Business Weekly
April 6 – 10, 2009
50th Annual
The 50th Annual Washington Fly-In and Congressional Dinner is scheduled for April 18-21. If you would like to register and have not done so yet, click here to register now. Registrations must be received by Friday, April 10.
We encourage you to register to participate in this event—as a repeat attendee or as a first-timer. This governmental affairs activity provides an excellent opportunity for productive contact with our senators, representatives and their staffs.
Sponsors for the Washington Fly-In and Congressional Dinner include: WorkSource, Presenting; Nucor, Partner; The Harriet and Warren Stephens, Stephens Inc. Charitable Contributions Committee, Patron; Global Strategy Group, LLC and Wal-Mart Stores, Wine; The Alliance of Jefferson County and Cox Communications, Dessert; Acxiom, America’s Car Mart, Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance, Central Moloney, Crossland Construction Company, Kimberly-Clark Corp., Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, McKee Foods, Nabholz Construction Corp., Tyson Foods and Windstream Corp., Gold; AEP/SWEPCO and Langston Companies Inc., Silver, ASU-Beebe, CardinalHealth, CenturyTel, Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce, Russellville Area Chamber of Commerce and Securitas Security Services, Bronze; and Arkansas Petroleum Council, Oce/Copy Systems and Troutman Sanders Public Affairs, Contributor.
If you have questions on the Fly-In and Congressional Dinner, call Deb Mathis at (501) 210-4212 or email her at dmathis@arkansasstatechamber.com.
State Chamber/AIA Leadership Conference – Revived, Refocused, Inspired
The Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce Leadership Arkansas
program will present its first Leadership Conference – Revived,
Refocused, Inspired on Friday, May 8,
2009 at the
Featured speakers for this exciting event include golfing legend Jack Nicklaus, former Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Tony Blair and Liz Murray, whose true-life story inspired the Lifetime movie “Homeless to Harvard”. Ernie Johnson, professional sports announcer and host of TNT’s Inside the NBA, will serve as master of ceremonies for the event.
This event will be live simulcast broadcast from
You will leave this Leadership Conference refreshed and enlightened - and you will offer your team a renewed sense of hope and vision as you take your learning experiences back to them.
Leadership
Tickets are $75 each and a limited number are available, so act fast. To order tickets or for further information, contact Susie Marks at (501) 210-4206 or smarks@arkansasstatechamber.com.
Leadership
Leadership Arkansas Class III will
hold its next session covering the Northeast Arkansas Economy on Thursday and
Friday, May 21-22 in
Sponsors for the Session to date include: ASU Delta Center, Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation and Ritter Communications.
Additional sessions planned for the coming months throughout the state include:
- Session VII – Northwest Arkansas
Economy, June 25-26, 2009,
- Leadership Class III Graduation will be held
June 26, 2009 in
Leadership
The Chairman for this year’s
Leadership Arkansas class is program founder Paul H. Harvel. Curriculum
Chairman is Michele Bond. Leadership Arkansas Class III is sponsored by
If you would like to be a session sponsor or need further information about Leadership Arkansas, please call Susie Marks at 501-210-4206 or e-mail her at smarks@arkansasstatechamber.com.
State Chamber to Host Procurement Conference
The Arkansas State Chamber is
partnering with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the state
congressional offices and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC)
to bring the Arkansas Procurement Opportunities Conference to
The Procurement Opportunities Conference will include the Annual Small Business Awards Luncheon, networking, training and procurement opportunities. It will also feature a business exposition/matchmaking event, pairing small business owners with prime contractors, federal agencies and major corporations in a one-on-one setting.
Some 350 local and regional small business owners (SBEs, MBEs, WBEs and DBEs) will come together for a full day of procurement opportunities with 150 buyers from federal agencies, prime contractors and major corporations.
Sponsorship opportunities for this
event are possible. For further information, please contact Susie Marks or
State Chamber/AIA to
Publish
The State Chamber/AIA plans to
publish the Arkansas Manufacturers Directory in June. This publication
will contain in-depth company profiles of more than 4,000 industrial
businesses. Each
The Arkansas Manufacturers Directory will also serve as a valuable resource
if you are looking for suppliers here in the state. Copies of the Directory
will be distributed to State Chamber/AIA members, membership prospects and
manufacturers throughout
The Directory will have a one-year shelf life and be a good marketing vehicle for you to promote your services among our members, membership prospects and manufacturers throughout the state.
