Jacob Jones, of Farmers Bank & Trust and Suzie Barham of Pafford Medical Services are among the 53 Arkansans enrolled in the class, which is "designed to connect and inform emerging and established leaders who are committed to driving progress in their communities and across the state."

The course includes nine sessions held in different places in the state on such subjects as "economic development, workforce, infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, education, and more," as the press release describes them.

Among the locations for sessions will be Fairfield Bay, Russellville, Stuttgart, Little Rock, Magnolia, Camden, Blytheville, Jonesboro, Hot Springs and Northwest Arkansas.   The sessions will feature visits to key industries and offices important to the state's economic health currently and in the future.

Members must attend 80 percent of the classes to then graduate in a ceremony that will take place after the May 14-15th Little Rock session.

Jones is quoted on his biographical page for the program as saying, “This is home for me. I am blessed with the opportunity to work and give back to the same community I was raised in, the community I’m now raising my family in. The people I work with at the bank, the people in my civics clubs, and the people I grew up with—we’re all in this together."

On Barham's page, she is described as "proud to help carry forward a legacy of service that has shaped emergency healthcare in rural communities for nearly six decades."