Sandstone Real Estate Group: The Smart Choice for Real Estate (February 2020)

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Sandstone Real Estate Group: The Smart Choice for Real Estate

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Honorees named for fourth annual healthcare awards The Conway Area Chamber of Commerce recognized doctors, nurses, hospital administrators and other health care advocates and medical professionals at the fourth annual North Metro Healthcare Awards, underwritten by the University of Central Arkansas, on Thursday, Feb. 20.

The North Metro Healthcare Awards was established in 2017 to honor individuals and organizations making an impact on the overall health of the community they serve. The Chamber accepted nominations for five award categories in late 2019: Administrator of the Year, Healthcare Professional of the Year, Nurse of the Year, Physician of the Year, and the inaugural Community Impact Award. From the nominees, a panel of healthcare executives from across the country selected the following award recipients.

Administrator of the Year Angie Longing, Conway Regional Health System The Administrator of the Year Award, sponsored by Edafio Technology Partners, recognizes and honors a member of a health care company’s leadership team in the North Metro area who empowers their team, is dedicated to exceptional organizational quality, and has a passion for improving the community they serve. Angie Longing, chief nursing officer and vice president of patient services at Conway Regional Health System, is the 2020 Administrator of the Year. Longing is known by her colleagues as a professional and compassionate teammate and has been recognized as one of Arkansas’s 100 Great Nurses.

Healthcare Professional of the Year Dr. Courtney Matyja, Arkansas Hearing and Audiology The Healthcare Professional of the Year Award recognizes and honors an individual whose commitment to excellent service and professional guidance has positively affected the overall quality of health care in the North Metro region. Through her private practice at Arkansas Hearing and Audiology, audiologist Dr. Courtney Matyja has 14 years’ experience caring for patients who have experienced hearing loss.

Nurse of the Year Suzette Marks, Conway Regional Health System The Nurse of the Year Award recognizes and honors a North

Metro area nurse who has consistently shown dedication and commitment to providing exceptional patient care, pursuing excellence in nursing, and performing above expectations in the face of adversity. Specializing in geriatric care with a mental health focus, Suzette Marks has devoted her 23-year career to serving her patients at Conway Regional Health System and offering support and education for them and their loved ones.

Physician of the Year Dr. Casey Smolarz, Baptist Health-Conway The Physician of the Year Award recognizes and honors a physician who has used their talents and skills to provide exceptional and compassionate care to the North Metro community. As the Emergency Room medical director at Baptist Health-Conway, Dr. Casey Smolarz has helped catapult his team to success in terms of education and care provided. Dr. Smolarz was recently elected by his colleagues to serve as chief of staff, giving him the opportunity to set the standards for efficient, safe, and quality care hospital-wide.

Community Impact Award Lisa Garner, Volunteer/Advocate New in 2020, the Community Impact Award, sponsored by Sam’s Club, recognizes an organization or individual that has shown a commitment to a particular cause through community outreach efforts, increasing general awareness, fundraising events, or other service projects. Lisa Garner, this year’s award recipient, has devoted the past 30 years of her life to educating others and advocating for continued research and funding in the field of organ donation. Garner, a two-time kidney recipient, has shared her journey with those in her own community, across the state of Arkansas, and on Capitol Hill.

In addition to the awards ceremony, the University of Central Arkansas North Metro Healthcare Awards featured Delta Dental of Arkansas president and CEO Ed Choate as this year’s keynote speaker. Under Choate’s leadership, Delta Dental of Arkansas has more than quadrupled in membership, revenue, and net assets.

Prior to joining DDAR in 2000, Choate worked for 20 years in the managed health care industry in leadership roles at Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield, NovaSys Health, and HealthScope Benefits.

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Angie Longing

Dr. Courtney Matyja

Dr. Casey Smolarz

Lisa Garner

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Suzette Marks

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Local chambers of commerce partner to host after-hours event at UACCM The University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton is the site of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce’s first Off the Clock event of 2020. The free event is open to the public and will take place Thursday, Feb. 27, from 5-7 p.m. at UACCM’s Workforce Training Center, located at 1537 University Boulevard in Morrilton.

The $13 million Workforce Training Center opened in 2018 to provide classrooms and lab space for auto service technology, welding, HVAC, and industrial maintenance and mechanics technology. Guests will be able to tour the nearly 54,000-squarefoot facility during the event and will also enjoy food from area restaurants and live music from the Akeem Kemp Band. No RSVP is required.

