Three months ago during the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual spring retreat, our staff spent time brainstorming and dreaming about the upcoming year. Little did we know that a few short weeks later everything would change. Our retreat discussion was centered around planning, executing, articulating and delivering value to members, not “social distancing,” “PPE,” or “antibody testing.” Had we known what was ahead of us, we would have been brainstorming, dreaming and planning differently.
The Chamber, like many of you, is evolving to meet the needs of our members, becoming more creative, and reimaging how we deliver content. This year’s Outlook Conway will look different as we transition from an in person event to a virtual experience. Although presented in a nontraditional way, the level of quality content that you would expect will remain the same. Online visitors will have access to firsthand information from local, regional and nationally recognized speakers.
The last quarter of 2019 brought three major economic development announcements to our community. Those projects continue to move forward and will help lead the community into the future as they hire hundreds of new employees. DXC Technology announced a 1,200 person expansion in October that will take their total headcount to over 1,600. These technology jobs will provide robust growth to the professional and business services sector of the local economy. SFI of Arkansas announced a 75-person expansion to increase their footprint in Conway. The steel fabricator has been a longtime tenant of the Conway Industrial Park and demonstrates the importance of existing business and industry to the growth of the local economy. In December, Structulam announced a strategic partnership with Walmart and the location of their first U.S. manufacturing facility in Conway. The mass timber company will bring 130 new jobs to the $90 million facility, and Walmart becomes a client as they provide product for the new Bentonville headquarters complex.
In spite of the impact COVID-19 has played in the community, the City of Conway continues to invest in infrastructure. Donaghey Avenue is a critical spine in the central part of the city, and the City and Conway Corporation, our local utility, are in the midst of an ambitious reconstruction of that corridor. The project includes three roundabouts and bike and pedestrian infrastructure. When coupled with more than $100 million in investment at the University of Central Arkansas and Conway Regional Health System, the Donaghey Avenue corridor project will change the landscape of Conway forever and could become a model for a beautifully-designed, safe and functional urban street.
A critical piece of the local economy is our construction industry. As home of Nabholz Construction, the city has a long history of producing talented craftsmen with the ability to tackle large and complicated projects. The local construction industry is diverse with nearly 350 businesses represented in the sector. Other strong, local, commercial contractors like Car-Son, Corco, and Salter add to the industry’s impact on the local economy as they complete projects throughout the state and region. With nearly 3,000 employees the construction industry generates $140 million in local payroll annually.
We continue to be bullish on Conway and Arkansas despite recent events. There is increasing debate about what post-pandemic life looks like and some believe we will see a movement of people to areas like Arkansas. If true, Conway stands ready to welcome new residents and businesses as we continue investing in infrastructure, quality of place and a diversified economic base. We invite you to see for yourself.
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