#ConwayToGo aims to aid industry in crisis (April 2020)

conwayarkansas.org

NORTH METRO BUSINESS JOURNAL

NORTH METRO

APRIL 2020

BUSINESS JOURNAL

#ConwayToGo aims to aid industry in crisis

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

2

APRIL 2020

NORTH METRO BUSINESS JOURNAL

Blue & You Foundation establishes COVID grants program to assist nonprofits Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas has established a Rapid-Response Covid Relief Grants program to help eligible organizations lessen the impact of the COVID-19 virus on the individuals, families, and communities they serve.

Applying organizations may request a grant ranging from $5,000 to $150,000.

To be eligible, applicants must be a 501(c)(3) public charity, public school, governmental agency, nonprofit hospital, or church in Arkansas. The Foundation does not do partial funding, but rather makes a yes or no decision on the amount requested. Therefore, the application must provide itemized details that justify the amount requested.

The Blue & You Foundation is open for applications now and will remain open for as long as the Foundation deems appropriate to assist with Covid-related needs. Therefore, there is currently no deadline or closing date to apply.

All applications must be submitted online at blueandyoufoundationarkansas.org.

conwayarkansas.org

DXC seeks applicants with experience in medical coding, billing DXC Technology is hiring 50 business analysts at its Conway location.

To fulfill these roles, the company is looking for those with a Certified Professional Coder (CPC) certification and at least one year of experience in medical coding and billing with a hospital or health care provider.

Those with no CPC certification must have more than two years of experience in medical coding and billing with a hospital or health care provider.

Apply online at https://bit.ly/dxc-conwaybusiness-analyst.

conwayarkansas.org

NORTH METRO BUSINESS JOURNAL

APRIL 2020

3

Central Baptist College extends 20% tuition discount for PACE Program Central Baptist College President Terry Kimbrow has announced that the one-time 20% tuition discount for new students enrolling in the PACE Program has been extended through the Fall 2020 semester. This tuition discount was initially offered for Spring 2020 to celebrate the PACE Program’s 20th anniversary.

“In response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, we know that many people’s lives have changed drastically in the past few weeks.

Because of the uncertainty in our world and in our global workforce, CBC wanted to offer a help to individuals to be able to begin or complete their college degree now. There is no better time to do this than in celebration of the 20th anniversary of PACE, which stands for Professional Adult College Education. Extending this 20% discount for the 20th anniversary of the PACE program in the year 2020 to allow new students to experience PACE seemed like the right thing to do,” Kimbrow said.

“So many people have put their dream of obtaining a college degree on hold because they find themselves placebound, working during the day, caring for a family or facing other obstacles that hinder their ability to go to college,” said Dr. Gary McAllister, Vice President for Academic Affairs. “PACE can remove those roadblocks and give adults an opportunity to achieve their dreams.

The time to enroll is now.”

Dr. McAllister went on to say that “because of the recent pandemic, many institutions are scrambling to teach their courses online; however, PACE faculty were already prepared. We have been teaching online courses and offering online degrees for nearly a decade. In a time when students cannot come to the classroom, they can connect online via Zoom and through our learning management system. This is not a new process for us, so students can expect to receive the same quality education that has always been offered through the PACE Program.”

In 2000, the PACE Program began as a non-scholarship program with students being required to pay out of pocket for 100% of program costs. In recent years Central Baptist College has added multiple types of institutional aid available in the PACE program to

assist students with covering program costs. In addition to the onetime 20% discount for newly enrolling students, students can apply for state and federal financial aid programs by completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) online at https://studentaid.gov. Central Baptist College also offers a Veteran’s Discount Grant, Ministry Tuition Grant, and BMAA Grant for students who attend a BMAA church. Most recently, the College has started a PACE Business Partner program where area businesses can partner with CBC to offer their employees a 25% tuition discount.

The initial purpose of developing the PACE Program was to accommodate the educational needs of adults. Addressing this growing need led to the development of a nontraditional program to assist adults in completing their education.

Integration of new technology throughout the life of the program has further enhanced the flexibility of PACE and kept it relevant in an ever-changing environment, especially now that almost all education across the nation has moved into an online course delivery format.

“Over the years, PACE has grown,” added McAllister. “Although it began with just one degree program, a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management, it now offers 12 different degree programs in areas such as Psychology, Human Resource Management, Leadership and Ministry and Management Information Systems.

Students can begin these programs with no previous college experience. They also have flexibility since all our degree programs are offered in an online course delivery format.”