The event is also an opportunity to welcome and congratulate Lisa Willenberg, UACCM’s new chancellor. Willenberg is the first woman to serve as the highest-ranking administrator at the institution and only the fourth leader of the college since it opened in 1963. Before taking on the role of chancellor on Nov. 1, 2019, Willenberg worked at UACCM for 27 years, starting as a general accountant and later becoming vice chancellor for finance and operations in 2011.

Off Clock: UACCM is a partnership with the Morrilton Area Chamber of Commerce and is underwritten by Virco, Green Bay Packaging, Express Employment Professionals, Crafton Tull, Koontz Electric Company, Crow Group, Wayne Smith Trucking, and H+N Architects. Garcia Wealth Management is a supporter sponsor. n

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Sandstone Real Estate Group: The Smart Choice for Real Estate PAID ADVERTISEMENT

The Sandstone Real Estate Group Team

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real estate company that got its start during the 2008 housing market crash is now the largest minority-owned real estate firm in the state of Arkansas. Sandstone Real Estate Group reached $23 million in residential sales volume in 2019 and has 15 agents in Conway, Little Rock, and Pine Bluff. Of the nearly 40 real estate firms in Faulkner County, the company consistently ranks among the top 10.

Owner and principal broker Korry Garrett said Sandstone’s success did not come overnight. The Forrest City native got his start in real estate in 2006. His first customer was his mother.

“She never owned a house, and I ended up selling her one.”

Garrett worked for another company at the time. He and a fellow agent, Greg Hunt, decided to open their own firm. Garrett bought his first house from Hunt in 2001.

“That’s how I came to associate with Greg,” Garrett said. “I knew him in college, but we never talked; we just always avoided each other.” The two were part of different fraternities during their time at the University of Central Arkansas. “After he sold us our house, we began to socialize more, and I found out he was a pretty good guy.”

Between the nationwide housing crisis and being a new company, Sandstone initially had difficulty recruiting agents to come work for the firm.

“We ended up targeting school teachers, which is what led to our slogan, ‘The Smart Choice for Real Estate,’” Garrett said.

Agents Denise Perry and Jamille Rogers Thomas joined Sandstone part-time while they worked full-time as teachers. Both are still part of the team, and Perry has since left her teaching job. Sandstone continued to expand with the addition of agents new to the real estate industry. An experienced agent, Kara Bloomfield, eventually joined Sandstone Real Estate Group, which Garrett described as a “game changer” for the firm.

“Kara coming to work for us gave us credibility because she is respected in the industry. From that point forward, we started picking up more agents.”

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Sandstone Real Estate Group continued to grow in both number of agents and sales volume. Hunt, who was principal broker, was diagnosed with colon cancer in late 2014. He died from the disease in 2015.

“I was in operations under Greg, and that’s where I learned how to run a company. Little did I know that I would soon take over the business,” Garrett said.

The Smart Choice for Real Estate The decision to recruit two teachers as its first agents is not the only way Sandstone Real Estate Group integrates education into its business model. The real estate firm wants to inform prospective homeowners about the homebuying process. As a black business owner and as the immediate past president of the Arkansas Association of Realist – a chapter of the historically black National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) – Garrett is passionate about doing his part to increase the rate of home ownership in the African American community.

“I feel like I am responsible for helping my community know about home ownership.

Because a lot of us just don’t know.”

NAREB produces an annual report on the State of Housing in Black America (SHIBA). According to the 2019 report, the black homeownership rate is at 40.6% compared to 73.1% for non-Hispanic whites.

This disparity is attributed to a number of historical and modern-day factors – from “decades of discrimination against Blacks in employment, education, housing, and other areas” to predatory lending practices and implicit bias from real estate agents.

Because home ownership remains one of the primary ways to accumulate wealth in the U.S., the team at Sandstone wants to make sure everyone has an equal opportunity.

“I and other African American agents approach our family and friends and ask them, ‘Do you rent or own a home? Do you know a lot about the home-buying process?’ A lot of times the answer is no,” Garrett said. “Sometimes people are afraid

to ask questions. Through education and homebuyers’ workshops, we help educate people. You don’t know what you don’t know.”

Garrett said being a minority business owner is a balancing act. While he pays particular attention to black home seekers looking to learn more about the homebuying process, he wants to be clear that the Sandstone team works with anyone – from helping first-time homebuyers achieve the dream of home ownership to finding the dream home for a longtime homeowner.

“We service all people here. It doesn’t matter what their ethnicity or their income is,” Garrett said. “Conway is a wonderful community. Our story may have looked much different had we opened a real estate company anywhere else in 2008.” n PAID ADVERTISEMENT

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Conway Public Schools Foundation names Aimee Prince executive director The Conway Public Schools Foundation has hired Aimee Prince as the organization’s first executive director.

