Harvel: Community, chamber growth reason for new ‘program of work’

Paul Harvel told a crowd of more than 200 members of the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce that the organization will soon be more involved in the world around it if they get more involved in the chamber.

Harvel, hired April 16 as the new president of the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce, recently told The City Wire that his goal is to redirect the chamber staff, boost membership, increase the chamber committees and get chamber membership more involved in economic development, governmental affairs and other key chamber functions.

The group, gathered Friday morning (Aug. 7) for the First Friday breakfast series in the Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, listened to a brief presentation from Harvel about some of the key areas he hopes to change and the ways the members may get involved. Harvel told the members his goal was to have the new “program of work” in place by January.

Harvel explained that when he first was hired as president of the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, the organization had very little money. The chamber staff implemented an aggressive program of work and when he left the Little Rock job more than 20 years later, the organization had $10 million in assets. Because of that experience, Harvel told the Friday crowd that financial and community success will follow if the Fort Smith chamber implements an aggressive plan.

The Fort Smith chamber has growth opportunity. Harvel noted that the Springdale chamber, working in a city with a population of 66,881, has nine staff members and an annual budget of roughly $1.3 million, whereas the Fort Smith chamber in a city of 84,375 has eight staff members and a budget of $1.01 million.

Harvel said a general membership meeting is planned for 7:30 a.m., Sept. 25, at the Holiday Inn City Center in Fort Smith. At that meeting, committee chairs will be named and broad directions will be considered. Between Sept. 25 and Dec. 11, Harvel said the committee chairs, chamber members and chamber staff would hammer out details on the programs of work in the different areas.

What follows — in no particular order — are some of the key areas Harvel mentioned.

ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES
Terms for board officers have been changed from two years to one year, and the chamber’s fiscal year and officer terms will now run from January to December. Previously, the chamber’s fiscal year began in October. Also, the chamber president now answers to the full board and not just the executive committee.

New committees formed will include business development, membership and marketing services, governmental affairs and education and health.

Harvel also announced a new phone number of the chamber: 782-1111. He said the old phone number (783-6118) will still connect for a few more months.

GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
Harvel said the chamber must “do more to get involved” in governmental affairs, especially in letting members of Arkansas’ Congressional delegation know where the chamber stands on important issues.

The chamber and a delegation of members should make two trips each year to Washington, D.C. to lobby on behalf of issues/projects important to the regional business community, Harvel advised. He said one trip should be with the annual trip coordinated by the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, and another should be a trip focused on Fort Smith issues.

Harvel also said an active governmental affairs effort would see the chamber building better connections with other cities in Arkansas, and supporting their important projects. He said the Fort Smith chamber’s recent endorsement of the Bella Vista Bypass project — part of the overall effort to build Interstate 49 through western Arkansas — in Northwest Arkansas is an example of that support.

“I’m a believer that that (supporting other communities) will come back to you. I really do,” Harvel said.

BUSINESS/ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Previously, chamber members looked to the chamber staff to lead economic development efforts. The chamber staff is now looking to chamber members to help in that effort. Harvel announced Friday a prospect development plan that encourages chamber members to forward information about companies the chamber should recruit to the area or help expand in the area. He said two calls from chamber members helped the Little Rock chamber recruit two companies that brought more than 1,100 jobs to central Arkansas.

“I don’t care how large or how small (the number of jobs), give us your lead,” Harvel said.

The chamber has created the Paul Latture Sr. award — named after the Fort Smith chamber president who brought many manufacturers to Fort Smith in the 1960s and 1970s — to be given to the person who provides the best lead of each year.

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
Harvel also wants to reengage an effort to connect with young professionals and help young professionals in the area to connect to each other. He cited a young professionals group in Boise, Idaho, as an example of success, and said the chamber will work with area groups to learn from the example. Several years ago the Fort Smith chamber helped launch the Young Emerging Leaders, but the activity and membership of that group has declined in recent years.