To take advantage of the one-time 20% tuition discount, first-time entering, transfer, or readmit students should apply for admission and complete the registration process. There are four registration periods (blocks) for the Fall 2020 semester, the first deadline is June 12 for classes beginning on July 6. To learn more or to complete an application for admission visit cbc.edu/itsyourtime.

Claudette Holt, Director of PACE Enrollment, can be reached at cholt@cbc.edu or 501-205-8840.n

4

NORTH METRO BUSINESS JOURNAL

APRIL 2020

conwayarkansas.org

Conway Corp announces 132 megawatt solar project The Conway Corp Board of Directors approved a 20-year purchase power agreement with Lightsource BP, a global solar leader, at its April 3, 2020 meeting.

The agreement is for the development of a 132 MWdc solar energy project in White County, Ark. Lightsource BP will finance, build, own and operate the facility and will deliver the solar energy it generates to Conway Corp under the fixed-rate power purchase agreement.

The Conway Solar project is located on 700 acres near Happy, Arkansas, approximately 55 miles northeast of

Little Rock. It will supply clean energy to Conway Corp’s customers in the city of Conway and will generate enough electricity to power more than 21,400 homes. The project will also play a role in reducing the city’s carbon footprint by the equivalent of CO2 emissions from 35,270 fuel-burning cars.

“We are committed to providing safe, reliable, affordable and innovative and environmentally sound service to our customers. This solar project checks all of those boxes.” Conway Corp Chief Executive Officer Bret Carroll said. “We know this project is a great long-range

strategy in our continued efforts to serve our customers with excellence.”

In addition to providing fixed, low-cost power, the project will create 250 jobs during the construction of the facility.

Kevin Smith, Chief Executive Officer of the Americas for Lightsource BP said “We applaud Conway Corp for taking the lead in delivering the many benefits of solar energy to its customers and look forward to our continued collaboration as we work to bring this exciting project online. We believe renewable and affordable solar energy is an important part of the state’s future energy mix, and we’re dedicated to making it a positive contribution to local communities.”

With Lightsource BP’s model of developing, owning and operating their projects, the company is committed to be a long-term partner of the local communities in Arkansas. Their approach includes community engagement, maximizing local economic benefits, and development of a site-specific long-term land management plan that will optimize environmental benefits of the project in order to help improve the land. The project is expected to go online at the end of 2022. n

6

NORTH METRO BUSINESS JOURNAL

APRIL 2020

conwayarkansas.org

#ConwayToGo aims to aid industry in crisis By the time Governor Asa Hutchinson closed dining rooms in restaurants across Arkansas, it was already clear that the hospitality industry was headed for uncharted territory. The COVID-19 crisis had only been visible in Arkansas for less than a week, but those few days would be the last “normal” days of business for the foreseeable future.

“Conway restaurants went from record highs to record lows almost instantly,” said Rachel Shaw, executive director of the Conway Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). “Many of our restaurants were immediately confronted with either closing or completely changing their business model.”

According to Shaw, industry professionals estimate national restaurant spending has declined by 25% in drive-thrus all the way to 75% in sit-down, full-service restaurants.

Restaurants were among the first-hit and most visible economic casualties of the COVID-19 pandemic. This led to an awareness among loyal customers and a desire to help.

The challenge became how to quickly communicate local restaurants’ “new” way of doing business during a pandemic.

On March 21, the Conway Convention and Visitors Bureau launched the #ConwayToGo group on Facebook.

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

In three weeks, membership had grown to more than 7,000 individuals throughout the region. While restaurants frequently post daily specials and

“It’s by far the largest of several efforts around the state to promote restaurants during this period of restricted business.

I think the success is because you have restaurants and their customers sharing content equally.”

- Rachel Shaw, Executive Director Conway Convention and Visitors Bureau

provide updates, the majority of posts are from customers sharing how they’re feeding themselves and their families while supporting local restaurants.

Shaw said that the program’s success has stood out in Arkansas.

“It is by far the largest of several efforts around the state to promote restaurants during this period of restricted business. I think the success is because you have restaurants and their customers sharing content equally. Both sides are benefitting— one financially, the other with good information and convenience.”

While the CVB was working to promote curbside and delivery options, city officials were looking for creative solutions to further aid restaurants.

On March 24, Conway Mayor Bart Castleberry issued an executive order allowing restaurants to “sell food, ingredients, cleaning supplies, paper goods, or sundries” to the general public. The policy had been used in a few communities around the country.

The hope was that restaurants would find an additional source of revenue while providing an alternative to crowded grocery stores and potentially out-of-stock items.

