Business Weekly E-Newsletter

June 2-6, 2008

Applications Being Accepted for Leadership Arkansas Class III

Applications are now being accepted for Leadership Arkansas Class III, which is again being sponsored by Southern Bancorp. In just two years, this program has become one of Arkansas’s most respected and trusted leadership organizations. Before clicking on the link below to the application, please review the following information designed to provide you with a greater understanding of Leadership Arkansas.

Leadership Arkansas’s mission is to build a strong, diverse, statewide network of leaders with a shared commitment to connect our communities and to make Arkansas a better place in which to live and prosper.

One of the many ways the organization is working to accomplish that mission is through its annual class program. Class members are chosen to participate in a stimulating and thought-provoking educational program that consists of a series of six day-and-a-half sessions held in locations throughout the state.

These sessions include programming on issues critical to Arkansas, leadership skills assessment, and relevant information on Arkansas’s history, demography, diversities and opportunities. One of the most rewarding and lasting benefits of the program is the valuable time spent interacting with other leaders from a variety of professions, philosophies and parts of the state who represent Arkansas’s diverse ethnic and racial composition.

Graduation from the class does not signify the end, but the beginning of a lifetime of opportunity as a member of Leadership Arkansas. For the graduates of the Leadership Arkansas program, we will convene regular meetings, regional and statewide, to facilitate continuing issues-oriented education, advanced leadership training, networking and the opportunity for members to work together toward shared goals. 

SELECTION CRITERIA

The Leadership Arkansas Recruitment Committee seeks to identify those individuals most likely to utilize their leadership abilities for the long-term benefit of Arkansas. The Selection Committee strives to select participants who will provide the class with broad professional, geographic, ethnic and gender representation. Basic criteria for selection are:

• A commitment, motivation and interest in serving Arkansas.
• A concern for Arkansas’s welfare, demonstrated by past community and statewide activities.
• An interest in seeking key volunteer and/or appointed state leadership roles.
• Potential or existing occupational responsibilities that have significant influence on important issues facing the state.
• A commitment to continued involvement in Leadership Arkansas.

Should you have any questions about the application, or about Leadership Arkansas, please call Susie Marks at 501-210-4206. Click here to download the application.

National Issues Committee to Meet on June 10
The State Chamber/AIA National Issues Committee will meet at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, June 10 in the State Chamber/AIA Bob Lamb Conference Room.

The primary purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the national union card check legislation. The union card check legislation would allow unions to be organized by simply collecting signatures on a card from a majority of the employees. The legislation eliminates the use of a private ballot.  

Options to be discussed include forming a statewide coalition to educate Arkansas businesses about the proposed card check legislation. All State Chamber/AIA members are welcome to attend this meeting.

Welcome to Our New Members

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

State Chamber/AIA Will Host Arkansas Small Business Forum

The State Chamber/AIA is presenting the Arkansas Small Business Forum from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 10, at our office at 1200 W. Capitol Ave. in downtown Little Rock.

Trade association executives or representatives, local chamber of commerce executives, economic developers, and small business owners and operators are invited to attend this FREE open forum that will allow us to exchange ideas, gather information about emerging stakeholder issues, manage relationships and maintain a dialogue with stakeholder groups. Engaging these organizations and companies will help identify stakeholders’ issues, communicate strategic priorities, reduce taxpayer burden and increase compliance.

Participants will be able to build and strengthen relationships, learn about the products and services each organization provides to small business, and network to better serve their members or clients and share their organization’s key message.

The forum is being presented in partnership with the Internal Revenue Service, Arkansas Procurement Assistance Center, Arkansas Economic Development Commission, U.S. Small Business Administration, Arkansas Department of Workforce Services, Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission, Arkansas Small Business Development Center and Arkansas Better Business Bureau.

Please RSVP to Susie Marks, senior vice president-programs, at (501) 210-4206 or smarks@arkansasstatechamber.com by Friday, June 6.

Leadership Arkansas Class II Plans Final Session and Graduation

The final session and graduation are coming up for members of Leadership Arkansas Class II.

Tyson Foods CEO Dick Bond, Sam’s Club CEO Doug McMillan and University of Arkansas Chancellor-Elect Dave Gearhart will be featured speakers at the Northwest Arkansas session on June 26-27, which will cover infrastructure challenges, the Northwest Arkansas economy and the graduation ceremony.

The State Chamber/AIA Board of Directors and the Executive Committee will meet at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, June 26, at the Holiday Inn in Springdale in conjunction with the Leadership Arkansas Class II session and graduation. After the board meeting, directors and prospective members in the Northwest Arkansas area are invited to join members of Leadership Class II for a reception and dinner at the Holiday Inn. The reception will offer excellent networking opportunities.

