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Gary Troutman, IOM
President/CEO of Greater Hot Springs Chamber & Hot Springs Metro PartnershipGary Troutman was named President and CEO of the Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce and Metro Partnership in August 2017. He assumed that role a month later. Gary was slated to be the chairman of the Chamber for 2018, after serving on the Chamber board of directors the past several years, before being selected for this role.
He previously was vice president of First Security Bank in Hot Springs after spending 14 years with WEHCO Media, in which he served as classified advertising director of the Arkansas Democrat Gazette in Little Rock and more recently as general manager of The Sentinel-Record. He has served on numerous boards including the Arkansas State Chamber/Associated Industries of Arkansas Board, U.S. Chamber Winter Institute Board, Fifty for the Future, The Oaklawn Foundation, National Park College Foundation, Southern Economic Development Council, Arkansas Economic Developers and Chamber Executives, Arkansas Press Association, HS Executive Association, Central Arkansas Human Resources Association and Ouachita Children’s Center. He was president of the Hot Springs National Park Rotary Club during their historic 100th year in 2016-17 and was named HSNP’s “Rotarian of the Year” for 2017-18.
Gary is a native of Hot Springs, graduated from Lakeside High and the University of Central Arkansas, and lived in Little Rock for 20 years before returning back home to Hot Springs 15 years ago. He and his wife Michelle, an 8th grade teacher at Lake Hamilton Junior High for the past 28 years, have one daughter, Shelby, who is a Labor and Delivery RN at CHI St. Vincent – Hot Springs.
Candice Lawrence
Vice President of Programs & Partnerships | Executive Director at Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas | AEDCECandice Lawrence is vice president of programs & partnerships of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/AIA. She also serves as the executive director of Arkansas Economic Developers & Chamber Executives (AEDCE), the professional association of local chamber executives and economic developers in the state. She is a proud member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Business Leads Fellowship Program, Cohort IX, with a primary focus of improving workforce challenges across the nation. Before joining the chamber, she served for 12 years as a communications representative, visitor’s services manager and community outreach coordinator for a leading global manufacturer of construction equipment. Candice is a proud graduate of Leadership Arkansas Class XVI, Leadership Greater Little Rock Class XXXV and currently serves on the Junior Achievement of Arkansas’ State Board of Directors and the Arkansas Workforce Development Board. She began her career as a broadcast journalist after receiving her undergraduate degree from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.
Tim Griffin
Attorney General at State of ArkansasTim Griffin was sworn in as the 57th Attorney General of Arkansas on January 10, 2023, having
previously served as the state’s 20th Lieutenant Governor from 2015-2023. From 2011-2015, Griffin served as the 24th representative of Arkansas’s Second Congressional District, where he served on the House Committee on Ways and Means, House Armed Services Committee, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, House Committee on Ethics and House Committee on the Judiciary while also serving as a Deputy Whip for the Majority.
Griffin has served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps for more than 27 years and currently holds the rank of colonel. In 2005, Griffin was mobilized to active duty as an Army prosecutor at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and served with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) in Mosul, Iraq.
He is currently serving as the Commander of the 2d Legal Operations Detachment in New Orleans, Louisiana. His previous assignments include serving as the Commander of the 134th Legal Operations Detachment at Fort Liberty (née Bragg), North Carolina, and as a Senior Legislative Advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness at the Pentagon. Griffin earned a master’s degree in strategic studies as a Distinguished Honor Graduate from the U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.
Griffin also served as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Political Affairs for President George W. Bush; Special Assistant to Assistant Attorney General Michael Chertoff, Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice; Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Arkansas; Senior Investigative Counsel, Government Reform and Oversight Committee, U.S. House of Representatives; and Associate Independent Counsel, Office of Independent Counsel David M. Barrett, In re: HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros.
Griffin is a graduate of Magnolia High School, Hendrix College in Conway, and Tulane Law School in New Orleans. He attended graduate school at Oxford University. He is admitted to practice law in Arkansas (active) and Louisiana (inactive). Griffin lives in Little Rock with his wife, Elizabeth, a Camden native, and their three children.
