2011-04 Faulkner County Business Journal

SUMMER AT U C A

Life at the University of Central Arkansas doesn’t slow down after the last degree is conferred during May commencement. The campus bustles with activity throughout the summer with academic, music, and sports camps, performing arts programs, and professional development workshops.

FULL STORY, PAGE 4

festival to Award $74,500 in Scholarships

Chamber adds Director of Marketing The Conway Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the newest member of their staff. Adena White joins the chamber as Director of Marketing.

White was previously Public Relations Coordinator for the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute. Prior to working at WRI, she was a summa cum laude graduate of Arkansas Tech University. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Applied Communications at UALR. White will help create content for this publication and for a new Conway focused “Field Guide” to be released this fall. She will also help coordinate social media and online initiatives of the Chamber.

Chamber President and CEO Brad Lacy says that White is the right person at the right time for the Chamber. “Adena immediately brings us savvy, outstanding communication skills and a background in education, programming and tourism. She’s a perfect match for our community and organization.”

White is a native of Center Ridge, AR and has been a Conway resident since 2007.

For 30 years, the Toad Suck Daze Committee of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce has held a fun, family-oriented festival on the streets of downtown Conway. The food, entertainment and festivities are on display to more than 100,000 visitors over the three day festival. However, what’s less visible is the real mission of Toad Suck Daze, supporting education in Faulkner County.

Since the Toad Suck Daze Community Service Scholarship Program began, it has awarded $1.2 million to deserving students in Faulkner County. This year, the committee will contribute $74,500 toward scholarships and scholarship endowments: • Two scholarships in the amount of $4,000 to Central Baptist College; • Two scholarships in the amount of

$4,000 to Hendrix College; • Two scholarships in the amount of $4,000 to UCA; • Two scholarships in the amount of $1,500 to the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton; • Four scholarships in the amount of $4,000 for the Get Smart Scholarship Fund at the Community Foundation of Faulkner County; • $1,500 in scholarship money will be given to the Faulkner County Single Parent Scholarship Fund; and • An additional $30,000 will be added to the Toad Suck Daze Get Smart Scholarship Fund at the Community Foundation of Faulkner County.

Wayne Cox, 2011 Toad Suck Daze honorary co-chairman, said that education has been the cornerstone of Conway and Faulkner County’s economy for a number of years.

“Conway is the ‘City of Colleges,’ and

Toad Suck Daze Festival’s main purpose is to raise money for scholarships to be awarded to Faulkner County students,” Cox said. “I invite everyone to attend to make these scholarships possible.”

Mary Margaret Satterfield, director of events at Conway Area Chamber of Commerce, added that because education is the heart of Conway, it is fitting that proceeds raised at the city’s largest annual event support this commitment to academic excellence.

“Money raised at Toad Suck Daze has helped nearly 200 students attend local institutions of higher learning,” Satterfield said. “As the festival grows each year, so do the goals for the Toad Suck Daze Community Service Scholarship Program.”

Toad Suck Daze 2011 marks the 30th anniversary of the festival, which will take place April 30 through May 1 in downtown Conway. For more information, visit ToadSuck.org.

Construction Projects Under way for Conway Schools Conway Public Schools anticipates big changes to its facilities in the year 2012.

A millage increase approved

by Conway voters last September will finance the construction of a new elementary school on Old Military Road and the reconstruction of Conway High School-West. In addition, Sallie Cone Elementary will transition into a preschool center and an adult education center.

“Student growth and general population growth in Conway has created a need for a new high school building and a new elementary school,” said Dr. Greg Murry, superintendent of Conway Public Schools.

“We’re pleased that Conway voters made this possible.”

The new elementary school will be located on Old Military Road. The $15 million structure will be modeled after Woodrow Cummins Elementary, which was built in 2008, and will be completed in the summer of 2012.

The $40 million Conway High School-West reconstruction project will be completed in two phases. The first phase, which involves the construc-

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tion of a three-story classroom building between the current building and Prince Street, is projected to be completed in July 2012.

Superintendent Murry said that the reconstruction of CHSW could be considered “the most significant project the district has undertaken,” as the current “pod” building was built in 1968 as the result of a federal grant.

