Arcane Industries Announces Leadership Changes and Strategic Investments to Support Customer Growth

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (May 19, 2025) – Arcane Industries (“Arcane”), an Arkansas-based, privately-held manufacturer of plastic products, recently completed several leadership changes alongside a series of strategic investments from existing shareholders to support customer growth. Aventurine Partners, Ford Family Holdings, and their respective affiliates led the investment.

As part of a series of leadership changes, Michael Hickmon, Founder and CEO of Arcane, has stepped down as CEO and transitioned out of his leadership role to focus full-time on building Hix Capital, an investment firm focused on the industrials sector. “This is a strategic next step for me,” said Hickmon. “Arcane has been an incredible journey. I will always be a champion of the business and the incredible team behind it.”

Arcane will continue operating under the leadership of its growing executive team and its Board of Directors. Scott T. Ford will join the Board and fill the seat vacated by Hickmon. A joint statement from the Board of Directors said “we thank Michael for his contributions to Arcane and wish him well in his future endeavors. We believe in, and look forward to building on, his founding vision for consolidation in the plastics manufacturing industry, pairing sustainable practices and efficiency gains to old-line industrial systems.”

Arcane also announced the addition of Jess Cole as Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Cole joined Arcane in February, bringing extensive experience in corporate finance, strategic planning, and capital structuring. Before joining Arcane Industries, he served as CFO at Nacero, Inc., where he led capital raises, financial operations, commercial structuring, and sustainability initiatives. His background also includes leadership roles in investment banking and corporate finance at Jefferies Group and Cadence Bank. He holds an MBA in Finance from Columbia Business School and a BBA in Finance with a minor in Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin.

“With a strong track record of driving financial growth and managing complex transactions, Mr. Cole is well-positioned to lead our financial strategy and support the Company’s continued expansion,” the Board statement continued.

Finally, Arcane is pleased to announce the promotion of Shea Halligan to Chief Strategy Officer. Mr. Halligan has been a key leader at Arcane since 2023, and contributed to several of the Company’s recent acquisitions and attendant integration initiatives. Prior to Arcane, Mr. Halligan served in a series of strategic and financial leadership roles at Westrock Coffee Company and Westrock Asset Management. Mr. Halligan holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Arkansas and a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Arkansas.

“Mr. Halligan’s promotion reflects his valuable contributions to Arcane and his broader leadership in the Little Rock business community. We are pleased with the depth of leadership in the organization, and look forward to supporting the Company in its continued growth objectives.” concluded the Board’s statement.