Conway Area Chamber of Commerce News Newswire

“Conway is Calling” promotes Conway

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 GMT

New recruitment tool helps employers sell Conway to job seekers

CONWAY, Ark. (April 11, 2013) – The Conway Area Chamber of Commerce has developed a program that assists area employers in their nationwide recruitment efforts. “Conway is Calling” gives job seekers information about Conway and promotes the fast-growing, affordable city as an ideal place for young, educated professionals to make their start.

Brad Lacy, president and CEO of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce, said the Chamber has a role to play in helping businesses recruit new talent to Conway.

“It’s a team approach,” Lacy said. “The company provides good information about itself and the Chamber provides good information about the community. I think this is the model for recruiting a modern workforce.”

The Chamber developed the initiative in response to companies requesting deliverable information about Conway. Corporations such as Hewlett-Packard and Acxiom already display Conway is Calling materials when they visit college career fairs across the country.

The website ConwayIsCalling.com gives professionals insight into Conway’s demographics, location and overall economy. Questions about moving to Conway fielded through the website are answered by Chamber staff. The effort will also have an active social media presence.

“Today’s professional wants to know as much about the community as they do about the company,” Lacy said. “The good news is we’ve got a great community and a great story to tell. Conway is Calling helps us tell that story in a relevant way.”

Rogers Plaza to serve as attractive new entrance to downtown Conway

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 04:00:00 GMT

CONWAY, Ark. (April 5, 2013) – The Conway Area Chamber of Commerce today unveiled plans for an attractive new entryway to downtown Conway. Rogers Plaza will be located at Oak and Court Streets and is named after the Earl Rogers family, who donated the property to the city of Conway. Earlier this week, the Conway Advertising and Promotion Commission and the Conway City Council approved funding for the project.

“Rogers Plaza is the perfect example of public and private partnership,” said Jeff Standridge, chairman of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors. “The family donated the property – for which we are very thankful; the city and A&P Commission provided funds for construction; and the Chamber, Conway Downtown Partnership and Conway Development Corporation work together to provide vision and support.”

Rogers Plaza will feature brick and concrete pavers, a fountain and an archway that will serve as a gateway to the downtown area. Mayor Tab Townsell said the aesthetically pleasing plaza is part of creating a quality of place that will appeal to residents and visitors.

“Quality of life is important but is intensely personal. My quality of life is different from your quality of life,” Townsell said. “But the one thing we as city, Chamber and A&P Commission can control is quality of place.”

The plaza is part of an ongoing effort to invest in and revitalize downtown Conway and is one goal of Conway2025, the community’s long-range strategic plan. Brad Lacy, president and CEO of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce, said Conway2025 was not just an exercise; it is a plan the Chamber and its community partners are committed to implementing goal by goal.

“We’re grateful to the city council for investing in projects that make a difference in our ability to recruit companies here,” Lacy said. “In addition, we are thankful to the A&P Commission for recognizing an opportunity to promote the city in a different way.”

Mary Louise Rogers, the wife of the late Earl Rogers, attended the announcement and said she bugged her husband for years about donating the property.

“Thank you all for your hard work,” Mrs. Rogers said. “I’m probably the happiest person in the room.”

New Chamber program connects businesses with community

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 05:00:00 GMT

The Conway Area Chamber of Commerce is launching a new program called “13 in 13” that gives individuals an inside look into 13 businesses that have had a significant role in developing Conway’s economy. At each visit, 13 attendees will gain insight into the history and operations of some of Conway’s largest employers.

“We anticipate the 13 in 13 program will give people a unique opportunity to learn more about the community where they live and work,” said Lindsay Wygal, senior vice president of Chamber operations. “It’s a value-added benefit to our members and an opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at the organizations that have helped shape the Conway economy.”

Hewlett-Packard is the site of the first visit, which will take place Wednesday, March 20, from 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Participants will receive a tour of the $36 million, 155,000-square-foot, LEED-certified facility. They will also learn about the business groups and technology that reside at the Conway site.

