Chamber Voice | October 2025

C H A M B E R VO I C E October 2025

Cultures Coming

Together

Celebrating our welcoming and multicultural community at our annual NWA Community Showcase pg. 8

CONTENTS LEADERSHIP GRADUATES

4

Co n g ra t u l a t i o n s to Le a d e r s h i p Be nto n Co u nt y ’ s 2 0 2 5 Co h o r t o n co m p l et i n g o u r 9 - m o nt h p ro g ra m

PATHWAYS TO LEADERSHIP

5

No r t hwe st A r ka n sa s Em e rg i n g Le a d e r s p re se nte d a p a n e l fe a t u r i n g l o ca l l e a d e r s w h o s h a re d w h a t s h a p e d t h e i r l e a d e r s h i p j o u r n eys

TRAVEL AND BUSINESS

6

T h i s q u a r te r, Sp ot l i g ht S e r i e s a t te n d e e s l e a r n e d m o re a b o u t t h e eve revo l v i n g wo r l d of l e i s u re a n d h os p i ta l i t y i n No r t hwe st A r ka n sa s

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RECOGNITION

7

A EC D E re co g n i ze d R LC Pre s i d e nt & C EO, Ra y m o n d Bu r n s , w i t h t h e Ma r i a Ha l ey L i fet i m e Le a d e r s h i p fo r Eco n o m i c D eve l o p m e nt Awa rd

CULTURES COMING TOGETHER

8

T h e Ro g e r s Lowe l l C h a m b e r ' s N WA Co m m u n i t y S h owca se ce l e b ra te d o u r i n c l u s i ve a n d we l co m i n g co m m u n i t y i n D ow ntow n Ro g e r s

FRENCH-INSPIRED UPTOWN CAFÉ

10

Un D e u x Tro i s Ca fé h a s o p e n e d i t s d o o r s i n Uptow n Ro g e r s , ex p a n d i n g Ro g e r s ’ cof fe e a n d b a ke d g o o d s fo ot p r i nt

PET-FRIENDLY DOWNTOWN

12

Check out this month’s Art on the Bricks Art Walk | Wags & Witches, aimed at bringing the community together through art and their pets

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT

13

H&R Block Franchisee, Michael Stevens, said his support of RLC's Level Up Local program aligns with his mission

ROGERS RESILIENCE

14

The Rogers staple La Popular NWA reopens after sustaining damage during the May 2024 tornado AUGUST NEW MEMBERS AUGUST MEMBER RENEWALS SEPTEMBER RIBBON CUTTINGS

19

OCTOBER CALENDAR rd

7 th

NWA FALL JOB FAIR

HUSTLE IN HEELS BRUNCHEON

MIXER DE NEGOCIOS

10 a - 3 p @ Ro g e r s Ac t i v i t y Ce nte r

11:30a - 1p @Dance With Me Studio

9 - 10:15a @Dance With Me Studio

1

st

9 th LEVEL UP LOCAL 8:30-9:30a @Rogers Lowell Chamber

ART ON THE BRICKS 4:30-7:30p @Downtown Rogers

CENTRAL REFERRAL CONNECTION

3

14

th

16

th

MERCHANT MEETUP

COFFEE CONNECTION

8:45 - 10a location to be announced

8:30 - 9:30a @Moser Corporation

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS 5:30 - 6:30p @Face Foundrie

9 - 10 : 1 5 a @ G o l d e n Co r ra l , Ro g e r s

EVERY WEDNESDAY

CHAMBER

October 10, 2025

TEE TIMES:

THE CREEKS

4-PERSON TEAMS: $600/chamber members $800/public

GOLF & RV RESORT

8:00a/1:30p

N e w Vo l k s w a g e n c a r ! T r i p t o H a w a i i !

New golf cart! Cash prizes!

3

T H U R S DAY • S E P T E M B E R 2 5 , 2 0 2 5

PATHWAYS TO LEADERSHIP Northwest Arkansas Emerging Leaders presented a panel featuring local leaders who shared their personal stories, pivotal moments and challenges that shaped their leadership journeys.