Seventy Leadership Class II members will participate in the graduation ceremony at a luncheon on Friday, June 27 at the Holiday Inn in Springdale. The event is being sponsored by Harps Foods.

This remaining Leadership Arkansas session represents an outstanding investment opportunity in which companies and organizations can participate. By helping sponsor one of the activities, companies and organizations have the chance to personally meet and get to know these individuals who will be leading Arkansas in the future.

Partner sponsorships at $1,000 include an invitation to a reception and dinner with Leadership Arkansas 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.

Sponsors to date for the remaining session include: Cox Communications, University of Arkansas, Wal-Mart, Arkansas Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Stephens Inc., Littler Mendelson, Cross Gunter Witherspoon & Galchus, CDI Contractors, Arkansas Western Gas, Tyson Foods, Acxiom, Waste Management and Rogers-Lowell Chamber of Commerce.

Leadership Arkansas Class II is sponsored by Southern Bancorp. For further information on Leadership Arkansas, contact Susie Marks at 501-210-4206 or e-mail her at smarks@arkansasstatechamber.com .

Annual Small Business Luncheon Recognizes Award Winners
The State Chamber/AIA hosted the 18th Annual Arkansas Small Business Awards Luncheon Tuesday, June 3rd at the Embassy Suites Little Rock. A total of 14 award winners were recognized including Paul H. Harvel, president and CEO of the State Chamber/AIA, for his entrepreneurial leadership.

Approximately 200 people attended the luncheon.  Roby Brock, host of Talk Business, served as the master of ceremonies and Phil Baldwin, chairman, president and CEO of Southern Bancorp, was the guest speaker.

We would like to express our appreciation to the following sponsors for helping make the event possible: CenterPoint Energy Southern Gas, Sam’s Club, Metropolitan National Bank, Arkansas Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Chesapeake Energy, Friday Eldredge & Clark, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, The Heritage Company, CenturyTel, Arkansas Manufacturing Solutions, Cross County Chamber of Commerce, Heifer International, Mitchell Williams Law Firm, Office of U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln, Ozark Area Chamber of Commerce and AEP/SWEPCO.

The list of winners follows:

VETERAN SMALL BUSINESS CHAMPION
Barbara Lee
Arkansas National Guard
North Little Rock

FINANCIAL SERVICES CHAMPION
Pamela Alexander
East Arkansas Planning & Development District
Jonesboro

MINORITY SMALL BUSINESS CHAMPION
Ines Polonius
alt.Consulting
Pine Bluff

WOMEN IN BUSINESS CHAMPION
Lee Ann Branch
Southern Bancorp
Arkadelphia

HOME-BASED BUSINESS CHAMPION
Sharen K. Lightsey
Numbers 2 Numbers Inc.
Pine Bluff

SBA VOLUME LENDER – FY 2007
Metropolitan National Bank
Little Rock

DISTRICT DIRECTOR’S SPECIAL
AWARD – ENTREPRENEURIAL
LEADERSHIP
Dr. Joel E. Anderson, Jr.
Chancellor
University of Arkansas at Little Rock

DISTRICT DIRECTOR’S SPECIAL
AWARD – ENTREPRENEURIAL
LEADERSHIP
Paul H. Harvel
President & CEO
Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/
Associated Industries of Arkansas

DISTRICT DIRECTOR’S SPECIAL
AWARD – ENTREPRENEURIAL
LEADERSHIP
Janet Roderick
Executive Director
UALR Arkansas Small Business Development Center

ARKANSAS SMALL BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT CENTER
RESOURCE PARTNER OF THE
YEAR
Kathryn Peacock
University of Arkansas at Monticello
Presented by Jim Coffey
Metropolitan National Bank
Award Sponsor

ARKANSAS SCORE DISTRICT
CHAPTER OF THE YEAR FOR 2007
Little Rock SCORE

ARKANSAS SCORE AWARD FOR
EXCELLENCE
Dick Hirt

JEFFREY BUTLAND FAMILY-
OWNED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
McCormick Asphalt Paving &
Excavating, Inc.
Ozark

SMALL BUSINESS PERSONS OF THE
YEAR
Paul Kuna & Kim Kuna
Southeast X-Ray, Inc.
Ozark

AMS Offers Free Web Site Assessments to Arkansas Manufacturers
Arkansas Manufacturing Solutions is offering free Web site assessments to the first 50 qualifying applicants through June 12 or until all slots are filled.

