Stribling Group Surprised by Bush?s Decision to Tour Facilities

President George W. Bush visited Northwest Arkansas on Oct. 15 and stopped by the Stribling Group in Rogers to promote the importance of small business to the American economy.

The Stribling Group, which consists of Stribling Packaging Inc. and its new marketing and design arm Juiced Creative, received word in early October the President wanted to visit.

Stribling Group president Bill Stribling Jr. said he had “no earthly idea” Bush would be interested in making his company a featured part of his trip to Arkansas.

“All we were told was that we were being considered for a visit,” Stribling tells us. “I was as surprised as anybody.”

The Secret Service arrived a week before Bush’s visit to begin coordinating all the protocols, Stribling said, and was very conscientious about not interrupting normal business for his 100 employees. Stribling was able to run two shifts per day up to the day before Bush arrived.

Stribling Packaging, founded in Rogers in 1984 by Bill Stribling Sr., is a leading producer of corrugated retail displays and Juiced Creative opened July 31 offering branding and design services to clients who previously only came to Stribling for cardboard.

Stribling had revenue of around $20 million in 2006 and is expecting to grow to $25 million to $30 million in fiscal 2008.