The 51��¥ (UCA) College of Business will host

Deylami is the COO of NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, where he oversees $8B in assets and leads enterprise operations, infrastructure modernization and strategic transformation across a $1B annual portfolio supporting more than 3,200 employees, 160 NASA projects and 100 partner agreements.

Deylami’s UCA Leadership Series will include:

• Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 1:40 p.m.: Lessons in Leadership, Purpose, and Resilience.
• Tuesday, March 31, at 1:40 p.m.: Building People-Centric Cultures of Innovation and Trust.
• Thursday, April 16, at 3 p.m.: Leading Transformative Vision in Complex Organizations.

All events will be held in the UCA College of Business Auditorium in Conway, Arkansas.

“Amir Deylami is recognized as one of NASA’s top-performing executives,” Dr. Tim Bisping, dean of the UCA College of Business, said. “We are thrilled he will engage with our students, faculty and staff, and community partners and share his successful strategies on innovation, operations and technology.

“We asked Amir to serve as our Executive in Residence because he is deeply committed to mentorship and leadership development. He is a successful Arkansan with two decades of executive experience at NASA, and we look forward to his visits to our campus.”

The Executive in Residence program connects successful industry experts with students, faculty and local business professionals. The college maintains an innovative curriculum that provides real-world experiences and engagement to prepare UCA students for the global business environment.

These are just a few of the success stories from fall 2025. To hear more good news, follow us on social media or on our��website.��If you have any good news, please send it to us. We enjoy sharing the success of our alumni, students, faculty/staff, and community partners.

• Lucas Hayes, Rebecca Gaither, and Izzy Saettele won first prize in the Deloitte Best Practices competition for their creative presentation at the Beta Alpha Psi annual conference; also, the chapter was recognized as ”Gold” status.
• Gamma Iota Sigma officers Amecia Ellis, Madelyn Neel, Mason Smith, & William Van Asche and Insurance faculty member, Ivan Hudson, travelled to the 2025 conference, where our COB chapter was recognized as “Excellent.”
• Many thanks to the Conway Chamber for allowing some of our Student Ambassadors and Girls Who Code Officers to attend the Women in Business ceremony this fall.
• The Girls Who Code��chapter has officially impacted��over��10,000 Arkansans through its outreach programming, thanks to its participation in the Launch Conway Career Expo! At this high-impact community event, student mentors from UCA introduced hundreds of K–12 students and families to coding, robotics, and technology career pathways.
• The Arkansas Trucking Association’s��“” (p. 38) magazine recently ran a feature on the 10th anniversary of the Arkansas Commercial Truck Safety and Education Program (ACTSEP).��UCA’s College of Business was significantly involved in��creating��ACTSEP, which��subsequently��provided funding for the Scott E. Bennett Arkansas Highway Commission Endowed Chair in Motor Carrier Management.
• Six FBLA Colliegiate students in our COB competed against over 2,000 from across the nation in business-related events at the FBLA Collegiate National Conference in Dallas, TX the following placed in competition:��Kaddie Bailey,�� also elected as National Vice President of Development;��Laney Bounds; and Melany Valesquez.
• Dr. Leah Boustan, Economic History Program��Director at Yale University, was invited by COB’s Arkansas Center for Research in Economics to deliver a public talk entitled “America’s Untold Story of Immigrant Success.” She also spoke to classes and networked with students.
• Many thanks to the for setting aside a day to spend time with our students and share their expertise with us!
• Faculty and Staff were honored with 2025 Excellence Awards (pictured L to R): Engaged Teaching – Benjamin Garner, Associate Prof. of Marketing; Research – Bob Fang, Associate Prof. of Accounting; Innovative Teaching – Anthony McMullen, Associate Prof. of Business Law; Service – Joe Thomas, Associate Prof. of CISA; Boundary Spanner – Mike Casey, Prof. of Finance; Societal Impact – Connie McKnight, Prof. of Accounting; COB Impact – Jacob Bundrick, Lecturer II of Economics; COB Impact – Harrison Downs, Administrative Assistant.

