2015-07 Faulkner County Business Journal

July 2015

New name, same commitment From routine eye exams to complex surgeries, Magie Smith Charton has provided comprehensive eye care to Conway for 45 years

PAGE 4D

2D — Sunday, July 12, 2015

Faulkner County Business Journal

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Chamber, Conway Development Corporation endorse adult education program LOG CABIN DEMOCRAT

More than 450,000 Arkansans have earned college credit hours but do not have a bachelor’s degree.

Faulkner County residents make up 17,000 of these adult learners who did not persist to graduation for various reasons.

While it’s no secret that obtaining a college degree leads to increased job opportunities and higher earning potential, few working adults are able to enroll in traditional college programs because of job and family obligations.

For the past 15 years, Central Baptist College’s Professional Adult College Education – or PACE – program has given more than 1,200 stu-

dents the opportunity to earn a college degree while working full-time.

The PACE program offers evening, weekend and online courses to accommodate the hectic schedules of working adults, and most of the classes can be completed in five weeks. Students may begin the program with or without college hours.

The Conway Development Corporation, recognizing the value of PACE and the importance of an educated workforce, pledged $25,000 to the program in October 2014 at the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce’s Business Expo.

President and CEO Brad Lacy announced the five-year commitment during a presentation about Conway2025, the city’s long-range stra-

tegic plan.

One of the plan’s seven sectors is “Keep Conway Learning,” which focuses on education initiatives in the city.

Lacy highlighted the “power of education,” providing statistics relative to the success of those who earn a minimum of a bachelor’s degree.

“We have an avenue right here in Conway, through the PACE Program at CBC, to meet this critical need,” Lacy said. He touted the growth and success of CBC and PACE and the benefits of adding more prepared workers to the workforce.

PACE offers an Associate of Arts in general education and an Associate of Science in military technologies.

Students can earn Bachelor of Science degrees in human resource management, leadership, leadership and ministry, liberal studies, management information systems, organizational management, and psychology.

CBC also offers a Bachelor of Business Administration degree through the PACE program.

Online degrees offered are an Associate of Arts in general education, a Bachelor of Science in leadership and ministry, and a Bachelor of Business Administration.

For more information about the PACE program at Central Baptist College, contact the admissions office at 501-329-6873 or visit cbc.edu/ itsyourtime.

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Faulkner County Business Journal

Sunday, July 12, 2015 — 3D

Chamber of Commerce accepting nominations for MED awards LOG CABIN DEMOCRAT

The Conway Area Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for the 2015 Minority Enterprise Development awards. These awards recognize the achievements of minority entrepreneurs and business leaders in the Conway area.

The Chamber of Commerce established the MED committee to foster growth and sustainability of minority businesses and as a way to recognize minority businesses and their supporters.

Minority Enterprise Development serves minority business enterprises that are owned or controlled by African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans and Pacific Islanders.

The awards will be presented at the MED awards gala, which will take place Thursday, Sept.

24, at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom at the University of Central Arkansas.

Eligible nominees for the MED awards include, but are not limited to, business owners; business executives; nonprofit organizations; for-profit firms and institutions; universities and colleges; submitted photo and representatives of local, state and federal gov- Conway-native Dr. Lloyd Hervey, interim president of Philander Smith College and assistant professor of education, was the recipient of the 2014 ernments who are members of the Conway Area Minority Enterprise Development Lifetime Achievement Award. The Chamber is accepting nominations for the 2015 MED awards through Aug. Chamber of Commerce. The four categories of 7.

MED awards are as follows: The Advocate for Opportunity Award recognizes an individual, organization or business that has demonstrated significant accomplishments in educating and advocating for minority business enterprises.

The Outstanding Minority Business of the Year award recognizes a business that has had a significant impact on the community.

The Outstanding Young Minority Professional award recognizes an individual between the ages of 21-39 who has committed himself or herself to business and community service.

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual who has played an integral role in the creative, technical or professional progress of minority business development over the course of his or her life.

It celebrates high standards of excellence, dedication and accomplishment over a sustained period.

The Chamber is accepting nominations for the awards now through Friday, Aug. 7. To submit nominations, visit ConwayChamber.org.

For questions about the event or the call for nominations, contact Therese Pollard, director of events, at 501-932-5411 or at Therese@ConwayArkansas.org.

4D — Sunday, July 12, 2015

Faulkner County Business Journal

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New name, same commitment

From routine eye exams to complex surgeries, Magie Smith Charton has provided comprehensive eye care to Conway for 45 years Magie Smith Charton Eye Clinic, P.A. is the largest, most comprehensive eye-care clinic in Conway and Faulkner County and the only eye-care clinic in Faulkner County that has the expertise to diagnose and manage retinal problems. The team of doctors and staff at Magie Smith Charton Eye Clinic, P.A. provides patients a superior health care experience in a comfortable environment.

