Faulkner County Business Journal 05/17

MAY 2015

Conway Regional focuses on a Healthy Workforce Conway Regional workforce benefiting from improved health and reduced insurance claims

PAGE 4D

2D — Sunday, May 17, 2015

Faulkner County Business Journal

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Registration open for Chamber bowling event Managers who are looking to provide team building or reward opportunities for their employees may find that Bowling for Business is right up their alley.

Bowling for Business encourages interaction in a fun and laid-back environment and promotes friendly competition among participating businesses. The event, hosted by the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce, will take place Friday, June 19, at Conway Family Bowl.

Crafton Tull is the presenting sponsor.

Bowling for Business offers morning and afternoon “flights.” The morning flight is from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., and the afternoon flight is from noon to 3 p.m. Bowling times include lunch

from noon to 1 p.m.

Lunch is included for all participants, giving more than 200 professionals the chance to network while enjoying traditional bowling alley fare.

Smith Ford, Southwestern Energy Company and Kimberly-Clark are the lunch sponsors.

Five-person team sponsorships are available for $200, and lane sponsorships – which include company identification on one lane, T-shirts for each team member, and an opportunity to give door prizes at the event – are available for $400.

To participate in Bowling for Business on June 19, register online at ConwayChamber.org or call 501-3277788.

B OW L I NG f o r Bu s i n e s s

Friday, June 19 Conway Family Bowl

Presented by:

LOOKING FOR TEAM BUILDING OR REWARD OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES? We have something that’s right up your alley.

Lane Sponsor – $400 • Team of 5 • T-shirt for each bowler • Lunch • Signage • Opportunity to provide participant giveaways

Team Sponsor – $200 • Team of 5 • Lunch

SIGN UP YOUR TEAM TODAY!

Submitted photo

Team Crafton Tull at Bowling for Business 2014

Bowling Times Morning Bowl 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Afternoon Bowl 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Bowling times include lunch from 12 – 1 p.m.

501-327-7788 | ConwayChamber.org

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Crain Buick GMC was the highest-scoring team at Bowling for Business three years in a row.

Log Cabin Democrat • Find our online edition at www.thecabin.net

Faulkner County Business Journal

Sunday, May 17, 2015 — 3D

2015 Administrative Professionals TOP RESIDENTIAL SALES, MAY Awards Luncheon celebrates professionals The inaugural Administrative Professionals Awards luncheon celebrated the valued work of administrative professionals and recognized individuals in the Conway area who keep their offices running smoothly.

Address............Beds/Baths........Subdivision.........SQFT.........$/SqFt.......Built 612 Padgett Rd.......6/4/2.........................none.........................6211.............132.83.............2003 1200 Chablis Dr......3/3/1.........................Falcon Crest...........5243 ............143.05.............2002 5300 Bay Town.......4/3/3..........The Reserve at Centennial...4766.............144.57.............1999 975 Chapel Hill Dr..4/3/1......................Chapel Hill...............3421..............134.17............2013 5215 Bay Town Dr...4/4/0.......Centennial Fairways...............3916..............114.89............2005

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Congratulations to the finalists for the Outstanding Administrative Professional award (from left): Elaine Story, Acxiom Corporation; Brenda Martin, Crain Buick GMC; Shawanna Rodgers, True Holiness Saints Center; Sherry Payne, Acxiom Corporation; Bonnie Holloway, Kimberly-Clark Corporation; and Colleen Fuller, Hewlett-Packard. Angela Russell of Central Baptist College was unable to attend.

Submitted Photo

Three of the seven finalists were named Outstanding Administrative Professionals at the luncheon. Congratulations to Elaine Story, Bonnie Holloway and Colleen Fuller.

Meadowlake Corner businesses to host Chamber networking event Businesses located in the Meadowlake Corner shopping center will co-host the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce’s first Business After Hours of 2015.

The networking event will take place on the corner of Meadowlake Road and Donaghey Avenue on Thursday, June 25, from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

Hurley Chiropractic and Wellness Center, one of the co-hosts of the event, moved to its new location at 2100 Meadowlake Road in March.