For information on ad rates and
specifications, contact
USCIS Reminds Employers of Requirements Involving Revised Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification
U.S. Citizenship
and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued a reminder that the revised Form
I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification (Rev. 02/02/09), went into effect on April 3, 2009
for all
The interim final rule, published Dec.17, 2008 in the Federal Register, revised the list of documents acceptable for the Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9) process. Employers may no longer use previous versions of the Form I-9.
The revised list improves the security and effectiveness of the Form I-9 process. The list specifies that expired documents are no longer acceptable forms of identification or employment authorization. Allowing for expired documents makes it more difficult for employers to verify an employee’s identity and employment authorization and compromises the Form I-9 process.
USCIS also updated the Handbook for Employers – Instructions for Completing Form I-9 to reflect the requirements of the revised Form I-9.
For more information on USCIS and its programs, or to obtain the revised Form I-9 and handbook, visit www.uscis.gov. Employers who do not have computer access can order Forms I-9 by calling our toll-free forms line at 1-800-870-3676.
USCIS forms and
information on immigration laws, regulations, and procedures can also be
requested by calling the
DOL Issues Model COBRA Notices and Election Forms
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) provides for a subsidy toward the cost of COBRA coverage for individuals who lose health coverage due to involuntary termination of employment. ARRA requires plan sponsors to notify current and former qualified beneficiaries of the premium subsidy. On March 19, the Department of Labor posted to its website model notices and subsidy election forms. These notices must be provided to qualified beneficiaries by April 18, 2009.
Click here for more information or to download the four different model notices provided by the DOL.
Maintain Your Tax-Exempt Status
Non-profits
in
Why is this so important?
- Annual information forms or notices filed by tax-exempt organizations are public information. Filing your form increases transparency by giving donors and volunteers the most up-to-date information about your organization.
- Organizations that don’t file for three consecutive years automatically lose their tax-exempt status. To ensure that this doesn’t happen, the IRS encourages all tax-exempt organizations to review their filing requirements as soon as possible and be prepared to file.
Impacted Organizations
Tax-exempt organizations must determine whether to file the new Form 990, 990-EZ or 990-N (e-Postcard) for the 2008 tax year.
- Large tax-exempt organizations will be filing the new Form 990. The IRS made significant changes to the 2008 Form 990. Review the new form and the instructions carefully so you can understand how the changes affect your organization.
- Mid-sized organizations can file either the new Form 990 or the Form 990-EZ, an abbreviated version that requires less reporting.
- Small organizations—those with gross receipts that are normally less than $25,000—previously did not have a filing requirement. Now, most are required to file a simple electronic form, the e-Postcard or Form 990-N, which asks a few identifying questions about the organization and only takes a few minutes to complete. Visit www.irs.gov/charities and click on “Annual Electronic Filing Requirement for Small Exempt Organizations” to learn more about e-Postcard and filing exceptions, and to access the form.
Filing Assistance
For the latest information for tax-exempt organizations, sign up for the EO Update, an e-newsletter delivered directly to your inbox at www.irs.gov/charities. For information about maintaining your tax-exempt status, filing dates and requirements, go to the IRS web-based training program, www.stayexempt.org.
SBA
Details Money Available in American Recovery & Reinvestment Act
The Arkansas District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration held a
public meeting recently to inform small business owners in
Arkansas District Director Linda Nelson urged Arkansans not to panic as she
detailed the resources available in the new legislation. Responding to a
question from North Little Rock Mayor Patrick Hays, Nelson said perhaps the
biggest "hook" of the ARRA is the temporary elimination of the
"upfront guaranty fee," which is assessed on the guaranteed portion
of a small business loan and paid to the small business administration.
Typically the lender adds the fee into the amount that is borrowed so that it
is financed over the term of the loan, Nelson said. "But that's money
that they can now borrow and keep in the business instead of giving it back
to us," she added. The fee usually starts at about 1.5 percent and
climbs with the amount of the loan.
Since the ARRA passed, the SBA has issued 21 loans in
The SBA hopes the measure will encourage lenders to extend more capital to
small businesses.
The ARRA provides $375 million to bankroll the temporary suspension of the
fees. While many of the tools are temporary, the SBA expects the changes to
the 504 Certified Development Company program to be permanent. The change
gives the SBA the power to refinance existing loans for fixed assets.
Other Tools
The ARRA creates a new loan program to provide deferred-payment loans up to
$35,000 to small businesses that need money to make payments on existing,
qualifying loans. The legislation allocates $255 million for such Business
Stabilization loans.
The ARRA also expands the SBA's Microloan program, which provides loans up to
$35,000 and technical assistance to small businesses. The legislation
provides $30 million to increase the amount of loans made. The bill also
raises the maximum contract that the SBA can cover on a guaranteed surety
bond from $2 million to $5 million. The ARRA provides $15 million for that
section. The ARRA also provides $25 million for staffing up to meet demands
created by the new programs.