Featured Speakers: Megan Brown: Director of Operations for ULI Northwest Arkansas Erin Ashcraft Day & Tom Day: Arkansasbased artists Adilene Villanazul: Mortgage Loan Officer with AMC Mortgage

“ T h e p a n e l wa s ve r y i n s p i r i n g a n d s h owe d t h at i t ta ke s m a ny d i f fe re nt p at h s a n d p e o p l e to s h a p e o u r co m m u n i t y,” s a i d Ro g e r s Lowe l l C h a m b e r Di re c to r of Co m m u n i t y D eve l o p m e nt, Br i t ta ny Mo o d y. “ I h o p e f u t u re N WA E L p ro g ra m s c a n co nt i n u e to s u p p o r t a n d e n g a g e t h e n ex t g e n e rat i o n of l e a d e r s a s t h ey d i s cove r t h e i r p u r p o s e a n d f i n d co m m u n i t y.”

Northwest Arkansas Emerging Leaders (NWAEL) is a program of the Rogers Lowell Chamber, dedicated to supporting young professionals across the region through leadership development and networking opportunities.

4

T H U R S DAY • S E P T E M B E R 2 5 , 2 0 2 5

LEADERSHIP GRADUATES Co n g rat u l at i o n s to Le a d e r s h i p B e nto n Co u nt y ’s 2 0 2 5 Co h o r t o n co m p l et i n g o u r 9 - m o nt h p ro g ra m , d e s i g n e d to co n n e c t a n d e d u c ate o u r co m m u n i t y ’s f u t u re l e a d e r s !

Le a d e r s h i p B e nto n Co u nt y ( L B C ) , a p ro g ra m of t h e Ro g e r s Lowe l l C h a m b e r a n d B e nto nv i l l e A re a C h a m b e r of Co m m e rce , co n n e c t s a n d e d u c ate s o u r co m m u n i t y 's f u t u re l e a d e r s t h ro u g h a 9 - m o nt h p ro g ra m .

I n a d d i t i o n to d eve l o p i n g l e a d e r s h i p s k i l l s , p a r t i c i p a nt s l e a r n m o re a b o u t t h e local challenges and opportunities va r i o u s i n d u s t r i e s fa ce — i n c l u d i n g g ove r n m e nt, e d u c at i o n , h e a l t h c a re , i n f ra s t r u c t u re a n d t h e e co n o my.

“ I nve s t i n g i n t h e l e a d e r s h i p d eve l o p m e nt of o u r l o c a l wo r k fo rce h a s a l ways b e e n a to p p r i o r i t y fo r t h e C h a m b e r,” s a i d Ro g e r s Lowe l l C h a m b e r C h i e f Op e rat i n g O f f i ce r, Ro s s Ph i l l i p s . “ I c a n ’ t wa i t to s e e h ow t h i s p ro g ra m co nt i n u e s to d eve l o p a n d g row.”

I nt e re s t e d i n g et t i n g i nvo l ve d ? A p p l y f o r L B C ’ s 2 0 2 6 Co h o r t !

A p p l i ca t i o n D e a d l i n e : O c t o b e r 2 4 , 2025

S P O T L I G H T S E R I E S : W E D N E S DAY • S E P T E M B E R 3 , 2 0 2 5

TRAVEL AND BUSINESS Sp ot l i g ht S e r i e s i s d e s i g n e d to b r i n g t h e r i g ht p e o p l e to g et h e r at t h e r i g ht t i m e to s p a r k i n n ovat i o n , i n s p i re i d e a s a n d a l i g n o u r co m m u n i t y a ro u n d co m m o n g o a l s . Ea c h q u a r te r we fe at u re a d i f fe re nt t h e m e to s p ot l i g ht p ro g re s s a n d i l l u m i n ate i s s u e s t h at a re o p p o r t u n i t i e s fo r g row i n g b u s i n e s s , a c t i vat i n g h i g h - i m p a c t l e a d e r s , a n d b u i l d i n g a s t ro n g a n d d i ve r s e p l a ce to v i s i t, l i ve , i nve s t, wo r k a n d p l ay.

