Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce News Newswire

Upcoming Ribbon Cuttings

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Ambassador Update

Tuesday, June 18 - 10:00 AM
Mercy Hospital - Senior Behavioral Unit
2710 Rife Medical Ln. - 7th Floor
Rogers, AR

Wednesday, June 19 - 4:30 PM
GCubed Marketing
4700 S. Thompson St., Ste. C103
Springdale, AR

Friday, June 21 - 12:00 PM
Jake's Fireworks
5993 N. Thompson St.
Bethel Heights, AR

Saturday, June 22 - 10:30 AM Ribbon Cutting/ 11:00 AM Grand Opening
Akins Natural Foods, HFA
4019 W. Walnut St.
Rogers, AR

***Thursday, June 27- 9:00 AM***
Dickey's Barbecue Pit
4204 W. Green Acres Rd., Ste 140
Rogers, AR

***Friday, June 28- 4:30 PM***
Harvey Pediatrics, PLLC
2900 Medical Center Pkwy. # 390
Rogers, AR

Monday, July 1 - 12:00 PM
GPP fit NWA
2877 W. Walnut St.
Rogers, AR

Tuesday, July 16 - 10:00 AM
Ronald McDonald Family Room
2710 Rife Medical Ln. (1st Floor Auditorium of Mercy Hospital)
Rogers, AR

Monday, August 12 - 10:00 AM
Community Clinic Rogers Medical
2500 W. Walnut St.
Rogers, AR

***Thursday, August 15 - 12:00 PM***
My Dentist Office
2886 W. Walnut St.
Rogers, AR

***This event has been added recently***

Northwest Arkansas Fireworks Displays Announced for July 2013 Independence Day Celebrations

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Sunday, June 30
6th Annual Fireworks at the Crosses
Where: The Cross Church at Pinnacle
What: Fireworks, Live music, Food, and Baptism.
Time: 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.
More info: http://crosschurch.com/events/fireworks-at-the-crosses/134/

Wednesday, July 3
Bella Vista Independence Day Fireworks
Where: Loch Lomond Dam
What: Fireworks display, sponsored by the City of Bella Vista.
Time: 9:30 p.m. or dusk
More info: bellavistapoa.com

City of Rogers Fireworks Display
Where: Veterans Park
What: Fireworks display
Time: 6:30 pm - 9 p.m.
More info: rogersarkansas.com

Thursday, July 4
An Evening at Orchards Park – Bentonville
Where: Orchards Park
What: Entertainment – Breaking Silence and the Arkansas Winds Orchestra.
Time: 7 p.m. – 10:00p.m.
More info: bentonvillear.com

Uptown Fayetteville Freedom Fireworks Display
Where: Northwest Arkansas Mall
What: Daytime activities include a fashion show and an ice cream eating contest inside the mall. Boom Kinetic! and Singing Men of Arkansas will perform outside the mall beginning at 6 p.m., and a fireworks display will begin at around 9:15 p.m.
Time: Indoor activities begin at 2 p.m. Fireworks start at around 9:25 p.m.
More info: northwestarkansasmall.com

Fourth at the Field
Where: Arvest Ballpark
What: The NWA Naturals are away on the 4th this year, but there’s a party at Arvest Ballpark anyway. Activities include inflatables and on-field activities for the kids, live music by Wes Hart Band, and a fireworks show.
Time: Gates open at 4:45 p.m. Fireworks start at around 8:45 p.m.
More info: milb.com

Friday, July 5
12th Annual Ventris Trail’s End Resort Fireworks Display
Where: Ventris Trail’s End Resort
What: Fireworks display, intended to be viewed on a boat from Beaver Lake.
Time: 8 p.m.
More info: rogerslowell.com

Saturday, July 6
Rodeo of the Ozarks
Where Parsons Stadium
What: The last day of the 69th Annual Rodeo of the Ozarks. A fireworks display will take place after the rodeo.
Time: Gates at 6 p.m., the rodeo starts at 7:00 p.m., and the fireworks begin after the rodeo.
More info: parsonsstadium.com

Prairie Creek Marina and Cabela’s Firework Display
Where: Prairie Creek Marina
What: Fireworks Display
Time: Dark (around 9:00 p.m.)
More info: prairiecreekmarina.com

Print Your Own Calendar of Events - May and June 2013

Sat, 01 Jun 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Chamber Calendar of Events for June and July 2013

Click on the link above to view a PDF of the May and June 2013 Chamber Events Calendars. You'll find the basic information for all Chamber committee meetings, business-building networking events and educational seminars.

