Rogers, Ark. — Paul Eiserman, Head Golf Professional at Pinnacle Country, hosted a special golf clinic at Pinnacle Sept. 1, 2010, for 36 female high school golfers in the Northwest Arkansas communities of Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers and Springdale.  In addition, and on behalf of the PGA South Central Section Foundation, Eiserman presented each high school golf program with a $500 contribution.  Supporting high school golf and youth golf in general is a key priority for the South Central Section Foundation, according to Eiserman.  The contributions were made possible by a special grant to the Foundation from the P&G NW Arkansas Championship presented by Walmart as part of the tournament’s overall charitable program.  

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS – August 25, 2010 – Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA) announced today at a press breakfast that Paul Haas will serve as Music Director for SoNA, effective immediately. The appointment was made after a national search was conducted by an Artistic Advisory Committee appointed by the Board of Directors and Advisors of the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas.

In April 2010, SoNA announced a partnership with Walton Arts Center to build upon the 50+ years of experience of the former organization, *North Arkansas Symphony Orchestra (NASO), to create a local professional orchestra committed to providing high-quality classical and pops performances. Under the leadership of Walton Arts Center President/CEO Peter Lane, SoNA Executive Director Karen Kapella, and the SoNA Board of Directors and Advisors, SoNA has developed a sustainable operating model and comprehensive funding strategy. The symphony has secured much  of the funding needed for the first season and further plans will be unveiled at an opening concert in the spring of 2011.

Peter Lane remarked, “A professional symphony is a vital part of a thriving arts community and we are so excited that Paul will be sharing his talents with symphonic music lovers of Northwest Arkansas.” Karen Kapella adds, “Paul brings a fresh energy and commitment to quality that will be invaluable in shaping the artistic vision of the organization.”

Mr. Haas’ recent positions include music director of the renowned New York Youth Symphony (NYYS), which performs regularly at Carnegie Hall. Mr. Haas and the NYYS were awarded the ASCAP-League of American Orchestras Bernstein Award for educational programming. This marked the first time that award was presented to a youth orchestra. Mr. Haas is also the founder and artistic director of Sympho, a groundbreaking and critically acclaimed concert production company.  www.SymphoConcerts.org.

Other conducting engagements include performances with the San Antonio Symphony, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Haas was selected out of hundreds to perform in the League of American Orchestras’ prestigious National Conductor Preview. Mr. Haas has also enjoyed an active composing career, receiving the Selden Memorial Award and Friends of Music Composition Prize of Yale University. According to the NY Times, Paul Haas “is surely on the brink of a noteworthy career.”  The Washington Post said “Haas is headed for a significant podium career.”

Paul Haas is a graduate of Yale University and the Juilliard School, where he studied conducting as a Bruno Walter Fellow with Otto-Werner Mueller.  He also studied conducting in Dresden, Germany, at the Hochschule für Musik. Paul currently resides in New York City with his wife, Suzette, and daughter, Ciel.

*The Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA) is the new name for the North Arkansas Symphony (NASO), which was founded in 1954 and provided more than 50 years of musical performances and educational opportunities. SoNA is a not-for-profit public benefit organization which is currently engaged in a new partnership with Walton Arts Center. The SoNA mission is to be Northwest Arkansas’ premier professional orchestra representing the highest artistic level. Under the musical direction of Paul Haas, SoNA will present classical and pops performances for symphonic music lovers in Northwest Arkansas.   For further information about SoNA, please contact Karen Kapella at 479. 521.4166, or visit the SoNA website, www.sonamusic.org.

Contact:
Amy Williams, 952-742-6246, amy_williams@cargill.com
Bridget Burkel, 952-742-2649, bridget_burkel@cargill.com
Stephanie Burroughs, 479-756-4774, Stephanie_Burroughs@cargill.com

SPRINGDALE, Ark. – As part of its longstanding commitment to support the environment, Cargill has donated $7,000 to The Nature Conservancy (TNC) of Arkansas Kings River Preserve.

Funds from Cargill will be used to sponsor the Riparian Reforestation Program along the Kings River. Reforestation helps protect the river from contaminants that threaten the quality of the water for drinking and recreation. Volunteers from Cargill will participate in planting the seedlings and other projects around the preserve.

Cargill is one of only 100 businesses in Arkansas that are part of TNC’s Corporate Council for Conservation. The coalition supports the environment and provides support for TNC’s work in Arkansas.

“Preserving our natural resources, such as the Kings River, is extremely important to ensure future generations can have the same safe drinking water and recreational areas that we have today,” said Tim Snell, associate director of The Nature Conservancy of Arkansas. “Cargill’s donation will play a major part in the reforestation program, which would not be possible without our sponsors.”

“Cargill is committed to protecting and conserving the environment, and we recognize the importance of environmental stewardship,” said Stephanie Burroughs, chair of Cargill’s Care Council in Springdale, AR. “We encourage other businesses in Arkansas to donate their time and money to this effort as well to preserve our river for generations to come.”
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Cargill is an international provider of food, agricultural, financial and industrial products and services. Founded in 1865, the privately held company employs 131,000 people in 66 countries. Cargill helps customers succeed through collaboration and innovation, and is committed to applying its global knowledge and experience to help meet economic, environmental and social challenges wherever it does business. For more information, visit http://www.cargill.com.

