From the tender age of 12, Jamie McAfee knew he wanted to be a chef. Throughout his childhood, he frequently helped his father prepare food, and his first successful dish (a creamy gravy for sausage and biscuits) cemented his passion for cooking. Jamie learned to cook from the African American women who worked in his parent's kitchen at the Delta Country Club, and on that foundation he built a culinary career of 50+ years. Since his youth, Chef McAfee has earned two culinary degrees and donned m...
Jun 30, 2025•54 min
Born and raised in South Carolina, Joe Booker is today one of the most well-known radio personalities in Arkansas and the Director of Programming for Little Rock's Cumulus Media syndicate. His love of music and his enthusiastic and nuanced vocal performance over his long career in broadcasting earned him the moniker "Broadway Joe". Experiencing the wanderlust familiar to any teenager, Joe joined the Air Force straight out of high school. While in Korea in 1976, Booker first got to experience the...
Jun 23, 2025•53 min
Born in Skiatook, Oklahoma, Wena Supernaw spent much of her early life on the move with her parents, who she credits for the tenacity and commitment that Wena has demonstrated over her long career. Graduating from George Mason University with a Bachelor's in Accounting, Supernaw took graduate courses at both Virginia Tech and the University of Texas before opting to test her mettle in the world of business finance. The bulk of Wena's career was spent as the Vice President of MetLife, where she l...
Jun 06, 2025•54 min
Brad Close is President of the National Federation of Independent Business, the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization. As NFIB’s chief executive officer, Brad focuses on advancing NFIB’s advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C. and through the organization’s unmatched 50-state network and grassroots operation.
Jun 01, 2025•55 min
Born in Little Rock, AR, Mike Poe's passion for filmmaking began at age 12 when his aunts gifted him a 35mm camera and enlarger. Mike earned a BA in Radio, TV, & Film from the University of Arkansas and has since worked on documentaries, short films, and hundreds of art events for film festivals across Arkansas. A few of his credits include: 45RPM (producer, music supervisor), Not Even God (producer), and West of Memphis (camera). Poe's most famous work is as director of Voices For Justice, ...
May 27, 2025•54 min
Randy Hankins was born in 1950, growing up in Warren, AR. Going by his stage name, Craig O'Neill has spent 50 years in the broadcast business, with the last 24 of those being at Little Rock, Arkansas’s THV11. O’Neill officially signed off for the last time as news anchor on December 29, 2023. Before TV, Craig had a successful radio career on KKYK and then B98.5, where he was famous for his prank phone calls. Eventually, O'Neill made the transition from fun-loving radio personality to respected T...
May 16, 2025•54 min
Raeann Wilson was born in Cabot, AR. As a breast cancer survivor, IV therapy was an integral part of Raeann’s recovery, and she became passionate about giving the same level of care to other post-operation patients. As the surgical coordinator at Shewmake Plastic Surgery, Raeann has extensive knowledge in surgical processes and patient care. This all gave her the skill and inspiration to create Zen Infusion, offering mobile, on-demand IV infusion therapy that serves a number of needs for the peo...
May 12, 2025•54 min
Born in the small town of McGehee, Arkansas, Trent Montgomery has grown into a dancer, teacher, and drag queen with a long list of accolades. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Performance and Choreography from the University of Arkansas and a Master's in Performance and Choreography from Florida State. While living in Florida, he performed with The Tallahassee Ballet and served as the Associate Artistic Director at the Ballet Arts Conservatory of Tallahassee. In Arkansas, he has worked as a dancer...
May 02, 2025•54 min
Born to blue collar workers in rural Illinois, Peggy McCall-Robertson inherited a strong work ethic, and from her father gained a love of tinkering and learning how things work. Peggy served as a Youth Director for the Methodist Church in central Arkansas for nearly 20 years, followed by retail work that gave her the experience needed to develop a business plan of her own. The first Miracle League was created in Georgia in 2000 with the goal of providing opportunities for children with disabilit...
Apr 28, 2025•55 min
Susan Altrui has worked for the Little Rock Zoo since 2005, but it wasn’t until director Mr. Mike Blakely announced his retirement in 2020 that she moved from head of marketing to become the acting director. Later she cemented her role when the late City Manager Bruce Moore promoted Susan to the full-time position of Arkansas’s Little Rock Zoo director. Little Rock is lucky to have such an accredited Zoo. Interestingly, it is the largest family destination in Arkansas, conveniently located in th...
