Chamber Voice February 2020 – 2019 Annual Report Edition

February 2020 | Vol 15 Issue 2

GROWING BUSINESS. BUILDING COMMUNITY.

2019 Annual Report | FEBRUARY2020

A Letter from the Chairman The Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce is celebrating its 98th year as the trusted source for growing business, activating leaders and building community in our region.

Over the years, we have built a strong reputation of being influencers for responsible growth, catalysts for positive change and conveners of the community to facilitate collaborative solutions for today’s and tomorrow’s challenges. Our mission’s work is making a big impact on economic development, downtown development, workforce recruitment and retention (developing the next generation workforce pipeline), government affairs (advocating for business-driven public policy), community development (leadership and education programs), destination marketing (attracting visitors) and long-range community strategic planning (focusing on quality of place).

For the past three years, the Chamber has gone through an evolution with its Chamber 3.0 initiative. This has been an intentional effort for us to be more cohesive internally and externally, to invigorate our programming and mission work, and to influence outcomes that benefit our community’s quality of life. Last year, we finalized our roadmap to 2022 (our 100th anniversary date) that includes a new Vision 100 Community Action Plan, a three-year Strategic Plan (2020-21-22) and a redefined vision, mission and set of core values to ensure we’re relevant, necessary and competent in a new decade of rapid change.

Let’s look back together at some of 2019’s highlights. Last year, new business growth and expansions resulted in significant job creation and created opportunities for our members and partners to sell their goods and services to new businesses and residents. Over 2,200 jobs were created, an increase of over six (6) percent versus a year ago. At the end of last year, the unemployment rate was at 2.2 percent in Rogers, well below the national and state average. Sales tax collections in Rogers amounted to over $20 million in 2019 which is over $1 million more than the previous year.

Over $250 million in new commercial development projects were announced or began construction in 2019 including large-scale projects like Topgolf, Transplace, the Walmart AMP expansion, Pinnacle Heights, One Uptown, and the District Phase 2. The Pleasant Grove area also saw tremendous commercial growth with new restaurants, retail and the new Arkansas Athletes Outreach (AAO) sports complex.

The Chamber worked hard last year to promote our downtown’s attractions and amenities like The Railyard Bike Park, Lake Atalanta Park, the Parks and Trails System and the Downtown Rogers Farmers Market. The Downtown Rogers, Inc. division (formerly Main Street Rogers) produced 45 downtown events with over 40,000 participants helping to create experiences that brought our community together to have fun. Downtown Rogers also saw the opening of 52 new businesses in 2019 including The 1907 which is the new home to Onyx Coffee, Yeyo’s and Heirloom. Another newcomer to downtown was Moonbroch Brewing Company.

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The Government Affairs division collaborated with the NWA Council, NWA Chambers and Arkansas State Chamber to develop the Northwest Arkansas Legislative Agenda which will help us advance issues key to the continued prosperity of the region. Workforce Education and Training legislation was the priority for the legislative agenda last year and it was passed in both Chambers.

The Community Development division increased minority participation in leadership programs by 25 percent last year (Leadership Benton County, Northwest Arkansas Emerging Leaders and ARVEST First Leadership). The team also launched planning for an exciting new Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) program that will be expanded this year.

Tourism positively impacted the Rogers-Lowell economy in 2019. The Visit Rogers division helped our community host numerous events that enjoyed record attendance and provided revenue for area businesses. The team also announced a marketing partnership with the Walmart AMP to promote Rogers as the entertainment center of Northwest Arkansas while also creating brand awareness and enhanced marketing opportunities.

On behalf of the entire Chamber, I would like to sincerely thank our community, members, partners and investors for their involvement this past year. We couldn’t have achieved this success without you. You inspired the ideas and hard work and invested your time and resources to enable us to create the ideal environment for businesses of all sizes to prosper.

In this Annual Report, we’ve outlined 2019 accomplishments and highlights of the Chamber’s leadership in our region. I hope you will be impressed by our achievements of the past year and join us this year as we continue working together to create a cohesive and connected community where people want to visit, live, invest, work, and play.