Other hosts include The Ride, a full-service bicycle shop; an Edward Jones branch operated by financial advisor Matthew Carpenter; and Sonshine Academy, an activity and performing arts center.

With multiple, neighboring businesses hosting the event, the Chamber has taken a new approach to Business After Hours.

Therese Pollard, director of

events, said this collaborative model involves more businesses and concentrates on specific commercial districts in Conway.

“Conway has several locations throughout the city that are home to thriving businesses, and this gives us an opportunity to highlight those areas and the businesses within them,” Pollard said.

“In addition, being able to visit with and learn about diverse businesses in the same area will provide guests with a new and unique experience.”

Attendees are encouraged to bring business cards, as Business After Hours allows members to network, strengthen professional relationships and develop new opportunities to work with fellow Chamber members.

The event is free to Chamber

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4D — Sunday, May 17, 2015

Faulkner County Business Journal

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Conway Regional focuses on a Healthy Workforce Conway Regional workforce benefits from improved health and reduced insurance claims In its third year Conway Regional Health System’s Employee Health and Wellness Plan has begun to show lasting improvements in the overall health of the workforce. Improvements in employee health were a factor in Conway Regional being selected as the first organization in Faulkner County to achieve the Arkansas Governor’s Quality Award in 2014.

Conway Regional’s leaders decided to take a proactive approach in 2012 to address health issues among employees in response to escalating medical insurance claims and increases in employee premiums.

The plan emphasizes biometric screenings that enable employees to monitor improvement in health conditions such as obesity and elevated blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose levels.

The plan also tracks the reduction of tobacco use on a yearly basis.

Employees participating in the health system-funded CoreSource insurance program were initially screened in June of 2012 with followup screenings in 2013 and in 2014.

Next, Conway Regional relied on health coaches provided by TrestleTree, Conway Regional’s wellness

vendor, to provide monthly advice and encourage employees who were working to improve their health.

All employees in the health plan are strongly encouraged to participate in the screenings and regular coaching sessions, if needed.

Employees whose biometric results do not meet one or more of the established standards are encouraged to participate in health coaching with TrestleTree. The standards are: •Blood pressure < 140/90 •Total cholesterol < 240 or LDL cholesterol <160 •Fasting blood glucose < 126 •BMI < 30 •No tobacco use Effective January of 2014, Conway Regional no longer hires tobacco users and is using free smoking cessation classes to help current tobacco users kick the habit.

Results

In the area of tobacco use, significant progress was made by the end of the 2013-2014 period. Forty-nine percent of the 92 employees who reported tobacco use indicated they intended to quit. Seventeen employees actually reported quitting tobacco after 12 months. Eighteen percent reported quitting tobacco use in 2014, compared to 2.5 percent in 2013.

The overall results show that focusing on health and making small changes in behavior related to eating and exercise can have a significant impact in improving overall health.

The average blood pressure of those engaged in health coaching

has continued to decline. Similar results can be seen in total cholesterol and blood glucose levels.

A key metric that can have a major impact in improving overall employee health is weight reduction. The results show progress in this area as well. Employees in health coaching lost an average of 12.1 pounds during the two-year period.

Incentives and Rewards

For Conway Regional, not only has the overall health of the workforce improved, but the organization has managed to dramatically slow the pace of increasing health insurance claims costs from previous years.

For the participating employees, in addition to improved health, other benefits of this program have included stable yearly insurance premiums.

In each of the last two years, these employees were rewarded with premium holidays where they received a break from paying their insurance premiums for a pay period, reducing their insurance costs by 4 percent.

Health plan participants are also experiencing improved quality of life, beginning with quitting tobacco.

Wellness Resources

All Conway Regional employees are eligible to receive a waiver for the joining fee for the Weight Management program provided by the Conway Regional Health & Fitness Center. Employees are responsible for the participation fee of $5 per week. Employees also receive a 50 percent discount on the overall cost

of joining the Health & Fitness Center and the joining fee is waived.

The organization, as a whole, is making a more conscious effort to offer healthier meals and snacks at hospital functions.

