Photo courtesy of the Northeast Arkansas Career and Technical Center
The Northeast Arkansas Career and Technical Center (NEACTC) celebrated 50 years of opening doors for students on Friday, March 14.
“It’s just nice that I’m able to contribute to the legacy of the place. So this is, this is most definitely a very special place in Northeast Arkansas,” Alex Ragsdale, special projects manager for the NEACTC, said.
The career technical school serves 14 school districts across Northeast Arkansas, it has undergone multiple name changes over the years but its purpose of preparing students for a variety of career skills remains constant.
Ragsdale said the center offers free college credit to high school students, free industry certifications, and clubs.
“This is a good place for students to get experience in the job field that they’re thinking about going into because we know how costly college can be, so it’s nice to kind of get your feet wet in this situation,” Ragsdale said. “Just an amazing place for students just to kind of fill out what they want to be.”
Robert Stephens and Mell Stephens attended the celebration. Robert taught computer-aided drafting at the technical school for 27 years, and Mell taught a parenting skills class for three years.
Robert Stephens and Mell Stephens look at a photo of themselves from their time at the Northeast Arkansas Career and Technical Center. Robert Stephens taught computer aided drafting for 27 years and Mell Stephens taught parenting skills for three years. Photo by DDNS Reporter Shailey Wooldridge.
“We had a great time,” Robert Stephens said. “I have a lot of students I see around town in places that appreciate what they learned here. Had several state winners.”
Mell Stephens said that many Roberts students became architects.
“It’s good that kids are getting recognized that come here. For years, we always said that more kids ought to be taking because they would be needed later on, and now, today, that’s exactly what’s happened. More and more folks in these classes are needed out on the job,” Robert Stephens said.
Mell Stephens said she enjoyed her time teaching at the NEACTC.
“I loved it. I loved the girls. Yeah, I had some challenges, but boy, I loved the girls. Loved teaching, and I had a couple of boys that came to it,” Mell Stephens said.
Isabella Stanton, a senior at Jonesboro High School and the president of the NEACTC SkillsUSA chapter said she discovered her passion for the EMT program through NEACTC.
“I did not know what I wanted my job or anything I was interested in until I learned this is here. I spoke with all the teachers, but I fell in love with the EMT program. I think it’s really why many people can figure out what they want to do,” Stanton said.
She said the NEACTC has supported her in many ways.
“I’m in EMT school, but Medic One wants to hire me already. It’s given me many opportunities, and I’ve made many friends and mentors from here as well. So, the NEACTC is a good place to find what you want to do,”
Ryan Pannone, Photo courtesy of the University of Alabama
JONESBORO, Ark. (3/30/25) – Arkansas State Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Jeff Purinton announced Sunday that Ryan Pannone, who has gained a reputation over the course of his 23-year career as one of the nation’s top offensive minds and player-development coaches, has been named the Red Wolves’ 18th all-time head men’s basketball coach.
A 2025 selection to Silver Waves Media’s prestigious Elite 75 Future Head Coach Power Lunch, Pannone (pronounced Puh-Known) comes to A-State after most recently spending the last two seasons as an assistant coach at Alabama. The Crimson Tide boasted the nation’s highest scoring average both years as Pannone helped lead the program to Final Four and Elite Eight appearances in the NCAA Tournament in 2023-24 and 2024-25, respectively. However, his path to Jonesboro also went through six different countries, including the United States, China, Germany, Israel, Korea and Slovakia.
“Coach Pannone has achieved success both nationally and internationally, running high-tempo offenses in systems that emphasize player development. He is well-known as an elite basketball tactician and great recruiter with the ability to get the very best out of his players. He truly cares about the young men he coaches, placing a priority on their success both on and off the court.”
An introductory press conference open to the public will be held soon on a date to be announced at a later time. The press conference will take place in the Centennial Bank Athletics Operations Center, located in the north end zone of Centennial Bank Stadium, and be streamed live on the Arkansas State Athletics Facebook page (/AStateRedWolves). The press conference will also be carried lived on the Ticket Radio Network (95.3 FM, 96.9 FM and 970 AM in Jonesboro) and through the EAB Media app.
