By Janie Pritchett-Clark
SB Howard & Company provides benefits claims processing and adjusting services for self-insured companies. Known in the industry as a third party administrator, S.B Howard & Company has been in service in Northwest Arkansas for nearly 30 years. A third party administrator (TPA) is an organization that processes health claims. TPA’s handle claims processing traditionally handled by an insurance company. A self-funded (self-insured) company acts as its own carrier, undertaking its own risk and controlling its own benefits.
“Self-insuring your benefits is not for every company,” says Leesa Davis, owner of SB Howard & Company in Rogers. “It is good a fit for companies who have an exemplary concern for their employees’ benefits and a tenacious desire to control their expenditure in acquiring them.”
Why consider self-insurance?
“Being self-insured allows you to create benefits that are more suited to your specific group of employees,” explains Davis. “You’ll have a better understanding of what you are paying for – in detail. Your benefits can be specific or general, and reporting on use can be as detailed as needed. You will be able to adapt quickly to the marketplace, economics and staffing, and make changes that reflect those needs with immediacy. Your benefits evolve as your company evolves.
“Self-insurance is a risk,” Davis adds, “but one that can be calculated.” For many CEOs, CFOs or HR Directors considering the self-insured approach, detailing the right solution requires getting down to the nitty gritty of balancing risk with service.
The typical SB Howard client is a company of 150-plus employees and a human resource department continually saddled with the task of cutting health benefit costs. When CFOs realize, for example, that as a fully insured company they leave as much as $1 million on the table in three to five years, they often see how self-funded benefits can move them more adeptly into a secure future.
“That’s often how the conversation begins,” Davis explains. “It’s their money. They want control over how it’s spent and how well it’s spent.”
As a TPA, Davis and her team excel in providing an environment of integrity, accuracy and respect for every individual on their clients’ team. “Service is the only thing we sell,” she says. “Our service must add value to be of value.”
The challenge of employee and health care benefits today is in distilling the myriad of options and variables into a cost effective and care resplendent model both employer and employee can understand. In order for companies to seek and find the right solution, they need solid information and a sound strategy. They need a platform that is relevant and actionable for their employees.
The TPA is instrumental in defining that platform, but there are as many different methods as there are TPAs, Davis warns. To be effective, your TPA methodology needs to merge effortlessly into your accounting, so looking at how accounts are created will be essential – a good question to ask of any prospective firms.
“Be sure to ask about claims turnaround time, the number of dedicated processors and their degree of experience. Who will handle customer service, how and when it is available to your employees? How is the TPA revered among local providers and what relationships do they foster? What training do they provide clients and their employees? How are items reported and how often?” These are all important to the success of the TPA client relationship.
SB Howard & Company handles many aspects of employee benefit plans, including health, dental, vision, and Workers’ Compensation. Most employee benefit plans have highly technical aspects and specialized administration that make a TPA more cost effective than processing in house. At SB Howard & Company, a team of ten is dedicated to this service. Both the VP of Claims and VP of Workers’ Compensation have over 20 years experience in their field.
“The benefits solution doesn’t always have to be a decision of passing on costs or absorbing them,” says Davis. “Self-insuring is a way for employers to have a great deal of flexibility and control at the same time.”
Friday, June 26, 2009
NWA Business Conference & Expo
By Janie Pritchett-Clark
This year’s NWA Business Conference & Expo has morphed into something extraordinary. Combining two events into one – the Business Conference and the Business Expo – the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce has pooled contacts and connections to offer an event they call world-class, August 6.
This year’s event is a partnership with the Arkansas World Trade Center and the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal, and the Small Business Council at the Rogers-Lowell Chamber, and a number of familiar sponsors -- Sam’s Club, Your Community Phone Book, Cox Communications and Cherokee Casino.
Although still in the works at press time, conference plans call for seminars and presentations that cover three main areas: Small Business, General Business and International Business. The Expo will showcase more than 100 area businesses.The events and scheduling for the event were designed to accommodate busy business people of all industry and company size, with tickets ranging from $20 to $45. Admission to the Expo and After Hours, which is sponsored by Biz2Biz Northwest Arkansas are free.
Need inspiration in these trying times? Keynote speaker, Clyde Fessler, is not to be missed. Fessler is the former VP Business Development for Harley-Davidson Motor Company. His story is about marketing turning a company on the brink of bankruptcy into what has become one of the most recognized brands in the world.
Also held during lunch is the awarding of the Small Business of the Year, presented by the Small Business Council. This award goes to one of the 10 businesses previously honored as Small Business of the Month. Businesses that show exemplary stewardship in the community or workplace are recognized during the year. Considered for this year’s award are Chick-fil-A, The Job Guide, General Heating & Air, Back to Health Chiropractic, PROClean, Bradford Nursery, Rick McLeod-Farmers Insurance, ARtech PC, World Garden, and Cameron Smith & Associates.
While still under construction, information on tickets, all-access passes, booths, sponsorships and details will be available at www.NWABusiness.org. Or contact the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce at 479-636-1240.
This year’s NWA Business Conference & Expo has morphed into something extraordinary. Combining two events into one – the Business Conference and the Business Expo – the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce has pooled contacts and connections to offer an event they call world-class, August 6.
This year’s event is a partnership with the Arkansas World Trade Center and the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal, and the Small Business Council at the Rogers-Lowell Chamber, and a number of familiar sponsors -- Sam’s Club, Your Community Phone Book, Cox Communications and Cherokee Casino.
Although still in the works at press time, conference plans call for seminars and presentations that cover three main areas: Small Business, General Business and International Business. The Expo will showcase more than 100 area businesses.The events and scheduling for the event were designed to accommodate busy business people of all industry and company size, with tickets ranging from $20 to $45. Admission to the Expo and After Hours, which is sponsored by Biz2Biz Northwest Arkansas are free.
Need inspiration in these trying times? Keynote speaker, Clyde Fessler, is not to be missed. Fessler is the former VP Business Development for Harley-Davidson Motor Company. His story is about marketing turning a company on the brink of bankruptcy into what has become one of the most recognized brands in the world.
Also held during lunch is the awarding of the Small Business of the Year, presented by the Small Business Council. This award goes to one of the 10 businesses previously honored as Small Business of the Month. Businesses that show exemplary stewardship in the community or workplace are recognized during the year. Considered for this year’s award are Chick-fil-A, The Job Guide, General Heating & Air, Back to Health Chiropractic, PROClean, Bradford Nursery, Rick McLeod-Farmers Insurance, ARtech PC, World Garden, and Cameron Smith & Associates.
While still under construction, information on tickets, all-access passes, booths, sponsorships and details will be available at www.NWABusiness.org. Or contact the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce at 479-636-1240.
Massage Wellness: Give your people a perk of health
By Janie Pritchett-Clark
There’s more to health benefits than Blue Cross Blue Shield. Healthy employees (and bosses) are people who have learned how to juggle work, family and personal demands on their time, energy and patience.
We’ve long accepted the idea that massage therapy moves mountains of stress in all three areas, and yet, nearly three out of five working Americans are not receiving massage on a regular basis.
What are you waiting for? How about a $25 coupon? Read on.
Healthcare providers are increasingly promoting the benefits of massage to their patients. And consumers are in favor of integrating massage into their healthcare. Sounds like win-win that creates a multi-tasking employee benefit – making your employees feel good and feel good about you.
According to Alicia Kerr, therapist-owner at Massage Wellness in Lowell, the use of massage is growing and the reasons people are turning to massage therapy are expanding. Corporations are looking a massage as a regular employee benefit.
“More and more people recognize it as an important element in their overall health and wellness,” says Kerr, a native of Hawaii and proponent of the unique and unusual Lomilomi style of massage. Kerr promotes ten reasons to receive massage – from reliving pain and stress to improving mental and physical health. Her clients says they love massage to “get away from work, the kids, housework, and take an hour or so just for me!”
Massage Wellness employs three licensed massage therapists: Kerr, Shane, and Monica. Shane also lived in Hawaii and apprenticed with practitioners whose healing craft has been passed on through the generations.
Monica is a transplant from Texas, and like most Texans, aims for a bigger than life experience – namely total and complete relaxation. “My intention is to make a difference in my client’s mind, body, and spirit,” she says.
Kerr was born and raised on the island of Oahu, and grew her roots to massage early. Her grandmother and father were proponents of alternative health as a way of life. Her massage center reflects her heritage of the island.
“Imagine a place where indigenous influences and spa practices from around the world come together to deliver calm relief from the everyday,” says Kerr. While some massages centers deliver with an assembly-line technique, Massage Wellness takes a holistic approach. “Before each session, we freshly blend pure raw, organic coconut and kukui oil,” says Kerr. These oils are known for their curative properties in building up the immune system, energy and soothing aches and pains. She recommends clients add Aromatherapy to their sessions for added benefit.
Try it. Massage Wellness in Lowell is offering a special deal to Biz2Biz readers who book any one-hour Specialty Massage. Mention this and get a $25 discount if you are a new client. Book online with code as Biz2Biz-65 and receive a gift certificate for a clay mask and facial massage or a foot scrub and foot massage – a $65 value! Offer expires August 31, 2009.
There’s more to health benefits than Blue Cross Blue Shield. Healthy employees (and bosses) are people who have learned how to juggle work, family and personal demands on their time, energy and patience.
We’ve long accepted the idea that massage therapy moves mountains of stress in all three areas, and yet, nearly three out of five working Americans are not receiving massage on a regular basis.
What are you waiting for? How about a $25 coupon? Read on.
Healthcare providers are increasingly promoting the benefits of massage to their patients. And consumers are in favor of integrating massage into their healthcare. Sounds like win-win that creates a multi-tasking employee benefit – making your employees feel good and feel good about you.
According to Alicia Kerr, therapist-owner at Massage Wellness in Lowell, the use of massage is growing and the reasons people are turning to massage therapy are expanding. Corporations are looking a massage as a regular employee benefit.
“More and more people recognize it as an important element in their overall health and wellness,” says Kerr, a native of Hawaii and proponent of the unique and unusual Lomilomi style of massage. Kerr promotes ten reasons to receive massage – from reliving pain and stress to improving mental and physical health. Her clients says they love massage to “get away from work, the kids, housework, and take an hour or so just for me!”
Massage Wellness employs three licensed massage therapists: Kerr, Shane, and Monica. Shane also lived in Hawaii and apprenticed with practitioners whose healing craft has been passed on through the generations.
Monica is a transplant from Texas, and like most Texans, aims for a bigger than life experience – namely total and complete relaxation. “My intention is to make a difference in my client’s mind, body, and spirit,” she says.
Kerr was born and raised on the island of Oahu, and grew her roots to massage early. Her grandmother and father were proponents of alternative health as a way of life. Her massage center reflects her heritage of the island.
“Imagine a place where indigenous influences and spa practices from around the world come together to deliver calm relief from the everyday,” says Kerr. While some massages centers deliver with an assembly-line technique, Massage Wellness takes a holistic approach. “Before each session, we freshly blend pure raw, organic coconut and kukui oil,” says Kerr. These oils are known for their curative properties in building up the immune system, energy and soothing aches and pains. She recommends clients add Aromatherapy to their sessions for added benefit.
Try it. Massage Wellness in Lowell is offering a special deal to Biz2Biz readers who book any one-hour Specialty Massage. Mention this and get a $25 discount if you are a new client. Book online with code as Biz2Biz-65 and receive a gift certificate for a clay mask and facial massage or a foot scrub and foot massage – a $65 value! Offer expires August 31, 2009.
nwaMotherlode.com: Local Entrepreneur Taps ‘Word of Mom’ for Business
It’s no secret the mom-to-mom conversations that used to take place over the back fence now occur online. Time constraints mean strong connections are being formed online. This might not be remarkable to business owners, until they realize this: when one plugged-in mother “talks” there are many others in cyberspace who are listening.
Women are making most of the purchasing decisions–not just for themselves or their families, but in business, too. As a current study notes, when women talk to each other, they put a lot of stock in each other’s recommendations. And that can mean financial gains for businesses that earn a positive “word of mom” endorsement.
Recently, Mom Central Consulting, which works with over 100 national brands, surveyed mom bloggers on, among other things, the influence they have over corporate America.
The conversation just keeps grow¬ing. So-called “mom blogs” and Web sites catering to women– like locally-owned nwaMotherlode.com– are part of a growing trend.