“Because the current building was originally built as an open classroom, it had to be modified and adjusted in order to create classrooms with walls,” Murry said. “However, it still does not lend itself to effective classroom instruction and is nearing capacity.

“The new facility will provide our students and teachers with appropriate and adequate classroom space and will update and expand our technological capabilities,” Murry said.

The new classroom building has a planned square footage of 165,000, which compared to the current structure, provides an additional 94,260 square feet of space for classrooms, science laboratories, office space, and a lecture hall. The

new facility will replace the pod building, which is nearing capacity at 70,740 square feet.

Phase two of the CHSW reconstruction project has a scheduled completion date of July 2013. This phase includes the construction of a new cafeteria, the demolition of the current pod building, and the addition of walkways to connect all buildings on the campus.

Nabholz Construction Company is the construction manager/general contractor for both the new elementary school and the reconstruction of Conway High School-West.

Clay Gordon, executive vice president at Nabholz, said that both sites are “exciting and significant projects” for the construction company, the city of Conway and for Conway Public Schools.

“These new facilities will provide additional, modernized space for Conway’s students and teachers,” Gordon said.

“They are also substantial projects for Nabholz, and we are glad to be a part.”

At peak capacity – the time during construction when most of the electricians, mechanics, plumbers, and other trades-

men are on site simultaneously – there will be approximately 120-150 workers on site at the new elementary school location and 175-200 workers on site at the high school.

Gordon added that the construction projects are sustainable – from the design elements and materials used in the buildings to the disposal of construction materials.

“Both buildings will have exterior walls and roof systems that exceed installation standards,” Gordon said.

“Windows will be high-performance glazing to cut energy consumption, and the HVAC and other mechanical systems will provide 30 percent more energy efficiency than standard systems.

“There will be multiple levels of lighting in the buildings, which will be operated by occupancy sensors to conserve electricity. Efforts are also being made to conserve water through low-flow toilets and faucets,” Gordon said.

Nabholz Construction is partnering with Conway Public Schools and Waste Management to separate building materials on site to prepare See Construction, Page 3

Conway Economy at a Glance Unemployment Rate February 2011 US ....................................8.9% Arkansas............................7.8% Faulkner County .............. 7.1% Conway..............................6.1% Labor Force February 2011 Conway Employed........................26,398 Unemployed.....................1,715 Total................................28,113 Faulkner County* Employed........................52,975 Unemployed.....................4,075 Total................................57,050 *Includes Conway Sales Tax Collections Conway-January 2011........................$1,513,760 2010........................$1,579,517 Percent Change -4.2% Conway-Annual* 2010......................$21,868,102 2009......................$20,825,010 Percent Change 5.0% *Tax Rate 1.75 Faulkner County-January 2011...........................$574,339 2010...........................$554,082 Percent Change 3.7% Faulkner-Annual* 2010......................$21,868,102 2009......................$20,825,010 Percent Change 1.3% *Tax Rate 0.5% Restaurant Sales* January 2011......................$11,316,756 2010......................$10,267,336 Percent Change 10.2% Annual Sales 2010....................$140,014,531 2009 ...................$130,911,970 Percent Change 7.0% *Includes mixed drink sales Hotel Sales January 2011........................$1,125,729 2010 ...................... $1,129,929 Percent Change -2.9% Annual Sales 2010......................$17,590,242 2009..................... $16,404,114 Percent Change 7.2% Building Permits Single Family Residents January-March 2011 ........................ 28 permits 2010 ....................... 80 permits Percent Change -65% Total for the Year 2010 ..................... 223 Permits 2009 ..................... 259 Permits Percent Change -13.9%

Average Construction Cost* January-March 2011.......................... $243,402 2010...........................$158,340 Percent Change 53.7% *Not including land or lot improvements Average Square Footage January-March* 2011 ..........................3,182 2010 ..........................2,336 Percent Change 36.2% *Total under Roof Lottery Sales Faulkner County March.......................$1,580,535 Annual*..................$16,665,548 Annual Per Capita .......$156.01 Total State January . ...............$46,829,907 Annual*................$485,815,500 Annual Per Capita........$160.68 *April 1, 2010 – March 31, 2011 Natural Gas Service Tax Distribution for 2011 Faulkner County...........$17,639 Conway.........................$21,945 2010 Faulkner County.........$171,543 Conway.......................$221,255 Wellhead Price per MCF* February 2011 ................................$4.23 2010 ................................$4.89 2009.................................$4.16 2008.................................$7.55 Yearly Average 2010 ......................... $4.16.......