Clint O'Neal, CEcD
Executive Director of Arkansas Economic Development CommissionClint O’Neal is the Executive Director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. Clint has 16 years of economic development experience and is passionate about making a difference by helping communities win economic development projects and helping companies to be successful in Arkansas.
Clint started his economic development career in 2007 as a Project Manager at AEDC. He served as the Vice President of Business Recruitment for the Missouri Partnership starting in 2011 before moving back to his home state in 2018 to be the Deputy Director of Global Business at AEDC. Clint was named Executive Director by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders in January 2023.
He serves as a member of the board of directors for the Arkansas Economic Developers & Chamber Executives, the Arkansas Economic Development Foundation, the Arkansas Institute for Performance Excellence, and the Arkansas Workforce Development Board. He also serves as Governor Sanders’ Designee to the Delta Regional Authority.
Clint is a graduate of the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma and is a Certified Economic Developer through the International Economic Development Council. He holds a Master’s degree in Community and Economic Development from the University of Central Arkansas.
Clint and his wife, Heather, live in Conway with their four children: Chloe, Ellie, Ava, and Caleb.
Steve Arrison
CEO of Hot Springs Convention and Visitor's BurueauAs CEO of Visit Hot Springs for the past 26 years, Steve Arrison is responsible for the creation and implementation of the advertising, promotion and marketing program for the City of Hot Springs.
His duties also include operating the Hot Springs Advertising and Promotion Commission which manages Visit Hot Springs, the Hot Springs Convention Center, the Northwoods Biking and Hiking Trails System, and the Majestic Park baseball complex.
The Hot Springs Advertising and Promotion Commission, under Arrison’ s direction, oversees the organization’s $ 14 million annual budget, which annually attracts more than 3.6 million overnight visitors to the city.
Arrison’ s mission as CEO is to bring an ever-increasing number of visitors to Hot Springs and the surrounding area to enjoy the tourism attractions and other activities.
Steve served fifteen years on the Arkansas Parks, Recreation and Travel Commission, including one term as the commission’s chairman. He has also served as Chairman of the Arkansas Hospitality Association and President of the AHA’s Travel Council. He was elected to the Arkansas Hospitality Association Hall of Fame in 2005.
Dr. Gary Udouj
Director of Career Education and District Innovation at Fort Smith Public SchoolsDr. Gary Udouj, Jr. is the Director of Career Education and District Innovation for the Fort Smith Public Schools, where he has helped lead the development of the Peak Innovation Center. He previously served as Director of Adult Education for FSPS from 2008-2019.
Gary holds a doctoral degree in Adult and Lifelong Learning from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, and is a 2017 graduate of Leadership Fort Smith. He currently serves on the Board of Directors at Abilities Unlimited of Fort Smith and on the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education - School of Occupational Therapy Advisory Council.
He and his wife Tina have been married for 27 years and have two sons, Isaac and Miles.
Jeff Standridge, Ed.D.
Managing Director of ConductorDr. Jeff D. Standridge helps organizations and their leaders generate sustained results in the areas of innovation, strategy, profit growth, organizational transformation and leadership.
Jeff is an Instrument-rated pilot in both single engine and multi-engine aircraft. Formerly a Vice President for Acxiom Corporation (www.Acxiom.com), he has led established and startup business units in North & South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Jeff serves as Managing Director for the Conductor (www.ARConductor.org), as well as for Innovation Junkie (InnovationJunkie.com). He is a Co-founder and Managing Partner of Cadron Capital Partners (www.CadronCapital.com), and teaches in the College of Business at the University of Central Arkansas (www.UCA.edu). He is also retired from the U.S. Army, Arkansas Army National Guard, where he was recognized in 2000 as the Soldier of the Year by the 87th Troop Command.
