Arkansas APEX Accelerator

10/09/2026

That's a wrap on National APEX Day 2026!

We have enjoyed celebrating the success of our Arkansas APEX Accelerator clients with you all week long.

Please enjoy some photos from our October 7th & October 8th events.
Plan to join us next year for APEX Day 2027.

10/08/2026

Well, TODAY is the DAY - 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗣𝗘𝗫 𝗗𝗮𝘆 - a time to celebrate the contributions and successes of small businesses, entrepreneurs, and government contractors.

In this video, Gregory Modica, owner of GSS located in El Dorado, speaks on the assistance that he has received from Arkansas APEX Accelerator staff over the years as a long-time successful government contracting client.

Video: https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fuada.zoom.us%2Frec%2Fshare%2F4sk0Gv6Q-3M-ibgY1ilS9Fau9grkN7mqY9_k6GQ-fUEc_zp7xn1NEmM_YGdC5uTX.HbM2RSg8xMYoS4zF&data=05%7C02%7Ckmagee%40uada.edu%7C2d7c8b6ef9294aa2a24508df1f1802a4%7C174d954f585e40c3ae1c01ada5f26723%7C0%7C0%7C639263860148440475%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=m7jc4Oe8EoWqcdWrQP5%2FsatVjquhj9UFtURIAvVFcmk%3D&reserved=0

We thank Gregory for his kind words and congratulate him on his continued success.

Happy National APEX Day 2026!

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10/07/2026

🎉 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗣𝗘𝗫 𝗗𝗮𝘆 on October 8th celebrates the contributions and successes of small businesses, entrepreneurs, and government contractors.
As a way to celebrate, we would like to share some of our past client success stories.

Watch your Arkansas APEX Accelerator newsletter for upcoming success stories.

𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗜𝗻𝗰. (𝗣𝗖𝗖)
Pacific Continental Clothing, Inc. (PCC) is a vertically integrated apparel manufacturer based in Southern California that has successfully transitioned from a purely commercial operation into a thriving government contractor—securing more than $21 million in Army and Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) contract awards. This transformation was made possible through strategic leadership and sustained support from the Arkansas APEX Accelerator.

📘 READ MORE: https://mailchi.mp/uada.edu/newsletter-march

𝗛𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗙𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀, 𝗜𝗻𝗰.
The Arkansas APEX Accelerator and Jason Hammock, owner of Hammock Flying Services, Inc. and Precision Rotors Inc. have been working together for the last ten years. The last contract the company received was for $86,919 with the Department of the Army.

📘 READ MORE: https://mailchi.mp/uada.edu/newsletter-june

𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗽 𝗜𝗻𝗰
Founded in 2006, Blackhive Corp Inc originally focused on importing sugar from Mexico. Following new opportunities created by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the company diversified its offerings to include canned goods. With a strong commitment to feeding the world, promoting global trade, ensuring food safety, and championing sustainability, Blackhive rapidly expanded—doubling in size within a single year thanks, in part, to some government contracting.

📘 READ MORE: https://mailchi.mp/uada.edu/newsletter-august2025

Congratulations to these clients (and all of our clients) on their success in the government marketplace. We wish them continued success and are here to support them.

10/06/2026

Tomorrow’s free virtual class.

Small business owners, ever wondered how to land a government contract? 🏛️🤝

Join Arkansas APEX Accelerator tomorrow, Oct. 7, for a free virtual workshop, "Cash, Capital & Contracts: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Growth." Procurement counselor Kenneth Griffin brings more than a decade of contracting experience. He'll share how to strengthen your finances and position your business to compete in the government marketplace.

The event will also celebrate APEX clients and partners and introduce the program's newest counselor, Davin Ryles.

🗓️ Wednesday, Oct. 7
⏰ 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
💻 Virtual and free
Register: https://arapex.ecenterdirect.com/events/2547

Since 1988, Arkansas APEX Accelerator has helped businesses win more than $2 billion in government contracts. Stay tuned to learn more about what they do!

10/06/2026

REMINDER of our two Apex Day events this week.