Greg Fogle

2019 Chairman of the Board Nabholz Construction

The Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce is one out of just 125 chambers of 7,000+ nationwide accredited with Five Stars.

2019 Annual Report | FEBRUARY2020

CHAMBER STAFF Raymond Burns, CCE President/CEO rburns@rogerslowell.com

J.R. Shaw, IOM

Executive Director/Executive Vice President | Visit Rogers jr@rogerslowell.com

Katie Burns

Vice President of Operations katie@rogerslowell.com

Shelle Summers, IOM

Senior Vice President of Membership Services ssummers@rogerslowell.com

Steve Cox

Senior Vice President of Economic Development steve@rogerslowell.com

Brad Phillips

Senior Vice President of Marketing Communications brad@rogerslowell.com

Jon Moran

Senior Vice President of Government Affairs jon@rogerslowell.com

Vickie Grotts, IOM

Vice President of Accounting & Finance vickie@rogerslowell.com

Geovanny Sarmiento

Vice President of Community Engagement & Inclusion geovanny@rogerslowell.com

Karen Wagaman

Loretta Gomez Finance Manager loretta@rogerslowell.com

Sheree Barnes

Operations Manager | Downtown Rogers, Inc. sheree@rogerslowell.com

Lauren Hildreth

Ronnie Webb, Jr.

Destination Sales Manager | Visit Rogers ronnie@rogerslowell.com

Justin Freeman

Marketing Communications Specialist justin@rogerslowell.com

Lance Lloyd

Vice President of Downtown Development karen@rogerslowell.com

DTR Market Manager | Downtown Rogers, Inc. lauren@rogerslowell.com

Ross Phillips

Jacque Eakins Account Executive jacque@rogerslowell.com

Sales & Marketing Coordinator | Visit Rogers luz@rogerslowell.com

Shey Bland

Marni Rogers, IOM

Ashley Matsumura

Vice President of Community Development ross@rogerslowell.com

Executive Director | Downtown Rogers, Inc. shey@rogerslowell.com

Nick Smith

Creative Services Director nick@rogerslowell.com

Jeff O’Neill

Director of Special Events jeff@rogerslowell.com

Member Relations Manager marni@rogerslowell.com

Community Relations Manager lance@rogerslowell.com

Luz Palmerin

Customer Relations Manager ashley@rogerslowell.com

Kelly Parker

Marketing Communications Manager | Visit Rogers kelly@rogerslowell.com

Luke Wiggins

Meetings & Conventions Sales Manager | Visit Rogers luke@rogerslowell.com

WHAT WE BELIEVE MISSION

CORE VALUES

We are influencers, catalysts and conveners; the trusted source for growing business, activating leaders and building community.

VISION

The center of world-class business, welcoming communities, and opportunities for all.

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2019 Annual Report | FEBRUARY2020

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Chairman of the Board Greg Fogle Nabholz Construction

Chairman-Elect Angie Tucker-Ridley Tucker’s Furniture & Appliance

2019 DIRECTORS

Payne Brewer, Arvest Bank Jill Bright, Grand Savings Bank Corry Hull, OneDigital Health and Benefits Erin Kiefer, Assembled Products Denten Park, Northwest Health Chris Sultemeier, Walmart (retired)

Treasurer Jeff Milford AEP/SWEPCO

Past Chairman Eric Pianalto Mercy NWA

RIDC President Jerry Vest Regions Bank

2020 DIRECTORS

Leah Acoach Danny Beck, Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield Joe Donaldson, Sam’s Furniture Brad Hicks, J.B. Hunt Transport Inc. Mike Power, First Security Bank David Vaden, Ernst & Young LLP

President/CEO Raymond Burns, CCE

2021 DIRECTORS

Tom Allen, Cushman & Wakefield | Sage Partners Ron Branscum, Arvest Bank David Kimball, Benchmark Group Jerra Nalley, Runway Tanya Smith, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge Melissa Turpin, Honeycomb Kitchen Shop

EX-OFFICIO DIRECTORS Daizy Andrade, University of Arkansas Dr. Marlin Berry, Rogers Public Schools Kristen Boozman, Portfolio Sotheby’s International Realty Jerry Carmichael, 3C Retail Solutions Irma Chavez, Conexion de Negocios Latino Larry Cooper, Embassy Suites NW Arkansas Russ Daniel, McLarty Daniel Group Rich Davis, Black Hills Energy

Mike Dodge, Carroll Electric Coop. Corp.

