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Welcome to our Chamber Connection Newsletter!
In an effort to connect our Chamber Members to valuable news, information, and resources each month we will feature a spotlight topic to better connect our community. This month's topics include legislative affairs, workforce development, and economic development. Next month's topic will feature a Shop Local focus in our region.
February | 2023 | Workforce and Economic Development, & Legislative Affairs
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Upcoming Professional Development Workshops
2023: Lunch n Learn About Google Analytics 4 (GA4)
Program Description:
Google Analytics as we know it is dead. It’s a bold – but true – statement. Google Analytics 4 is a brand-new product with brand-new features and interfaces. And plenty of benefits … once you figure out the differences, learn the new terminology, and get used to a new interface. Learn more about GA4, the new tools available, and how to prepare for the July 1 launch.
*Attendees will need to have some knowledge of Google Analytics in order to get the most from this session

Date and Time:
Wednesday, March 22, 2023
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CST

Location:
Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce
612 Garrison Avenue
Fees/Admission
$20 - Chamber Members
$25 - Non-Members
*lunch is included
2023 Workshop: The Conversation Tool
Dr. Phillip McClure has been using "The Conversation Tool" as a consultant, keynote speaker, and pastor for decades. He's taught this useful skill to thousands of people in a variety of settings.

Everybody knows how to talk, but leveraging 2 minutes to actually learn about a person is a developed skill. This training is fun, interactive, and constantly practiced throughout. Instruction is given in the basics of healthy conversation, followed by the introduction of a tool that transforms small moments into bond-building events. One of McClure Professional Services most-enjoyed, most often requested training offerings, The Conversation Tool is as simple as it is effective.

Outcomes: increased focus, enhanced relationship building, development of authenticity, and excitement to use it!

Date and Time:
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM CST

Location:
Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce
612 Garrison Avenue

Fees/Admission:
$50 - Chamber Members
$75 - Guests
2023: Intro to Canva
Whether you're a business owner, marketer, or just someone who wants to improve their visual communication skills, this session is the perfect place to start.

  • Create eye-catching graphics quickly and easily for social media, marketing materials, and other purposes
  • Understand the basics, such as backgrounds, fonts, images, logos, and brand kit, and how to use them effectively
  • Powerful tips and tricks to create professional-looking designs
  • How to use the Canva search bar to make quick designs in less time
  • Advanced techniques for creating custom graphics using your own images and text, including animations

Date and Time:
Wednesday, April 5, 2023
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM CST

Location:
Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce
612 Garrison Avenue

Fees/Admission:
$25 - Chamber Members
$35 - Non-Members
2023: Building a Positive Work Environment. Driving Excellent Results. The VIP Way.
"Building a Positive Work Environment. Driving Excellent Results. The VIP Way."

Employee retention is key to organizational growth and succession planning. Recruiting and training new employees, while necessary, can be expensive and time consuming. Furthermore, employee turnover can negatively impact productivity and morale. If you could reduce your employee turnover rate, what would the impact be to your company?

Please join us in April for "Building a Positive Work Environment. Driving Excellent Results. The VIP Way.". During this 3-Day session, attendees will gain valuable insight and knowledge on how to:

 Champion Operational Excellence
 Make Sound Decisions
 Hold People Accountable
 Communicate with Excellence
 Generational Differences
 Fostering a Positive Work Environment
 Championing Health, Wellness & Safety
 Avoiding Burnout
 Real-Life Scenarios
 Your Legacy as a VIP Leader

Date and Time:
3-Day Session
Tuesday, April 25th -
Thursday, April 27th
Time
9:00 AM- 3:30 PM
*each day

Location:
Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce
Board Room
612 Garrison Avenue
Legislative Affairs Information & Events
Meet our state legislatures representing Sebastian County
Name: Senator Justin Boyd
District Number: 27
Seniority: 26

Full Bio: Senator Justin Boyd was elected in 2022 to represent District 27, which includes most of the city of Fort Smith in Sebastian County.
Senator Boyd is vice chair of the Senate Transportation, Technology, and Legislative Affairs Committee. He is a member of the Senate Public Health, Welfare, and Labor Committee, the Senate Insurance and Commerce Committee, the Joint Performance Review (JPR) Committee, Senate Interim Committee on Children and Youth, and the Arkansas Legislative Council.
He served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2015 through 2022. As a House member, he served as vice co-chair of the Joint Budget Committee and was a member of the House Insurance and Commerce Committee and the House Public Health, Welfare, and Labor Committee. Continue to Read Full Bio Here
Name: Senator Gary Stubblefield
District Number: 26
Seniority: 7

Full Bio: Senator Gary Stubblefield represents Senate District 26, which includes parts of Franklin, Johnson, Logan, and Sebastian Counties. Senator Stubblefield is chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He is a member of the Senate City, County, and Local Affairs Committee, the Joint Energy Committee, the Senate Rules, Resolutions, and Memorials Committee, the Joint Budget Committee, and the Arkansas Legislative Council. In past years, Senator Stubblefield chaired the Senate Committee on City, County, and Local Affairs and was vice chair of the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee Senator Stubblefield served for two years in the House of Representatives, then was elected to the Senate in November of 2012. He was sworn in as a state senator on the first day of the 2013 regular session. Continue to Read Full Bio Here
Name: Senator Terry Rice
District Number: 5
Seniority: 11
Contact:

