10:30AM
Golf Outing - Sponsored by Nabholz
Tee times starting at 10:30 AM - 2-man Scramble
$47 per golfer - includes greens fee, tax, cart, and range balls
Country Club of Arkansas
3 Country Club Circle
Maumelle, AR 72113
1:00 PM
Tour of Amazon's LIT1 facility - Limited to 25 total attendees - Must be a member of AEDCE to attend and provide your own transportation
Amazon - LIT1
7001 Zueber Road
Little Rock, AR 72206
Hoffman
Presidential Suite - Room 1915
Outside of Salons A, B, C
Salon A
Salon A
As a company who strives to be Earth’s Best Employer, Amazon’s commitment to people stretches far beyond our employees. Focused on the intersectionality people and places, we are excited to innovate on behalf of global communities. Amazon is working to tackle barriers in the communities where it operates. This includes the work of engaging and investing in people and families to not only meet, but exceed their access to food, healthcare, education, etc. This presentation will reveal how Amazon is committed to helping business leaders, governments and organizations build a better future one community at a time.
Sponsored by Wynne Economic Development
Option 1: Show Me the Money! What you should know about economic development funding options | Salon A
EB-5, Discretionary & Statutory Incentives, Economic Development Sales Taxes, PILOT Agreements, and federal grant programs are tools in the economic developer's toolkit to help make a good project even better, but how do they work? This session will explore different financial options that economic development practitioners should know about to better their community and secure their next investment.
Option 2: Career Blade Arkansas: Local chambers of commerce can now connect business and industry with their future workforce through meaningful school engagement | Hoffman
Join us to learn how Career Blade provides local chambers an opportunity to improve their value to current and prospective members by increasing the visibility and awareness of chamber members to their future workforce. By completing a short survey, chamber members’ business information will appear in Career Blade Arkansas resources that support regional and statewide workforce development at the K-12 grade levels and promote meaningful school engagement. Funded by the Arkansas Department of Education and in partnership with the Arkansas Public School Resource Center, Career Blade is a free resource for chambers, businesses and schools.
Option 3: Project Equity: Why Employee Ownership Is Economic Development’s Best-Kept Secret | Manning
Did you know that half of the businesses in your community are likely owned by business-owners that are at or nearing retirement age, many at risk of closure without an exit plan? At the same time, businesses are struggling to retain their workforce like never before amidst the “great resignation.” Join this session to learn more about employee ownership and practical ways economic developers can apply it to strengthen and retain local businesses, lower workforce turnover, and build stronger, more resilient local economies.
Salon A
This one-on-one conversation will focus on how the impact of Delta Regional Authority (DRA) can holistically help communities become sustainable through infrastructure, workforce, health care, and increase of human capital in the Delta region.
Sponsored by West Memphis Economic Development
Salon A
There are 6 ways to become more successful in utilizing your digital content the correct way.
This presentation will guide you through these main steps with many videos and examples.
1. Make Your Videos Comprehendible Without Audio
2. Make Your Videos Shorter
3. Make Your Videos Specific
4. Stay Consistent with Your Postings
5. Use Different Types of Posts
6. Get the Most Out of Your Posts!
Sponsored by City of North Little Rock
Option 1: Trends in the Electric Utility Industry | Salon A
Representatives from Arkansas’s electric sector will discuss trends in their industry that are related to and impact economic development. Topics to include the growth of solar development in the state, the emergence of cryptocurrency mining operations and the advancement of electric vehicles.
Option 2: Talent and Workforce Development - Two approaches to creating a culture of enhanced learning | Hoffman
The Academies of Central Arkansas and the Saline County Career Technical Campus are transforming workforce and talent development across central Arkansas. Each framework is presenting students with options to enhance their learning and skills development leading to successful careers after high school.
Option 3: Outdoor Recreation as an Economic Driver | Manning
Outdoor recreation is quickly becoming a major contributor to our nation’s economy. This session will focus on the economic impact of outdoor recreation, the creation of Offices of Outdoor Recreation across the country, and how chamber and economic development organizations can connect to this sector. This session will review national and state impact data and case studies, as well as resources to increase access, promotion, and growth.
AEDCE has arranged for transportation to and from the Governor's Mansion for the network building reception.
There will be two buses that will make trips to/from the mansion. Below is the approximate schedule. The first bus will leave at 5:45PM.
Load at 5:30 - Leave at 5:45
Load at 5:45 - Leave at 6:00
Load at 6:00 - Leave at 6:15
AEDCE is pleased to host this year's Network Building Reception at the beautiful Arkansas Governor's Mansion. Transportation will be provided to and from the venue for conference attendees. Our entertainment for the evening will be provided by Christopher Crane (Arkansas Film Commissioner) and his band, CC and the Phunkbari 5. You don't want to miss this event!
Arkansas Governor's Mansion
1800 Center Street
Little Rock, AR 72206
Sponsored by:
Bailey Construction
Crossett Economic Development Foundation
Wright Lindsey Jennings
Buses will depart the Mansion at 7:30PM and 7:45PM.
Presidential Suite - Room 1915
Sponsored by Magnolia Economic Development
Salon A
Sponsored by:
Economic Development Alliance for Jefferson County, Arkansas
Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas
OG&E
Salon A
12:30 PM - Site Location Consultant Roundtable
Salons B & C
1PM - Tour of Saline County Career Technical Campus - Must provide your own transportation
13600 I-30
Benton, AR 72015
If you are traveling southbound on I-30, take exit #114 and stay on the frontage road for approximately 1 mile. The large new campus will be on your right.
If you are traveling northbound on I-30, take exit #111 and travel on US-70 W for approximately .5 miles, turn right onto the frontage road and continue for approximately .3 miles and the destination will be on your left