We want to thank each and every one of you who pitched in to help rocket the 2023 Career Expo to the heights of success! 100+ local employers and organizations ignited an exhilarating day of vibrant career and higher education exploration for 3,000+ Freshman scholars.
Check out more photos here --> https://bit.ly/3MMtdga
The 2023 Career Expo extravaganza, presented by AT&T, is part of the Academies of Central Arkansas' innovative teaching and learning model, currently sparking minds in the Jacksonville North Pulaski School District, Little Rock School District, North Little Rock School District, and Pulaski County Special School District.
If your organization is interested in getting more involved, just fill out this form: https://lnkd.in/gSVjg4Hv
On Halloween weekend, Leadership Greater Little Rock Class XXXIX participated in the annual LGLR Retreat at Mountain Harbor Resort and Spa sponsored by VSC Fire & Security, Inc.
Class members began the retreat by taking a deep dive into their personality types to learn how to communicate with others in the most effective manner. In keeping with tradition, volunteers from the Leadership Greater Little Rock Alumni Association cooked an incredible dinner for the class to enjoy as they continued their learning and fellowship through this program.
If you want to apply for the opportunity to participate in next year’s class, please contact the LGLR Executive Director, Kellen Davis, at kdavis@littlerockchamber.com to be notified when the Class XL application goes live in April 2024.
WE'RE HIRING! Do you have a desire to connect with and support our community businesses? We'd love you to be a part of our team.
Learn more about our career openings here: https://www.littlerockchamber.com/o/lrrc/page/chamber-careers
HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Our #TastyTuesday Halloween costume contest was chock-full of fascinating characters! We had everyone from Morticia Addams to the mysterious Women in Black and even a cheeky Little Debbie treat. Talk about a tough decision! But the crowd's heart was stolen by the one and only Princess Peach, who walked away with a nifty gift card from our generous host, Town Pump.
Thanks to everyone who came out to enjoy a delicious lunch and a few rounds of karaoke!
You can keep up with all our events by bookmarking our online calendar --> https://www.littlerockchamber.com/events
GET READY! Join us on Wednesday, December 6, for the Little Rock Regional Chamber’s 158th Annual Meeting, presented by Saracen Casino.
We are proud to present Scott Ford, Co-Founder and CEO of WestRock Coffee Company as our featured speaker. Scott will share about the company’s success and economic impact both here in our community but also nationally and internationally and how the company worked to make a local coffee roaster a global success story.
This event is open to everyone who wants to join in the celebration of achievements, resilience, and opportunities of our region’s business community. You can expect an energizing mix of networking, distinguished speakers, and the opportunity to learn more about Metro Little Rock and what's on the forefront. We hope to see you there!
"There is failure that damages you and there is failure that defines you."
Kristi Casey, President and CEO of Rock Dental Brands, shared some of her biggest failures and accomplishments with us today at the 2023 Women's Business Luncheon, presented by PDC Construction, Inc. She stressed that you need to "create and commit to your own core set of values to avoid catastrophic failure."
Emcee Dawn Scott helped lead the dynamic conversation with Kristi in front of 300 attendees.
We want to thank our Platinum Sponsor, Leadership Foundation for Women, and Gold Sponsors, Baptist Health, Dassault Falcon, Wright Lindsey Jennings.
Thanks to PDC Construction, Park Plaza and Celebrity Attractions/LR for providing amazing door prizes.
Leadership Greater Little Rock Class XXXIX held its first session of the year in early October, the Leadership Challenge. This session is facilitated through the ExCEL Leadership Program at The Vines Center (Arkansas 4-H Center) and sponsored by Baptist Health.
Class members spent the morning participating in various team-building activities, including conquering the Team Wall. The afternoon portion of the session presented the class with the option of either the High Ropes Course or Rock Climbing/Giant’s Ladder. These activities were the perfect way for the class members to begin their LGLR journey and take their leadership skills to new heights.
If you want to apply for the opportunity to take on the Leadership Challenge in next year’s class, please get in touch with the LGLR Executive Director, Kellen Davis, at kdavis@littlerockchamber.com to be notified when the Class XL application goes live in April 2024.
Would you like to increase the opportunity for your minority or woman-owned business to sell products and services to the State of Arkansas? Then grab your lunch, jump on your computer, and "Take A Break and Educate" with us on Tuesday, October 24, as we learn about the Minority and Women-Owned Business Certification.
This is a free webinar, but registration is required --> https://bit.ly/TABEOctober
Karen Castle with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission will discuss the 4-step guide to certification, alternative routes, benefits, etc. Certification benefits include notification of training events, workshops, networking opportunities, and educational possibilities, in addition to increased opportunities.
#TakeABreakandEducate #AEDC #minorityownedbusiness #womanownedbusiness #virtual
Get excited! We are thrilled to extend an invitation to you and your team for our highly anticipated, yearly Women's Business Luncheon. This fabulous event, brought to you by PDC Construction, is happening on Thursday, October 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
This year we are honored to have the phenomenal Kristi Crum, President and CEO of Rock Dental Brands, delivering our keynote address. Don't miss out on this extraordinary opportunity!