2009 ......................... $3.71 2008.......................... $8.07 2007.......................... $6.37 2006 ......................... $6.40 2005 ......................... $7.33 2004 ......................... $5.46 2003 ......................... $4.88 2002 ......................... $2.95 *1000 cubic feet Number of Wells* Faulkner County..................257 Total in Field . ..................3,315 *As of Feb. 17, 2011 Estimated Life Time Value of Production* Total Field.........$7,968,816,167 *As of Dec. 10, 2010

Information provided by pulseofconway.com

Changes in finance regs cause construction to plummet

In Faulkner County, however, the sale of existing homes sold through realtors has improved. For January and February of 2011, there were 141 homes sold in Faulkner County compared to 112 for 2010. (Data on existing home sales by realtors are only available at the county level.)

Conversations with bankers and home builders point to the qualifications for obtaining financing, not economic conditions, as the cause of the dearth in construction.

Conway’s economy is strong with an unemployment rate at 6.1%, well below the national average of 8.9%, and the state average of 7.8%.

Foreclosures have been minimal in Faulkner County, and there is no shortage of money by lending institutions for making loans.

Loan requirements have tightened, and fewer people, particularly first time home buyers, can qualify. Also, it has become more difficult for home builders to obtain construction loans for speculation (spec) homes.

The obstacles to obtaining financing are credit ratings, incurred debts and down payments.

Credit ratings, called FICO scores, must be above 619 for

most conventional loans. A credit rating is a numerical rating of one’s creditworthiness created by one of several companies that track credit data on individuals. Scores range from 300 to 850; a score between 750 and 850 is excellent, a score between 660 and 749 is good credit whereas a score between 620 and 659 is considered only fair.

The other factor is income-todebt ratio, generally interpreted as the percentage of monthly debt service (payments) of income. This includes all debts - credit cards, car payments, student loans and the anticipated mortgage payments.

Creditors like this to be 42% or less than the gross monthly income where a few years ago it could be as high as 60%.

Many young people who are potential buyers of entry level homes have too much debt to qualify.

Often, both husband and wife have student loans to repay. This, coupled with car payments and possibly credit card debt makes it very difficult to qualify. You can also see this played out in the number of multi-family apartments being built.

This is the only housing alternative for many young couples.

Purchasing a home through a conventional mortgage requires a 20% down payment and a good credit record to qualify. The 20% down payment can be overcome if the other qualifications can be met.

Buyers who have less than 20% are required to purchase Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) to cover that portion less than 20%. Companies offering PMI insurance have dwindled, but PMI insurance is still available to those who qualify. PMI rates have gone up in the last year which adds to the monthly payments and affects the income-debt-ratio.

Financing through the Federal

Housing Authority (FHA) and Veterans Association (VA) are still available with down payments as low as 0% for VA and 3.5% for FHA. However, credit requirements have become much stricter for these loans also.

A conversation with a home builder who has built many lower priced entry level homes in Conway relates the difficulty within the industry. Previously, he operated on lines of credit of several million dollars whereby he could buy building lots and develop a number of homes in succession. Now, each house is financed separately, and builders are required to have 20% equity in each house and demonstrate that they have the cash flow to build the home. Lot and construction costs generally exceed 80% of the value of a house resulting in the builder having to put cash into each home built. This severely limits the number of houses a builder can have under construction at one time and has brought the development of spec homes to a near standstill. Most of the homes being built now are presold to owners who have the means to finance. The fact that only 28 permits were issued for single family homes this year and that they average 850 square feet larger and $95,000 more in cost, confirms this.

Maybe the pendulum has swung too far in the opposite direction with qualifications too high for entry level home buyers to attain. This may be a hard case to argue with the number of foreclosures across the nation. But the hard facts are that he American Dream of homeownership is slipping away for many families.

More information on building permits and the construction industry can be found at PulseofConway. com

Construction, from Page 2 for recycling.

“This will drastically reduce the amount of waste that will be sent to a landfill,” Gordon said. “Furthermore, the money saved by recycling will go back to the school district.”