Sandy Edwards, Crystal Bridges Museum David Faulkner, Pinnacle Hills Promenade David Foster, APAC-Central, Inc. Angela Grayson, Precipice IP Dan Hendrix, World Trade Center Arkansas Greg Hines, Mayor, City of Rogers Tom Hopper, TallChamps, LLC Dr. Evelyn Jorgenson, NWACC

DIVISION CHAIRS

Community Development - Leah Acoach Membership Services - Jill Bright Economic Development - Payne Brewer Government Affairs - Jerry Carmichael Convention & Visitors Bureau - Larry Cooper

Peter Lane, Walton Arts Center Chris Moore, Mayor, City of Lowell Barry Moehring, Benton County Judge John-Michael Scurio, George’s Inc. Curt Stamp, Cox Business Dick Trammel, Chairman Emeritus Emma Willis, Mangan Holcomb Partners Jeff Wood, Tyson Foods

AUDIT COMMITTEE Jill Bright David Vaden Ron Branscum

January 30: Construction began on the first phase of the $100 million Pinnacle Heights development in Rogers

January 4: State and city leaders celebrated completion of Highway 265 (Dick Trammel Highway).

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TIMELINE: January 2019

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2019 Annual Report | FEBRUARY2020

Celebrating a Successful 2019

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February 2: Northwest Arkansas honored Mr. Dick Trammel at the Chamber’s 97th Annual Celebration of Business & Community.

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February 19 & 26: The Chamber hosted Chamber Night Receptions at Lowell City Hall and Rogers City Hall providing members opportunities to learn more about local government and meet elected city officials.

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TIMELINE: February 2019

February 23: The Chamber’s Government Affairs division hosted Arkansas General Assembly Legislative Forums as public service for citizens of Benton County.

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2019 Annual Report | FEBRUARY2020 New job creation and business expansion impact businesses by creating meaningful opportunities to sell goods and services to new businesses and residents. Our Economic Development Division works with industries both large and small to increase job growth and business expansion. They also work with individuals to support and increase our growing small business community.

EMPLOYMENT in Rogers grew

6.2% | 2,200+ Jobs

Unemployment

2.2%

in Rogers was at below both STATE & NATIONAL Averages

At the end of 2019, over

$250 MILLION in

2019 Goals | Economic Development Goal #1: Be a Business-friendly Community focused on Business Growth and Commercial Development in Rogers and Lowell Goal #2: Invigorate Commercial Development in Lowell

PRIVATE CAPITAL INVESTMENT was under construction or beginning construction in Rogers.

Sales tax collections in Rogers amounted to over

Large scale projects such as

$20 MILLION

Topgolf, Transplace, the Walmart AMP expansion, Pinnacle Heights, ONE Uptown, and the District Phase 2 broke ground

in 2019 which is over $1 million more than 2018 and a 78% increase from a decade ago in 2009.

Goal #3: Create Workforce Development Opportunities in Our Community

or were announced in 2019

Goal #4: Engage the Small Business Community Goal #5: Engage Minority Communities within Northwest Arkansas with Programs and Offerings Goal #6: Continue to Create Quality of Place Initiatives to Attract a Diverse, First-Class Workforce

Record enrollment in

Rogers Public Schools

CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION COURSES this school year – increases access for students to be put on career paths for in-demand careers

March 6: Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission approved a timeline to complete 4.81-mile segment of Interstate 49, between Pineville, Mo., and Arkansas state line.