NEWS RELEASE
For Release: Friday, August 20, 2010
Contact: Jay Allen, Tournament Chairman
(479) 271-7007 or jaycom@sbcglobal.net
David Shoemaker, Director of Sales
(479) 657-6410 or david.shoemaker@octagon.com
Kristin Fowler, Marketing & Communications Coordinator
(919) 531-3123 or kristin.fowler@octagon.com

ROGERS, Ark. – The battle to secure the No. 1 spot in the Rolex Rankings is expected to continue in September at the P&G NW Arkansas Championship presented by Walmart. Tournament officials have announced today LPGA Tour professional Cristie Kerr, who currently holds the No. 1 position, has committed to play in the event. Kerr will be joined by Ai Miyazato (No. 2) and Suzann Pettersen (No. 4), as well as defending champion Jiyai Shin (No. 3), who previously announced her return. The P&G NW Arkansas Championship presented by Walmart will be held, Sept. 6 – 12, 2010.

“Our expectation this year is that we will have the best field of players ever for our event,” said Jay Allen, Tournament Chairman. “We have a championship caliber golf course at Pinnacle and a purse of $2 million this year, and the top players in the world are clearly responding to this.”

Kerr reclaimed the top-ranked position earlier this week. She originally held the position for three consecutive weeks in late June and early July due to her wins at the LPGA State Farm Classic and LPGA Championship presented by Wegmans, before losing it to Ai Miyazato, who now holds the No. 2 position. Kerr has carded six top-10 finishes for the year including another top performance as a runnerup at the 2010 HSBC Women’s Championship.

Miyazato, of Japan, began the 2010 LPGA Tour season strong, carding three wins in her first five events. Her fourth win at the Shoprite LPGA Classic propelled her to the No. 1 position, before losing it to Kerr. Miyazato has also carded six top-10 finishes for the year.

Norway’s Pettersen continues to search for her first LPGA victory of the season after carding six top-5 finishes on the year. Pettersen has runner-up finishes at the Honda PPT LPGA Thailand, the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the Bell Micro LPGA Classic and the U.S. Women’s Open. She has held the No. 4 position for four consecutive weeks.

Tickets to the tournament are on sale now. Fans can purchase tickets online at www.nwachampionship.com or by calling (479) 715-6100. Daily tickets are $25 for championship play, Friday through Sunday. Week-long grounds badges can be purchased for $50. Admission is free to the public Monday through Thursday. Children 17-years old and under are admitted free with a ticketed adult.

About Procter & Gamble
Four billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun® and Fusion®. The P&G community includes approximately 127,000 employees working in about 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

About Walmart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., (NYSE: WMT) serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at more than 8,400 retail units under 55 different banners in 15 countries. With fiscal year 2010 sales of $405 billion, Walmart employs more than 2 million associates worldwide. A leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity, Walmart ranked first among retailers in Fortune magazine’s 2010 Most Admired Companies survey. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://www.walmartstores.com/. Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com/ and http://www.samsclub.com/.

About Mars, Incorporated
Mars, Incorporated is a private, family-owned company founded in 1911 and employing more than 65,000 associates at over 370 sites, including 135 factories, in 68 countries worldwide. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, U.S.A., Mars, Incorporated is one of the world’s largest food companies, generating global sales of more than $28 billion annually and operating in six business segments: Chocolate, Petcare, Wrigley Gum and Confections, Food, Drinks, and Symbioscience. These segments produce some of the world’s leading brands: Chocolate – M&M’S(r), SNICKERS(r), DOVE(r), GALAXY(r), MARS(r), MILKY WAY(r) and TWIX(r); Petcare – PEDIGREE(r), WHISKAS(r), SHEBA(r), CESAR(r), NUTRO(r), GREENIES(r), and ROYAL CANIN(r); Wrigley – ORBIT(r), EXTRA(r), STARBURST(r), DOUBLEMINT(r) and SKITTLES(r); Food – UNCLE BEN’S(r), DOLMIO(r), EBLY(r), MASTERFOODS(r) and SEEDS OF CHANGE(r); Drinks – KLIX(r) and FLAVIA(r); Symbioscience – WISDOM PANEL(tm), SERAMIS(r), CIRKUHEALTH(tm) and COCOAPRO(r).

About the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association)
The LPGA is the world’s leading professional golf organization for women. Founded in 1950, the association celebrates a diverse and storied membership with more than 1,700 members representing 29 different countries. With a Vision to inspire, empower, educate and entertain by showcasing the very best of women’s golf, LPGA Tour Professionals compete across the globe, while dedicated LPGA Teaching and Club Professionals (T&CP) directly impact the game through teaching, coaching and management. The Duramed FUTURES Tour serves as the official developmental tour of the LPGA, consistently producing a pipeline of talent ready for the world stage. The LPGA is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida. Follow the LPGA on its television home, Golf Channel, and on the web via: www.LPGA.com,  www.facebook.com/lpga.official,  www.twitter.com/lpga, and www.youtube.com/lpgavideo.

About The First Tee
The First Tee (www.thefirsttee.org) is an initiative of the World Golf Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in St. Augustine, Fla. at World Golf Village, home of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Its mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf. Since its inception in 1997, The First Tee has introduced the game of golf and its values to more than 3.5 million participants in 50 states, 3,500 elementary schools and four international locations – Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and Singapore. Former President George H. W. Bush serves as honorary chairman. The First Tee Founding Partners are LPGA, the Masters Tournament, PGA of America, PGA TOUR and the USGA.

About Octagon Golf & Outdoors
Octagon Golf & Outdoors is a division of Octagon, the world’s largest sports and entertainment representation and marketing agency. Octagon Golf & Outdoors focuses on premium event/property management, developing key player relationships and providing strategic corporate solutions. The division currently manages two Champions Tour events, three LPGA Tour events, one Nationwide Tour event and the Toyota Texas Bass Classic. For more information, visit www.octagongolf.com.

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