As another part of the 2012 plan, Sallie Cone Elementary will

be transformed from an elementary school into a preschool and an adult education center. This will consolidate the 11 preschool classrooms in the Conway School District into a central location. The original wings of the building will provide space for preschool classrooms, and the back wing of the building would house the Conway

Adult Education Center, which is currently located on Robins Street.

Superintendent Murry said that this project does not have a significant dollar amount, as there will be no major changes made to the building.

To learn more about Conway School District’s 2012 Plan, visit ConwaySchools.org/2012.

BY ROGER LEWIS

Single family home construction in Conway has fallen by 65 percent in the first three months of 2011 compared to the same period in 2010. There were 28 permits issued for this period in 2011 compared to 80 in 2010. The homes being built in 2011 are larger and more expensive; averaging 850 square feet larger and $95,000 dollars more in construction costs.

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SUMMER EVENTS HEATING UP ON UCA CAMPUS Life at the University of Central Arkansas doesn’t slow down after the last degree is conferred during May commencement. The campus bustles with activity throughout the summer with academic, music, and sports camps, performing arts programs, and professional development workshops.

The wide variety of UCA’s public summer programs exemplify not only the breadth the University’s academic programs but also the depth of its commitment to the youth of Conway and their parents, says Dr. Lance Grahn, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs.

“UCA deeply values its roles as a community resource and a community partner,” says Grahn. “Through its many summer programs, UCA proudly enriches Conway’s vibrancy and bolsters its growing reputation as a destination of choice in Arkansas.”

The University lives out its core educational mission by hosting a variety of community-oriented activities. Here is just a sample of what’s available this summer: For the youth Children and adults can learn a new language such as Spanish, French, or Chinese through the university’s Community Language School.

The Youth Theatre of Central Arkansas allows students in grades 3-12 to gain valuable theatrical experience.

The Community School of Music caters to music lovers by offering private lessons in piano and guitar as well as strings camp. Plans are underway for the fourth annual Rock Camp, an intense five-day camp packed with workshops, jam sessions and performances to foster musical growth for aspiring rock musicians. The camp is open to guitarists,

Middle and high school students participate in the Math and Science Investigator summer program sponsored by the Department of Mathematics at UCA. The program is designed to enhance students’ interests in mathematics, physics, and biological sciences.

bassists, singers and drummers, ages 12-18.

Faculty and staff in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics host numerous camps, seminars and workshops in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. High school students interested in learning more about careers in Information Technology can attend a camp sponsored by UCA and Axciom.

The UCA Reading Success Center provides students in grades kindergarten through eight skills needed to improve in reading and language arts.

For those interested in exploration, meteorology or space, the College of Education’s Super Kids camp offers a one-week science-based program for children entering first, second and third

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grades. The college’s Summer Enrichment program meets an individual child’s instructional needs in an enjoyable and motivating environment.

Summer Enrichment serves students in grades kindergarten through eighth with mild disabilities currently receiving special education services.

UCA Athletics provide opportunities for young athletes to develop their talent through its team, elite, youth, training, day, and residential camps.

For Adult Learners Summer Sessions at UCA allows individuals to further their education or obtain their college degree faster. May Intersession begins May 16 and the ten-week summer session starts June 6. Visit uca.edu/ summer for more information.

Continuing education

classes for adults range from getting tips on how to sell a home in a challenging market to a seminar that promotes competent and responsible participation in local and state government.

Exciting summer professional development workshops, such as the Biotech in a Box, allow science teachers to learn about DNA fingerprinting, electrophoresis separation of molecules and biotechnology careers.

For those interested in the arts, the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre, Arkansas’s only professional Shakespeare Festival will kick off its fifth season at UCA. This year, the professional theatre in repertory will run June 16-July 3 at multiple venues: Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall on the University of Central Arkansas campus and The Village at Hendrix Greenspace, both in Conway, as well as the newly-renovated Argenta Community Theatre on Main Street in North Little Rock.

The season will include As You Like It, Othello, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and the children’s show, The Tortoise and the Hare.

The College of Liberal Arts has launched a new seminar series called “Exploring Our World.” The series provides an array of topics from the perspectives of the humanities and other disciplines. Each topic is designed to engage the mind and ignite discussion among participants. Those who have a love of all things Shakespeare will enjoy the seminar’s summer lecture, “Shakespeare In and Out of the Classroom.”

