The University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Business raised more than $123,000 at its fifth annual golf tournament, presented by Dillard’s, on June 13 at Pleasant Valley Country Club.

“This has been our most successful golf tournament to date!” said Jane Wayland, Stephen Harrow Smith Dean of Business. “Dillard’s has sponsored the tournament for three years, and we are extremely grateful for all our sponsors, players, donors, volunteers, and our golf committee.”

The sixth annual College of Business Golf Tournament will be held June 12, 2017, at the Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock.

The money from this year’s tournament will be used to create a Business Skills Lab, a comprehensive software and hardware platform designed to help students master effective communication skills. The lab will be located on the second floor of the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Business and Economic Development. Renovations will begin this summer for an anticipated fall semester opening.   

All College of Business students will be able to utilize the lab to practice sales pitches and marketing presentations, prepare for annual sales competitions, conduct mock interviews, and present data on sales forecasting for capstone courses. In addition, students will be able to prepare for presentation competitions through video analysis and professor feedback. 

“It will be a robust program that will advance the communication skills of our students and better prepare them to enter the workforce with the soft skills employers value,” Wayland said.

The College of Business broke its fundraising goal of $120,000, thanks to generous sponsors, donors, participants, and volunteers. Fifty-two teams participated in the tournament that featured morning and afternoon flights, a silent auction, a high-end participant gift, and breakfast, lunch, and dinner for all participants.

Nike pullovers, presented to all golfers participating in the tournament, were sponsored by Textbook Brokers, Pettus Office Supply sponsored Nike Tour golf balls, and Sprint provided golf shoe bags.

The winners of the tournament’s morning flight were Andrew Carroll, Creighton Parker, Chip Sutton, and Ray Peeples of the Simmons Bank Team. Meanwhile, Erik, Eddie, Ben, and Teddy Bailey of the Bailey Family Foundation Team won the tournament’s afternoon flight.

On-course competitions for closest to the pin, longest drive, and straightest drive were sponsored respectively by Sprint, Arvest Bank, and Northwestern Mutual. Practice area sponsors included Delta Dental, Elyxor, FIS, Nabholz, Simmons Bank, and Windstream. Beer and liquor were provided by Ace Liquor and Diamond Bear Beer.

Morning flight participants enjoyed breakfast from Chick-Fil-A and coffee from Westrock Coffee. Lunch featured “Ben E. Keith secret-recipe” grilled chicken, hamburgers, and hot dogs grilled by Arvest and Ben E. Keith Company volunteers.

The dinner menu, sponsored by Golden Corral, included cranberry meatballs, brisket sliders, cheese dip, fresh vegetable and fruit trays, and Golden Corral’s famous banana pudding.

For more information, contact Sheena Howell at 501.569.3208 or smhowell1@ualr.edu.

In the upper right photo, a total of 52 teams competed in the fifth annual UALR College of Business Golf Tournament on June 13 at Pleasant Valley Country Club. Pictured, from left to right, are Allan Holland, Dr. Jay Lang, Mike Williams, and Bob Denman. Photo by Mark Wagner.