T h i s q u a r te r, at te n d e e s l e a r n e d m o re a b o u t t h e eve r- evo l v i n g wo r l d of l e i s u re a n d h o s p i t a l i t y i n No r t h we s t A r k a n s a s . S eve ra l s p e a ke r s s h a re d t h e i r i n s i g ht – i n c l u d i n g J. R .

S h a w a n d Lu ke W i g g i n s w i t h D e s t i n at i o n Ro g e r s a n d Je re my Bi g g s w i t h t h e Ro g e r s Lowe l l C h a m b e r. “ D e s t i n at i o n m a r ket i n g i s v i ta l to at t ra c t i n g v i s i to r s to o u r c i t y w h o s p e n d m o n ey o n h ote l s , re s ta u ra nt s , t ra n s p o r tat i o n , a n d e nte r ta i n m e nt, t h u s b o o s t i n g o u r l o c a l e co n o my,” s a i d Je re my Bi g g s , Ro g e r s Lowe l l C h a m b e r V i ce Pre s i d e nt of Eco n o m i c D eve l o p m e nt. “ T h e s e co nt i n u e d e f fo r t s a l s o p l ay a n i m p o r ta nt ro l e i n p l a ce m a k i n g a n d h i g h l i g ht t h e n u m e ro u s q u a l i t y of l i fe a m e n i t i e s we h ave to of fe r l o c a l l y.”

Jo i n u s D e c . 3 fo r o u r n ex t Sp ot l i g ht S e r i e s : Eco n o m i c D eve l o p m e nt Rev i ew.

M O N DAY • A U G U S T 2 5 , 2 0 2 5

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RECOGNITION A r k a n s a s Eco n o m i c D eve l o p e r s & C h a m b e r E xe c u t i ve s re co g n i ze d Ro g e r s Lowe l l C h a m b e r Pre s i d e nt & C EO, R ay m o n d Bu r n s , w i t h t h e Ma r i a Ha l ey L i fet i m e Le a d e r s h i p fo r Eco n o m i c D eve l o p m e nt Awa rd d u r i n g i t s A n n u a l Co n fe re n ce Au g . 2 5 .

" It ' s a n h o n o r to b e re co g n i ze d by t h e A r k a n s a s Eco n o m i c D eve l o p e r s & C h a m b e r E xe c u t i ve s , e s p e c i a l l y fo r a n a wa rd n a m e d i n h o n o r of Ma r i a Ha i l ey — w h o co nt r i b u te d s o m u c h to o u r State ," s a i d Bu r n s . " Eco n o m i c d eve l o p m e nt i s a key m i s s i o n a re a fo r t h e Ro g e r s Lowe l l C h a m b e r a n d d r i v i n g fo rce i n a l l ow i n g u s to s e r ve a s t h e ce nte r of wo r l d - c l a s s b u s i n e s s ."

S AT U R DAY • S E P T E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 2 5

CULTURES COMING TOGETHER T h e Ro g e r s Lowe l l C h a m b e r 's N WA Co m m u n i t y S h owc a s e , p re s e nte d by Pe p s iCo a n d t h e Wa l to n Fa m i l y Fo u n d at i o n , ce l e b rate d o u r i n c l u s i ve a n d we l co m i n g co m m u n i t y i n D ow ntow n Ro g e r s S e pt.

1 3 at Bu t te r f i e l d St a g e .

Pa r t i c i p a nt s i nte ra c te d w i t h t h e No r t h we s t A r k a n s a s co m m u n i t y t h ro u g h l i ve p e r fo r m a n ce s , d i ve r s e c u i s i n e , a n i nte ra c t i ve m a r ket p l a ce fe at u r i n g l o c a l b u s i n e s s e s , a n d n ew t h i s ye a r — t h e C h i l d re n's Ent re p re n e u r Ma r ket !