Pannone owns a wealth of experience at numerous levels, including NCAA Division I, NBA, G-League, various professional leagues overseas, junior college, high school and AAU. He has claimed 204 career wins in nine years as a head coach, including stops with the G-League’s Erie BayHawks and Birmingham Squadron and the Slovak Basketball League’s BC Prievidza.
His background includes 18 years of coaching players with NBA experience. He has coached 82 total NBA players and 46 players selected in the First Round of the NBA Draft, including 30 Lottery picks.
“The A-State basketball brand is on the rise amid great momentum, and that is a testament to the amazing job Bryan Hodgson, his staff and the players have done the last two years. They built a strong foundation, and I’m fortunate to be stepping into a fantastic situation – we’re in a great place to continue elevating this program together. Our staff and players will be committed to working extremely hard to put a fun and winning product on the floor while representing our community in a first-class manner.
“I also want to thank everyone associated with the University of Alabama, including head coach Nate Oats, Athletics Director Greg Byrne, the coaching staff and the players, for a wonderful two years in Tuscaloosa.”
Serving as Alabama’s offensive coordinator under head coach Nate Oats, Pannone orchestrated the country’s most explosive offenses the last two seasons. The Crimson Tide averaged over 90 points per game both of his years in Tuscaloosa, including a school-record 90.7 average in 2024-25. Alabama made an NCAA Tournament-record 25 three pointers in its Sweet 16 victory over BYU.
The Crimson Tide eclipsed 100 points in 17 contests during Pannone’s time with the program, including an SEC-record nine games this year. Alabama also led the nation in offensive tempo each of the last two years while posting a combined 53-21 record.
Pannone spent the season prior to his arrival at Alabama as an assistant coach for the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans, helping lead the squad to 42 victories and a Play-In Tournament berth.
He served as head coach of both the Erie BayHawks and Birmingham Squadron as part of the NBA’s G-League from 2019-22. His squads made back-to-back playoff appearances his last two seasons and had 11 combined NBA call-ups.
Pannone was also on the BayHawks coaching staff as an assistant during their 2014-15 campaign, but spent a season before that and the four years after coaching internationally.
His first overseas coaching opportunity came in 2013-14 as an assistant with the Guangzhou Long Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association. His next international coaching job came with the Hanau (Germany) White Wings, also as an assistant in 2015-16.
The 2016-17 season saw Pannone work as an assistant coach with Hapoel Jerusalem, helping the team appear in the Final Four of the EuroCup and claim the Israel Winner League Championship. He then spent the following year as head coach for a BC Prievidza (Slovakia) team that led its league in defense, opponent points per game, rebounding and three-point field goals made and attempted.
Pannone returned to Hapoel Jerusalem as an assistant coach for the 2018-19 season, when the squad led the Champions League in points, assists and rebounds. He also worked remotely as an advanced scout and video coordinator for the Angola National Team in 2019.
“I am thrilled to have Coach Pannone join our team and community,” said ASU System President Dr. Brendan Kelly. “Our efforts to continue to elevate depend on us attracting great talent and excellent leaders. Coach Pannone embodies both of those descriptors.”
Pannone began his coaching career in 2003 while working on his undergraduate degree at the University of South Florida, taking an assistant position at Oldsmar (Fla.) Christian School. He was elevated to head coach three years later in 2006 and served in that role until 2011, posting a 131-42 record that included wins over three USA Today nationally-ranked teams.
Following his time at Oldsmar Christian, and one year before he joined the Guangzhou Long Lions, Pannone spent the 2011-12 campaign as an assistant coach at Wallace State (Ala.) Junior College. His lone season in Hanceville saw the Lions win the Region XXII Championship and Alabama State Championship. They were one of 16 teams in the country to qualify for the JUNCO National Tournament.
In addition to his numerous coaching stops from 2006-19, Pannone worked at the Pro Training Center as its NBA Director. During that time, he oversaw the development of over 50 NBA players, 33 First-Round NBA Draft selections and 22 Lottery picks.