“Our clinic has served Conway and Faulkner County for 45 years, making it the longest-practicing eye care clinic in the city,” said Dr. Stephen K. Magie. “Although our name has changed recently because of a transition in ownership, our goals and services have not. We aim to offer every patient who walks through our doors an excellent experience – from the front desk check-in to when they see our physicians and providers.”

Physicians

The team of physicians at Magie Smith Charton Eye Clinic, P.A., which includes both ophthalmologists and optometrists, can provide a complete spectrum of eye-care services.

These services range from routine eye examinations – such as contact lens exams – to procedures that are

more complex: eyelid or cataract surgery; treatment of eye injuries and infections; and glaucoma laser treatments.

Ophthalmology.

Ophthalmologists specialize in medical and surgical eye problems. These doctors deal with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye and can perform operations on eyes, including cataract surgery and retinal surgery.

Ophthalmologic physicians at Magie Smith Charton Eye Clinic, P.A. include Stephen K. Magie, M.D.; Melanie F. Smith, M.D.; and Justin W. Charton, M.D. Retinal specialist William T. Mabrey, M.D. will still be available for appointments at Magie Smith Charton Eye Clinic, P.A.

Optometry.

Optometrists are licensed medical professionals who are trained to prescribe and fit lenses to improve vision. They can also diagnose and treat various eye diseases. Jeffrey J. Strossner, O.D., and B. Scott Koontz, O.D., are the optometric physicians on staff in Conway.

They complete Magie Smith Charton Eye Clinic, P.A.’s eye-care team by providing comprehensive primary eye care, including routine exams, contact lenses, glasses and medical eye care.

Full-Service Optical Shop

Individuals in need of prescription eyewear can find a large selection of popular, name-brand frames, sunglasses and safety wear at Magie Smith Charton Eye Clinic, P.A.’s full-service optical shop.

A licensed optician on staff can help customers choose a frame that best suits their needs.

The optical shop can also repair or adjust frames.

For contact lens wearers, Magie Smith Charton Eye Clinic, P.A. carries a large inventory of contacts to fit most visual needs and lifestyles.

About Magie Smith Charton Eye Clinic, P.A.

J.J. Magie, M.D., founded Magie Eye Clinic in September 1970. At the time, he was the only ophthalmologist on staff, and the clinic had only a couple of employees. His son, Dr. Stephen Magie, eventually joined his staff as an ophthalmologist, and in 1986, the clinic moved from Caldwell Street to its current location at 924 Main Street.

The clinic now has 45 employees, and the owners plan to expand the practice into surrounding communities in the coming years. Magie Smith Charton Eye Clinic, P.A. is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

All doctors are accepting new patients and welcome entire families. To schedule an appointment at Magie Smith Charton Eye Clinic, P.A., call 501-327-4444.

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Faulkner County Business Journal

Sunday, July 12, 2015 — 5D

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Faulkner County Business Journal

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TOP RESIDENTIAL SALES, JULY

Address.........................Beds/Baths................SQFT.....................$/SqFt.................Built..................Subdivision 68 Lakeview Dr.........................4/3/0............................3808...........................117.91....................1976.....................Lakeview Acres 1435 Centennial Club...............3/3/1............................3136 .........................125.64....................2003......................Sunderlin Park 30 Lexington Dr.........................4/4/1............................4551..........................83.48......................1978.......................Jefferson Place 5120 Round Rock Dr.................4/3/0............................2728..........................120.56.................... 2011..............................Fieldstone 4410 Bay Hill Dr.......................4/3/1.............................3320..........................102.11....................2001..................Centennial Valley

Editorial:Who cares?

The sad state of politics and governance at the federal level makes you feel foolish for even getting frustrated when things go wrong. But here we are, feeling frustrated – and foolish.

Congress has not passed a long-term (traditionally six years) highway bill since 2005. They’ve passed a series of oneyear extensions since 2011. The most recent “extension” was for a whopping two months. It is set to expire at the end of the month.

The key issue, of course, is how to pay for it. Historically, the federal gas tax has supported the highway trust fund. Improved fuel efficiency has made that revenue inadequate. This is not a recent crisis.

The highway trust fund has been subsidized with more than $60 billion in general revenue since 2008.

It’s either been a decade of denial and procrastination or a decade of gridlock and debate. Either way, the end result is a lack of results.

Congressional antics aside, how does this affect Conway? When it became clear that funds would likely not be available after July 31, the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) had no choice but to cancel the scheduled paving bid for our new southern interchange.

That’s right – the one at mile marker 132 that is more than halfway complete.

The one the city has already put $2.8 million of local street funds into.

The City of Conway held up its end of the bargain. It set aside funds to build an interchange in partnership with AHTD (who is reimbursed by the feds).

It allocated those funds and did everything it was supposed to do. It did this with city-sized resources and resolve.

