NW Arkansas Talent Showcase (April 2024)

In the spirit of March Madness, some of you may remember that the University of Michigan men's basketball team was home to the Fab Five. For those who don't, many consider the Fab Five as one of the greatest recruiting classes of all-time. This month, we are excited to introduce you to our Fab Four: Cory Boelkins, Cornelious “Corrie” Mulder, Bryan Guarino and Jonathan Liles. Any recruiter or employer would be lucky to connect with this kind of talent!

The Fab Four Members of April's Talent Showcase

Corey Boelkens - Field of Interest: Tech Collaboration and Data Science

Corey Boelkens' professional journey is marked by innovation, leadership, and a lifelong commitment to Arkansas. Growing up in Mountain Home and now residing in Central Arkansas, Corey's roots run deep in the Natural State. His career began with a national championship in robotics during high school, professional and real-world roles and experiences found while attending and matriculating from the University of Arkansas, followed by impactful roles at Acxiom and the entrepreneurial success of tech startup RaftUp.?

RaftUp's major achievements included delivering a next-gen 911 service to recreational boaters, providing discounts on boat insurance, pioneering mobile and on-the-water food delivery, and developing an interactive app for the Miami International Boat Show in record time. Corey's expertise in data analytics, CRM, and AI tools is complemented by his passion for community involvement and the great outdoors. Alongside his professional pursuits, he is dedicated to family, coaching introductory youth basketball, and exploring Arkansas's waterways through fishing, diving, and underwater filming. Corey's unique blend of technical skills, local engagement, and outdoor interests make him an ideal candidate for any forward-thinking organization looking to promote Arkansas as a place to live and work.

Corrie Mulder - Field of Interest: Change Management

Cornelius (Corrie) Mulder is a seasoned professional with a rich tapestry of experiences in spearheading organizational development and driving transformative change across diverse industries. Born in Africa, he has a passion for helping people reach their full potential. He immigrated to the United States in 2023 and settled in Northwest Arkansas. With over two decades of experience spanning various leadership roles, Corrie has emerged as a driving force behind organizational excellence. Starting his journey as a career officer in the South African Army, Corrie honed his leadership skills in challenging environments while navigating complexities with resilience and strategic foresight. From being a tactical communications officer to becoming Senior Staff Officer, Corrie led with distinction, as well as, earned accolades for developing change management strategies, and fostered a culture of innovation. While it was a seamless transition into the corporate arena, Corrie embarked on a journey marked by innovation and impactful leadership. As the CEO at Nala Business Consulting, he demonstrated an innate ability to navigate change and drove initiatives that streamlined operations that resulted in optimal resource utilization for numerous clients in the private and public sector.?

Corrie's tenure as project manager in Vista University culminated in a world class IT platform and created internships for young Black graduates. As a project manager in LEARNEX Training he showcased unwavering commitment to nurturing talent and fostering a culture of continuous learning. With a visionary mindset and a transformative leadership style, Corrie embodies the essence of organizational excellence, paving the way for a future defined by innovation, collaboration, and unparalleled success. In his private life he is a family man that loves spending time with his wife Magda, of 44 years, their children and his grandchildren. He is an avid rugby supporter of the Blue Bulls franchise in Africa, and, of course, world champion Springboks. He spent years as a part-time pastor, dean of a Bible College and served the Gideon’s International.

Bryan Guarino - Field of Interest: Community Engagement

Bryan Guarino is a hard driven entrepreneur with a talent for developing creative teams that thrive under pressure. Bryan began his career in the United States Marine Corps and continued his service in the Arkansas Army National Guard. Afterwards, Bryan brought his talents to Walmart’s Corporate Security team and shortly after, developed a well-rounded Compliance program for The Releaf Center.

Bryan earned his Bachelors of Science degree from Full Sail University, exposing him to a much broader scope of creative business opportunities. Since earning his degree, Bryan has worked on and led several creative projects from hosting live events, public speaking, podcasting, artist branding, acting, writing musicals and performing on several of Arkansas’s stages.

You can usually find Bryan behind a drum kit jamming with his fellow musicians, at a live show, theatre performance, or out in nature enjoying the beautiful Arkansas scenery with his daughter.

Jonathan Liles - Field of Interest: Data Science

Jonathan is data-driven with a knack for both exploring possibilities and evaluating strategies. His passion for leveraging technology for insights was evident in competitions like the Information Systems Game Day Analytics Challenge and the DOMO Hackathon, where he analyzed large datasets and crafted actionable insights using Python and DOMO. Jonathan's talent for data visualization and presentation became clear as he provided valuable insights to judges and stakeholders alike.

Beyond his technical abilities, Jonathan's leadership skills were honed during his tenure at Chipotle as the Assistant General Manager, where he oversaw daily operations, managed teams, and achieved diverse objectives. Jonathan took the “Working Genius” test.? A tool designed to identify what brings individuals joy and passion in the workplace. Jonathan’s areas of “Working Genius” are Wonder and Discernment. With wonder, Jonathan is naturally gifted at and derives energy and joy from pondering the possibility of greater potential and opportunity in a given situation. With discernment, Jonathan is naturally gifted at and derives energy and joy from using his intuition and instincts to evaluate and assess ideas or plans.

Jonathan and his wife share a love for outdoor activities like camping, hiking, and mountain biking. As they plan to relocate to Arkansas, Jonathan looks forward to new challenges and opportunities.

If you are looking for talent, we hope you will reach out and consider opening your doors to these bright and capable individuals.

If you would like us to facilitate an intro or know someone who might be interested in connecting with this talent, visit and/or share this link with them: https://people.getro.com/app/shared-lists/talent-showcase

If you would like to be featured in a future showcase, we invite you to join the Northwest Arkansas Talent Network and reach out to Justin Stewart, MBA on Linkedin or via email at [email protected]

Wishing you a year filled with growth and success,

Justin Stewart, MBA and Aron Shelton, Talent Initiatives Team at Northwest Arkansas Council

Previous Showcases:

• March 2024 Talent Showcase
• February 2024 Talent Showcase
• January 2024 Talent Showcase