Full Bio: Senator Terry Rice represents Senate District 5, which comprises Montgomery, Perry, Polk, and Scott Counties, and parts of Conway, Logan, Pike, Pope, Sebastian, and Yell Counties. He was elected to the Senate in 2014.  Senator Rice is the Senate Co-Chair of the Arkansas Legislative Council (ALC) and he served in the same role during the 93rd General Assembly.  Senator Rice is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Senate City, County, and Local Affairs Committee, and the Senate Transportation, Technology, and Legislative Affairs Committee. He serves on the Joint Budget Committee and the Joint Performance Review Committee (JPR). Senator Rice’s legislative priorities include juvenile justice and foster care. He has sponsored legislation to update the protections in state law against the unlawful use of unmanned aircraft over critical infrastructure.
Name: Rep. Cindy Crawford
District Number: 51
Seniority: 48

Full Bio: Rep. Crawford is serving her third term in the Arkansas House. She represents District 51 which includes portions of Sebastian County.
For the 94th General Assembly, Rep. Crawford serves on the House Judiciary Committee and the House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee. Rep. Crawford also serves on the Arkansas Legislative Council.
Rep. Crawford is the Chief Executive Officer at Tree of Life and Hannah House in Fort Smith. She attended Connors Junior College. She has been involved in numerous civic and professional organizations including the River Valley Tobacco and Drug Coalition, Restore Hope, and the Sebastian County Republican Committee.
Name: Rep. Zachary Gramlich
District Number: 50

Full Bio: Rep. Zachary Gramlich is serving his first term in the Arkansas House of Representatives. He represents District 50 which includes the southern half of Fort Smith.
For the 94th General Assembly, Rep. Gramlich serves on the House Public Health, Welfare, and Labor Committee and the House Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs Committee.
Rep. Gramlich is a school teacher for Fort Smith Public Schools.
He graduated from the University of Arkansas Fort Smith with a degree in Biology and teacher licensure. He went on to earn his Master’s in Educational Leadership from Arkansas State University.
Rep. Gramlich serves on the Guiding Coalition for Darby Middle School and the Endowment Board for Saint Boniface Catholic Church.
In 2022, he was selected to participate in the Leadership Fort Smith Class.
Rep. Gramlich lives in Fort Smith with his wife and daughter.
Name: Rep. Lee Johnson
District Number: 47
Seniority: 51

Full Bio: Rep. Lee Johnson is serving his third term in the Arkansas House. He represents District 47 which includes a portion of Sebastian County.
For the 94th General Assembly, Rep. Johnson serves as Chair of the House Public Health, Welfare, and Labor Committee. He also serves on the House Insurance and Commerce Committee and the Joint Budget Committee.
Rep. Johnson is a Physician. He graduated with his M.D. from the University of Arkansas Medical School. He also attended Hendrix College where he graduated with his Bachelor of Arts. He attended Boy’s State while he attended Greenwood High School. Rep. Johnson was previously elected to the Greenwood City Council from 2008 to 2018. He has also served on the State Board of Health.
Name: Rep. Jay Richardson
District Number: 49
Seniority:54

Full Bio: Rep. Jay Richardson is serving his third term in the Arkansas House. He represents District 49 which includes portions of Sebastian County.
For the 94th General Assembly, Rep. Richardson serves on the House Judiciary Committee and the House Insurance and Commerce Committee. Rep. Richardson also serves on the Joint Budget Committee.
Rep. Richardson is in Business Development for Centuria Ventures. He graduated from John Brown University with a B.A. degree.
Name: Rep. Ryan Rose
District Number: 48
Seniority: 85

Full Bio: Rep. Ryan A. Rose is serving his first term in the Arkansas House. He represents District 48 which includes portions of Crawford and Sebastian counties.
For the 94th General Assembly, Rep. Rose serves on the House Public Health, Welfare, and Labor Committee and the House Insurance and Commerce Committee.
The Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce Legislative Forum will meet every other Friday (while in Session) beginning January 13, 2023. Our elected officials will discuss important legislative issues in an open Q&A round-table discussion.

*FREE for Chamber Members to Attend*
Next Session Information:

Date and Time:
Friday, February 24, 2023
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM CST

Location:
Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce, Board Room
612 Garrison Avenue
Fort Smith, AR


Workforce Development Events, Information, & Community Impacts
Draft Day coming soon
ARKANSAS RIVER VALLEY • MARCH 13 – 15, 2023
PEAK INNOVATION CENTER • 5900 PAINTER LANE, FORT SMITH, AR 72903
If you have any questions about the event and how you can participate, please contact Emily Lamm at emily.lamm@beprobeproud.org.
Employers and job seekers can use CareerReadyFortSmith.com for free
Fort Smith Chamber Members: United Way of Fort Smith Area - 100 Families Initiative & Restore Hope Arkansas are working together to make a difference in our community with positive impacts on the area's workforce and economic development.
Through a collaborative case management system, which allows for effective partnerships between agencies, community service providers, and faith-based organizations the 100 Families, Restore Hope Arkansas focuses on its mission to move clients from Crisis to Career resulting in significantly better outcomes for communities. In Sebastian and Crawford counties, the collaboration and partnership with United Way of Fort Smith Area have engaged many agencies and are making a difference to both workforce and economic development in our region.