For more details on any of the listed events, to register online, to send an email reminder to yourself or to find a map, visit the Chamber Calendar.

Area Development Q213/Spring Issue Ranks NWA #43 on Top 100 Leading Locations for 2013

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Area Development Reports on the Leading MSAs for Economic & Job Growth:
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers MSA Ranks #43 Overall, #5 Regionally, and #18 Within Its Population Category

WESTBURY, N.Y., MAY 21, 2013 – Area Development, the premier publication covering site selection and facility planning, recently ranked 380 MSAs across 21 economic and work force indicators, which were pulled from seven (7) data sets originating with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Census American Community Survey, and IHS. Based on these rankings, the publication has announced its Leading Locations for 2013.

The Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers MSA ranks #43 overall, #5 regionally and #18 within its population category.

Lafayette, Louisiana, ranks first overall, followed in the remaining top-10 spots by Fargo (ND-MN), Odessa (TX), Columbus (IN), Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (CA), Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos (TX), Midland (TX), Holland-Grand Haven (MI), Framingham (MA), and Bismarck (ND). Based on overall results, MSAs were ranked across nine (9) regions, as well as according to size in three categories, “Big Cities,” “Mid-Size Cities,” and “Small Cities.” They were also ranked within the “Economic Strength Factors,” “Year-Over-Year Growth,” “Prime Workforce Growth,” and “Recession-Busting” categories, with each category based on selected indicators.

Regional leaders are Framingham (MA); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria (DC-VA-MD-WV); Columbus (IN); Lafayette (LA), which also led among Top 30 Mid-Size Cities; Morgantown (WV); Casper (WY); Fargo (ND-MN); Odessa (TX), which also led among Top 30 Small Cities; and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (CA), which also led among Top 30 Big Cities. The overall leader for “Economic Strength” and “Year-Over-Year Growth” indicators was Lafayette (LA); for “Prime Workforce Growth” the leader was Fargo (ND); and for ““Recession-Busting” indicators, Odessa (TX) ranked first.

“The Leading Locations are MSAs that have managed to thrive emerging from the recession as economic leaders,” said Geraldine Gambale, editor of Area Development. “These MSAs are leaders based on their economic strengths and year-over-year economic growth; growth of their young, educated work forces; and their ability to bounce back to economic levels seen before the recession’s onset. They deserve special recognition for their efforts.”

"This is a big honor for our region and speaks to the quality of the region," said Raymond Burns, President/CEO of the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce. "Jobs continue to be created at a high rate and Northwest Arkansas has more people working now than before the recession." He added, "this is truly an award for Northwest Arkansas as each community contributes significantly to making this area a great place to live and work."

The full report on the Leading Locations will be published in the Q2/Spring issue of Area Development and posted online at www.areadevelopment.com/LeadingLocations2013.

Area Development is published bi-monthly and has 45,000+ executive subscribers. It also maintains several highly visited websites, which can be reached through www.areadevelopment.com.

22nd Annual Bradford Marine Buddy Bass Fishing Tournament Final Results Summary

Mon, 13 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT

2013 Buddy Bass Fishing Tournament Results

Close to 600 anglers participated in the 2013 Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce’s 22nd Annual Bradford Marine & ATV Buddy Bass Tournament. The tournament was held on Beaver Lake in Rogers Saturday, May 11.

The winning team, with a total weight of 22.32 pounds, was Bundy & Hagood. The team took home a brand new Tracker Boats ProTeam 175 Bass Boat, Mercury 60 hp motor and Tracker Trailstar trailer thanks to Bradford Marine & ATV and Tracker Boats.

In the team division, Consolidated Improvement Services won the Division III, two boat entry with a total team weight of 27.37 pounds.

State Farm Insurance – Bryan Lewis took home the Division II, four boat entry trophy with a total team weight 43.78 pounds.

For the second year in a row, Hook Line & Sinker took home the trophy for the Division I, eight boat entry with a total team weight of 87.06 pounds.

The big bass of the tournament weighed in at 6.24 pounds and was caught by the team of Davison & Waggle. The Big Bass winners took home $500 and a commemorative Daisy BB Gun.

Proceeds from the tournament serve to fund the economic development efforts of the Chamber. The fastest way to a better economy is to create new jobs! Over the past 22 years, those efforts have resulted in over 12,000 new jobs and over $1 billion in capital investments. The tournament alone has brought in over $130,000 to the Rogers-Lowell Area economy.