A number of Conway restaurants quickly took advantage of the relaxed regulations and launched into the “grocery business.” The locally owned TGI Fridays was one of the earliest and most active restaurantsturned-grocer.

conwayarkansas.org

NORTH METRO BUSINESS JOURNAL

APRIL 2020

7

8

APRIL 2020

NORTH METRO BUSINESS JOURNAL

conwayarkansas.org

SUPPORT LOCAL Tips for supporting local restaurants and feeding your family

“For the past several weeks we’ve been selling “grocery” or inventory items,” said owner Jeremy Gardner. “Our focus has been frozen proteins, such as steaks, shrimp, chicken, and salmon. Many of our customers were frustrated with long waits and limited stock in a typical grocery store. When they call and reserve an order, we have it properly packed and delivered to their vehicle. Our goal is to provide customers a safe and effortless transaction.”

Other restaurants, such as PattiCakes Bakery and Purple Cow, are also offering groceries that include produce, dairy products, flour, sugar, and lunch meat along with their regular menus.

While there is no clear timeline for when restaurants will be back to normal, it’s safe to say many will likely rely on alternative modes of selling for weeks if not months. Gardner said his goal is simply to sustain business in order to be able to return.

“Combining curbside orders with our grocery business will let us survive and fully reopen whenever we’re allowed. The social media efforts of the CVB and the flexibility from Mayor Castleberry really make a difference.”

Shaw said most of Conway’s approximately 150 restaurants are currently open in some fashion and those that have closed this month are doing so temporarily. While it is a challenging time, she said she’s hopeful all of Conway’s restaurants will be fully open soon.

“Our restaurants really are a regional amenity and an important part of our quality of place. And now they’re playing a vital role in providing safe options for food as we all distance responsibly.”n

Join the #ConwayToGo group at Facebook.com/groups/ ConwayToGo. This is a great way to find deals or discover new restaurants.

Consider purchasing groceries from a restaurant (TGI Fridays, Purple Cow, PattiCakes, and others have a variety of grocery options).

Many restaurants are offering “family packs” or even frozen “take and bake” options.

Add side dishes or a dessert from a restaurant to your home-prepared main dish (or vice versa).

North Metro Economy at a Glance Population US ..........................327,167,434 Arkansas ....................3,013,825 Conway............................66,426 Cleburne County ..............24,965 Conway County ...............20,891 Faulkner County ............124,806 Perry County ....................10,352 Van Buren County ............16,603 Civilian Labor Force January-2020 Seasonally Adjusted US ..........................164,606,000 Arkansas.....................1,366,308 Not Seasonally Adjusted US ..........................163,497,000 Arkansas.....................1,350,711 Conway............................33,608 Cleburne County ................8,993 Conway County..................8,256 Faulkner County ..............61,559 Perry County......................4,227 Van Buren County...............5,652 Unemployment Rate January-2020 Seasonally Adjusted US ..................................... 3.6% Arkansas ........................... 3.5% Not Seasonally Adjusted US ..................................... 4.0% Arkansas............................ 4.1% Conway.............................. 3.5% Cleburne County ................ 5.7% Conway County ................. 5.0% Faulkner County ................ 3.5% Perry County ...................... 4.8% Van Buren County .............. 6.0%

Bank Deposits June Conway 2019.................... $1,835,390,000 2018.................... $1,829,012,000 Percent Change .................0.35%

Conway County 2020.............................$440,014 2019.............................$419,322 Percent Change ............... 4.93% Tax Rate........................... 1.75%

Faulkner County Cleburne County 2020.............................$786,863 2019....................... $556,697,000 2019.............................$717,874 2018....................... $554,248,000 Percent Change ............... 9.61% Percent Change .................0.44% Tax Rate........................... 0.50% Conway County Perry County 2019....................... $364,163,000 2020.............................$127,334 2018....................... $358,473,000 2019.............................$124,682 Percent Change .................1.59% Percent Change ............... 2.13% Tax Rate ........................... 2.50% Faulkner County

2019.................... $2,228,144,000 Van Buren County 2018.................... $2,193,879,000 Percent Change .................1.56% 2020.............................$322,486 2019.............................$311,566 Perry County Percent Change ............... 3.51% 2019......................... $65,345,000 Tax Rate ........................... 2.00% 2018......................... $72,986,000 Percent Change ............. -10.47% Restaurant Sales* Van Buren County Year to Date (March) 2019....................... $278,929,000 Conway 2018....................... $276,171,000 Percent Change .................1.00% 2020........................$49,810,876 2019........................$48,106,344 Sales & Use Tax Collections Percent Change ............... 3.54% *Includes mixed drink sales March Conway 2020...........................$2,576,485 2019...........................$2,359,290 Percent Change................. 9.21% Tax Rate.......................... 2.125% Cleburne County 2020.............................$421,113 2019.............................$442,872 Percent Change...............-4.91% Tax Rate......................... 1.625%

