FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The deadline for nominations for the 2004 Arkansas Business Hall of Fame is July 15, 2003.

The Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas established the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame in 1999, recognizing Arkansans - by birth or by choice - who have been successful business leaders. The Arkansas Business Hall of Fame honors, preserves and perpetuates the names and outstanding accomplishments of business leaders who have brought lasting fame to Arkansas.

1999 Inductees

William T. Dillard, Sr., Dillard's Stores

Charles R. Murphy, Jr., Murphy Oil

Jackson T. Stephens, Stephens Inc.

the late Sam M. Walton, Wal-Mart Inc.

2000 Inductees

Joe T. Ford, ALLTEL Corporation

the late Harvey Jones, Jones Truck Lines

the late Donald W. Reynolds, Donrey Media

Don Tyson, Tyson Foods, Inc.

2001 Inductees

the late Col. Thomas H. Barton, Lion Oil Company

the late William E. Darby, National Old Line Insurance Company

J. B. and Johnelle Hunt, J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.

John H. Johnson, Johnson Publishing Company, Inc.

2002 Inductees

Roland S. Boreham, Jr., Baldor Electric Company

F. Sheridan Garrison, American Freightways Inc. (FedEx Freight)

Gene George, George's Inc.

Walter V. Smiley, Smiley Investment Company.

2003 Inductees

Richard E. Bell, Riceland Foods, Inc.

David D. Glass, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

The late Robert D. Nabholz, Sr., Nabholz Construction Corporation

Louis L. Ramsay, Jr., Simmons First National Corporation

A selection committee of business and civic leaders from around the state and the nation will review the nominations and select the honorees. The criteria for selection are:

No more than four individuals will be inducted annually.
Nominations will remain on file for five years.
It is not necessary to fill out the nomination application in its entirety. The Selection Committee is most concerned with "why this person should be honored as a member of the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame." If necessary, the Selection Committee will refer any questions to the nominator.
Nominees can be living or posthumous.
_ All living inductees shall be at least 60 years of age at time of selection.

# To insure the viability, both financially and in retaining public interest and support, normally a maximum of two deceased nominees will be inducted in any one year.

Nominees are to be Arkansans by birth or by choice.
_ Equal consideration will be given to nominees who may have been born in Arkansas, but their business achievements have been outside of Arkansas and to nominees whose accomplishments are primarily in Arkansas.

Nominations are not limited to University of Arkansas graduates.
The Selection Committee will consider the following when making their selection of honorees:

1. Business - the nominee has made a significant impact as a business leader.

Nominees are expected to have made a significant impact as a business leader and be recognized primarily as a business leader and for their managerial success.
The preponderance of weight will be given to such accomplishments as starting and building a business and leading an established business to significantly greater achievements.
Among the factors to be considered are industry recognitions, being an industry pioneer and/or leader, and recognition by others for achievements.
2. Community - the nominee has had concern for improving his/her community as a business leader; and

3. Ethics - the nominee has displayed the highest level of ethics in their business dealings.

Beyond the criteria noted here, the Selection Committee has the responsibility and discretionary power to make their determinations from the pool of nominations submitted.
The 2004 Hall of Fame Celebration will be Friday, February 13, 2004, at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock. The reception is at 6:00 p.m., and the awards dinner will begin at 6:45 p.m. The Arkansas Business Hall of Fame is permanently housed in the atrium of the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Enterprise Development on the UA campus.

For a nomination form and more information, please contact the Office of External Relations at the Sam M. Walton College of Business, Business Building 343, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701-1201, (479) 575-6146, by e-mail abhf@walton.uark.edu or on the web at: waltoncollege.uark.edu/externalrelations/halloffame.asp

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