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Downtown Rogers saw the opening of

52 NEW BUSINESSES in 2019, including ONYX COFFEE LAB, YEYO’S, & HEIRLOOM (all of

which occupy The 1907), MOONBROCH BREWING COMPANY, and two members of the Consumer Packaged Goods community.

March 8: Visit Rogers hosted its annual Tourism Talk event, offering a glimpse into destination marketing and the state of tourism in Rogers.

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TIMELINE: March 2019

March 27: Transplace announced its relocation of Northwest Arkansas operations from Lowell to a new $46 million building In Rogers.

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2019 Annual Report | FEBRUARY2020 Our Downtown Development Division is the primary point-of-contact for economic development in Downtown Rogers and provides resources and help implementing the Downtown Rogers Initiative Plan. They focus on increasing the number of businesses, employees, and residential properties in the downtown core. They also cultivate strong relations with existing businesses and government entities, identifying opportunities to activate underutilized properties, connecting potential partnerships and facilitating business relations to maximize resources for downtown and the surrounding community.

There have been

CORE States announced construction of offices for

2019 Goals | Downtown Development

50-75 PEOPLE

Goal #1: Increase Commitments for Multi-Family/ Mixed-Use Residential Development Downtown Rogers Goal #2: Attract Supplier, Professional Services and Light Manufacturing Employers and Jobs to Downtown Rogers

Goal #5: Connect All Activities to the Mission of Economic Development and the Master Plan Goal #6: Showcase Why Downtown Rogers is an Ideal Place to Conduct Business, Raise a Family and Enjoy Quality of Life Amenities and Activities Goal #7: Build Community Value through Effective Activation of Under-Utilized Properties

Convened 136 meetings promoting Downtown Rogers as an IDEAL COMMUNITY to conduct business, establish a residence and enjoy leisure experiences

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RLACC partnered with DTR, Inc. to promote Latin music and dance

1907 property opened

in conjunction with

Art on the Bricks Art Walk

to the alleys and parks of Downtown Rogers

11 MULTI-FAMILY APARTMENTS in 2019

Three vacant commercial properties were featured in

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promotions and press releases as part of their participation in Art on the Bricks Art Walk.

MULTI-FAMILY PROJECTS

TWO have since leased.

April 11: The Chamber’s Community Development division launched planning for a new Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) program.

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since November 2017

POP-UP BALLET PERFORMANCES

are in planning stages

April 9: U.S. News & World Report named Northwest Arkansas the 4th Best Place to Live in America for 2019.

50 DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES

RLACC partnered with NWA Ballet Theatre to bring

Goal #3: Establish the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce as the Primary Point-of-Contact for doing business in Downtown Rogers Goal #4: Develop and Promote Downtown Rogers as a Destination Location for Arts, Music and Other Experiences

923 POP-UP ART ON THE BRICKS ART EXHIBITS in

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April 24: Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) holds a ribbon cutting to celebrate the completion of the 8th Street interchange at I-49.

April 14: Onyx Coffee Lab announced it will relocate headquarters to The 1907 building in Downtown Rogers.

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TIMELINE: April 2019

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2019 Annual Report | FEBRUARY2020 Membership in the Chamber is a direct investment in the work we do to grow business and build community. Our Member Services Division helps you understand how to connect, invest and grow with us. Whether you are a community partner, member, or both, we provide “over-the-top” customer service by offering valuable information, services and programs to deliver value and return on your investment with the Chamber.

52% of the businesses who joined

from January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019 were located in Rogers and Lowell.

14% 8%

A total of 76% of the new member businesses were located in Benton County.

2019 Goals | Membership Services

Rogers

Bentonville

Springdale

Fayetteville

Lowell

Other

Top 3 Reasons new members joined in 2019:

Goal #1: Increase Annual Member Investment Goal #2: Provide Five-Star Customer Service to Retain and Gain New Members

46%

14% 6%

There were

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT ADVERTISING NETWORKING

Goal #3: Provide Value-Added Member Benefits

12%

120 Member

125 Coordinated

Engagement Calls in 2019

Business Events & Programs for Members and the Community

Goal #4: Develop a Plan to Become a Data-Driven Sales Team

2,089 members 284 new memberships

Finished 2019 with which included

sold during 2019

May 5-11: The Chamber’s Small Business Council celebrated Small Business Week through a social media campaign highlighting many of the region’s small businesses.