Prince most recently served as interim executive director of the United Way of Central Arkansas. Previously, she served in development roles at both United Way and Bethlehem House, where she worked with donors, foundations, and churches to secure funding for programs and operations.

Drew Spurgers, president of the Conway Public Schools Foundation board of directors, said after conducting a comprehensive search, the decision to select Prince was unanimous.

“Aimee’s experience and passion for Conway Public Schools made her a natural fit,” Spurgers said. “She has extensive experience in the nonprofit space, particularly in resource development, but even more valuable, she is closely connected to the district and the community.”

Prince serves on the Conway Regional Health Foundation board of directors, Conway Regional Women’s Council, City of Conway’s Homeless Task Force, and is president of Conway Noon Rotary.

As executive director of Conway Public Schools Foundation, Prince will work with the board of directors to develop a strategic work plan focused on growing the organization’s endowment, developing new programs, and increasing awareness of the Foundation’s work. Spurgers said the addition of an executive director will help the Foundation take the next step to advance its work of helping teachers and students.

“Since its inception, the Foundation has experienced tremendous growth. It’s a testament to the quality of Conway Public Schools and of the support this community provides.”

Conway Public Schools Foundation was founded in 2007.

The Foundation partners with teachers to enrich the learning environment for students by funding innovative programs and resources that stimulate creativity, promote excellence, and enable lifelong learning. Find out more about the Foundation’s work at cpsfoundation.com. n

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Acxiom CEO to headline Conway Area Chamber’s Annual Meeting Acxiom CEO Dennis D. Self will be the featured guest at the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Meeting on Thursday, April 2. Annual Meeting 2020 is presented by Acxiom, the University of Central Arkansas, and Crafton Tull.

As CEO of the Conway-based technology company, Self provides strategic leadership to the teams that serve Acxiom’s clients, including marketing, sales and account management, partnerships, product management, and client services. Self previously served as senior vice president and chief information officer for Acxiom and has held various positions at Gilead Sciences, Electronic Arts, and HP. He also worked as a strategy consultant for Andersen Consulting, A.T. Kearney, and Deloitte Consulting.

Self holds a bachelor’s degree in management information systems from Old Dominion University and Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago.

He lives in the Chicago area.

About Annual Meeting With more than 1,000 business and community leaders in attendance each year, Annual Meeting is the largest business event in Conway. In addition to the speaker, Annual Meeting recognizes individuals and businesses that have made a difference in Conway over the past year. The Annual Meeting Awards are sponsored by Northwestern Mutual.

Annual Meeting is a sellout event each year, so those who wish to attend are encouraged to reserve their space in advance. Individual tickets are $75, and tables and sponsorships begin at $1,000, both of which can be purchased online at conwaychamber.org.

For additional details about Annual Meeting, contact Mary Margaret Satterfield, director of events and Toad Suck Daze, at Mary@ConwayArkansas.org or 501-932-5412. n

North Metro Economy at a Glance Population US ..........................325,719,178 Arkansas ....................3,004,279 Conway ...........................65,782 Cleburne County...............25,048 Conway County................20,916 Faulkner County.............123,654 Perry County....................10,348 Van Buren County.............16,506 Civilian Labor Force November-2019 Seasonally Adjusted US ..........................164,347,000 Arkansas.................... 1,367,798 Not Seasonally Adjusted US ......................... 164,386,000 Arkansas.................... 1,367,798 Conway........................... 33,873 Cleburne County ............... 9,110 Conway County ................ 8,320 Faulkner County ............. 62,135 Perry County ..................... 4,263 Van Buren County ............. 5,671 Unemployment Rate November-2019 Seasonally Adjusted US ..................................... 3.5% Arkansas ........................... 3.6% Not Seasonally Adjusted US ..................................... 3.3% Arkansas............................ 3.2% Conway.............................. 2.6% Cleburne County ................ 4.4% Conway County ................. 3.8% Faulkner County ................ 2.7% Perry County ...................... 3.3% Van Buren County .............. 4.5%

Bank Deposits June Conway 2019.................... $1,835,390,000 2018.................... $1,829,012,000 Percent Change .................0.35%

Conway County 2020.............................$458,068 2019.............................$467,351 Percent Change ..............-1.99% Tax Rate ........................... 1.75%

