Cotton Rohrscheib

help of my dad and Helena National Bank I started my own soybean row crop operation in Oneida, Arkansas. Having always had a passion for computers I started CCCS, Inc. in the off-season of 1995 and became an IBM Certified Partner. I also taught myself BASIC (programming language) and produced my own custom farm management / equipment maintenance software for Microsoft Windows. I eventually sold the rights to the software to another provider in the agriculture space that incorporated it into their suite of applications. I later expanded CCCS to include service & support for RMS (Retail Management System) and MOMS (Medical Office Management Systems) and supported most of the WYSE terminal clients in the mid-south at some time or another. In 1996, I became one of the first ISP’s (Internet Service Providers) in the mid-south to offer 33.6kps service when I partnered with IPA (Internet Partners of America). IPA would eventually become an early acquisition of Earthlink (before IT acquisitions were commonplace). During this partnership I helped install one of the first commercial ISDN connections in the area. I joined Asset Management Group to become their CTO (chief technology officer) in 2001 and relocated to Fairfield Bay, Arkansas. During my time with Asset Management Group I oversaw one of the first T1 distance learning labs in the nation and worked closely with AETN (Arkansas Educational Television Network). It was also during my spare time at Asset Management Group that I formed Powersite, a web design and development company. In the beginning Powersite provided exclusive service to the clients of Utility Media, a managed hosting company also headquartered in Fairfield Bay. In 2002, I acquired Webworks, Inc. and entered the managed hosting business on my own. By 2004, Powersite had several hundred clients and was named as “Best in Business” by Arkansas Business magazine. As a side project while learning HTML & PHP, I launched The Protein Store in 2002. This unique, early e-commerce website catered to the growing Atkin’s “low-carb” community. Being at the right place at the right time and being an early adopter of Overture advertising platform I would eventually grow the business to have several thousand users. This allowed me to sell the site in 2003 to a larger player in the industry when I had lost interest. Also, in 2002 I became the CTO for Outsource, LLC, a United States Virgin Islands based corporation that provided service to many businesses located in the USVI. I also oversaw the launch of Outsource Records, LLC, a subsidiary of Outsource, LLC, and had the privilege of handling the creative and marketing for their first album. While working with Outsource I had the opportunity to work with a wide variety of clients including Fortune 500 Companies, NASCAR Drivers such as Joe Nemechek & Sterling Marlin, and eventually I won the United States Virgin Island’s business and developed the official website for their Lt. With Powersite continuing to grow I decided to bring on partners and co-founded Pleth, LLC in 2004 with Greg and Stephen Smart of Batesville, Arkansas. We started off as a hosting provider that did simple HTML (non-dynamic) projects but would eventually become an award-winning, full-service, creative agency that provided not only web design but also development, managed hosting, business class email solutions, social media consulting, graphic design, and print production. In 2014 we celebrated our 10th year in business together. In 2014, I also began consulting with a new agri-tech startup, Grainster, and became friends with Layne Fortenberry. Over time I discovered that the start-up had a tremendous amount of potential to make the American Farmer more profitable and revolutionize the grain trading and logistics industries so I was immediately on board with the project. Over the fall & winter months of 2014-2015 I helped establish the groundwork that would eventually become the Grainster Ecosphere. In 2015 I became the COO of Grainster and began operating full-time in that capacity. In 2015 I also co-founded another start-up, Discountabetes, with a group of friends who had prior success in the healthcare industry. This new venture is built around the innovative new Embrace blood glucose meter that was developed by my partner, Jeff Weeks. This new meter offers consumers improved accuracy in their testing as well as very competitive pricing for their testing supplies –which typically are out of pocket expenses not covered by most insurance providers. Aside from my work in the business world I have also been appointed to and served on numerous boards of directors over the years. In addition to holding multiple director positions for organizations I also served as the President of a state-funded association. I’ve also served in a customer advisory role for a publicly traded company in the IT industry. In 2013 and 2014 I received SKYWARN® Storm Spotter Training from the National Weather Service. In 2014 my storm chasing team intercepted an F5 / F4 tornado near Mayflower, Arkansas and miscalculated our position. We miraculously walked away after taking a direct hit from an EF4 / EF5 tornado. Just the mere thought of never seeing my wife and son again was enough for me to retire from storm chasing completely. Our video from the storm would eventually go viral and serve as a “what not to do” for storm chasers around the world. I’m also a member of the FEMA / OEM C.E.R.T. (Community Emergency Response Team) of Faulkner County. I also became an ordained minister in 2013. In 2016 I joined Farmers Business Network and have been tasked w/ the expansion of FBN products & services in the mid-south. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please visit: http://cotton.buzz