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COB Alumnus & Advisory Board Member Named Among Arkansas Business 40 under 40

Congratulations to Mr. Drew Gainor, CEO at Catalyst Financial, for his recognition in this year’s list of “40 under 40” by Arkansas Business. Among the many for reasons his inclusion in this year’s class, Mr. Gainor is significant to the University of Central Arkansas as a College of Business 2012 graduate and a College of Business Advisory Board member.

UCA President, Dr. Houston Davis; Ms. Haley Fowler, Senior Director in UCA Advancement; Ms. Jaime Briggs, Senior Director in UCA Advancement; Honoree Mr. Drew Gainor; UCA Board of Trustees member, Mr. Jim Rankin Jr.; UCA College of Business Dean, Dr. Michael Hargis.

Arkansas Business honored this year’s class at a luncheon on June 13 at the Statehouse Convention Center in downtown Little Rock. The annual list recognizes 40 people under the age of 40 who are making a significant impact on their companies, organizations, and communities.

Mr. Gainor thanked his mentor Mr. Jim Rankin who is a real estate developer, UCA Board of Trustees member, and community leader; Gainor also shared an important lesson he learned growing up.

“My first job was selling auto parts at the age of 9 in my home country of Honduras. I learned to appreciate all my blessings and to keep things in perspective. I learned that hard work is always a formula that leads to better things.”

Mr. Gainor’s Top Professional achievements
• Forbes Top Financial Security Professionals Best in State
• Conway Area Chamber of Commerce Business Executive of the Year, 2020
• Million Dollar Roundtable Top of the Table Advisor

Read more about Mr. Gainor’s recognition by Arkansas Business.

Posted in: COB News, Featured News, _Awards on June 13, 2023 Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Three Alumni Make 20 In Their 20s List

Three UCA College of Business alumni were recently named to Arkansas Business’ 20 In Their 20s List. Corey Parks (BBA ’16, MBA ’18), Christopher Diaz (BBA ’14), and William Jones (BBA ’12).

Each year, the list recognizes young, talented leaders in Arkansas’ business and nonprofit community.

Parks earned his bachelor’s in Insurance & Risk Management in 2016, and his master’s in Business Administration in 2018. He serves as vice president of economic development for the Conway Chamber of Commerce & Conway Development Corp.

CLICK HERE: Corey Parks Profile

Christopher Diaz earned his bachelor’s in Business Administration with an emphasis in Innovation & Entrepreneurship in 2014. He serves as a commercial loan officer at First Security Bank in Benton.

William Jones earned his bachelor’s in Finance in 2012. He is vice president of operations at Sissy’s Log Cabin in Pine Bluff.

Posted in: COB News on October 2, 2020 Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Supply Chain Professor Eric Hurley Named to Arkansas Business 40 Under 40 List

Eric Hurley, recently hired as an adjunct professor of supply chain management in the UCA College of Business, has been named to Arkansas Business’ 2020 40 Under 40 list.

Eric Hurley, adjunct professor of supply chain management

The annual list recognizes leaders in business, nonprofits, community service and government who are making a significant impact in Arkansas.

“This is a well-deserved honor for Eric,” said Doug Voss, Ph.D., professor of logistics and supply chain management and director of the Center for Logistics, Education, Advancement & Research. “He is a great addition to our logistics and supply chain management faculty and we are lucky to have him.”

The 2020 class will be recognized at a July 22 luncheon at DoubleTree Little Rock.

Hurley is a former senior manager of business excellence at Welspun Tubular. He worked for the company, a manufacturer of steel pipes for the oil and gas industry, for more than six years. He began as a production planner in 2013 and has also served as project manager and head of department planning and contract management.

Hurley holds a bachelor’s in civil engineering with an emphasis in structural design and an MBA with an emphasis in economics.

He will teach Logistics Strategy this fall.

Posted in: COB News on May 18, 2020 Tagged: , , , , , , , ,