Rex Nelson's Southern Fried Podcast

Allen Engstrom, an area real estate developer and managing director of the financial consulting firm, CFO Network, stops by the podcast this week to chat with Rex about new, ongoing and planned developments in the Little Rock metro, and especially the recent revival of the Argenta Arts District in North Little Rock. Allen founded the CFO Network more than 20 years ago in the Argenta district and t...

On this week’s episode, President of Paceline Strategies and former President and CEO of the Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce, Graham Cobb, joins Rex to d iscuss the economic developments and cultural shifts impacting Northwest and Central Arkansas.  The pair begin their conversation by highlighting  Northwest Arkansas' economic boom, driven by initiatives from entities like Tyson Foods, Inc....

On this week’s episode, Mississippi County Judge John Alan Nelson joins Rex to talk about economic and industrial developments in Mississippi County, including efforts to attract industry and new residents to the area.  The pair begin their conversation with a discussion of the county's booming steel industry, touching on U.S. Steel Corporation's recent acquisition of Big River Steel and the openi...

On this week’s episode, Arkansas Travelers’ CEO Rusty Meeks joins Rex to talk professional baseball and the changes in Minor League Baseball in Central Arkansas.   The pair begin their discussion with a recap of the recent sale of the Travelers – a Class AA team that’s been in Little Rock more than 60 years – to Diamond Baseball Holdings, a transaction that took place earlier this Spring.   This l...

Gabe Holmstrom, Executive Director of the Downtown Little Rock Partnership, joins Rex on this week’s episode to discuss various aspects of the downtown Little Rock Master Plan, which involves new housing, retail, entertainment, and cultural attractions for the city. In this episode, Gabe and Rex chat about why the Master Plan is important to the city, and especially those who live and work in down...

Jimmy Moses of Moses Tucker Partners joins Rex on this week's episode to talk about the details of Little Rock's recently released Master Plan, which calls for increasing the residential population in the heart of the city, adding trails and greenways near the riverfront, more transit options for visitors and area workers and strategic development of new businesses. Moses, who Rex refers to as "th...

On this week's episode, Randy Zook, the president and chief executive officer of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and the Associated Industries of Arkansas, joins Rex to discuss the status of the state's economy, just as the state's revenue surplus was announced and reported in the Democrat-Gazette .  The pair begin by discussing recent developments and the growth of industries in Northwest...

Skip Rutherford, former Dean of the University of Arkansas' Clinton School of Public Service and friend of the program, stops by this week to remember beloved Arkansas politician David Pryor, who passed away on April 20, 2024.  Skip and Rex discuss the importance of Pryor's career and the significance of his ability to transcend political party lines in an effort to best serve the residents of The...

Restauranteur and area civic leader Capi Peck joins Rex on this week’s episode to discuss, most notably, the litter, trash and graffiti problems that plague the Little Rock metro.   Peck, a Ward 4 resident who serves as Executive Chef and owner of Trio’s restaurant in Little Rock, speaks with Rex about her deep and longstanding concern for efforts to keep the city growing and beautiful, namely by...

Former professional whitewater raft guide in Colorado and native Arkansan Samuel Ellis joins Rex on this week’s podcast to discuss a variety of outdoor recreational activities available in Central Arkansas and the Little Rock metro. Ellis, the owner and founder of Rock Town River Outfitters, talks with Rex about the importance of the Arkansas River and the potential the river has for outdoors enth...

Leland Couch, the Director of Little Rock Parks and Recreation, and architect Mason Ellis, board member and past president of Preserve Arkansas, join Rex this week to discuss the current state of the more than 60 parks and related facilities located in the Little Rock metro.  Couch, who was appointed parks director two years ago, talks with Rex about the growth of Little Rock's park system over th...

This week, Rex sits down with one of The Natural State's leading authorities on the timber industry, Ray Dillon, who formerly served as President and CEO of the Deltic Timber Corporation.  A Mississippi native who worked in Chicago where he also obtained a master's degree, Ray talks with Rex about his decades-long career in paper mills, paper industries, and related aspects of the timber industry....

