2005 SMALL BUSINESS PERSON OF
THE YEAR
John Shepherd’s Work
Ethic Called "Awesome"
The customer is number one. The
customer is always right. Customer service is our main goal.
John Shepherd’s adherence to these common,
but effective, adages led to his being selected as The Chamber 2005 Small
Business Person of the Year.
Wanda V. Neal, The Chamber’s chair of the
board, presented Shepherd the award at the Small Business Breakfast kicking off
Business Expo on May 5.
Expressing his appreciation, Shepherd
attributed the success of Shepherd Florist and Greenhouses, Inc., to his wife,
Cindy; his parents, Corrine and Albert; his sister, Connie Shepherd Kitchens;
his family and the business’ outstanding staff.
"With a work ethic that is called ‘awesome,’
our Small Business Person this year sets an extremely high standard for us all,"
Neal said. She cited his work for many community organizations that have
benefited from Shepherd Florist’s support through the years.
A native of Pine Bluff, Shepherd has worked
in the family business for 30 years since receiving a degree in horticulture
from the University of Arkansas. Prior to graduating, he spent nine months on a
work exchange program at Hamburg, Germany.
Shepherd Florist, which just celebrated its
59th year in business, is a Top 500 member of Teleflora and also a member of the
Arkansas Florist Association, the Society of American Florists and FTD.
Cindy McClanahan Shepherd, his wife, is the
bookkeeper for Shepherd’s. Their daughter, Brooks Shepherd Evans is a physical
therapist at Jonesboro and their son, Lee, is a student at Ouachita Baptist
University at Arkadelphia.
“John Shepherd and his family go above and
beyond what is expected. He is a pleasure to do business with both on a
professional and a personal level. He believes that the customer should be happy
and will make certain that this is the case,” according to the one nominating
Shepherd.
ALLIANCE
INTRODUCES TWO NEW
PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS
New video touts White Hall
and Pine
Bluff
 Promotion
of Jefferson County as a viable site for business and
industry to locate, grow, and create new jobs took a
bold step to the future on April 27. A joint press
conference at the Economic Development Alliance of
Jefferson County (“The Alliance”) unveiled collaborative
endeavors of several Jefferson County organizations.
Alliance President & CEO
Jim Crider introduces the new video on Pine Bluff/White
Hall and the new Pine Bluff/White Hall Business Guide.
Carl Whimper, director of public relations/sports
information, speaks on behalf of UAPB, during the video
and business guide rollout. A new video on computer CD
and DVD along with a publication on “Starting A Business
in Pine Bluff and White Hall” combine to tout the
qualities of Pine Bluff-White Hall and the ease of
conducting business in Jefferson County.
The video component
introduces such essential area mainstays as: business
and industry; NCTR Lab & The Bioplex; the
Pine Bluff Arsenal; educational facilities; quality of
life; and various attractions & amenities.
Please click
here to see a list of credits for the video.
The book on “Starting A Business In Pine Bluff and White Hall . .
. . Building
Blocks for Success” brings to fruition an 18-month cooperative project
between The Alliance and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff –
Economic Research and Development Center. The publication serves as a guide to help current and prospective
business owners to start, grow or relocate within the progressive cities of Pine
Bluff and White Hall. The Publication Project Committee includes: Jim Crider,
Rhonda Dishner and Mary Williams – The Alliance; and Henry Golatt and Jeffrey
Pulliam – University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Economic Research and
Development Center.
In announcing Jefferson County’s newest collateral materials for
promoting economic development, Jim Crider noted: “These finished products
represent the combined efforts of literally hundreds of people over the past 18
months. In today’s world, smaller metro areas like ours simply cannot compete
effectively in the attracting jobs without a synergistic approach to
marketing.”
Crider went on to also acknowledge ARCOM Video Productions for
their excellent work in writing and producing the video.
2005
BUSINESS EXPO
Thanks to our
2005 Business Expo Sponsors!
|
Expo Event
Sponsors |
Table Sponsors |
|
Exhibitors Workshop – Pine Bluff Convention and
Visitors Bureau
Exhibitors Social – ALLTEL
Small Business Breakfast –
Simmons First National Bank
VIP Premiere & Grand Prize – PBNB
Taste of Pine Bluff – Burger King
Business Social – Bank of America |
Central Moloney, Inc.