May 4: DTR Market kicked off its 2019 season and launched a new mobile app to provide easy access to food and local growers.

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May 17: Walmart announced plans for a new headquarters campus that will spread over 300 acres.

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TIMELINE: May 2019

May 21: Leadership Benton County class celebrated 17 new graduates.

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2019 Annual Report | FEBRUARY2020

Provided 78 BUSINESS-BUILDING NETWORKING EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES in 2019 which allowed members to GROW THEIR PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS and GENERATE BUSINESS LEADS.

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events

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events

50

events

Members of the

AMBASSADOR COMMITTEE helped to host

123

events

RIBBON CUTTINGS/GROUND BREAKINGS in 2019

April 2019 | Vol 14 Issue 4

The 97th Annual Celebration of Business & Community was held February 2 at the John Q. Hammons Convention Center in Rogers. This was a special evening for Northwest Arkansas as OVER 800 PEOPLE came together to honor Mr. Dick Trammel’s life

2019 saw a Retention Rate in our membership of

90%

achievements and contributions to our local communities.

CELEBR ATING Mr. Northwest Arkansas

See Story on Page 4

Central Referral Connection,

in its first year as a Chamber of Commerce program, averaged almost 50 attendees each week for a final total of over

2,130 ATTENDEES in 2019

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attended the inaugural

Taste of Rogers event

August 22 at the DTR Market to listen to live music and sample delicious food and drinks from

21 restaurants

June 3: Visit Rogers announced a 10-year, $1 million marketing partnership with the Walmart AMP to support the AMP’s new expansion and help position Rogers as an entertainment destination.

June 1: Northwest Arkansas Chambers of Commerce donated $5,000 to support Arkansas flood relief efforts.

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100+ Guests

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June 3: The Northwest Arkansas Council announced Fare Flight NWA, a program dedicated to helping air travelers find the best fares and encouraging passengers to fly from Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA).

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TIMELINE: June 2019

June 11: The Chamber hosted a groundbreaking event for ONE Uptown, a mixeduse development near Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers.

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2019 Annual Report | FEBRUARY2020 Visit Rogers creates economic opportunity for our community by attracting meetings, conventions, and leisure visitors to the city of Rogers and Northwest Arkansas. Overseen by the Rogers Advertising and Promotion Commission, Visit Rogers is our Destination Marketing Organization responsible for marketing the city to visitors.

Visit Rogers’ partnership with the Walmart AMP promotes Rogers as the

2019 Goals | Visit Rogers

ENTERTAINMENT CENTER OF NWA

, creating brand awareness and enhanced marketing opportunities. Immediate results include 20 meeting planners hosted for concerts, and 3,691 new users referred to VisitRogersArkansas.com from waltonartscenter.org.

Goal #1: Market Rogers as a Premier Destination for Leisure Travelers, Conventions and Sporting Events Goal #2: Promote Rogers as a World-Class Destination through Digital, Print and Social Media Marketing Strategies Goal #3: Promote Rogers as a World-Class Destination through Public Relations and Media Campaigns Goal #4: Provide Incentives and Services to Existing and Potential Customers that Insure Successful Events and Enhance Return Business Opportunities Goal #5: Provide Destination Marketing Excellence to Rogers and the Northwest Arkansas Community Goal #6: Support Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce Goals and Objectives

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continues to outpace 2018. 2019 hotel occupancy was up 5.2% to

69.8%

, and demand continues to increase, up 6.8% from last year.

Increased occupancy and demand are two hotel performance measures that Visit Rogers sales and marketing efforts can positively influence.

Visit Rogers sales efforts resulted in

65,568 future room nights sourced, leading to 26,724 definite room nights, 8,209 of which are new.