Dr. Standridge has been an invited speaker, trainer and consultant for numerous companies, institutions and organizations across five continents. He is also a best-selling author of three books, “The Innovator’s Field Guide: Accelerators for Entrepreneurs, Innovators & Change Agents,” and “The Top Performer’s Field Guide: Catalysts for Leaders, Innovators & All Who Aspire to Be,” and “Creating Startup Junkies: Building Sustainable Venture Ecosystems in Unexpected Places.”
In addition to his executive coaching and custom-tailored consulting, he has received accolades for his world-class presentations, training programs and workshops.
He and his wife, Lori, have two grown daughters and make their home in Conway, Arkansas.
Leslie Rutledge
Lieutenant Governor at State of ArkansasLeslie Carol Rutledge was sworn in on January 10, 2023 as Arkansas’s 21st Lieutenant
Governor and the first woman to ever hold the State’s second-highest office. Rutledge
previously served two-terms as the 56th Attorney General of Arkansas from 2015-
2023. She was also the first woman and first Republican elected to the office of
Attorney General.
A seventh-generation Arkansan, Rutledge grew up on a cattle farm and attended school
at the Southside School District in Independence County. From her mother, an
elementary school teacher, and her father, a lawyer and a judge, Rutledge learned the
importance of hard work and service. Rutledge is an Arkansas lawyer who has spent
her career serving the public.
She graduated from the University of Arkansas and the University of Arkansas at Little
Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. Rutledge is admitted to practice law in
Arkansas, Washington D.C., and before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Rutledge and her husband, Boyce, have one daughter. The family has a home in Pulaski
County and farms in Crittenden County and Independence County.
Graycen Bigger, PCED
Executive Director of Northeast Arkansas Intermodal AuthorityGraycen Colbert Bigger is a certified economic and community developer strengthening rural communities in Northeast Arkansas through her work with the NEA Regional Intermodal Authority and FNBC Bank. With nearly two decades of communications experience, she has been recognized as one of Arkansas’ 250 most influential leaders and Top 100 Women of Impact. Bigger was also recently awarded the state’s Community Development Achievement Award for 2024. She currently serves as chairman of the Arkansas Division of Higher Education Coordinating Board and is a member of the Arkansas Good Roads Foundation and Black River Technical College Foundation. She resides in Pocahontas with her husband Alex.
Ken Warden
Commissioner at Arkansas Division of Higher EducationDr. Ken Warden was appointed by Governor Sarah Huckabee-Sanders as the Commissioner of the Arkansas Division of Higher Education on June 1, 2023.
Dr. Warden holds a Doctorate of Education in Workforce Development from the University of Arkansas – Fayetteville, a Master’s in Education in Educational Leadership from Arkansas Tech University, a Bachelor of Science in Vocational Education also from the University of Arkansas -Fayetteville, as well as an Associates of Applied Science in Automotive Service from Westark Community College (now UA-Fort Smith).
Prior to being appointed Commissioner, Dr. Warden worked for the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith from 2014-2023, most recently serving as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Compliance and Legislative Affairs. He previously served as the Dean of the College of Applied Science and Technology for six years and as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Workforce Development for one year.
He also spent 17 years working with Arkansas Tech University - Ozark where he held positions including: Department Chair of Automotive Service Technology, Business and Industry Coordinator, and Chief Officer for Business and Community Outreach.
His breadth of work in higher education spans the gamut, having worked in adult education, two-year colleges and university systems. He has experience in program design, project management, community partnerships, career pathways, grant implementation, and senior level academic leadership.
His research interests are focused on adult learners/non-traditional students, credit and non-credit workforce aligned programs, student retention, and sustainability initiatives on college campuses.
He has been married to his wife, Sandy, for 30 years. He has three adult sons and three well above average grandchildren.
When he is not working in the arena of higher education, you’ll find him working on his old farm equipment, feeding cattle, or maybe fishing.
Scott Robertson
Director of Strategic Partnerships at GrowthZoneScott Robertson has been serving associations for over 25 years. Scott’s passion and focus are providing customers with the tools to grow and retain membership, generate revenue, engage, communicate with members and prospects, and streamline their day-to-day operations.