The 3rd Annual Youth Fishing Event was held in conjunction with the annual Buddy Bass Tournament. A total of 140 kids ages 4 - 15 took part in the event. Participants took home a free t-shirt, fishing pole and goodie bag thanks to Bass Pro.

For a complete listing of teams and winners for the day, please call the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce and request reports in pdf format be emailed or mailed.
Call (479) 636-1240.

Northwest Arkansas Ranks #3 on NewGeography.com's 2013 Best Cities for Job Growth (Mid-Sized Markets)

Wed, 08 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT

The Northwest Arkansas Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) ranks #3 on the 2013 Best Cities for Job Growth list released from New Geography. This is a jump of 18 spots over last year’s #21 ranking. The list is a measurement and ranking for the “robustness of a region's growth both recently and over time.”

NewGeography.com, a site devoted to analyzing and discussing the places where we live and work, looked at all 398 metro areas in the U.S. and created its list based upon metro area size. The Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers (AR-MO) metro area that comprises Northwest Arkansas is among the mid-sized city category. To be in this category total employment for a metro area must be between 150,000 and 450,000 jobs.

Northwest Arkansas is the highest rated mid-sized metro area in Arkansas with the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway metro area coming in at #47.

Looking at all sized metro areas, Northwest Arkansas also ranks #12 overall moving up from #107 in 2012.

“This is a big honor for the region,” said Raymond Burns, President/CEO of the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce. “It speaks to the quality of this region. Jobs continue to be created at a high rate. Northwest Arkansas now has more people working than before the recession.” He added, “This is truly a Northwest Arkansas award as each community contributes to making this area a great place to live and work.”

“This award shows the continued momentum of Northwest Arkansas. We have been one of the fastest growing regions in the country over the last two decades and we are happy to have this recognition.” said Mike Malone CEO of the Northwest Arkansas Council.

To read the ranking and see other cities that made the list visit:

2013 Best Cities for Job Growth

NWA Media Coverage: Chamber Honors Rogers High School Students for Grades

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 04:00:00 GMT

By Amye Buckley
Posted: April 26, 2013 at 3:41 a.m.

Source: NWAonline Article

At A Glance: Academic Awards
Academic awards go to students who have maintained a 3.5 grade point average for a year or more. Special recognition is given to students who hold their high grades for two or three years.

Awards are based on the previous year of class work.

• Seniors honored: 107 third-year recipients, 12 second-year recipients and 11 first-year recipients.

• Juniors: 138 second-year recipients and 13 first-year recipients.

• Sophomores: 152 recipients.

• Sixty students received the Rogers Graduate of Promise award for meeting eight credentialing areas outside graduation requirements.

• Several students received an award from NorthWest Arkansas Community College honoring them for earning 12 or more college credits with a 3.0 or higher grade point average.

ROGERS — Students posed for pictures with friends and proud parents outside the Rogers High School auditorium Thursday following an academic awards ceremony. A total of 397 students walked the stage during the annual event. Students who keep a 3.5 or higher grade point average qualify for the award.

For Sierra Chavez, a junior, it was her second year to receive the award. Studying is not hard, she said, but the award is appreciated. “I feel really smart and honored,” Chavez said.

Parents and teachers told her hard work in class pays off and the awards remind her of that, said Alyssa Corral, a junior.

Advanced Placement classes such as biology and physics are a lot of work, students said.

His physics class has a lot of homework, said Franklin Cierra, a junior. He said he kept his grades high by not putting homework off until the last minute.

Junior Lucas Coberly fretted he was missing class but gave a thumbs up to classmates as his name was called.

“I kinda wish I was in Spanish class right now,” he said while waiting for the ceremony to start.

Blake Riley said his daughter, Maddie, is hoping for a choral scholarship in Florida. The awards for her are an incentive to achieve more, he said. For him, the ceremony was a moment where the tutoring and support showed. The investment is worth the reward, Riley said.

“For us, it’s the culmination that all the things you’ve done and tried to instill in your kid pays off,” he said.

Conducting the ceremony is an amazing privilege, said Gordon Besel, education chairman for the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce. “The chamber recognizes that, when we have good students, we have good workers and good citizens in this community,” Besel said.

