by Rachel Herzog | August 10, 2019 at 2:26 a.m.
Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. has named 20 people to serve on a task force that will work on helping the city to leverage its opportunity zones.
The team of developers, bankers and civic leaders will study how the city can attract investors to the federally designated economically distressed census tracts in Little Rock where new investments can be eligible for preferential tax treatment, a federal initiative that came with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.
Arkansas Opportunity Zone Selection (2018.4.20 update)
At a panel discussion that hosted officials from Washington, D.C., on Monday, Scott said encouraging investment in opportunity zones is one way to revitalize disadvantaged areas.
The task force will be chaired by Will Rockefeller of the Winrock Group. Martie North Hamilton, director of community development at Simmons Bank, will serve as a co-chair, according to a news release from the city.
The committee also includes:
• Regina Favors, interim president of Arkansas Baptist College
• Lisa Ferrell, developer
• Merritt Dake, CEO of Rock Dental Brands
• Virgil Miller, banker at Arvest Bank
• Angel Burt, vice president of the Dunbar Historic Neighborhood Association
• Kevin Huchingson, CEO of Colliers International, Arkansas office
• Shawn Govind, director of real estate development for the Pinnacle Hotel Group
• Leslie Lane, president of Arkansas Capital Corporation Group
• Ivan Hudson, insurance agent
• Tristan Wilkerson, managing principal at Think Rubix LLC
• Lee Hastings IV, agent with Flake and Kelley Commercial
• Chris Moses, developer
• Jill Floyd, member of the Little Rock Municipal Airport Commission
• Richard Mays, anonymous lawyer
• Nathan Rutledge, senior management director of Crews & Associates
• Ted Dickey, investment fund founder
• Patrick Schueck, vice president of Lexicon Inc.
• Pam Courtney, developer