Scott has served as an Ambassador for his local chamber of commerce and graduated from the US Chamber Winter Institute program with his IOM in 2022.
Scott has presented the 2023 Association and the 2023 Chamber Survey Results at various industry events. He’s a natural at engaging audiences.
Tiffany Henry
Vice President at Arkansas Capital CorporationTiffany works at Arkansas Capital Corporation, a non-profit community development financial institution that empowers entrepreneurs and stimulates regional economic development among underserved communities. She leads the EDGE Initiative: Education to Develop and Grow Entrepreneurs, which aims to increase entrepreneurship at higher education institutions and rural communities. Tiffany has served as an ESHIP Champion with the Kauffman Foundation, co-State Coordinator for Global Entrepreneurship Week Arkansas, and was the founding board member of 1 Million Cups Russellville. She also served on the provisional council of the Ecosystem Builders Leadership Project, a national initiative working to formalize the profession of ecosystem building.
Michele Allgood
Attorney at Mitchell Willams Law FirmAttorney Michele Allgood is a partner at Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C. She has extensive experience in all areas of municipal and public finance in Arkansas and represents Arkansas state agencies, municipalities, counties, facility boards and commissions in matters of capital improvement and economic development projects. Michele has experience in taxable, tax exempt, public and private municipal finance transactions.
Devin Bates
Attorney at Mitchell Willams Law FirmAttorney Devin Bates is a partner at Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C. He is a trial lawyer with experience representing clients in complex litigation including business matters, intellectual property disputes, constitutional litigation, and products liability actions. He also advises school boards, government agencies and economic development agencies on FOIA laws.
Carol Duncan
Attorney at City of JonesboroAttorney Carol Duncan is the elected City Attorney for Jonesboro, Arkansas. In 2004, she joined the city as first Assistant City Attorney and was elected as City Attorney in 2015. Carol earned a law degree from the University of Arkansas Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law and holds a bachelor’s degree from the Arkansas State University.
Matt Bell
President and CEO of Origami SakeMatt is an Arkansas native and the President and Co-Founder of Origami Sake, Arkansas’ first sake brewery located in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Matt is a Certified Sake Professional from the Sake Education Council and is (Wine and Spirits Education Trust) WSET Level I certified and is leading the financial planning, growth strategy, and marketing plan for Origami Sake.
Prior to starting Origami Sake, Matt was a founding partner of Bell-Corley Construction, a commercial general contracting company, Viridian, a green building and energy efficiency consulting company, and Entegrity, a commercial solar development and energy efficiency contractor. Under Matt’s leadership, the Bell-Corley construction was named 27th in Entrepreneur Magazines Hot 100 Fastest growing businesses in America (2006), named 44th in Inc. Magazine Top 500 fastest growing private companies (2006), and finalist for Arkansas Business of the Year 2004 and 2005. In 2008, after the sale of Bell-Corley Construction, Matt co-founded Viridian which was recognized as Little Rock Sustainable Business of the Year (2012) and finalist of Arkansas Business of the Year in 2014. In 2017, Viridian successful merged to form Entegrity, and was a finalist for Arkansas Business of the year in 2020 and subsequently the winner of Arkansas Business of the Year in 2021. Entegrity was named as one of Arkansas’ Best Places to Work five years consecutively (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021), winner of the Arkansas Advanced Energy Business Innovation Award (2017 and 2021), AMP magazine Most Admired Companies in 2021, and Top Solar Contractors in America in 2022.
Hugh McDonald
Secretary at Arkansas Department of CommerceHugh T. McDonald was appointed Secretary of Commerce of Arkansas by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders in 2023.
He served as president and chief executive officer of Entergy Arkansas, Inc. from 2000 until his retirement in 2016. Entergy Arkansas is the largest electric utility in the state, serving over 700,000 customers with annual revenues exceeding $2 billion.
Hugh joined Entergy in 1982 as an engineer at Waterford 3 nuclear generating plant in Louisiana. He held various management positions in the distribution, transmission, customer service, retail marketing and regulatory business functions in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Arkansas.