ACCOUNTING

• Our Beta Alpha Psi chapter received a��commendation from the IRS for UCA’s commitment to VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance), led each year by tax professor Ashley Phillips.
• held the 11th annual Fear the Strike. Eight firms bowled with UCA accounting students: , , Hudson Cisne, , , , , and Rasco Winter Thomas. Team Frost had the highest team score and won the bowling pin trophy. On top of the fun and networking, $1000 will also be donated to Haven Conway.
• UCA’s Theta Lambda Chapter of Beta Alpha Psi was recognized as a Bear CLAWS recipient at the October 51��¥ Board of Trustees meeting. Representing the chapter were Izzy Saettele, vice president of membership, and Lucas Hayes, chapter president.
• Dr. Stephanie Watson on the subject of budgeting.
• Dr. Stephanie Watson has performed Continuing Professional Education Opportunities for schools across Arkansas this semester.

COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS & ANALYTICS (CISA)

• Susan Shaw of Conway, Arkansas, was recently awarded a Love of Learning Award from The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines.��Shaw, a doctoral candidate at Marymount University and lecturer, will use the funds from the award to travel to the Academy of Management Annual Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.
• Instructor Susan Shaw presented at the DSI Conference in Orlando and participated in the Best Student Paper Award Showcase.
• Dr. Saif Bhuiyan had three papers published, authored with his COB colleagues.
  • Bhuiyan, S., & McKinzie, K. (2025). Engagement and satisfaction in OS software development: The impact of job characteristics.��The Journal of Applied Business and Economics,��27(3), 64-90.
  • Bhuiyan, S., Lyons, L., & Thomas, J. (2025). The role of fairness in retaining open source software contributors: An organizational justice framework for platform engagement.��The Journal of Applied Business and Economics,��27(5), 100-123.
  • Julies, M., Bhuiyan, S., & McMurtrey, M. (In Press). Hotel Supply Chain: Enhancing Operational Efficiency, Sustainability, and Resilience.��The Journal of Strategic Innovation��and Sustainability,��20(4).

ECONOMICS, FINANCE, and INSURANCE & RISK MANAGEMENT (EFIRM)

