News
July 2022
Mullenix & Associates Meets with Sarah Huckabee Sanders and U.S. Senator John Kennedy
Mullenix & Associates was honored to be with Sarah Huckabee Sanders and U.S. Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) in Little Rock.
July 18, 2022
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: Pulaski County government's solar power projects on target to provide 90% of its electricity needs
Twin concerns over rising costs and climate change have prompted some county officials in Arkansas to begin moving power needs to renewable energy sources, with solar power one of the primary alternate sources to keep the lights on.
July 15, 2022
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: Warehouse project starts near Port of Little Rock
The South Port Commerce Center project, headed by the Kansas-based commercial real estate firm Bluestem Partners, includes a pair of industrial warehouses adjacent to the Port of Little Rock.
July 12, 2022
Arkansas Business: Walmart, Canoo Partner on Final Mile Delivery
Walmart Inc. of Bentonville announced an agreement to purchase 4,500 electric vehicles from Canoo Inc. to be used for final mile deliveries.
July 11, 2022
Arkansas Business: Why the Steel Industry is Forging Ahead
Arkansas’s steel economy is booming. In this column, Austin Grinder, attorney and registered lobbyist, lays out what's behind the industry's surge.
June 16, 2022
THV: Solar energy to help with improvements at Saline County Detention Center
Leaders debuted a new five-acre solar facility in Saline County with hopes of being able to save tax payers a bit of money.
June 2022
Talk Business & Politics: An Economic Game-Changer
Austin Grinder discusses the factors that make Northeast Arkansas an easy sell to businesses that are considering where to locate or expand.
May 31, 2022
Soiree: 4 Tips to Secure the Best Price on Your House
The Arkansas REALTORS® Association shares tips to help owners list their homes with confidence and secure the best price.
May 29, 2022
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: Wood pellets made in state draw queries
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has had a global impact on business, and changes in the fuels used to generate electricity in Europe brought on by the war might open up opportunities for a wood pellet producer in Pine Bluff.
May 17, 2022
Arkansas Business: RedMane Technology to Open Little Rock Office
RedMane Technology LLC is opening a southeast regional office at 400 W. Capitol Ave. in Little Rock.
May 11, 2022
Talk Business & Politics: Arkansas Delta Byways selects first ever Innovation Award winners
The National Cold War Center received an Innovation Award from Delta Byways, the official tourism promotion association for 15 counties in eastern Arkansas.
May 5, 2022
Arkansas Money & Politics: An Election Forecast
Austin Grinder shares trends to watch on the path to the General Election on November 8.
May 4, 2022
Arkansas Business: Atlas Tube Opens $150 Million Steel Mill in Blytheville
Atlas Tube of Chicago announced the opening of its new electric resistance welding steel mill in Blytheville, a facility it says is the largest of its kind in the world.
April 29, 2022
Soiree: 4 Steps to Being a Stronger Self-Advocate
Julie Mullenix shares her tips for being a strong and successful self-advocate, no matter the challenge.
April 13, 2022
NASA: Artemis Astronauts Will Ride in Style in New Crew Transportation Vehicles
When astronauts leave their crew quarters at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for their lunar mission, NASA’s Artemis II crew will ride in a new set of wheels: A fleet of shiny crew transportation vehicles provided by Canoo Technologies Inc., will take them to Launch Pad 39B for their historic ride aboard the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.
April 7, 2022
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: Future bright, says U.S. Steel chief
U.S. Steel Chief Executive Officer David Burritt told the state's economic development leaders Wednesday that he is "extraordinarily bullish" on Arkansas and the steelmaker's future in the state.
April 5, 2022
Arkansas Business: NASA Picks Canoo for Launchpad Transport Vehicles
Electric vehicle maker Canoo Inc., which is moving its headquarters to and opening an advanced manufacturing facility in Bentonville, has won a NASA contract.
April 4, 2022
Talk Business & Politics: U.S. Steel’s Big River Steel first in North America to achieve ResponsibleSteel certification
U.S. Steel announced that its Big River Steel mill in Osceola has become the first-ever ResponsibleSteel site certified in North America.
March 15, 2022
Arkansas Money & Politics: U.S. Steel Doubles Down on Arkansas
In addition to the 900 jobs paying upwards of $120,000 and the 3 million annual tons of advanced steel-making capability, the new Big River Steel Works brings a compelling, audacious view of the state’s industrial future.
March 4, 2022
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: McDonald's in Arkansas to hire 564 workers
McDonald's restaurants in Arkansas are looking to hire more than 500 employees next week. According to a news release, the fast-food chain plans to hire 564 workers as part of hiring activities across central and south Arkansas.
February 8, 2022
Governor, U.S. Steel executives break ground on $3 billion steel mill in Osceola
U.S. Steel execs and Arkansas officials broke ground on the largest economic development project in Arkansas history, a $3 billion steel mill at Osceola. U.S. Steel President and CEO Dave Burritt said it will be “the most technologically advanced mini-mill on the planet” when completed in 2024.
March 24, 2021
New AEDC initiative partners with colleges to promote desired industry skills
The Arkansas Department of Commerce today launched a new initiative to designate high-achieving state college workforce training programs that meet specific regional workforce needs in high-demand fields as “Centers of Excellence.”
