Arkansas

Arkansas' Fastest Growing Companies: Telex of Fayetteville Finds a Niche in Power Infrastructure

Published

2 years ago

September 18, 2024

Arkansas' Fastest Growing Companies: Telex of Fayetteville Finds a Niche in Power Infrastructure

Mike McDonald, founder and president of Telex (Photo provided by Telex)

This article is part of a series on Arkansas’ fastest-growing private companies based on the 2024 Inc. 5000 list. The list ranks companies based on three years of annual revenue growth. The other Arkansas companies featured in this series are Team Go Ventures, Nuqleous and Servato.

Founded in 2014, Telex of Fayetteville celebrates its 10-year anniversary the same year it makes the Inc. 5000 list for the first time. The company secured the No. 171 spot with a 2,232% growth rate.

A nationwide company that provides testing, commissioning and engineering services for investor-owned electric utilities, Telex is Arkansas’ second fastest-growing private company and No. 11 overall in the Southeast.

Mike McDonald, founder and president of Telex, was working for a power company as a relay technician when he saw the need for a company that could compete cost-wise and quality-wise.

Telex specializes in protective relay testing and calibration, functional commissioning and apparatus and equipment testing, which serves a niche in power infrastructure maintenance and development.

The company extends to both new construction and existing infrastructure, addressing an ongoing need in the sector, McDonald said in an interview with Arkansas Business.

McDonald also said Telex has witnessed and adapted to significant shifts in the utility sector throughout the past decade.

“When we first started, there wasn’t a lot of grid construction going on,” McDonald said. “A lot of utilities were still doing things in-house. Now there’s a lot of outsourcing of that skill set, because of retirement.”

This has allowed contractors like Telex to become the “go-to” for developing young talent, which is something Telex is especially proud of. McDonald said Telex “really tries” to bring young technicians and engineers up successfully, which has allowed the company to fill a role traditionally filled by utility companies.

This is especially important in the trades, McDonald said, as widespread labor shortages are a consistent problem for companies.

“Our field is very unique in the fact it takes a lot of intelligence to do, but also, you’re outside, you have to be willing to not want to work in an office every day,” McDonald said. “So there’s a definite person that fits the bill, and we’ve just gotten really good at finding those people.”

Hiring for the company has grown “tremendously” over the past three years, and McDonald said a lot of the company’s growth can be attributed to strategic partnerships, a “relentless focus” on quality and the bringing on of two business partners to help manage Telex and drive new relationships.

While McDonald focuses on running the business and the infrastructure of the company, his partners focus on getting new clients, new business with existing customers and consistently checking in on existing relationships.

This has allowed Telex to focus on keeping the quality and integrity of its services up, which McDonald said is a priority.

“We drive quality so much. It’s a never-ending struggle,” McDonald said. “We’re very much an Arkansas business. We say what we mean, and we do what we say we’re going to do, and that builds trust on both sides.”

Another reason for the company’s growth was a focus on leveraging existing infrastructure to grow out the business.

“Once we have the organization in place, then it’s easy to start filling out, and that’s what we’ve really been working towards the past couple years, is getting these new relationships, maintaining them and then continuing to add new clients to the mix without sacrificing any existing aspects,” McDonald said.

And while headquartered in Fayetteville, Telex’s reach extends outside of Arkansas. The company operates in nearly every region of the country, with the exception of New England, but Telex is “coming for those guys,” McDonald said.

Looking to the future, Telex is aiming for sustainable growth. McDonald said he doesn’t “chase growth at all costs,” but that he does aim to continue expanding.

And while all the growth from the Inc. 5000 ranking was based on Telex’s field services group, the company recently launched an engineering group as a response to client demands, so McDonald envisions a lot of growth in that sector.

Companies on the Inc. 5000 list must have generated a minimum of $100,000 in revenue in 2020 and a minimum of $2 million in revenue in 2023, though Telex’s exact revenue was not disclosed. With approximately 50 employees, most of whom joined in the past three years, McDonald believes that growth is reflected in the Arkansas business landscape.

“I think we’re really putting Arkansas on the map to be a competitor with Texas and some of these other bigger states that have been the business hubs for so long,” McDonald said.

Eighteen Arkansas companies appeared on the 2024 Inc. 5000 list. The companies saw 215% median growth, 4,287 jobs added and 11 repeat companies.

