UAFS Launches Center for Economic Development

Governor Asa Hutchinson Speaks at the Grand Opening of the Center for Economic Development

Chancellor | Featured | News | Business and IndustryApril 27, 2022

UAFS Launches Center for Economic Development

Written By: Rachel Rodemann Putman

Against a technicolor backdrop of painted grain silos and bright blue skies, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson waxed poetic about the state of workforce development, economic investments, technology, and industry in the River Valley, and he noted the integral role the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith Center for Economic Development will play in continuing that legacy for years to come.

“These are incredible times that we’re living in,” Hutchinson said, “And it really goes to the heart of what’s happening here in the River Valley. This center is the first of its kind in Arkansas, and I’m extraordinarily proud that this innovation is here in this community.”

The university hosted a grand opening celebration and ribbon-cutting for the center, which will serve the River Valley as a destination for workforce and personal training, planning, and advising through the Center for Business and Professional Development, Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center, and the Family Enterprise Center on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, at the Bakery District.

“Let me tell you, Arkansas has its share of great entrepreneurs,” Hutchinson continued, “People who are willing to go out and invest capital, and to take risks because they want more in life. They want to create jobs; they want to be their own boss. That’s the spirit of America, and it’s reflected in the River Valley and this center that will be key in helping shape those entrepreneurs and providing them support.”

The governor noted that 64 percent of new jobs created across the country each year are created by small businesses, calling them the lifeblood of a community. “Fort Smith is growing; you can feel it in the air and in the leadership that’s here.”

Center for Business and Professional Development director Kendall Ross discussed seeing the vision of the space come to life. Together, the three centers hosted within the CED serve every level of employer and employee in the River Valley.

Dr. Terisa Riley, Chancellor, spoke about her first days in Fort Smith nearly three years ago, and a trip with Vice Chancellor Blake Rickman to, what she called a really "cool" space.

“The truth is, I don’t think what we did here is exactly what Bill Hanna or the Hanna Group conceptualized in this space when we walked through in 2019,” she said, describing a space more focused on retail and industry. “But when we walked through, I said, ‘What if all of that starts because of what we do in this space? What if it grows and becomes something you could never have even conceived before we had this place?’”

“What we hope to achieve here is that the visionary people of Fort Smith, who start with a concept in their minds, will have an opportunity to learn how to create business plans and marketing plans, will learn how to get loans and be trained on almost every conceivable aspect of the business, right here,” she continued. “And guess what? It’s really cool. Everyone wants to be here.”

In addition to Riley, Ross, and Hutchinson, speakers included Michael Barr, chair of the UAFS Board of Visitors; Dr. Latisha Settlage, dean of the College of Business and Industry; and Bill Hanna, secretary of the UAFS Foundation Board and president of Hanna Oil and Gas.

The center had a soft opening in January of 2022 and has since provided solutions for more than 250 individuals and 23 different organizations in the Bakery District. On Wednesday, more than 300 guests filled the space – embarking on site tours and learning about the wide array of offerings housed within the space.

To learn more about the Center for Economic Development, visit: https://uafs.edu/ced/index.php

Upcoming events at the Center for Economic Development include:

Tuesdays May 3, 10, and 17, 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Lean Six Sigma - Yellow Belt Certification ($359)

Center for Business & Professional Development at The Bakery District

You will learn to improve productivity and processes through this foundational Lean Six Sigma training. This course will cover key tools and concepts such as the Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control (DMAIC) methodology, data collection and measurement techniques, how to display visual data, lean analysis tools (including fishbone diagram, 5 Whys, 5s/6s, Poka-Yoke), brainstorming, process improvement results assessment, documentation, and introduction to Lean leadership and Lean culture.

Register for this event here.

Wednesdays, May 4-25, 8 a.m. to noon

GRIT: Workplace Leadership Series ($359)

Center for Business & Professional Development at The Bakery District

Week 1 – Behavior Styles & Communication. Learn to identify personal strengths and weaknesses to lead more effectively. Includes a personality profile assessment.

Week 2 – Performance Management. Learn how to motivate others and how to use consequences to produce needed results.

Week 3 – Coaching. Learn coaching skills that will enhance your ability to be a partner for success and the five-step method to create loyalty-building coaching meetings.

Week 4 – Workplace Compliance. Learn how certain management behaviors create liability for the organization.

Note: Attendance at the first session is mandatory to continue the series.

Wednesdays, May 4-25, 1 – 5 p.m.

FOCUS: Workplace Leadership Series ($359)

Center for Business & Professional Development at The Bakery District

Week 1 – Strategic Planning, learn to build a strategic plan that engages your workforce to win together.

Week 2 – Goal Setting. SMART Goals, learn how to set your goals up for success by building an effective development plan.

Week 3 – Project Management. Introduction to Project Management. Learn tips and tools to be a successful project manager.

Week 4 – Time and Deadline Management. Understand how to manage your time to get the most out of yourself and your team.

Register at: FOCUS: Workplace Leadership Series

Wednesdays, May 4-25, 1 – 5 p.m.

ELEVATE: Workplace Leadership Series ($359)

Center for Business & Professional Development at The Bakery District

Week 1 – Ethics in the Workplace, learn to define your ethical framework to make solving ethical dilemmas easier and provide tools you can use when faced with ethical decisions.

Week 2 – Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the Workplace, learn how to help a diverse collection of individuals and generations work as a team by identifying potential challenges and areas of common ground. Week 3 – Dealing with Workplace Conflict, learn what conflict is, how it can escalate, and ways to manage conflicts to enhance productivity and performance.

Week 4 – Workplace Communication, learn the skills necessary to communicate via professional email, business documents, and public speaking. These skills will boost confidence, making you an effective communicator.

*Registration must be received by April 27*

Thursday, May 12, 5:30 p.m.

Black Small Business Panel

ASBTDC at The Bakery District

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UAFS Launches Center for Economic Development