Business Weekly

Business Weekly E-Newsletter

Dec. 10-14, 2007

Reach the Top Total Resource Campaign Update

Congratulations to Diane Engelkes of CenterPoint Energy, a volunteer in our Reach the Top Total Resource Campaign, for $2,500 in sales this week for our 2008 State Chamber/AIA Membership Directory and Buyers’ Guide!

 

We’re nearing $30,000 in sales for this publication, which will be an excellent marketing tool as well as a valuable resource guide. This directory offers an outstanding way to get a message out to Arkansas’s leading corporate citizens.

 

We’re also happy to report that we’re a third of the way toward our $15,000 sponsorship goal for the Leadership Arkansas Class II session in Pine Bluff on January 31-February 1. Members of the curriculum committee outlined an informative agenda for the session to cover agriculture and the Southeast Arkansas economy.

 

We want to thank the following companies for already committing to sponsorship: Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation, Entergy Arkansas, the Pine Bluff A&P Commission and Jefferson Regional Medical Center.

 

Membership upgrade sales are also on the rise in the campaign.

 

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Reserve an Ad in the 2008 Membership Directory and Buyers’ Guide

The 2008 State Chamber/AIA Membership Directory and Buyers’ Guide will be an excellent resource guide for the Arkansas business community.  It will feature a full-color section with important resource information about businesses in Arkansas, governmental affairs, economic development, leadership and State Chamber partnerships, as well as services and benefits to membership.

Each member will be listed along with the type of business and contact information. This is your opportunity to promote and market your business to more than 1,000 businesses and organizations throughout Arkansas, and it will be a prime method for members to utilize referrals.

Don’t miss your chance to participate. The 2008 Membership Directory & Buyers’ Guide will be published in early February 2008. The deadline to reserve an ad is January 15.

For information on advertising, call the State Chamber/AIA office at (501) 372-2222 or contact one of the following: Bill Watson at bwatson@arkansasstatechamber.com; Marcus Turley at mturley@arkansasstatechamber.com; Susie Marks at smarks@arkansasstatechamber.com or Jeff Thatcher at jthatcher@arkansasstatechamber.com.

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Leadership Arkansas II Will Visit Pine Bluff

Members of the curriculum committee have outlined an informative agenda on agriculture and the Southeast Arkansas economy for the next Leadership Arkansas Class II session, which is set for Jan. 31-Feb. 1 in Pine Bluff.

 

Sponsorships are available. Partner sponsorships at $1,000 include an invitation to a reception and dinner with class members, signage at the event and inclusion in the promotional and printed materials for the session. Presenting sponsorships at $2,500 include all of the above plus an opportunity to present during the session and an opportunity to place a company brochure or message in the participants’ notebooks.

                       

We want to thank the following companies for already committing to sponsorship: Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation, Entergy Arkansas, the Pine Bluff A&P Commission and Jefferson Regional Medical Center.

 

Leadership Arkansas Class II is sponsored by Southern Bancorp.

 

 

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State Chamber/AIA Tax Committee Meets to Discuss DFA Proposed Rules

The State Chamber/AIA Tax Committee met on December 12 to discuss recent rules proposed by the state Department of Finance and Administration (DFA). Recently, DFA issued draft permanent rules for Act 185, the sales tax reduction for electricity and natural gas used in the manufacturing process.

 

A public hearing will be held December 18 on the proposed rules. The committee discussed some issues presented by the draft rules and authorized State Chamber/AIA Executive Vice President Kenny Hall and State Chamber/AIA Tax Committee Legal Counsel Mike Parker to draft a letter to DFA and to set up a meeting with DFA leaders to discuss the concerns raised by committee members.

 

The committee also discussed information DFA has been putting out about changes to the state’s sales tax laws that will go into effect on January 1, which are related to the national streamlined sales tax project. DFA has not yet issued a draft of their proposed rules but did issue a report to provide guidance on the changes.

 

The most significant change is related to local sales taxes. First, the cap on local sales taxes will go away January 1. However, the State Chamber/AIA passed a bill to allow businesses to seek a refund of the excess tax amount and we are initially pleased with the information coming from DFA on how to administer the rebate program.

 

Another issue that will be a challenge for some businesses arises from the fact that after January 1, local sales taxes will be charged based upon the point of delivery rather than the point of sale. This will require sellers to be prepared to apply local sales taxes from wherever their customer takes possession of the items purchased.

 

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Welcome to our New Members

Thanks to the following companies and organizations that have joined the State Chamber/AIA since November 1.

Altria, Inc.

Apartment Hunters/Arkansas Suites

Arkansas Development Finance Authority

College Degree Planners

Express Personnel Services

Hagan Newkirk Financial Services

Hanson Pipe & Precast

Harcros Chemicals Inc.

La Quinta Inn & Suites Downtown LR Conference Center

Penn Virginia MC Energy, LLC

Razor Chemical, Inc.

Sherwin-Williams Paint Company

Shred-It

Sunbelt Convention Services Co., Inc.

Synergy Medical

Transamerica Worksite Marketing

 

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Thanks to Our Renewed Members

Thanks to the following companies and organizations that have renewed their investment in the State Chamber/AIA since December 1.

