Fort Smith CEO Group Wants Dealt Into The Discussion

Active CEO leadership groups in central and northwest Arkansas have pushed those regions to the forefront of the state's economy.  Add Fort Smith to the list of those wanting to emulate that success.

The City Wire reports on a new initiative to engage CEO leadership in the Fort Smith region to push for several important agenda items. Fort Smith has been hit hard in recent years with the loss of its manufacturing base and efforts to regain its footing have been in development for some time.

The newly formed Fort Smith Regional Council wants to push for 3 primary goals:

• A 12-foot channel in the Arkansas River to boost commerce
• Entrepreneurship initiatives
• Improved education coordination

The regional effort also aims to work with similar counterparts in central and northwest Arkansas.

“The good news is the communicating has started. We’ve had a lot of meetings with the Northwest Arkansas Council on what they're doing. I think a goal or objective that's happening right now, that has never happened in Fort Smith before, is we have an open door for communications (with other CEO groups), and we're beginning to go down the road to a working relationship with the Northwest Arkansas Council,” Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce President Paul Harvel tells The City Wire.

“Also, we will be visiting soon — can’t say when — with the CEO group in Little Rock. I think there are going to be some major things all three of these groups can work on,” he said.

Read more here.