• The EFIRM Department launched a new minor program, Economics and Insurance of Healthcare Administration, to help students understand the business of wellness.
• The Arkansas Insurance Hall of Fame held its annual induction banquet on campus on October 16. Six Arkansans were inducted, and five scholarships were awarded to UCA insurance students.
• The UCA Finance Club was established this semester under the leadership of Sarah Campbell. Its first meetings invited speakers including Chris McClanahan, Head of IB Recruiting; Anna Grace Mills, Associate in the Financial Institutions Group and Head of IB analyst program; and Evelyn Griffith, UCA grad and Associate in Private Wealth Management.
• Internships are an important way to get experience before graduation. Just ask junior insurance major Madelyn Neel! Check out this video where Madelyn shares about her internship at and the ways she’s gaining experience.
• Insurance major Connor Black received a $1,000 scholarship from PIA. PIA is the Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) of Arkansas. PIA is on campus a couple of times each academic year hosting The��Forum, in partnership with UCA’s Gamma Iota Sigma (the insurance student club). The goal of the forum is to maximize networking opportunities and career readiness for students, especially students that have chosen Insurance & Risk Management as major or minor.��This is a campus-facing event, and industry professionals will also be in attendance.
• Encore Banks’s Erin Simpson shared expertise with Dr. Huiqiong Duan’s Money and Banking class.
• Dr. Mavuto Kalulu . The paper is titled, “Ethics Committees��and Corruption: Do Ethics Committees Reduce Corruption Cases within State Legislatures?” When faculty coauthor with students, the faculty give these students valuable experience and increase the students’ chances of getting into graduate school.
• Ivan Hudson, Director of the UCA Center for Insurance, was recently��sworn in as the Treasurer for the Arkansas Association of Realtist, the local Board of . Ivan has been a member of NAREB for about 8 years.
• Students in our insurance program had the opportunity to hear guest speakers from one of the fastest-growing independent agencies and companies in the Inc 5000. ��guest speakers,�� and Luke Koenigseder, shared some incredible insights on the industry, gave an account of a day in the life of an independent insurance agent, and explained why their organization is poised for growth. It wasn’t just the classroom presentations that impressed, but the conversations that continued afterwards. They are committed to investing in the next generation of insurance and risk management talent.
• Dr. Jeremy Horpedahl is busy as always making everyday economics more accessible for scholars and citizens. Here are a few of his publications in the , on blogs, and on social media.
• Dr. Stephen Yao also .
• , CFO of Restaurants at FoxDen Capital, spoke to Sarah Campbell’s Student Managed Investment Fund class on October 27. With a 14-year career as a Research Analyst at Stephens before he joined the private equity firm , Justin brought a wealth of insight into evaluating investment ideas and opportunities.
• Granger Davis from Edward Jones put his whiteboard skills to the test for Sarah Campbell’s Student Managed Investment Fund class. Bringing decades of experience advising clients on investing for their futures, Granger provided a terrific perspective on how to bring finance skills to bear on behalf of clients.
• Representative David Ray had a discussion with Thomas Snyder’s Law/Econ class.�� He talked about the job of a legislator, the role of government, lawmaking, and economic policy.
• Justice Rhonda Wood from the Arkansas Supreme Court talked to Dr. Snyder’s Law and Economics class, sharing about recent relevant cases.
• Dr. Snyder��Thomas invited David Friedman to talk (via zoom) to his Law and Economics Class. David Friedman has had a distinguished career, including authoring the textbook used in Dr. Snyder’s class (“Law’s Order”). ��During class, David Friedman talked about “Legal Systems Very Different from Ours,” which is the title of another book he wrote.
• Sarah Campbell invited Jay Strickland from Legacy Capital talk to her Student Managed Investment Fund class. Jay gave a wide-ranging talk that touched on how to build a portfolio and how to manage clients’ biases. Jay is a UCA alum, and we were thrilled to have him back.
• Dr. Horpedahl spoke to students at Samford University in Alabama on September 18th, discussing trends in the wealth of recent generations and previewing some of the results that will appear in his book on that topic. He was hosted by Samford professors Art Carden and Joy Buchanan.
• , “Prescription opioid spillovers: Retail pharmacy level analysis,” in the Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment.
• ��Alumni Ryder Pierce is an investment manager for the Bank of the Ozarks and was recently included on Arkansas’s prestigious 40 under 40 list.

MARKETING & MANAGEMENT (M&M)