T h i s ye a r ' s B at t l e of t h e C h e f s co m p et i t i o n fe at u re d t wo a wa rd s vote d o n by o u r p a n e l of j u d g e s a n d eve nt at te n d e e s . Co n g rat u l at i o n s to Ta q u e r i a S a l v y Mex , fo r w i n n i n g b ot h t h e B at t l e of t h e C h e f s a n d Pe o p l e' s C h o i ce a wa rd s .

“ T h e S h owc a s e wa s a ce l e b rat i o n of c re at i v i t y, co m m u n i t y, a n d co n n e c t i o n , a n d a wo n d e r f u l re m i n d e r of t h e r i c h c u l t u re a n d ta l e nt we h ave r i g ht h e re i n N WA ,” s a i d G e ova n ny S a r m i e nto , Ro g e r s Lowe l l C h a m b e r S e n i o r V i ce Pre s i d e nt of Co m m u n i t y En g a g e m e nt.

S e e m o re o n t h e R LC Yo uTu b e c h a n n e l .

9

FRENCH INSPIRED UPTO U n D e u x Tro i s C a fé h a s o p e n e d i t s d o o r s i n U ptow n Ro g e r s , ex p a n d i n g o u r co m m u n i t y ’s cof fe e fo ot p r i nt a n d of fe r i n g eve r y t h i n g f ro m s we et to s avo r y b a ke d i n - h o u s e d a i l y !

T h i s Fre n c h - i n s p i re d m e n u fe at u re s a cof fe e b a r f u l l y- s to c ke d w i t h s p e c i a l t y l at te s , l o o s e l e a f-te a a n d c ra f t co c k t a i l s – i n a d d i t i o n to f re s h p a s t r i e s , l i g ht b r u n c h a n d p at i o s e at i n g .

U n D e u x Tro i s C a fé G e n e ra l Ma n a g e r, Ri ve r Wo r k m a n , s a i d t h e d e c i s i o n to j o i n t h e Ro g e r s Lowe l l C h a m b e r b e g a n w i t h t h e c a fé’s fo c u s o n h o s p i t a l i t y a n d c u s to m e r s e r v i ce .

“ T h e Ro g e r s Lowe l l C h a m b e r a l l ow s u s to co n n e c t w i t h t h e co m m u n i t y i n a re a l l y g e n u i n e way,” s a i d Ri ve r Wo r k m a n , G e n e ra l Ma n a g e r at Un D e u x Tro i s C a fé . “ It co n n e c t s u s w i t h ot h e r l o c a l b u s i n e s s e s a n d h e l p s u s to b et te r u n d e r s ta n d h ow we c a n s e r ve t h i s co m m u n i t y re a l l y we l l .”

Fu l l s to r y o n t h e R LC Yo uTu b e c h a n n e l

WN CAFÉ

11

UPCOMING • OCTOBER 9, 2025

PET-FRIENDLY DOWNTOWN Jo i n u s fo r t h i s m o nt h’s A r t o n t h e Br i c k s A r t Wa l k | Wa g s & W i tc h e s , a i m e d at b r i n g i n g t h e co m m u n i t y to g et h e r t h ro u g h s o m et h i n g t h at a l m o s t eve r yo n e i s p a s s i o n ate a b o u t – t h e i r p et s .

At te n d e e s w i l l h ave t h e o p p o r t u n i t y to i nte ra c t w i t h l o c a l m e rc h a nt s a n d a r t i s t s w h o s p e c i a l i ze i n c re at i n g p et- ce nte re d a r t – i n c l u d i n g c u s to m - m a d e l e a s h e s a n d co l l a r s , p et p h oto g ra p hy a n d m o re !

