If you’ve taken notice of the bustling startup culture that’s been making its way through central Arkansas for the past several years, you’ve probably taken note of Jeff Standridge ’90.
Standridge is managing director of The Conductor, a public-private partnership between the University of Central Arkansas and Startup Junkie that helps support and develop entrepreneurism and innovation, as well as helping to foster talent development and economic empowerment. The Conductor is also the force behind The Makerspace, located in Donaghey Hall.
As managing director, Standridge spends much of his time training, mentoring and consulting with existing business owners and up-and-coming entrepreneurs.
“UCA makes a great home for the Makerspace and for The Conductor because of the quality of faculty, administration and students that are here [and] the desire and the vision that President [Houston] Davis has for creating unique opportunities for students, faculty and staff,” said Standridge, a Glenwood native who graduated from UCA with a respiratory therapy degree.
Standridge has seen Conway’s commitment to entrepreneurialism strengthen over the years. After all, he was vice president of global operations at Acxiom–through which he spent 18 months across the pond–has been chair of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce and began a venture fund, Cadron Creek Capital, in 2015.
He’s also shared this passion in UCA’s College of Business, where he has been an adjunct faculty of finance for three years, teaching courses such as entrepreneurial and small business finance. Standridge wants parents, educators and administrators across the area to know entrepreneurship is a viable career path.
As the first in his family to attend college, UCA left a profound impact on Standridge, and he and his wife, Lori, feel a responsibility to give back to the campus. That’s part of why they’re co-chairing the 2020 Laurels & Stripes fundraising gala, which takes place on campus April 4.
“I’m very adamant when I tell people UCA didn’t just change my own life, it changed my family tree,” said Standridge, who noted that his daughters have also attended college and much of his family now lives in Faulkner County.
He and his wife established the Dr. Jeff and Lori Standridge Innovation & Entrepreneurship Scholarship, UCA’s first endowed scholarship in innovation and entrepreneurship. When it comes to giving, he said, he finds it important to lead by example.
“Part of that leadership role is leading events like Laurels & Stripes to be able to give people the opportunity to identify the need, to cast the vision and to invite people to participate,” he said.