Prior to working for Entergy, Hugh was employed by Black and Veatch Consulting Engineers in Overland Park, Kansas.
Hugh is a past Board member of the United States Chamber of Commerce, the University of Arkansas Sam Walton College of Business Advisory Board and the University of Arkansas Little Rock College of Business Advisory Council. He also served as past Board Chairs of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, Fifty for the Future, the Arkansas Research Alliance, the Arkansas Career Education and Workforce Development Board, the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences Board of Advisors and the Nature Conservancy of Arkansas.
Hugh currently serves on the board of Trustees of The Nature Conservancy of Arkansas and the North Dakota State University Foundation.
Hugh holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management from North Dakota State University, 1980; and earned an MBA from the University of New Orleans in 1987.
Hugh and his wife, Michelle, have three children.
Jack Thomas, CEcD
VP, Economic Development at Little Rock Regional ChamberJack Thomas is vice president of economic development at the Little Rock Regional Chamber, the oldest association in Ar¬kansas and the primary economic development organization for central Arkansas. In this role, Thomas leads a team of econom¬ic development professionals tasked with corporate site selection, regional marketing and public relations, employer engagement, workforce development, entrepreneurship, diversity initiatives and economic develop¬ment policy issues.
Prior to joining the chamber, Thomas served as senior project manager at the Ar-kansas Economic Development Commis¬sion. In that role, Thomas worked to recruit new business to Arkansas. During his time at AEDC, Thomas worked with companies that created more than 3000 jobs and invested nearly $4 billion across 33 Arkansas communities.
A native of Little Rock, Thomas is a summa cum laude grad¬uate of Harding University in Searcy, where he was named the Paul R. Carter College of Business Administration Student of the Year in 2018. Thomas is a graduate of Harding’s graduate school of business and earned a Master of Business Adminis¬tration degree in 2019. He is a 2022 graduate of the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute and is a certi¬fied economic developer through the International Economic Development Council. He serves on the board of the AEDCE and, in 2023, was voted Arkansas state director on the board of the Southern Economic Development Council, North America’s largest regional economic development association.
Jarod Wickliffe
Director, Business Development, Retention & Expansion of Little Rock Regional ChamberJarod Wickliffe joined the Little Rock Regional Chamber in December of 2023 and serves at the
Director of Business Development, Retention and Expansion. Jarod is responsible for deepening and maintaining relationships with existing industry and key strategic employers, helping employers identify trends and troubleshoot issues, as well as identify expansion opportunities and secure those investments in the Little Rock region. Jarod also supports the Chamber’s proactive business recruitment efforts by engaging with site location consultants, company executives, and curating marketing strategies to recruit jobs and investment to Central Arkansas.
Jarod joined the Little Rock Regional Chamber from the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, where he worked as senior project manager on the state’s business development team. Jarod worked with numerous Fortune 500 companies to invest in Arkansas, planned and executed international and domestic trade missions, and served as an economic development resource for communities across the state.
Jarod was instrumental in recruiting Elopak to Little Rock, Raytheon-Rafael Area Protection Systems to East Camden, and Federal Metal Company to North Little Rock. Jarod also supported existing Arkansas companies to inject capital and create high paying jobs for Arkansans. Several of these companies include Dassault Falcon Jet, Bad Boy Mowers, Albemarle, and Arkana Laboratories. Jarod served as project manager for companies that created over 3,000 new jobs and invested over $1.5 billion across Arkansas.
A native of North Little Rock and graduate of Catholic High School, Wickliffe has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. Jarod currently resides in Little Rock with his fiancé Sydney and their dog Ralph.
Monique Thierry
Vice President, SW/SC Region at U.S. Chamber of CommerceMonique Thierry is vice president of the Congressional and Public Affairs Southwest-South Central Regional office, which represents eight states. She leads the region’s efforts in developing and implementing a strategic agenda to strengthen operational initiatives and relationships with elected officials, chambers of commerce, member businesses, and associations.