Purchase your tickets here: https://bit.ly/LRRCWomensBusinessLuncheon2023
❗ ❗ ❗ Mark your calendars, business buffs! This Wednesday, October 11, we're hosting an Equip Small Business Series, "Meet the Lender" at the Chamber between 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. The U.S. Small Business Administration is extending an invitation to you to rub shoulders with local lenders and gain insights about various funding options designed exclusively for your small business!
This session is exclusively for Chamber members and guess what? It's completely FREE! Plus, we'll be serving coffee ☕ to keep your energy levels soaring! Don't miss out!
PLEASE REGISTER HERE: https://bit.ly/EquipOctober2023
Equip sessions are presented by Delta Dental of Arkansas.
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN! Join us in November for the 2023 Academies of Central Arkansas Career Expo. Last year more than 3,000 scholars were able to visit with more than 85 organizations and we need your help to make this year's event even BIGGER and BETTER! There's no cost to participate.
Space is limited so register now: https://lnkd.in/gjVQdyrK
This event provides every freshman student in the Jacksonville North Pulaski, Little Rock, North Little Rock, and Pulaski County Special School Districts the opportunity to engage in hands-on learning experiences with business partners, right here in Central Arkansas.
The final deadline to register is October 13th.
The Metro Little Rock Alliance released today a video series focused on targeted industries for economic development recruitment. The videos will be used to market to economic development prospects with the goal of attracting investment and jobs to the region.
Check out the first installment of this series, the Central Arkansas regional overview video: https://youtu.be/Y8wNshBxpJI
#MLRA #economicdevelopment #investment
Join us for Serve the Rock 2023 on Thursday, October 5th from 5 to 7 p.m. at Dickey-Stephens Park. This is a great opportunity for our non-profit members to showcase their work and recruit volunteers in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.
Non-profit organizations can register at no cost for a booth here --> https://lnkd.in/gYMJ7uNq
And for the second year, you’ll be asked to vote on your favorite backyard foods in our Battle of the Banks Backyard Grill Off!
Are you a business that wants to take the “Little Rock Loves” pledge? Contact Stacy Wilson at swilson@littlerockchamber.com for more information on how to be a part of a larger community initiative in 2024.
Are you ready to practice and perfect your pitch? Join us for Equip: "Practice Makes Perfect" Pitch Workshop on Wednesday, September 13th, from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. at the Little Rock Regional Chamber, presented by Delta Dental of Arkansas. You'll get expert advice from Ar'Jillian Gilmer, the 2021 Next Level Pitch Competition Winner and owner of Gilmer's Learning Solutions, LLC.
It's free to register --> https://bit.ly/468d0Jj
This workshop will be beneficial for business owners looking to grow and professionals wanting to boost their career confidence. Your pitch is a critical component of the development and growth of your company or organization.
This is part of the programming for Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week. See the full schedule here: https://bit.ly/MEDWeek2023
We would like to express our gratitude to Rex Nelson from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for moderating our discussion today alongside panelists Gabe Holmstrom, Executive Director of the Downtown Little Rock Partnership, Gina Gemberling, President & CEO of the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau, Merritt Dake, President, CEO/Founder of One Health as well as our very own President and CEO, Jay Chesshir.
Today’s discussion on the future of Downtown Little Rock answered questions about the Downtown Master Plan, Tourism Master Plan, the future 15-acre downtown park resulting from the 30 Crossing project and much more.
Power Up Little Rock is hosted by the Chamber and presented by Arvest Bank. This quarterly series highlights important economic development trends, issues and developments within the region and the state.
HAVE YOU HEARD? Congratulations to our Vice President of Economic Development Jack Thomas on being elected Arkansas State Director for the Southern Economic Development Council, North America's oldest and largest regional economic development association.
Read more: https://bit.ly/3qJ3PAc
Forgive us for blushing! 😚 Livability just named Little Rock one of the Top 25 Best Places to Live in the Southeast.
"This thriving community is large enough to offer residents all the mainstays of modern life without sacrificing its historically tight-knit community feel, making it one of the best places to live in the Southeast."
Just another reason to #lovelittlerock!
Read more: https://bit.ly/45jBWhb
We recently completed an industrial workforce study to better understand the regional labor shed to support existing employers and market to prospective companies. The study represented over 6800 employees from 31 companies, showcasing that people from 48 counties commute every day to work at the Port of Little Rock and Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport.
Read more about the study here: https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/aug/28/survey-finds-little-rock-is-attracting-workers/
#economicdevelopment #zipcodestudy #commute
ATTN SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS! Sign up to get invaluable business counseling with SCORE Hours at the Chamber! https://lnkd.in/gZBqAPKx
🆓 There's no charge for mentoring services
💼 You don't have to be a Chamber member
⌛ Takes place every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., in thirty-minute increments
📅 Appointments are REQUIRED!
Certified SCORE Mentors will provide confidential business counseling and can assist at all levels, from initial idea to exit strategy.
Congratulations to MetRock Forward investor ACE Glass on its announcement to build a glass recycling plant, creating 30 new jobs. Special thanks and congratulations to our regional economic development partners at the City of North Little Rock, AR - for their work on this project.
Read more: https://lnkd.in/dvi9AHcB