Remember - you must have base access or be accompanied by an es**rt to attend the Thursday training.

Come celebrate with us!

🎉𝒞𝐸𝐿𝐸𝐵𝑅𝒜𝒯𝐸 𝒲𝐼𝒯𝐻 𝒰𝒮

𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗔𝗣𝗘𝗫 𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗶𝘀 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟴𝘁𝗵 - #𝗔𝗣𝗘𝗫𝗗𝗔𝗬𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
As part of National APEX Day celebrations are taking place across the country, we’re joining organizations nationwide in highlighting the opportunities available to businesses through government contracting. We’re celebrating all week with engaging learning experiences designed to help businesses discover how they can compete for and win government contracts.

🎈𝓛𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓷 𝓶𝓸𝓻𝓮 𝓪𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓝𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓐𝓟𝓔𝓧 𝓓𝓪𝔂 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓷𝓮𝔀𝓼 𝓻𝓮𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓮:
https://www.uaex.uada.edu/media-resources/news/2026/october/10-01-2026-ark-apex-accelerator-day.aspx

𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗣𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗦:
𝗢𝗖𝗧𝗢𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝟳𝘁𝗵 –
11 AM to 12:30 PM CDT (VIRTUAL)
👉 REGISTER: https://arapex.ecenterdirect.com/events/2547
Arkansas APEX Procurement Counselor, Kenneth Griffin, will be leading the workshop, “Cash, Capital & Contracts—The Entrepreneur's Guide to Growth.” Special guest Cassandra L. Kidd, Assistant Vice President and Business Access Advisor at U.S. Bank, will share practical guidance on building strong banking relationships, understanding business credit, accessing capital, and implementing sound financial management practices.

𝗢𝗖𝗧𝗢𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝟴𝘁𝗵 –
National APEX Day Event: Interested in Doing Business with the Government?
10:00 - 11:30 AM
The Kenny Building 940 on the Little Rock Air Force Base (MUST have access to enter the base or be accompanied by an es**rt in order to attend this event)!

👉 REGISTER: https://forms.osi.apps.mil/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=jbExg4ct70ijX6yIGOv5tGtRjLcJELVNi2POvWGbnQBUN1lTQUxYODJZWEFLS1ZUVk1EVFBGNUtDWCQlQCN0PWcu&origin=lprLink&route=shorturl

Ready to explore the world of government contracting? Join us for an informative and practical session designed to help businesses understand how to successfully sell to federal, state, and local government agencies. Arkansas APEX Accelerator Procurement Counselor Timothy Hicks will lead this workshop and will be joined by Suzanne Terrazas (SBA) and Jason Gibson (VBOC).

Participants will gain valuable insight into:
• Identifying government contracting opportunities and finding the right contracts for your business
• Understanding registration, certification, and eligibility requirements
• Navigating the bidding and proposal process
• Learning strategies for pursuing government contracts with confidence
• Building strong, productive relationships with government agencies
• Accessing practical resources and tools to support your government contracting journey.

Whether you’re new to government contracting or looking to strengthen your existing strategy, this session will provide practical knowledge, guidance, and resources to help position your business for new opportunities.

Celebrate National APEX Day with us and discover how your business can become part of the government marketplace!

10/06/2026

National APEX Day on October 8th celebrates the contributions and successes of small businesses, entrepreneurs, and government contractors.

Our Arkansas APEX Accelerator clients would not be successful without the assistance of our resource partners. We would not be able to do what we do for Arkansas businesses without them. It truly is a team effort sometimes. So, today, as we celebrate National APEX Day, we would like to recognize them and send a special note of thanks.

𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬:
Arkansas Economic Development Commission(AEDC)
Cindy Gaddis
Northwest Arkansas Community College (NWACC)
Delta Center For Economic Development (ASU)
Arkansas State University-Beebe
City of Little Rock Ar
Conductor
Harrison Chamber of Commerce
Monticello Economic Development Center
Newport Economic Development Center
Siloam Springs Chamber of Commerce
Startup Ju**ie
The Generator Pine Bluff
University of Arkansas (UA) Fort Smith
UA Pine Bluff Business Support Incubator
Communities Unlimited
Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
U of A Division of Agriculture (UADA)

𝕎𝕖 𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕚𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕙 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕤𝕖 𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕟𝕖𝕣𝕤!

