Conway Area Chamber of Commerce 2014 Annual Report

2014 ISSUE

TALES OF

NO. 1

CONWAY

ANNUAL REVIEW

D i st i n g u i s h e d Service Awards STEVEN STRANGE SR. & LINDA TYLER

Business of the Year O u t st a n d i n g N o n p r o fi t FAULKNER COUNTY COUNCIL ON AGING

Good Neighbor Award DEBRA ROBINSON

O u t st a n d i n g R e t a i l e r

TODD ROSS, PREFERRED MEDICAL

L a r g e E m p l o y e r (1 0 0 o r m o r e e m p l o y e e s)

DANNY PATEL, COUNTRY INN AND SUITES

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CONWAY MANAGEMENT INC.

Business Executive of the Year

Young Business Leader of the Year

2014 CONWAY CHAMBER ANNUAL REVIEW

O u t st a n d i n g H o s p i t a li t y

BELL & SWARD

CONWAY REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM & KLAASMEYER CONSTRUCTION

S m a l l B u s i n e s s (9 9 o r f e w e r e m p l o y e e s) ARKANSAS EYE CARE GROUP & ARKANSAS ROOFING KOMPANY/ EQUINOX OUTDOOR CONCEPTS

Ribbon Cuttings & Groundbr eakings 2014 WAS A BIG YEAR FOR BUSINESS IN CONWAY. THERE WERE OVER 100 RIBBON CUTTINGS AND GROUNDBREAKINGS ORGANIZED THROUGH THE CHAMBER.

Business EXPO & T A ST E O F C O N W A Y THIS YEAR’S BUSINESS EXPO FEATURED BOOTHS FROM 118 EXHIBITORS, WITH 24 TASTE OF CONWAY PARTICIPANTS.

2014 CONWAY CHAMBER ANNUAL REVIEW

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OUR CEO LUNCHEON PROGRAM IN 2014 WAS BIGGER THAN EVER! THE LUNCHEONS, HELD AT CENTRAL BAPTIST COLLEGE, FEATURED THE FOLLOWING SPEAKERS:

CEO LUNCHEON PROGRAM

W a lt C o l e m a n , CONTROLLER, HIGHLAND DAIRY AND RETIRED NFL REFEREE PANEL WITH T h e V i l l a g e MELISSA DUNBAR-GATES

at Hendrix,

MODERATED BY

P h i li p T a p p a n , THE PURPLE COW RESTAURANTS; F r e n c h H i l l , DELTA TRUST & BANK; U m a n g P a t e l , CONWAY MANAGEMENT & HOW DO YOU ROLL?; W a r d D a v i s, THE VILLAGE AT HENDRIX

PANEL WITH

Minority Enterprise D e v e l o pm e n t

R i c h i e A r n o l d, CONWAY CORPORATION

SERICIA COLE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MOSAIC TEMPLARS CULTURAL CENTER, WAS THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER FOR THE 4TH ANNUAL AWARDS GALA. RECOGNIZED AT THE DINNER WERE:

Advocate for Opportunity Award CHARLES HOLLOWAY JR., FAULKNER COUNTY BRANCH OF THE NAACP

O u t st a n d i n g M i n o r i t y Business of the Year

O u t st a n d i n g Y o u n g Minority Professional OSMAR GARCIA, FIRST SECURITY BANK

Li f e t i m e A c h i e v e m e n t A w a r d DR. LLOYD HERVEY

SANDSTONE REAL ESTATE GROUP

Academic signing day Women in Business

FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW, THE CHAMBER HOSTED THE WOMEN IN BUSINESS LUNCHEON, WHICH RECOGNIZES OUTSTANDING WOMEN IN BUSINESS. THE 2014 AWARD RECIPIENTS WERE:

M e li s s a B r i t t o n

Tess Fletcher

CONWAY MANAGEMENT

CHILDREN’S ADVOCACY ALLIANCE

RECOGNIZING THE HARD WORK OF OUR AREA’S HIGHEST ACHIEVING HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS, ACADEMIC SIGNING DAY HONORED 28 STUDENTS IN 2014:

B o w li n g f o r BusinesS

Chasity Campbell

C o n w a y C h r i st i a n

BODYWORKS SPA & ABUNDANT WELLNESS

Lori Ross Scroggin CONWAY REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM

2014 CONWAY CHAMBER ANNUAL REVIEW

Conway High School

A FUN DAY OF NETWORKING AND TEAM BUILDING FOR OUR 36 BOWLING TEAMS!

