Built With A-State

Best of Built with A-State: Better, Not Bigger for Sustainable Growth

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 07:00:00 -0500

The disconnect between corporate expectations and workforce readiness remains the single greatest bottleneck to localized economic growth. When major industrial operations, retail empires, and manufacturing plants cannot find talent aligned with modern technical realities, expansion stalls and regional economies plateau. In this special highlight episode of Built with a State, host Todd Shields brings together the very best strategic insights from a powerhouse lineup of Mid-South business titans, featuring executives and founders from Hytrol, Nucor-Yamato Steel, the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, and Gearhead Outfitters.

We sit down to review the core operational blueprints that drive multi-million dollar supply chains and massive manufacturing facilities. This curated deep dive covers the technical mechanics behind processing 75% of global e-commerce shipments, the circular economy logistics of running North America's largest steel recycling operation, and the ground-level impact of two-week micro-courses for programmable logic controllers. The unique secret sauce woven throughout these highlights is a radical commitment to hyper-local collaboration, demonstrating how embedding private industry leaders directly into the curriculum design process fundamentally transforms raw regional talent into highly specialized operational assets.

The unvarnished reality of managing high-growth organizations means making hard, unglamorous choices, such as intentionally halting expansion to fix backend supply chain inefficiencies or challenging rigid academic funding formulas that favor four-year degrees over rapid, weekend technical training. Viewers will walk away with an actionable understanding of how to structure an organization around adaptability, hire for core behavioral traits rather than paper credentials, and leverage targeted partnerships to solve immediate staffing constraints.

If you care about commercial scaling, regional economic development, and practical workforce infrastructure, you’ll get a lot from this curated showcase. Please make sure to subscribe to the channel and share this episode with an entrepreneur, educator, or business leader in your network. Which executive's perspective on tackling the talent gap resonated most with your current operational strategy? Let us know in the comments below.

@arkansasstatemedianetwork.com.

0:00 - Introduction to the Best of Built with a State

0:27 - Hytrol: Material Handling and Supply Chain Logistics

5:09 - Nucor-Yamato Steel: Clean Manufacturing and Innovation

10:00 - State Chamber of Commerce: Fixing the Workforce Gap

13:31 - Micro-Certifications and Immediate Wage Growth

15:34 - Gearhead Outfitters: Culture and Scaling Smarter

Better on Purpose: Why Scale Matters More Than Growth with Ted and Amanda Herget

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 07:00:00 -0500

Gearhead Outfitters didn’t start with a polished business plan or a big investor pitch. It started with a feel for community, a love of the outdoors, and a willingness to sell bike racks out of a living room until the next door opened. I’m joined by Ted and Amanda Herget, the founders and owners behind one of the most recognizable outdoor retail brands to come out of Jonesboro, Arkansas, and we get into the real story behind the growth.

We talk about how a tiny 700-square-foot shop turns into more than 20 stores across multiple states, and why the goal isn’t “bigger at all costs” but “better on purpose.” Ted shares what it looks like to shift from all-gas-no-brakes leadership to documented systems, service standards, and a team that can truly run the business. Amanda explains how their strengths complement each other, how buying and merchandising evolve, and why Gearhead’s definition of “outdoor lifestyle” includes everyone from hikers to people who just want great shoes for everyday life.

Then we go straight to the hard stuff: an acquisition that doubles their footprint, COVID-19 crashing into retail, PPP arriving at the right moment, and a tornado damaging a key store. The takeaway is resilience, but also humility, process, and community responsibility. We also connect Gearhead’s story to downtown revitalization, quality of life, and talent retention, including the importance of Arkansas State University as a workforce pipeline and an anchor for Northeast Arkansas.

If you care about entrepreneurship, small business growth, outdoor retail, leadership, or building a town people want to stay in, hit play. Subscribe, share this with someone building something, and leave a review with the biggest lesson you’re taking from the conversation. @Arkansasstatemedianetwork.com.

00:00 - The Unpolished Reality of Starting Up

02:15 - Selling From the Living Room: Early Days

05:40 - Scaling From 700 Square Feet to Multi-State Retail

08:55 - Better on Purpose: Rejecting Growth at All Costs

11:30 - Shifting Leadership: From All-Gas to Documented Systems

14:20 - Blending Strengths: Partnering in Business and Life

17:05 - Redefining Outdoor Lifestyle for Everyday People

19:50 - Doubling the Footprint: The Acquisition Reality

22:40 - Navigating the Storms: COVID, PPP, and Tornados

25:15 - Revitalizing Downtown and Keeping Talent Local

28:10 - The Arkansas State University Workforce Pipeline

Issue 3: Rescuing the Arkansas Delta With Randy Zook

Tue, 19 May 2026 07:00:00 -0500

If you’ve ever wondered why smart, capable people still struggle to land or keep good jobs, the answer often isn’t technical knowledge. It’s the basics employers can’t hire without: showing up, communicating clearly, listening, following instructions, and finishing what you start. We talk with Randy Zook, President and CEO of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, about the durable skills that companies across Arkansas keep asking for and why schools, colleges, and communities have to treat work experience like part of the curriculum, not an optional add-on.

From there, we zoom out to the bigger system shaping opportunity. Randy breaks down Issue 3 on the November ballot and explains how tools like tax increment financing and economic development districts can help communities pay for the infrastructure that makes housing, retail, and redevelopment possible. Arkansas is competing with states that already use these tools, and the challenge is making sure growth reaches more than a few hot spots, especially in the Delta and the eastern third of the state.