• As this fall’s Allison Entrepreneurship Series Speaker, Jakob Michaelis, a partner at Dave Creek Media, shared lunch and his extensive experience identifying timely solutions, including a new app, with students and faculty.
• Dr. Benjamin Garner led a new “Speed Selling” event this semester involving��10 companies and 24 marketing and sales students. Each student completed 3-4 interviews and received feedback on their performance from potential employers. Huge success – connections were made; internships and jobs discussed.
• The Introduction to Business (BUAD 1300) students gave presentations this semester, and the top 7 groups presented in front of a full auditorium. Professor Ben Britton got a shout-out by the group presenting on Best Buy. Professor Tracy Suter got shout out by the group presenting on Amazon. Joe Cangelosi advised the group that reasearched Fedex.
• Undergraduate students, Oluwadamilola Osundolire (Economics) and Robert Walker (Finance), mentored by Dr. Alex Chen presented their artificial intelligence research at the DSI conference in Orlando, FL. Dr. Ming Li also presented her research.
• Dr. McKenzie’s Project Management class completes service-learning projects each semester. One of those projects included a group of students who��organized a clean-up of the Stone Dam Creek to assist in preserving the natural beauty of the UCA campus.
• Drs. Jamila Maxie, Ben Britton, David McCalman, and Tracy Suter had their case study about Rhea Lana’s Children’s Consignment conditionally accepted for academic journal publication.�� This was part of a strategic effort to tie the John W. Allison Entrepreneurial Speaker Series to clearer, longer-term teaching and research outcomes by showcasing and highlighting local firms in global��outlets.
• Our Conway-area 75Strong��group met with our local coalition at the Conway��Chamber to build out an even stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem locally and statewide.
• Conductor hosted a widely attended series of workshops throughout the semester, including a student pitch competition.��Local CPAs Zee Barfoote and Austin Malone discussed handling a startup’s early finances in their Conductor session called “Your Startup’s First CFO: YOU!” as part of the Conductor��series.
• Dr. Steve Schlachter’s��class, MGMT 3346 Strategic Human Resource Management, hosted guest speaker Moriah Bruner, Manager of Health and Well-Being at Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
• Kaddie Bailey was honored with the Postsecondary ACTE Region IV Outstanding Business Student Award, issued by Association of Career and Technical Education.��The Postsecondary ACTE Outstanding Business Student Award recognizes outstanding business students at the postsecondary level. To be eligible, students must be nominated by a member of the Business Education Division of the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) and must demonstrate leadership potential through business courses and involvement in career and technical student organizations. The award is designed to honor five postsecondary students from each region, including Region IV, who have made significant contributions to their field.
• A few years ago, Dr. Garner��created a Content Marketing course at UCA to help students blend creativity, storytelling, and strategy in today’s digital landscape. As part of the class, students completed service-learning projects with and other Central Arkansas organizations — gaining real-world experience while giving back. in Industry and Higher Education (2025).
• The Bears Advancing Supply Chain and Operations Management (BASCOM) club invited several guest speakers this semester, including J.B. Hunt’s��Jasmine John��— Early Career Recruiter, Corporate;��Bryan Epperson��— Capacity Procurement Representative; and student��Brody Patterson��— Integrated Capacity Solutions Intern.
• Dr. Tracy Suter was invited to join the Editorial Review Board of the Business Case Journal. It is one of three journals affiliated with the Society for Case Research.

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

• Dr. Mark McMurtrey was honored this evening as an MVP, most valuable professor, for his impact on UCA’s student-athletes. He was nominated by Sugar Bear Samantha Cousins, who attends Dr. McMurtrey’s MBA Operations & Supply Chain Management course this semester.

It’s nearly impossible to highlight all the wonderful accomplishments of our students, alumni, faculty, and staff. If we missed yours,��please let us know!

Congratulations to:
– : Graduate Student in Accountancy and Data Analytics, COB Student Ambassador, Awarded Academic Achievement Award
– : Accounting Major, Awarded Bear Spirit Award
– Kierra Collier: Marketing Major, COB Student Ambassador
– : Information Systems Major, Awarded Third Runner Up, Producers Award, Miss Congeniality, Overall Evening Gown Award, and People’s Choice Award

Our UCA students ran interactive coding stations designed especially for K-6 participants, helping young kids (and their parents!) explore the basics of programming in a fun, friendly setting. It was a great opportunity to inspire future tech leaders and show that coding isn’t just for computer science majors – it’s for everyone.

Girls Who Code at 51��¥ is open to all students and all majors. Big shoutout to our COB students who helped out! Bridging business and tech has never looked better!

Dr. Tim Bisping

The 51��¥ has announced Tim Bisping as the new dean of the UCA College of Business. Bisping will begin on July 1, 2025.

In this role, Bisping will oversee the College of Business, which offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs across four academic departments and three centers and serves as the home of the Arkansas Insurance Hall of Fame.

Bisping brings extensive leadership experience and a strong commitment to student success to this new role. He currently serves as the dean of the Nelson Rusche College of Business at Stephen F. Austin State University, where he has led initiatives to enhance academic excellence, foster faculty and staff development and support student achievement.