Diamond Achievement award winner

L o r i C a s e M e lt o n ARVEST BANK 5

St. J o s e p h

22 GRADUATES

4 GRADUATES

2 GRADUATES

Diamond CONWAY A&P COMMISSION / CITY OF CONWAY CONWAY CORPORATION

Platinum CRAIN BUICK GMC / CRAIN KIA

SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY

Gold ACXIOM CORPORATION FIRST SECURITY BANK / CREWS & ASSOCIATES CONWAY REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM FIRST SERVICE BANK CRAFTON TULL REGIONS BANK CENTENNIAL BANK UCA FOUNDATION VIRCO MANUFACTURING CORPORATION

S i lv e r ARVEST BANK CENTRAL BAPTIST COLLEGE CONWAY MANAGEMENT INC. HENDRIX COLLEGE HEWLETT-PACKARD KIMBERLY-CLARK CORPORATION

LOG CABIN DEMOCRAT NABHOLZ CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION PARK HILL HOME SIMMONS FIRST NATIONAL BANK SMITH FORD SNAP-ON EQUIPMENT

B r o nz e 501 LIFE ARCARE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE, RIVER VALLEY & OZARK EDITION ARKANSAS BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD BANK OF THE OZARKS BAPTIST HEALTH BHP BILLITON CALDWELL TOYOTA COVINGTON ROOFING | COVINGTON PROPERTIES | COVINGTON CONSTRUCTION DELTA DENTAL OF ARKANSAS

2014 CONWAY CHAMBER ANNUAL REVIEW

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GARVER INTERNATIONAL PAPER JSI METAL RECYCLING MAGIE-MABREY EYE CLINIC, PA MCDONALD’S PREFERRED MEDICAL ROGERS GROUP SALTER PROPERTIES / SALTER CONSTRUCTION / METRO SQUARE TEXTBOOK BROKERS TIPTON & HURST US COMPOUNDING

C e n t r a l L a n d i n g/ Lewis Crossing

B a p t i st H E A LT H WHEN BAPTIST HEALTH BROKE GROUND ON ITS NEW CONWAY FACILITY LAST JULY, IT CEMENTED CONWAY’S ROLE AS A REGIONAL DESTINATION FOR HEALTH CARE. THE $130 MILLION, 96-BED FULL-SERVICE HOSPITAL WILL EMPLOY APPROXIMATELY 450. THE HOSPITAL WILL OPEN IN 2016.

AIRPORT

d G r a n g! n Openi

MORE THAN 30 YEARS AFTER IDENTIFYING THE NEED FOR A NEW AND EXPANDED AIRPORT, CONWAY OPENED THE NEW DENNIS F. CANTRELL FIELD IN LOLLIE BOTTOMS IN SEPTEMBER. THE $30 MILLION AIRPORT OFFERS A LONGER RUNWAY (5,500 FEET), INCREASED HANGAR SPACE, AND ADJOINING INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY FOR AVIATIONRELATED BUSINESS.

2014 CONWAY CHAMBER ANNUAL REVIEW

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CENTRAL ARKANSAS’S RETAIL LANDSCAPE WILL BE FOREVER CHANGED IN 2016 WHEN THE CENTRAL LANDING AND LEWIS CROSSING DEVELOPMENTS OPEN THEIR DOORS. THE FORMER AIRPORT AND LIVESTOCK AUCTION SITES WILL BE HOME TO NATIONALLY KNOWN BUSINESSES LIKE DILLARD’S, SAM’S CLUB, ACADEMY SPORTS AND MORE. THE PROJECTS ARE ESTIMATED TO BRING UPWARDS OF $100 MILLION IN NEW RETAIL SALES.

B o n d I s s u e P a s s e s/ Roads Improvements IT’S HARD TO GET 78% OF PEOPLE TO AGREE ON ANYTHING. BUT THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED WHEN MORE THAN 3 OUT OF 4 CONWAY VOTERS SAID YES TO $23 MILLION IN ROAD IMPROVEMENTS DURING THE SEPTEMBER BOND ELECTION. THE IMPROVEMENTS WILL DECREASE TRAFFIC ON OAK STREET AND DAVE WARD DRIVE, PROVIDE CONNECTIVITY TO THE NEW CENTRAL LANDING, AND CONNECT THE NEW SOUTHERN INTERCHANGE TO CONWAY’S LOCAL STREETS.

LAUNCH PAD WHEN MC HAMMER WAS ANNOUNCED AS A TOAD SUCK DAZE HEADLINER, FEW KNEW THAT HE WOULD BE IN TOWN FOR MORE THAN A MUSICAL PERFORMANCE. THE RAPPER TURNED TECH MOGUL ANCHORED A PANEL OF NATIONALLY RESPECTED JUDGES AT THE FIRST-EVER “LAUNCH PAD.” THE STARTUP BUSINESS PITCH COMPETITION ATTRACTED DOZENS OF APPLICANTS FROM SEVERAL STATES, ALL COMPETING FOR $15,000 IN PRIZES.

2014 CONWAY CHAMBER ANNUAL REVIEW

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BEFORE

M a r k h a m St r e e t R e d e v e l o pm e n t

A FTER

2014 CONWAY CHAMBER ANNUAL REVIEW

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IN JULY, THE CONWAY COMMUNITY GOT A FIRST LOOK AT PLANS FOR A NEW AND IMPROVED MARKHAM STREET CORRIDOR. THE GENERATIONSOLD SCRAPYARD WAS PURCHASED AND CLEANED. IT WILL ONE DAY BE HOME TO AN AMPHITHEATER. THE PLAN ALSO CALLS FOR BIKE LANES, ON-STREET PARKING, SIDEWALKS AND STREET TREES.