A recent New York Times article reported that women-centered Web sites grew faster than every other category on the Web except politics.
“I wanted to start Motherlode because it combined my two passions: motherhood and the Internet,” said Shannon Magsam, co-founder of nwaMotherlode.com, a site based in Northwest Arkansas.
“I was burning the midnight oil reading my favorite bloggers and women-centered Web sites, but there wasn’t a site like Motherlode that catered to women in my community. I wanted to connect women in Northwest Arkansas in a social media setting.”
Magsam, and her business partner, Gwen Rockwood, offer more than an avenue for advertising. NWAMotherlode.com affords businesses a foray into social media through advertising and that coveted mom-to-mom recommendation. The two entrepreneurs discuss local businesses, products and non-profits on the site and all advertisers receive a “welcome to the website” article.
With time a precious commodity, moms enjoy being able to research products and services on the Web and they especially like hearing about the merits from someone like them – another busy business mom.
Women are making most of the purchasing decisions–not just for themselves or their families, but in business, too. As a current study notes, when women talk to each other, they put a lot of stock in each other’s recommendations. And that can mean financial gains for businesses that earn a positive “word of mom” endorsement.
Recently, Mom Central Consulting, which works with over 100 national brands, surveyed mom bloggers on, among other things, the influence they have over corporate America.
The conversation just keeps grow¬ing. So-called “mom blogs” and Web sites catering to women– like locally-owned nwaMotherlode.com– are part of a growing trend.
A recent New York Times article reported that women-centered Web sites grew faster than every other category on the Web except politics.
“I wanted to start Motherlode because it combined my two passions: motherhood and the Internet,” said Shannon Magsam, co-founder of nwaMotherlode.com, a site based in Northwest Arkansas.
“I was burning the midnight oil reading my favorite bloggers and women-centered Web sites, but there wasn’t a site like Motherlode that catered to women in my community. I wanted to connect women in Northwest Arkansas in a social media setting.”
Magsam, and her business partner, Gwen Rockwood, offer more than an avenue for advertising. NWAMotherlode.com affords businesses a foray into social media through advertising and that coveted mom-to-mom recommendation. The two entrepreneurs discuss local businesses, products and non-profits on the site and all advertisers receive a “welcome to the website” article.
With time a precious commodity, moms enjoy being able to research products and services on the Web and they especially like hearing about the merits from someone like them – another busy business mom.
Moxie/Clark Marketing: Putting your best foot forward
“It always amazes me how many businesses step off the curb without ever looking at what’s coming straight at them,” says Janie Clark, a 27-year veteran of the advertising and marketing industry. “I’m convinced they don’t do it out of spite. They do it because they’re deer caught in the headlights on a dark and winding road.”
“That’s more melodrama than anyone needs to deal with,” says Jacqueline Wolven, who partners with Clark on special marketing projects and assignments. Their latest is a strategic marketing plan for small business. “We hope to show small business owners there is another way to approach their marketing that’s smart, strategic, easy to understand and easy to implement.”
Billed as Moxie/Cark Marketing, the two are pairing up to create customized 12-month marketing plans that blueprint marketing activity, sales, budgeting, branding, community relations and web PR.
“The idea has really been a long time coming,” admits Wolven, who works with clients throughout the United States and Canada. “I see smart business owners struggling to make sense of marketing options. They’re too small to be served by traditional advertising agencies and too precious to leave on the side of the road. They are the backbone of our economy, and some of the best-run businesses in the world.”
Jacqueline Wolven brings her corporate skills down to earth for small businesses. With 15 years of experience she is dedicated to the success and economic development capabilities of small businesses by empowering them with smart marketing.
By creating a low-risk offer, Moxie/Clark hope to help business owners cut through the clutter and focus on the things that really matter to their business and customers. Opportunities to stand out from the crowd exist everywhere, and with proper planning, any good business can fill the void between smart business and smart marketing.
“That’s more melodrama than anyone needs to deal with,” says Jacqueline Wolven, who partners with Clark on special marketing projects and assignments. Their latest is a strategic marketing plan for small business. “We hope to show small business owners there is another way to approach their marketing that’s smart, strategic, easy to understand and easy to implement.”
Billed as Moxie/Cark Marketing, the two are pairing up to create customized 12-month marketing plans that blueprint marketing activity, sales, budgeting, branding, community relations and web PR.
“The idea has really been a long time coming,” admits Wolven, who works with clients throughout the United States and Canada. “I see smart business owners struggling to make sense of marketing options. They’re too small to be served by traditional advertising agencies and too precious to leave on the side of the road. They are the backbone of our economy, and some of the best-run businesses in the world.”
Jacqueline Wolven brings her corporate skills down to earth for small businesses. With 15 years of experience she is dedicated to the success and economic development capabilities of small businesses by empowering them with smart marketing.
By creating a low-risk offer, Moxie/Clark hope to help business owners cut through the clutter and focus on the things that really matter to their business and customers. Opportunities to stand out from the crowd exist everywhere, and with proper planning, any good business can fill the void between smart business and smart marketing.
IGS: Awareness Creates Knowledge and Knowledge Creates Change
By CD White
Michael Padurano, Founder and CEO of the International Green Summit, is committed to the principle that Awareness Creates Knowledge and Knowledge Creates Change.
“I like to use capitals for Awareness, Create and Change in that slogan,” Padurano says, “because they are such important words when you stop to think about what needs to happen on a global level. People want to help, but without knowing what they can do and what’s out there, how can we expect anyone to really make a change?”
The philosophy that education should be the driving force behind advancing the Green Movement is in turn the driving force behind Padurano’s concept for the International Green Summit (IGS).
The goal of IGS is to bring together companies, inventors, scientists, and entrepreneurs to showcase the products and technology being developed and introduced today to help create a better tomorrow. The five-day event will be held in Europe, but exact dates, speakers and location will be made known only when all contracts are finalized. Nonetheless, the event already has support from 25 countries and will be simulcast on television and the Internet.
Speakers have been chosen who are charismatic and forward-thinking, and likely to deliver a keynote that will leave an impact. Leaders in the environmental issues sector such as Al Gore, T. Boone Pickens, and others, are possibles.
The IGS project has been a long time dream for Padurano, who has worked tirelessly to build a team with decades of “real world” experience to bring it into fruition.
The International Green Summit is not just a platform for products and services from progressive companies throughout the world. Its underlying, and most important, purpose is to educate the average global consumer about the benefits of joining the “Green Movement” in terms he/she can understand, and help consumers realize how a simple decision to buy environmentally-safe products and services can have a much larger impact than they previously realized.
“Going Green” is more than just a movement; it is a responsibility of every single human being, and every single company worldwide.
Michael Padurano, Founder and CEO of the International Green Summit, is committed to the principle that Awareness Creates Knowledge and Knowledge Creates Change.
“I like to use capitals for Awareness, Create and Change in that slogan,” Padurano says, “because they are such important words when you stop to think about what needs to happen on a global level. People want to help, but without knowing what they can do and what’s out there, how can we expect anyone to really make a change?”
The philosophy that education should be the driving force behind advancing the Green Movement is in turn the driving force behind Padurano’s concept for the International Green Summit (IGS).
The goal of IGS is to bring together companies, inventors, scientists, and entrepreneurs to showcase the products and technology being developed and introduced today to help create a better tomorrow. The five-day event will be held in Europe, but exact dates, speakers and location will be made known only when all contracts are finalized. Nonetheless, the event already has support from 25 countries and will be simulcast on television and the Internet.
Speakers have been chosen who are charismatic and forward-thinking, and likely to deliver a keynote that will leave an impact. Leaders in the environmental issues sector such as Al Gore, T. Boone Pickens, and others, are possibles.
The IGS project has been a long time dream for Padurano, who has worked tirelessly to build a team with decades of “real world” experience to bring it into fruition.
The International Green Summit is not just a platform for products and services from progressive companies throughout the world. Its underlying, and most important, purpose is to educate the average global consumer about the benefits of joining the “Green Movement” in terms he/she can understand, and help consumers realize how a simple decision to buy environmentally-safe products and services can have a much larger impact than they previously realized.
“Going Green” is more than just a movement; it is a responsibility of every single human being, and every single company worldwide.
Applied Ecological Services: Reinvest, Reassemble, Restore
By Janie Pritchett-Clark
“There is a better way,” says Steven Apfelbaum, internationally renowned leader in ecological system restoration and conservation development. “We have to change the way we behave. We have to make better decisions. It’s not more expensive, or more difficult, but it is more complex.”
Making progress in today’s world doesn’t require war with nature, or its domination. It doesn’t necessarily require more money, resources or time. With planning and applied technology, ecological and conservation design principles, the developments we make in our communities can be places of the heart. They can be environments that actually increase ecological functionality, improve public perception and generate award-winning outcomes – all while saving money in the short and long term.
These places of the heart are real. “If you gave the people of your community a heart sticker and a map of the area and asked them to mark their favorite places – their places of the heart – you would see them drawn to parks, open spaces, town squares, rivers and reservoirs,” Apfelbaum says. “You wouldn’t see hearts at buildings, commercial areas or retail centers. These nature places are the glue of our communities.”
As founder, president, and senior ecologist of Applied Ecological Services based in Wisconsin, Apfelbaum has conducted ecological research, designed award-winning projects, navigated regulatory programs and contributed his unique scientific expertise to over 1,500 projects throughout North America and beyond. He has been involved in the industry for over 30 years.
“Back then,” he says, “‘tree hugger’ was the nicest thing people called you.” Today he is a leading ecological consultant who provides technical restoration advice where ecological and land-development conflicts arise.
Apfelbaum, a sought after speaker in environmental event circles, is a featured speaker at the NWA Green Expo. His recently published book, Nature’s Second Chance, is available at Sam’s Club and Walmart. He will be at Sam’s Club in Fayetteville, Thursday, May 7, to autograph copies of the book Publishers Weekly calls a “page-turner for nature lovers.”
“There is a better way,” says Steven Apfelbaum, internationally renowned leader in ecological system restoration and conservation development. “We have to change the way we behave. We have to make better decisions. It’s not more expensive, or more difficult, but it is more complex.”
Making progress in today’s world doesn’t require war with nature, or its domination. It doesn’t necessarily require more money, resources or time. With planning and applied technology, ecological and conservation design principles, the developments we make in our communities can be places of the heart. They can be environments that actually increase ecological functionality, improve public perception and generate award-winning outcomes – all while saving money in the short and long term.
These places of the heart are real. “If you gave the people of your community a heart sticker and a map of the area and asked them to mark their favorite places – their places of the heart – you would see them drawn to parks, open spaces, town squares, rivers and reservoirs,” Apfelbaum says. “You wouldn’t see hearts at buildings, commercial areas or retail centers. These nature places are the glue of our communities.”
As founder, president, and senior ecologist of Applied Ecological Services based in Wisconsin, Apfelbaum has conducted ecological research, designed award-winning projects, navigated regulatory programs and contributed his unique scientific expertise to over 1,500 projects throughout North America and beyond. He has been involved in the industry for over 30 years.
“Back then,” he says, “‘tree hugger’ was the nicest thing people called you.” Today he is a leading ecological consultant who provides technical restoration advice where ecological and land-development conflicts arise.
Apfelbaum, a sought after speaker in environmental event circles, is a featured speaker at the NWA Green Expo. His recently published book, Nature’s Second Chance, is available at Sam’s Club and Walmart. He will be at Sam’s Club in Fayetteville, Thursday, May 7, to autograph copies of the book Publishers Weekly calls a “page-turner for nature lovers.”
UsedCardboardBoxes.com: Trading waste for value
By CD White
What could possibly inspire a successful management consultant dealing with Fortune 500 clients to leave it all behind for the chance to manage the fate of used cardboard boxes? In the case of Marty Metro, Founder and CEO of UsedCardboardBoxes.com, it was a moving van.
“I’d been working with massive technology systems,” explained Metro, “and was dealing with big companies doing multi-million dollar upgrades – but I couldn’t explain to anyone exactly what it was I did.”
Tired of seeing people’s eyes glass over while he talked about his work, Metro had an existential moment. “I realized that if I left the job people wouldn’t even notice – the job would go on – whereas I wanted to do something that mattered.” While pondering how he could use his talents to make a difference in the big picture, Metro noticed a van full of moving boxes while on a trip with his wife and began wondering what happened to all those boxes.
