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CAT Squared has been named a finalist for the 33rd 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 industry focus. Other manufacturing software solutions have been developed for other industries like aerospace or mining and then re-engineered to fit food production processes. Our company has only worked in the food industry, so our software solutions are designed specifically for specialized processes unique to food production.”

All finalists will be recognized at the Annual Arkansas Business of the Year Awards Banquet on Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at the Robinson Center Ballroom in Little Rock. During the banquet, a winner will be announced in each of 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 strategic marketing professional with a passion for leveraging data-driven storytelling, process optimization, and digital transformation to support the food processing industry. As the Marketing Manager at CAT Squared since 2015, she develops content that educates meat and poultry processors on emerging technologies, regulatory compliance, and industry best practices to help them navigate an evolving landscape. With expertise in Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), traceability, and automation, Kathy ensures that CAT Squared’s solutions remain adaptable to industry advancements, including real-time data collection, IoT integration, and food safety enhancements. She stays engaged with industry developments, formerly participating in blockchain learning initiatives associated with Blockchain for Arkansas (BC4AR). Kathy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Professional and Technical Writing (magna cum laude) with minors in Sociology and Information Technology, as well as an MBA from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR). Prior to joining CAT Squared, she applied her skills in data analysis and stakeholder engagement to support nonprofit organizations in defining objectives, measuring program impact, and enhancing community outreach.