Conway Regional’s leaders stress the importance of establishing a good relationship with a family physician and getting an annual physical.

The health insurance plan pays 100 percent of the cost of wellness related expenses with no co-pays or deductibles.

Additional wellness advice focuses on: •Better decision-making regarding nutrition •Commitment to regular exercise •Setting and attaining reasonable health goals •Family participation in wellness activities Use of additional Conway Regional services such as diabetes management, annual flu shots, and the Conway Regional Health & Fitness Center.

For more information about how to improve the health of your organization, contact Richard Tyler, Conway Regional’s Corporate Director of Human Resources, at 501-513-5308.

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Sunday, May 17, 2015 — 5D

6D — Sunday, May 17, 2015

Faulkner County Business Journal

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Conway seniors recognized at Academic Signing Day

Submitted photo

Health care professionals, representatives from Corco Construction, and Conway business leaders and government officials broke ground on the Central Arkansas Medical Park on Monday, May 11.

The medical park will be located next to the new Baptist Health Medical Center-Conway.

Officials break ground on Central Arkansas Medical Park Health care professionals, representatives from Corco Construction, and Conway business leaders and government officials broke ground on the Central Arkansas Medical Park on Monday, May 11.

The medical park will be located next to the new Baptist Health Medical Center-Conway. Dr. James Thomas, a Conway cardiologist who is planning the development, said the location of the three-story, 45,000square-foot facility is suited to serve the medical needs of Arkansans in north-central Arkansas.

Each floor of the building spans 15,000 square feet, and there are four units on each floor. “With its 12-foot

ceilings, the lower level would be ideal for medical businesses, such as a pharmacy, urgent care, sleep study labs, and more,” Dr. Thomas said. “The second and third floors are ideal for medical offices and will have an open design that allows for natural light.”

Half of the third floor has been leased, according to Dr. Thomas, leaving approximately 36,000 space of square foot available.“We have plenty of room to grow.

When the first building is leased, we will move on to the second building with the same model, and hence forth. “With Conway’s growth in retail and in its medical community, the city is an attractive option for newcomers.”

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Each year, Academic Signing Day, presented by Acxiom Corporation, recognizes high school seniors in Conway who have received significant academic awards and substantial scholarships. The ceremony takes place each May at one of the city's three colleges. This year’s event took place at the University of Central Arkansas.

Congratulations to the 2015 Academic Signing Day honorees: Andrea Bollinger, University of Arkansas; Gabrielle Childress, University of Arkansas; Samuel Coker, Hendrix College; Jackson Cormier, Ouachita Baptist University; Bailey Craig, Baylor University; Ah-Lexea Criswell, Henderson State University; Amanda Crnic, Saint Francis University; Matthew Evans, University of Arkansas; Michael Fahr; University of Arkansas; Hunter Hall, University of Arkansas; Andrew Hopp, LeTourneau University; Courtney Joseph, University of Arkansas; Kylie Joseph, University of Arkansas; Megan Ledbetter, Harding University; Brian Lehigh, Arkansas Tech University; Erin McShane, United States Naval Academy; Ross Minner, John Brown University; Rachel Morgan, Hendrix College; Wesley Oliver, Ouachita Baptist University; Emery Parker, Brigham Young University; Ryan Plemmons, Hendrix College; Lincoln Reynolds, University of Arkansas; Robert Scott, University of Central Arkansas; Bethany Starr, Hendrix College; Tanner Thomason, Arkansas Tech University; Macy Trevillion, University of Alabama; and Ethan Washispack, University of Arkansas.

HOST from 3D members and their employees.

Complimentary hors d’oeuvres will be provid-

ed.

For more information about Business After Hours, call Therese Pollard at 501-932-5411 or visit ConwayChamber.org.