Bette Tatum, education committee vice chairwoman, said when she hires at Tatum-Smith Engineers, she looks for students with a Rogers Graduate of Promise certificate. Sixty students were awarded the certificates during the ceremony. A graduate of promise has met eight credentialing goals, and that shows their dependability, Tatum said.

“They have character and integrity because they choose to and not because it’s required,” Tatum said.

Senior Yeyry Dominguez heard her name called twice, once for the academic award and again as a graduate of promise. Her parents, David and Margarita Dominguez, were all smiles after the ceremony.

“They’re proud because I got recognized because of my grades and achievement, and I have proved that I do want to go to college,” Yeyry Dominguez said translating for her mother.

She was a proud momma bear when her daughter crossed the stage, her mother said.

“We are happy,” David Dominguez said.

The awards ceremony is a joint program of the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce and the Rogers School District.

It was presented by Chick-fil-A and Tyson.

NWA Media Coverage of the 91st Annual Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet: Paneitz Wins Dick Trammel Good Neighbor Award for 2012

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 05:00:00 GMT

By John Gore
Posted: March 6, 2013 on NWAOnline.com

Click to Read Entire Story and View Photograph

ROGERS — The audience rose to its feet Tuesday in ovation when Becky Paneitz won the 2012 Dick Trammel Good Neighbor Award at the annual Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce banquet.

Salena Wright-Brown, the associate director of patient care at the Veteran’s Administration, received the Elbert S. Graham/Elza Tucker Award, the highest Lowell community award for service.

Paneitz was honored, not only for her service to the college, but the Northwest Arkansas community.

“Thank you. Northwest Arkansas is a great place to live,” Paneitz said.

“The college has helped educate thousands of students over the years and I’m proud to a been a part of that. I appreciate it so much,” Paneitz said as she accepted her award.

AT A GLANCE
Awards

Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce community service winners were announced Tuesday at the 91st Annual Chamber Banquet at John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers.

Winners include:

• Becky Paneitz: The Dick Trammel Rogers Good Neighbor Award

• Salena Wright-Brown: The Lowell Elbert S. Graham/Elza Tucker Award

• Walton Family Foundation: The Rogers-Lowell Spirit Award

• Nancy Swearingen: Inducted into the Educator Hall of Fame

• Douglas Ortz: Ambassador of the Year

• Cathy Foraker: Volunteer of the Year

Source: Staff Report

“Becky is a planner,” said Ric Clifford, chairman of the board at the college. “She sees what needs to be done, formulates a plan, collaborates with others and once there is a consensus, she puts the pedal down and get the job done,” Clifford said. Paneitz provided strong leadership since she became president in 2003, said Clifford, who has known Paneitz for five years. “The college had significant growth the past few years — enrollment has more than doubled — while she was at the helm. It was her foresight and planning that built the student center, the parking deck and health profession program,” Clifford said.

Besides her work at the college, Paneitz has been heavily involved in community projects as well, said Brad Phillips, vice president of marketing communications for the chamber. “During the past three year, she has collaborated with several area nonprofit organizations dedicated to serving children,” Phillips said.

Paneitz is also involved with the Northwest Arkansas Council, the WorkMatters Advisory Board and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences among others.

During her 10 years as president she raised more than $69 million in private and federal grants and donations, according to college officials.

Paneitz announced last year that she will retire from the college at the end of the spring semester. Her last day is expected to be June 30.

The Good Neighbor Award, is the Rogers’ community highest honor. It is presented in recognition of individuals who contribute to the betterment of Rogers and Northwest Arkansas.

Wright-Brown inherited her desire for public service from her father, Walter Schrader, who himself won the Graham/Tucker award in 1990.

“I’m here because of two things. The first is the grace of God and the second is the support of the community and my family,” Wright-Brown said.

Wright-Brown serves on the Lowell Planning Commission, is a member of the Integrated Ethics Council, The South Central VA Healthcare Network Rural Advisory Committee and acts as mentor to the nursing profession, according to Phillips.

NWA Media Newspapers Interviews Steve Cox, VP Economic Development for Insight about Northwest Arkansas Job Growth

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Towns Show Job Growth
By Christie Swanson
Posted: February 19, 2013 on NWAonline.com

It’s a well-known fact Northwest Arkansas is growing.

What may be surprising is the amount of growth coming from Springdale.
“Northwest Arkansas has been the job creation engine of the state, and we’ve been the job creation engine for the area,” said Bill Rogers, vice president for communications and special projects at the Springdale Chamber of Commerce.