The Clearwater, Fla., native earned his bachelor’s degree in general studies with a concentration of public health from the University of South Florida in 2011. While working on his degree, he was a student manager for the men’s basketball program under Robert McCullum in 2006-07.
Pannone and his wife, Dr. Sarah Pannone, have three children — Raylan (7), Dahlia (5), Trajan (3).
2019 & 2021 | NBA Summer League, New Orleans Pelicans Assistant Coach
2017 | NBA Basketball Without Borders Camp, Tel Aviv (Israel) Assistant Coach
2015-17 | Korean Basketball League, LG Sakers Director of Player Development
2013 | NBA Summer League, Memphis Grizzlies Assistant Coach
By the Numbers
1 Final Four appearance
1 Elite Eight appearance
3 different continents of pro basketball coaching experience
5 years of international coaching experience
6th best record in the NBA’s G-League during last two seasons (2020-22)
9 years of head coaching experience
17 total 100-point games the last two seasons combined
18 years of coaching players with NBA experience
22 years of coaching experience
30 NBA Lottery picks coached
46 first-round NBA Draft selections coached
75.2 KenPom offensive tempo ranked 1st in the nation (2024-25)
82 NBA players coached
126.0 KenPom Offensive Efficiency ranked 2nd in the nation (2023-24)
126.8 KenPom Offensive Efficiency ranked 4th in the nation (2024-25)
204 wins as a head coach
Pannone’s Coaching Pillars
Accountability
Organization
Servanthood
Inspiration
Loyalty
Unity
Love
What They’re Saying
“Ryan Pannone is a great hire for Arkansas State. He has an elite basketball IQ and pairs that with a relentless work ethic that gives him the ability to be a great teacher and developer of talent. Ryan possesses one of the elite offensive minds in basketball, creating a system for his players to thrive in as Alabama led the nation in scoring during his two years in Tuscaloosa. His experience in the NBA, overseas and in college basketball has prepared him for the job. He will be a great fit in Jonesboro.
Nate Oats, Alabama Head Coach
“Ryan has one of the brightest basketball minds in the business. His knowledge, work ethic, passion and experience far outweighs his years. He will have tremendous success at Arkansas State!”
Scott Drew, Baylor Head Coach
“Ryan Pannone is one of the top basketball minds in the game. Many of us in the profession have sought him out for ideas. No one studies the game more than Ryan. And if you’re a player, you’ll get a chance to play for a guy who has coached the game at every level. He can help you get where you want to go.”
Stan Van Gundy, current NBA and college basketball commentator and former NBA head coach
“Ryan Pannone is one of, if not the smartest, hardest working coaches I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with. He’s got a devotion for players and a passion for the game, and it shows immensely through his creativity with X’s and O’s and player development. He’s a leader and a competitor and an elite level head coach. Any program would be fortunate to have him serving in any capacity.
Bryson Graham, New Orleans Pelicans General Manager
“I am incredibly happy for this next opportunity for Ryan. He has a tremendous passion for the game of basketball and teaching it to his players. Every time we speak he is about to watch film or has just finished watching film. He is always studying how he can improve as a coach and different ways for his players and teams to get better. Arkansas State is in great hands with Ryan.”
Trajan Langdon, Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations
During the annual meeting, Jonesboro Mayor Harold Copenhaver addressed plans to grow the city’s population to 100,000 people, the city’s strong financial health, and projected 2025 projects and revenues.
The mayor spoke for around 30 minutes to a packed crowd at Embassy Suites.
“The state of the city of Jonesboro, Arkansas is strong. It’s filled with potential because of the people it’s filled with,” Copehaver said. “Jonesboro is anything but static.”
Copenhaver said the city has $33 million in reserves and projected 2025 revenues of $93 million. Its achievements in 2024 include a 106-ton neighborhood cleanup, a revived glass recycling program, and numerous park and infrastructure improvements.
He said preparing for 100,000 people will require constant effort to maintain the city’s growth and prosperity.
This month, Jonesboro will break ground on the $70 million Sportsplex, which Copenhaver said will increase revenue for Jonesboro businesses.
Additionally, he said plans for repairing and adding miscellaneous streets, sidewalks, and road overlay projects will cost another seven figures.