“Education, whether it be in learning to be a better football player or to speak Spanish, is part of a life-long process of learning that occurs year round,” Grahn says.

“UCA embraces its opportunities to strengthen the exemplary quality of life in ‘The City of Colleges’ through

its summer programs.”

To learn more about summer programs at UCA, contact: Community Education Courses, UCA Academic Outreach at academicoutreach@uca.edu or (501) 450-3118.

Community Language School, Sera Streiff-Vena, director, at serav@uva.edu or (501) 4503168.

Community School of Music, Jann Bryant, director, at jannb@uca.edu or (501) 4505755.

The Youth Theatre of Central Arkansas, Liz Parker, Youth Theatre Coordinator, at LizP@ uca.edu or (501) 450-5092.

Super Kids, Dr. Mark Cooper at (501)450-3171 or mcooper@uca.edu or Keisha Mattox at (501)450-5460 or kmattox@uca.edu .

UCA Reading Success Center, Dr. Mary Mosley, director, at (501) 450-5461 or marym@ uca.edu.

University Challenge, a oneweek science based summer program for students entering fourth, fifth, and sixth grade.

Lisa Herrington at (501) 4505453 or lisah@uca.edu.

Summer Enrichment, Dan Barrington at (501)450-5476 or danb@uca.edu .

Tutoring for Middle Level Students, Dr. Tammy Benson, Teaching and Learning Department Chair, tammyb@uca. edu or (501) 852.2965.

We the People Summer Institute, a two-day professional development program on the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, http://uca.edu/outreach/profdev/wethepeople. php.

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Summer Camps and Professional Development Workshops for Teachers, Dr. Uma Garimella, UCA STEM Institute, director at ugarimel@uca.edu or (501) 450-5663.

Exploring Our World, UCA Academic Outreach at profdev@ uca.edu or (501) 450.5261.

Sports Camps, UCA Athletics, at (501)450-3150.

C

Council to consider formal adoption of Conway2025 The April 12th Conway City Council meeting could mark the next milestone event in the success of the Conway2025 strategic plan.

The city council will consider a resolution adopting Conway2025 as the strategic plan and community vision for Conway. While the resolution itself would not legally obligate local government to any specific goal or measure, 40 Conway2025 steering committee member Charles Nabholz is hopeful that the council will consider the plan

when making future decisions. “So many people put so much time and effort into this plan. I hope the council will put this plan to use and honor its quality and intent.”

Jamie Gates, Sr. Vice President of the Conway Area Chamber, thinks that the plan offers some additional benefits to the city beyond the 132 stated goals.

“The value of this plan is in how representative it is of our entire community’s vision. Conway is going to continue growing and developing. A roadmap like Conway2025 is invaluable as the council sets budgets and policy.”

The Conway City Council does have some history of adopting outside strategic plans as an aid in policy and budget discussions. In 2001, a study from Beaver Fork Lake Sakal Hood Architects was adopted as a plan for the redevelopment of downtown. What followed was tens of millions of dollars in private and public investment. Mayor Tab Townsell said that it’s important to have touchstone 25 efforts like Conway2025 when planning for inevitable growth. “Conway has grown at roughly the same pace since the 1940’s. We fully expect that growth to continue. However, as bud40

gets and populations become larger the stakes also get Bhigher.

We can’t eav erf ork Rd thoughtfully afford to not proceed very and intentionally.”

The Conway2025 plan was developed using survey input from over 1,400 Conway area residents. Over 300 volunteers were used to develop 132 goals that address a broad spectrum of community issues. The entire plan is available online at www.

Conway2025.com. The April 12th city council meeting will be held at the Jack Roberts District Court Building at 810 Parkway St.