There were 12,639 new jobs added in Northwest Arkansas’ four biggest towns between December 2010 and December 2012, according to information on the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services’ website. Half those jobs, or 6,380, are in Springdale. The state overall saw employment drop by 4,100 jobs between December 2010 and December 2012.

Northwest Arkansas’ four large towns grew by 12,639 jobs between December 2010 and December 2012, bucking a statewide trend.

Kathy Deck, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Arkansas, said it is interesting to see how many of the state’s big cities had declines over the same time period. Losing jobs in that two-year time span were Fort Smith with 3,413, Hot Springs with 1,650 and North Little Rock with 1,162.
“This is certainly why the state’s recovery isn’t stronger,” Deck said.

Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse said the job growth is a good sign the economy is continuing to improve. He said there is still room to grow. “There are still a lot of questions on the overall economy. We are hopeful those decisions made outside our control will push the economy in the right direction,” he said.

Mike Harvey, chief operating officer of the Northwest Arkansas Council, said it is not surprising to see so much job growth in Northwest Arkansas because of the explosive population growth over the past 20 years. Population in the two-county area grew from 210,908 in 1990 to 435,077 in 2011, according to the United States Census Bureau.
“To move here for the economic opportunity is one thing, but to stay is another,” Harvey said. “You don’t double your population if you are a crummy place to live.”

Springdale is evolving. Voters approved a $71 million bond issue Aug. 15 that will pay for street and park improvements. “No city stands still,” Rogers said. “We’re helping mold our future image.” The job growth in Springdale was spread between all job areas from manufacturing to hospitality, said Lance Eads, vice president of economic development for the Springdale chamber. “We have always bucked the national manufacturing trend of declining employment,” he said. “But we like to see growth across the board so we are not reliant on just one area.”

One Springdale manufacturer that grew last year is Dixie-Southern. The custom steel fabrication company opened at the former home of Shiloh Steel Fabricators in August 2011. When the company opened, it employed six people and hoped to reach 50 by the end of three years. Stan Kinnett, president and chief executive officer of the Bradenton, Fla.-based company, said the factory has 30 employees. “We had a really good first year. We’re about a year ahead of where we thought we would be,” Kinnett said. The company’s goal is still to reach 50 workers, and Kinnett said they are patiently headed to that number.

Springdale also is home to NanoMech’s manufacturing plant. The nanomanufacturing, or the science of manipulating materials on an atomic or molecular scale, company is growing. NanoMech was formed in 2002 and announced a partnership with Houston manufacturing company Cameron last summer. Company officials predict it will create 10 to 20 jobs at the Springdale plant. About 25 people work for the company.

Bentonville also had a big increase in employee numbers over the two-year period.
Tom Ginn, vice president of economic development for the Bentonville/Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce, said a lot of growth has come in hospitality and technology areas. Many restaurants and hotels have started business following the Nov. 11, 2011, opening of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. “Most of those jobs are not high-paying jobs, but they are jobs,” Ginn said. Many of the technology-based jobs are connected to the retail world through Walmart and its suppliers.

Steve Cox, vice president of economic development for the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce, said it is important to look at the quality and pay of new jobs and not just shear volume. “It’s great to have high job numbers, but we have to ask is our average wage increasing? That’s what matters,” Cox said.

Chung Tan, director of economic development for the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, said she is happy with the city’s job growth rate. “We prefer slow, sustainable and manageable growth,” she said. “We are very pleased with the diversification we have.”

KNWA Interviews Northwest Arkansas Chambers of Commerce Regarding Downtown Revitalization Across Northwest Arkansas

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Downtown Revitalization Spreads Across Northwest Arkansas
By: Kyle Leyenberger, KNWA

Click Here to View Video

Northwest Arkansas cities are fighting to restore historic downtown areas to their former glory. Betty Wallace says there's no better place to enjoy a cup of joe than downtown Rogers. "I love it," she says. "I love it. I like walking through the older towns and interesting shops."

The historic district wasn't always so charming. As retail moved to other areas, storefronts had trouble staying full. "There was a time when we were concerned," says Raymond Burns, President and CEO of the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce. The city fixed up streets and lighting, and business owners responded, moving back to renovate the original part of town. "Most of the space that's available... is pretty well full," Burns says.

