December 2014
Women In Business Congratulations to the 2014 women in business
Convention and Visitors Bureau digital campaign targets area shoppers
2014 Women in Business honorees, from left: Melissa Britton, Conway Management Inc.; Chasity Campbell, Abundant Wellness/Bodyworks Spa; Lori Case Melton, Arvest Bank – Diamond Achievement Award recipient; Tess Fletcher, Children’s Advocacy Alliance; and Lori Ross Scroggin, Conway Regional Health System.
The Conway Area Chamber of Commerce’s third annual Women in Business Awards, presented by the University of Central Arkansas Foundation and Simmons Bank, honored individuals in the Conway area who have excelled in leadership and community service and who have inspired others on both a personal and professional level. Each year, four individuals receive the “Outstanding Woman in Business Award,” sponsored by Conway Corporation and Southwestern Energy. This year’s Outstanding Women in Business winners are Melissa Britton of Conway Management Inc., Chasity Campbell of Abundant Wellness/Bodyworks Spa, Tess Fletcher of Children’s Advocacy Alliance and Lori Ross Scroggin of Conway Regional
Health System. The honorees embody high standards of excellence, dedication and accomplishment to their respective organizations, industries and to the business community. The “Diamond Achievement Award” is presented to an individual with at least 25 years of professional experience. This award recognizes a woman who has inspired and empowered many generations of women and who has had a positive impact on those in her profession and in the community. Fletcher Smith’s Jewelers awards the Diamond Achievement Award recipient with a diamond-studded pendant featuring the Conway “C.” Lori Case Melton of Arvest Bank is the 2014 Diamond Achievement Award winner.
Melton is vice president of business development at Arvest Bank and worked for Centennial Bank for 13 years. The Arkansas Bank Marketing Association named Melton “Bank Marketer of the Year” in 1999 and again in 2007. She is the only banker ever to have received the award twice. Chamber of commerce and association executives from Brownwood, Texas; Dallas, Texas; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Atlanta, Georgia, selected the 2014 award recipients. This year’s guest speaker, sponsored by Acxiom, was Sonja Yates Hubbard, CEO of E-Z Mart Stores. Hubbard spoke about “Diversity, Adversity and Connections” and
WOMEN IN BUSINESS < 4D
As the holiday shopping season officially kicked off last month, thousands of central Arkansas residents got a digital reminder of all Conway has to offer. Last month more than 13,000 households in Beebe, Cabot, Maumelle, Searcy and Russellville were targeted with a Facebook marketing campaign highlighting Conway holiday shopping options. The campaign was made possible through a new partnership the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce has with Acxiom. “For the first time we’re able to execute fairly sophisticated digital marketing campaigns in-house,” said Jamie Gates Senior Vice President of the Conway Area Chamber. “Reaching out to our targets through Facebook gave us instant feedback and a much higher con-
DIGITAL < 2D
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Faulkner County Business Journal
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DIGITAL from 1D
A CVB sponsored Facebook campaign persuaded area shoppers to shop Conway for the holidays
version rate.” The Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) campaign targeted women within the trade area of a certain income who had children in the house. Only individuals within the trade area, but outside of Faulkner County were shown the ads. The trade area was defined as west of Lake Dardanelle, north of Greers Ferry, south of Lake Maumelle and along highway 67/167 from Cabot to Bald Knob. “We felt like that was our “perfect customer” for a holiday shopping promotion” said Gates. For the last several years the CVB has done a back-to-school and a
holiday direct mail campaign. Gates says that this year’s digital campaign will complement
“We own that data. We will continue to use it off-line, through the mail, and online in places like Facebook.” rather than replace the former mail strategy. “We
own that data. We will continue to use it off-line, through the mail, and on-line in places like Facebook.” During the five day promotion, the CVB Facebook page got approximately 1,000 new “likes.” The promotion included a $500 holiday shopping spree giveaway in the form of a cash card. As the posts were “liked” or “shared” individuals became eligible to win. Gates said that the goal of the campaign was to create ongoing digital relationships for the CVB so that events and promotions beyond backto-school and Christmas could be promoted throughout the year.
