75Strong Announces First Cohort to Drive Statewide Entrepreneurship

CONWAY, Ark. (February 17, 2025) – Conductor and Startup Junkie, in partnership with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC), are excited to announce the selection of the first-ever cohort for 75Strong, a program designed to equip community leaders, chamber executives, and economic developers with the tools to foster entrepreneurship and innovation across Arkansas.

“We're thrilled by the number and quality of applications we received for 75Strong and are so excited to bring such an accomplished and motivated group of people from around the state together in one room,” said Drew Smith, 75Strong Program Director. “We're looking forward to an impactful next two years that I'm confident will result in a stronger Arkansas.”

Participants hail from all regions of the state, from the Delta to the Ouachitas, the Ozarks to the River Valley. Their collective mission is to build stronger local ecosystems and champion small business growth through innovative strategies and hands-on collaboration.

We are proud to introduce the individuals accepted into the first 75Strong cohort:

●        Jon Merryman – Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance, Arkadelphia

●        Gary Brinkley – City of Arkadelphia, Arkadelphia

●        Kelly Poppe-Gale – Henderson State University, Arkadelphia

●        Marcus Orf – Ozarka College, Ash Flat

●        Vickie Williamson – Little River County Economic Development, Ashdown

●        Walter Burgess – Aurora Startup Studio, Bryant

●        Brandi Schulz – Cave City Area Chamber of Commerce, Cave City

●        Amanda Smith – Spring River Innovation Hub, Cherokee Village

●        Tracy Suter – University of Central Arkansas, Conway

●        Jack Pillow – Conway Area Chamber of Commerce, Conway

●        Christie Lindsey – Phoenix Youth and Family Services, Crossett

●        Kimberly Bryden – Cureate, Fayetteville

●        Shaheen Lokhandwala – MixMingle Innovate, Fayetteville

●        Sasha Grist – Western Arkansas Planning and Development District, Fort Smith

●        Daniel Presley – City of Harrison, Harrison

●        Jeff Nielsen – Harrison Regional Chamber of Commerce, Harrison

●        Kasey Griffin – City of Heber Springs, Heber Springs

●        Ginger Harper – Heber Springs Area Chamber of Commerce, Heber Springs

●        Joseph Whitfield – Helena-West Helena Chamber of Commerce / Delta Magic, Helena-West Helena

●        Patricia Ashanti – Delta Circles, Helena-West Helena

●        Angelica Manzanares – Hope-Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce, Hope

●        Brandi Tuttle – Hempstead County Economic Development, Hope

●        Christy Burns – Hope-Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce, Hope

●        Ethan Dunbar – City of Lewisville, Lewisville

●        Candace Williams – Rural Community Alliance, Little Rock

●        Joshua Nguyen – The Venture Center, Little Rock

●        Kellen Davis – Little Rock Regional Chamber, Little Rock

●        Madhav Shroff – Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, Little Rock

●        Malik Barnes – Americans for Action Inc., Marianna

●        Beth Wilson – City of Marion, Marion

●        Kellie Wall – Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce, Maumelle

●        Regina Burkett – Woodruff County Economic Development Commission, McCrory

●        Robert Evans – Chicot-Desha Metropolitan Port Authority, McGehee

●        Yukiko Bivens – Edward Jones, Monticello

●        Donnie Crain – Conway County Economic Development Corporation, Morrilton

●        Dani Pugsley – Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce, Mountain Home

●        Julie Allen – Newport Area Chamber of Commerce, Newport

●        Christel Taylor – Newport Economic Development Commission, Newport

●        Jon Chadwell – Newport Economic Development Commission, Newport

●        John Twyford – Arkansas State University-Newport, Newport

●        Jorge Gonzalez – North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, North Little Rock

●        Catherine Norvell – Osceola Main Street, Osceola

●        Allison Hestand – Paragould Regional Chamber of Commerce, Paragould

●        Marcus Len Francis Davis – The Generator, Pine Bluff

●        Angelisa Henry – UAPB Business Support Incubator, Pine Bluff

●        Sarah Price – City of Pine Bluff, Pine Bluff

●        Graycen Bigger – Northeast Arkansas Regional Intermodal Authority, Pocahontas

●        Martin Eggensperger – Black River Technical College, Pocahontas

●        Danielle Housenick – Main Street Russellville, Russellville

●        Tara Cathey – Searcy Regional Chamber of Commerce, Searcy

●        Darrell Welch – Forward Searcy Inc., Searcy

●        Phil Brown – Harding University, Searcy

●        Veronica Ozura – Sevier County Economic Development, De Queen

●        Daymara Baker – Arkansas Food Innovation Center, Springdale

●        Julie Murray – Van Buren Chamber of Commerce, Van Buren

●        Shannon Newerth-Henson – My HR Pros / City of Van Buren, Van Buren

●        Tracy Burba – Main Street Mercantile, Van Buren

●        Raymond Whiteside – City of West Memphis, West Memphis

Over the next two years, the cohort will participate in a comprehensive entrepreneurial development curriculum, designed to strengthen their ability to support small businesses and entrepreneurs in their communities. A key element of the program is the pursuit of the Entrepreneurial Development Professional (EDP) certification from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). This credential will position participants as leaders in building entrepreneurial ecosystems and fostering small business success.

In addition to earning the EDP credential, participants will:

●        Develop strategic plans for their communities or regions to foster entrepreneurship and economic growth.

●        Recruit over 100 small businesses statewide to participate in a business-building curriculum focused on growth and job creation.

●        Collaborate with fellow participants to create entrepreneurial coalitions and networks that sustain long-term development efforts.

“75Strong is a key part of our economic development strategy, helping equip economic developers and community leaders to provide assistance to small businesses and entrepreneurs,” said Clint O’Neal, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. “Congratulations to the leaders who were selected to participate in the first 75Strong cohort. These leaders will play a major role in helping grow our small business and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Arkansas.”

The launch of this inaugural cohort marks a significant step in building a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem across Arkansas. With its commitment to empowering local leaders and creating opportunities for small businesses, 75Strong is setting the stage for sustainable economic growth. As these participants embark on this journey, they carry the potential to leave a lasting impact, not only in their communities but across the state as a whole.

For more information about the 75Strong program, visit 75strongarkansas.com.

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About the Conductor

The Conductor, a public-private partnership with the University of Central Arkansas and Startup Junkie, drives innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic empowerment in central Arkansas and beyond through high-impact programming and one-on-one consulting at no cost. Conductor also manages the coworking, meeting space, and lease space at the Arnold Innovation Center at 1201 Oak Street Conway, AR, which offers low-cost solutions to the workspace needs of central Arkansas entrepreneurs and small business owners.

About the Arkansas Economic Development Commission

At AEDC, we know economic advancement doesn’t happen by accident. We work strategically with businesses and communities to create strong economic opportunities, making Arkansas the natural choice for success. AEDC is a division of the Arkansas Department of Commerce. To learn more, visit ArkansasEDC.com.