Downtown Bentonville is proof that revitalization efforts works, after more than a decade of planning and years of hard work the square has come back to life. "We're now seeing the fruits of that particular planning," says Tom Ginn, Vice President of Economic Development for the Bentonville Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce. He says the newest addition will bring in new visitors to enjoy those fruits. "21c Museum Hotel is going to add a huge amount of culture to the area," Ginn says.

Now Springdale is taking their neighbors' lead, creating a master plan to attract shops and restaurants to Emma avenue. "Each of our cities along the I-540 corridor have a distinct character, that is theirs," says Steve Clark, President and CEO of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce.

Mike Malone, President and CEO of the Northwest Arkansas Council says revitalizing downtown areas makes the region as a whole a more attractive place for investors.

"There seems to be a real spark of enthusiasm in all the towns in Northwest Arkansas," Malone says "It's a real symbol of a community that cares."

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Interviews Geovanny Sarmiento, VP of Minority Business Development, for Insights on NWA Hispanic Businesses

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Hispanic firms aid each other
By Ryan McGeeney, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Northwest Arkansas)

ROGERS — The lunch rush at Taqueria Vega in north Rogers sends the wait staff hustling to accommodate large parties of diners. Tables are joined and chairs are quickly gathered to seat hungry customers. Family-style seating is essential to the Vega family’s approach toward their business and their customers.

The 100-plus-seat restaurant, which began in 1999 with a four-item menu and catered almost exclusively to Spanish-speaking customers, has not only survived the economic downturn of the past five years but has flourished.

Northwest Arkansas is home to several large minority-group populations and many first-generation American entrepreneurs.

Foreigners accounted for 5 percent of Arkansas’ population in 2010, according to a recent study by the Migration Policy Institute. Almost half of that population lives in Benton, Washington and Sebastian counties. And like other business owners, minority-group entrepreneurs have had to adapt to the changing economy to stay in business.

Rosa Vega, daughter of Serafin Vega who founded Taqueria Vega with his brother, hustles from the kitchen to the cash register and dining areas. What started as a weekend job for her while working weekdays as a quality-control technician for Springdale-based Tyson Foods Inc. became a full-time vocation in 2003.

“My dad needed someone to work with the suppliers because he didn’t speak good English,” Vega said. Vega’s language skills not only helped things run more smoothly with suppliers, ithelped the restaurant expand its clientele beyond the Spanish-speaking community in Northwest Arkansas. She now works 60- to 70-hour weeks.

CHANGING MODELS

Taqueria Vega’s expansion into the English-speaking market is an example of how minority-group-owned businesses in the region are adapting their business models.

Randy Capps was one of the Migration Policy Institute study’s chief authors. The study, A Profile of Immigrants in Arkansas, examines the changing work force, family demographics, and economic costs and benefits associated with the state’s immigrant communities, especially in Northwest Arkansas.

Capps said the recession, generally described as beginning in the fourth quarter of2007 and lasting until the fourth quarter of 2009, began to be felt on the nation’s coasts and spread inward.

“Arkansas is experiencing national trends a bit late and less severely,” Capps said, referring to a combination of factors, including a slowdown in home building, the credit crunch and unemployment.

Geovanny Sarmiento, vice president of minority business development for the Rogers-Lowell Chamber of Commerce, said first-generation Americans in the area - the majority from Mexico - tend to adapt well to changing market conditions. Many migrant workers and day laborers left the region when the construction industry slowed significantly in 2008.

Capps said keeping track of migrant workers as theyrelocate within the country is difficult. “Single guys working construction, going where the jobs are, they’re very hard to track,” Capps said.

“But a lot of them stayed” in the region, Sarmiento said. “A lot of them found a new way to support their families until this crisis started getting better.”

According to the Migration Policy Institute’s report, Arkansas ranked fourth in the nation in immigrant growth, behind Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee. Between 2000 and 2010, the number of foreigners living in Arkansas grew by 82 percent to 133,000. The foreign-born Hispanic population in Arkansas increased by 110 percent over that time span, from 39,600 in 2000 to 83,300 in 2010.

Sarmiento said the Rogers-Lowell Chamber of Commerce has about 150 members of minority groups who own businesses and are registered members of the chamber. That number is for all minority groups, including women and first-generation Americans. Sarmiento said the number of minoritygroup members who have joined the chamber increased about 85 percent in 2012 over 2011.

“A lot of them took other jobs [during the recession], or really started thinking about a business idea they’d had for several years and pursued that opportunity, and that’s why we see an increase in the amount of business owners.”