“Among the most critical projects that need funding is extensive work on South Caraway Road and the associated pedestrian accommodations,” Coperhaver said.
The city will fund foundational pieces of the master parks plan, provide new vehicles and equipment for the police and fire departments, and update the Jonesboro E-911 center.
He said community engagement is necessary to address crime, provide opportunities for youth, and support local nonprofits and businesses.
Copenhaver said quality of life for parents is knowing their kids can safely cross streets, call 911 in an emergency, and receive a kind and experienced dispatcher on the other end.
“We all love to think big, but we can’t overlook the basic responsibility as leaders of this community. I believe, like you, we have a moral responsibility, a moral mandate, to prioritize projects that will save lives,” Copenhaver said. “Kids can’t be it if they can’t see it.”
Carole Farmer, ASU System Board of Trustees. Image courtesy of the ASU System.
LITTLE ROCK — Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has appointed Carole Farmer of Fayetteville to a seven-year term on the Arkansas State University System Board of Trustees.
Farmer succeeds immediate past board chair Christy Clark of Little Rock, who served seven years after being appointed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson in 2018 and reappointed by Gov. Sanders in 2023.
ASU System President Brendan Kelly said he welcomes Farmer to the board.
“Carole Farmer will be an outstanding addition to our Board of Trustees,” Kelly said. “Her experiences in health care, management and finance will be welcome on the board and in the ASU System. We look forward to working with her in the years ahead.”
“I’m also grateful to Christy Clark for her service during the past seven years,” Kelly added. “She has been part of many significant achievements in the ASU System, and I worked closely with her as board chair during the last six months as I came on board as president. She’s been a tremendous resource and asset to the ASU System.”
Farmer is a Certified Medical Practice Executive (CMPE) and owns Arkansas Medical Management Consulting, LLC, a medical consulting firm that provides support for physician-owned practices. She worked 17 years for the largest multi-specialty physician medical clinic in northeast Arkansas. Her last seven years, she served as the clinic’s administrator and managed more than 120 employees.
She served for five years on the Board of Directors for Arkansas Medical Group Managers Association, her last year as chair of the organization. Prior to her medical management career, she worked in the banking industry focusing on internal auditing and regulatory compliance. She is a member of the board of directors of Farmer Enterprises Inc.
“First, I want to thank Governor Sanders for her confidence in me,” Farmer said. “I look forward to working with President Kelly and the other trustees to improve educational and workforce opportunities for our students and all Arkansans.”
Farmer is a graduate of Arkansas State University with both her bachelor’s degree in accounting (2005) and master’s in business administration (2008). She also served as an adjunct professor of accounting at A-State for two years, primarily focused on managerial accounting.
A native of Palestine, she is married to Alec Farmer, a 1986 Arkansas State University graduate. They are 1924 Sustaining Life Members of the A-State Alumni Association and endowed the Dalton A. Farmer Family Scholarship in 2015.
Together they have four adult daughters. Emily, their youngest daughter, is an A-State graduate. The ASU System, based in Little Rock, serves 35,000 students annually through on-site and online options. Member institutions include Arkansas State University in Jonesboro with an additional campus in Queretaro, Mexico; ASU-Beebe, with additional campuses in Heber Springs and Searcy and an instructional site at the Little Rock Air Force Base; ASU-Mountain Home; ASU-Newport, with additional campuses in Jonesboro and Marked Tree; ASU Mid-South in West Memphis; ASU Three Rivers in Malvern; and Henderson State University in Arkadelphia. For more information about the ASU System, visit ASUSystem.edu or follow on X @ASUSystem.
Memphis, Tennessee – The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has selected Kiewit Infrastructure South Co. as the construction manager for the I-55 bridge replacement project.
In July 2024, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded a landmark federal investment in Tennessee of nearly $400 million towards half the cost of replacing the I-55 Bridge over the Mississippi River. In addition to the nearly $400 million from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program, TDOT, utilizing a state general fund allocation provided through the Transportation Modernization Act, and the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) have each committed up to $200 million demonstrating a collaborative effort to fund this bridge replacement. This marks the single-largest transportation investment in Tennessee state history.
