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks also ordered Kolb to pay $117,455.36 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.

The announcement of Kolb’s sentencing came from the office of Conner Eldridge, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, and Christopher A. Henry, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Nashville Field Office.
 
“When employers withhold taxes from paychecks and do not remit those funds to the government, they are breaching the trust of their hard-working employees,” Eldridge said in a statement. “This is also an affront to the vast majority of employers that handle employee withholdings in an appropriate manner. This defendant has now been held accountable for his conduct in this regard.”
 
According to court records, from 2004 through 2010, Kolb and his wife owned a granite/stone installation business which they opened under the name Stone Art Designs, LLC.  Stone Art Designs was required to make deposits of the payroll taxes to the IRS on a periodic basis. In addition, it was required to file, following the end of each calendar quarter, an Employer's Quarterly Federal Income Tax Return (Form 941), setting forth the total amount of tax withheld, the total amount of Social Security and Medicare taxes due, and the total tax deposits.
 
Although Kolb filed delinquent Forms 941 for Stone Art Designs, and withheld payroll taxes from employee paychecks for the tax quarters in years 2005 through 2007, he failed to pay over those taxes to the IRS. Altogether, Kolb failed to pay over $117,455.35 in payroll taxes which included the taxes withheld from employee paychecks and the portion of taxes that Stone Art Designs was required to match and pay over to the IRS.
 
On July 1, 2013, Kolb pleaded guilty to one count of Willful Failure to Collect or Pay Over Tax. The case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation. First Assistant United States Attorney Wendy Johnson prosecuted the case for the United States.

Six companies were recently named winners in the ninth annual Tyson Foods’ Supplier of the Year awards program, the company said Friday (April 25).

BJK Flexible Packaging, Elanco and Pepper Source were each honored as by Tyson Foods as suppliers of the year.

BJK makes film and bags for packaging, Elanco is a global animal health company and Pepper Source is a sauce supplier.

Gleeson Constructors & Engineers and Hi-Plains Millwright & Supply were named contractors of the year for their service in Tyson’s poultry, prepared food and meat divisions.

IsoAge Technologies was recognized as Tyson’s advancing food safety supplier of the year for its work to improve the shelf-life of fresh, foodservice chicken.

The awards were presented at a luncheon at Tyson Foods’ corporate offices in Springdale.

The recognitions were based on supply-chain performance, total cost of ownership, pricing programs, customer-service performance, sustainability initiatives, and other performance metrics observed throughout the year.

An advisory board has been formed for the Jean Tyson Child Development Study Center at the University of Arkansas, and the board met for the first time last week.

The center, which is part of the School of Human Environmental Sciences in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, focuses on childcare, lab/school experience and research.

It serves children beginning at the age of eight weeks through the time they enter kindergarten. Teachers and staff provide developmentally appropriate education for infants, toddlers and preschoolers.

The board will focus on promoting the mission of the center, ensuring quality educational experiences for early childhood majors, increasing access to quality childcare, research initiatives, support for faculty and staff, and supporting fundraising efforts.

The advisory board gathered at the Jean Tyson Center and heard from several speakers before holding its inaugural meeting.

Board members include Pete Clark, Sunny Delight Beverage Co.; Jeff Cude, Bank of Arkansas; Mitch Evans, Yarnell’s Ice Cream; Linda Hankins, retired from Simmons Bank; Kathy Herriman, Harp’s Food Stores; David Johnson, Fayetteville Public Library; Perry Keefe, Beech-Nut Nutrition; Jonathan Layer, Rockline; Walker Mitchell, Wilko Group; Mike Murray, Saputo’s Cheese USA; Jason Nuttle, Land O’Frost; Matthew Stephens, Clear Channel; Debra Trusty, Big Heart Pets (formerly Del Monte); and Jennifer Wieland-Batchelor, Kimberly Clark Corp.

“I’m thrilled to be here,” said Clark of Sunny Delight. “I took a tour about a year ago and was blown away. I’ve been in enough childcare places when moving to different towns, and this is an amazing facility.”