Cal-Maine Foods

Milam Construction

WLS Sawmill

Community Health Centers of Arkansas

ERA Rushing Realty

Robert D. Smith III

Allegra Print & Imaging

DBH Management Consultants

Economics Arkansas

Hanes Brands, Inc.

Lexicon Inc.

Arkansas Automobile Association

MonticelloLive.com

Global Strategy Group

Bale Chevrolet

Apple Spice Junction

Spectra Energy

First National Bank of Sharp County

Calion Lumber Company

Hot Springs Title Company

Pritchett Sales & Use Tax Consulting

Rector Phillips Morse, Inc. Commercial Sales

Pestco, Inc.

The Farmers and Merchants Bank

Brooks-Pollard Company

Madison County Telephone Company

McGeorge Contracting Company, Inc.

Odom’s Tennessee Pride Sausage Inc.

Producers Rice Mill Inc.

CDI Contractors

E.C. Barton & Company

First Arkansas Insurance

Arkansas Community Foundation

Arkhola Sand & Gravel Company

Razorback Concrete Company

Isle of Capri Casino

Micro Plastics

Audio International, Inc.

 

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Thanks to Our Pinnacle Members

We wish to express special thanks to all of our Pinnacle investors, the respected companies that support the State Chamber/AIA at the highest annual investment levels. We appreciate all that they do for us.

 

APEX

ALLTEL Corporation

Entergy Arkansas, Inc.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

 

SUMMIT

Chesapeake Energy, Inc.

Cox Communications

Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods

Tyson Foods, Inc.

 

PEAK

ARVEST Bank

AT&T Arkansas

CenterPoint Energy Southern Gas

Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas

FedEx Freight - East

Georgia-Pacific Corp.

Kraft Foods

Oaklawn Jockey Club

Pathfinder Exploration, LLC

Petrohawk Energy Corporation

SemGroup, L.P.
Southern Bancorp, Inc.

Southland Park

Southwestern Energy Company

Weyerhaeuser Company

Windstream Corporation

XTO Energy, Inc.

 

CROWN

Acxiom Corporation

AEP/Southwestern Electric Power Co.

Albemarle Corporation

Alta Resources, LLC

American Greetings Corporation

American Insurance Association

Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Arkansas Employees Federal Credit Union

Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation

Arkansas Western Gas Co.

Bank of the Ozarks, Incorporated

Clorox Company

Deltic Timber Corp.

Dynegy

Entegra Power Group LLC

Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Arkansas, Inc.

Forest Oil Corporation

Glad Manufacturing/a Clorox Company

Golden Ventures

International Paper Company

Kimberly-Clark Corporation

Lion Oil

Metropolitan National Bank

Murphy Oil Corp.

Nabholz Construction Corp.

Nucor-Yamato Steel

OG+E

Pfizer Pharmaceuticals

Philander Smith College

Pinnacle Foods

Potlatch Forest Products Corp.

Rheem Air Conditioning Division

Riceland Foods Inc.

Signature Bank of Arkansas

State Farm Insurance – Public Affairs

Stephens Inc.

Storm Cat Energy

Suez Energy North America

The Clorox Company

The Trane Company

US Bank

Wright Lindsey & Jennings

 

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Calendar of Events

Jan. 24, 2008                          State Chamber/AIA Board Meeting

                                                State Chamber Building

                                                Little Rock

 

Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 2008               Leadership Arkansas Class II Session

                                                Agriculture and Southeast Arkansas Economy and Issues

                                                Pine Bluff

 

Feb. 4-5, 2008                         ACCE Mini-Institute

                                                Little Rock

 

March 20-21, 2008                  Leadership Arkansas Class II Session

                                                Economic Development and Manufacturing

                                                Fort Smith

 

March 27, 2008                       State Chamber/AIA Board Meeting

                                                State Chamber Building

                                                Little Rock

 

April 26-29, 2008                     Annual Washington Fly-In and Congressional Dinner

                                                Crystal Gateway Marriott

                                                Arlington, Virginia

 

May 22-23, 2008                     Leadership Arkansas Class II Session

                                                Education and Northeast Arkansas Economy

                                                Jonesboro/Paragould

 

June 3, 2008                           Annual Small Business Awards Luncheon

                                                Embassy Suites Hotel

                                                Little Rock

 

June 26-27, 2008                    Leadership Arkansas Class II Session

                                                Northwest Arkansas Economy/Infrastructure Challenges

                                                Fayetteville/Springdale

 

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2008 Schedule for State Chamber/AIA Board Meetings

The State Chamber/AIA has scheduled the dates for board meetings in 2008. All board meetings will be held in the State Chamber/AIA Bob Lamb Conference Room unless otherwise indicated. Those held in the Conference Room will be followed by a short networking reception.

2008 Board Meetings:

3:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 24

3:30 p.m., Thursday, March 27

In conjunction with Washington Fly-In – April 28

In conjunction with Leadership Arkansas in Northwest Arkansas, Holiday Inn / Northwest Arkansas Convention Center, Springdale, Thursday, June 26

3:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 25

In conjunction with Annual Meeting – Oct. 7 or 14

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Save the Date for 2008 Washington Fly-In and Congressional Dinner

Mark your calendar for the State Chamber/AIA 2008 Annual Washington Fly-In and Congressional Dinner on April 26-29. The event will again be held at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Va.

For further information, contact Deb Mathis at (501) 372-2222 or dmathis@arkansasstatechamber.com.

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