Courtesy of the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
The I-55 Bridge, a vital link for national commerce, is set to undergo a comprehensive overhaul to add capacity, improve safety standards, ensure route resiliency, and maintain optimal operational conditions. The existing bridge, which has served travelers for 75 years since its construction, will be replaced with a larger structure designed to meet modern seismic codes as it sits on the New Madrid fault line.
“This project is building a stronger future for Tennessee,” said Deputy Governor and TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley. “We are thrilled to partner with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Arkansas, and now Kiewit, whose proven track record will be invaluable to the success of this transformative project to enhance regional and national connectivity and safety significantly. We look forward to its positive impact on our state and country for decades to come.”
“The Arkansas Department of Transportation is pleased to partner with TDOT to construct a modern structure on a corridor that conveys many critical goods and services through the heart of our nation each day,” said ARDOT Director Jared Wiley. “We are thankful that TDOT was able to secure this historic grant award and are confident in Kiewit’s ability to deliver the project on time and budget.”
“Kiewit is very pleased to have been selected to help deliver the bridge replacement project for the Tennessee and Arkansas Departments of Transportation,” said Dave Miles, Executive Vice President of Kiewit Corporation. “We have a long history of safely building and engineering complex bridge and transportation projects across the United States, including in both states. We are excited to bring our experience and skilled workforce to this project, which importantly connects both states for people within and traveling through the region.” The environmental process is wrapping up on the I-55 Bridge Replacement project. Design is underway, and Right-of-Way coordination should begin later this year. Construction is estimated to start in fiscal year 2026.
While finalizing the contract with Kiewit for the construction manager, the department will continue to deliver this project. This decision is another progressive step utilizing an Alternative Delivery method, the Construction Manager/General Contractor (CMGC). CM/GC is used for complex projects, aligning technical direction, organizational structure, and budgets with the department’s strategic vision.
Rendering of the forthcoming College of Veterinary Medicine at Arkansas State University.
Story by DDNS Reporter Shailey Wooldridge.
The Arkansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) will open in Fall 2026, pending accreditation, giving students an experience differing from the average veterinary medical school.
Heidi Banse, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, said the college will have unique aspects based on how they have structured their curriculum, such as using a distributive model where students participate in clinicals in their final year of schooling.
Dr. Heidi Banse, Dean for the College of Veterinary Medicine at Arkansas State University
“It’s a very community-centered program, which I think fits the state of Arkansas and does position us with some educational elements that other programs may not be able to offer. All programs have their niches and own areas that they emphasize, and for us, it’s community.“ Banse said.
Banse formerly served as associate dean for educational strategy at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine (LSU Vet Med).
At LSU Vet Med, Banse led implementation of a new competency-based veterinary program by restructuring the educational framework to ensure students are prepared to enter practice when they graduate.
“The thing that enticed me here at Arkansas State University was the opportunity to build a program, really starting at the ground floor,” Banse said. “Having just built a new curriculum at LSU, it seemed the next logical step in a career progression to build an entire program.”
In the first three years, Banse said A-State’s vet school curriculum will focus on developing skills, communication, ethics, practice management, and clinical reasoning. In the final year, students will go out into community practices across Arkansas and in other states to hone their skills and prepare to enter into practice.
Len Frey, senior advisor for strategic initiatives and senior associate dean of the CVM, said the distributive model of structuring veterinary medical schools is becoming more common.
“We’re very comfortable with the distributed model because we saw it work at NYIT (New York Institute of Technology),” Frey said. “Again, it’s not the norm. It’s not the way it’s always been done. It’s a newer theory on delivering practice-ready doctors or practice-ready veterinary medicine physicians.”
Banse said one of the college’s primary goals is to train veterinarians across the breadth of species to prepare them to enter general practice. To accomplish this, something she wants to leave behind as much as they can is the traditional lecture format of education.
“Our goal is to ensure that our students are engaged in learning and have active learning experiences,” Banse said. “Our classrooms that we’re constructing in our new building are flexible-use classrooms so they can be used for lectures, but we hope we’re doing a lot of small group learning to support some of the clinical reasoning.”
