• June 18 Quarterly Breakfast
  • “Human Resource Outsourcing – What Are the Options?”
    • Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center - Reynolds Room
• 2008 Quarterly Breakfast Meetings
• Previous Quarterly Breakfasts
  • March 26, 2008
    • “Web Sites: Why Some Work and Others Don’t”
  • December 19, 2007
    • "Share and Share Alike: The Legacy of C.A. Lick and Weldon, Williams & Lick"
  • September 19, 2007
    • "Younger Workers: How to Get’em and Hold’em"
  • June 20, 2007
    • "Impact of Working Capital on Cash Flows of the Business"
  • March 28, 2007
    • "Understanding Communication between the Generations"

June 18 Quarterly Breakfast

“Human Resource Outsourcing – What Are the Options?”

Mr. Clifford Lyon

Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center - Reynolds Room

7:30 am - 9:00 am

The June 18 Family Enterprise Center Quarterly Breakfast at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith will feature a talk by Clifford N. Lyon, CPA, co-owner, president and CEO of Southern Personnel Management Inc., a human resource outsourcing service provider located in Van Buren.

Lyon will speak on “Human Resource Outsourcing – What Are the Options?” during the 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. breakfast in the Reynolds Room of the Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center. Advance registration, which is requested by June 16, can be completed by telephone at 788-7932, by email to FEC@uafortsmith.edu, or by fax to 788-7936. There is no charge to FEC members. Fee is $10 for non-FEC members.

Clifford and his brother, John, co-founded SPMI in 1995. SPMI provides services ranging from payroll administration and EEOC and OSHA compliance to a number of HR consulting services.

Clifford Lyon has a master’s degree in accounting from the University of Arkansas and a master’s degree in music from Emporia State University in Kansas. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Arkansas Society of Certified Public Accountants. Lyon is also a licensed insurance agent with the State of Arkansas as well as an owner and partner of a certified public accounting firm in Van Buren.

The Family Enterprise Center was established to assist in the growth and success of family businesses in the Fort Smith region through educational programs, to support relationships between other family businesses and service providers, and to provide a forum that promotes family business in the community. The annual membership fee includes quarterly breakfasts, seminars or conferences, peer group meetings, and FEC newsletters.

For more information, contact Dr. Kermit Kuehn, director of the Family Enterprise Center, at 788-7931 or email him at kkuehn@uafortsmith.edu.

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2008 Quarterly Breakfast Meetings

• Wednesday, June 18, 2008

• Wednesday, September 17, 2008

• Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Videos of Quarterly Breakfast presentations are sometimes available. To inquire, email your request to the Family Enterprise Center.

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All breakfast meetings will be held at the University of Arkansas—Fort Smith campus from 7:30 am until 9 am. Speaker, topic and registration information will be announced approximately three weeks prior to each event.

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Previous Quarterly Breakfasts

March 26, 2008

“Web Sites: Why Some Work and Others Don’t”

Mr. Timothy Lee

Timothy Lee, webmaster and computer trainer for the Arkansas Small Business Development Center at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, presented a talk titled “Web Sites: Why Some Work and Others Don’t” during the March 26 Family Enterprise Center Quarterly Breakfast at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith.

At UALR’s ASBDC, Lee assists clients in utilizing leading edge technology in their businesses. He consults with and provides hands-on training to clients in areas such as Web page design, Web site marketing and optimization, database marketing, and e-commerce.

Lee joined the UALR ASBDC in June 1995. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Workforce Education and Development from Southern Illinois University - Carbondale. He holds additional two-year degrees in applied avionics, liberal arts, and emergency management. Lee is a veteran of the United States Air Force, retiring from active service in 1995.

As webmaster, he has created on-line learning and research opportunities for small businesses and has presented numerous workshops for the ASBDC’s national conference, where he is an annual favorite, often speaking to standing-room only audiences.

December 19, 2007

"Share and Share Alike: The Legacy of C.A. Lick and Weldon, Williams & Lick"

Mr. Jim Walcott

Over 60 people attended Jim's presentation on the philosophy and key values that guide the company today.

Jim Walcott, president/CEO of Weldon, Williams & Lick Inc., the fourth generation family member to lead the Fort Smith company, a company founded by his great-grandfather and his partners in 1898.