With more than 30 years of experience in higher education, Bisping has held key administrative and faculty positions at multiple institutions, including serving as interim dean and associate dean of graduate programs and research at Louisiana Tech University. Notably, he is returning to UCA, where he previously served as associate professor of economics and chair of the Department of Economics, Finance, and Insurance & Risk Management from 2006 to 2011.

Bisping’s research focuses on demographic issues in the labor market, particularly as they relate to monetary policy. His work has been published in leading academic journals, including Economic Inquiry, The Journal of Labor Research and The Journal of Economic Education.

“Dr. Bisping is an accomplished leader who brings a strong vision for business education and student success,” said UCA Executive Vice President and Provost Michael Hargis. “His extensive experience in higher education, coupled with his familiarity with UCA and the College of Business, makes him an excellent choice to lead the college into the future.”

Bisping earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Arts in economics from Wichita State University. He later earned a Doctor of Economics from Oklahoma State University.

Throughout his career, Bisping has been dedicated to academic and professional excellence, striving to support students in achieving their educational and career goals. He has also been actively involved in community service, having served as a board member of the Nacogdoches Rotary Club and board president of the Nacogdoches Area United Way.

Bisping is married to his wife, Michelle, an elementary school teacher. They have one son, Chandler, who resides in Alabama with his family.

How are you involved at UCA?

I work at the Veterans & Military Resource Center, and I am in the Student Veterans of America. I am able to work here and join SVA due to the courage of my parents. They both served in the military, and this is my way to show appreciation and do my part without enlisting.

I was “Most Outstanding Freshman” in the 51��¥ Bear Marching Band for color guard. I also was “Dean for a Day” last semester, one of the few students selected to meet with their College Dean as well as the Provost.

What drew you to the business industry?

Every time I see an advertisement, I analyze every aspect of it – why they chose the colors they are using, why that font, how there is blank space on one side, and how I could make it better. This constant analysis made me want to pursue marketing to better understand and improve all aspects related to marketing for wherever I end up working.

Tell us about your experience outside the classroom that will help your career.

Research
I learned about the opportunities and joy that arise from taking the path of doing research. I did not know much about how to take this path, but presenting at the��Atlantic Marketing Association conference��in September increased my interest. Dr. Jihoon Jhang and I presented “The Effect of AI Disclosure on Donation Intentions.”��The study examined how AI disclosure influences donation intentions. It utilized a 2×2 between-subjects design, investigating whether revealing the use of AI and whether the girl in the photo was smiling or frowning impacted people’s willingness to donate.

Internship
I learned about the internship through Handshake. I chose my internship because it was related to my field and allowed me to view other aspects of the company and paths that are not related to my major directly. I was able to spend a week with each different sector of the company and broaden my knowledge of what it takes to run a business.

Service
I have also volunteered at the Arkansas Food Bank often, and it has helped me with soft skills. I talk to strangers while I volunteer, and it helps with networking. It helps me also be grateful for the position I am in and reminds me how important it is to give back.

What do you plan to do after graduation?

After I graduate in December 2024, I plan to go into the field of marketing and use the knowledge from my degree to leverage my application above others.

What tips or advice would you give to new, current, or prospective business students?

Network with your professors. Going to my professors during their office hours or talking to them in the hallways has helped them remember me and get to know me better. In turn, they can be a reference for you or you can know them better and feel comfortable asking questions in class. That all together helps not only you and the professor, but also other students who might follow your lead.

The O’Malley School of Business hosts the for undergraduate students studying Business Analytics or related fields to test their knowledge and hone their skills. Competing teams engage in decision-making as well as practice their ability to draw business insight from a comprehensive analysis of relevant data.