IF YOU’VE NOTICED THAT CONWAY AND FAULKNER COUNTY ARE GROWING ECONOMIES THAT STILL OFFER GREAT VALUE, YOU AREN’T THE ONLY ONE. A NUMBER OF NATIONAL PUBLICATIONS FROM THE WASHINGTON POST TO FORBES MAGAZINE RECOGNIZED OUR ECONOMIC SUCCESS AND SUSTAINABILITY.

#2

50 GREAT AFFORDABLE COLLEGE TOWNS IN THE U.S. GREAT VALUE COLLEGES, JUNE 2014

#4 6/2 0 0

THE BEST PLACES FOR BUSINESS AND CAREERS FORBES, JULY 2014

2014 CONWAY CHAMBER ANNUAL REVIEW

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#1

THE FASTESTGROWING LARGE CITY IN THE STATE

THE WASHINGTON POST, JUNE 2014

#3

THE MOST AFFORDABLE COLLEGE TOWNS THE SIMPLE DOLLAR, JULY 2014

#2 8/ 3 81

2014 ECONOMIC STRENGTH RANKINGS FOR METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS AND MICROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS POLICOM , JUNE 2014

A L L ST A R G A M E S FOR THE FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW, THE CVB SPONSORED THE HIGH SCHOOL ALL-STAR GAMES AND COACHES CLINIC ON CAMPUS AT UCA. EACH YEAR, THE STATE’S BEST ATHLETES FROM EIGHT SPORTS SPEND A WEEK ON CAMPUS AT UCA PREPARING FOR THE GAMES. DURING THE SAME WEEK, COACHES FROM ALL OVER THE STATE PARTICIPATE IN CLINICS AND MEETINGS.

A&P TAXES A&P TAXES WERE UP EACH MONTH OF 2014 COMPARED TO SAMEMONTH SALES FOR 2013, WITH THE HIGHEST INCREASE BEING IN AUGUST WITH TAX COLLECTIONS UP 11.27%.

2014 CONWAY CHAMBER ANNUAL REVIEW

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THE NUMBER OF Tournaments H e l d i n C o n w a y i n 2 01 4

T h e W a l l t h a t H e a ls IN OCTOBER, THE WALL THAT HEALS, A HALF-SCALE REPLICA OF THE VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL IN WASHINGTON, D.C., MADE A WEEKLONG VISIT TO CONWAY. THE CVB PARTNERED WITH THE UCA VETERANS DAY COMMITTEE TO BRING THE WALL TO CONWAY AND PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SCHOOL GROUPS, VETERANS AND TOURISTS TO VISIT A NATIONAL MONUMENT THEY MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE EVER HAVE THE CHANCE TO SEE.

Conway Area Chamber of Commerce Board

2014 CONWAY CHAMBER ANNUAL REVIEW

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BRET CARROLL, CHAIR

CATE KETCHESIDE

JEFF STANDRIDGE, PAST CHAIR

ALAN KIZER

LANE HOUSLEY, VICE CHAIR

BOB LEFFERT

JAY MYERS, TREASURER

DR. GREG MURRY

BRAD LACY, PRESIDENT/CEO

TOM POE

BILL ADKISSON

CARTER ROOK

DR. AMANDA BLEDSOE

JERRY RYE

DR. THOMAS CABANTAC

DR. MELANIE SMITH

SCOTT CHAMPLIN

DR. BRAD TEAGUE

JASON CULPEPPER

TAB TOWNSELL

MERLE CUNNINGHAM

DAVID TRAYLOR

ALLEN DODSON

KEVIN WARD

LEE HARRIS

SHELIA WHITMORE

GREG HUNT

LORI WINDLE QUINN

DARREN JONES

ANDREA WOODS

Conway Advertising & Promotion Commission

REGGIE ROSE, CHAIRMAN

ANDY HAWKINS

JEREMY GARDNER, VICE CHAIR

RAY KORDSMEIER

ANGELA BAGBY

MIKE KRAFT SHELIA WHITMORE

Conway Downtown Partnership Board

BILL BETHEA, PRESIDENT

ALAN ENGLISH

FRANK COX, VICE PRESIDENT

TJ JOHNSTON

LORI QUINN, SECRETARY

GREG NABHOLZ

BUNNY ADCOCK

DOT WELCH

JACK BELL

KENT WELCH

MIKE COATS

KIM WILLIAMS

STEPHANIE COVINGTON

BETH YOCKEY

C o n w a y D e v e l o pm e n t C o r p o r a t i o n B o a r d

JERRY ADAMS

SCOTTY BELL

JOHNNY ADAMS

JACK ENGELKES

BUNNY ADCOCK

MARK FERGUSON

BILL ADKISSON

BILL HANNAH

RICHIE ARNOLD

SHERRY SMITH

RONNIE WILLIAMS

2014 CONWAY CHAMBER ANNUAL REVIEW

VISIT US ONLINE AT CONWAYCHAMBER.ORG

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