Tour Group visits NYC through Chamber, Collette Vacations A group of Arkansas travelers experienced The Big Apple Dec. 1-5 on a five-day guided tour by Collette Vacations. The Conway Area Chamber of Commerce offered the all-inclusive excursion through Collette – an international tour, cruise and vacation agency. Through the partnership, the Chamber is able
to provide locals with a hassle-free travel opportunity at a group rate. Collette Vacations is a familyowned business offering 150 tours to destinations on all seven continents. Led by a professional tour manager, the group took a sightseeing tour in Manhattan to the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Central Park, the
9/11 memorial and other world-renowned landmarks. Attendees experienced the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall, a showing of Disney’s “Aladdin” on Broadway, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Times Square, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, and shopping on The tour group consisted of (Row 1, from left) Adena White, Glenda Hall, Mary Caroline Grimes, Laura Grimes, and Kathryn Fifth Avenue. Weaver; Row 2: Kaye Talley, Ronnie Hall, and Donna Zurborg; and Row 3: Linda Paxton, Stephanie Talley, and Donna Boxley.
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Hendrix to Meet All Financial Need for Arkansas Students
Photo by Mike Kemp
EDITORIAL
An overdue thank you
Last month, at the age of 97, longtime Conway businessman and philanthropist Felton O’Kelley died. Mr. O’Kelley built several successful businesses and served on a number of local civic and charitable boards. Any of those contributions are worthy of lengthy discussion. But we want to share a story about one single decision, made by Mr. O’Kelley alone, that permanently changed the course of Conway’s economic future. Mr. O’Kelley’s early professional successes were in the concrete and construction trades. One day in the early 1960’s, he was contacted by an outof-state team of surveyors and engineers. It seems that the very
public and political discussions of exactly where to put interstate 40 had been discretely and quietly made. These surveyors needed concrete markers to designate the centerline through the thenundeveloped route. Mr. O’Kelley’s business was the logical local vendor. So understand, that for a brief moment in time, Felton O’Kelley had the means and opportunity to singularly capitalize on this priceless information. The only thing standing in the way was his own darned civic-mindedness. You see—Mr. O’Kelley served on the Conway Development Corporation (CDC) board. That still-young organization was in the midst of discussing how to best provide for Con-
way’s economic future. Rather than personally profit from his “insider knowledge” Mr. O’Kelley advised the board that an industrial park adjacent the new interstate would give Conway a huge head start towards recruiting manufacturers. You can probably figure out the rest of the story. The CDC did develop that industrial park. It was the first one in Arkansas to be owned by a non-profit for the benefit of the community. And it was and is a success by any measure. But for a brief window of time 50 years ago, all that success hung in the balance as a good man chose to put his community’s prosperity above his own.
CONWAY, Ark. (December 8, 2014) – Arkansas high school students will now have 100 percent of their financial need covered to attend Hendrix College, thanks to the Hendrix Arkansas Advantage. The new program is now available for Arkansas high school seniors enrolling at Hendrix in the fall 2015 semester. “Hendrix has always been a place for Arkansas students to have a worldclass liberal arts experience in their home state, and we always should be,” said Hendrix President Bill Tsutsui. “We should never, ever, be out of reach for Arkansas students.” The Hendrix Arkansas Advantage is for Arkansas high school seniors who have a 3.6 or higher GPA and who have a 27 ACT or above or 1200 SAT (excluding Writing) or above. The program will
meet students’ demonstrated financial need through all forms of financial assistance, including merit scholarships, needbased grants, federal and state grants, federal student loans and student employment. “We know that cost is a critical issue for students choosing a college, and many students and families assume that a private college is prohibitively expensive,” Tsutsui said. “But when you consider the financial aid we offer and our four-year graduation rate, Hendrix is a very good investment for Arkansas students and families. And the Hendrix Arkansas Advantage is the best investment we can make in those students and in our state.” For more information on Hendrix Arkansas Advantage, call 501-450-1362 or
HENDRIX < 4D
top residential home sales, December