Hotel Sales Year to Date (March) Conway 2020..........................$3,353,067 2019..........................$3,273,723 Percent Change ............... 2.42%

Residential Building Permits Year to Date (March) Conway 2020........................................64 2019........................................64 Percent Change................ 0.00%

Values of Residential Units Sold** Year to Date (March) Conway 2020........................$31,907,427 2019........................$25,964,643 Percent Change ............. 22.89%

Year to Date (March) Residential Units Sold** Cleburne County (New and Existing) 2020....................... $17,200,508 Year to Date (March) 2019....................... $15,136,175 Conway 2020......................................165 Percent Change .............13.64% 2019......................................144 Conway County Percent Change ............. 14.58% 2020..........................$4,935,024 2019..........................$5,072,600 Year to Date (March) Percent Change ..............-2.71% Cleburne County Faulkner County 2020........................................94 2020. . ......................$64,933,797 2019........................................85 Percent Change ............. 10.59% 2019........................$53,982,009 Percent Change ............. 20.29% Conway County Perry County 2020........................................44 2019........................................36 2020..........................$2,035,650 Percent Change.............. 22.22% 2019..........................$2,064,900 Percent Change ..............-1.42% Faulkner County Van Buren County 2020......................................340 2019......................................312 2020..........................$7,141,850 Percent Change................ 8.97% 2019..........................$4,561,745 Percent Change ............. 56.56% Perry County Average Price of 2020........................................18 Residential Units Sold** 2019........................................16 (New and Existing) Percent Change ............. 12.50% Year to Date (March) Conway Van Buren County 2020........................................53 2020..............................$203,900 2019........................................48 2019..............................$180,310 Percent Change ............. 10.42% Percent Change ...............13.08% **Includes sales of residential units

Year to Date (March) Cleburne County 2020.............................$182,984 2019.............................$178,073 Percent Change ............... 2.76% Conway County 2020.............................$112,160 2019.............................$140,906 Percent Change ............-20.40% Faulkner County 2020.............................$190,982 2019.............................$173,019 Percent Change ............. 10.38% Perry County 2020.............................$113,092 2019.............................$129,056 Percent Change ............-12.37% Van Buren County 2020.............................$134,752 2019...............................$95,036 Percent Change ............. 41.79%

Proud sponsor of Pulse of Conway Sources: 2012-2016 ACS 5-Year Data Profiles, Arkansas Department of Workforce Services, C2ER, Sperling’s Best Places, Arkansas Department of Finance & Administration, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Cooperative Arkansas Realtors’ Multiple Listing Services, Arkansas Realtors Association, and City of Conway. **Includes sales of residential units only.

10 APRIL 2020

NORTH METRO BUSINESS JOURNAL

Stobaugh named president of Retail Bakers of America Patti Stobaugh, owner of PattiCakes Bakery and chair of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors, is the new president of the Retail Bakers of America’s 12-member board of directors. Due to COVID-19, Stobaugh was inaugurated via a Zoom video call on Wednesday, April 15, instead of during the RBA’s in-person annual meeting.

“What an exciting and unprecedented time to be elected as the Retail Bakers of America board president,” Stobaugh said in a press release. “While we are facing the uncharted and unknown with COVID-19, our industry is set to offer sustenance and comfort to our nation.

“As has been the case throughout history, food is a uniting factor for family, friends, and coworkers. Many of our retail bakeries offer savory as well as sweet options. Let us band together as an industry and feed our great country.”

PattiCakes Bakery opened in 2006 with a mission to “make great food that was reminiscent of a visit to Grandma’s house.”

Over the next 14 years, PattiCakes has helped thousands of customers make life’s most important moments a little sweeter.

The bakery now has two locations in Conway and offers both sweet and savory items.

Stobaugh said the retail baking industry needs to remain fluid during the pandemic and come together to encourage one another and share ideas.

“In the last 30 days, my business and personal goals have had to adapt due to COVID-19. In years past, RBA has had strong regional groups of members. I would like to see that revived, with an emphasis on monthly Zoom meetings and quarterly or semiannual in-person meetings.”

The Retail Bakers of America was founded in 1918 as a not-forprofit trade association and is committed to the success of the retail baking industry. RBA creates training and small business programs and provides a forum for exchange of industry and business information. The association also provides networking, mentoring, and professional certifications to bakers all across America. n

conwayarkansas.org

conwayarkansas.org

NORTH METRO BUSINESS JOURNAL

APRIL 2020 11