“We are grateful to each of you,” said Mike Vayda, dean of the Bumpers College. “We are excited about getting advice and action items from you. We appreciate your efforts as you help us move forward in education, application and opportunities for our students.”

The Jean Tyson Center was recently reaccredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, placing it in the top 10% of private-sector childcare facilities in the country.

The Fort Smith Convention & Visitors Bureau announced recipients of the 2014 GRIT (Giving Recognition in Tourism) Awards.

Restaurant Partner of the Year:
Golden Corral

Lodging Partner of the Year
Homewood Suites by Hilton

Attraction Partner of the Year
Fort Smith National Historic Site

Business Partner of the Year
BrickCity Emporium

Polly Crews Hospitality Person of the Year
(a tie) Floyd and Sue Robison & the late John Bell Jr.           
 
The Fort Smith Convention & Visitors Bureau also recognized the “Hometown Hospitality Heroes” who have brought or hosted tourism events in 2013-14. These recipients are:
• Sharon Chapman and Melissa Schoenfeld, for their work and assistance with the Regional Dance American Southwest Festival 2013;
• Sebastian County Sheriff Bill Hollenbeck, for his work on the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Association Convention for 2013;
• Brooke Shock and Courtney Shreve, for their work on the Konsplosion Anime Convention; and
• Mike Alsup, for his work on bringing the Arkansas Recreation and Parks Association and Arkansas Therapeutic Recreation Society Conventions to Fort Smith for the last three years.

Three Northwest Arkansas educators received honors April 19 during the Arkansas History Day events at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.
 
Darren Vaughn of Central Junior High School in Springdale was awarded the Patricia Behring Outstanding Teacher Award for the junior division. He received $500 for his outstanding leadership and experience as a History Day teacher. Vaughn will advance to the national level to compete for a $10,000 award.
 
Conner Brown of Central Junior High School in Springdale was awarded the Sarah J. Fountain Outstanding Novice Teacher Award for the junior division. This was a $200 award presented by the Arkansas Association of College History Teachers.  
 
Dr. Jami Forrester of NorthWest Arkansas Community College and region 10 History Day coordinator was awarded the History Channel Award for Service. This award recognizes an individual who has supported History Day Arkansas through activities outside the regular classroom. Forrester advances to the national level to compete for a $5,000 award sponsored by the History Channel.
 
NorthWest Arkansas Community College Region 10 History Day program sent 80 students with 47 projects to the Arkansas History Day competition. Twenty-five students with their 17 projects were recognized for outstanding achievements.

U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Rogers, is on a “positive recovery track,” following an emergency surgery on April 22 to fix an aortic dissection, noted a Friday afternoon statement from Boozman’s Senate office.

The procedure was performed at Mercy Hospital in Rogers.
 
“Senator Boozman is doing amazingly well after surgery to replace his ascending aorta. One reason he is doing so well is because of his great physical condition. At this time, we expect the Senator to have a full recovery. He should be able to return to his full duties without any restrictions in the future,” Dr. E.J. Chauvin, the Mercy Cardiac & Thoracic surgeon, who performed the surgery, said in the statement.
 
Boozman was moved from the intensive care unit (ICU) to a private recovery room on Thursday. The statement said Boozman is able to visit with family “for long stretches of the day” and is walking frequently with help from medical staffers.
 
“The Senator is mobile and conversational to the extent that he can be given the discomfort this procedure creates. He’s spent a great deal of time talking with his family and even spoke briefly with his Chief of Staff. We are told these are all excellent signs that his recovery is on the right track,” Boozman spokesman Patrick Creamer said in the statement.
 
Boozman’s family, who continues to be with him at the hospital, released a statement on Wednesday expressing their gratitude for the prayers, kind words and well-wishes that have come from Arkansans and people all across the country. They also expressed their gratitude for the excellent care the doctors, nurses and medical staff at Mercy Hospital are providing.