REINVENTING HIMSELF

Julio Rodriguez found himself in a difficult situation in 2011 when layoffs at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in Bentonville abruptly halted his 37-year career as a corporate tax consultant.

“When your job goes away, what do you do?” asked Rodriguez, now 63. “What do you do when you’re not ready to retire or totally change careers?”

What Rodriguez did was work to reconnect with small businesses, after a lifetime spent on corporate projects for employers that included the Arthur Andersen accounting firm, McDonald’s Corp. and Sears. Rodriguez partnered with longtime colleague Enrique Lopez of Chicago to form LR Management Consultants and began cultivating a customer base among business owners in Northwest Arkansas.

Rodriguez said he had initially hoped to tap into the economic activity of Northwest Arkansas’ Hispanic business community, but that sector offered its own challenges.

“Many of the businesses are too small to justify going outside for fees,” Rodriguez said. “It’s competitive, too. I found that the business I attract many times are immigration issues, which I’m not really legally equipped to handle. I’m more tailored toward mainstream business because of my corporate experience. But I’ve learned.”

Rodriguez, as well as Sarmiento, said some foreign business owners are leery of accounting and tax matters because of the sometimesconfusing issue of immigration status. Even foreigners in the United States legally may be concerned that they are unknowingly violating an aspect of immigration law.”

“Tax filing is a very delicate issue, as you might imagine,” Rodriguez said. “You don’t want to be responsible for somebody losing their status. You don’t want to get your client deported.”

GETTING STARTED

According to the Migration Policy Institute’s report, more than half of all foreigners living in Arkansas are either naturalized U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents. Forty-two percent of the state’s foreigners are illegal aliens.

Rodriguez said trust is a serious concern among Hispanic business owners. He said he has had to court some potential clients for a year before they begin to really work with him.

Rodriguez said 2012 was an educational period in terms of starting his new career, and he often learned through trial and error. “The first year’s a boot camp,” Rodriguez said.

Sarmiento said most businesses created by first-generation Americans tend to be “mom and pop” operations almost by definition.

“First-generation immigrants tend to do it that way because they learned the trade from their mothers, fathers or grandparents, so they’re trying to continue the family tradition,” Sarmiento said. “Unfortunately, because of that, most of them have limited education.

“That’s a limitation, and that’s what we’re trying to help them with, to help them be better business owners and have all these tools available, to do market analysis, to continue doing their finances, and how important that is to create financial statements and understand them.”

Sarmiento said as foreign families establish roots in thearea’s family-owned businesses, like Taqueria Vega, they increasingly rely on the younger generation’s grasp of English and the American business system for their continued success.

“Nowadays what we have seen is that their kids who are reaching adulthood, already in their 20s or 30s, are getting involved in the family business, and they are taking charge of aspects of the business that their parents probably can’t because they have gone to university or taken courses, and now they know how to better run those businesses and can help the family,” Sarmiento said.

In part because of their national origins, many Hispanic business owners tend to eschew modern banking.

Ray Segura, a consumer lender at Legacy National Bank in Springdale, immigrated to the United States from El Salvador with his family as an 8-year-old. Segura, who is fluent in English and Spanish, has dealt extensively with the Hispanic community in Springdale and the businessowning contingent within that community for 17 years.

“My largest customers know my family,” Segura said. “And I mean they know everyone in my family by name.”

Segura said Hispanicowned businesses sometimes face self-imposed hurdles to expansion when they reach the limits of the investing power of cash on hand and finally decide to apply for business loans.

“The reason it’s difficult is because of the lack of credit history,” Segura said. “They’re used to paying for things with cash. We’ve had to re-train them to do things the American way, to establish credit.”

Council for Community and Economic Research Year End 2012 Report Ranks NWA 6th Most Affordable

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Council for Community and Economic Research Year End 2012 Report
Ranks NWA Metropolitan Area as Nation's 6th Most Affordable

The year end report for 2012 that ranks the Most Expensive and Most Affordable areas in the country has been released and the Northwest Arkansas metropolitan area (NWA) ranks as the nation's sixth most affordable.

The Northwest Arkansas metropolitan area (NWA) is officially defined as Fayetteville, Springdale, and Rogers, Arkansas and southern Missouri area. Results from the report are not specific to one city but rather represent the entire designated market area as a whole.

It's the second straight year NWA has ranked in the Top 10.

The ranking is conducted by the Council for Community and Economic Research.