To qualify, applicants must be an Arkansas-based manufacturer, have five or more employees and have an active Web site. Once requirements are met, AMS will assess a company's Web site for strengths and challenges and then provide suggestions for improvement.

"A company's Web site has become a vital component in generating new business and sales leads," AMS Director Dan Curtis said. "An informative Web site that works for you is essential to being competitive in today's economy, and through this service we will offer up the collective strengths of the AMS body of knowledge to make Arkansas's manufacturing Web sites more effective and appealing."
Concluding the assessment, all participants will become part of an aggregate case study from the results of this offer. The case study will list the most common strengths and weaknesses in the overall results.
"In addition to helping Arkansas manufacturers, we're going to share this case study with Manufacturing Extension Partnership organizations in other states and help them develop Web site marketing services as well," Curtis said.

Manufacturers can register at www.mfgsolutions.org or by calling (501) 683-4410.
Small Businesses Benefit from 2008 Economic Stimulus Act Depreciation Provisions
Businesses that have bought assets – or are planning to do so – in 2008 can benefit from the same legislation that is delivering payments to individuals this year.

The Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 increased the maximum amount for depreciation under section 179 of the federal tax code from $128,000 to $250,000 for 2008. It also raised the section 179 phase-out limit, formerly $510,000 for this year, to $800,000. Section 179 depreciation provides a way for businesses to recover quickly some of the costs of certain property purchases, such as equipment.

The law also reinstates 50 percent special depreciation, also known as bonus depreciation, for much of the country. This special depreciation entitles taxpayers to depreciate 50 percent of the cost or other basis during the year for an asset placed into service in 2008 and depreciates the remaining cost or basis over the asset’s normal life.

Some states do not follow the special depreciation rules and the tax provisions’ most effective use will depend on taxpayers’ circumstances. Small businesses should consult their tax advisors.

The Economic Stimulus Payments Information Center on the IRS’s Web site at http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=177937,00.html is the best source of Economic Stimulus information from the IRS. Or look for the Stimulus Payment graphic on home page of IRS.gov, click on “Rebate Payment Questions”, and then scroll down for “Information for Businesses”.

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
Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Arvest Bank
AT&T Arkansas
CenterPoint Energy Southern Gas
Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas
FedEx Freight - East
Georgia-Pacific Corporation
Harps Food Stores, Inc.
Kraft Foods
Oaklawn Jockey Club
Pathfinder Exploration LLC
Petrohawk Energy Corporation
SemGroup LP
Southern Bancorp, Inc.
Southland Park Gaming & Racing
Southwestern Energy Company
State Farm Insurance
Weyerhaeuser Company
Windstream Corporation
XTO Energy, Inc.

CROWN
Acxiom Corporation
AEP Southwestern Electric Power
Albemarle Corporation
Alta Resources LLC
American Greetings Corporation
America's Car-Mart, Inc.
Arkansas Employees Federal Credit Union
Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation
Arkansas Oklahoma Gas Corporation
Arkansas Western Gas Company
Bank of the Ozarks
CenterPoint Energy Gas Transmission Company
Deltic Timber Corporation
Dynegy
Entegra Power Group LLC
Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Arkansas, Inc.
Forest Oil Corporation
Glad Manufacturing/A Clorox Company
Golden Living
International Paper Company
Kimberly-Clark Corporation
Lion Oil Company
Metropolitan National Bank
Murphy Oil Corporation
Nabholz Construction Corporation
Nucor-Yamato Steel
OG+E
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals
Philander Smith College
Pinnacle Foods Group LLC
Potlatch Forest Products Corporation
Pulaski Technical College
Rheem Air Conditioning Division
Riceland Foods, Inc.
Signature Bank of Arkansas
Simmons First National Corporation
Stephens, Inc.
Storm Cat Energy
Suez Energy North America
The Clorox Company
The Trane Company
US Bank
Waste Management
Wright Lindsey & Jennings

Calendar of Events

June 10                        Arkansas Small Business Forum
                                    9 a.m.-11 a.m., State Chamber/AIA
                                    Little Rock

June 10                        State Chamber/AIA National Issues Committee Meeting
                                    1 p.m., State Chamber/AIA
                                    Little Rock

June 26 – 27                        Leadership Arkansas Class II Session
                                    Northwest Arkansas Economy/Infrastructure Challenges
                                    Fayetteville/Springdale

June 27                        Leadership Arkansas Class II Graduation
                                    Presented by Harps Food Stores, Inc.

October 14                        80th State Chamber/AIA Annual Meeting
                                    Hot Springs Convention Center, Hot Springs