CAT Squared has been named a finalist for the 34th Annual Arkansas Business of the Year Awards, which recognizes the state’s top businesses, nonprofits, and executives.

“We are honored to be recognized for our contribution to Arkansas’s economy and for excellence in our field,” said CAT Squared’s CEO Vernon Smith. “We attribute our success to our outstanding team and our unique understanding of how to drive continuous improvement in food manufacturing. Many of our team members come from the food industry with specialized experience in process engineering, business knowledge, and industry best practices.”

All finalists will be recognized at the Annual Arkansas Business of the Year Awards Banquet on Wednesday, March 9, 2022 at the DoubleTree Ballroom in Little Rock. During the banquet, a winner will be announced in each of the four business categories. A complete list of finalists is available on the Arkansas Business Publishing Group’s website.

Vernon Smith and Stef Schoeman, CAT Squared’s founders, grew up on family farms in South Africa where they attended university studying electronic engineering, computer science, and business economics. They came to the U.S. and founded CAT Squared in 1995 to compete on an international scale. Today, our customers span 6 continents and include 60% of the top 50 meat and poultry companies in North America, 3 out of the top 5 American egg producers, and 1 of Europe’s leading food processors.

Kathy Barbeire

Written by Kathy Barbeire

Kathy Barbeire is a seasoned professional with a strong track record in leveraging new technology, data analysis, and storytelling to drive organizational success. As the marketing manager at CAT Squared since 2015, Kathy stays updated on industry trends to ensure our products remain adaptable to evolving standards and prepares our customers for disruptive technologies. She actively participates in a blockchain learning group associated with Blockchain for Arkansas (BC4AR), an initiative led by Governor Asa Hutchinson. Kathy's expanding knowledge and expertise enable her to create informative content that educates our supply chain partners and helps them navigate upcoming transitions. Kathy's educational background includes graduating magna cum laude from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) with a Bachelor of Arts degree in professional and technical writing, along with double minors in sociology and information technology. She later completed the MBA program at UALR. Prior to joining CAT Squared, Kathy applied her passion for data-driven storytelling to assist nonprofits in defining goals, tracking program metrics, and engaging donors and community stakeholders. She served as a program manager at the Our House Homeless Shelter in Little Rock and later at The Salvation Army Central Arkansas Area Command.