Its Cost of Living Index rates metros on six key indices as well as the composite index for 307 urban areas in the country. NWA had an 86.0 COL Index in 2012, 14% points below the national average.

Manhattan, Brooklyn and Honolulu top the most expensive metros to live in the nation while Harlingen (TX), McAllen (TX), Norman (OK), Ardmore (OK), Memphis, and NWA are the six most affordable to live. Below is a chart of the Top Ten.

The Cost of Living Index measures regional differences in the cost of consumer goods and services, excluding taxes and non-consumer expenditures, for professional and managerial households in the top income quintile. It is based on more than 50,000 prices covering almost 60 different items for which prices are collected three times a year by chambers of commerce, economic development organizations or university applied economic centers in each participating urban area.

The composite index is based on six components - housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, health care and miscellaneous goods and services.

Most Expensive			Least Expensive
		COL			COL
Ranking	Urban Areas	Index	Ranking	Urban Areas	Index
1	New York (Manhattan) NY	225.4	1	Harlingen TX	81.8
2	New York (Brooklyn) NY	178.6	2	McAllen TX	85.4
3	Honolulu HI	167.0	3	Norman OK	85.6
4	San Francisco CA	163.4	4	Ardmore OK	85.9
5	San Jose CA	153.4	5	Memphis TN	86.0
6	New York (Queens) NY	148.3	6	NWA	86.0
7	Stamford CT	146.1	7	Wichita Falls TX	86.4
8	Washington DC	144.7	8	Muskogee OK	86.9
9	Orange County CA	140.6	9	Pueblo CO	87.1
10	Boston MA	139.9	10	Ashland OH	87.6

Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce Releases 2012 Annual Report: Read It Online Now!

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Chamber Releases 2012 Annual Report

Last year was a prosperous year for growing business and building community in the Rogers-Lowell Area. New business expansion and job creation significantly impacted the local economy by helping to create meaningful opportunities for Chamber members to sell their goods and services.

In this annual report we have highlighted our accomplishments and provided highlights of our leadership.

Look for it in your mailbox in early February.

Be the first to read it: Online 2012 Annual Report .

KFSM Interviews Geovanny Sarmiento, VP of Minority Business Development, and Participants at 12th Annual NWA International Festival in Downtown Rogers

Sat, 06 Oct 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Downtown Rogers Showcases a World of Cultures
Posted October 6, 2012, by Jocelyne Pruna, KFSM

Click Here to View Video

The 12th Annual NWA International Festival in downtown Rogers attracted hundreds despite the chilly temperatures and the rainy weather. It’s the region’s largest international-themed festival with more than 50 countries represented in Northwest Arkansas.

Rhythms from every continent had people dancing on the main stage including Patricia Day from Colombia, who was dressed in traditional clothing. Day has been participating in the International Festival since it began 12 years ago.
“Our food, our traditions, our family, everything, we want to show it,” Day said.

Leonardo Muñoz, from Mexico, was dressed in “charro” and performed the Mexican dance “El Zapateado.” Muñoz said it’s important to remember where you came from. “It’s your heritage and you should be proud of it,” Muñoz said.

There were cultural exhibits, music and dance performances, traditional ethnic foods, a fashion show and free kids activities were all part the day’s festivities. “See cultures exchange their ideas and their beliefs, their joy that they have, and their food,” Christie Wagner said. “It was amazing,” she said.

The mission of the NWA International Festival is to promote, educate and serve the diverse cultural interests of Rogers and Northwest Arkansas. It’s organized by the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce and dozens of volunteers.

“Even though each year is different and challenging, somehow everything comes together at the end and it’s beautiful just to see that,” said Geovanny Sarmiento, VP of Minority Business Development for the chamber.

Patricia Day said there are many reasons Northwest Arkansas attracts people from all over the world. “This is a beautiful place to live in the United States, it’s clean, it’s friendly, it’s beautiful,” Day said.

The festival also included the 5th annual international fashion show and for the the first time food lovers of all ages enjoyed sampling ethnic foods.

SAVE THE DATE!
13th Annual NWA International Festival in Downtown Rogers!
Saturday, October 5, 2013

KFSM Interview: 12th Annual NWA International Festival, October 6, 2012

Sun, 30 Sep 2012 04:00:00 GMT

KFSM TV Interview with Brad Phillips, VP Marketing Communications

Learn more about the NWA International Festival and Save The Date for this year's: October 5, 2013