Arvest division makes Monitor 100

Arvest Equipment Finance, a division of Arvest Bank, began six years ago and is now ranked by MonitorDaily among the top 100 largest equipment finance and leasing companies in the United States. MonitorDaily is a publication of the equipment leasing and finance industry.

The Monitor 100 is published annually and ranks the largest equipment leasing and finance companies based on net assets and new business volume. The 2013 Monitor 100 report, published in June, ranks Arvest Equipment Finance 99th on the list in terms of 2012 assets.

Arvest Equipment Finance’s 2012 net assets were up 2.4 percent from the previous year for a total of $123.5 million in loans and leases. The industry is experiencing overall growth, with net assets among the top 100 companies up 5.8 percent over 2011 to $548.8 billion, according to the Equipment Leasing and Financing Association.

Education center gives computer class

The Adult Education Center at Northwest Technical Institute in Springdale, in partnership with the Microsoft IT Academy, offers free training in basic computer skills and Microsoft Office 2010 software. Classes are offered afternoons and evenings in four-week, structured sessions at the center, as well as self-paced with online components.

Participants will have the opportunity to take official Microsoft Office Specialist exams at no charge. Additional career preparation assistance is available.

For more information, call (479) 751-0181, email: [email protected], visit the website at: nwti.eduadulted or stop by the center at 709 S. Old Missouri Road in Springdale.

Human resources group to host meeting

The Northwest Arkansas Human Resources Association Inc. will host an all-day managers conference Sept.

12 at the Holiday Inn, 1500 S. 48th St., Springdale. A continental breakfast will start at 7 a.m. Willie Johnson, performance improvement and training consultant with J.B.

Hunt Transport Services, will present the opening session 7:45-9 a.m.

Attendees will have two opportunities that morning to choose among the following presentations: “How to Transition from Peer to Supervisor” with Christopher Williams, senior strategy manager for Walmart Stores Inc.; “American Disabilities Act and the Family Medical Leave Act” with Amy Estes Turner of Estes, Gramling, Estes and Turner PLC; and “How to Deal with a Person in Crisis: Mental Health First Aid Kit” with David Duerr, director of business and industry services for Ozark Guidance.

The regular monthly NOARK luncheon will welcome conference attendees to the program “Best Practices in Talent Management” with speaker Sherry Johnson, Society for Human Resource Management’s field services director for the Southwest Central Region.

Two afternoon sessions will offer the following presentations: “How to Handle Sexual Harassment: When Harry Harassed Sally” presented by Darrin Coon, chief human resources officer at John Brown University; “Recruitment and Retention” with Kathryn Birkhead, director of diversity and inclusion for NorthWest Arkansas Community College, and Beverly Morrison, recruiter for Northwest Medical Center in Springdale; “Cultural Competency” by Rick Teague of TransAmericas Human Resources LLC;

and “How to Effectively Manage a Multigenerational Workforce” with Shauna Sterling, executive director of grants and effectiveness at NorthWest Arkansas Community College. A general session will close at 4:15 p.m.

The cost is $85 and includes the regular luncheon.

Guests registering for just the luncheon will pay $25.

Register by Sept. 11 at noark.org. For information, contact Kimberly McGee at (479) 204-3458 or conference @noark. org.

Business breakfast to focus on big data

Four speakers on topics related to the concept of big data will be on the agenda 7:30-9:30 a.m. Sept. 17 at the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Enterprise Development, 145 N. Buchanan Ave., at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.

“Data Driven Mentoring: Structure, Discipline and Measurement in Soft Skills” will be discussed by Mike Camp, director of human resources analytics for Wal-Mart U.S., with Dr. Mary Donohue, founder of the Donohue Mentoring System, on the value of measuring and providing structure to mentoring and sponsorship. Liz Crawford, vice president of strategy and insights for Match Shoplab, will focus on “Data Driven Behavior: Gamification in Retail and the Workplace.”

Register at execed.uark.edu/685.asp. Information: (479) 575-3331 or [email protected].

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 64 on 09/01/2013