Price.......... Address............... Bed/Bath........ Subdivision.............SQFT....... $/SQ FT.......Built
$650,000..........1605 Stanley Russ Road....5/5/1....................... None...................................... 7500............ $86.67................2000 $496,000..........4605 Sawgrass Cove..........5/5/0....................... Centennial Valley.................... 4597............ $107.90..............2000 $461,500..........1735 Centennial Club........5/4/1....................... Centennial Valley.................... 4720............ $97.78................1998 $431,600..........16 Edge Hill........................4/3/0....................... Ridge Point............................ 3240............ $133.21..............2014 $375,000..........830 Reynolds Ave...............3/2/1....................... The Village at Hendrix............. 2300............ $163.04..............2013
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WOMEN IN BUSINESS from 1D
HENDRIX from 3D
her family’s legacy. Her father, Jim Yates, founded the privately held, family owned and operated company in 1970. Before becoming CEO of E-Z Mart, Hubbard, a certified public ac-
visit www.hendrix.edu/arkansasadvantage. Founded in 1876, Hendrix College is a national leader in engaged liberal arts and sciences education. This year, Hendrix was named the country’s #1 “Up and Coming” liberal arts college and #8 in the nation for “Best Undergraduate Teaching” by U.S. News and World Report. Hendrix is featured in the 2015 Fiske Guide
countant, worked for the chain for 27 years as assistant controller, controller and chief financial officer. Twenty high school seniors and their counselors representing
to Colleges, Forbes magazine’s list of America’s Top Colleges, the 2014 Princeton Review’s The Best 378 Colleges, and the latest edition of Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think about Colleges. Hendrix has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. For more information, visit www.hendrix.edu. via Hendrix.edu
E-Z Mart CEO Sonja Yates Hubbard spoke about “Diversity, Adversity, and Connections” at the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2014 Women in Business event.
Lori Case Melton of Arvest Bank received the 2014 Diamond Achievement Award.
Conway High School, Greenbrier High School, Vilonia High School, St. Joseph Catholic School, Conway Christian High School and Guy Perkins High School were invited to attend the event, which was made possible by Textbook Brokers. The campus bookstore, which has more than 60 locations around the United States, gave
each student attending a $100 textbook voucher to be used at any of their stores. Everyone attending Women in Business received scented candles from Park Hill Home and UCA Bear magnets. For more information about Women in Business, visit ConwayChamber.org/Women-InBusiness.
Chamber releases 2015 “Blueprint” The Conway Area Chamber of Commerce recently released their 2015 “Blueprint.” The Blueprint is the schedule and program of work for all chamber sponsorships and advertising. “As area businesses make decisions about how to best identify consumers, recognize leaders and build new relationships we hope they will look toward the Blueprint for direction,” said Brad Lacy Con-
way Area Chamber of Commerce CEO. “The Blueprint also offers our members one stop for a calendar year’s worth of events.” The 2015 Blueprint identifies 13 events hosted by the chamber and 4 channels of traditional advertising. If your business is interested in participating in the 2015 suite of chamber programming please contact Lindsay Henderson at 501.327.7788.
Hendrix Village Adds New Commercial, Residential Space McKennon Building mixed-use development to open late spring 2015 CONWAY, Ark. (December 4, 2014) – The Village at Hendrix, LLC and Conway realty group J.C. Thornton & Co. are jointly developing the McKennon Building. The new 15,000 square foot mixed-use space, along Harkrider in The Village at Hendrix, will include two two-story buildings with five commercial bays to accommodate small offices and 11 one-bedroom apartments on the upper floor. The 1,300-sq.-ft. office spaces will be geared toward business professionals, such as attorneys, financial advisors and insurance represen-
tatives. The new offices of J.C. Thornton & Co. will also be located in the McKennon Building. “The McKennon Buildings will serve a need for high quality small office space in The Village and downtown Conway and continue to build on The Village’s commitment to providing spaces to work, live and play.” said Ward Davis, Chief Executive Officer for the Village at Hendrix. Construction on the new project began in October and will be completed by late spring 2015. For leasing information, contact Ward Davis at 501-4994000 or davisw@thevillageathendrix.com.
