Northwest Arkansas (NWA) is a place that’s known for its high quality of life. Compared to other fast-growing regions of the country, NWA enjoys robust employment, affordable housing, shorter commute times and a rich tradition of entrepreneurial success. It’s a place where you can have a real impact – Life Works Here.  It is also consistently ranking as one of the “Best Places” to live and work in the nation. Join us November 11 in Rogers for the Q4 Spotlight Series: NWA PROGRESS as we explore why NWA receives such high accolades as a region from a true outsider’s perspective.

What are the drivers behind the region’s successful growth and quality of life? What reputation does NWA have across the nation? How will the region sustain its success?

Join the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce and expert panelists from Heartland Forward, a nonpartisan, nonprofit “think and do tank” focused on improving economic performance in the center of the United States, on November 11 for an exploration of how NWA has become one of the best places to live and do business. Ross DeVol, President and CEO of Heartland Forward, will lead a panel of international experts spotlighting NWA’s progress and way forward.

This is the fourth program in the new quarterly Spotlight Series designed to bring the right people together at the right time to spark innovation, inspire ideas and align our community around common goals. Each quarter features a different theme to spotlight progress and illuminate issues that are opportunities for growing business, activating high-impact leaders and building a strong and diverse place to visit, live, invest, work and play. Register Now.

Meet the Expert Panelists

Ross DeVol | President and CEO, Heartland Forward
Heartland Forward works with universities, colleges, the business community, economic development officials, public policy leaders and philanthropy to analyze resources supporting the startup community and identify workforce and talent gaps. Ross has raised the profile of Heartland Forward through media engagement with quotes in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Economist and Axios, and op-eds in the Dallas Morning News, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Des Moines Register as well as TV appearances throughout the heartland.

He was the former chief research officer for the Milken Institute, an economic think tank headquartered in California, where he spent nearly 20 years. He oversaw research on international, national and comparative regional growth performance; access to capital and its role in economic growth and job creation; and health-related topics. Ross has been ranked among the “Superstars of Think Tank Scholars” by International Economy magazine.

Richard Florida | Founder, Creative Class Group
Richard is a researcher and professor, serving as University Professor at University of Toronto’s School of Cities and Rotman School of Management, and a Distinguished Fellow at NYU’s Schack School of Real Estate. He is a writer and journalist, having penned several global best sellers, including the award winning The Rise of the Creative Class and his most recent book, The New Urban Crisis. He is co-founder of CityLab, the leading publication devoted to cities and urbanism. He is also an entrepreneur, as Founder of the Creative Class Group which works closely with companies and governments worldwide.

Mark Muro | Senior Fellow and Policy Director - Metropolitan Policy Program, The Brookings Institution
Mark is a Senior Fellow and Policy Director at the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program, focusing on the interplay of technology, people, and place as they are altered by disruptions. His most recent work has focused on the geography of the digital economy, including how it has been affected by the COVID recession, and involves the diverging fortunes of “superstar” cities and “places left behind.” Current work from Mark explores the geography of the AI economy and inclusive tech, building on earlier reports such as: “What jobs are affected by AI?,” “Automation and Artificial Intelligence: How machines are affecting people and places,” and “Digitalization and the American workforce.”