The group arrived at the Manhattan College campus on Monday, May 20, to begin the first phase of the competition. That afternoon, students presented their poster multiple times to a revolving set of judges. Tuesday morning marked the beginning of the second phase of the competition, when they were given an additional analysis to perform using the same dataset, challenged to submit their results as a slide deck before 9pm that evening for the next day’s presentation. On Wednesday morning, they presented their Phase 2 results to industry judges.

This excellent opportunity gives students a wealth of practical business knowledge and feedback before the enter the workforce. The students on the team included:

• Houston Baber – May 2024 graduate, BS Cybersecurity Management
• Abby Bounds – Senior BS Information Systems major
• Linda Galeano Midence – Senior BBA Finance major/Data Analytics minor
• Ben Scallion – May 2024 graduate, BBA Computer Information Systems

Mrs. Susan Shaw, Lecturer of CISA, was the primary faculty advisor and led the project course in spring 2024, and Dr. Mike Ellis,��Associate Professor of CISA, served as co-advisor. Both mentored the students and accompanied them to Manhattan for the competition.

Related: CISA Lecturer Susan Shaw Offers Data Project Course in Spring 2024, Plans to Take Students to Competition Again

Several BCBS experts shared with our students about a wide range of business fields including accounting, marketing, human resources, finance, information systems, and more.

• Mr. David Martin,��VP of Infrastructure & Operations, spoke to Introduction to a Computer Architecture and Programming class.
• Ms. Emily Shadell,��Staff Accountant, spoke to three classes: Accounting Information Systems, Cost Accounting, and Auditing.
• Mr. Jason Carter,��Manager of Talent Acquisition, spoke to Strategic Human Resource Management and to a large class of freshmen in “Introduction to Business.”
• Talent Acquisition Partner Ms. Maria Silva brought donuts and cookies to engage students passing through the COB Lobby and tell them about BCBS careers.
• Teaming up to speak to an Advertising class: Mr. Trey Hankins,��Director Customer & Digital Experience & Design, and Mr. Ben McVay,��Manager Group Marketing/Member Engagement & Digital Strategy.
• Mr. Henry (Buddy) Vogler,��Director Treasury and Financial Operations, shared his experience with two Personal Finance classes.
• Social Media Strategist Colton Faull joined behind the scenes and shared his experience with students.

At our drop-in lunch from 11am-1pm, students engaged with COB faculty and BCBS professionals, while some faculty spoke with fellow specialists about current events in their fields of expertise.

Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield partners with our college year-round by sponsoring our Imagine Lab. This is a special room designed for classes and collaboration. The room has tools to help students innovate and think creatively.

Thank you, Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield! We want to thank the BCBS team who took time from their offices to spend a day with us here in the College of Business. They shared valuable experience that gave our students the opportunity to build networking and leadership skills as well as practical experience. Thank you for partnering with us for BCBS “Take Over” Day.

Emily Shadell, Jason Carter, David Martin, Trey Hankins, Ben McVay, Maria Silva, Colton Faull; not pictured: Henry (Buddy) Vogler

Give us some highlights of your experience in the business environment from before you joined the UCA College of Business Faculty.

I got my career start with the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce.��In November of 2008 I went to work for the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation as Program Associate. At this time in 2008, two-thirds of Arkansas voted to pass the Lottery legislation. Fast Forward to October of 2009 when I joined the start-up management team at the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery. Over the three and a half year period that I was there, I served in a number of capacities, including Procurement Director and Internal Operations Director. I’ll completed my MBA while there, and when I finished my MBA program at UALR December 2012, I launched the Ivan Hudson Agency as my entry into the insurance industry. In March 2014, I secured my Series 6 and Series 63 designations to help set me apart in the industry.

Networking has always been important to me. My personal and professional mantra is “You can network or not work, but you can’t do both.” That really speaks to my core value of building relationships. Solid meaningful relationships, will take you places that even education and other resources can’t.

