ARKADELPHIA — Members and guests of the Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance and Area Chamber of Commerce gathered March 2 for its annual banquet at the Walker Conference Center at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia.
Fitzgerald Hill of Little Rock, executive director of Arkansas Baptist College’s Scott Ford Center for Entrepreneurship and Community Development in Little Rock, was the keynote speaker. Hill is a graduate of Arkadelphia High School and OBU and was president of Arkansas Baptist College for 10 years prior to accepting his current position.
“The annual banquet was a sold-out event that has become a great venue to make the public more aware of our economic-development activities,” said Shelley Loe, executive director of the chamber. “This event gives the chamber an opportunity to honor its members and the Arkadelphia Alliance the opportunity to show through a video the industrial-development work that is being done in Clark County.”
Loe said the 2016 annual report “shows tremendous activity for economic development in Clark County.”
Submitted in February by Stephen Bell, president and CEO of the Arkadelphia
Regional Economic Development Alliance and Area Chamber of Commerce, the annual report said the year 2016 “was marked by a major industrial announcement when in April, Gov. Asa Hutchinson and the Economic Development Corp. of Clark County announced that Shandong Sun Paper will build a $1.2 billion pulp mill in Gum Springs.”
The report states that the unemployment rate in 2016 fell from a high of 5 percent in January to a low of 4 percent in December and that revenue from the half-cent county sales tax for economic development rose to a record $1.59 million in 2016.
Bell said the Arkadelphia Chamber of Commerce had several ribbon-cutting ceremonies to welcome new businesses
and celebrate expansions. He also cited several special events that were presented by the chamber in 2016, including the Downtown Crawfest in the spring; Arktoberfest in the fall; and A Toast to the Town, which took place New Year’s Eve to mark the start of 2017.
The annual report also states that the new Market in Main opened in Gurdon.
Several awards were presented at the chamber banquet.
Nathan Price, 2016 president of the chamber board of directors, presented the Distinguished Service Award to the Arkadelphia Police Department for its outstanding service to the community.
“We were surprised and honored by the award,” Police Chief Al Harris said. “While they did not give specific reasons for us receiving this award, we do a lot of things that fall outside the traditional role of a police department.
“I have a crew that is very public- and spirit-minded,” he said. “I know the officers that work the elementary school crossings in the mornings and afternoons are well-received, not only by the kids, but by their parents as well. We also have a couple of officers who work at the Boys & Girls Clubs.
“We do a lot of things that are well-received by the public,” Harris said.
Other award-recipients include the following:
• Ouachita Baptist University was named Large Business of the Year.
“This recognition is an affirmation of our outstanding faculty, staff and students,” said Ben Sells, OBU president. “It also reflects our partnership with the community. It’s a privilege for Ouachita to serve alongside our colleagues and neighbors in Arkadelphia and Clark County.”
OBU has a total enrollment of 1,517 students and has approximately 350 employees, including faculty, staff and administrators.
• Take A Load Off was named Small Business of the Year. Opened in 2016 at 618 Clinton St., Take a Load Off is a personalized laundry service that is eco-friendly. Owners Brady and Kristen Brandon moved to Arkadelphia in 2014.
• The Arkadelphia Badger Foundation was named Volunteer/Nonprofit Organization of the Year. According to its website, badgerfoundation.com, ABF is a nonprofit organization with the purpose of supporting the academic and athletic advancement of student athletes of the Arkadelphia Public School District. The foundation is not otherwise affiliated with the school district, its board of education or administration.
• Henderson State University received the Arkadelphia Cultural and Racial Diversity Award given by the city of Arkadelphia’s Racial and Cultural Diversity Committee.
“We’re honored to receive the Racial and Cultural Diversity Award from the city of Arkadelphia,” said Lewis Shepherd, vice president for student and external affairs. “Henderson State works to provide fine-arts and educational programs for all members of the community.
“We help our community and students grow through access to support programs like Veterans Upward Bound and Disability Support Services and through organizations like the Henderson International Student Association, Black Students Association, Ladies League, Student Veterans Association and the Women’s History Organization.”