WHEN YOU READ Jerry Adams’ fiery call to arms in this issue of the newsletter, you’ll see that ACDS has strong statewide support for our ambitious long-range mission—and believe me, we’re going to need every bit of it!

So it is a great source of both comfort and pride to me that our closest and most active supporters—our ACDS board members—include some of our state’s most successful and high-profile business leaders. I want to introduce them to you now.

Our board chairman is Charles Morgan, formerly of Acxiom and now CEO of First Orion Corporation. Charles is tireless in his support of ACDS, both in public and behind the scenes. Our co-chair is Mike Preston, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. The board of directors also includes Clay Johnson, EVP and enterprise chief information officer, Walmart, Inc.; Scott Spradley, EVP and chief technology officer, Tyson Foods; and Warren Stephens, chairman, president, and CEO of Stephens, Inc.

We are beyond fortunate to have such leadership talent in our corner, to point the way and keep us on the right path.

                                                                                                —Bill Yoder,
                                                                                       Executive Director