Old Morrilton Hwy

Gentry Lake

Robins Lake

Days Lake

64 65

Skyline Dr

Cadron Valley Country Club

4605 Sawgrass Cove

Meadowlake Rd

65 65

1805 Summerbrook

64

r St

5135 Bay Town Dr.

Har

Tyl e

Mountain View Park

Gatlin Park

t

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Hendrix College

krid

Centennial Valley Golf Club

Donaghey Ave

Salem Rd

an

266

65 40

60

t

eS

c rin

P

Oak St

Laurel Park

Caldwell St

E Oak St

60

Conway Country Club

65

Fifth Avenue Park

Airport Park

Central Baptist College

170 Castleberry

Dennis F Cantrell Field

58 Pruett OakRoad Grove Cemetery

Highway 60 W

S Salem Rd

60

t

64

Donaghey Ave

Gleason

Blacks Lake

University Of Central Arkansas

SH

286

Parks Lake

arkr

Dave Ward Dr 286

ider St

Blacks Lake

365

Blacks Lake Number Two

Brumley

4605 Sawgrass Conway $542,000, Built in 2000 4 bed, 4 bath Centennial Valley 4,836 square feet ($123.86/sq. ft.)

5135 Bay Town Conway $378,500, Built in 2007 4 bed, 4 bath The Fairways 3,371 square feet ($118.63/sq. ft.)

58 Pruett Road Conway $330,000, Built in 2005 4 bed, 2 and 1/2 bath n/a 2,778 square feet ($124.19/sq. ft.)

170 Castleberry Drive Conway $299,229, Built in 2011 4 bed, 3 bath Chapel Creek 2,700 square feet ($108.52/sq. ft.)

286

65 S

Ar-3

TOP 5 RESIDENTIAL home sales in faulkner county MARCH 2011 65

40

1805 Summerbrook Conway $265,000, Built in 2004 4 bed, 3 bath Summerbrook 2,681 square feet ($104.07/sq. ft.)

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FAULKNER COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL | 5

n EDITORIAL

Our ‘Bell Cow’

I

s Conway a company town?

Not hardly. We’re too diverse economically and growing in too many ways to be pigeon holed in that fashion. However, it is almost impossible to overstate the importance of Acxiom to our local economy. So any time there is a change in leadership or change at all there will be rumors and rumblings. After all, it’s hard to imagine a gathering of 4 or more people in Conway where someone doesn’t have a connection to Acxiom.

We think the more you look at the facts surrounding recent Acxiom activities, the more reassured you will be in their (and our) future.

The week the recently departed CEO, John Meyer, took the helm in January of 2008 Acxiom stock was trading for $9.38. At the time this editorial was written, Acxiom stock was at $15.18. Somewhere in between I remember hearing about a “great recession.” Improving the financial standing of this company in such economic times was and is no small feat. Good sign.

Let’s not take for granted that Acxiom is still here and still making money. Most companies like Acxiom are in Silicon Valley or on the east coast. Acxiom has a more than 40 year history in Arkansas. They have stayed true to their roots, bucked the trend and thrived. Good sign.

We take seriously job losses of any size in our community whether from a layoff or reorganization.

But Acxiom has notably limited job losses during an economic downturn that affected everyone, particularly companies within the marketing industry. This minimized disruption of their employees’ lives while still managing to reduce debt and improve cash flow. As a result, Acxiom now has a strong balance sheet and a strong workforce. Good sign.

Acxiom leadership will tell you that they succeed daily in the global marketplace because of their skilled and talented employees. You know the quality of these folks. Many of them were raised and educated not far from here.

That may be the most reassuring sign of them all.

‘techies’ unite to plan fall conference Will “tech addicts” from around the country come to Conway, Arkansas to hear speakers and share ideas?

A working group of central Arkansas tech savvy professionals think so.

“Central Interactive” may be in its infancy, but it already has the support of more than two dozen individuals and businesses. On March 28th the Conway Chamber hosted a planning meeting for the fall technology conference.

Organizers and local tech entrepreneurs Cotton Rohrschieb and Arlton Lowery say that the demand for such an event was evident after last summer’s successful “BarCamp” event at UCA. “I think last year’s BarCamp opened our eyes to the possibility of having a large technology event in Central Arkansas. We saw a huge turnout and amazing feedback from the attendees and community. It just made sense for us to take what we did with the 2010 BarCamp Conway to the next

6 | FAULKNER COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL

level” said Lowery.

Rohrscheib says that what that “next level” looks like is still up in the air. “It’s hard to say, I don’t think our vision is nailed down completely at this point.

Obviously we want the event to be an educational experience for all of us, but I would also like to see small businesses and enterprises embedded in what we are doing. I would love to see entrepreneurs launch their dream idea using tools that they learned during Central Interactive, and that could very easily happen.”