We also get practical about workforce development and the “workforce continuum” industries are demanding: short, targeted training that can move wages fast, plus upskilling in AI, automation, and cybersecurity that fits specific sectors like healthcare and manufacturing. We dig into Be Pro Be Proud’s mobile career exploration labs, why data literacy and statistics show up everywhere from quality to safety, and even why the next census count matters more than most people realize.

If you care about career readiness, skilled trades, higher education partnerships, or Arkansas economic development, hit subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave us a review so more people can find the conversation. What durable skill do you think matters most right now? @Arkansasstatemedianetwork.com.

0:00 Welcome and The Catalyst Idea
2:28 Durable Skills Employers Need Most
7:42 Safety, Attention, and Digital Habits
10:34 Issue 3 and Tax Financing Tools
16:11 Short Training That Changes Pay
28:06 Be Pro Be Proud and Technical Trades
33:05 Chambers, Healthcare Costs, and Policy
35:54 Statistics, Data Literacy, and Census
43:18 Regional Growth and Career Advice

Workforce Continuum: How Nucor Partners with A-State With Zach Moon

Tue, 05 May 2026 07:00:00 -0500

Northeast Arkansas didn’t just attract a few big employers; it quietly became one of the most important steel corridors in the country. I’m Todd Shields, Chancellor at Arkansas State University, and I sit down with Zach Moon, Vice President at Nucor Yamato, to talk about how Mississippi County transformed into the largest steel manufacturing county in the US and what that means for families who want great careers without leaving home.

Zach walks through his own path from starting in the melt shop in 1998 to leading teams in South Carolina, Mexico, Kentucky, Alabama, California, and back home to Arkansas. Along the way, we dig into what makes modern steelmaking different than the old stereotypes: “green steel” powered by recycling, electric arc furnaces, and a culture where the best innovation often comes from the people closest to the process. We also unpack why steel is never just “steel,” from structural beams to sheet steel, with specialized chemistry, testing, and end uses, including data centers.

We keep coming back to a practical idea: a workforce continuum. From entry-level training to upskilling, safety engineering, ergonomics, lab-ready testing skills, internships, and applied research, we want education to stay aligned with what the industry actually needs. If you care about workforce development, manufacturing jobs, supply chain and logistics, or building stronger university-industry partnerships in Arkansas, this conversation is for you.

Subscribe, share this with someone exploring careers in modern manufacturing, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. @arkansasstatemedianetwork

0:00 - Welcome And Zach’s Career Path

0:43 - Mississippi County’s Steel Boom

4:16 - Partnering with ANC and the Crest Center

5:12 - Building A Workforce Continuum Together

8:29 - Tech Shifts and Constant Learning

9:48 - Safety Culture And Health Partnerships

11:05 - Closing the Skill Gap in Metallurgy

12:11 - Ken Iverson And Pay For Performance

14:36 - Ownership and Trust in the Shop Floor

15:38 - Green Steel Recycling And Innovation

18:08 - How Scrap Metal Becomes Infrastructure

19:08 - Steel Products, Data Centers, and Logistics

24:08 - Real-World Labs, Internships, and Hiring

28:48 - Career Advice And Local Opportunity

33:13 - Reflecting on the 30-Year Journey

34:01 - Closing Thanks And Subscribe

Leadership Through Involvement: From Campus to C-Suite with Phillip Poston

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 16:00:00 -0500

Seventy-five percent of the journey from “Add to Cart” to your front door can run through conveyor and material handling systems built in Arkansas, and that single fact opens up a much bigger conversation about jobs, skills, and the future of advanced manufacturing. We talk with Phillip Poston, Chief Development Officer at Hytrol, about how Hytrol’s work connects to global logistics and why long-term leadership means investing in capacity, culture, and people even when the payoff takes years.

We also get personal about what shapes a career. Phillip shares how Arkansas State University mentors pushed him toward professionalism, how campus involvement built real leadership reps, and why relationships with professors and alumni still matter decades later. From there, we dig into workforce development through Hytrol’s DRIVE Academy and the CREST partnership (Career Readiness Education and Skills Training), including stackable credentials, technical certificates, associate degrees, and micro-credentials that can evolve as fast as technology does.

The hardest part of preparing talent in 2026 isn’t just teaching technical skills; it’s building durable skills like problem solving, critical thinking, and communication while automation and AI tools keep changing the rules. We also cover internship strategy, why early applications matter, and why cybersecurity now touches everything from phishing emails to internet-connected building systems.

If you care about manufacturing careers, higher education innovation, and economic growth in Northeast Arkansas, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review with the one skill you think every graduate should have. Make sure to follow socials @arkansasstatemedianetwork.

First Look into: Built with A-State

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:00:00 -0500

A university can hand you a diploma, but can it hand you a future? From a brand new podcast studio at Arkansas State University, we talk with Chancellor Todd Shields about a builder’s approach to higher education and why he believes students deserve a direct line from learning to a real career.

We get into the engine behind that promise: industry partnerships that tell the truth about today’s skills gap. Shields explains how A-State listens to employers, pressure-tests what students still need, and then updates programs without losing the rigor of accreditation. That can mean reworking curriculum, adding hands-on experiences, or embedding micro-credentials and industry certifications, such as IBM or Microsoft certificates so graduates stand out in hiring.

Along the way, we explore what makes A-State and Northeast Arkansas bigger than most people realize, including major regional industries and distinctive pathways that connect students to advanced health careers. If you care about workforce development, career-ready education, and talent pipelines that actually work, this conversation lays out a practical blueprint built around feedback, flexibility, and outcomes.

Subscribe for more conversations with leaders shaping Arkansas State, share this with someone choosing a college or hiring grads, and leave a review. What’s one skill you wish every graduate had on day one?