10/05/2026

🎉 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗣𝗘𝗫 𝗗𝗮𝘆 on October 8th celebrates the contributions and successes of small businesses, entrepreneurs, and government contractors.

We are pleased that 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝘆𝗹𝗲𝘀 recently joined us as our new Arkansas APEX Accelerator's Northeast Procurement Counselor. He started August 10th and is located at our Jonesboro office, located in the Delta Center for Economic Development on the Arkansas State University campus. Davin is an employee within the Community, Professional and Economic Development (CPED) Department.

Davin brings valuable experience in federal lending, financial analysis, and government program administration, along with hands-on experience navigating federal regulations, processes, and compliance requirements. His background and expertise will be a great asset as he works with businesses and supports our organization’s mission throughout Northeast Arkansas.

We are excited to have Davin join us and look forward to the knowledge, expertise, and collaborative spirit he will bring to our organization.

We hope our clients will join us in welcoming Davin. We are excited to see how Davin flourishes as he works diligently to contribute to the success of our Arkansas APEX Accelerator clients.

10/05/2026

🙌 The week has arrived – National APEX Day 2026!


🎉 National APEX Day on October 8th celebrates the contributions and successes of small businesses, entrepreneurs, and government contractors.

👁️ View this short 1 minute video showcasing the success of our Arkansas APEX Accelerator clients.

🚶‍♀️Follow us each day this week for more celebrating client success!

10/02/2026

🎉𝒞𝐸𝐿𝐸𝐵𝑅𝒜𝒯𝐸 𝒲𝐼𝒯𝐻 𝒰𝒮

𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗔𝗣𝗘𝗫 𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗶𝘀 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟴𝘁𝗵 - #𝗔𝗣𝗘𝗫𝗗𝗔𝗬𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
As part of National APEX Day celebrations are taking place across the country, we’re joining organizations nationwide in highlighting the opportunities available to businesses through government contracting. We’re celebrating all week with engaging learning experiences designed to help businesses discover how they can compete for and win government contracts.

🎈𝓛𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓷 𝓶𝓸𝓻𝓮 𝓪𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓝𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓐𝓟𝓔𝓧 𝓓𝓪𝔂 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓷𝓮𝔀𝓼 𝓻𝓮𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓮:
https://www.uaex.uada.edu/media-resources/news/2026/october/10-01-2026-ark-apex-accelerator-day.aspx

𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗣𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗦:
𝗢𝗖𝗧𝗢𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝟳𝘁𝗵 –
11 AM to 12:30 PM CDT (VIRTUAL)
👉 REGISTER: https://arapex.ecenterdirect.com/events/2547
Arkansas APEX Procurement Counselor, Kenneth Griffin, will be leading the workshop, “Cash, Capital & Contracts—The Entrepreneur's Guide to Growth.” Special guest Cassandra L. Kidd, Assistant Vice President and Business Access Advisor at U.S. Bank, will share practical guidance on building strong banking relationships, understanding business credit, accessing capital, and implementing sound financial management practices.

𝗢𝗖𝗧𝗢𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝟴𝘁𝗵 –
National APEX Day Event: Interested in Doing Business with the Government?
10:00 - 11:30 AM
The Kenny Building 940 on the Little Rock Air Force Base (MUST have access to enter the base or be accompanied by an es**rt in order to attend this event)!

👉 REGISTER: https://forms.osi.apps.mil/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=jbExg4ct70ijX6yIGOv5tGtRjLcJELVNi2POvWGbnQBUN1lTQUxYODJZWEFLS1ZUVk1EVFBGNUtDWCQlQCN0PWcu&origin=lprLink&route=shorturl

Ready to explore the world of government contracting? Join us for an informative and practical session designed to help businesses understand how to successfully sell to federal, state, and local government agencies. Arkansas APEX Accelerator Procurement Counselor Timothy Hicks will lead this workshop and will be joined by Suzanne Terrazas (SBA) and Jason Gibson (VBOC).