Future visits with the following businesses are scheduled for this year: Acxiom Corporation, Central Baptist College, Conway Public Schools, Conway Regional Health System, Kimberly-Clark, Nabholz Construction, RockTenn, Snap-on Equipment, Southwestern Energy, The Village at Hendrix, the University of Central Arkansas, and Virco Manufacturing.

The 13 in 13 program is free to the employees of Chamber member businesses. Space is available on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information or to make a reservation, email Lindsay Wygal at Lindsay@ConwayArkansas.org.

Inuvo to locate headquarters in Conway, anticipates elimination of significant costs

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Company plans to add new jobs, invest in technology

CONWAY, Ark. (Jan. 31, 2013) – Inuvo Inc. (NYSE MKT: INUV) (the "Company" or "Inuvo"), today announced it would move its corporate headquarters from New York to Conway, Ark. The Internet marketing and technology company anticipates the creation of 50 highly skilled jobs within the state over the next four years. Senior leaders in the company have committed personally to the move.

Inuvo develops Consumer applications that make using the Internet easier and delivers targeted advertisements onto websites owned by partners and the company. Inuvo recently announced fiscal 2012 preliminary unaudited revenues of $53.3 million dollars, up 49 percent from the previous year.

Working closely with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC), Inuvo analyzed in great detail the benefits of relocation and anticipates that within six months of the move, the company would be on a run rate to improve operations by as much as $1.5 million dollars annually. The state will be helping Inuvo move through a grant that can be used to fund relocation and equipment expenses.

“Inuvo is committed to building a successful and profitable Internet business,” said Richard Howe, Inuvo chairman and chief executive officer. “Through this move, we both improve our operating performance and partner with a state committed to creating opportunities for knowledge-based businesses.”

Inuvo’s headquarters will be located in downtown Conway at 1111 Main Street.

“Conway continues to build an attractive climate of success for knowledge-based industries,” Gov. Mike Beebe said. “Between the three universities and numerous existing technology companies, Inuvo’s leaders knew they would find a hard-working, educated workforce ready to fuel the company’s continued growth.”

Inuvo facilitates the purchase of hundreds of millions of dollars in product sales online annually through a combination of its marketing and technology skills.

"Our community is excited to welcome not only Inuvo's investment but Inuvo associates from around the country," said Mayor Tab Townsell. "Conway has spent the last decade investing in education, quality of life and infrastructure for the very purpose of attracting talented people like the ones so critical to Inuvo's success."

About Inuvo, Inc.
Inuvo®, Inc. (NYSE MKT: INUV), is an Internet marketing and technology company specialized in marketing browser-based consumer applications, managing networks of website publishers and operating specialty websites. To learn more about Inuvo, please visit www.inuvo.com. For job inquiries, please visit www.inuvo.com/careers.

Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations and involve certain risks and uncertainties within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words or expressions such as "anticipate," "plan," "will," "intend," "believe" or "expect'" or variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, forward-looking statements contained in this press release specifically include the expectations of the Company's anticipated cost savings and expenses. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, some of which are beyond our control and difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements made with respect to expectations with respect to: the strategy, markets, synergies, costs, efficiencies, and other anticipated financial impacts; the Company’s plans, objectives, expectations, intentions with respect to future operations, fluctuations in demand; changes to economic growth in the U.S. economy; and government policies and regulations, including, but not limited to those affecting the Internet. All forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, many of which are generally outside the control of Inuvo and are difficult to predict. Inuvo undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional key risks are described in the filings made by Inuvo with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 and most recent Form 10-Q.

Conway Area Chamber recognized for commitment to pre-K education

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 05:00:00 GMT

CONWAY, Ark. (Jan. 14, 2013) – The Conway Area Chamber of Commerce’s commitment to pre-K education has earned it the Business Pacesetter award from the Arkansas Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. The organization, which is dedicated to increasing the number of children who read proficiently by the end of third grade, presented the Chamber with the award at the statewide AR-GLR Action Summit. The Arkansas Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is a collaborative effort of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation and Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families.

In October 2012, the Conway Area Chamber announced a partnership with local nonprofit Lifelong Learners Inc. to develop a pre-K program focused on kindergarten readiness, parental involvement and quality instruction. To fund the effort, the Chamber will commit $50,000 annually from its Toad Suck Daze festival proceeds.

