Last month, the CCED Team attended the annual Arkansas Economic Developers and Chamber Executives (AEDCE) Conference in Jonesboro, AR. While there, we attended informative panels, listened to engaging speakers, strengthened existing partnerships and built new ones.
Each member of the CCED Team reflected on their time at the conference. Read on for their main takeaways:
From Shelby:
“If you want to be successful, you need to look like the places where decision-makers live.”
This statement kicked off the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce “#ChambersSoWhite” session at the Arkansas Economic Developers and Chamber Executives 2021 conference. During the session, Chamber staff members (Cecilia Elliott, Corey Parks, Leo Cummings III, Adena White, and Brad Lacy) shared information about the City of Conway and why it was important to their organization to intentionally recruit diverse staff members (and why it’s important for all organizations to look at their staff and determine if it’s reflective of the diverse citizens in their own communities).
I felt this session was important because it held a mirror to the realm of CED in Arkansas and asked, “Do we reflect who we serve?” The fact is that, according to that latest census data, the 2020 U.S. population was more racially and ethnically diverse than measured in 2010. And yet, not enough progress has been made within leadership in our communities and organizations in creating diverse, equitable, and inclusive (DEI) workplaces and spaces. The Conway Chamber staff shared their personal reflections (as Black CED professionals) and prompted the (primarily white) audience to focus on understanding, connecting with, and respecting people who are different from themselves. They hit the nail on the head when sharing, “We must be more intentional about diversity and inclusion.” Overall I felt this session was needed during the conference and created a space for participants to share, learn, and consider ways to create those DEI focused spaces and places.
From Dylan:
My biggest takeaway from the conference was just how much the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the chamber and economic development profession and how it can serve as a kind of reset for chambers moving forward. We heard from a speaker named Kyle Sexton who is an author and consultant that focuses on chamber membership and marketing strategies. Sexton advocated for a rebuilding of the chamber membership model that involved multiple price points and an increased focus on creating relationships with members instead of being purely transactional. Sexton also offered a special Q&A session where participants were encouraged to share their challenges and pain points as a chamber executives in a disruptive economic environment. Sexton offered advice on how best to move forward in those situations and allowed for discussion between participants to create connections between folks at the conference. It was interesting for me to hear what chamber executives are struggling with and I now feel that I have a better understanding of what they’re dealing with day-to-day and how we can better serve them and their communities in our work
From Emily:
The session I found most interesting was a panel discussion about the rise in remote work. Especially since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, more companies are transitioning all employees and functions to a work from home or remote work format. Panelists included Mike Harvey of Northwest Arkansas Council, Clint O’Neal of Arkansas Economic Development Commission, and Alan More of Ritter Communications, moderated by JD Lowery of Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas.
Something the panelists emphasized were the opportunities for population growth offered by remote work. The idea of “live here, work anywhere”. If workers are no longer tied to an office, they can live and work wherever they please, even in an entirely different state. As such, a movement has emerged to encourage remote workers to make the move across state lines. States like Missouri, Oklahoma, and yes, Arkansas now offer remote work incentives, even including cash offers. Remote work offers not only great opportunities for workers, but for economic development as well!