Banse said around 190 practices, 85 in Arkansas, have signed up to be part of the clinical year teaching network.
Since there is no veterinary school in Arkansas, students hoping to become veterinarians must go to college out of state to finish their schooling in veterinary medicine.
“We are one of the most underserved states regarding the number of veterinarians per capita. We have 10 counties currently with no veterinarians, making it harder for clients to seek care,” Banse said.
Amy Schmidt, director of the Northeast Arkansas Humane Society (NEAHS), said one of the reasons veterinary costs are so high right now is the lack of veterinarians. She said one of the problems in the community they see often is people who love their animals but can’t afford to take care of them.
“The more vets we have in the area, the more we’ll be able to service the community in an accessible way,” Schmidt said. “I think there’s a great need to have a vet school in the area, and I’m super excited that we’re getting it here in Jonesboro.”
NEAHS is one practice that will partner with the veterinary school for students in clinicals to give them hands-on experience.
Banse said students will be able to practice doing physical exams on dogs and cats at the shelter and learn to provide veterinary care under the oversight of a practicing veterinarian.
“They’ll get lots of experience talking to clients, working with animals in the community to make the quality of life for animals and hopefully make client experiences meaningful,” Banse said.
Schmidt said a room in the isolation building on-site at NEAHS will be explicitly remodeled so students can learn isolation protocols.
The NEAHS does a low-cost clinic three days a week that offers spays, neuters, and vaccinations. Schmidt said they have difficulty keeping up with the demand, with low-cost surgeries booked until May.
“The vet school is going to help us with some of that volume so that they will be helping with low-cost surgeries. Not just helping us, but helping the community,” Schmidt said. “We also have that indoor dog kennel area; they’ve talked about using that to teach students how to make clinical rounds and assess everyone, especially post op.”
Banse said the vet school will include two flexible-use classrooms with tables that can be set up in multiple ways to easily change the room’s configuration.
The building will also feature an almost 3000-square-foot clinical skills lab where students will learn procedures, an anatomy lab, cooler, freezer, a place to store anatomy specimens, a clinical skills laboratory space, storage for models from suture pads to full sized horses and cows, a practice lab for students that will be set up with 24/7 key-card access, a surgical skills training suite with a pre operative area, a sterile surgical area for their spay experience, for their spay surgeries and kennels for dogs and cats in case they need to be housed overnight.
Banse said plans for continuous improvement include collecting feedback from students, instructors, and course coordinators as the program is built and as students go through and making adjustments as needed. She said they will also use the national standardized exams, the veterinary education assessment, and the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination, all veterinarians take as part of their licensure, to help inform changes immediately.
“One of the things that’s important for us too is once our students go out into the community, we then collect feedback from them one year out and five years out as well as from their employers one year out, to see how prepared they were when they entered into practice,” Banse said.
She said it will also be vital for them to keep tabs on the changes and anticipated changes in the field of veterinary medicine and industry trends to ensure they’re responding to any needs within Arkansas.
The college has collaborated with the College of Agriculture and will continue to do so. Banse said they will use the Equine Center and one of the bovine barns to teach students skills-based training.
“Hopefully, that creates better facilities for animal science students, too. It’s not like those are ours only; we share all of that,” Banse said. “I’m grateful that the College of Ag has invited us in. And feel like part of the same part of the same team training students.”
Sarah Hooper, associate dean for student programs and admissions, joined the CVM on February 27. She will oversee student programs from recruitment through graduation and refine admission processes and the recruitment of students when that time comes.
Hooper said she will be working on creating new website content for admissions.
“I’m just excited to be able to help start the first state vet school in Arkansas. I had the advantage of going to a state university with a vet school in my home state, and it’s beneficial and advantageous when students like myself have our support systems,” Hooper said. “It’s exciting in my mind to help initiate this new school and to give the residents of Arkansas something that they’ve not been able to access before.”
The proposed class size is 120 students admitted once per year in the fall. In-state tuition will be $35,000 yearly, and out-of-state tuition will be $55,000 yearly.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the CVM was held today at 11 a.m., and construction will begin later this month to early April.
