Harvel resigns AEDC position

Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce President Paul Harvel resigned last month as a member of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission to focus more on chamber work and job recruitment.

The 16-member commission helps govern Arkansas’ economic development agency and oversees bonds and loans issued under the state’s Industrial Revenue Bond Guaranty Law. Each member of the commission is appointed by the Arkansas Governor, and typically serve 4-year terms.

“I resigned at the last meeting, because I need to be and I’m going to be much more involved in economic development. Sometimes being on the commission makes people think you have an inside track, but you really don’t,” Harvel said.

He explained that being a commissioner can take 2-3 days a month, “and I really need those days to concentrate more on chamber work.”

On Tuesday (April 19), the office of Gov. Mike Beebe announced that Shelby Moore of Batesville will serve out Harvel’s term, which ends Jan. 14, 2012.

There were other AEDC commission appointments and reappointments announced Tuesday.
• Joe Black or Newport was reappointed to a term that expires Jan. 14, 2015.
• Stuart Darymple of Searcy was appointed to a term that expires Jan. 14, 2015. He replaces Franklin McLarty.
• Ed Drilling of Little Rock was appointed to a term that expires Jan. 14, 2015. He replaces John Burkhalter.
• Steve Edwards of Marianna was reappointed to a term that expires Jan. 14, 2015.
• Mike Roberts of Little Rock was reappointed to a term that expires Jan. 14, 2015.

Harvel said the decision to step down was made easier because Chester Koprovic and Lee Webb Jr. are members of the commission.

Koprovic, first appointed to the commission by Gov. Mike Huckabee, is board chairman of Boyd Metals, B&C of Fort Smith and Kopco Inc. Boyd Metals is a metal service company with offices and operations in Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. B&C and Kopco are metal fabrication and welding operations in Fort Smith.

Webb is chairman of the Sebastian County Democratic Party and co-owner of Economy Trailer in south Fort Smith. He earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business from the University of Arkansas. He lives between Fort Smith and Greenwood.

The commission terms of Koprovic and Webb expire Jan. 14, 2014.

“We have Lee and Chester there, so we still have two from Fort Smith … and they represent us well,” Harvel said.