Inc. 5000 Ranking	Company	Headquarters	Sector	Revenue Growth
#43	Team Go Ventures	Bentonville	Advertising & Marketing	6,271%
#171	Telex	Fayetteville	Engineering	2,232%
#487	STAT Recovery Services	Bentonville	Financial Services	905%
#1,106	Legacy Retail	Rogers	Business Products & Services	463%
#1,403	Elite Exteriors Roofing & Restoration	Hot Springs	Construction	366%
#1,656	SupplyPike	Rogers	Software	313%
#1,670	CARDS	Fayetteville	Environmental Services	311%
#1,768	Bath Makeover of Arkansas	Little Rock	Construction	297%
#2,086	New Nexus Group	Rogers	Business Products & Services	251%
#2,831	Slim Chickens	Fayetteville	Food & Beverage	179%
#3,024	Inteliblue	Little Rock	IT Services	165%
#3,680	Servato Corp	Little Rock	Telecommunications	128%
#3,705	Tri-State Enterprises	Fort Smith	Consumer Products	127%
#3,822	Nuqleous	Bentonville	Software	121%
#3,845	Greer and Greer Independent Insurance	Fayetteville	Insurance	120%
#4,435	Chenal Family Therapy	Little Rock	Health Services	94%
#4,624	Natural State Pest Control	Lowell	Consumer Products	87%
#4,665	ZweigWhite	Fayetteville	Business Products & Services	86%

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Arkansas

Drug Take Back Day returns to Arkansas this month; promotes safe drug disposal

Published

2 hours ago

April 7, 2026

Press Room

Drug Take Back Day returns to Arkansas this month; promotes safe drug disposal

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — Arkansas law enforcement agencies are hosting their 16th-annual Drug Take Back Day this month.

The event is designed so that Arkansans can safely and anonymously dispose of any expired, unused or unwanted medications. Officials say they want to prevent opioid misuse, reduce accidental poisonings, protect waterways from contamination and keep communities safe.

Its set to take place on Saturday, April 25.

“Arkansas Drug Take Back Day continues to bring communities together in the fight against substance misuse, and we’re proud to play such a vital part in it,” said Kirk Lane, director of the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership (ARORP). “We invite Arkansans to take a few minutes to clean out their medicine cabinets, drop off unneeded prescriptions and protect their families and neighbors.”

Arkansans destroyed 26,500 pounds of medication during the fall 2025 Drug Take Back Day. Since 2010, over 342 tons have been destroyed.

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Arkansas

Way-Too-Early Top 25: Ranking College Basketball’s Best for 2026-27

Published

14 hours ago

April 7, 2026

Press Room

Way-Too-Early Top 25: Ranking College Basketball’s Best for 2026-27

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — With the transfer portal reshaping rosters overnight and elite freshmen arriving every summer, projecting the next college basketball season has become an exercise in controlled chaos.

Still, a handful of programs have positioned themselves early as national title contenders through roster continuity, program consistency and coaching stability.

Arkansas will once again be in the mix, but its true preseason forecast will come once the portal is mostly wrapped up. Coach John Calipari knows what type of player he needs to add for his team to advance past the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 and probably won’t sleep a whole lot until he signs at least one major contributor in the paint.

No. 1 seed Michigan had a stellar run in its second season under coach Dusty May, who competes for a national championship against No. 2 seed UConn Monday night. He goes up against two-time championship coach Dan Hurley, who is looking to join elite company by winning his third trophy with the Huskies.

Which teams are best equipped already for next season? Here’s an early look at who can make a run in 2026-27.

1. Michigan

UConn Huskies forward Jaylin Stewart (3) possesses the ball against Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) in the first half during the national championship of the Final Four of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Wolverines absolutely make sense regardless of if they win a national title Monday night. May added a commitment from 5-star guard Brandon McCoy Saturday who projects to be a lead guard at the next level.

Key big man Yaxel Lendeborg will be a huge loss after being a critical piece to Michigan’s championship game run. Power forward Morez Johnson should return after averaging over 13 points and seven rebounds per game.

Another likely returnee is Trey McKenney, who played well as a freshman averaging 11 points and 44% shooting in the month of March.

1B. UConn

UConn Huskies guard Solo Ball (1) reacts after a made three point basket against the Michigan Wolverines during the NCAA men’s basketball tournament national championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Whether Hurley’s bid for a third title falls short, his brilliant coaching in the NCAA Tournament is worth keeping the Huskies near the top of all college basketball rankings.

Veterans such as Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed are seeing their eligibility expire while freshman Braylon Mullins could opt to enter the NBA Draft.

Veteran guard Silas Demary has been a nice addition from Georgia out of the portal this season and will likely return as the Huskies’ starting point guard.

3. Duke

The Blue Devils are set to lose the Boozer twins, but have signed capable replacements in true freshmen Cameron Williams and Deron Rippey, Jr.

Coach Jon Scheyer’s group will continue to run the ACC until anyone else decides to be up for the challenge. If he can find a way to keep Patrick Ngongba around for next season as his key big man, then there’s no reason to count out Duke as national title favorites once again.