Or by watching their podcasts below featuring important collaborators from the Fort Smith area:
Leadership Fort Smith Class of 2023 Visits Capitol
Session Sponsor:
Lunch Sponsor:
The goal of this Leadership Fort Smith Session is to introduce participants to elected officials and key leaders in the State of Arkansas, provide an overview of the state government process, familiarize participants with some of the key settings in which the Arkansas Government is conducted, and provide insights on ways in which to participate in the legislative process.

Thank you to our program sponsors!
Economic Development News & Numbers
Fort Smith remains preferred site for foreign pilot training center
Article Source: TALK BUSINESS: by Michael Tilley February 6, 2023
A final Environmental Impact Statement released in late January by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) continues to show Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith as the “preferred” site for a foreign pilot training center.

Ebbing was selected June 8, 2001 by acting Secretary of the Air Force John Roth to be the long-term pilot training center supporting F-16 and F-35 fighter planes purchased by Singapore, Switzerland and other countries participating in the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. In addition to Ebbing, the Air Force selected Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Selfridge, Mich., as the alternative site.

A final “Record of Decision,” or ROD, could come in late February or early March.

According to the USAF, Ebbing is the preferred home for “consolidation of F-35 FMS training activities and the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) F-16 aircraft operations at a single location, construction of new or renovation of existing infrastructure to support FMS training and RSAF operations, and the integration of up to 24 FMS F-35 aircraft and 12 RSAF F-16 aircraft relocated from Luke Air Force Base (AFB), Arizona.”

The pilot training center would add “about 384” military personnel to Ebbing, which now has about 1,000 members with around 660 being full-time. Also according to the USAF, up to 800 “associated dependents” would move to the Fort Smith metro.

“The increase of personnel related to the FMS PTC beddown and associated range support is still being determined based on the total aircraft on-base at any one time,” noted the EIS report.

Ebbing is now home to the 188th Wing. The 188th’s three primary missions are Remotely Piloted Aircraft (MQ-9 Reaper); Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR); and Targeting (Space-Focused).

Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tim Allen said he was pleased to see Fort Smith remain as the preferred alternative in the EIS report.

“We’re excited that the behind-the-scenes work of the last two years has gotten us to this point. The Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce, with our partners, has a plan for welcoming the servicemen and women, their families and the program to Ebbing Air National Guard Base and the community. That work is moving us closer to the Record of Decision being signed sometime this spring by the United States Air Force,” Allen said in a statement to Talk Business & Politics.
2022 Annual Recap of Economic Development Key Figures
Additional Member Economic News Announcements:
Fort Smith ER & Hospital Officially Opens its Doors:

February 3, 2023 (Fort Smith, Arkansas) – The highly anticipated medical facility, Fort Smith ER & Hospital, is officially open and seeing patients. Starting today, the facility will be accessible 24/7, 365 days a year, providing year-round access to unparalleled outpatient and inpatient medical care. The hospital is conveniently located in Fort Smith at 4701 Phoenix Avenue, off Interstate 540.

Founded by board-certified emergency physicians and Nutex Health Inc., Fort Smith ER & Hospital has opened with the mission to put patients first and offer a concierge-level emergency care experience to all—offering clinical, pediatrics, imaging, and laboratory services.

“At our beautiful new facility, you and your loved ones will experience care found nowhere else with a calm and welcoming atmosphere as soon as you enter the lobby that lasts throughout the entirety of the visit,” said Dr. John Weddle, the medical director at Fort Smith ER & Hospital.

Haas Hall Academy to Open Fort Smith – River Valley Campus in Fall 2023

Fort Smith, AR – February 17, 2023 – In order to provide easier access to high quality public secondary education for scholars and families living south of the Bobby Hopper Tunnel on Interstate 49, Haas Hall Academy is establishing its fifth campus in Fort Smith for the 2023−2024 academic year.
Haas Hall Academy is an open-enrollment tuition-free charter school currently providing an award-winning STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) − based college preparatory program for over 1,300 grade 7−12 scholars at four Northwest Arkansas campuses in Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers and Bentonville.
For the 2021-2022 academic year, all four Haas Hall Academy locations received a letter grade of A, among only eight-percent of all Arkansas schools, and ranked #1−4 scholastically overall for high schools in the state, based on annual school accountability (ESSA) scores.

Welcome to Our New Members
All AV Services, LLC

Arkansas Capital Corporation

Dolly's Trading Company

Fort Smith ER & Hospital

John M. Edwards

Salon Savvy

Twisted Effects Braid Studio LLC
Upcoming Chamber Connection Newsletters
March 30, 2023 - Shop Local (Tax Season/Small Business Campaign)
April 27, 2023 - Education
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