University of Arkansas

Walton College

The Sam M. Walton College of Business

The Be Epic Podcast from the Sam M. Walton College of Business, hosted by interim dean, Brent Williams

All Episodes

Episode 215: Navigating the Banking Industry with Ross M. Whipple

This week on the podcast Matt wraps up the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame series with Ross M. Whipple, 2023 Arkansas Business Hall of Fame Inductee, President and CEO - Horizon Capital Partners, LLLP, President - Horizon Timber Services, Inc. and Chairman of the Board - The Ross Foundation.

February 22, 2023 | By Matt Waller

Episode 176: Leadership Lessons with Marvin Davenport

This week on the podcast, Matt is joined by Marvin Davenport, Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer of VSP Global. Marvin has extensive experience working in leadership roles for a variety of companies including Walmart, Raytheon and Amazon.

May 25, 2022 | By Matt Waller

Episode 78: Pu Liu Discusses the Master of Science in Finance Degree and the Importance of Financial Literacy

Dr. Pu Liu is a professor of finance and chairman of the department of finance at the Sam M. Walton College of Business. Liu recognized the importance of a Master of Science in Finance program after seeing the need to address the challenges of a digital economy driven by technology and innovation. In this program, students learn essential financial skills and gain the expertise to excel in their careers.

July 1, 2020 | By Matt Waller

Episode 72: Joe Hickman Discusses Blue Star Land’s Growth and His Relationship With Jerry Jones

Joe Hickman is the president and general manager of Blue Star Land and is an alum of the Walton College. Through relationships he developed while at the U of A, Joe has had the opportunity to work for the Dallas Cowboys in their real estate endeavors. He has seen firsthand the growth and innovation of the Dallas Cowboys organization in real estate and how it fits together with the other aspects of the organization.

May 20, 2020 | By Matt Waller

Episode 63: Sarah, Jon, Canon, and Kyle Explain How Entrepreneurship at the University Is Responding to COVID-19

Sarah Goforth is the Executive Director of the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Arkansas. Jon Johnson is the Founder and Chairman of the Board of The Sustainability Consortium. Canon Reeves is a Computer Science major at the University of Arkansas and the CEO and Co-Founder of MORE Technologies. Kyle Sadler is a Computer Science major at the University of Arkansas. He is also the Managing Director of Startup Village.

March 18, 2020 | By Matt Waller

Episode 52: Carter Clark Discusses His College Career and the Keys to Success in Real Estate

Carter Clark is the Owner/Broker of Weichert Realtors - The Griffin Company. In addition to playing on the Razorback men's basketball team, he graduated from the Walton College in 2001 with a degree in Finance and Small Business Entrepreneurship. Carter's interest in real estate began in college, where he started a Christmas light hanging business and began buying rental properties.

January 1, 2020 | By Matt Waller

Episode 37: Mario Ramirez Explains His Take on the Walton College’s Epic Values

Mario Ramirez is the President of MRamirez Group, LLC, a consulting firm based out of the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Mario is an alumnus of the Walton College and has been a member of the Dean's Executive Advisory Board for nine years. In addition to this, Mario also serves as the Managing Director of Avalon Net Worth and a Strategic Advisor at NewRoad Capital Partners. Mario has a passion for bringing people together, and has a unique background in financial markets, government relations, the Hispanic market, and higher education.

September 13, 2019 | By Matt Waller

Episode 33: Brian Fugate, Stephanie Thomas, and Brian Johnson discuss the topic of the Gartner Model

Supply chain leaders discuss the talents and attributes that are needed in the market. Stephanie Thomas is a professor in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas. Brain Johnson, an executive with Gartner, shares his experience leading organizations to optimize their Supply Chain Organization. Brian Fugate is the Department Chair of Supply Chain Management at the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas.

August 14, 2019 | By Matt Waller

Episode 22: Provost Jim Coleman Discusses the Ecosystem Test and Direction of the University of Arkansas

Jim Coleman is the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and professor of biological sciences at the University of Arkansas. He is a plant physiological ecologist and academic administrator with a broad background that crosses multiple disciplines. Jim is responsible for leading the development and implementation of the University of Arkansas’ strategic plan and oversight of all of the university’s academic operations.

May 1, 2019 | By Matt Waller

Episode 21: Anthony Lewis Reflects on His Extensive and International Finance Career

Anthony Lewis is the Vice President of Value Portfolio Holdings at AT&T and a Walton College Alumnus. He has been with AT&T for 35 years. Before working at AT&T, Anthony worked as the Director of Finance at Telkom in South Africa and Senior Auditor at Ernst & Young. Anthony received his BSBA in Accounting from the University of Arkansas and MBA in Finance from The University of Texas at Austin.

April 24, 2019 | By Matt Waller

Episode 20: Jon Johnson Discusses the History and Future of Sustainability

Jon Johnson is a Walton College Professor of Sustainability and is the Founder and Chairman of the Board of The Sustainability Consortium. His areas of expertise include sustainability, environment, climate change, corporate governance, and social networks within and between organizations. He received his BS and MBA at the University of Arkansas and PhD from Indiana University.

April 17, 2019 | By Matt Waller

Episode 16: Dan Worrell Discusses the Advent of the Supply Chain Department and Strategic Direction of Walton

Dan Worrell is the Interim Department Chair in the Department of Management at the Sam M. Walton College of Business. Dan served as Dean of the Walton College from 2005 to 2012. Dr. Worrell also currently holds the Corporate Responsibility Professorship in Management. He has served in a variety of higher education administrative positions spanning over two decades. Positions have included: department chair; associate dean; and 15 years of service as a dean at three different business schools.

March 20, 2019 | By Matt Waller

Episode 11: Phillip Keene Talks About Thinking Differently and Lessons Learned Outside the Classroom

Phillip Keene is a Director of Corporate Communications for Walmart, overseeing State and Local Communications for the East Coast since January, 2016. He works out of the company's Home Office in Bentonville and has been a Walmart associate for more than 10 years overall. In addition, he has a media, government and retail operations background, along with a Masters degree in Political Studies. Phillip is currently working toward his Executive MBA at the Sam M. Walton College of Business.

February 13, 2019 | By Matt Waller