Following are news brief items from the Fort Smith metro.
ArcBest Money
Fort Smith-based ArcBest recently announced it has amended a credit agreement with U.S. National Bank, Truist Bank, Regions Bank, Citizens Bank, and First National Bank of Fort Smith.
The agreement essentially provides $250 million, with a sub-limit loan amount increasing from $20 million to $50 million, and terms of the agreement expiring Nov. 25, 2030. Under the agreement, ArcBest has the right to request another $125 million in credit from the banks.
The shipping and logistics company on Nov. 5 posted third-quarter net income of $39.274 million, down 60.8% compared with $100.314 million in the same quarter of 2024. However, the 2024 quarter included a one-time benefit of $91.9 million “earnout” reduction related to the 2021 acquisition of Chicago-based MoLo Solutions. Adjusted per share earnings in the quarter reached $1.46, above the consensus estimate of $1.33.
Revenue in the quarter was $1.048 billion, down 1.4% compared with $1.063 billion the same quarter of 2024, but better than the consensus estimate of $1.33 billion.
For the nine months of the year, ArcBest posted net income of $68.214 million, below $144.926 billion in the same period of 2024. Revenue in the nine months was $3.037 billion, below $3.177 billion in the same period of 2024.
UAFS Accreditation
The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith has earned reaccreditation from the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) for baccalaureate programs in its Department of Art & Design, the bachelor’s degree in studio art and bachelor’s degree in graphic design, securing national recognition through the 2033–34 academic year.
This reaccreditation marks the conclusion of a comprehensive evaluation process that began in 2024. The NASAD Commission voted to accept UAFS’s response and renew its membership with continued approval of both degree programs.
Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, NASAD sets national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees in art and design and evaluates institutions through a rigorous peer-review process. UAFS was first accredited by NASAD in 2017.
“NASAD Accreditation helps us maintain direct communication with and responsibility to national-level professional peers and standards, and communicates this accountability clearly to our colleagues, students, and community,” said Katie Wauh, department head of Art & Design at UAFS. “It also provides us tools for advocacy, self-review, and improvement within our institution.”
NASAD’s acceptance of the final response officially closes the comprehensive review until the university’s next scheduled review in the 2033–34 academic year. The Graphic Design and Studio Art programs will see expanded academic space through the in-progress Windgate expansion on the UAFS campus. The expansion will add 15,000 square feet to the building’s footprint, with an additional 4,000 square feet of classroom and collaboration space being renovated in the process.
UAFS Professor Awards
Dr. Patti Conard, Jim L. Hanna Endowed Professor in the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith’s School of Nursing, has been named the 2025 Arkansas Nurse of the Year in Education, and Dr. Rachel Lehman, assistant professor of mathematics, received top honors for teaching.
Conard was selected for the March of Dimes award through a competitive statewide process recognizing registered and licensed practical nurses who exemplify exceptional compassion, leadership, and impact in the nursing profession, workplace, and community. Hundreds of applications were reviewed by high-ranking nurse leaders across categories ranging from Advanced Practice to Women’s Health, with finalists selected based on their demonstrated excellence and contributions.
“Receiving the Arkansas Nurse of the Year in Education award represents a profound and deeply meaningful milestone in my professional journey,” Conard said. “It reflects the dedication, perseverance, and compassion that I strive to bring to my work each day.”
Lehman was named the 2025 Arkansas Council of Teachers of Mathematics Teacher of the Year – Excellence in Four-Year College/University Mathematics Teaching Award Nov. 18. Lehman, who started as a visiting professor in 2024, said the honor was incredibly humbling.
“All of my colleagues have been extremely kind and helpful, and they go above and beyond,” she said. “I was honored that they would recognize me because I’m new.”
ELFA Board
Eric Bunnell, president of the Arvest Bank’s Equipment Finance division, has been elected to a three-year term on the board of directors for the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), a trade association representing more than 600 companies in the equipment finance industry.
ELFA helps promote and advocate for its members by providing industry information, professional development, and a platform for advocacy on financial and legal issues. Members of the ELFA board of directors are elected by the association’s at-large membership and serve as the governing body that develops policy, sets the strategic direction and budget for the association, and monitors its overall operations.
As president of Arvest Equipment Finance, which is based in Fort Smith, Bunnell leads a division with more than $300 million in loans and leases as of October 2025.
Bunnell, who has been with Arvest since 2012, has nearly 25 years’ experience in the commercial lending industry. He previously served on the ELFA’s Bank Business Council Steering Committee and was chair of the committee in 2025. He’s also a past CLFP board member.