Conway Corp has announced the promotion of Clint Cook from senior headend technician to headend engineer in the Information Technology Department.
As headend engineer, Cook is responsible for the maintenance, repair, additions and general upkeep of Conway Corp’s headend – the facility that originates and communicates cable television and cable modem services to subscribers.
“Clint has 15 years of experience with Conway Corp and our broadband network. He works to make sure that our system is reliable and maintains standards that will keep our facility with advanced technology,” Randy Lukas, manager of headend operations said. “I’m excited about this move and the possibilities it presents for Conway Corp and our customers.”
Cook started at Conway Corp in September 2001 as a cable TV installer trainee.
Conway Corp presented four Conway High School seniors with scholarships for their performance in the classroom and on the field during the Wampus Cat All-Sports Ceremony held earlier this month.
Swim team members Meredith Ott and Harrison Dawson were honored as the Female and Male Scholar Athletes of the year. Ott and Dawson were each presented with $500 scholarships from Conway Corp. Both will attend the University of Arkansas.
“Promoting education has been important to Conway Corp since the beginning of our company,” Conway Corp CEO Richard Arnold said. “We are proud of the academic achievements of these students and are pleased to provide scholarships to help further their education.”
Hailey Estes was named the Ruth Doyle Award winner as the outstanding female athlete. Estes’ achievements include being a three-year letter winner in basketball and soccer. Twice she was selected all-state and all-conference in basketball and will play basketball for Henderson State University.
The outstanding male athlete of the year, the Frank E. Robins Award, was presented to Austin Norris. He is a two-year letterman on the Wampus Cat football team and a three-year letterman on the track team. He will play football for the University of Central Arkansas.
Estes and Norris were presented $250 scholarships from Conway Corp along with their awards, which were voted on by coaches at Conway High School.
Conway Corp has been providing scholarships to Wampus Cat senior student-athletes since 2001 and has awarded more than $22,000.
“We are thankful to Conway Corporation and their continued support of Wampus Cats athletics,” Conway Schools Athletic Director Steve Daniels said. “From the coverage of football and basketball on Channel 5 to these scholarships, they are great friends of Conway High.”
Conway Corp recently promoted three electric department employees. Senior Lineman Mark Rowlett was promoted to foreman, and Journeymen Linemen Jim Simpson and Scott Ussery were promoted to senior linemen.
As foreman, Rowlett will direct an assigned crew and assist in directing and coordinating activities in the department. As senior linemen, Simpson and Ussery will supervise electric crew members to ensure the safety and success of the crew as they install, maintain and repair both overhead and underground electrical lines and accompanying apparatus.
Chief Operating Officer Tommy Shackelford said Rowlett was an excellent choice for the position of foreman.
“Mark cares about Conway Corp, the employees who work for him and our customers,” Shackelford said. “I have complete confidence that he will excel in his new, well-deserved position.”
Electric Distribution System Manager Jim Moore explained the new position for Simpson and Ussery by saying “Jim and Scott will not only be responsible for the safety of the crews but also for ensuring the job is done right.”
Rowlett, hired as a groundman in 1985, celebrated his 30-year anniversary with the company last summer. Simpson joined Conway Corp in 1991 as a groundman, and Ussery was hired as a utility worker apprentice for the water department in 2002. He began working for the electric department in 2004.
Conway Corp will begin flushing the city’s water mains on Monday, April 25. The process will begin on the west side of the city, roughly in the area south of Highway 64, west of Donaghey Avenue and north of Dave Ward Drive. This area will take four to six weeks to complete.
Utility crews typically flush the water distribution system once a year to remove sediment and improve drinking water quality. When flushing, fire hydrants are opened, increasing the velocity of water moving through the pipes. Flushing removes sediments that may affect the water’s taste and color and is an essential preventive maintenance strategy for the water distribution system.
According to Water Systems Manager David Bradley, while a loss of water pressure is common, the process doesn’t typically interrupt water service. After flushing, tap water may appear “brownish.”
“Let your tap run for several minutes until the water released is clear,” Bradley said. “The colored water is unsightly, but still safe for consumption.”