Congress has federal-sized resources but is short on resolve. The end result is that we will likely miss our peak construction season and may see a delay of a year or longer.

Those local funds could have been put to work in countless ways within our local street system. Instead, that money is tied up in our own bridge to nowhere.

It’s hard to tell who cares about the nuts and bolts of governance anymore. But it is getting easier to tell who doesn’t.

Log Cabin Democrat • Find our online edition at www.thecabin.net

Faulkner County Business Journal

Sunday, July 12, 2015 — 7D

EconomyGlance Conway Economy At a Glance Unemployment Rate April 2015 Seasonally Adjusted US ..............................................5.5% Arkansas ...................................5.7% Not Seasonally Adjusted US ..............................................5.3% Arkansas ....................................5.6% Faulkner County .......................5.3% Conway ......................................5.1% Sales Tax Collections Conway*

April 2015 ..................................$2,053,607 2014 .................................$1,769,596 Percent Change ......................... 16% Year to Date (April) 2015 ..................................$7,582,508 2014..................................$7,223,203 Percent Change 4.97% Annual 2014................................$23,416,628 2013..................................23,235,891 2012..................................22,944,163 Percent Change..........2013-14 0.8% *Tax Rate 1.75% Faulkner County* April 2015................................$737,971 2014................................671,563 Percent Change..........................9.9% Year to Date (April) 2015..................................$2,766,654 2014..................................$2,705,476 Percent Change..........................2.2% Annual 2014..................................$8,774,109 2013....................................8,588,835 2012....................................8,465,686 Percent Change 2013-14..........2.3% *Tax Rate 0.5% 1 Paid to City and County in June

Restaurant Sales*

May 2015................................$16,001,405 2014..................................15,585,355 Percent Change..........................2.7% Year to Date (May) 2015................................$60,850,878 2014..................................57,066,606 Percent Change..........................6.6% 1 Reported in July Annual Sales 2014..............................$176,205,965 2013................................164,519,369 2012................................161,318,563 Percent Change 2013-14............7.1% *Including mixed drink sales

Hotel Sales

May 2015..................................$1,704,038 2014....................................2,239,424 Percent Change.......................-23.9% Year to Date (May) 2015..................................$7,516,414 2014....................................8,191,705 Percent Change.........................-8.2% Annual Sales 2014................................$19,336,169 2013..................................18,559,308 2012..................................18,683,677 Percent Change 2013 – 2014....4.2% 1 Reported in July Conway Building Permits Single Family Homes Year to Date (May) 2015..................................73 Permits 2014..................................50 Permits Percent Change........................46.0% Annual 2014................................119 permits 2013................................147 Permits 2012................................186 Permits 2011................................153 Permits Percent Change 2013 – 2014....-19.0% Average Construction Cost*

Year to Date (May) 2015.....................................$258,710 2014........................................221,196 Percent Change........................17.0% Annual 2014.....................................$220,311 2013.......................................228,275 2012.......................................207,537 2011.......................................204,387 Percent Change 2013 – 2014...-3.5% *Not including lat or lot improvements Average Square Footage* Year to date (May) 2015...........................................2,899 2014...........................................2,832 Percent Change..........................2.4% Annual 2014...........................................2,929 2013...........................................3,002 2012............................................2,910 2011............................................2,814 Percent Change 2013-2014.....-2.4% * Total under roof Average Construction Cost Per Square Foot* Year to Date (April) 2015..........................................$89.41 2014..........................................$78.11 Percent Change........................14.5% Annual 2014.........................................$75.22 2013............................................76.04 2012............................................71.33 2011............................................72.64 Percent Change 2013 – 2014....-1.1% * Total under roof

2012..................................16,943,909 Percent Change 2013 - 2014...-16.7% Total State Year to Date (June) 2015..............................$217,984,462 2014................................211,943,060 Percent Change..........................2.9% Annual 2014..............................$401,251,365 2013................................432,932,798 2012................................452,245,217 Percent Change 2013 - 2014....-7.3% Natural Gas Severance Tax Distribution Conway Year to Date (July) 2015.....................................$182,176 2014.......................................208,594 Percent Change.......................-12.7% Annual 2014.....................................$363,837 2013........................................276,523 2012........................................162,523 Percent Change 2013 - 2014....31.6% Faulkner County Year to Date-(July) 2015.....................................$148,359 2014.......................................169,829 Percent Change.......................-12.6% Annual 2014.....................................$296,411 2013.......................................224,455 2012.......................................131,418 Percent Change 2013 – 2014...32.1%

*Information provided by Pulse of Lottery Sales Conway Faulkner County Year to Date (June) 2015..................................$7,510,950 2014....................................7,592,996 Percent Change.........................-1.1% Annual 2014................................$14,193,204 2013..................................17,038,277

8D — Sunday, July 12, 2015

Faulkner County Business Journal

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