December 9, 2020
U.S. Steel to acquire remaining stake in Big River Steel
United States Steel Corp. is on the verge of becoming the sole owner of Big River Steel, the first “superproject” in the history of the Natural State.
November 18, 2020
Big River Steel Doubles Capacity
Big River Steel successfully started up the second phase of its Arkansas-based scrap metal recycling and flat-rolled steel production facility. The Phase Two expansion budgeted at $716 million will double Big River Steel's production capacity to 3.3 million tons annually.
October 30, 2020
Mullenix & Associates Welcomes New Attorney
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Oct. 29, 2020) – Mullenix & Associates has welcomed Tucker Brackins, staff attorney, to its team. The firm’s members now include two former legislators and three lawyers.
August 12, 2020
Arkansas Blue Cross Carries on Through Pandemic
For Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, which has called Gaines Street its corporate home for more than 60 years, the pandemic has meant business as usual even if virtually all of the company’s employees are working from home these days.
August 31, 2020
SAP Named a Leader in 2020 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Data Integration Tools for the 13th Year in a Row
Independent analyst firm Gartner Inc. has named SAP a leader in its Magic Quadrant for Data Integration Tools* report. This is the 13th consecutive year that SAP has been named a leader in the Magic Quadrant for Data Integration Tools.
July 16, 2020
Arkansas Businesses Are Responding To COVID-19
NASL members Mullenix & Associates reports with over 30,000 confirmed cases and over 300 deaths, Arkansas continues to be in a state of emergency and is currently considered a hot spot for COVID-19. We have adapted to working remotely to ensure the health and safety of both our team and clients.
February 21, 2022
NWA agencies make move to be more energy efficient
In Arkansas, public entities have saved $550 million due to energy efficiency projects through the state Energy Performance Contracting program since it was established by law in 2013.
May 18, 2020
Alex Ray Recognized by Walton School of Business for Work on Energy Efficiency Project
Alex Ray, current Executive MBA student and director of business development, for Johnson Controls in Arkansas, played an integral role in the development of an $8 million energy efficiency project in Washington County.
April 26, 2020
Oaklawn Splits Derby Day
In a move believed to be unprecedented in American racing history, Oaklawn will split the 84th running of the Arkansas Derby Saturday, May 2. Thanks to the cooperation of Churchill Downs, both divisions will carry the full 170 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby (G1).
November 19, 2019
Arkansas Northeastern College pushing to graduate more steel workers
The expansion of a steel mill in Osceola has prompted an ever-growing push to hire more qualified candidates. Arkansas Northeastern College (ANC) partners with several corporations in the trade industry such as Big River Steel in hopes of graduating more students to enter the manufacturing field.
November 11, 2019
Big River Steel closes deal with U.S. Steel, values Osceola mill at $2.3 billion
Privately held Big River Steel in Northeast Arkansas has closed on its deal to make United States Steel Corp. a minority stakeholder of the company’s scrap recycling and steel production facility in Mississippi County.
October 1, 2019
U.S Steel to pay $700M for stake in Big River mill
U.S. Steel Corp., based in Pittsburgh, will pay $700 million to take 49.9% ownership of Big River Steel, which was built near the Mississippi River, just south of Osceola, funded in part by Arkansas taxpayers. U.S. Steel has an option to buy the remaining 50.1% of the company within four years, the company said Tuesday in announcing the deal. Big River’s $1.3 billion mill opened in January 2017, after about two years of construction. The mill has about 550 employees, with average annual pay of $75,000, including bonuses. It remains the largest economic development project in state history.
August 17, 2019
Chain rings up big sales in state; McDonald's buys up $676M in goods
Fast-food giant McDonald's Corp. buys tons of commodities from suppliers around the world, and yet the super-size orders are filled in Arkansas.
Just last year, the McDonald's system bought more than $676 million in agricultural products from the Natural State, ranging from chickens and canola to soybeans.
August 6, 2019
Green Steel: How Arkansas Became Home To America's Cleanest And Fastest-Growing Steelmaker
Inside cavernous blue hangars set on 1,100 acres of what was once soy fields abutting the Mississippi River, a succession of 300-ton scrap-filled buckets—the remains of old cars and refrigerators—await their turn at the furnace. Wailing sirens pierce the deafening rumble, and sparks fly as blindingly yellow flames rise up from the glowing ladle.
July 30, 2019
Zekelman Industries to build largest tube mill in the world in Blytheville, add 75 jobs
Zekelman Industries, the parent company of Atlas Tube, announced Tuesday (July 30) in Blytheville it will build the world’s largest continuous ERW tube mill on property adjacent to its existing Atlas Tube mill.
Le Bonheur named a Best Children’s Hospital by U.S. News & World Report
Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital has been named a Best Children’s Hospital by U.S. News & World Report. This is the ninth consecutive year Le Bonheur has been included in the prestigious list with recognition in eight specialties.
June 4, 2019
Big River Steel closes on $800 million debt-equity financing package to expand scrap metal capacity
Big River Steel on Monday (June 3) announced it had closed on a debt-and-equity financing arrangement to expand its scrap metal recycling and flat-rolled steel production facility in Osceola, doubling current capacity to 3.3 million tons annually.
October 18, 2019
Arkansas Northeastern College to Open Allied Technology Center
When Arkansas Northeastern College opened its new Center for Allied Technologies, it consolidated three facilities, enhanced its role as a leader in custom training and education and brought the world to its doorstep.