Establishing central Arkansas as a hub for innovation is obviously not an easy task. Central Interactive is just one step towards creating a regional culture that can sustain professionals who want to make technology a focus of their career. Lowery says that, in spite of some challenges, Arkansas has the critical mass and attitude needed.

“There are challenges working as a designer, or developer, in Arkansas. There are limited resources for jobs locally, but that doesn’t mean that there is a lack of entrepreneurial spirit. There are a lot of great people in Arkansas with amazing ideas. We want to encourage

WHAT’S THAT GONNA BE?

and foster that spirit at Central Interactive. This conference isn’t just for tech folks. It’s for people who want to change the world around them through technology.”

Currently, organizers are designing curriculum “tracks” to appeal to a broad audience. There will be in depth seminars for experienced developers but also introductory level dialogue for small business owners just looking for new markets and applications. The event is scheduled as a two day conference that will take place some time from late September to mid October.

If you are interested in helping organize Central Interactive 2011 you may contact the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce.

While organizers hope to draw as many as 300 attendees from all over the mid-south, Rohrschieb says that the event is a success if local attendees simply come together, learn from each other and leave inspired. “I would not be surprised in the least if the next big idea in technology came from right here in Central Arkansas. We have that many talented people.”

Golden Corral Buffet and Grill Golden Corral Buffet and Grill will be opening their fifth Arkansas location this July. The 9,000+ square foot restaurant will seat 340 and employ approximately 100. Director of Operations for Golden Partners, Roger Schmidt said that the restaurant will serve lunch and dinner seven days a week and breakfast on Saturday and Sunday. Schmidt said the restaurant would begin taking applications in early June.

Where is that?

Intersection of Oak Street and Interstate 40. Next door to the Best Western.

Who’s building it?

Golden Partners currently operates 3 Golden Corral franchise locations in Arkansas.

This will be their fourth.

When will it be completed?

July 2011

Jay Myers (left) watches as a CNG powered Yukon is unveiled as the “Official Vehicle of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber Receives Natural Gas-Powered Vehicle Crain Automotive of Conway and Southwestern Energy have partnered to underwrite the “Official Vehicle of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce.” The 2011 GMC Yukon is powered by compressed natural gas.

Crain converted the vehicle to CNG. As a dual-fuel vehicle, it has the ability to run on both compressed natural gas and gasoline.

Jay Myers, general manager at Crain Automotive, said that the company is committed to working with Southwestern Energy to ensure that more vehicles are CNG compatible. Crain has invested $200,000 so far into

equipment and staff training related to retrofitting conventional gasoline-powered vehicles for CNG. “Crain is the only dealer in Arkansas that has installed CNG conversion kits, and we are committed to increasing awareness about the benefits of this alternative fuel,” Myers said. “Natural gas is cheaper than gasoline, it’s cleaner, and it’s produced right here in the U.S.” According to FuelEconomy.gov, the official U.S. government source for fuel economy information, natural gas is one of the cleanest burning alternative fuels. It contains 60-90 percent less smog-producing pollutants and 30-40 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than a vehicle powered exclu-

sively by gasoline.

Natural gas is also less expensive than gasoline. CNGnow.com, a website advocating the use of compressed natural gas, estimates that CNG is priced at roughly half the cost of a per gallon equivalent of regular gasoline.

In addition, the U.S. Department of Energy says that nearly 87 percent of natural gas used in the U.S. is domestically produced. The Fayetteville Shale natural gas field, which includes approximately 25,000 square miles stretching across eight counties in north-central Arkansas, is now recognized as one of the 10 largest gas fields in the U.S. Brad Lacy, president and CEO of the

Conway Area Chamber of Commerce, said that the Chamber will use the vehicle to create awareness about the use of CNG in Arkansas.

“It was important to the Chamber that we “live our brand,” Lacy said.

“That means getting smart with our fuel choices, supporting local businesses and becoming an informed advocate for natural gas in the marketplace.”

The official vehicle of the Conway Area Chamber is easily recognizable, as it is adorned with a vehicle wrap that features the Chamber’s signature green color and Get Smart logo as well as information about the its clean energy fuel source. Target Wraps of Sherwood created the custom design.

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