Jefferson Regional Medical Center
Planters Cotton Oil Mill
Mayor Carl A. Redus, Jr.
Spann and Associates
Grace Varnell |
Expo Booth
Awards
Most Creative - ATeam/Snelling
 
Utilizing an exciting NASCAR theme,
ATEAM Temporaries/ Snelling Personnel Services captured the award for "most
creative" booth.
Most Informative - Sharing Pine Bluff Tourism
 
Giving a variety of tourist
attractions in our community the opportunity to "show
their stuff", the Pine Bluff Convention and Visitors
Bureau earned the award for "most informative" booth.
Their four booths were shared by the Arkansas Railroad
Museum, the Arts and Science Center for Southeast
Arkansas, The Band Museum and the Old Towne Theatre
Center. They were joined by the booth of Arkansas’ Land
of Legends/Pine Bluff Downtown Development, Inc., which
promoted Pine Bluff’s downtown historical murals.
Business Relations Customer
Service Stars Announced
The 2005 Business Relations
Customer Service Stars were announced at the Small
Business Breakfast at the 2005 Business Expo May 5,
2005.
Click
here for a list of the winners.
Taste
of Pine Bluff Attracts Close to 1,300
View All
Taste of Pine Bluff Photos
Expo visitors experienced a special treat at lunchtime
Thursday as Pine Bluff’s restaurants enticed them to the north arena concourse
for a sampling of their specialties.
For the second
year, Taste of Pine Bluff, sponsored by Burger King, was an inviting feature
of Business Expo from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Pine Bluff Convention & Visitors
Bureau coordinated this event which attracted close to 1,300.
Participating
restaurants included:
|
The Bar-B-Que Hut
Bonanza Steak House
Burger King
Enchanting Memories by Birdye
Finley’s Restaurant
Frizielle’s Fish “N” Stuff
Granny’s Kitchen Restaurant |
Las Lomas Mexican Restaurant
Mallard Express
Mother’s Soul Food
Papa John’s Pizza
Red Lobster
Rib Shack Restaurant
Western Sizzlin |
JRMC
Health Fair at
Business Expo
A variety of health screenings
were available for Expo visitors on May 5. Located on the south concourse of the arena, the JRMC Health Fair featured a variety of booths also offering health information.
The Health Fair included:
CHAMBER OFFERING UAPB/SEARK COLLEGE TRANSFER
SCHOLARSHIP
The Greater Pine Bluff Chamber of Commerce, working
in collaboration with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Southeast
Arkansas College, is accepting applications for its $4,000 Two-Year Transfer
Student Scholarship.
The academic
scholarship will be awarded to any graduate of SEARK College who is transferring
to UAPB.
The graduate must
have completed his/her Associate of Arts Degree in teaching (AAT) or Associate
of Arts Degree in general studies (AA) in the academic transfer program. In
addition, Associate of Applied Science Degree students can be considered for
this scholarship with the understanding that all technical hours may not
transfer. However, preference will be given to the AA and AAT graduates
The scholarship
will be paid directly to UAPB for partial payment of the student’s tuition at
the rate of $1,000 per semester for four semesters. The deadline for submitting
an application for the scholarship is Wednesday, June 1.
In September 2004,
The Chamber’s UAPB/SEARK College Committee coordinated its third Scholarship 5K,
attracting 175 participants and netting funds for scholarships. The third annual
5K is planned for the fall of 2005.
Scholarship
criteria and an application are available at The Chamber at 510 Main Street. For
additional information, contact The Chamber at 870-535-0110.
SIMMONS
FIRST CEO OPENS NASDAQ STOCK MARKET
Marking 20 years
 J. Thomas May, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Simmons First
National Corporation, presided over the opening bell at The NASDAQ Stock Market
at New York City on March 30.
The occasion celebrated the 20th anniversary of Simmons First being
listed on The NASDAQ Stock Market. The ceremony included Simmons First’s
corporate name and logo displayed on the seven story tall MarketSite Tower at
the corner of 43rd Street and Broadway, Times Square, New York.
May was introduced and welcomed by Bruce Aust, executive vice
president of NASDAQ. Joining May on the podium for the ten-second countdown and
opening bell ceremony were Robert C. Dill, executive vice president of the
Marketing Group; Barry L. Crow, executive vice president and Chief Operating
Officer; Bob Fehlman, senior vice president and Chief Financial Officer and
Lawrence Fikes, vice president, Marketing Group.