Apr 22, 2025•53 min
Witty actor and singer Jacob Keith Watson is making waves on the Broadway stages. He appeared as Enoch Snow in the Tony-nominated Broadway revival of Carousel. Jacob has also been seen on Broadway in Hello, Dolly!, Brian Crawley’s Violet, Craig Lucas’ Amélie as Joseph Buquet, Monsieur Reyer in The Phantom of the Opera, Robert Livingston in the acclaimed Encores! revival of 1776, as well as Amos Hart in the National/International tour of Chicago the Musical. Regional and Opera credits include the...
Apr 22, 2025•48 min
This week we revisit Kerry's two prior interviews with Arkansan painter and sculptor, Kevin Kresse. Kevin has exhibited his work around Arkansas, New York, Washington DC, Memphis, and Atlanta. His work has been featured in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the Arkansas Times, Soiree magazine, and more, and he has been featured in pieces produced by local affiliates of ABC, CBS, and PBS television, as well as a short film by Garret Lakin. The journey toward a career in art began with Kresse and his ...
Apr 22, 2025•54 min
Spring is finally here and there's no better way to kick-start the season than by hanging out with landscape designer and entrepreneur, Chris Olsen! He and Kerry talk all about his time at Oxford University, the challenges of running a seasonal business, and his renovation of the historic Edgemont House in North Little Rock.
Apr 22, 2025•55 min
Who doesn’t know the name Dale Carnegie, founder of the Dale Carnegie Courses? Born 1888 on a farm in Missouri, this farmboy-turned-salesman-turned-actor, teacher, author, and self-help guru has helped thousands of people through his teachings, and 100 years later, they are still relevant, and we are still remembering him. Part of the Dale Carnegie legacy are Mr. Jerry Wilson and Ms. Jessie Wilson (no relation). Jerry Wilson is the franchise owner for Dale Carnegie Training in Arkansas and other...
Mar 24, 2025•52 min
Roy Dudley is one of those fortunate people that found his passion early in life. He was a mere boy in elementary school when he was bitten by the entrepreneurial bug and began treasure hunting at garage sales and reselling his finds in Aunt Hazel’s perpetual yard sale. Hear how Roy took his aunt’s sage advice and parlayed it into a successful business called Roy Dudley Estate Sales. When asked what his favorite find was, his answer was swift. Finding the papers of school children in Arkansas’ J...
Mar 24, 2025•55 min
Keith Jackson was born April 19, 1965 in Little Rock, Arkansas. He began playing football at the age of 9 with the Sunset Tigers in his hometown. His love of the game continued throughout junior high school on into high school at Little Rock Parkview, where he was Parade All-American and three-sport letterman. While in high school, Keith played the cello in the orchestra. Upon graduating from Parkview, Keith attended the University of Oklahoma (1984-1987) on a football scholarship as a tight end...
Mar 24, 2025•54 min
Virgil Miller, Jr. has a long track-record of integrity and hard work across multiple banks, including Worthen Bank, Bank of America, Metropolitan National Bank, and more. As of 2024, Miller fills the role of Community Reinvestment Officer for Arvest Bank, where he works to meet the credit needs of low-income communities. Virgil's career in the banking industry dovetails well with his long-time commitment to community service that began as far back as 1981, when he was a Rally team member for th...
Mar 03, 2025•55 min
Jim Guy Tucker, Jr was born on June 13, 1943, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to James Guy and Willie Maude (White) Tucker. His father was one of the first 50 employees of the newly formed Social Security Administration in February,1936. His family moved to Little Rock in February of 1945 when his father was relocated as the manager of the Arkansas Social Security Administration office. Jim Guy was educated in public schools. He graduated from Harvard with a BA in government in 1964, after which he ...
Feb 25, 2025•54 min
Originally Aired 6/24/2022 This week on Up in Your Business with Kerry McCoy, we interview Mr. Arlo Washington, president of PEOPLE Trust Loan Fund, a financial institution offering small loans to neighbors in need. Arlo is a self-made man with a Cinderella story. He is the epitome of a hardworking, creative entrepreneur, who sees opportunities and listens to where life leads him, all with the heart of a teacher. Learn what the term “unbanked” means and how Arlo turned his barber’s chair into a ...
Feb 25, 2025•54 min
John Cain is program director of community radio station KABF-FM 88.3 and host of KUAR's 52nd Street Jazz for more than three decades. He has been on the air in some capacity for "51 years and counting." Cain got his start in the early 1960s working as an engineer and overnight disc jockey at Little Rock R&B station KALO-AM 1250. It was there that Cain developed his program niche. Cain said, “I featured material that you don’t hear normally. It was overnight radio that really gave me the opp...