Senior vice president Jamie Gates said that investing in early childhood education furthers the Chamber’s commitment to prepare the next generation’s workforce and create more opportunities for Conway’s young people.

“The Chamber has been an advocate for high-quality education in Conway for more than 100 years; our goals haven’t changed,” he said. “While we will continue to support higher education in our area, we also recognize the importance of early learning. We want to equip our day cares, preschools and parents with the best in training and teaching materials.”

A number of studies show that 85 percent of brain development occurs before age 5. For this reason, Lifelong Learners aims to give child care providers access to professional development opportunities and high-quality curriculum. The organization will also develop and distribute milestone-focused parenting and teaching methods to the parents and caregivers of children up to age 5.

The Lifelong Learners initiative began working with four pilot sites in the fall of 2012. Those four sites encompass nine child care providers and more than 270 area preschoolers.

Laura Grimes Named CFO of the Year

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 05:00:00 GMT

CONWAY, Ark. (Dec. 7, 2012) – Laura Grimes, chief financial officer for the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce and the Conway Development Corporation, has been recognized as one of the state’s top CFOs.

Grimes was named Nonprofit CFO of the Year at the 2012 Arkansas Business CFO of the Year Awards. Arkansas Business established the annual CFO awards to honor the “unsung heroes” of organizations – the men and women responsible for “recording what has happened and for predicting what will happen with a company’s financial performance.”

The awards recognized professionals in the following categories: small private company CFO, large private company CFO, nonprofit organization CFO, small bank CFO, large bank CFO, lifetime achievement award in accounting, and CFO lifetime achievement award.

Grimes began working part-time for the Conway Development Corporation and the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce in 2008. One of the reasons she was hired was to manage the finances for the construction and completion of the $30 million Hewlett-Packard building.

“Managing the building process and the continued financial operations of a multi-million dollar project was a large task and not something I had ever done during the 10 years I worked in public and private accounting,” Grimes said. “It was a two-year building process, and the project was completed on time and under budget.”

Recognizing the need for a C-level financial executive, the Conway Development Corporation and the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce created in 2010 a full-time CFO position for Grimes. She now oversees the financials for those organizations as well as Conway Downtown Partnership, Conway Foundation Inc., Conway Publications Inc. and Conway Committee of 100.

Brad Lacy, president and CEO of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce and Conway Development Corporation, said Grimes’ award is well deserved.

“This award could not have been given to a more deserving, hard-working individual,” he said. “Laura embodies the characteristics of an outstanding CFO – professionalism, intelligence, leadership and integrity, to name a few. We are proud of her and are honored to have her on our team.”

Read Laura’s profile at ArkansasBusiness.com

Conway to host 2013-2017 AHSCA All-Star Activities

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Coaches’ clinic, six sports and 10 games to return to Conway after 10-year hiatus

CONWAY, Ark. — Central Arkansas residents will once again have a short drive to watch Arkansas’s best high school athletes compete in the Arkansas High School Coaches Association (AHSCA) All-Star Activities. The governing bodies of Arkansas high school athletics voted today to move the All-Star Week clinics and games to Conway starting in 2013. The five-year agreement will bring thousands of coaches, athletes, vendors and spectators to Conway each June.

“We are excited for the opportunity to bring the high school All-Star games and coaches’ clinic back to UCA and central Arkansas,” said Joey Walters, deputy executive director of the Arkansas Activities Association. “We look forward to working with the City of Conway, Conway Convention and Visitors Bureau, UCA and Conway Public Schools. We think this will be a great event with much success.”

“Recruiting this event back to Conway was a team effort,” said Rachel Earls, Conway Area Chamber of Commerce director of destination marketing. “Conway has established itself as a premier location for youth sports. The All-Star games provide a great experience to high school athletes, and we are pleased that our team can take part in that experience.”

UCA will serve as the host site for student housing, the coaches’ clinic, and the baseball, softball, volleyball, basketball and football games. Conway High School will host the soccer games. A number of city and community facilities will host practices throughout the week.