That moment resulted in the birth of UsedCardboardBoxes.com (UCB), a national, earth-friendly technology company based in Los Angeles. The company buys truckloads of quality used boxes above the scrap recycling rate from large companies that would otherwise recycle or toss them. They then sell them to companies and consumers at less than wholesale rate as a low-cost, earth-friendly alternative to buying new.
Using its national infrastructure to buy/sell used boxes by the moving kit, pallet or truckload, UCB diverts valuable cardboard from landfills and prolongs its "life-cycle." This profitable secondary marketplace for used boxes is a perfect example of how US companies can find hidden value in available used products, rather than producing more or throwing away what’s not needed.
UBC works with manufacturers, distributors, retailers and new box makers to “rescue” quality used boxes and any misprints, overruns and/or customer returns. UCB then inspects, sorts and inventories these boxes to be resold at deep discounts on their website. Thanks to a strategic relationship with UPS, UCB offers free shipping on all online moving box orders.
After years of providing technology solutions to major corporations, Metro now applies the same best practices and state-of-the-art technologies to UCB and other companies who have similar values. “Today what keeps me going is that I
What could possibly inspire a successful management consultant dealing with Fortune 500 clients to leave it all behind for the chance to manage the fate of used cardboard boxes? In the case of Marty Metro, Founder and CEO of UsedCardboardBoxes.com, it was a moving van.
“I’d been working with massive technology systems,” explained Metro, “and was dealing with big companies doing multi-million dollar upgrades – but I couldn’t explain to anyone exactly what it was I did.”
Tired of seeing people’s eyes glass over while he talked about his work, Metro had an existential moment. “I realized that if I left the job people wouldn’t even notice – the job would go on – whereas I wanted to do something that mattered.” While pondering how he could use his talents to make a difference in the big picture, Metro noticed a van full of moving boxes while on a trip with his wife and began wondering what happened to all those boxes.
That moment resulted in the birth of UsedCardboardBoxes.com (UCB), a national, earth-friendly technology company based in Los Angeles. The company buys truckloads of quality used boxes above the scrap recycling rate from large companies that would otherwise recycle or toss them. They then sell them to companies and consumers at less than wholesale rate as a low-cost, earth-friendly alternative to buying new.
Using its national infrastructure to buy/sell used boxes by the moving kit, pallet or truckload, UCB diverts valuable cardboard from landfills and prolongs its "life-cycle." This profitable secondary marketplace for used boxes is a perfect example of how US companies can find hidden value in available used products, rather than producing more or throwing away what’s not needed.
UBC works with manufacturers, distributors, retailers and new box makers to “rescue” quality used boxes and any misprints, overruns and/or customer returns. UCB then inspects, sorts and inventories these boxes to be resold at deep discounts on their website. Thanks to a strategic relationship with UPS, UCB offers free shipping on all online moving box orders.
After years of providing technology solutions to major corporations, Metro now applies the same best practices and state-of-the-art technologies to UCB and other companies who have similar values. “Today what keeps me going is that I
What’s Green in Northwest Arkansas?
By Janie Pritchett-Clark
What’s Green in Northwest Arkansas?
Adopting a green lifestyle at home, at business and in your community may be easier than you realize. Companies from one end of NWA to the other are focusing on the green issue, learning to change their choices to help you change yours. Here’s a sample of what we found to be green in Northwest Arkansas.
Green for Your Home
You have the most control over your home environment. These companies and their products can help you make greener choices for your family.
The Home Energy Audit
Jim Jones Construction
Saving 25-50% on energy is a strong motivator behind the Home Energy Audit offered by Jim Jones Construction. Added benefits are many. Homeowners may find a more comfortable living environment, with a safer indoor air quality, and increased home value. An energy efficient home is the quickest and cleanest way to extend our energy supplies. A professional audit will detail the improvements needed to create the energy efficient, green living home.
Green Your Home Loans
IberiaBank (formerly Pulaski Bank)
Financial institutions have traditionally been known as anything but green, but IberiaBank is taking action in Northwest Arkansas to change that perception.
“Consumers and businesses alike share the responsibility to recycle, eliminate wastefulness and minimize resource consumption, but banks have the unique opportunity to combine these efforts with community investment,” says Retail Development Officer/Sustainability Coordinator Keaton Smith.
To help homeowners save money on energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint, IberiaBank now offers “Green Your Home” home improvement loans, along with expertise on the incentives available from government and utilities.
“There are so many ways you can improve the energy efficiency of your home,” Smith says. “Simple things like sealing and caulking around doors and windows or adding more insulation to your walls, attic, and ductwork can reduce energy bills up to 50%.” And with the new federal tax credits (30% of total costs), homeowners see ROI for improvements like solar, small wind, and geothermal systems in less than 10 years.
“Green Your Home loans allow the homeowner to make several types of efficiency improvements, with only one monthly loan payment. We try to structure the loan so you can make loan payments with the money saved on your utilities each month. As energy prices continue to rise, using less energy will become even more important, and efficient homeowners will see even greater savings.”
Come Home to an Organized Garage
NWA Garage Solutions
Did you know the garage is one of the largest, most under utilized rooms in the home? Energy efficiency begins with a look at how well you use what you have. That includes all that clutter in your garage. One solution is NWA Garage Solutions, which specializes in turning a cluttered mess into an organized and efficient room.
The approach is to custom design storage to fit your family’s needs with a variety of cabinets, slat wall, flooring options, accessories and bins. The cabinets are made from recycled materials and the floor coatings are zero VOC. And, unlike others, they don’t use muriatic acid to clean and prep the floor.
With a solution like this, the house you thought too small becomes bigger – just from opening up the storage inside the home because now it fits in the garage. Now you can find it!
NWA Garage Solutions’ service is a four-part process. They start with a consult to identify your needs, measure, and inventory your items. They help with the de-clutter as you sort for reduce, reuse, recycle. They will even make the arrangements needed to haul off discarded and charitable items or schedule storage while the work is being done. Installation is done by a professional team equipped to complete the job in one to three days depending on the size of your garage and the extent of the work to be done. And last but not least, they know you will enjoy the results.
As one customer in Fayetteville says, “NWA Garage Solutions are true professionals in every step of the process. They took the time to develop a plan to not only organize my garage but also take it to the ‘next level.’ Rarely does a week go by that I do not receive a positive comment on my garage.”
Enjoy the Green Inside and Out
Spavinaw Stove Company
Now that warm weather is finally here your family will be enjoying the outdoors with backyard barbecues and gatherings. Spavinaw Stove Company wants you to know there’s a green solution to gas and charcoal grills. Traeger barbecue pellet grills uses the same eco-friendly concept used in pellet wood stoves.
The benefits are many. Using a natural biomass fuel means no fossil fuels of any kind are used in the combustion process. The pellets are made from 100% recycled hardwood sawdust and burn at an extremely high combustion efficiency rate. This means low emissions and a lower carbon footprint. And that means it’s the environmentally responsible way to cook outdoors.
It’s healthier, too, because the in-direct cooking system reduces the fat and charring thought to cause cancer. The hardwood smoke created by the pellets produces anti-oxidants similar to Vitamin E.
By partnering with hardwood furniture manufacturers, Traeger adds economic value to materials that were once considered “waste” and in the process creates new business, products and jobs.
With Father’s Day just around the corner, it’s time check out your options. Spavinaw Stove Company is a well-established dealer for stoves, fireplaces and vents from high-quality manufacturers like Harman, Traeger, Lopi, Buck and FPX. They use NFI certified installers and service technicians and have earned a reputation that garners them happy, loyal customers.
Green for Your Health
Take care of the planet. Take care of yourself. There are many ways to do both, many of which we are learning first-hand and for the first-time at this event. Eat, sleep and be well may well be the Green adage of the 21st century.
Sleep Better, Sleep Healthy, Sleep Natural
Mountain Air Natural Beds
Did you know most mattresses have a planned obsolescence of five years? Most people will toss and turn uncomfortably on it for another four and half years before they give in and shop. In the meantime, their mattress could be adding to a myriad of health issues such as allergies, arthritis, stiffness or knee, back and hip pain.
Mountain Air Natural Beds has a green solution you may want to consider. They are the only place in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri to carry an all-natural, organic, latex mattress. Toxin free, the SavvyRest mattress is better for people with health issues, and is designed to provide unmatched comfort for decades. The label reads 96% natural rubber, 2% organic cotton and 2% organic wool. You can’t get much greener than that.
Joyce Robertson is the owner of Mountain Air Natural Beds. “We spend 20 to 25 years of our lives in bed. Why spend two-thirds living healthy and one-third on a toxic synthetic mattress?” she asks. “Latex provides a healthier and more restful sleep environment. Your pillow is 20% of your sleeping comfort. Organic pillows are incomparable in quality and comfort.”
Latex is a natural hypoallergenic, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, dust mite resistant material that comes from the sap of the rubber tree. The SavvyRest brand carries the coveted “Rated Greenest” from National Geographic Green Guide and the Confidence in Textiles standard tested for harmful substances.
As a trend Robertson sees more people moving to organic and natural bedding, and matching it with green and organic items for the bedroom as well as the entire home. From pillows to toppers, sheets and robes, organics are taking hold – and Mountain Air Natural Beds carries them.
Customer satisfaction is key, says Robertson. “Our attention to the health needs of our clients is a relationship, not a transaction.”
Green for Your Business
Making green choices in the workplace can be an economic consideration that proves sustainability equals profitability. Global leaders like Wal-Mart have recognized the value of sustainability on every business front – from pleasing consumers to gaining profits -– and are proving such practices as advantageous rather than a burden. No matter your business size, consider adopting sustainable practices wherever you can. You can start by forming a group of dedicated employees, loyal customers and company leaders to serve as your sustainability committee to research and recommend green practices for your business.
Choose Green Hospitality When You Travel
Holiday Inn & Suites
The Holiday Inn & Suites in Pinnacle Hills is one of the prototype inns designed to be the perfect convergence of tradition and innovation for the 21st century business and leisure traveler. The hospitality industry has begun to encourage hotels, resorts, motels, and bed and breakfast facilities to implement environmental initiatives and cost-saving green practices to conserve energy, reduce water consumption, protect air quality, reduce waste, and participate in environmentally preferred purchasing.
Holiday Inn & Suites has taken the challenge and has an on-going sustainability approach, starting with all fluorescent lighting, hotel and room recycling, and low water usage.
The new Holiday Inn & Suites is the NWA Green Expo Hospitality Sponsor and features all two-room suites, complimentary WIFI throughout the property, onsite restaurant and lounge, indoor pool and spa, excellent location, versatile meeting space and many more amenities.
Bring Your Peanuts to PostNet
PostNet Village on the Creeks
Every year, millions of pounds of used packing peanuts end up in landfills. The solution in NWA? Designated an approved collection center, PostNet at the Village on the Creeks in Rogers can now accept those unruly peanuts from customers ready to reduce, reuse, recycle.
“We’re always looking for ways to be more green and we know our customers are, too,” says Manager Chad Burghart. Peanuts are reused in the their day-to-day shipping operations.
Be sure to sift through them thoroughly before you bring them in to make sure you haven’t missed something valuable. “Like the heirloom ring Aunt Gertrude sent you,” says Burghart.
If you want to be extra helpful, separate biodegradable and non-biodegradable peanuts before dropping them off. Don’t mix the two, even though both types are reused. To tell which is which, float a sample in water. If the sample dissolves, it’s biodegradable – made from a vegetable derivative; non-biodegradable otherwise.
“At PostNet, we see it as part of our social responsibility to promote a healthy and environmentally balanced business community,” says owner Phil Swope. “PostNet is constantly striving to reduce the impact of our business on the environment.”
PostNet encourages good stewardship of natural resources at its HQ and stores nationwide by recycling paper, toner cartridges, packing supplies and office electronics.
Going Green in the Tradeshow World
Big Hats Consulting
Promoting your business at tradeshows with an eye on green is getting easier. The 2009 exhibitors show in Las Vegas was testament to the industry’s efforts, where new and sustainable products are emerging. Tradeshow expert Ken Abernathy attended and came back to Northwest Arkansas with a bevy of eco-options.