Participants will gain valuable insight into:
• Identifying government contracting opportunities and finding the right contracts for your business
• Understanding registration, certification, and eligibility requirements
• Navigating the bidding and proposal process
• Learning strategies for pursuing government contracts with confidence
• Building strong, productive relationships with government agencies
• Accessing practical resources and tools to support your government contracting journey.

Whether you’re new to government contracting or looking to strengthen your existing strategy, this session will provide practical knowledge, guidance, and resources to help position your business for new opportunities.

Celebrate National APEX Day with us and discover how your business can become part of the government marketplace!

10/02/2026

Office hours are for established businesses interested in selling to the government.
Please sign up on the Arkansas APEX Accelerator event website unless otherwise noted.

Office Hours at The Generator with Tim Hicks – Pine Bluff
Date: Thursday, October 1, 2026
Location: The Generator: 435 South Main Street, Pine Bluff AR 71601-4325
Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Sign up: https://arapex.ecenterdirect.com/events/2548

Office Hours at Communities Unlimited with Kimberly Randle – Fayetteville
Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Location: Communities Unlimited - 3 East C**t Square Drive, Fayetteville AR 72703-2884
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sign up: https://arapex.ecenterdirect.com/events/2560

Office Hours at Arkansas Tech University ASBTDC with Kimberly Randle – Russellville
Date: Thursday, October 15, 2026
Location: Rothwell Hall, Room 208, 106 West O Street, Russellville, AR 72801
Time: 12:00 – 3:00 PM
Sign up: https://arapex.ecenterdirect.com/events/2552

Office Hours at The Conductor with Tim Hicks – Conway
Date: Thursday, October 15, 2026
Location: The Conductor, Arnold Innovation Center, 1201 Oak Street, Conway, AR 72032
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Sign up: https://calendly.com/info-q2mr/conductor-connect-meeting-tim-hicks?month=2026-10

Office Hours at The Bakery District with Kimberly Randle – Fort Smith
Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Location: The Bakery District, 70 South 7th Street, Fort Smith, AR 72901
Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Sign up: https://arapex.ecenterdirect.com/events/2559

Office Hours at Monticello Economic Development Commission with Tim Hicks – Monticello
Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Location: Monticello Economic Development Commission, 211 West Gaines Street, Monticello, AR 71655
Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Sign up: https://arapex.ecenterdirect.com/events/2555

Office Hours at the Delta Center for Economic Development with Davin Ryles & Tim Hicks – Jonesboro
Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Location: Arkansas State University Delta Center of Economic Development: 2nd Floor Conference Room, 318 University Loop West, Jonesboro AR 72401
Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Sign up: https://arapex.ecenterdirect.com/events/2514

Office Hours at the Newport Tech Depot with Davin Ryles & Tim Hicks – Newport
Date: Thursday, October 22, 2026
Location: Newport Tech Depot: 209 Hazel Street, Newport AR 72112-3311
Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM – No office hours from 10-11:30AM as class will be conducted at this time
Sign up: https://arapex.ecenterdirect.com/events/2515

Office Hours at Garland County Cooperative Extension with Tim Hicks – Hot Springs
Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Location: Garland County Cooperative Extension Office 210 Woodbine Hot Springs, AR 71901-5121
Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM – No office hours from 10-11:30AM as class will be conducted at this time
Sign up: https://arapex.ecenterdirect.com/events/2564

Office Hours at Willie L. Hinton Neighborhood Resource Center with Tim Hicks – Little Rock
Date: Thursday, October 29 & Friday, October 30, 2026
Location: Willie L. Hinton Neighborhood Resource Center, 3805 West 12th Street, Little Rock, AR 72204
Time: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sign up: https://calendly.com/cityoflittlerock/apex-open-office-hours?month=2026-10

Event details are subject to change. Please use the registration page for the latest information.