Log Cabin Democrat • Find our online edition at www.thecabin.net

Sunday, May 17, 2015 — 7D

Faulkner County Business Journal

EconomyGlance Conway Economy At a Glance Unemployment Rate March 2015 Seasonally Adjusted US................................................5.5% Arkansas.....................................5.6% Not Seasonally Adjusted US................................................5.6% Arkansas.....................................5.7% Faulkner County........................ 5.3% Conway........................................5.0% Sales Tax Collections Conway* February 2015..................................$1,815,999 2014....................................1,713,294 Percent Change......................... 6.0% Year to Date (February) 2015$3,525,743 2014$3,330,948 Percent Change 5.8% Annual 2014................................$23,416,628 2013..................................23,235,891 2012..................................22,944,163 Percent Change 2013-14.......... 0.8% *Tax Rate..................................1.75% Faulkner County* February 2015.....................................$659,607 2014.......................................642,286 Percent Change..........................2.7% Year to Date (February) 2015..................................$1,301,394 2014..................................$1,242,757 Percent Change..........................4.7% Annual 2014..................................$8,774,109 2013....................................8,588,835 2012....................................8,465,686 Percent Change...........2013-14 2.2% *Tax Rate.......................................0.5 Restaurant Sales* March

2015................................$15,961,516 2014..................................15,282,481 Percent Change......................... 4.4% Year to Date (March) 2015................................$44,857,268 2014..................................41,685,455 Percent Change .........................7.6% Annual Sales 2014..............................$176,205,965 2013................................164,519,369 2012................................161,318,563 Percent Change 2013-14............7.1% *Including mixed drink sales Hotel Sales March 2015..................................$1,552.336 2014....................................1,617.282 Percent Change............................-4.0 Year to Date (March) 2015..................................$4,143,204 2014....................................4,197,483 Percent Change........................ -1.3% Annual Sales 2014................................$19,336,169 2013..................................18,559,308 2012..................................18,683,677 Percent Change 2013 – 2014....4.2% Conway Building Permits Single Family Homes Year to Date (April) 2015..................................67 Permits 2014..................................38 Permits Percent Change........................76.3% Annual 2014.................................119 permits 2013................................147 Permits 2012................................186 Permits 2011................................153 Permits Percent Change 2013 – 2014 -19.0% Average Construction Cost* Year to Date (April) 2015.....................................$251,764

2014.....................................$222,904 Percent Change........................12.9% Annual 2014.....................................$220,311 2013.......................................228,275 2012.......................................207,537 2011 ......................................204,387 Percent Change 2013 – 2014...-3.5% *Not including lat or lot improvements Average Square Footage* Year to date (April) 2015............................................2,832 2014............................................2,784 Percent Change..........................1.7% Annual 2014............................................2,929 2013............................................3,002 2012............................................2,910 2011............................................2,814 Percent Change 2013-2014....-2.4% * Total under roof Average Construction Cost Per Square Foot* Year to Date (April) 2015.................................$88.90 2014.................................$80.07 Percent Change........................11.1% Annual 2014..........................................$75.22 2013............................................76.04 2012............................................71.33 2011............................................72.64 Percent Change 2013 – 2014... -1.1% * Total under roof

16.7% Total State Year to Date (April) 2015..............................$149,124,235 2014................................147,882,767 Percent Change..........................0.8% Annual 2014..............................$401,251,365 2013................................432,932,798 2012................................452,245,217 Percent Change 2013 - 2014 -7.3% Natural Gas Severance Tax Distribution

Conway Year to Date (May) 2015.....................................$127,168 2014........................................139,633 Percent Change........................ -8.9% Annual 2014.....................................$363,837 2013.......................................276,523 2012.......................................162,523 Percent Change 2013 - 2014 31.6% Faulkner County Year to Date-(May) 2015.....................................$103,591 2014.......................................113,642 Percent Change.........................-8.8% Annual 2014.................................$296,411 2013.................................224,455 2012131,418 Percent Change 2013 – 2014...32.1%

Lottery Sales Faulkner County Year to Date (April)

By Roger Lewis 2015..................................$5,169,756 Information provided by Pulse 2014....................................5,310,685 of Conway Percent Change.........................-2.7% Annual 2014................................$14,193,204 2013..................................17,038,277 2012..................................16,943,909 Percent Change 2013 - 2014..-

8D — Sunday, May 17, 2015

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