Thierry collaborates with diverse communities within the region to cultivate long-term solutions. Accordingly, she works with entities, member organizations, and elected officials on pivotal policies and programs that are relevant to local and national solutions. This requires her to develop and maintain legislative, political, and grassroots resources that advance the U.S. Chamber’s public policy goals.
In addition, Thierry is a believer in the art of diplomacy in policy and communication and frequently serves as an instructor to empower chamber partners to build effective foundations that include advocacy programs.
Thierry brings to her position strong roots and a wealth of experience in the business community. Previously, she served as vice president of government affairs for the Chamber Southwest Louisiana. There she used her platform to reach state and federal agencies and elected officials on behalf of the five parishes she represented. Thierry developed a blueprint for its first-ever advocacy program and helped secure its first five-star U.S. Chamber Accreditation.
Thierry was at the forefront of revitalizing the area after Hurricane Rita. She earned statewide and national recognition while advocating for policy issues benefiting the economic interests of Southwest Louisiana. Under her guidance, the area earned recognition as a vital region of the state. Her philosophy of inclusive leadership resulted in pioneering legislation that has had far-reaching positive significance. Working with the CEO of the Chamber Southwest Louisiana, she helped develop long-term regional strategies for environmental and energy issues, offshore oil revenue sharing, taxation, infrastructure, hurricane recovery, and coastal protection and restoration.
To elevate awareness of the regional and national economic importance, she created the Southwest LA and Southeast Texas first anniversary trail ride events, which brought together the governor, the White House federal recovery coordinator, the U.S. Defense Department General Commander of relief operations, and congressional and state leaders. Her vision as creator of Legis Gator, the preeminent comprehensive legislative wrap-upin the state, and Chamber SWLA Day/Shrimp Boil helped cement her reputation.
During the 2011 redistricting process, Thierry led advocacy efforts to keep the historic Acadiana region along the Louisiana I-10 corridor intact as one congressional district. The region was the only area in the state to retain a majority of its original district. For this, she has been recognized for her professional excellence and commitment to service.
Throughout her academic and professional careers, Thierry has been committed to service, community development, and diplomacy working with like-minded organizations and entities. She has been successful in building partnerships across different ideologies and bridging deep divides to drive policies that benefit everyone.
Kris Adams
Manager of ARise at ConductorKristopher Adams currently manages ARise (Arkansas Innovators, Startups, and Entrepreneurs), a new statewide technology program funded by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and led by Startup Junkie. ARise supports Arkansas-based tech and tech-enabled ventures to help them grow and succeed. With extensive experience in nonprofit leadership, strategic communications, and community building, Kristopher’s work spans various sectors. Previously, as Director of the NWA Tech Summit, he drove impressive growth in corporate sponsorships and attendance, building a dynamic tech ecosystem in Northwest Arkansas. Kristopher’s passion lies in fostering innovation and driving economic development in Arkansas.
Charles Parker
Project Director of The Retail CoachCharles brings 11 years of experience in the fields of economic research and
entrepreneurship to The Retail Coach.
As Project Director, Charles oversees the retail recruitment process for communities across the East Coast and heads up The Retail Coach's retail recruitment training courses. His work has led to the location of numerous regional and national brands to client communities, including Hobby Lobby, Marshall’s, Five Below, Planet Fitness, Eggs Up Grill, Popeye’s, Sonic, and Publix.
Charles earned his MBA and Master of Science degrees from Mississippi State University, where he led research teams studying economic impacts on rural communities. He is an active member of the International Council of Shopping Centers and Main Street America, and is a frequent speaker at conferences, municipal leagues, and economic organizations.
Allison Hestand, PCED
CEO/Director of Economic Development at Paragould Regional Chamber of CommerceAs the CEO and Director of Economic Development for the Paragould Regional Chamber of Commerce, Allison Hestand serves a vital role in the growth of Paragould, Arkansas. Allison oversees all operations of the 900-member Chamber of Commerce while also serving as the director of the Economic Development Corporation of Paragould. Since joining the Chamber in 2021, Allison has overseen the launch of a 20-Year Community Strategic Plan, Discover Paragould 2042, while the Chamber has seen more than a 50% growth in membership.
