Commerce Arkansas is hopping. Arkansas Business named its three CFOs of the year; Windstream CEO Jeff Gardner provided the luncheon keynote address, and several hundred Arkansas business leaders are perusing the exhibits and networking pavilions at the Statehouse Convention Center in downtown Little Rock.

In the morning session, Little Rock commercial real-estate magnate Hank Kelley offered his take on the current environment. While it included its share of gloom and doom — nationwide, the commercial real estate market is down 26 percent with another 14 to go, he said — Kelley offered a glimpse of the silver lining.

Windstream announced a major acquisition this morning, and it just so happens Windstream CEO Jeff Gardner is providing the luncheon address.