Simmons First National Corporation, founded
in 1903, is a $2.4 billion financial holding company with eight community banks
in Pine Bluff, Lake Village, Jonesboro, Rogers, Searcy, Russellville, El Dorado
and Hot Springs, Arkansas. The Company’s eight banks conduct financial
operations from 75 offices, of which 73 are financial centers, in 42
communities.
ARKANSAS MILL SUPPLY
CELEBRATES 100TH ANNIVERSARY
 The
staff of Arkansas Mill Supply celebrates! Arkansas Mill Supply has been serving
industry since 1905. That was the year Brown & Brothers of Camden, a hardware
and mill supply company owned by Edward M. Brown, merged with Camden Machinery
and Supply to create Camden Hardware and Mill Supply Company. In 1912, eyeing a
location more central to the lumber industry and a bustling rail center, owners
of the business moved to Pine Bluff, and the rest—as they say—is history. The
company now has additional locations at Little rock, Fort Smith, Rogers and
Texarkana.
 Arkansas
Mill Supply—a family owned Pine Bluff company—marked its 100th anniversary on
May 6. City and county officials, friends and colleagues joined the family in
celebrating with a barbecue lunch and displays by their vendors. The day began
with a ribbon-cutting event that included The Chamber’s Redcoats. Those marking
this special event were Vice President-Sales Bobby Wade (from left), Kayla
Cheatwood, Vickey Warriner, Jim Parker, Susan Cole, Pine Bluff Mayor Carl Redus,
Jr., company President Cliff Cheatwood, Chair of the Board Pat Brown, Jefferson
County Judge Jack Jones, Buster Crook, Sherry Desy, Kandy White and Leon
Crumblin.
KINDER MORGAN ENERGY PARTNERS ANNOUNCES
$245 MILLION TERMINAL ACQUISITION
The Pine
Bluff-Jefferson County Port Authority Board of Directors was pleased to learn
that Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. has purchased seven bulk terminal
operations from Trans-Global Solutions, Inc. (TGS) for approximately $245
million. Kinder Morgan provides contract terminal management (and
stevedore) services at the Port of Pine Bluff Public Terminal. The transaction
took place on April 11, 2005.
“It’s gratifying to know that
Kinder Morgan, a $27 billion corporation, is continuing to grow and to thrive as
a dynamic part of the U.S. economy Jim Crider, president & CEO at The Alliance,
said. “This recent acquisition by KMP, although out-of-state (Texas), bodes well
for the Port of Pine Bluff because of the potential for residual “spin-off” that
can occur within the KMP corporate structure as a natural part of doing
business—particularly with regard to our tank farm.”
SISSY'S LOG CABIN RECEIVES GOVERNOR'S
FAMILY FRIENDLY EMPLOYER AWARD
Congratulations!
Sissy’s Log Cabin is the silver
winner in the 2005 Arkansas Governor’s Family Friendly Employer Awards. The
family owned and operated jewelry and antique store has been serving customers
from Pine Bluff, Arkansas and nationwide since 1970.
Arkansas Business and
Little Rock Family featured the company in a publication on the award
winners. “Our employees have been with us a
long time, most of them more than 10 years, and they are truly like our family.
We love them and they take great care of us,” Bill Jones, president, says in the
publication.
The company was recognized through
the program presented by the Arkansas Department of Human Services.
ARKANSAS SCHOLARS PROGRAM
PRESENTED TO AREA EIGHTH GRADERS
 Barbara Dunn of Southeast Arkansas College
explains the Arkansas Scholars program to eight grade students at the Pine Bluff
School District’s Jack Robey Junior High School. She and Joe Blanks of PBNB were
among about 25 volunteers who talked with more than 300 students at Robey on
April 5. Chamber volunteers are visiting the county’s five school districts and
St. Joseph Catholic School to encourage students to become Arkansas Scholars—a
four-year program that emphasizes high academic standards and work ethic.
MINORITY/WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR SURVEY
The Minority/Women Business Network was established to
increase business opportunities for minority and women
entrepreneurs in the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County area.
The Committee has developed a business plan, which includes a
list of strategies and objectives. One of our
strategies is to address challenges that minority/woman
business owners face. To determine what those
challenges are, the committee developed a short
questionnaire for minority/women business owners to
complete to assist in developing additional strategies
to address those challenges.
See the
survey here.
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