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Faulkner County businesses eligible for “digital economy” assessments
Therese Pollard
Therese Pollard named Chamber’s director of events The Conway Area Chamber of Commerce has hired Therese Pollard as director of events. Pollard is responsible for the planning and execution of select Chamber events, including Academic Signing Day, Bowling for Business, Teacher Breakfast & Education Fair, Minority Enterprise Development Awards Gala, Business After Hours, and CEO Luncheons. “I am thrilled to welcome Therese to the Chamber. I believe our members will find her a joy to work with,” said Lindsay Henderson, senior vice president of Chamber operations. “The Chamber hosts a number of events throughout the year, so it was important to hire someone who was thorough, creative and people driven. We have found that with Therese.” Pollard was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but spent most of her childhood in Arkansas after her parents relocated
Connect Arkansas, a project of the Arkansas Capital Corporation Group, recently announced an exciting initiative to assist businesses in Vilonia and Mayflower – communities affected by the April tornadoes – with special assistance to help its businesses better compete. In conjunction with broadband research firm Strategic Networks Group (SNG), Connect Arkansas is providing Faulkner county businesses – including Vilonia and Mayflower – with the opportunity to participate in the Small Business Growth Program, which provides one-of-a-kind resourc-
es and customized guidance on the benefits of increased Internet usage. The Small Business Growth Program helps businesses understand what meaningful and expanded Internet utilization could mean for their business. Participating local businesses that take an online self-assessment will receive invaluable business intelligence in the form of a roadmap to driving revenues and reducing costs. SNG has surveyed tens of thousands of businesses across the nation regarding their Internet use and accompanying financial benefits, which allows SNG to compare how a Faulkner
county business is leveraging broadband’s benefits in comparison to their peers and competitors. For example, a participating manufacturer with 10 employees will receive a customized report that shows the top three Internet applications (in terms of revenue and cost benefits) that they should be undertaking – along with the average financial impact their peers are realizing. In addition, Connect Arkansas is conducting a statewide study of smalland medium-sized (less than 100 employees) businesses to develop strategies to improve Arkansas businesses ability to compete in an increas-
ingly digital economy. “We’ve found that small businesses across North America are typically slow to adopt Internet applications,” said Doug Adams, vice president of communications for SNG. “Research in more than 10 states shows us time and again that small businesses either don’t understand how Internet applications are relevant to their business or lack the will to take the time to deploy them. We’re thrilled to be able to help Vilonia, Mayflower and Faulkner county rebound using best practices of Internet utilization.”
to Cherokee Village. She moved to Conway in 2003 to attend school at the University of Central ArTo take the survey visit www. kansas, where she gradconnect-arkansas.org/survey uated with a bachelor’s degree in English Education. Prior to her role at the Chamber, Pollard worked in UCA’s Division of International Engagement as international partnerships coordinator. She began working for the division nearly seven years ago as a graduate assistant while she pursued a master’s degree in English. She became a fulltime employee in 2009. “I am so proud to have the opportunity to work with the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce and be part of a team of such creative and dedicated people,” Pollard said. “After living in Conway for the past 11 years, I have witnessed tremendous growth; now I feel very fortunate to be a part of the continued develop- Carolers from Arvest Bank’s Conway locations sang a collection of holiday favorites during the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Christmas Open House. The event took place Thursday, Dec. 11, from 2 to 4 p.m. ment of our great city.”
Christmas Open House
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Faulkner County Business Journal
EconomyGlance Unemployment Rate
Free women’s self-defense class offered Dec. 20
With a goal to make the community safer one woman at a time, Grandmaster Han’s Martial Arts is offering free self-defense classes to women who work for or represent businesses and organizations that are members of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce. Master Tom Mullaney of Grandmaster Han’s Martial Arts will lead the self-defense class on Saturday, Dec. 20, from 10 a.m. until noon. The class will take place
at Grandmaster Han’s Martial Arts Academy, located at 1216 Harkrider Street in Conway. The next class is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 24, from 10 a.m. until noon. Mullaney began offering the free, monthly selfdefense classes in November and plans to schedule additional classes throughout 2015.
Reservations are available by calling 501-2912HAN (2426) or emailing gmh@conwaycorp.net.