Allison is a graduate of Arkansas State University with a bachelor’s degree in finance and a minor in economics. Allison serves on the boards of the Greene County Industrial Training Center, Arkansas Methodist Medical Center, Arkansas Economic Developers and Chamber Executives and is the vice-president of the Greene County Future Fund.
Corey Parks, PCED
Chief Economic Development Officer at Conway Development Corporation/Conway Area Chamber of CommerceCorey Parks is the Chief Economic Development Officer for the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce and Conway Development Corporation. He manages the organizations' community and economic development efforts and oversees talent and workforce development initiatives.
Corey earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Insurance & Risk Management and Master of Business Administration from the University of Central Arkansas. Corey is a certified Professional Community and Economic Developer (PCED), designated by the Community Development Council, and is a graduate of the Community Development Institute and the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute.
He currently serves on the Community Development Council Board of Trustees, ACCE Economic and Community Development Division Advisory Council, Conway Historic District Commission, University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton Board of Visitors, and the Board of Directors for the University of Central Arkansas Alumni Association, Arkansas Coding Academy, and the Children's Advocacy Alliance. Corey previously served on the Arkansas Economic Developers & Chamber Executives (AEDCE) and Missouri Arkansas Kansas Oklahoma (MAKO) conference board of directors.
Tonya Fletcher, PCED
Executive Director of Paris Area Chamber of CommerceTonya Fletcher, the Executive Director of the Paris Area Chamber of Commerce, has been serving the Logan County businesses and surrounding areas for the past decade. Tonya is also a Certified Professional Community and Economic Developer. In addition to her role at the Chamber of Commerce, Tonya is also a City Council Member in Paris, where she has served for eight years. She enthusiastically serves as the Logan County Leadership class director for the last four years. Prior to her appointment as Executive Director for the PACC, she previously served as Regional Sales Director for Avon Products, Inc. and was a District Manager at Russell Cellular.
Tonya is the President of the Arkansas River Valley TriPeaks Regional Tourism Association; a founding Main Street Paris Board of Directors; board member of the Arkansas Economic Developers and Chamber Executives; board member for Western Arkansas Planning and Development District as well as the Fort Smith Regional Alliance. Tonya is co-chair of the Paris Health Council and a board member of the Smith Hospital Association. Tonya is a past Paris Boys and Girls club board member and secretary.
Tonya is a graduate of Community Development Institute and has completed Western Arkansas Economic Development Boot Camp. A graduate of Russellville Regional Leadership Academy and director of Leadership Logan County. Tonya established the Leadership Logan County program as well as Main Street Paris. Tonya is a 2023 graduate of Leadership Arkansas Class XVII and most recently was named the Top 100 Most Impactful Women of Arkansas by the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas and selected by AEDCE as the 2023 Arkansas Chamber Director of the Year. She received the Paris Area Chamber of Commerce Community Leader award in 2023.
Tonya is married to Brian Fletcher and they reside in Paris. Together they have four daughters, one son and five grandchildren. Tonya’s greatest passion is being a cheerleader for her family and she enjoys watching her children play various sports. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and trying new foods. She enjoys volunteering in the community as well as mentoring future leaders.
Danielle Chaney
Senior Program Manager at University of Arkansas Office of Entrepreneurship and InnovationDanielle Chaney is the Senior Program Manager at the University of Arkansas's Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (OEI), where she leads the Arkansas EcoMap program, fostering a collaborative and cohesive entrepreneurial ecosystem across the state. She also manages the annual publication of the Arkansas Capital Scan report, providing valuable insights into the state’s capital landscape. Before joining OEI, Danielle worked in marketing and operations at AcreTrader, where she honed her skills in planning, execution, and project management. A Maryland native, she holds degrees in Marketing and Supply Chain Management from the University of Maryland.