Conway Corp has added three networks to our cable offerings on the Digital Plus and Starter packages: BBC World News, IFC network and SundanceTV. In addition, WE tv has moved from the Digital Plus package and is now available to all cable subscribers on the Starter package.
BBC World News – Digital Channel 104 BBC World News offers news on the hour, every hour presented by a world-class team of journalists. Daily, weekly and monthly programs cover the latest developments in business, sports and technology across the globe, while regular programs and special features go beyond the news to showcase the surprising, incredible and local insights journalists discover on location throughout the world.
IFC – Digital Channel 135 IFC is committed to being always on and slightly off. The network’s lineup of original comedies like Portlandia, Maron and Comedy Bang! Bang! are complemented by fan-favorite movies and revived cult-classic TV shows.
SundanceTV – Channel 86or HD Channel 593 Founded by Robert Redford, SundanceTV celebrates creativity and distinctive storytelling through unique voices and narratives found in the best independent films. From delivering critically acclaimed Emmy®, Golden Globe® and Peabody Award-winning television featuring some of the world’s most talented creators and performers, to showcasing some of the most compelling and iconic films across genres and generations, SundanceTV is a smart and thought-provoking entertainment destination.
WE tv – Channel 85 With compelling, can’t miss unscripted shows and dramatic scripted series, WE tv’s programming is fueled by personalities and relationships filled with purpose and passion. WE tv welcomes everyone and embraces how today’s digitally savvy, socially engaged audiences connect through content, using it as a catalyst to drive conversation and build community.
Conway Corp named Rush-Hal Properties the 2015 Energy Smart Builder of the Year for their dedication to building energy-efficient homes in the Conway community.
Energy Smart homes use less energy than standard-built homes and help save homeowners money and energy for years to come.
Conway Corp recognized 19 homes built by Rush-Hal Properties as being Energy Smart in 2015. Rush-Hal has several additional homes that will meet Energy Smart standards planned for construction in the Salem Woods Subdivision in 2016.
“Rush-Hal Properties has been committed to building homes that meet or exceed Conway Corp Energy Smart criteria since the Energy Smart New Home program was developed in 2009,” Conway Corp Major Accounts and Energy Efficiency Manager David Avra said.
Energy Smart specifications are based on the United States Department of Energy recommendations. Energy Smart homes can save 20 to 30 percent energy use over a standard built home thanks to a variety of energy-efficient features including insulation, high-performance windows, tight ducts and efficient heating and cooling equipment.
“The 19 Energy Smart homes built by Rush-Hal Properties in 2015 will save customers more than $7,500 per home over its life expectancy,” Avra said.
A shade tree is nice to have a hot summer day, but tree limbs and power lines aren’t good neighbors – especially when storms bring lightning, high winds or ice. Limbs that touch or fall on power lines can cause power outages. That’s why it’s so important to plant the right trees in the right place.
Start with a plan
When selecting a tree or shrub to plant, it’s just as important to consider what you plant as it is where you plant. The right tree or shrub, planted in the right place, can give you years of beauty and value without the potential dangers of getting too close to power lines. Be aware of power lines in your area and consider the final height and width of the vegetation you’re planting when it’s fully grown.
Overhead Power Lines
To get power to homes and businesses, Conway Corp relies on overhead and underground distribution lines. Overhead utility lines are the easiest to see and probably the ones we take most for granted. Although these lines look harmless enough, they can be extremely dangerous. Planting tall growing trees under and near these lines will ultimately require pruning to maintain safe clearance from the wires. It’s important to know the maximum allowable height of the tree and the minimum distance you can plant from the pole to eliminate potential public safety hazards and reduce service problems from trees interfering with power lines.
There are four planting zones around distribution lines that are important to remember while choosing a tree and location:
No Tree Zone – Twenty feet on either side of the pole for distribution lines. No trees should be planted in this area.
Low Tree Zone – Twenty feet to 40 feet away from the pole. The maximum height at maturity of vegetation growing in this zone should be less than 25 feet tall.
Medium Tree Zone – Forty feet to 60 feet away from the pole. The maximum height at maturity of vegetation in this zone should be up to 40 feet tall.
