What’s happening: The Rogers Lowell Chamber (RLC) announced two big things today for its Annual Celebration of Business & Community. The event will feature a brand-new luncheon format from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 7 at the Rogers Convention Center.
- Awards Winners: Community Awards winners and the Small Business of the Year winner have been chosen and are announced below.
- Guest Speaker, Jon Harris: Jon’s firm addresses the issue of “disengaged employees” head-on and shares his simple and proven method to organizations via training, advising and one-on-one coaching. His clients include CEO’s, executives, front-line leaders and individual employees from small businesses to large global corporations. Learn more below.
Why you should attend: 2023 was a year of impressive accomplishments for the Chamber. The organization is riding that momentum towards the future with its forward-thinking initiative, Vision/NEXT.
- Event attendees will learn more about Vision/NEXT and how it’s inspiring the entire organization to be innovative in serving business and community together.
Dig deeper: For more information, interview requests, and/or to RSVP to attend the Annual Celebration March 7 please contact Brad Phillips, SVP Marketing Communications, at (479) 636-1240 or [email protected]. All local media are invited to attend the event at no charge. RSVPs are appreciated.
1. One big thing: Meet the annual community awards winners
The Dick Trammel Good Neighbor Award: This award is the Rogers community’s highest honor. It’s presented each year in recognition of an individual who has contributed to the betterment of Rogers and the region.
- Congratulations to this year’s winner, Bill Watkins, Attorney, Watkins, Boyer, Gray & Curry.
The Rogers-Lowell Spirit Award: The Chamber recognizes a Rogers-Lowell Area organization, business or other group each year with this award for significant contribution to the betterment of our community.
- Congratulations to this year’s winner, Lacie Bray, Owner and Founder, Ozark Beer Co.
The Elbert S. Graham/Elza Tucker Award: This award is the Lowell community’s highest honor. It recognizes an individual for significant contribution to the betterment of Lowell and the region.
- Congratulations to this year’s winner, Karen Davis, Planning & Community Development Director (PCED), City of Lowell.
Small Business of the Year: Small businesses are a vital part of our local, regional and national economy. The RLC Small Business Council helps the Chamber identify and recognize four outstanding small businesses each quarter who are automatically qualified for this award.
- Congratulations to Arkansas Swim Academy the Small Business of the Year.
2. Another big thing: Meet the event’s guest speaker, Jon Harris
Jon’s mission is to transform workplace cultures into positive, thriving entities. For over 30 years, he has touched the lives of thousands of employees across the world and driven increased performance for their organizations through his process “The VIP Way.”
Why it matters: Workforce retention is one of the biggest challenges facing businesses of all sizes today.
- Jon will help us understand how to build a better culture and engagement with workers, creating a happier, more productive environment for retaining employees.
Backgrounder: Early in his career at Caterpillar, Inc., a Fortune 100 Company, Jon was recognized for his leadership approach and people skills, and the ability to drive bottom line results. Over the last half of his career, he was tasked with leading and transforming under-performing entities around the globe into thriving businesses.
- More than the bottom line: It was during his time at Caterpillar that Jon saw first-hand how disengaged employees affect the bottom line of a business. They also experience having a lack of purpose, physical and emotional health issues, and negative relationships with family and friends.
- Impacting lives: Jon’s definition of success goes well beyond just improving the bottom line of an organization; it also focuses on improving both the work and home lives of the people in the organization.
About the Rogers Lowell Chamber: We’re a five-star accredited Chamber serving business and community together. Representing approximately 2,000 member businesses across the region, we’re the Voice of Business promoting and initiating responsible economic growth, while addressing community challenges in the Rogers and Lowell Area and Northwest Arkansas. We are influencers, catalysts, and conveners; the trusted source for growing business, activating leaders and building community. Our mission-work creates a cohesive and connected community where people want to visit, live, invest, work, and play. RogersLowell.com