July 1: The Rogers-Lowell community launched its Vision 100 Community Action Plan in anticipation of our area reaching a population of 100,000 before 2035.

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HOTEL PERFORMANCE

Visit Rogers digital marketing strategies increased web traffic to VisitRogersArkansas.com over 2018.

Users increased 48.4% to 263,627 and page views increased 29% to 520,277.

Traffic from branded portal on Arkansas.com resulted in 13,942 PAGEVIEWS and 10,163 USERS in the first year of partnership.

July 10: Mundo-tech announced its plan for an $800,000 expansion in Rogers.

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TIMELINE: July 2019

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2019 Annual Report | FEBRUARY2020 Our Government Affairs Division serves as the link between members and local, state and federal government by advocating for pro-business and quality of life issues that are important to Northwest Arkansas. They also engage in activities that produce long-term positive impacts including voter registration and education, engagement of members in the political process and continuously improved outreach efforts.

WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING LEGISLATION was the priority for the Legislative

Developed the

NWA REGIONAL LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

2019 Goals | Government Affairs Goal #1: Implement Measures to Drive Support

for Key Issues Contained in the Northwest Arkansas Regional Legislative Agenda

with the NWA Chambers, the NWA Council, and the Arkansas State Chamber

Agenda and worked out with the Arkansas State Chamber, the State of Arkansas, and Senator Jane English during the session and PASSED in both Chambers.

Goal #2: Expand the Advocacy Efforts of the

Government Affairs Division through Social Media Platforms

Federal funding for the

Efforts to

Goal #3: Increase Future Legislative and Local

Candidate Recruitment and Prepare the NWA Chambers and Business Community for the Redistricting Process in 2021

PROMOTE EXTENDING the ½ CENT SALES TAX

COMPLETION OF I-49 to the Missouri border was announced during our Washington D.C. Fly -In.

for state highway funding and maintenance were a legislative priority.

Goal #4: Prepare for the 2020 and 2022

Elections with an Emphasis on Fundraising for NPAC in 2019 and 2020

Government Affairs worked with McKee Foods to secure the

Goal #5: Continue to Expand the Influence

SINGLE SALES FACTOR as a major

of the Chamber through Regional and Statewide Strategic Partnerships.

Goal #6: Expand the Interest and Influence of

the Chamber as a Regional and Statewide Voice on Federal Issues Affecting Business

August 7: The Chamber-toCommunity (C2C) program featured a popular Business Cybersecurity and Fraud Seminar for small businesses.

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component of the Governor’s Tax Package introduced during the legislative session.

August 7: The Chamber hosted its Thank-A-Teacher Celebration at Rogers High School, celebrating educators and giving away door prizes to local teachers.

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Passage of

E-FAIRNESS LEGISLATION had been a long-standing priority for the region and was secured in the 2019 legislative session.

August 15: Ready, Set, Run was hosted by the Chamber’s Government Affairs division and Northwest Arkansas Emerging Leaders to answer questions about running for political office.

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TIMELINE: August 2019

August 22: The Chamber launched its inaugural Taste of Rogers event at DTR Market, offering the community a sampling of some of the area’s best restaurants.

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2019 Annual Report | FEBRUARY2020 Programs in our Community Development Division impact and enhance the quality of life in Rogers, Lowell and the region. They are committed to expanding our diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives to better welcome the growing number of residents, workers, and visitors from all backgrounds. They also support educational programs and help develop our leaders for the future.

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The Chamber’s Education Committee recognized

Linda Giesen of Reagan Elementary, Stacy Schmidt of Lingle Middle School, Elizabeth White of Rogers High School, and Frankie Jackson of Frank Tillery Elementary

of Benton County participated in

LEADERSHIP BENTON COUNTY CLASS 17 where they became more knowledgeable and engaged in their community.

as Educators of the Year.

2019 Goals | Community Development Goal #1: Impart Best Practices on Current and

Future Business and Community Leaders to Positively Impact our Region

Hosted Thank-A-Teacher Celebration | the Chamber gave

OVER 100 PRIZES $8,500

totaling to teachers making a big difference with the children in our local community.