*Tax Rate 0.5%
October Seasonally Adjusted US.................................................. 5.8% Arkansas........................................ 6.0% Not Seasonally Adjusted US.................................................. 5.5% Arkansas........................................ 5.1% Faulkner County .......................... 4.7% Conway.......................................... 4.6%
Restaurant Sales*
Sales Tax Collections Conway* September 2014..................................$2,033,168 2013..................................$1,883,448 Percent Change 7.9%
Annual Sales 2013.............................$164,989,586 2012.............................$161,318,563 Percent Change 2.3% *Including mixed drink sales
Year to Date (September) 2014............................... $17,172,646 2013............................... $17,134,076 Percent Change 0.23% Annual 2013............................... $23,235,891 2012............................... $22,944,163 Percent Change 1.3% *Tax Rate 1.75% Faulkner County* September 2014.....................................$770,904 2013.....................................$713,845 Percent Change 8.0%
October 2014............................... $15,168,828 2013............................... $13,776,844 Percent Change 4.3% Year to Date (October) 2014.............................$146,394,579 2013.............................$137,798,641 Percent Change 9.9%
Hotel Sales October 2014..................................$1,667,415 2013..................................$1,473,429 Percent Change 13.2% Year to Date (October) 2014............................... $16,668,285 2013............................... $16,225,500 Percent Change 2.5% Annual Sales 2013............................... $18,556,911 2012............................... $18,683,676 Percent Change -0.7%
Conway Building Permits
Year to Date (September) 2014..................................$6,467,132 2013..................................$6,371,070 Percent Change 1.5%
Single Family Homes Year to Date (November) 2014..................................108 Permits 2013..................................131 Permits Percent Change -17.6%
Annual 2013..................................$8,588,835 2012..................................$8,465,686 Percent Change 1.5%
Annual 2013..................................147 Permits 2012..................................186 Permits 2011..................................153 Permits Percent Change 2013-2012 -21.0%
Average Construction Cost* Year to Date (November) 2014.....................................$223,843 2013.....................................$229,029 Percent Change -2.3%% Annual 2013.....................................$228,275 2012.....................................$207,537 2011.................................... $204,387 Percent Change 2013-2012 10.0% *Not including land or lot improvements Average Square Footage* Year to date (November) 2014............................................2,929 2013............................................3,022 Percent Change -3.1% Annual 2013............................................3,002 2012............................................2,910 2011............................................2,814 Percent Change 2013-2012 3.2% Average Construction Cost Per Square Foot* Year to Date (November) 2014..........................................$76.35 2013..........................................$75.79 Percent Change 0.7% Annual 2013..........................................$76.04 2012..........................................$71.33 2011..........................................$72.64 Percent Change 8i2013-2012 6.6%% * Total under roof
2013............................... $14,448,801 Percent Change -10.6% Annual 2013............................... $17,038,277 2012............................... $16,943,909 Percent Change 0.6% Total State November 2014............................... $30,324,768 2013............................... $31,820,221 Percent Change -4.7% Year to Date (November) 2014.............................$367,782,002 2013.............................$397,947,716 Percent Change -7.6% Annual 2013.............................$432,932,799 2012 ............................$452,245,215 Percent Change -4.3%
Natural Gas Severance Tax Distribution Conway Year to Date (November) 2014.....................................$340,198 2013.....................................$255,027 Percent Change 33.4% Annual 2013.....................................$276,523 2012.....................................$162,523 Percent Change 70.2%
Lottery Sales
Faulkner County Year to Date (November) 2014.....................................$277,131 2013.....................................$207,002 Percent Change 33.9%
Faulkner County* November 2014..................................$1,062,464 2013..................................$1,139,563 Percent Change -6.8%
Annual 2013.....................................$224,455 2012.....................................$131,418 Percent Change 70.8%
Year to Date (November) 2014............................... $12,918,321
Information provided by Pulse of Conway
Chamber Resource Guide Available Online The Conway Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2015 community profile and resource guide is now available at ConwayChamber.org. Conway+ is the theme of the 2015 quality-oflife and local reference publication. It will be available in print in the coming weeks. The Chamber
sends the guide by direct mail to prospective residents and companies that contact the Chamber about relocating to Conway, households of a qualifying income relocating within Conway’s traditional trade area, and high-income households in Conway and surrounding communities.