“ We' re s o p ro u d to h ave s u c h a d o g f r i e n d l y d ow ntow n ,” s a i d S a m Da n n e b e rg , Ro g e r s Lowe l l C h a m b e r Di re c to r of D ow ntow n Eco n o m i c D eve l o p m e nt. “ We i nv i te p e o p l e to b r i n g t h e i r d o g s a n d ex p l o re w h at p et - re l ate d t re at s o r p ro d u c t s o u r b u s i n e s s e s a re of fe r i n g .”

A r t o n t h e Br i c k s A r t Wa l k i s t h e Ro g e r s Lowe l l C h a m b e r ’s m o nt h l y D ow ntow n Ro g e r s eve nt d e s i g n e d to co n n e c t l o c a l m e rc h a nt s a n d a r t i s t s w i t h t h e d ow ntow n co m m u n i t y t h ro u g h p o p - u p ex h i b i t s , l i ve m u s i c a n d m o re .

LEVEL UP LOCAL

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT W i t h l o c at i o n s a c ro s s No r t h we s t A r k a n s a s , H & R B l o c k Fra n c h i s e e , M i c h a e l Steve n s , s a i d h i s s u p p o r t of t h e Ro g e r s Lowe l l C h a m b e r 's Leve l U p Lo c a l p ro g ra m a l i g n s w i t h h i s m i s s i o n to s u p p o r t t h e g row t h of l o c a l b u s i n e s s e s i n t h e co m m u n i t y.

“ I ’ m exc i te d a b o u t w h at t h e Ro g e r s Lowe l l C h a m b e r i s d o i n g ,” s a i d Steve n s . “A n d I wa nt to m a ke s u re a n d d o o u r p a r t — to h e l p i t co nt i n u e to s u cce e d .”

Leve l U p Lo c a l , p re s e nte d by H & R B l o c k , i s t h e C h a m b e r 's m o nt h l y p rofe s s i o n a l d eve l o p m e nt s e r i e s d e s i g n e d to e m p owe r l o c a l b u s i n e s s e s a n d p rofe s s i o n a l s w i t h t i m e l y, p ra c t i c a l k n ow l e d g e .

Ea c h s e s s i o n fe at u re s ex p e r t- l e d d i s c u s s i o n s o n a va r i et y of to p i c s .

W h et h e r yo u ' re a s m a l l b u s i n e s s ow n e r, e nt re p re n e u r o r te a m l e a d e r, t h i s p ro g ra m w i l l e q u i p yo u w i t h t h e to o l s a n d i n s i g ht s to g row, a d a pt, a n d t h r i ve i n to d ay 's d y n a m i c b u s i n e s s e nv i ro n m e nt.

G et t h e f u l l s to r y o n t h e Ro g e r s Lowe l l C h a m b e r Yo uTu b e c h a n n e l .

13

ROGERS RESILIENCE Af te r b e i n g c l o s e d fo r ove r a ye a r d u e to to r n a d o d a m a g e c a u s e d i n May 2 0 2 5 , L a Po p u l a r N WA i s n ow b a c k o p e n a n d re a d y to s e r ve t h e co m m u n i t y — w i t h a w i d e s e l e c t i o n of Mex i c a n b a ke d g o o d s i n c l u d i n g co r n a n d f l o u r to r t i l l a s .

“ We to o k t h at t i m e , n ot o n l y to re e n e rg i ze , b u t to re - s t rate g i ze n ew re c i p e s ,” s a i d Da n i e l S a n c h e z , C F O of L a Po p u l a r N WA . “ We ’ re m ot i vate d to g i ve t h e c u s to m e r s t h e b e s t s e r v i ce p o s s i b l e a n d t h e b e s t fo o d a n d q u a l i t y t h ey d e s e r ve .”

CLICK TO VIEW AUGUST NEW MEMBERS

CLICK TO VIEW AUGUST MEMBER RENEWALS

CLICK TO VIEW SEPTEMBER RIBBON CUTTINGS

Serving Business & Community Since 1922