Goal #2: Ensure Future and Current Leaders

Sam’s Furniture also gave Kathy Wright a

Represent the Entire Community

$10,000 home makeover

Goal #3: Increase Member Engagement with

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Northwest Arkansas Emerging Leaders (NWAEL)

Chamber Night Reception

Goal #4: Revitalize Education Committee

The Community-based Scholarship Program awarded 174 students in the amount of

was held in conjunction with the Rogers Public Schools Board Meeting on October 15 –

$347,622

45+ Chamber Members

with the support of 90 donors.

were in attendance.

September 10: Hustle In Heels – LADIES LEAD NWA presented The Balancing Act – How to Successfully Integrate Your Life and Your Work luncheon at NorthWest Arkansas Community College.

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September 25: The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals announced plans to build its new Supply Chain Hall of Fame in Rogers, which is where the first Walmart store opened.

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TIMELINE: September 2019

September 28: Bikes on the Bricks celebrated its 3rd year in Downtown Rogers in conjunction with the Bikes, Blues & BBQ nonprofit charity motorcycle rally.

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2019 Annual Report | FEBRUARY2020

20 Students within the Rogers School District signed up to participate in ARVEST FIRST LEADERSHIP.

Created the first ever

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION COUNCIL

a leadership program designed to educate High School students on community-based issues and help them become more engaged in their community.

to ensure the Chamber’s events, programs, staff, and board is reflective of the community we serve.

These students are set to graduate from the program in April 2020.

Partnered with the

Chamber Night Reception was held in conjunction with the Rogers City Council Meeting on February 26 as well as one in conjunction with the Lowell City Council Meeting on February 19.

There were 75+ Chamber Members in attendance.

Lowell A&P Commission to develop and launch a new

Discover Lowell marketing campaign

Relaunched the

ACADEMIC AWARDS CEREMONIES took place in the Spring of 2019 for Rogers High School, Heritage High School, and Rogers New Technology High School where

1,160 Students for HIGH ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.

October 15: Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT) held a groundbreaking for the final two projects that will complete Bella Vista Bypass.

October 2: The Chamber hosted its Northwest Arkansas Fall Job Fair at Frisco Station Mall in Rogers.

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Leadership Benton County Alumni Program

and hosted kickoff event on October 15, with over

50 LBC ALUMNI

were awarded

in attendance.

October 17: The 2019 Leaders Conference unveiled the Rogers-Lowell community’s Vision 100 Plan for the future of the region; Rogers and Lowell Mayors also signed a proclamation signifying Chamber of Commerce week in the two cities at the conference.

October 17: The Chamber hosted its Networking with a Purpose nonprofit showcase at the Center for Nonprofits at St. Mary’s in Rogers.

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TIMELINE: October 2019

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2019 Annual Report | FEBRUARY2020

Northwest Arkansas Emerging Leaders (NWAEL) exists to engage and connect Northwest Arkansas young professionals through personal and professional development experiences.

NWAEL held two

NWAEL Held 6 CONNECT

seminars in 2019 with a total of

Leisurlist with a total of 478 attendees.

Board Service Certification

63 participants 2019 Goals | NWA Emerging Leaders in the region with professional development programs that focus on volunteerism, leadership skills development, board service, and entrepreneurship.

with other community leadership development organizations from across the region.

78 MEMBERS

hosted the 4th Annual NWA Young Professional Summit.

NWAEL held the 6TH ANNUAL

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ROGERS CYCLING FESTIVAL with 650 participants competing in eight different events. The Festival raised over $16,000 for local cycling non-profit organizations.

Over Young Professionals attended the 2019 event.

NWAEL hosted six (6)

NWAEL hosted

Ready, Set, Run

a free seminar, designed to educate and answer questions about running for political office. The event is open to any individual in Northwest Arkansas interested in running for political office now or in the future.

53 Emerging Leaders attended.

November 4: The Chamber began planning with the Complete Counts Committee to ensure a complete and accurate count in the 2020 Census.