Tall Tree Zone – Sixty feet and beyond from the pole. Vegetation taller than 40 feet at maturity should be planted in this zone.
Underground Power Lines
Trees are much more than just what you see overhead. Many times the root area is larger than the branch spread above ground. Large areas of Conway are served by underground power lines, and often tree roots and underground lines co-exist without problems. While trees planted near underground lines could have their roots damaged if the lines need to be dug up for repairs, the biggest danger to underground lines occurs during planting.
Before your shovel ever hits the dirt, make sure you are aware of the location of any underground utilities. To be certain you do not accidentally dig into any lines and risk serious injury or a costly service interruption, call 811 at least three days before you start so the locations of underground service lines can be marked. There is no charge for this service, and the one-call locator will mark all buried electric, gas, water, sewer, cable and telephone lines.
Never assume that these utility lines are buried deeper than you plan to dig because in some cases utility lines are very close to the surface. When you get ready to plant, stay at least 24 inches away from any marked lines and consider the length and depth of the roots of the mature tree.
While planting additional vegetation, keep padmount transformers into consideration. These rectangular green metal cabinets are ground-mounted transformers and have underground power lines approaching them from each and every direction. When planting trees or shrubs in their area, always maintain at least ten feet of clearance from each side to allow for repairs and maintenance.
Tree Trimming
To continue to provide nationally recognized safe and reliable electric service, Conway Corp must occasionally remove brush and trim trees along power lines. These practices are approved by arborists nationwide and allow us to maintain our power lines – before the trees and brush are close enough to cause outages – in a manner that is consistent with good arboricultural practices. In addition, it allows us to maintain the safest working environment possible for our linemen and tree workers by pruning limbs before they reach or come in close contact with energized wires.
Tree trimming around power lines is an extremely hazardous job and is part of our responsibility to ensure safe, reliable electric service to the Conway community. Residents should never attempt to trim trees around live power lines. If you see tree limbs touching power lines or have a question about a tree in your yard, call Conway Corp at 501-450-6000.
The Conway Public Schools Foundation inducted Conway Corp CEO Richard Arnold into its Hall of Honor earlier this month for being an outstanding resident who has made a meaningful and lasting contribution to the Conway Public School District.
The foundation’s Hall of Honor recognizes former students, faculty, administrators and community leaders who left their mark on Conway Public Schools. Arnold was recognized as the 2016 Friend to the Conway Public Schools for being instrumental in making the Building the Foundation campaign a success and being a tireless promoter of the efforts of the foundation.
At the event, Arnold gave credit to Conway Corp which was founded in 1929 to provide support area education.
“I am sitting with a table of my colleagues tonight who value education and recognize that a great community does not exist if it doesn’t have good schools,” he said. “I recognize that Conway Corp is being honored tonight, and you’ve got a friend of the district forever.”
Arnold started at Conway Corp in 1978, where he served as the manager of the data processing department until he was promoted to manager of finance and accounting. In 1996, he was promoted to chief financial officer and was promoted again to chief executive officer in 1998.
Conway Corp awarded two scholarships for the Spring 2016 semester during the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Faulkner County ceremony held at the Faulkner County Library earlier this month.
Kristen Hardcastle and Stephanie Williams were awarded $750 each as Conway Corp Scholars. Hardcastle is pursuing her degree in Human Resources at Central Baptist College, and Williams is pursuing a Political Science degree from the University of Central Arkansas. Both Hardcastle and Williams were selected because of their personal commitments to furthering their education for a better future for their children.
Conway Corp has supplied $4,000 in scholarships for SPSF of Faulkner County since 2010.
“We are proud to build on the foundation our company was founded on by supporting education in our community,” Conway Corp CEO Richard Arnold said.
The mission of the Single Parent Scholarship Fund is to enable single parents to attain self-sufficiency through post-secondary education.
“SPSF scholarships help single parents stay in school so they can get the training and education they need to support their family,” said Suzanne Wiltgen, field director for the Central Region of Arkansas SPSF. “We couldn’t do this without community support, and we are delighted to have Conway Corp involved in SPSF of Faulkner County.”