Among his favorites were:
• eco-friendly banner stands made from bamboo, with recyclable graphics
• corrugated exhibit frames made from recycled materials
• eco-crates for environmentally friendly shipping to the expo site
• mini brochures designed to highlight information but use one-quarter of the standard-sized brochure
• flash drives that eliminate printing and shipping altogether, and put copious amounts of information right in the attendees’ pocket
• LED lighting options to replace heat-hog halogens
• creative designs in lightweight aluminum frames and fabric graphics
• expo bags made from recycled juice boxes
• booth-sized carpets made from recycled soda bottles
• eco-friendly rental programs for infrequent show-goers. Rentals could save one-third to one-half the cost, which means going green also saves you green
Technology and Computer Solutions for Northwest Arkansas
Dozier Technologies Group, Inc.
Software is one of the easiest ways to improve your company’s sustainability scorecard. Automating simple tasks and putting them on the Web can save paper, time, labor and energy, all of which save you money.
If you are looking for software specific to your industry or company’s needs, Dozier Technologies can help. “We work by listening and understanding your needs, then translating our understanding into an application that accomplishes everything you ask for at an affordable price,” says Business Development Manager Nicole Lynch.
“Our flagship software applications include Atlas, a retail analytical tool for vendors and suppliers; Orbit, a point-of-sale solution for franchise and small- to medium- sized business owners; Orbit Life, a simple, easy to use e-commerce solution for anyone; ampTickets, an e-ticketing solution for entertainment venues; and Portal, a construction document management and distribution solution.”
Dozier Technologies Group, Inc., was formed in 2001 with the vision of offering enterprise level custom software development and technology at a small business price. All of their applications are Windows-based for an intuitive user interface, and Web-based for mobility and sustainability.
Green for Your Community
Taking green to the municipal level is an exciting endeavor of leaders from everywhere in the community – from patriots and politicians, to retired CEOs and youths fervent about protecting the world they live in. Take time to participate in activities that educate, build and promote better community.
‘Green’ Bank Blooms
Arvest Bank
Arvest Bank broke ground on its first LEED-certified bank branch in March 2008, and celebrated its opening on Earth Day 2009. This new 8,080 sq. ft. branch on Joyce Street in Fayetteville is the first LEED-certified prototype branch for Arvest, although its predecessor’s have many of the required sustainability practices in place. The branch utilized many LEED practices with regard to water, light, site landscaping, construction, building systems, compliance and training, air quality and construction waste recycling.
Sustainability Spotlight Promotes “Live Green”
KNWA
If you haven’t seen the “Sustainability Spotlight” on KNWA, detour to their website at nwahomepage.com to catch up on some incredible innovation right here at home.
The feature airs Tuesday at 10 p.m. and spotlights – with award-winning caliber production – local, national, and global sustainable initiatives from Wal-Mart and its vendor and supplier community.
“What we really enjoy talking about with these companies are the innovations. Every day a new idea is born that can grow into something that changes the way we look at the industry,” says Mike Vaughn, KNWA General Manager.
“One of the unique and amazing aspects of living in NWA is how many people in our community make decisions that have large environmental impact,” says Brook Thomas, KNWA News Anchor. “Something that can be seen through this series is how small steps can have big impact. A decision about a few millimeters of plastic can equal tons of waste not winding up in a landfill.”
The Sustainability Spotlight, presented by Walmart, stemmed from the station’s Live Green series that began in April 2008. According to Sarah Hickman, Innovative Projects Coordinator at KNWA, they wanted to help educate, advocate and activate viewers to do their part in taking care of the environment, and live in greener, healthier communities.
“As we contemplated the success of the program, we began to look for ways to extend the initiative,” says Hickman.
The Sustainability Spotlight series serves to educate viewers on what local, national, and global companies are doing to be green; how even the smallest acts can achieve monumental results; and bring corporations a platform where they can use sustainability to educate, inform, and serve the community.
Go Green: Working to Produce a Five Star Environment
Names and Numbers
Recycling your outdated phone books is great way to participate in greening our community. Just take them to your city’s recycling center. Names and Numbers is an active participant in the recycle, reuse, reduce approach and partners with companies that also serve similar goals.
In creating their phone books, Names and Numbers uses low basis weight paper to reduce fiber consumption. They used recycled materials, including recycled paper and soy-based inks. They recycle their aluminum printing plates and use non-hazardous solutions and glues.
At Names and Numbers, plastic wrap and boxes are reused, as are office supplies that can find another life. They reduce their impact on the environment by proofing their job on-screen, eliminating paper use and ink, and printing close to the market to help conserve fuel in transportation.
Conservation from Arkansas to Africa
The Nature Conservancy
You may not know their work, but you’ve been influenced by it. The Nature Conservancy is the world’s largest non-profit conservation organization. It spans 50 states and 34 foreign countries, pulling together more than one million like-minded members.
Since its founding in 1951, the Conservancy has worked to create a sustainable planet where natural habitats and human communities coexist. Their drive is a world where natural resources are renewable, plentiful and secure.
Since opening an Arkansas office in 1982, the Conservancy and its supporters have helped protect more than 250,000 acres of natural lands and waters in the Natural State. Today the Arkansas program owns or manages 36 nature preserves of more 22,000 acres.
“The Nature Conservancy is committed to working with a wide array of partners in conserving the natural landscapes of Arkansas – places that provide habitat for plant and animal species and places that keep the environment healthy for people,” says Tim Snell, Associate State Director for Water Resources based in Fayetteville.
“In Northwest Arkansas, the Conservancy is particularly active to keep the streams of the Ozark Highlands clear, clean and healthy. The Conservancy has a team of experts in karst – or cave – conservation, which includes the protection of groundwater. These programs combined help keep the state's water clean for present and future generations.”
The Nature Conservancy is the organization responsible for what has become the Hobbs State Park-Conservation area, along with many other favorite spots throughout Northwest Arkansas. Take a look at nature at nature.org/arkansas
What’s Green in Northwest Arkansas?
Adopting a green lifestyle at home, at business and in your community may be easier than you realize. Companies from one end of NWA to the other are focusing on the green issue, learning to change their choices to help you change yours. Here’s a sample of what we found to be green in Northwest Arkansas.
Green for Your Home
You have the most control over your home environment. These companies and their products can help you make greener choices for your family.
The Home Energy Audit
Jim Jones Construction
Saving 25-50% on energy is a strong motivator behind the Home Energy Audit offered by Jim Jones Construction. Added benefits are many. Homeowners may find a more comfortable living environment, with a safer indoor air quality, and increased home value. An energy efficient home is the quickest and cleanest way to extend our energy supplies. A professional audit will detail the improvements needed to create the energy efficient, green living home.
Green Your Home Loans
IberiaBank (formerly Pulaski Bank)
Financial institutions have traditionally been known as anything but green, but IberiaBank is taking action in Northwest Arkansas to change that perception.
“Consumers and businesses alike share the responsibility to recycle, eliminate wastefulness and minimize resource consumption, but banks have the unique opportunity to combine these efforts with community investment,” says Retail Development Officer/Sustainability Coordinator Keaton Smith.
To help homeowners save money on energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint, IberiaBank now offers “Green Your Home” home improvement loans, along with expertise on the incentives available from government and utilities.
“There are so many ways you can improve the energy efficiency of your home,” Smith says. “Simple things like sealing and caulking around doors and windows or adding more insulation to your walls, attic, and ductwork can reduce energy bills up to 50%.” And with the new federal tax credits (30% of total costs), homeowners see ROI for improvements like solar, small wind, and geothermal systems in less than 10 years.
“Green Your Home loans allow the homeowner to make several types of efficiency improvements, with only one monthly loan payment. We try to structure the loan so you can make loan payments with the money saved on your utilities each month. As energy prices continue to rise, using less energy will become even more important, and efficient homeowners will see even greater savings.”
Come Home to an Organized Garage
NWA Garage Solutions
Did you know the garage is one of the largest, most under utilized rooms in the home? Energy efficiency begins with a look at how well you use what you have. That includes all that clutter in your garage. One solution is NWA Garage Solutions, which specializes in turning a cluttered mess into an organized and efficient room.
The approach is to custom design storage to fit your family’s needs with a variety of cabinets, slat wall, flooring options, accessories and bins. The cabinets are made from recycled materials and the floor coatings are zero VOC. And, unlike others, they don’t use muriatic acid to clean and prep the floor.
With a solution like this, the house you thought too small becomes bigger – just from opening up the storage inside the home because now it fits in the garage. Now you can find it!
NWA Garage Solutions’ service is a four-part process. They start with a consult to identify your needs, measure, and inventory your items. They help with the de-clutter as you sort for reduce, reuse, recycle. They will even make the arrangements needed to haul off discarded and charitable items or schedule storage while the work is being done. Installation is done by a professional team equipped to complete the job in one to three days depending on the size of your garage and the extent of the work to be done. And last but not least, they know you will enjoy the results.
As one customer in Fayetteville says, “NWA Garage Solutions are true professionals in every step of the process. They took the time to develop a plan to not only organize my garage but also take it to the ‘next level.’ Rarely does a week go by that I do not receive a positive comment on my garage.”
Enjoy the Green Inside and Out
Spavinaw Stove Company
Now that warm weather is finally here your family will be enjoying the outdoors with backyard barbecues and gatherings. Spavinaw Stove Company wants you to know there’s a green solution to gas and charcoal grills. Traeger barbecue pellet grills uses the same eco-friendly concept used in pellet wood stoves.
The benefits are many. Using a natural biomass fuel means no fossil fuels of any kind are used in the combustion process. The pellets are made from 100% recycled hardwood sawdust and burn at an extremely high combustion efficiency rate. This means low emissions and a lower carbon footprint. And that means it’s the environmentally responsible way to cook outdoors.
It’s healthier, too, because the in-direct cooking system reduces the fat and charring thought to cause cancer. The hardwood smoke created by the pellets produces anti-oxidants similar to Vitamin E.
By partnering with hardwood furniture manufacturers, Traeger adds economic value to materials that were once considered “waste” and in the process creates new business, products and jobs.
With Father’s Day just around the corner, it’s time check out your options. Spavinaw Stove Company is a well-established dealer for stoves, fireplaces and vents from high-quality manufacturers like Harman, Traeger, Lopi, Buck and FPX. They use NFI certified installers and service technicians and have earned a reputation that garners them happy, loyal customers.
Green for Your Health
Take care of the planet. Take care of yourself. There are many ways to do both, many of which we are learning first-hand and for the first-time at this event. Eat, sleep and be well may well be the Green adage of the 21st century.
Sleep Better, Sleep Healthy, Sleep Natural
Mountain Air Natural Beds
Did you know most mattresses have a planned obsolescence of five years? Most people will toss and turn uncomfortably on it for another four and half years before they give in and shop. In the meantime, their mattress could be adding to a myriad of health issues such as allergies, arthritis, stiffness or knee, back and hip pain.
Mountain Air Natural Beds has a green solution you may want to consider. They are the only place in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri to carry an all-natural, organic, latex mattress. Toxin free, the SavvyRest mattress is better for people with health issues, and is designed to provide unmatched comfort for decades. The label reads 96% natural rubber, 2% organic cotton and 2% organic wool. You can’t get much greener than that.
Joyce Robertson is the owner of Mountain Air Natural Beds. “We spend 20 to 25 years of our lives in bed. Why spend two-thirds living healthy and one-third on a toxic synthetic mattress?” she asks. “Latex provides a healthier and more restful sleep environment. Your pillow is 20% of your sleeping comfort. Organic pillows are incomparable in quality and comfort.”
Latex is a natural hypoallergenic, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, dust mite resistant material that comes from the sap of the rubber tree. The SavvyRest brand carries the coveted “Rated Greenest” from National Geographic Green Guide and the Confidence in Textiles standard tested for harmful substances.
As a trend Robertson sees more people moving to organic and natural bedding, and matching it with green and organic items for the bedroom as well as the entire home. From pillows to toppers, sheets and robes, organics are taking hold – and Mountain Air Natural Beds carries them.
Customer satisfaction is key, says Robertson. “Our attention to the health needs of our clients is a relationship, not a transaction.”
Green for Your Business
Making green choices in the workplace can be an economic consideration that proves sustainability equals profitability. Global leaders like Wal-Mart have recognized the value of sustainability on every business front – from pleasing consumers to gaining profits -– and are proving such practices as advantageous rather than a burden. No matter your business size, consider adopting sustainable practices wherever you can. You can start by forming a group of dedicated employees, loyal customers and company leaders to serve as your sustainability committee to research and recommend green practices for your business.