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NWAEL MEMBERSHIP rose by

NWAEL in Conjunction with Rotary Clubs across Northwest Arkansas

Goal #2: Increase membership by partnering

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Connect is an informal event that allows members and potential members the opportunity to connect with others, connect with the organization, and connect with Northwest Arkansas.

in 2019 to 1038 total

Goal #1: Engage young business professionals

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events in partnership with

November 11: Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas opened its $133 million expansion in Rogers.

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Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion trainings

and seminars. Topics included Diversity in the Workplace, Diversity in NWA, Creating Cross-Cultural Dialogue, Building Inclusive Teams, Unconscious Bias Training, Creating More Effective & Diverse Boards and Councils, and Choosing Respect in the Workplace.

November 21: Data from U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) revealed that Benton County had the largest second quarter yearly wage gain among nation’s 355 largest counties.

November 18th: Hunt Ventures announced plans for a five-story office building (129,000 square feet) and attached six-story parking deck (209,000 square feet) for Pinnacle Hills in Rogers.

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TIMELINE: November 2019

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2019 Annual Report | FEBRUARY2020 Downtown Rogers (DTR), Inc. creates experiences designed to bring our community together in the downtown district to celebrate the past and embrace the future. They work hard to make downtown a destination where people can explore our historic brick streets and buildings and enjoy fun, recreational activities. It’s all about uniting the downtown area’s unique mix of creatives, artisans, cuisine, and entertainment.

Positioned the Chamber of Commerce as the Go-To Source for “What’s Happening” in Downtown Rogers

2019 Goals | Downtown Rogers, Inc. 17% increase

Goal #1: Increase Day-to-Day Activities in

in subscribers to its weekly DTR Newsletter

Downtown Rogers, Developing a Denser Program Rhythm

21% increase

31% increase

in likes on DTR Inc. Facebook (11,000+)

in likes for the DTR Market Facebook

80% increase

in Instagram followers for DTR Inc.

DTR, Inc. and the Market had

The local community was engaged in DTR, Inc.’s main events with

Goal #2: Gain Stronger Support from the

Community for Program Funding Goal #3: Develop and Sustain the

over

Farmers Market

1,000

VOLUNTEER HOURS

Goal #4: Increase Train Activities

25 PARTNERS last year including REGIONAL ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, CITY DEPARTMENTS, SCHOOLS and more.

DTR, Inc. produced

45 events with over

40,000

Goal #5: Barks & Brews

participants.

Goal #6: Community Meals

Launched free DTR Market

PHONE APP

Goal #7: Live Music

BRUNCH and FARM TO TABLE featured

DTR, Inc. surveyed visitors to the DTR Market and found the top 3 reasons folks visited DTR Market:

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for year-round shopping

Goal #8: Christmas Town

VENDORS ATMOSPHERE BRUNCH

chefs/restaurants/food trucks.

December 1: Lowell Mayor Chris Moore was a featured guest on the Chamber Voice of Business Podcast to discuss community planning for the future of Lowell.

December 1: Natural State Beer Company opened its brewery and taproom in Rogers.

01

05

69% increase

in Instagram followers for DTR Market

10

15

20

TIMELINE: December 2019

December 11: Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA) changed its name to Northwest Arkansas National Airport.

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30

15

317 West Walnut Street Rogers, Arkansas 72756 RogersLowell.com

Paid for through Periodical “Chamber Voice” (USPS 492950) is published monthly in January, February, March, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December; semimonthly in April by the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce, Inc., 317 West Walnut, Rogers, AR 72756. Periodical postage paid at Rogers, Arkansas.

POSTMASTER send address changes to: ROGERS-LOWELL AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE NEWSLETTER, 317 West Walnut, Rogers, AR 72756.

Rogers Chamber Office 317 West Walnut Street Rogers, Arkansas 72756 479-636-1240

Lowell Chamber Office

506 Enterprise Drive, Ste. 105 Lowell, Arkansas 72745 479-770-4400

February 2020 | Vol 15 Issue 2