Feb 10, 2025•54 min
Ann McCoy really needs no introduction because everyone knows her as either the successful million dollar club (when that meant something) real estate agent, or as the Governor’s Mansion Administrator for Governor Clinton, or as the Special Assistant to the President, Deputy Social Secretary and Director of Personal Correspondence for President Clinton’s administration. There was a time when she could have boasted that she had met all the leaders of the Free World and had her picture taken with ...
Feb 03, 2025•54 min
Born in Gould, Arkansas, Janis Kearney was one of eighteen children of parents Ethel V. Kearney and James Kearney. After graduating from Gould High School in 1971, Kearney attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, earning a B.A. in journalism in 1976. She continued on with her education while working, earning thirty hours towards a M.P.A. from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. After earning her B.A. degree, Kearney was hired by the State of Arkansas in 1978, where she spent t...
Jan 24, 2025•54 min
Originally from Oklahoma, Carlton Saffa fell in love with northwest Arkansas, graduating from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He currently lives in Little Rock with his wife and children, and serves as the chief market officer for the Quapaw Nation's Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff. Saffa was Saracen’s first employee and oversaw the licensure of the enterprise in all forums, including the property’s casino gaming license. In addition, he served as a representative in the construc...
Jan 20, 2025•55 min
Originally from Oklahoma, Carlton Saffa fell in love with northwest Arkansas, graduating from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He currently lives in Little Rock with his wife and children, and serves as the chief market officer for the Quapaw Nation's Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff. Saffa was Saracen’s first employee and oversaw the licensure of the enterprise in all forums, including the property’s casino gaming license. In addition, he served as a representative in the construc...
Jan 09, 2025•55 min
On this episode we look back at Kerry's interviews with guests who moved to Little Rock, fell in love, and chose to make the Natural State their home. For some it's the southern cuisine; others the rich ecosystems. Folks may stay for the bounty of history or for the earnest communities that thrive here to this day. Whatever the reason, plenty of people find cause to build a life here in central Arkansas.
Jan 04, 2025•54 min
Ruebel Funeral Home, the oldest funeral service establishment in the city of Little Rock, had its beginning in early 1901 on the corner of Sixth and Main Street. For over a hundred years, Ruebel Funeral Home has continually offered services of its facility, equipment and staff for immediate response to central Arkansas families of every religion preference, race and socioeconomic circumstances. George H. Wittenberg was acquired by Ruebel Funeral Home in 1953, becoming its Secretary and part owne...
Dec 30, 2024•54 min
Kerry McCoy will speak with New York advertising executive Madonna Badger, creator of the We Are #WomenNotObjects ad that debuted at Cannes Film Festival and has been viewed more than 2 million times on YouTube. Badger left the advertising industry for more than a year after a tragic house fire on Christmas morning that claimed the lives of her three young daughters and both her parents. After the tragedy, Badger spent a few months in psychiatric hospitals for manic depression and suicidal ideat...
Dec 23, 2024•55 min
Billy Mitch Chandler, Jr, was born in Little Rock, AR and raised in North Little Rock. Like his doctor father, Mitch is smart. But unlike his father, Mitch has been unable to settle on one career. In school he studied many areas of interest. In work, the same. In chronological order: His beginning career, and longest, was as program director and producer for local and regional TV news stations. Next, Director of business and public relations for Arkansas Economic Development Center (AEDC). Befor...
Dec 23, 2024•54 min
Born in Maryland, Colin MacKnight is an organist who has been described as "a stunning player of exceptional ability" by composer/conductor Bob Chilcott. A skilled composer and conductor in his own right, Colin learned his trade at The Juilliard School in New York, receiving a bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree and writing a prize-winning dissertation on Johann Sebastian Bach's "Art of Fugue". With numerous accolades under his belt, Colin moved to Arkansas after landing a job at Little Ro...
Dec 08, 2024•55 min
Arkansan native John Steven Clark was raised in Leachville, Arkansas watching his father dabble in local politics and decided early in life that he wanted to be a politician as well. He graduated from ASU and attended Law school in Fayetteville. In 1973, Clark became assistant dean of the University of Arkansas School of Law. It was there he met and became friends with Bill and Hillary Clinton. In 1976, Clark left the Law School to become chief of staff for Governor David Pryor. After Clinton wa...
Dec 01, 2024•54 min
