NWA Receives High Marks from Local Businesses
By: Rebecca Jeffrey
Updated: March 17, 2013
As growth continues to skyrocket in Northwest Arkansas, Chambers of commerce reached out to businesses to make sure the trend keeps rolling.
"What we've tried to do is just make sure we have an ear to the businesses," President & CEO of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, Steve Clark said.
And they have. Through the Business Retention and Expansion study and it's showing high hopes for Northwest Arkansas.
"It's really about recognizing that the best jobs that we have are the ones that are already here and we need to keep all of those here," Clark said.
The Chambers interviewed more than 450 companies to see how they can help do just that.
"Asking them what can we do to assist, what do you see as the upcoming changes in your business, and do you have plans to grow?"
The Northwest Arkansas Council compiled the numbers and found in the next three years companies plan to add more than a thousand jobs and invest about 800 million dollars in expansions.
"We're still creating jobs. Not every region in Arkansas and not every region in the country are still creating jobs," Clark said.
In Fayetteville, Clark said they've already made changes to help businesses.
"That's what a city wants to be able to do, that's what a Chamber of Commerce wants a city to do. When a business says 'I have an issue,' please respond, react, do something and not do it three years from now, but do it 90 days from now and we're doing that."
For one, they are re-branding the industrial park down Armstrong in Fayetteville.
"The result was we changed the name, because Industrial Park has the concept of the 20th century not the 21st."
The now "Commerce District," which employs about 4,000 people will soon be lined with more sidewalks, street lights and signs.
"It is the direct result of reaching out to those businesses, and asking. And for us it's the best thing we can do to keep those businesses," Clark said.
All helping to keep businesses happy, healthy and most importantly, here in NWA.
"What we've tried to do is just make sure we have an ear to the businesses," President & CEO of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, Steve Clark said.
And they have. Through the Business Retention and Expansion study and it's showing high hopes for Northwest Arkansas.
"It's really about recognizing that the best jobs that we have are the ones that are already here and we need to keep all of those here," Clark said.
The Chambers interviewed more than 450 companies to see how they can help do just that.
"Asking them what can we do to assist, what do you see as the upcoming changes in your business, and do you have plans to grow?"
The Northwest Arkansas Council compiled the numbers and found in the next three years companies plan to add more than a thousand jobs and invest about 800 million dollars in expansions.
"We're still creating jobs. Not every region in Arkansas and not every region in the country are still creating jobs," Clark said.
In Fayetteville, Clark said they've already made changes to help businesses.
"That's what a city wants to be able to do, that's what a Chamber of Commerce wants a city to do. When a business says 'I have an issue,' please respond, react, do something and not do it three years from now, but do it 90 days from now and we're doing that."
For one, they are re-branding the industrial park down Armstrong in Fayetteville.
"The result was we changed the name, because Industrial Park has the concept of the 20th century not the 21st."
The now "Commerce District," which employs about 4,000 people will soon be lined with more sidewalks, street lights and signs.
"It is the direct result of reaching out to those businesses, and asking. And for us it's the best thing we can do to keep those businesses," Clark said.
All helping to keep businesses happy, healthy and most importantly, here in NWA.