Duke Blue Devils coach Jon Scheyer speaks with the media during a press conference ahead of the east regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

4. Michigan State

No one will ever doubt coach Tom Izzo’s ability to assemble a championship contender and he did just that with Coen Carr, Jeremy Fears and company this season.

With a top high school recruiting class and a couple of key portal additions on the perimeter, the Spartans will be Big Ten title contenders and earn a Top 4 NCAA Tournament seed.

5. Illinois

Coach Brad Underwood has made the Fightin’ Illini a raging success and nearly led his team to the promised land this season.

He discovered freshman wing Keaton Wagler before anyone else, and became a household name and potential lottery pick after arriving to school as aTop 150 prospect.

Lightning might not strike twice next year, but he’ll probably have another solid team built for a deep NCAA Tournament run. Sharpshooter Andrej Stojakovic and forward David Mirkovic are both expected to return after playing key roles in Illinois’ first Final Four run in two decades.

6. Arizona

The Wildcats were no match for Michigan in the Final Four and are likely going to lose key freshmen Koa Peat and Brayden Burries to the NBA Draft. Keeping veteran big man Mo Krivas and key wing Ivan Kharchenkov in the rotation is key.

Adding McDonald’s All-American MVP Caleb Holt won’t hurt either as the next great freshman for the Wildcats.

7. Arkansas

Coach John Calipari knows his biggest assignment will be adding a big man or two to round out his rotation. He has a three 5-star freshmen in Jordan Smith, Jr. (No. 2 ranked prospect, JJ Andrews and Abdou Toure coming in with potential key returnee Billy Richmond to potentially lockdown the perimeter.

Jordan Smith Jr during the McDonalds All American Boys Game at Desert Diamond Arena. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Arkansas fans are hungry to see their team get back to the Final Four and have been inching closer each of the previous five seasons.

8. Purdue

The Boilermakers are set to lose All-American guard Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn which will be hard to come back from for any team.

However, Matt Painter continues to reload with guys who often fly under the radar or lesser known on the recruiting trail out of high school. His next team may not be as talented, or veteran laden but should be fixtures in the Big Ten no matter what the offseason brings.

9. St. John’s

Arkansas guard Boogie Fland (2) and forward Billy Richmond III (24) fight for a rebound against St. John’s guard Aaron Scott (0) during the second half of a second round men’s NCAA Tournament game at Amica Mutual Pavilion. | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

The Red Storm will find it tough to replace versatile big man Zury Ejifor, but if anyone can do so it’s hall of fame coach Rick Pitino. His team has been close to breaking into national title contention over the previous two seasons.

Pitino’s combination of Ian Jackson, Dylan Darling and Ruben Prey can give St. John’s a boost next season.

10. Alabama

Nate Oats has the Crimson Tide at a level never before seen in Tuscaloosa with at least a Sweet 16 or better finish in each of the previous four seasons.

Star guard Labaron Philon is probably headed to the league as a mid-first round prospect which leaves a gaping hole in Alabama’s rotation for next season.

Top 20 freshman guard Qadyden Samuels is potentially a solid replacement with a complete offensive skillset as a three-level scorer. If his length translates well to college, he can be an exceptional perimeter defender.

Oats will need to find a way to keep key big men such as Amari Allen and Aiden Sherrell around or pick up a couple out of the transfer portal to stay near the top of the SEC.

Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats looks on in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Midwest Regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center. | David Banks-Imagn Images

11. Iowa State

The Cyclones were on the verge of a breakthrough before falling short in the Sweet 16. Losing All-American Joshua Jefferson early in the tournament sidelined any hopes of coach T.J. Otzelberger leading his team to its first Final Four since 1944.

Iowa State will probably make a strong run in the portal to replace other key contributors. But one thing is sure that this program has staying power on the national scene.

12. Kansas

Kansas Jayhawks forward Justin Cross (25) is welcomed by Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self before the Sunflower Showdown game against Kansas State Wildcats inside Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas, on Saturday, March 7, 2026. | Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Each passing year it seems that the biggest question is whether or not coach Bill Self will return for another year.

He is, at least this year, but even with his exceptional recruiting skills and a deep portal budget, it seems like a slight nosedive has taken place since winning the national title in 2022.

Star freshman Darryn Peterson’s one-and-done stay in Lawrence certainly didn’t live up to the hype. Big man Flory Bidunga is currently evaluating his options, which shouldn’t give anyone a reason to rank the Jayhawks higher.

13. Iowa Hawkeyes
14. Gonzaga Bulldogs
15. Florida Gators
16. North Carolina Tar Heels
17. Louisville Cardinals
18. Wisconsin Badgers
19. Nebraska Cornhuskers
20. Houston Cougars
21. Providence Friars
22. St. Louis Billekins
23. Texas Longhorns
24. Auburn Tigers
25. LSU Tigers