Choose Green Hospitality When You Travel
Holiday Inn & Suites
The Holiday Inn & Suites in Pinnacle Hills is one of the prototype inns designed to be the perfect convergence of tradition and innovation for the 21st century business and leisure traveler. The hospitality industry has begun to encourage hotels, resorts, motels, and bed and breakfast facilities to implement environmental initiatives and cost-saving green practices to conserve energy, reduce water consumption, protect air quality, reduce waste, and participate in environmentally preferred purchasing.
Holiday Inn & Suites has taken the challenge and has an on-going sustainability approach, starting with all fluorescent lighting, hotel and room recycling, and low water usage.
The new Holiday Inn & Suites is the NWA Green Expo Hospitality Sponsor and features all two-room suites, complimentary WIFI throughout the property, onsite restaurant and lounge, indoor pool and spa, excellent location, versatile meeting space and many more amenities.
Bring Your Peanuts to PostNet
PostNet Village on the Creeks
Every year, millions of pounds of used packing peanuts end up in landfills. The solution in NWA? Designated an approved collection center, PostNet at the Village on the Creeks in Rogers can now accept those unruly peanuts from customers ready to reduce, reuse, recycle.
“We’re always looking for ways to be more green and we know our customers are, too,” says Manager Chad Burghart. Peanuts are reused in the their day-to-day shipping operations.
Be sure to sift through them thoroughly before you bring them in to make sure you haven’t missed something valuable. “Like the heirloom ring Aunt Gertrude sent you,” says Burghart.
If you want to be extra helpful, separate biodegradable and non-biodegradable peanuts before dropping them off. Don’t mix the two, even though both types are reused. To tell which is which, float a sample in water. If the sample dissolves, it’s biodegradable – made from a vegetable derivative; non-biodegradable otherwise.
“At PostNet, we see it as part of our social responsibility to promote a healthy and environmentally balanced business community,” says owner Phil Swope. “PostNet is constantly striving to reduce the impact of our business on the environment.”
PostNet encourages good stewardship of natural resources at its HQ and stores nationwide by recycling paper, toner cartridges, packing supplies and office electronics.
Going Green in the Tradeshow World
Big Hats Consulting
Promoting your business at tradeshows with an eye on green is getting easier. The 2009 exhibitors show in Las Vegas was testament to the industry’s efforts, where new and sustainable products are emerging. Tradeshow expert Ken Abernathy attended and came back to Northwest Arkansas with a bevy of eco-options.
Among his favorites were:
• eco-friendly banner stands made from bamboo, with recyclable graphics
• corrugated exhibit frames made from recycled materials
• eco-crates for environmentally friendly shipping to the expo site
• mini brochures designed to highlight information but use one-quarter of the standard-sized brochure
• flash drives that eliminate printing and shipping altogether, and put copious amounts of information right in the attendees’ pocket
• LED lighting options to replace heat-hog halogens
• creative designs in lightweight aluminum frames and fabric graphics
• expo bags made from recycled juice boxes
• booth-sized carpets made from recycled soda bottles
• eco-friendly rental programs for infrequent show-goers. Rentals could save one-third to one-half the cost, which means going green also saves you green
Technology and Computer Solutions for Northwest Arkansas
Dozier Technologies Group, Inc.
Software is one of the easiest ways to improve your company’s sustainability scorecard. Automating simple tasks and putting them on the Web can save paper, time, labor and energy, all of which save you money.
If you are looking for software specific to your industry or company’s needs, Dozier Technologies can help. “We work by listening and understanding your needs, then translating our understanding into an application that accomplishes everything you ask for at an affordable price,” says Business Development Manager Nicole Lynch.
“Our flagship software applications include Atlas, a retail analytical tool for vendors and suppliers; Orbit, a point-of-sale solution for franchise and small- to medium- sized business owners; Orbit Life, a simple, easy to use e-commerce solution for anyone; ampTickets, an e-ticketing solution for entertainment venues; and Portal, a construction document management and distribution solution.”
Dozier Technologies Group, Inc., was formed in 2001 with the vision of offering enterprise level custom software development and technology at a small business price. All of their applications are Windows-based for an intuitive user interface, and Web-based for mobility and sustainability.
Green for Your Community
Taking green to the municipal level is an exciting endeavor of leaders from everywhere in the community – from patriots and politicians, to retired CEOs and youths fervent about protecting the world they live in. Take time to participate in activities that educate, build and promote better community.
‘Green’ Bank Blooms
Arvest Bank
Arvest Bank broke ground on its first LEED-certified bank branch in March 2008, and celebrated its opening on Earth Day 2009. This new 8,080 sq. ft. branch on Joyce Street in Fayetteville is the first LEED-certified prototype branch for Arvest, although its predecessor’s have many of the required sustainability practices in place. The branch utilized many LEED practices with regard to water, light, site landscaping, construction, building systems, compliance and training, air quality and construction waste recycling.
Sustainability Spotlight Promotes “Live Green”
KNWA
If you haven’t seen the “Sustainability Spotlight” on KNWA, detour to their website at nwahomepage.com to catch up on some incredible innovation right here at home.
The feature airs Tuesday at 10 p.m. and spotlights – with award-winning caliber production – local, national, and global sustainable initiatives from Wal-Mart and its vendor and supplier community.
“What we really enjoy talking about with these companies are the innovations. Every day a new idea is born that can grow into something that changes the way we look at the industry,” says Mike Vaughn, KNWA General Manager.
“One of the unique and amazing aspects of living in NWA is how many people in our community make decisions that have large environmental impact,” says Brook Thomas, KNWA News Anchor. “Something that can be seen through this series is how small steps can have big impact. A decision about a few millimeters of plastic can equal tons of waste not winding up in a landfill.”
The Sustainability Spotlight, presented by Walmart, stemmed from the station’s Live Green series that began in April 2008. According to Sarah Hickman, Innovative Projects Coordinator at KNWA, they wanted to help educate, advocate and activate viewers to do their part in taking care of the environment, and live in greener, healthier communities.
“As we contemplated the success of the program, we began to look for ways to extend the initiative,” says Hickman.
The Sustainability Spotlight series serves to educate viewers on what local, national, and global companies are doing to be green; how even the smallest acts can achieve monumental results; and bring corporations a platform where they can use sustainability to educate, inform, and serve the community.
Go Green: Working to Produce a Five Star Environment
Names and Numbers
Recycling your outdated phone books is great way to participate in greening our community. Just take them to your city’s recycling center. Names and Numbers is an active participant in the recycle, reuse, reduce approach and partners with companies that also serve similar goals.
In creating their phone books, Names and Numbers uses low basis weight paper to reduce fiber consumption. They used recycled materials, including recycled paper and soy-based inks. They recycle their aluminum printing plates and use non-hazardous solutions and glues.
At Names and Numbers, plastic wrap and boxes are reused, as are office supplies that can find another life. They reduce their impact on the environment by proofing their job on-screen, eliminating paper use and ink, and printing close to the market to help conserve fuel in transportation.
Conservation from Arkansas to Africa
The Nature Conservancy
You may not know their work, but you’ve been influenced by it. The Nature Conservancy is the world’s largest non-profit conservation organization. It spans 50 states and 34 foreign countries, pulling together more than one million like-minded members.
Since its founding in 1951, the Conservancy has worked to create a sustainable planet where natural habitats and human communities coexist. Their drive is a world where natural resources are renewable, plentiful and secure.
Since opening an Arkansas office in 1982, the Conservancy and its supporters have helped protect more than 250,000 acres of natural lands and waters in the Natural State. Today the Arkansas program owns or manages 36 nature preserves of more 22,000 acres.
“The Nature Conservancy is committed to working with a wide array of partners in conserving the natural landscapes of Arkansas – places that provide habitat for plant and animal species and places that keep the environment healthy for people,” says Tim Snell, Associate State Director for Water Resources based in Fayetteville.
“In Northwest Arkansas, the Conservancy is particularly active to keep the streams of the Ozark Highlands clear, clean and healthy. The Conservancy has a team of experts in karst – or cave – conservation, which includes the protection of groundwater. These programs combined help keep the state's water clean for present and future generations.”
The Nature Conservancy is the organization responsible for what has become the Hobbs State Park-Conservation area, along with many other favorite spots throughout Northwest Arkansas. Take a look at nature at nature.org/arkansas
Affinity Marketing Promotions: All signs point to you
By Janie Pritchett-Clark
What’s the most efficient and effective means of directing communication to your business? The sign. Yet the sign is such a powerful communications tool we almost take it for granted.
“It’s not uncommon for new businesses to overlook a sign in their startup process,” says Carin Reynolds, general manager of Affinity Marketing Promotions (AMP, Inc.) in Bentonville. “It really needs to be one of the first things to think about. A sign sets the image for a company even before the customer walks in the door. It conveys a message, creates a mood.”
Helping customers strategize the best way to get visibility is where Reynolds and her crew start. Signs perform three major communication functions for your business, she says. They give information and direction, provide a format for street advertising, and build a business’s image.
“The first things we determine are your needs. What kind of business do you have? Where are your signs going to be seen? How are they going to be displayed or supported? Do they need to be lighted?
“We look at color because colors have psychological impact. Size is important. People need to be able to see it for maximum impact.”
For example, a 12-inch letter can be seen 120 to 150 feet away, Reynolds explains. If your business sits 500 feet off the road, and you want people see it from the road, you need 30- to 36-inch letters.
“Businesses often think they have to match their sign to everybody else’s in the building. You don’t – unless you have to follow specific guidelines. Make your sign stand out. Make it different. Make the customer notice you.”
Reynolds adds that AMP, Inc. costs are very competitive. “We want to help every business that needs signage, large or small.”
Signs, banners, posters, billboards – you name it – AMP, Inc. prints on just about any surface you can think of. “We print on ceramic tiles, carpet, glass, aluminum, wood, Plexiglas, PVC, banners, posters, cardstock, foam core, and more.”
AMP, Inc. has been servicing national companies for years along with local vendors in the area. “We are now making our focus local because we see a need in helping local small businesses by providing a good quality service right here at home.”
“We see AMP, Inc. as a company that can help the community and business owners by providing competitive pricing, quick turnaround times on quality signs and products,” says J.D. Davis, VP of Sales. “Because of our experience we can provide valuable insight in promoting businesses, charities, and major events. We also provide customer service for advertisers in need of promotionals, branded apparel and signage.”
Customer service is key. “We want businesses to know we’re here for them,” says Reynolds.
“AMP has been great working with us on deadlines, and by delivering before and after hours when needed,” says customer Shawn Roberts, senior graphic designer at Harp’s general office.
“When we call AMP we know they will take care of our project quickly, without compromising quality. Their prices are the best we’ve seen in the area in a long time, for good quality signs and promotional items. We would recommend them to anyone.”
What’s the most efficient and effective means of directing communication to your business? The sign. Yet the sign is such a powerful communications tool we almost take it for granted.
“It’s not uncommon for new businesses to overlook a sign in their startup process,” says Carin Reynolds, general manager of Affinity Marketing Promotions (AMP, Inc.) in Bentonville. “It really needs to be one of the first things to think about. A sign sets the image for a company even before the customer walks in the door. It conveys a message, creates a mood.”
Helping customers strategize the best way to get visibility is where Reynolds and her crew start. Signs perform three major communication functions for your business, she says. They give information and direction, provide a format for street advertising, and build a business’s image.
“The first things we determine are your needs. What kind of business do you have? Where are your signs going to be seen? How are they going to be displayed or supported? Do they need to be lighted?
“We look at color because colors have psychological impact. Size is important. People need to be able to see it for maximum impact.”
For example, a 12-inch letter can be seen 120 to 150 feet away, Reynolds explains. If your business sits 500 feet off the road, and you want people see it from the road, you need 30- to 36-inch letters.
“Businesses often think they have to match their sign to everybody else’s in the building. You don’t – unless you have to follow specific guidelines. Make your sign stand out. Make it different. Make the customer notice you.”
Reynolds adds that AMP, Inc. costs are very competitive. “We want to help every business that needs signage, large or small.”
Signs, banners, posters, billboards – you name it – AMP, Inc. prints on just about any surface you can think of. “We print on ceramic tiles, carpet, glass, aluminum, wood, Plexiglas, PVC, banners, posters, cardstock, foam core, and more.”
