Business news in brief

Store’s environmentalism recognized

The Turner Bend Store in Franklin County was named the winner of the 2013 Arkansas Environmental Stewardship Award by Teresa Marks, director of the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. The presentation was made during a meeting of the Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission in Little Rock to store owner Brad Wimberly and his wife, Vien, who offer general merchandise and outdoor equipment on Arkansas 23 at the Mulberry River.

Often called the Envy Award, it recognizes a major contribution by an individual or organization for efforts to enhance and protect Arkansas’ natural resources.

Wimberly has organized cleanup operations along the Mulberry and in the area near his store about 10 miles north of Ozark. The annual Mulberry cleanup involves an average of 130 volunteers who pick up a ton or more of trash along a 40-mile stretch between northern Johnson County and Mulberry near the Franklin-Crawford County line, along highways, county roads, U.S. Forest Service roads and back roads in the Mulberry watershed. Four times a year the two coordinate litter cleanups for the Adopt-a-Mile program on two miles of Arkansas 23; partner with the Cass Job Corps Center to pick up litter by Interstate 40; and work with organizers of the Wakarusa Music Festival near Ozark to coordinate litter cleanup along roads leading to the festival site.

Regional airport’s water system saluted

The Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport in Highfill was presented a Special Systems Water Award for systems serving fewer than 5,000 users. The award was presented at the annual Arkansas Water Works and Water Environment Association awards luncheon in Hot Springs. The regional airport system is classified as a noncommunity public water system. It provides drinking water in a rural environment to the many travelers at the airport.

Sewer system contractor is safety ace

CH2M HILL, the contract operator for the Fayetteville Wastewater Treatment Facilities, was presented the Arkansas Water Environment Association’s Safety Award for cities with populations of more than 20,000 during the spring conference. The company, formerly known as OMI, has served as Fayetteville’s contractor since 1989. The presentation noted the company’s emphasis on training as part of its working culture to ensure compliance with all federal and state standards and to provide healthful working conditions for employees. The CH2M HILL safety team includes representatives from each department of the Fayetteville Wastewater Treatment Facility. Last year, 1,694 safety-training hours were logged among 39 full-time employees, which equals 43.1 hours per employee, far exceeding the required three hours per year.

Leapfrog Group honors hospital safety

Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville was given a hospital-safety score of A by The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit organization of employers and other large purchasers of health benefits. The highest grade category is based on preventable medical errors, injuries, accidents and infections. In the first-time ranking program, a panel of medical experts examined publicly available information under 26 specific measures for each hospital.

In the rankings by Leapfrog , Arkansas ranks No. 38, with four hospitals, or 14 percent of the total, in the A category. The other three are St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Russellville, Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould and St. Joseph’s Mercy Health Center Inc.

in Hot Springs.

Northwest Arkansas Hospitals LLC, with headquarters in Springdale, was ranked by Leapfrog in the B category.

Mercy Medical Center in Rogers, North Arkansas Regional Medical Center in Harrison, St. Edward Mercy Medical Center and Sparks Regional Medical Center, both in Fort Smith, were listed in the C category.

Stitt Energy gets Legacy Leed Award

The Legacy LEED Award was presented to Stitt Energy Systems Inc. of Rogers by the Arkansas chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council during the awards ceremony April 4 in Fayetteville.

Other area Green Tie Winners for 2013 were:

◊Organization of the Year - University of Arkansas facilities planning team, Fayetteville.

◊LEED Project - King Elementary School, Van Buren School District.

◊Northwest Branch Outstanding Member - Mikel Lolley, executive director of the Treadwell Insititute of Fayetteville, an interdisciplinary nonprofit organization devoted to finding sustainable solutions.

Briefs are for businesses in Northwest Arkansas that are new, have moved or closed, opened a new branch, changed owners or have been honored by an independent organization. Email items to [email protected].

Information will be published as space allows.

Business, Pages 62 on 05/19/2013

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