This week on the podcast, Brent connects with two remarkable Walton College seniors, Kennedy Blair and Jackson Walton. Both students are distinguished by their academic excellence and leadership, having earned prestigious awards; Kennedy with the Sam M. Walton College of Business Student Leadership Award, and Jackson with the Doyle Z. Williams Student Leadership Award. During the episode, Kennedy shares her journey from being an undecided business major to discovering her passion for accounting and securing a job after graduation at Credera in Chicago. Jackson discusses his path from Truman, A ..read more

This week on the Be Epic podcast, Brent welcomes David Guggina, Executive Vice President of Supply Chain at Walmart. They delve into the transformative strategies and technological advancements reshaping Walmart's supply chain to better serve and meet the rapidly changing needs of customers globally. David shares insights from his extensive background in supply chain management, starting from his early days at Purdue University, through roles at General Motors, Anheuser Busch, and Amazon, before joining Walmart. He discusses the integration of e-commerce and physical store operations at Walmar ..read more

This week on the Be Epic podcast, Brent sits down with Judith McKenna, former president and CEO of Walmart International. They begin with Judith sharing her career journey from law school to holding numerous roles within Asda and Walmart, culminating as head of Walmart's international business across 19 countries. She discusses the importance of building empowering teams and relating to diverse cultures globally. Brent and Judith also explore the changing retail landscape and priorities around continued growth balanced with preserving quality of life. Listeners gain insights into Judith's peop ..read more

This week on the Be Epic podcast, Brent sits down with Varun Grover, Distinguished Professor of Information Systems and George & Boyce Billingsley Endowed Chair in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas. They explore the profound effects of AI on individuals, businesses, and society. Varun highlights areas where AI can enhance lives through applications in healthcare, education, and more. However, he cautions that without understanding how AI reaches conclusions, trust remains elusive. Brent and Varun discuss improving AI through specialized models, explainabil ..read more

This week on the Be Epic podcast, Brent sits down with Nelson Peacock, President and CEO of the Northwest Arkansas Council. They discuss the council's work in supporting entrepreneurs, recruiting businesses, and diversifying the regional economy. Nelson shares his diverse career path working in government, higher education and economic development and how he made his way back to Arkansas after growing up in Eastern Arkansas and attending the University of Arkansas. During the discussion Nelson shares his focus and the council's emphasis on prioritizing quality of life as Northwest Arkansas fac ..read more

This week on the Be Epic podcast, Brent sits down with Olivia Meyer, a senior real estate finance student at the Walton College to discuss her internship that she secured from the career fair and how she turned that internship into a full-time role after graduation. During the episode Olivia highlights her campus involvement, goal setting and ability to constantly seek out feedback as factors that have helped her to achieve her goals. She also credits supportive mentors with empowering her growth mindset and pushing her out of comfort zones ..read more

This week on the Be Epic podcast, Brent engages in a dynamic discussion with Mike Del Pozzo, President and General Manager of Gatorade at PepsiCo. During the episode they dive into the challenge of maintaining engagement with core and light Gatorade consumers, the importance of product timing, and strategies for PepsiCo's beverage and snack segments. Mike shares his personal journey from starting as a PepsiCo intern to leading Gatorade. He highlights the value of internships, and the benefits of having a diverse professional background. They also touch on the unique business environment in Nor ..read more

This week on the podcast, Brent sits down with two Walton College colleagues, Dr. Mary Lacity, David D. Glass Chair and Distinguished Professor of Information Systems and Dr. Remko Van Hoek, Professor of Practice in Supply Chain Management to discuss their co-authored recent work on research that is working in real-time with industry partners. During the episode they discuss their collaborative research exploring emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and blockchain, much of which is conducted in partnership with industry. In particular, Mary and Remko highlight a recent study that ..read more

This week on the Be Epic podcast we wrap up the 2024 Arkansas Business Hall of Fame series with inductee Dhu C. Thompson. Dhu is the Owner of US Irrigation and former owner/president of Delta Plastics and Revolution Bag. The episode dives into Dhu's compelling narrative of a career shift from banking to leading a major player in the plastics industry. Dhu recounts his journey from a banker in Monroe, Louisiana, to purchasing Delta Plastics in Arkansas and transforming it into a successful enterprise. He shares insights into the evolution of poly pipe for agricultural use and how Delta Plastics ..read more

This week on the Be Epic podcast, we continue with the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame series as Brent is joined by Eric Jackson, the Senior Vice President of Oaklawn Hot Springs and a 2024 Arkansas Business Hall of Fame inductee. The episode delves into Eric's fascinating career, which spans over 40 years at Oaklawn, highlighting his surprising induction into the Hall of Fame and his transformative role in the racing and gaming industries in Arkansas. Eric shares his journey from his early days sneaking into races in Hot Springs, to his innovative contributions to Oaklawn that have established ..read more