AMP, Inc. has been servicing national companies for years along with local vendors in the area. “We are now making our focus local because we see a need in helping local small businesses by providing a good quality service right here at home.”
“We see AMP, Inc. as a company that can help the community and business owners by providing competitive pricing, quick turnaround times on quality signs and products,” says J.D. Davis, VP of Sales. “Because of our experience we can provide valuable insight in promoting businesses, charities, and major events. We also provide customer service for advertisers in need of promotionals, branded apparel and signage.”
Customer service is key. “We want businesses to know we’re here for them,” says Reynolds.
“AMP has been great working with us on deadlines, and by delivering before and after hours when needed,” says customer Shawn Roberts, senior graphic designer at Harp’s general office.
“When we call AMP we know they will take care of our project quickly, without compromising quality. Their prices are the best we’ve seen in the area in a long time, for good quality signs and promotional items. We would recommend them to anyone.”
Catering Concepts: Catering to Creativity in the Corporate World
By Janie Pritchett-Clark
A busy professional organization has a lot to juggle. When meetings and special events get on the agenda, knowing where to turn for help is vital. Catering is a term many will use, but what you really want is a food-service partner that takes care of all the details without requiring supervision.
“Because we worked in the vendor community, we know how important the caterer is in making those meetings less stressful,” says Kacee Vojdani, who shares the apron strings of Catering Concepts with her husband, Shahriar, better known as Shar.
Catering Concepts is one of the largest full service catering companies in Northwest Arkansas, serving more than 50 miles of clientele. They are a familiar name among corporate clients who call upon Catering Concepts to plan business lunches, annual meetings, milestone celebrations, company picnics and holiday parties.
When Catering Concepts comes on the scene, they provide everything. They can even provide a venue. Their new location in Bentonville offers meeting space for up to 100 people. It’s even equipped with audio and video accessories.
A service driven company offering customized menus, banquet set up and tear down, staffing and great food, Catering Concepts involvement can be scheduled by email or phone. Depending on the size of the event or special requirements, most events can be scheduled with a 3-5 day window.
“I always wanted to get back to my passion. Food has always been close to my heart and there is no place better than catering to do that,” says Shar, who spent 29 years in the food industry. “I learned early that the ‘sky is a limit’ in creativity and interaction of food ingredients. The menu options are infinite and allow for creativity in meeting a customer’s vision or theme.”
“Customer centric is our mission, and caring about the customer’s vision is our aim when it comes to catering an event,” says Kacee, whose background is in marketing and public relations. “Attention to detail is what sets us apart. We want our customers to be customers for life.”
Sharing the Catering Concepts kitchen are seasoned chefs, David Bradford, Billy Messex and new pastry chef Elizabeth McClean. Catering Concepts is now located in Regency Park off Walton Blvd in Bentonville.
A busy professional organization has a lot to juggle. When meetings and special events get on the agenda, knowing where to turn for help is vital. Catering is a term many will use, but what you really want is a food-service partner that takes care of all the details without requiring supervision.
“Because we worked in the vendor community, we know how important the caterer is in making those meetings less stressful,” says Kacee Vojdani, who shares the apron strings of Catering Concepts with her husband, Shahriar, better known as Shar.
Catering Concepts is one of the largest full service catering companies in Northwest Arkansas, serving more than 50 miles of clientele. They are a familiar name among corporate clients who call upon Catering Concepts to plan business lunches, annual meetings, milestone celebrations, company picnics and holiday parties.
When Catering Concepts comes on the scene, they provide everything. They can even provide a venue. Their new location in Bentonville offers meeting space for up to 100 people. It’s even equipped with audio and video accessories.
A service driven company offering customized menus, banquet set up and tear down, staffing and great food, Catering Concepts involvement can be scheduled by email or phone. Depending on the size of the event or special requirements, most events can be scheduled with a 3-5 day window.
“I always wanted to get back to my passion. Food has always been close to my heart and there is no place better than catering to do that,” says Shar, who spent 29 years in the food industry. “I learned early that the ‘sky is a limit’ in creativity and interaction of food ingredients. The menu options are infinite and allow for creativity in meeting a customer’s vision or theme.”
“Customer centric is our mission, and caring about the customer’s vision is our aim when it comes to catering an event,” says Kacee, whose background is in marketing and public relations. “Attention to detail is what sets us apart. We want our customers to be customers for life.”
Sharing the Catering Concepts kitchen are seasoned chefs, David Bradford, Billy Messex and new pastry chef Elizabeth McClean. Catering Concepts is now located in Regency Park off Walton Blvd in Bentonville.
PostNet at Village on the Creeks: Put a village of print and promotion experts on your team
By Janie Pritchett-Clark
If you’re in the mindset that PostNet is just for mailing packages and making copies, it’s time for a change of perspective.
“We make businesses look good,” says Chad Burghart, general manager of PostNet on the Village on the Creeks in Rogers. “That’s because we make it easier for them to do their job. We do what we do best so they can do what they do best.”
What PostNet does best includes an impressive list of services businesses need to build their brand, maintain their image and stay in communication with their customers. From logo and graphic designer services to printing and Powerpoint presentations, sales samples and product prototypes to VPI kits. That’s the short list.
“What we do is help businesses put their entire brand package together so they a have professional, cohesive look across all their marketing materials – everything from business cards and letterhead, to sales sheets, postcards, and posters.”
A team of professionals behind the scenes and behind the counter can turn a need and a good idea into something tangible and effective. PostNet’s experience within the vendor community gives customers a unique edge in developing materials that meet Wal-Mart style guides. Even if those customers aren’t vendors.
The same great standards can apply to all of our businesses, explains Burghart. Companies of every size can create incredible sales kits, point of purchase displays and signage, management and communication tools. Non-profits can really punch up their promotions, events, and fundraisers.
“You could call us the idea people. Given time we can help you create what you want for any promotion. We have an amazing list of vendors in the PostNet franchise that makes it possible for us to offer just about any printed material you need. We even figured out how to shrink wrap a semi for a customer.”
That’s the difference locally owned and operated makes. Phil and Shannon Swope of Gray Rock Consulting, a civil and landscape architecture firm in Rogers, own postNet at Village on the Creeks.
“I think it’s nice to have a small company that has the resources of a large corporation. We strive to know your name and your business. We work hard to get to know our customers, and our customers tell us that we go above and beyond their expectations. We like to take the time to ask questions about your business so we can meet your needs.
“When you think printing, think PostNet.”
And of course, PostNet’s there when you need the basic stuff too: copying, faxing, notary, mail services, stamps, and shipping services with USPS, Fed Ex, UPS and DHL.
If you’re in the mindset that PostNet is just for mailing packages and making copies, it’s time for a change of perspective.
“We make businesses look good,” says Chad Burghart, general manager of PostNet on the Village on the Creeks in Rogers. “That’s because we make it easier for them to do their job. We do what we do best so they can do what they do best.”
What PostNet does best includes an impressive list of services businesses need to build their brand, maintain their image and stay in communication with their customers. From logo and graphic designer services to printing and Powerpoint presentations, sales samples and product prototypes to VPI kits. That’s the short list.
“What we do is help businesses put their entire brand package together so they a have professional, cohesive look across all their marketing materials – everything from business cards and letterhead, to sales sheets, postcards, and posters.”
A team of professionals behind the scenes and behind the counter can turn a need and a good idea into something tangible and effective. PostNet’s experience within the vendor community gives customers a unique edge in developing materials that meet Wal-Mart style guides. Even if those customers aren’t vendors.
The same great standards can apply to all of our businesses, explains Burghart. Companies of every size can create incredible sales kits, point of purchase displays and signage, management and communication tools. Non-profits can really punch up their promotions, events, and fundraisers.
“You could call us the idea people. Given time we can help you create what you want for any promotion. We have an amazing list of vendors in the PostNet franchise that makes it possible for us to offer just about any printed material you need. We even figured out how to shrink wrap a semi for a customer.”
That’s the difference locally owned and operated makes. Phil and Shannon Swope of Gray Rock Consulting, a civil and landscape architecture firm in Rogers, own postNet at Village on the Creeks.
“I think it’s nice to have a small company that has the resources of a large corporation. We strive to know your name and your business. We work hard to get to know our customers, and our customers tell us that we go above and beyond their expectations. We like to take the time to ask questions about your business so we can meet your needs.
“When you think printing, think PostNet.”
And of course, PostNet’s there when you need the basic stuff too: copying, faxing, notary, mail services, stamps, and shipping services with USPS, Fed Ex, UPS and DHL.
Dozier Technologies: atlas solves vendor software, data analysis mysteries
By Shan Pesaru
Nick Dozier opened his first computer business while attending the University of Arkansas in 2001, and has been an entrepreneur ever since. After interacting with area businesses during onsite computer support calls, he quickly realized the opportunity available for a company that focused on custom technology solutions. “There was a need for a custom software development company, and nobody around here was doing it. We became problem solvers using software and technology,” Dozier remembers.
Nick is President and Founder of Dozier Technology Group, Inc. (Dozierinc) which is physically close to the company’s main customers, thousands of Bentonville suppliers. In 2006, Dozierinc moved from Fayetteville to Bentonville to be closer to their customer base. “As the needs and demands of our customers change, we’ll change with them,” Dozier says.
A lifelong resident of Northwest Arkansas, Dozier grew up around Wal-Mart business terminology and has family members in the vendor community. This exposure from an early age gives him a unique advantage as the company’s lead product developer. Nick is in tune with his customers. “I make it a priority to fully understand the requirements of a customer and customize a software solution around their needs.”
Dozierinc is known for their point of sale and inventory solutions as well as their user friendly approach to data mining and analysis. “Everybody’s business is different and so is the way that people look at data” he says. “We are constantly expanding into areas where there is a market for custom data analysis solutions.”
The company’s latest product is called atlas which stands for “analytical tool linking all sources.” According to Dozier, “atlas is a powerful software package for suppliers and brokers that helps them analyze multiple datasets simultaneously.” This includes point of sale data, inventory, warehouse, third-party syndicated data, and even data from multiple retailers.
An advantage of atlas is that it leverages over five years of experience building custom solutions for customers. Instead of starting from scratch each time, “Our development team fully customizes atlas to help our customers make informed decisions and identify opportunities specific to their business,” he explains.
atlas competes with other data analysis software companies in Bentonville. “The difference between atlas and our competitors is that our competitors have canned reports that are one-size-fits all. Our approach is to understand the specific business needs and then customize our flexible platform to fit those needs. It’s the attention to detail that makes us different.”
He plans to grow Dozierinc by continuing to listen closely to his customers’ needs and adapt a strategy that meets new demands. He places high emphasis on customer satisfaction and strives to live up to the philosophies that “if you’re going to do it, do it right the first time” and to “take an honest and fair approach to business that adds value for your customers.”
Nick Dozier opened his first computer business while attending the University of Arkansas in 2001, and has been an entrepreneur ever since. After interacting with area businesses during onsite computer support calls, he quickly realized the opportunity available for a company that focused on custom technology solutions. “There was a need for a custom software development company, and nobody around here was doing it. We became problem solvers using software and technology,” Dozier remembers.
Nick is President and Founder of Dozier Technology Group, Inc. (Dozierinc) which is physically close to the company’s main customers, thousands of Bentonville suppliers. In 2006, Dozierinc moved from Fayetteville to Bentonville to be closer to their customer base. “As the needs and demands of our customers change, we’ll change with them,” Dozier says.
A lifelong resident of Northwest Arkansas, Dozier grew up around Wal-Mart business terminology and has family members in the vendor community. This exposure from an early age gives him a unique advantage as the company’s lead product developer. Nick is in tune with his customers. “I make it a priority to fully understand the requirements of a customer and customize a software solution around their needs.”
Dozierinc is known for their point of sale and inventory solutions as well as their user friendly approach to data mining and analysis. “Everybody’s business is different and so is the way that people look at data” he says. “We are constantly expanding into areas where there is a market for custom data analysis solutions.”
The company’s latest product is called atlas which stands for “analytical tool linking all sources.” According to Dozier, “atlas is a powerful software package for suppliers and brokers that helps them analyze multiple datasets simultaneously.” This includes point of sale data, inventory, warehouse, third-party syndicated data, and even data from multiple retailers.