Nelson also advised small business owners to communicate with its employees. They may have good suggestions on cost-cutting that will prevent layoffs, Nelson said. Nelson said that though small businesses may not have participated in the causes of the recession, they nevertheless are feeling the effects. "When growth is achieved on the coattails of greed, it can't be sustained," Nelson said. But some good can come from the difficult economy, she added. "In the past, recessions have spurred the growth of existing small businesses and the development of new ones."
For more information on how to participate in such programs, contact the Arkansas District Office of the SBA through its Web site, www.sba.gov/ar, or contact Nelson directly at (501) 324-7379 ext.225 or at Linda.nelson@sba.gov.
Register Today For The AEF’s Clean Air Act Seminar
When: Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Where:
Who Should Attend
& Why? Anyone currently dealing with air emissions, air toxics, or industrial
development will want to attend. Plant managers, maintenance and
environmental managers, state and local regulatory agency professionals, and
local government officials will take valuable knowledge with them to apply to
their professional responsibilities and also be able to help others in their
communities better understand how state and federal air pollution programs
work and how they are enforced. This year the speakers focus on recent
changes to the State Air Permitting rules.
How Much: $200 for AEF members before April 17; $250 for AEF
non-members before April 17. All registrations submitted after close of
business on April 17 will be charged an additional $25.
And What About a Room Block? A small block of rooms has been
reserved at the Hilton at a special discounted rate of $88 Single/Double
through March 29. You must mention that you are with the AEF when you call to
book. You can call the Hilton direct at (501) 664-5020.
And CEUs? Up to 7 hours of
Continuing Education Units in various fields have been applied for. Check
back with us closer to the workshop to see which have been approved.
How Can I Find Out More? The workshop’s agenda has been posted on the AEF’s website here.
Or contact the AEF staff at 501-374-0263 or Communication Director Jamie Oliver at joliver@environmentark.org.
Welcome to Our New Members
Thanks to the following companies and organizations that have recently joined the State Chamber/AIA:
AAR Aircraft Services-Hot Springs
All Computing Net Inc.
Augusta Area Chamber of Commerce
Brenner Distributing, Inc.
Critter Control of
Maple Leaf Canvas
QualChoice
Southern Coaches Inc.
SpeasTech, Inc.
Your Extra Specialties, Inc.
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.
Chesapeake Energy, Inc.
Cox Communications
Tyson Foods, Inc.
XTO Energy, Inc.
PEAK
Arvest Bank
AT&T Arkansas
CenterPoint Energy Southern Gas
Electric Cooperatives of
FedEx Freight - East
Georgia-Pacific Corporation
Kraft Foods
Oaklawn Jockey Club
Southern Bancorp, Inc.
Southwestern Energy Company
State Farm Insurance
Verizon Wireless
Windstream Corporation
CROWN
Acxiom Corporation
AEP Southwestern Electric Power
Albemarle Corporation
Alcoa Inc.
American Greetings Corporation
Arkansas Oklahoma Gas Corporation
Bank of the Ozarks
BP America, Inc.
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
McKee Foods Corporation
Metropolitan National Bank
Nabholz Construction Corporation
Nucor-Yamato Steel
OG+E
Petrohawk
Philander
Potlatch Forest Products Corporation
Rheem Air Conditioning Division
Riceland Foods, Inc.
Signature Bank of
Stephens, Inc.
Storm Cat Energy
The Clorox Company
The Trane Company
US Bank
Waste Management
Weyerhaeuser Company
Wright Lindsey & Jennings
Calendar of Events
April 10 State Chamber/AIA Office closed
For Good Friday
April 20 State Chamber/AIA Board Meeting
Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel
April 20 50th Annual
Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel
May 6 Small Business Council Meeting
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Conference Room
May 8 Maximum Impact Simulcast Leadership Conference
7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
May 13 State Chamber/AIA Board Meeting
10 a.m.
State Chamber Conference Room
May 13 New Member Luncheon
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
State Chamber Conference Room
May 21-22 Leadership
June 2
June 2 Nineteenth
Annual
Small Business Awards Luncheon
June 25-26 Leadership
June 26 Leadership
Graduation
August 12 State Chamber/AIA Board Meeting
10 a.m.
State Chamber Conference Room
August 12 New Member Luncheon
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
State Chamber Conference Room
October 19 State Chamber/AIA Annual Meeting
State Chamber/AIA Board Meeting
DoubleTree Hotel
