Upcoming Club 99 Programs — Join Us!

Did you know the Arkansas blackberry is noted worldwide? The University of Arkansas has a renowned blackberry breeding program that has developed numerous varieties, some of which are grown worldwide.  Dr. Amanda McWhirt, of the Department of Horticulture

at the University of Arkansas, will let us know about the Impact of Arkansas on the global blackberry market.

The trucking industry is a major force in the state with some of the largest fleets in the country calling Arkansas home. Shannon Newton, president of the Arkansas Trucking Association, will update Club 99 on the state of the industry and its impact on the economy in Arkansas.  You'll hear about emerging issues and hot topics that are challenging the operators in Arkansas and across the country, and we'll learn if the industry is still in a "freight recession" with rising operational costs and declining revenue pictures.

Steve Grandfield, COO, Lexicon and Amy Rogers, Senior Vice President, W&W AFCO Steel, explain the unique place Arkansas has crafted in the steel industry and how each of these large —and local— companies are involved in some of the world's largest projects such as The Sphere in Las Vegas, bridges across large bodies of water and more.  Think about these companies when you're driving on the Big Rock Interchange in Little Rock, visiting the World Trade Center in New York, visiting Compass Stadium in Houston and swinging clubs at Trump National in Florida ... not to mention global projects in Peru, Mexico and Puerto Rico.

Where innovation and health care collide, BioVentures was established by UAMS to empower healthcare innovation and economic growth in Arkansas. It has supported more than 20 companies, attracted millions in investments and is responsible for notable inventions including the Angel Eye Camera Systems, which allows parents to see and interact with their infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and Safe Foods Corp., which developed an antimicrobial agent for food safety. President Eric Peterson and senior program manager, Stefanie Kennon-McGill will share insights into this innovative technology office that links research and global markets.

Can our power grid handle the load of the future? With AI data centers coming online, increasing industrial needs and aging infrastructure, how do we meet the needs for economic growth and stable supply? Southwest Power Pool President & CEO Lanny Nickell will highlight the critical role of SPP's Grid of the Future initiative in ensuring reliable and affordable electricity for the future. Nickell will discuss the importance of evolving grid planning, including integrating new technologies and addressing the impacts of a changing resource mix and extreme weather events. Furthermore, Nickell will emphasize the collaborative efforts needed with stakeholders to successfully navigate the energy transition and achieve a sustainable and resilient grid.

As the oldest domestic violence shelter in the state, Women & Children First has worked tirelessly for the past 45 years to empower victims to live independently and free from domestic violence. For the past several years WCF has been working to build a larger shelter as well as a family peace center -- a concept which will house all of the agencies a victim of family violence must go to in order to put her and her children’s lives back together.