An advantage of atlas is that it leverages over five years of experience building custom solutions for customers. Instead of starting from scratch each time, “Our development team fully customizes atlas to help our customers make informed decisions and identify opportunities specific to their business,” he explains.
atlas competes with other data analysis software companies in Bentonville. “The difference between atlas and our competitors is that our competitors have canned reports that are one-size-fits all. Our approach is to understand the specific business needs and then customize our flexible platform to fit those needs. It’s the attention to detail that makes us different.”
He plans to grow Dozierinc by continuing to listen closely to his customers’ needs and adapt a strategy that meets new demands. He places high emphasis on customer satisfaction and strives to live up to the philosophies that “if you’re going to do it, do it right the first time” and to “take an honest and fair approach to business that adds value for your customers.”
How To: Storage Planning Tips
Storage Planning Tips
•Planning is key. If you will plan ahead, it will make a huge difference in determining your size requirement and the accessibility within the unit.
• Consider your storage medium. For longer storage, invest in plastic tubs or file cabinets instead of cardboard boxes. The more you move a cardboard box the more it breaks down. Use uniform sized boxes and pack them well so they can be stacked safely. You might want to add sturdy shelving for better stacking and access.
• Create a system. Label your boxes well before you move. Label them on more than one side so that if the box gets turned around, you can still identify the contents easily.
• Organize your space. Put items you need to access frequently or first at the front of the unit. Keep heavier items, or items not accessed as frequently at the back. This may seem like common sense, but sometimes good organizational effort is lost in the actual move, says Debra Daugherty of Dynamic Storage. It’s easy to get in a hurry to get the move done. Daugherty suggests you apply the same professional organization methods and filing standards you use in your office. “If you have questions, call me, I’ll be happy to assist!”
•Planning is key. If you will plan ahead, it will make a huge difference in determining your size requirement and the accessibility within the unit.
• Consider your storage medium. For longer storage, invest in plastic tubs or file cabinets instead of cardboard boxes. The more you move a cardboard box the more it breaks down. Use uniform sized boxes and pack them well so they can be stacked safely. You might want to add sturdy shelving for better stacking and access.
• Create a system. Label your boxes well before you move. Label them on more than one side so that if the box gets turned around, you can still identify the contents easily.
• Organize your space. Put items you need to access frequently or first at the front of the unit. Keep heavier items, or items not accessed as frequently at the back. This may seem like common sense, but sometimes good organizational effort is lost in the actual move, says Debra Daugherty of Dynamic Storage. It’s easy to get in a hurry to get the move done. Daugherty suggests you apply the same professional organization methods and filing standards you use in your office. “If you have questions, call me, I’ll be happy to assist!”
Dynamic Storage: Storage Space – The Final Frontier in Budget Breakthroughs
By Janie Pritchett-Clark
There’s nothing like a tough economy to focus your attention on the bottom line and how you get there. Trimming out what can be spared without affecting the quality of your product or service is always a worthwhile exercise. What can you omit? What can you outsource? What can you change?
You may not think about looking at your office space as something to trim from the budget, but according to Debra Daugherty of Dynamic Storage in Rogers, it could be a viable solution you’ve overlooked.
“A spare office full of document boxes, unused equipment, inventory and supplies could be costing your company more than you know,” says Daugherty, the facility manager. “With the cost of office space what it is, you could be paying thousands of dollars every year to house items you rarely access.”
Consider off-site storage. “Many of our tenants use us as a solution to an over-crowded office,” she says. “It’s much more economical to lease off-site storage than expand or move your current space.”
And it’s easy to budget.
“We created our own Economic Stimulus Package to help in a tight economy,” says Daugherty. “We locked our prices so companies can budget the expense and know it will stay the same, whether they contract for a year or lease month to month.”
“The cost of everything has gone up, except at Dynamic Storage,” she says. “We haven’t raised prices since 2006. We don’t have unnecessary frills. You get what you need and don’t pay for what you don’t.”
Dynamic Storage satisfies the needs of many business types and sizes. “We have climate controlled units and standard units in a variety of sizes that accommodate most any business need,” she says.
The facility has all the important features to consider (although you may not know to ask). Safety and convenience top the list, with a state of the art security and fire system, 24-hour video surveillance monitored by security personnel and connected to a central command. A loading dock accommodates semi trailers. Small inventory items can be hand-trucked in. The property is fully paved and lighted inside and out, and key-code accessible 7-days a week, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
“We don’t believe it’s in the best interest of our tenants to allow 24 hour access, which could invite an element of mischief and criminal activity. We have never had any problems, theft or vandalism of any kind. Because the facility is managed professionally, there is someone to assist when needed. I think it’s important to have someone looking out for you.”
Dynamic Storage is owned by the Fleeman family of Rogers, who have been in residential and commercial construction in Northwest Arkansas for nearly 50 years. The property is located two blocks off 71 Business on South 1st Street near downtown Rogers.
There’s nothing like a tough economy to focus your attention on the bottom line and how you get there. Trimming out what can be spared without affecting the quality of your product or service is always a worthwhile exercise. What can you omit? What can you outsource? What can you change?
You may not think about looking at your office space as something to trim from the budget, but according to Debra Daugherty of Dynamic Storage in Rogers, it could be a viable solution you’ve overlooked.
“A spare office full of document boxes, unused equipment, inventory and supplies could be costing your company more than you know,” says Daugherty, the facility manager. “With the cost of office space what it is, you could be paying thousands of dollars every year to house items you rarely access.”
Consider off-site storage. “Many of our tenants use us as a solution to an over-crowded office,” she says. “It’s much more economical to lease off-site storage than expand or move your current space.”
And it’s easy to budget.
“We created our own Economic Stimulus Package to help in a tight economy,” says Daugherty. “We locked our prices so companies can budget the expense and know it will stay the same, whether they contract for a year or lease month to month.”
“The cost of everything has gone up, except at Dynamic Storage,” she says. “We haven’t raised prices since 2006. We don’t have unnecessary frills. You get what you need and don’t pay for what you don’t.”
Dynamic Storage satisfies the needs of many business types and sizes. “We have climate controlled units and standard units in a variety of sizes that accommodate most any business need,” she says.
The facility has all the important features to consider (although you may not know to ask). Safety and convenience top the list, with a state of the art security and fire system, 24-hour video surveillance monitored by security personnel and connected to a central command. A loading dock accommodates semi trailers. Small inventory items can be hand-trucked in. The property is fully paved and lighted inside and out, and key-code accessible 7-days a week, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
“We don’t believe it’s in the best interest of our tenants to allow 24 hour access, which could invite an element of mischief and criminal activity. We have never had any problems, theft or vandalism of any kind. Because the facility is managed professionally, there is someone to assist when needed. I think it’s important to have someone looking out for you.”
Dynamic Storage is owned by the Fleeman family of Rogers, who have been in residential and commercial construction in Northwest Arkansas for nearly 50 years. The property is located two blocks off 71 Business on South 1st Street near downtown Rogers.
Donald W. Reynolds Center for Enterprise Development: See You Around Campus
Each year, programs housed in the 41,000 square foot Donald W. Reynolds Center for Enterprise Development serve more than 8,500 students, members of the university community, and state and regional constituents.
The full-service event facility, adjacent to the Sam M. Walton College of Business on the University of Arkansas campus, is available to the public for meetings, conferences, workshops, lectures, receptions, and other events.
Through state-of-the-art technology, the Reynolds Center enables the Walton College to deliver programs throughout the state and region through distance education. Other features available for special events, distance learning, and outreach program training include a 300-seat auditorium, technology mediated learning classrooms, seminar rooms, multi-purpose areas, and a multimedia training classroom.
Guests interested in planning an event at the Reynolds Center are encouraged to visit the facility at 145 North Buchanan in Fayetteville. “We want to show off our world-class facility and how it can generously accommodate various types of meetings and conferences,” says Theres Stiefer, director of the Center for Management and Executive Education, which manages the Reynolds Center.
Location of the Reynolds Center makes the facility especially appealing to those looking for a professional atmosphere while retaining the uniqueness of being on campus. “Our guests like being able to interact with students and many really enjoy coming back to the campus where they earned their degrees,” says Theres.
About Donald W. Reynolds
Businessman and philanthropist Donald W. Reynolds recognized the growth potential of companies in small-to-medium sized markets. The son of a door-to-door salesman, Reynolds was a visionary in the American communications industry, launching more than 100 businesses, including newspapers, radio and TV stations, and billboard companies. Reynolds created the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation in 1954 to provide grants to non-profit civic, charitable, cultural, educational and health organizations.
For more information about the Reynolds Center, visit http://rced.uark.edu or call 479-575-3163.
The full-service event facility, adjacent to the Sam M. Walton College of Business on the University of Arkansas campus, is available to the public for meetings, conferences, workshops, lectures, receptions, and other events.
Through state-of-the-art technology, the Reynolds Center enables the Walton College to deliver programs throughout the state and region through distance education. Other features available for special events, distance learning, and outreach program training include a 300-seat auditorium, technology mediated learning classrooms, seminar rooms, multi-purpose areas, and a multimedia training classroom.
Guests interested in planning an event at the Reynolds Center are encouraged to visit the facility at 145 North Buchanan in Fayetteville. “We want to show off our world-class facility and how it can generously accommodate various types of meetings and conferences,” says Theres Stiefer, director of the Center for Management and Executive Education, which manages the Reynolds Center.
Location of the Reynolds Center makes the facility especially appealing to those looking for a professional atmosphere while retaining the uniqueness of being on campus. “Our guests like being able to interact with students and many really enjoy coming back to the campus where they earned their degrees,” says Theres.
About Donald W. Reynolds
Businessman and philanthropist Donald W. Reynolds recognized the growth potential of companies in small-to-medium sized markets. The son of a door-to-door salesman, Reynolds was a visionary in the American communications industry, launching more than 100 businesses, including newspapers, radio and TV stations, and billboard companies. Reynolds created the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation in 1954 to provide grants to non-profit civic, charitable, cultural, educational and health organizations.
For more information about the Reynolds Center, visit http://rced.uark.edu or call 479-575-3163.
Covers For Charity: Champions For Kids
Champions for Kids is a support center that strengthens nonprofits to better serve MORE kids by providing investment grants and training. Champions for Kids’ premier fundraising event, EAS RazorFest, is a day that the community comes together for the sake of all kids. Proceeds from the event help fulfill the mission of Champions for Kids.
LifeSource International, is one of eight partner organizations that benefits from Champions for Kids EAS RazorFest. Each partner organization receives an investment grant of $15,000 to help strengthen programs for youth. These organizations also participate in training sessions focused on developing community mobilization strategies to better serve more youth.
Most of Ernie Conduff’s professional life had been spent in church work before he founded LifeSource, International. Still relatively young in nonprofit work, Conduff learned a great deal from training provided by Champions for Kids.
“We were in a new arena competing with other great organizations for funding,” Conduff said. “One of the most impactful Champions for Kids training sessions for us came when CFK did a presentation on branding. We were told how important it is to stick with a logo and name brand for our organization. Stay consistent and strong with your message. That helped us a great deal.”
Conduff thought participation in EAS RazorFest helped LifeSource immensely as well. He said, “The greatest thing we gained was community awareness. EAS RazorFest helped solidify LifeSource as a ministry in our community.”
Another aid to LifeSource has been the investment grant provided by Champions for Kids as a result of EAS RazorFest sponsorships. “We’re using the grant to expand our after school and summer programs,” Conduff said. “Our tutoring and mentoring program after school has gone from two to five days a week and this summer we were able to accommodate 72 kids at summer camp. We had 56 last year.”
LifeSource International was founded to serve the underprivileged and socially at-risk families and children of Northwest Arkansas. LifeSource currently serves over 6,000 clients in distress each year and provides social services at no charge in six categories: Children programs (Kid’s Life), Professional Counseling for families and individuals, Food and Clothes pantry, Adult Education classes, Medical Clinic scheduling, and Senior Citizen programs.
If you would like to help LifeSource International please contact: President/CEO, Ernie Conduff or Development Director, David Welborn 602 South School Avenue, Fayetteville, AR 72701 • 479 -521-4000 ernie@lifesourceinternational.org • dwelborn@lifesourceinternational.org
CFK’s newest friend —Jim Nantz, CBS Sports, says: “Champions for Kids is very dear to me. I had the great blessing to grow up in a two-parent, loving home with a Mom and a Dad that looked after my ever need. They nourished me, gave me lessons in dignity, pride and respect for people.
