Business Weekly E-Newsletter
July 21-25, 2008
Union Card Check Coalition Meeting Scheduled
The State Chamber/AIA will host a meeting at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 29 in the Bob Lamb Conference Room to form a coalition to educate businesses, politicians and the general public about the risks of the employee free choice/union card check legislation that is pending in Congress. Please plan to attend and notify anyone you believe would be interested so they can also make plans to participate in the first meeting.
We are discovering almost daily that people do not know about this proposed legislation, they do not understand this legislation, they think this legislation will not apply to their business or they believe it is not important in Arkansas because we are a “right to work” state. If this legislation becomes law, unions can be formed in any business by simply obtaining the signature of over half of a recognizable group of employees on a card. If a contract is not reached within 90 days, then the matter goes to binding arbitration. The unions have one year to collect the signatures and the law eliminates the use of secret ballots—only the signed cards are used to determine if a union will be formed. The size of business does not matter and our “right to work” laws will have no impact.
Applications Being Accepted for Leadership Arkansas Class III
Applications are now being accepted for Leadership Arkansas Class III. 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.
Small Business Council Sets Meetings through May 2009
The State Chamber/AIA Small Business Council has established a schedule of meetings through May 2009.
The meetings will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Bob Lamb Conference Room at our Little Rock office unless otherwise indicated.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008 - Insurance
Thursday, November 20, 2008 - Congressional Presentation
Thursday, January 22, 2009 - Government Regulation
Thursday, March 19, 2009 - Employee Benefits
Wednesday, May 6, 2009 - Information Technology
Small Business Council meetings are open to all State Chamber/AIA members. Each meeting will feature a short presentation from a member in regard to the service that they offer (first-come, first-served).
If you company would like to provide a short presentation on your service, or sponsor the lunch portion for one of the upcoming Small Business Council meetings, or if you need further information, please contact Jeff Thatcher at (501) 210-4205 or jthatcher@arkansasstatechamber.com .
Welcome to Our New Members
Thanks to the following companies and organizations that have recently joined the State Chamber/AIA:
AIPRO
Arkansas Association of Public Universities
Arkansas Flag & Banner
Decisive Management
Heral Enterprises, Inc.
Mid-Ark Roofing
Multi-States Electric Company
New York Life Arkansas
The PI Company
United Engines, LLC
SBA Partnering with Department of Navy
The U.S. Small Business Administration and the Department of Navy recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement that will improve federal contracting opportunities for more than 240 small disadvantaged firms participating in the SBA’s 8(a) Business Development program in all 50 states.
Under the agreement, the Naval Sea Systems Command will use its SeaPort-e Web-based services acquisition tool containing Multiple Award Contracts to award federal contracts directly to firms participating in the 8(a) program. The 8(a) program is a business development program that provides management and technical assistance, and assistance in identifying federal contracting opportunities to socially and economically disadvantaged businesses. These firms will have the opportunity to perform 22 types of services, including research and development support, engineering and acquisition logistics support.
Under the agreement, the Navy will be able to expedite the competition and award process directly with 8(a) firms without SBA as an intermediary. Other benefits of the partnership agreement include:
- Contract opportunities for 8(a) firms in the states affected by these procurements;
- Restriction of task order requirements under the Multiple Award Contracts tool solely for 8(a) competition on 22 types of services;
- An annual rolling admissions period to allow more small businesses to become Multiple Award Contracts awardees within SeaPort-e;
- Provisions to allow existing prime contractors to renew their size status in accordance with SBA’s new recertification rule;
- Rules permitting 8(a) participants to compete on non-8(a) task orders under a contract once they are listed on Navy’s Multiple Award Contracts tool; and
- A five-year base ordering period and two five-year contract award terms under the Multiple Award Contracts tool for 8(a) program participants.
The Memorandum of Agreement is effective for five years.
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
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
Alcoa
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
CardinalHealth
CenterPoint Energy Gas Transmission Company
Crossland Construction
Deltic Timber Corporation
Dynegy
Entegra Power Group LLC
Evergreen Packaging Company
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
July 29 Union Card Check Coalition Meeting
10 a.m.
State Chamber/AIA Conference Room
July 31 – August 2 American Chamber of Commerce Executives Convention 2008
Pittsburgh, PA
August 2 – 6 Conference of State Manufacturing Associations
Boston, MA
August 24 – 27 Arkansas Economic Developers Annual Conference
Hot Springs Convention Center
September 17 Small Business Council Meeting
11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
State Chamber/AIA Conference Room
October 14 Arkansas Chamber of Commerce Executives Annual Meeting
Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce
Little Rock