Faulkner County Cleburne County 2020.............................$826,112 2019....................... $556,697,000 2019.............................$783,852 2018....................... $554,248,000 Percent Change ............... 5.39% Percent Change .................0.44% Tax Rate ........................... 0.50% Conway County Perry County 2019....................... $364,163,000 2020.............................$128,822 2018....................... $358,473,000 2019.............................$136,494 Percent Change .................1.59% Percent Change ..............-5.62% Tax Rate ........................... 2.50% Faulkner County

2019.................... $2,228,144,000 Van Buren County 2018.................... $2,193,879,000 Percent Change .................1.56% 2020.............................$345,503 2019.............................$333,049 Perry County Percent Change ............... 3.74% 2019......................... $65,345,000 Tax Rate ........................... 2.00% 2018......................... $72,986,000 Percent Change ............. -10.47% Restaurant Sales* Van Buren County Year to Date (August) 2019....................... $278,929,000 Conway 2018....................... $276,171,000 Percent Change .................1.00% 2019......................$139,015,008 2018......................$133,269,215 Sales & Use Tax Collections Percent Change ............... 4.31% *Includes mixed drink sales January Conway 2020...........................$2,723,472 2019...........................$2,597,007 Percent Change ................ 4.87% Tax Rate .......................... 2.125% Cleburne County 2020.............................$571,344 2019.............................$503,747 Percent Change ............. 13.42% Tax Rate ......................... 1.625%

Hotel Sales Year to Date (August) Conway 2019........................$13,280,549 2018........................$12,508,551 Percent Change ............... 6.17%

Residential Building Permits Year to Date (January) Conway 2020........................................29 2019..........................................8 Percent Change ........... 262.50%

Values of Residential Units Sold** Year to Date (January) Conway 2020..........................$7,508,700 2019..........................$6,755,764 Percent Change ............. 11.15%

Year to Date (June) Residential Units Sold** Cleburne County (New and Existing) 2019....................... $38,165,380 Year to Date (January) 2018. ...................... $40,677,785 Conway 2020........................................41 Percent Change ............. -6.18% 2019........................................35 Conway County Percent Change ............. 17.14% 2019........................$10,232,940 2018..........................$7,426,608 Year to Date (June) Percent Change ............. 37.79% Cleburne County Faulkner County 2019......................................220 2019. . ....................$142,247,375 2018......................................215 Percent Change ............... 2.33% 2018......................$141,569,575 Percent Change ............... 0.48% Conway County Perry County 2019........................................87 2018........................................62 2019..........................$3,092,124 Percent Change ............. 40.32% 2018..........................$4,865,332 Percent Change ............-36.45% Faulkner County Van Buren County 2019......................................775 2018......................................815 2019........................$13,074,173 Percent Change ..............-4.91% 2018........................$12,340,480 Percent Change ............... 5.95% Perry County Average Price of 2019........................................28 Residential Units Sold** 2018........................................34 (New and Existing) Percent Change ............-17.65% Year to Date (January) Conway Van Buren County 2019......................................119 2020..............................$183,139 2018......................................124 2019..............................$193,022 Percent Change ..............-4.03% Percent Change ............... -5.12% **Includes sales of residential units

Year to Date (June) Cleburne County 2019.............................$173,479 2018.............................$189,199 Percent Change ..............-8.31% Conway County 2019.............................$117,620 2018.............................$119,784 Percent Change ..............-1.81% Faulkner County 2019.............................$183,545 2018.............................$173,705 Percent Change ............... 5.66% Perry County 2019.............................$110,433 2018.............................$143,098 Percent Change ............-22.83% Van Buren County 2019.............................$109,867 2018...............................$99,520 Percent Change ............. 10.40%

Proud sponsor of Pulse of Conway Sources: 2012-2016 ACS 5-Year Data Profiles, Arkansas Department of Workforce Services, C2ER, Sperling’s Best Places, Arkansas Department of Finance & Administration, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Cooperative Arkansas Realtors’ Multiple Listing Services, Arkansas Realtors Association, and City of Conway. **Includes sales of residential units only.

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Disturbance. Disorder. Disarrangement. Learn how disruption can be the best way to make positive, lasting changes in your organization and beyond!

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Thursday, May 7, 2020

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A Growing Health System for a Growing Community

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Dr. Tony Manning is a board-certified general surgeon with extensive experience performing gastric sleeve surgery. For those seeking a weight-loss alternative, or those dealing with metabolic issues like diabetes or high blood pressure, this surgery can be a safe, long-term solution. The gastric sleeve surgery experience at Conway Regional is the only one of its kind in Central Arkansas. Conway Regional is committed to bringing more services to our growing community.

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