Walcott was born and raised in Greenville, Miss. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering in 1975 from the University of Mississippi. Following graduation, he worked two years for the U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office. Walcott moved to Fort Smith in 1977 and went to work at WW&L. He married Jane Elliot in 1981. Walcott was named president and CEO of the company in 1985, a position he has held ever since.

The Walcotts have two children, Jennifer and Dexter. Walcott currently serves on several local boards, including Harbor House, UA Fort Smith Foundation, First National Bank of Fort Smith, Manufacturing Executives Association, UA Fort Smith Family Enterprise Center, and Sparks Regional Medical Center.

Weldon, Williams & Lick is a custom security printing company, employing more than 300 employees that service the needs of its diverse markets and customers. The company will celebrate 110 years in business in 2008.” during the Dec. 19 Family Enterprise Center Quarterly Breakfast at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith.

September 19, 2007

"Younger Workers: How to Get’em and Hold’em"

Ms. Kim Gordon, SPHR

Nearly 45 people attended Kim's presentation on the key characteristics associated with the generations, focusing on Baby Boomers, Generations X and Y. She then went on to discuss what type of work environments would be most important when reaching out to each of these generations.

Kim Gordon is a senior business consultant and management instructor at the UA Fort Smith Center for Business and Professional Development. Kim arrived to UA Fort Smith in December 2006. As a consultant, she meets with community leaders to help them craft and execute training and development programs. Her work isn't limited to businesses, but extends to educational institutions and civic organizations.

Before joining UA Fort Smith, Kim spent more than 20 years in corporate America, holding leadership roles in human resources as well as in sales.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management and a Master of Science in Leadership and Ethics from John Brown University in Siloam Springs. Kim is certified SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources) through the HR Certification Institute.

June 20, 2007

"Impact of Working Capital on Cash Flows of the Business"

Dr. Matt Hill, CTP, CFM

Forty-five people were in attendance to hear Matt’s presentation on working capital management and its impact on the cash flows of the business. He discussed briefly the cash conversion cycle and the two ways basic ways to enhance available cash through the management of working capital accounts. He also provided attendees with selected industry ratios, focusing on cash conversion cycle times in these industries.

The power point presentation is attached: Matt Hill Presentation Power Point

Dr. Hill is an assistant professor of finance at UA Fort Smith’s College of Business. Hill graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in finance from Arkansas State University and holds a doctorate in finance from Mississippi State University. He is a Certified Treasury Professional (CTP) as well as a Certified Financial Manager (CFM). He has taught working capital management at MSU and UA Fort Smith, as well as to practitioners in the field.

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March 28, 2007

"Understanding Communication between the Generations"

Mr. Gregg Roberts, MS LPC ACADC

Thirty-five people were in attendance to hear Gregg’s presentation on some of the generational differences in skills and attitudes of Baby Boomers and Generation Y, those born between 1980 and 2000. He discussed briefly some of the implications for communication between generations.

Gregg made the following observations about Generation Yers:

1. They tend to lack:

• quantitative literacy (ability to calculate or estimate in these terms)
• respect for previous generational accomplishments and ‘idols’ (hard work, organizational loyalty, authority)
• good communication skills, especially verbal

2. They tend to consciously seek more balance between work and personal life, rejecting the ‘workaholic’ excesses of previous generations. They prefer work environments that are less formal.

3. They are a generation that faces too much information and are often overwhelmed, often compensating by tuning out or dropping out.

4. They often have difficulty making decisions.

5. They tend to have strong beliefs about their worth in the market, often unrealistically so. He observed that parents have contributed significantly to this.

6. They have a strong connection to medications including Ritalin and antidepressants, more than any other generation.

7. They are considered the most technologically perceptive generation yet. They tend to be far more literate in the use of electronic technologies such as phones, internet and the computer.

8. While in general Generation Yers are poor communicators in traditional forms, they are exceptional in certain electronic forms such as text messaging.

All in all, it was a well-received topic and one that is worth following up in more detail in the future.

Gregg is a full-time instructor of Psychology at UA Fort Smith. He holds a BA in Communications from UA Fayetteville and a MS in Counseling Psychology and Applied Behavioral Studies from Oklahoma State University. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Arkansas and Oklahoma, a certified Active Parenting instructor, and an Advanced Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor.

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