On this week’s episode, Rex speaks with Mason Ellis of WER Architects, an Arkansas firm that specializes in historic preservation and restoration. Not only do Rex and Mason converse about Mason’s and WER’s work on the renovation and preservation of historic residences and buildings in the state, but the two also discuss Mason’s efforts on the Rose Creek Initiative, a group involved in completing L...

On this week’s episode, Rex sits down with Suzanne Hirrel and Norm Berner of Keep Little Rock Beautiful to “talk about trash.” The primary topic of discussion in this episode is Hirrel and Berner's work on litter prevention, recycling, and beautification projects in the Little Rock metro region. During the conversation, Suzanne and Norm discuss their organization’s efforts to address the litter pr...

On this week's episode, Rex sits down and chats with Janet Harris, Executive Director and CEO of the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, to discuss how her organization helps Arkansans engage with relevant political and civil issues.  As part of their conversation, Rex and Janet discuss the CEO's history with the Rockefeller Institute as well as her lengthy career in political engagement and public se...

In the first episode of the New Year, Rex talks innovation and entrepreneurship with Arthur Orduña, Executive Director of The Venture Center and long-time tech industry and business veteran. In this conversation, Rex and Arthur focus on the growth of businesses in Arkansas that are investing in diverse sources of renewable energy and the economic impact for the state. The discussion considers the...

This week, Rex sits down with Skip Rutherford, former Dean of the University of Arkansas' Clinton School of Public Service, to assess the past year and the future of economic and educational developments in the state. In their conversation, Rex and Skip discuss the possibilities of the burgeoning lithium and defense industries in south Arkansas as well as the jobs and businesses that will result f...

On this week's episode, Rex talks public service, leadership, and civic responsibility with Jennifer Cobb, the Senior Vice President and Executive Director of City Year Little Rock.  Jennifer explains that City Year and its affiliate, AmeriCorps, provide support to students of all ages in cities across the U.S. by promoting equitable access to a host of learning opportunities. In addition, Rex and...

On this week's episode, Rex sits down with Reed Green and Norm Berner of the Friends of Fourche Creek, a group dedicated to conservation and wetlands protection in Little Rock and central Arkansas.  The trio discuss the hidden gem that is the Fourche Creek Urban Water Trail, a 20-plus mile waterway that allows for canoeing and kayaking in the heart of Little Rock, as well as the different ways Ree...

This week, Rex chats with Victoria DeFrancesco Soto, dean of the Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas, about the institution's accomplishments as it nears its 20th anniversary.  Rex and Dean Soto also dig into current developments in U.S. and state politics, the Clinton School's upcoming civic engagement index, and the importance of faculty research in higher education. V...

On this week's episode, Rex sits down with Shanna Richardson, CEO of the Little Rock-based Quapaw Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. The two discuss Shanna's 23-year career with the Boy Scouts, and the different positions she has held in several U.S. cities.  Rex and Shanna also discuss the connections between the advantages of Arkansas' many outdoor offerings and the continued growth and...

Peter MacKeith, dean of the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, and Michael Blazier, the dean of the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, join Rex this week to discuss the history of and developments in timber and forestry in Arkansas.  In this episode, MacKeith and Blazier also di...

Mike Spivey, president and CEO of the Ozark Foundation, chats with Rex about the growth in outdoor recreation and activities in various parts of Arkansas as well as the Arkansas Graveler, a six-day cycling event on gravel roads to be held in June 2024.  The future of Mena as an outdoor haven for recreational enthusiasts is discussed as is the Ozark Foundation's second annual Expedition Arkansas ri...

President and CEO of the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce Jay Chesshir talks with Rex about economic and cultural developments in central Arkansas and around the state.  In this conversation, Rex and Jay dig into how the Chamber president has helped attract new talent to the region through a social media recruiting campaign, and the ways in which the Chamber of Commerce is involved in new...

Phillip McClard of the iconic McClard’s Bar-B-Q in Hot Springs joins Rex Nelson on this week’s episode to talk about the beloved eatery his family has been operating for nearly a century.  After talking a little family history, Rex and Phil dig into Phil’s daily routine at McClard’s, which starts at 2 every morning. They also discuss McClard’s 2020 purchase by Lee Beasley after the opening wave of...