Banse said they can start recruiting students after receiving a letter of reasonable assurance from the Council of Education, which they may receive after a comprehensive visit this summer.
“I’m most excited to have students. It’s exciting to build a program and think about how we construct a student-centered curriculum, but ultimately, it doesn’t feel real until the students are on site,” Banse said. “We’re doing it for the students, and it’s really fun to hear the excitement on campus from our students about the vet school, and I just can’t wait for them to get here.”
MISSISSIPPI COUNTY, Ark. (March 11, 2024) – Hybar Steel has joined the “Work Here. Live Here.” (WHLH) housing incentive program in Mississippi County as an industry partner. With an investment of $500,000 to help its employees purchase homes in the county, Hybar becomes the 15th employer to participate in WHLH. Since the program launched in 2023, it has generated $36.1 million in new home value and facilitated 122 home purchases.
WHLH was created to strengthen Mississippi County’s workforce by making homeownership more accessible for employees of participating companies. Overseen by the Grow Mississippi County Community Foundation, WHLH is a cooperative partnership between the foundation, participating industries and several Mississippi County financial institutions. Funded by the participating industries, the program offers up to $50,000 toward the cost of a new home and up to $25,000 toward an existing home.
“The program takes us one step further in terms of attractive benefits at Hybar,” said David Stickler, CEO of Hybar. “We pay great wages, have a robust healthcare program, a bonus for perfect attendance, a partnership with Arkansas Northeastern College (ANC) and, now, housing incentives through ‘Work Here. Live Here.’”
Hybar is nearing completion of its state-of-the-art steel rebar mill in Osceola, which is designed to be powered by 100% renewable energy, making it the most environmentally sustainable facility of its kind. Expected to begin production in May of this year, the steel mill is joined by Hybar’s adjacent solar field and its port facility on the Mississippi River, which, according to Stickler, could one day become the largest port between New Orleans and St. Louis.
The company currently employs more than 100 people, with plans to expand to 200 direct employees and 50-60 indirect workers. While recognized for its competitive pay — aiming to have the highest-paid steel workers in the world — Hybar’s career opportunities and benefits also extend to employees in human resources, marketing, IT, logistics and more.
“We’re very pleased that Hybar has joined the growing number of companies who have contributed to the Grow Mississippi County Community Foundation and embraced the WHLH program,” said Clif Chitwood, president of Mississippi County Economic Development. “Their participation will help us continue to attract and retain the high-quality employees necessary to fill the increasing number of excellent jobs here in the county.”
WHLH has already made a measurable impact in Mississippi County, with 38% of homeowners in the program moving in from outside the county and 60% being first-time homebuyers. WHLH continues to expand its reach beyond the steel industry as participation from companies across manufacturing, logistics and other key sectors continues to grow.
“Arkansas is a great place to do business, and Mississippi County, in particular, is a great place to do steel business,” said Stickler.
About Hybar: Hybar Steel is a steel manufacturer based in Osceola, Ark., focused on producing high-quality rebar using renewable energy. The company is developing a modern steel mill in Mississippi County designed for efficiency and environmental sustainability. With access to the Mississippi River and other key transportation routes, Hybar is positioned to serve customers across various markets. Learn more at hybarsteel.com.
About “Work Here. Live Here.”: “Work Here. Live Here.” (WHLH) is a pioneering housing incentive and relocation initiative designed to attract and retain workers within Mississippi County, particularly those in the manufacturing sector. Launched two years ago, the program has successfully facilitated the sale of over 120 homes, contributing to $36.1 million in new home construction across Mississippi County. WHLH currently partners with 15 employers. Employees of those 15 businesses are eligible to receive up to $50,000 toward the cost of a new home or up to $25,000 for an existing home, making first-time homeownership a reality for 60% of participants.
Overseen by the Grow Mississippi County Community Foundation, Work Here. Live Here. is a cooperative partnership between the foundation, cooperating industries, and cooperating Mississippi County financial institutions. The cooperative industries invest in the program to incentivize their employees to build new homes or purchase existing homes in Mississippi County. The program is funded by the cooperating industries in the Work Here. Live Here. Program.
Delta Digital News Service 