Career Facts about Director Hudson:

• December 2012- Received MBA from UALR
• December 2012 – Launched the Ivan Hudson Agency
• 2017-2018 – President of Rotary Club of West Little Rock
• President, National African-American Insurance Association – Arkansas Chapter
• Independent Insurance Agents of Arkansas, Education Foundation, Board of Directors
• Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, National Diversity Council
• NAREB National Insurance Committee (NNIC) Member

How did you hear about this position at UCA and what led you to focus your time in the classroom?
Although the insurance industry is robust and dynamic, it also is relatively small. When networking and getting involved in industry associations, I made meaningful connections that landed me at events on UCA’s campus. After learning more about the Insurance & Risk Management program, I connected with UCA’s EFIRM department and maintained ongoing communication. Once I learned that my predecessor had re-entered the industry and the Director role was vacant, I actually put on my thinking cap to see if I could help identify a strong candidate for the search committee to consider. The more I looked at the qualifications, I realized that I had the skillset and experiences that would provide unique perspective in the classroom. I was at a cross-section in my career where I decided the best use of my time was to leverage my experiences to invest in students.

Why did you choose the Insurance field as your subject of work?
The subject actually chose me. After working in economic development, private philanthropy government administration, I made a career transition December of 2012. I was fascinated by insurance and financial services after identifying there were huge gaps with consumer access and education around very basic principles. I launched an insurance agency and became an active professional in the industry by getting involved with various industry organizations. Insurance is a lot more technical than people realize, so I would spend a lot of time educating my clients. It’s the same energy and commitment to education that I bring when teaching in the classroom.

What about your job now teaching brings you the most joy?
I am thrilled about engaging with my fellow faculty members to bring real-time experiences to students that they would not get from lectures or just reading a text book. Part of my role requires me to serve as the Faculty Advisor for the the student organization dedicated to students pursing insurance and risk management, actuarial science and related degrees – Gamma Iota Sigma. Pouring into students and seeing their level of interest and understanding evolve is very rewarding.

Fall was your first semester here. What was your favorite part or memory from the semester?
My favorite part of the fall semester was hearing and seeing the students perspective evolve regarding various insurance topics and applications. Having a front row seat to students have “light bulb” moments and witnessing their level of understanding and interest grow was absolutely fascinating. There were even a few students that changed their major to Insurance & Risk Management.

What tips or advice would you give to new, current, or prospective business students?
I would encourage students to keep an open mind to the myriad of careers that await them by obtaining a degree from UCA COB. The business climate can be very fast-paced and dynamic and simultaneously, very rewarding!

I’m a huge advocate for our Insurance & Risk Management program, because it is the only one of its kind in the state of Arkansas. If a student decides not to pursue Insurance & Risk Management as a major, it is still available as a consideration for a minor. Our institution and the College of Business specifically, is a primary source for local, regional and even national employers looking for top talent, no matter the major/minor. Business students have access to internship and real-time experiences that could lead to fascinating job and career paths.

After moving to the classroom, how do you envision 2024 being different for you ? What new goals and perspectives do you have going into this new year?
For 2024 and beyond, I believe it is important to continue highlighting the value of UCA’s Insurance program as the only one of its kind in Arkansas. There are lots of real-time changes in the insurance and financial services marketplaces that dictate future job and career opportunities that await our students. To that end, I would like to facilitate additional opportunities for industry leaders and professionals to engage with and inspire students in our program, and especially students that actively participate in Gamma Iota Sigma. The Alpha Psi Chapter housed here at 51��¥ is the campus RSO geared towards networking and leadership development opportunities for students in insurance and risk-related fields. Personally, I plan to learn more about the UCA campus community and the at-large Conway community.

Aside from his duties as the Director��of Center for Insurance & Risk Management at UCA, Hudson can be found this semester teaching in the classroom: one “Introduction to Insurance” course, one “Risk and Insurance” course, and two Insurance Practicum courses as well as an online “Risk and Insurance” course. He also is the sponsor for the Gamma Iota Sigma registered��student organization on campus.

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; 51��¥ 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, 51��¥ 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 by Arkansas Business.