IEC director search halted; program under review

Two early supporters of Fort Smith’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center are disappointed in the struggle to hire and retain a program director, and they hope talk of re-energizing the program becomes more than just talk.

The IEC, which opened in 2007, is a joint effort of the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce and the city of Fort Smith. The IEC was created to help foster innovative ideas, inspire new production development, assist entrepreneurs, build and strengthen businesses, and encourage youth to think entrepreneurially.

DIRECTOR RETENTION
Keeping the program moving forward with a director has been a struggle.

Michelle Stockman was hired in April 2007 as the first IEC director, but resigned in November 2008 when hired by Little Rock-based Arkansas Capital Corp. to help implement entrepreneurial programs statewide. It wasn’t until June 2009 that UAFS officials — who by then had control the program — hired Nick Remy to direct the IEC.

But Remy, concerned that the program was becoming more academic than entrepreneurial, left the post in June 2010.

Finding a new director has now stalled, with UAFS sending letters dated Feb. 17 to applicants informing them that “the position will not be filled at this time.”

PROGRAM REEVALUATION
UAFS Chancellor Paul Beran said the university and other IEC partners are re-evaluating the need and purpose of the IEC.

“We are seriously and significantly reevaluating the position so that the IEC does not end up doing the same work as the SBDTC, which our area is already served by,” Beran said in an e-mail response to The City Wire.

The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center is based in Little Rock and has six other offices around the state that serve geographic regions. Fort Smith is in a nine-county region (Conway, Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Pope, Sebastian, Scott and Yell counties) served by an office at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville.

“My conversations with members of business, manufacturing, banking, and healthcare support this scrutiny in conjunction with the City and Chamber,” Beran continued. “The next step is a more formal bringing together of stakeholders and local area experts to clearly and specifically define not only the position but the real level of support needed for the position to have true impact.”

STILL NECESSARY
Craig Pair, president of Fort Smith-based Control Technologies, was an original IEC board member and early champion of the IEC program. He now serves as chairman of the Small Business Development council of the Fort Smith chamber.

“Yes, I still think it’s necessary. I know that they’ve put it off and put it off, and that’s disheartening,” Pair said when asked if the IEC should continue.

Pair said UAFS is probably the best place for the program because it has the resources. However, he is concerned about the influence a university might have on what is supposed to be a flexible, innovative organization.

“Academics aren’t always the best people to provide entrepreneurial help. … You can read about business all day long, but until you go out there and lay it on the line, you don’t have a clue. You’d be surprised at how things can go wrong or go different,” Pair explained.

START OVER
Stockman shares Pair’s concern about the academic influence, and has mixed feelings about the IEC status. She is pleased Beran and others want to reassess the program, but is frustrated it’s not been active during a tough economic period when entrepreneurial support is most needed.

“At this point, they are going to have to start all over again like it is a brand new entity. And that would be the best way to approach it. Give it a new name and everything. Just start over,” Stockman advised.

Continuing, Stockman said: “I am more frustrated at the region overall. They say they want to do entrepreneurship, but they don’t support it at end of the day. … The economy has not helped either. There have been a few distractions. But in a down economy, that’s the time we should have had this in place with some strength.”

CITY, CHAMBER SUPPORT
Fort Smith City Administrator Ray Gosack said the city is willing to help restart the program.

“I think it’s important. That’s why we had a two-hour meeting about it three months or so ago because we recognized it wasn’t working as well as it had in the past,” Gosack said.

Initial ideas include “adjusting the focus” and moving the physical location off campus, Gosack said.

“There was talk that maybe we focus on the business that has started up, has met with some success and are really ready to grow their business and take the next steps,” he said.

The city budgeted $50,000 for the program in 2010 and 2011, but did not spend the money, Gosack said.

The chamber also wants to keep the IEC alive.

“It is very important. There is no doubt in my mind about that. And I think it’s important to get it restarted the right way,” said Chamber President Paul Harvel.

IEC AUTONOMY
Stockman’s opinion of a correct restart includes conducting “an entrepreneurial assessment of the community.”

“What do we have here? What do we need? What do they (entrepreneurs) need? And we should look at emerging markets. Do we have the right people here for that?” Stockman said.

She also suggested UAFS spend more time fostering entrepreneurship teams to compete in state and national competitions. She said that effort has been almost dormant in the past 3-5 years.

As to the location? Stockman believes form and function is more important.

“It shouldn’t look like a university program, that’s for sure,” Stockman responded when asked about where the IEC should be located. “Ultimately it (location) doesn’t matter, as long as the IEC has autonomy to do what’s right for the entrepreneurs.”