Conway and UCA previously hosted a number of All-Star Week activities for decades until 2002 when the events moved to Fayetteville. Conway Mayor Tab Townsell says that Conway residents who remember the event will be pleasantly surprised with the new agenda.

“Over the last decade, the All-Star activities have grown to include more sports and more athletes. We’re excited that Conway has also grown into a place that can host such a large and high-profile event.”

Conway Area Chamber of Commerce Receives 4-Star Accreditation

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 04:00:00 GMT

CONWAY, Ark. (March 16, 2011) – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce awarded Conway Area Chamber of Commerce with 4-Star Accreditation for its sound policies, effective organizational procedures and positive impact on the community.

Accreditation is one of the highest honors bestowed on chambers that support pro-growth and economic policies at the federal, state and local levels. In addition, Accreditation is the only national program that recognizes chambers for their effective organizational procedures and community involvement.

In order to receive Accreditation, a chamber must meet minimum standards in their operations and programs, including areas of governance, government affairs, technology, program development and communication. This extensive self-review took the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce a year to complete.

“We are excited to receive national recognition on behalf of our 1,250 investors,” said Brad Lacy, president and CEO. “We are now one of 76 chambers in the United States to achieve 4-star status.

“It was important for us to go through this process. Very few chambers subject themselves to this level of scrutiny and objective review. We are a better organization for having gone through the process,” he said.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce rates local chambers as Accredited, 3-Stars, 4-Stars or 5-Stars. Of the nearly 7,000 chambers in the United States, only 221 are Accredited. These chambers represent the top 3 percent of all chambers in the nation.

Conway Chamber is only the fourth chamber in Arkansas to achieve this designation. The other Accredited chambers are Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce (4-stars), Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce (5-stars) and Searcy Chamber of Commerce (Accredited).

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.

The mission of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce is to lead the community toward sustainable economic growth, to advocate for a pro-business climate for its members, to build upon Conway’s educational foundations, and to establish and execute the community’s vision.

Conway to Use I-40 Expansion to Improve Infrastructure

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 04:00:00 GMT

CONWAY, Ark. (July 11, 2011) – As the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department prepares to expand the Interstate 40 corridor to six lanes from Conway to I-430 in North Little Rock, Conway plans to use this opportunity to make improvements to infrastructure within the city.

“Great cities capitalize on great opportunities,” said Brad Lacy, president and CEO of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce and the Conway Development Corporation. “Not since the initial construction of Interstate 40 has the city of Conway seen a transportation project of this magnitude.

“We need to take this opportunity to create a new gateway for our business community,” Lacy said.

During the construction project, bridges will be replaced and a new southern interchange will be constructed at mile marker 132. Frank Riggins, vice president of the landscape architecture department at Crafton Tull, described the preliminary sketch for the bridge enhancements as something that would be unique to Conway.

“Our plans are to enhance the bridges along I-40 in Conway to make them aesthetically pleasing and distinctive,” Riggins said. “In our preliminary sketch, stone veneer columns will support the bridges, and special lighting, landscaping and ornamental iron enhancements will make Conway stand out to passersby on the interstate.”

According to the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department, the average daily traffic volume through the Interstate 40 corridor stretching from Conway to North Little Rock is approximately 50,000 vehicles per day.

Lacy said that because I-40 can be considered Conway’s “front door,” it is important that the area reflect the city’s high standards when it comes to residential, commercial and downtown development.

“Driving across Interstate 40 from North Carolina to California, a traveler passes through hundreds of towns and cities. Those communities might be nearly indistinguishable outside of the physical geography of the area,” Lacy said.

“The Conway Corridor project takes the ‘front door’ to the community and brings it to a new standard that defines our community as unique and identifiable.”

Although a major goal of the project is to provide drivers with an attractive view of Conway, Lacy said that the project is not about aesthetics as much as it is about economic development.

“An improved interstate corridor will encourage more retail and office development which will generate more sales tax revenue to fund city services and create more jobs for the residents of the region,” he said.

The Interstate 40 corridor is currently home to large national chain restaurants, department stores and specialty shops. Major shopping centers include Conway Commons, Conway Towne Center, Faulkner Plaza and Ridge Plaza.

The project will take approximately five years to complete.