"When I look back on my life I owe everything I am to that warm environment. But not all children have that same experience. Unfortunately many kids today face issues that I never had to face. If you saw the numbers you would not believe them. It is staggering.
"That is why Champions for Kids exists, to mobilize the community, provide investment grants, and help train nonprofit organizations that together bring hope for the next generation. We all want to help that next generation get ahead. That is why I invite you to step up and join this great organization— Champions for Kids. Together we can make a brighter future for our children.”
Champions for Kids
26 West Center Suite 215 Fayetteville, AR 72701
479.582.2008
LifeSource International, is one of eight partner organizations that benefits from Champions for Kids EAS RazorFest. Each partner organization receives an investment grant of $15,000 to help strengthen programs for youth. These organizations also participate in training sessions focused on developing community mobilization strategies to better serve more youth.
Most of Ernie Conduff’s professional life had been spent in church work before he founded LifeSource, International. Still relatively young in nonprofit work, Conduff learned a great deal from training provided by Champions for Kids.
“We were in a new arena competing with other great organizations for funding,” Conduff said. “One of the most impactful Champions for Kids training sessions for us came when CFK did a presentation on branding. We were told how important it is to stick with a logo and name brand for our organization. Stay consistent and strong with your message. That helped us a great deal.”
Conduff thought participation in EAS RazorFest helped LifeSource immensely as well. He said, “The greatest thing we gained was community awareness. EAS RazorFest helped solidify LifeSource as a ministry in our community.”
Another aid to LifeSource has been the investment grant provided by Champions for Kids as a result of EAS RazorFest sponsorships. “We’re using the grant to expand our after school and summer programs,” Conduff said. “Our tutoring and mentoring program after school has gone from two to five days a week and this summer we were able to accommodate 72 kids at summer camp. We had 56 last year.”
LifeSource International was founded to serve the underprivileged and socially at-risk families and children of Northwest Arkansas. LifeSource currently serves over 6,000 clients in distress each year and provides social services at no charge in six categories: Children programs (Kid’s Life), Professional Counseling for families and individuals, Food and Clothes pantry, Adult Education classes, Medical Clinic scheduling, and Senior Citizen programs.
If you would like to help LifeSource International please contact: President/CEO, Ernie Conduff or Development Director, David Welborn 602 South School Avenue, Fayetteville, AR 72701 • 479 -521-4000 ernie@lifesourceinternational.org • dwelborn@lifesourceinternational.org
CFK’s newest friend —Jim Nantz, CBS Sports, says: “Champions for Kids is very dear to me. I had the great blessing to grow up in a two-parent, loving home with a Mom and a Dad that looked after my ever need. They nourished me, gave me lessons in dignity, pride and respect for people.
"When I look back on my life I owe everything I am to that warm environment. But not all children have that same experience. Unfortunately many kids today face issues that I never had to face. If you saw the numbers you would not believe them. It is staggering.
"That is why Champions for Kids exists, to mobilize the community, provide investment grants, and help train nonprofit organizations that together bring hope for the next generation. We all want to help that next generation get ahead. That is why I invite you to step up and join this great organization— Champions for Kids. Together we can make a brighter future for our children.”
Champions for Kids
26 West Center Suite 215 Fayetteville, AR 72701
479.582.2008
66 Federal Credit Union: Employee Benefit at No Cost to your Business
Businesses are looking for ways to control costs, and attract and keep quality employees. Becoming a Community Partner with 66 Federal Credit Union is one way to give employees the benefits of credit union membership at no cost to your business.
“We partner with businesses as large as Tyson Foods and ConocoPhillips and as small as Cole’s Lawn Service,” Lance Eads, business development manager at 66 Federal Credit Union said.
“This credit union is a not-for-profit, community-based financial institution. Which means we exist to increase your bottom line, not ours,” he continued.
“We can provide free financial seminars at your facility, as well as free one-on-one personal credit counseling for your employees. And we’re a full-service financial institution. We offer free online banking and bill payment, and free mobile banking, too.”
Credit unions are known for low loan rates, and 66 Federal Credit Union’s auto loan rate is among the lowest in Northwest Arkansas, especially for older cars. “We also offer GAP insurance and extended warranties,” Eads said. “It’s easy to apply for a loan. You can get one at any of our trusted auto dealers, come in to our branch at the corner of Thompson and Robinson in Springdale, or go to our website at www.66fcu-nwa.org and apply online.”
Businesses interested in knowing more about how to become a Community Partner with 66 Federal Credit Union can contact Lance Eads in the office at (479) 203-4902 or by mobile at (479) 200-0636.
“We partner with businesses as large as Tyson Foods and ConocoPhillips and as small as Cole’s Lawn Service,” Lance Eads, business development manager at 66 Federal Credit Union said.
“This credit union is a not-for-profit, community-based financial institution. Which means we exist to increase your bottom line, not ours,” he continued.
“We can provide free financial seminars at your facility, as well as free one-on-one personal credit counseling for your employees. And we’re a full-service financial institution. We offer free online banking and bill payment, and free mobile banking, too.”
Credit unions are known for low loan rates, and 66 Federal Credit Union’s auto loan rate is among the lowest in Northwest Arkansas, especially for older cars. “We also offer GAP insurance and extended warranties,” Eads said. “It’s easy to apply for a loan. You can get one at any of our trusted auto dealers, come in to our branch at the corner of Thompson and Robinson in Springdale, or go to our website at www.66fcu-nwa.org and apply online.”
Businesses interested in knowing more about how to become a Community Partner with 66 Federal Credit Union can contact Lance Eads in the office at (479) 203-4902 or by mobile at (479) 200-0636.
PRO Clean: How to deal with winter emergencies
By Janie Pritchett-Clark
Burst water pipes, clogged drains, and ice dams that seep through the roof, ceilings, walls and floors: it can happen at home. It happen at the office. An eighth-inch crack in a pipe can release up to 250 gallons of water a day. By the time you find the problem, office assets could be floating in thousands of gallons of water. Or worse.
“The first thing to do is to turn the water off,” says Tylinda Milstead, who co-owns PRO Clean with husband PJ. “That may sound simple, but people get so panic stricken they forget to turn off the water source.” Don’t call your insurance company first, says Tylinda. Call for help.
“The quicker you get to the problem the less the damage. Insurance companies want you to call for repair right away because it mitigates their losses.” This is no time to call for quotes; insurance and industry standards set the prices. What you need is good help fast. Good help means certified by IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration).
“If they’re not certified, the likelihood of them unknowingly cutting corners is greater. If the repair is mishandled you could lose the value of the property to rot, mold, mildew – all things that cannot be remedied.” You also want a quick response. An appropriate response is not “I have five carpet cleanings scheduled, I’ll be there tomorrow,” The proper is response is, “We’re on our way. We’ll do our best to be there within the hour.”
The Milsteads took over PRO Clean in 2005 as a small family business. Since then they’ve grown from one truck to four, have added commercial and residential maid service, nearly doubled their water drying equipment, added warehouse and shelving to clean area rugs, and expanded their floor covering and replacement division. Not to mention a 45% increase in revenue.
Dealing with restoration and repair takes science and teamwork. There are water extracting machines, a vortex of dryers and dehumidifiers, chemicals that sanitize, deodorize and keep the environment safe, the removal of carpet and contaminated materials, and moisture readings to monitor. And finally the restoration of everything back to normal.
“It’s always high drama and you need someone calm and capable to help in the crisis. “We care about people and it’s nice to know someone cares about your family, your home and your business.”
Burst water pipes, clogged drains, and ice dams that seep through the roof, ceilings, walls and floors: it can happen at home. It happen at the office. An eighth-inch crack in a pipe can release up to 250 gallons of water a day. By the time you find the problem, office assets could be floating in thousands of gallons of water. Or worse.
“The first thing to do is to turn the water off,” says Tylinda Milstead, who co-owns PRO Clean with husband PJ. “That may sound simple, but people get so panic stricken they forget to turn off the water source.” Don’t call your insurance company first, says Tylinda. Call for help.
“The quicker you get to the problem the less the damage. Insurance companies want you to call for repair right away because it mitigates their losses.” This is no time to call for quotes; insurance and industry standards set the prices. What you need is good help fast. Good help means certified by IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration).
“If they’re not certified, the likelihood of them unknowingly cutting corners is greater. If the repair is mishandled you could lose the value of the property to rot, mold, mildew – all things that cannot be remedied.” You also want a quick response. An appropriate response is not “I have five carpet cleanings scheduled, I’ll be there tomorrow,” The proper is response is, “We’re on our way. We’ll do our best to be there within the hour.”
The Milsteads took over PRO Clean in 2005 as a small family business. Since then they’ve grown from one truck to four, have added commercial and residential maid service, nearly doubled their water drying equipment, added warehouse and shelving to clean area rugs, and expanded their floor covering and replacement division. Not to mention a 45% increase in revenue.
Dealing with restoration and repair takes science and teamwork. There are water extracting machines, a vortex of dryers and dehumidifiers, chemicals that sanitize, deodorize and keep the environment safe, the removal of carpet and contaminated materials, and moisture readings to monitor. And finally the restoration of everything back to normal.
“It’s always high drama and you need someone calm and capable to help in the crisis. “We care about people and it’s nice to know someone cares about your family, your home and your business.”
Cuisines Gourmet To Go: Gourmet Caterer Makes New Home Sweet Home
By Janie-Pritchett-Clark
Don DeSpain moved to Northwest Arkansas to open a major hotel. “Northwest where?” he asked his boss.
When the project was on a successful launch trajectory, his job was to move on to open another hotel elsewhere. This time he said, “No, Northwest Arkansas is my home.”
“So now what?” he asked of himself and wife, Susan. “I realized that what I really enjoyed in the hotel industry was interacting with the culinary team and addressing food needs and issues,” says Don. “I remembered that when I was looking for a catering company to serve my needs as a hotel, I was disappointed with my options. I decided I would create a catering company that really addressed the needs of the client.”
A passionate man, Don DeSpain is exuberant about food. Catering, by definition means catering to the needs of the client. “All their needs,” he adds. “Our menu doesn’t give them 25 items to choose from—our menu is endless. Whatever they want to serve, we will provide it. Everything is on the menu.”
To accomplish this he draws on the talents of his staff. Even his waiters are culinary-trained. “That’s how we deliver what we promise and offer our guarantee.”
Now moved to their sweet new Metro Park bistro in Pinnacle Hills, Cuisines Gourmet to Go has exciting plans for 2009. The new kitchen is a dream come true for the catering group, who didn’t miss a beat through a busy move and even busier holiday.
The new location includes a quaint dine-in bistro. For the on-the-go break¬fast crowd Cuisines Gourmet To Go offers a limited menu of bakery items and coffees. Although not in place at press time, plans also call for a dine-in or togo lunch menu and dinner – served gourmet to go.
“Every day we will offer a dinner menu of gourmet meals to go. These will be fresh, chef-prepared gourmet foods to take home to finish and serve in the comfort of your home,” Don explains. He wants to rotate favorites, offer special orders in advance, and provide healthy alternatives for light eaters or special dietary needs.
As an entrepreneur, Don DeSpain recognizes the need to “draw the line to the customer,” making sure that no matter what business you are in you have to help the customer understand why you are their best choice for the job.
“You have to make it easy for them to do business with you, and be glad they did in the end.”
Don DeSpain moved to Northwest Arkansas to open a major hotel. “Northwest where?” he asked his boss.
When the project was on a successful launch trajectory, his job was to move on to open another hotel elsewhere. This time he said, “No, Northwest Arkansas is my home.”
“So now what?” he asked of himself and wife, Susan. “I realized that what I really enjoyed in the hotel industry was interacting with the culinary team and addressing food needs and issues,” says Don. “I remembered that when I was looking for a catering company to serve my needs as a hotel, I was disappointed with my options. I decided I would create a catering company that really addressed the needs of the client.”
A passionate man, Don DeSpain is exuberant about food. Catering, by definition means catering to the needs of the client. “All their needs,” he adds. “Our menu doesn’t give them 25 items to choose from—our menu is endless. Whatever they want to serve, we will provide it. Everything is on the menu.”
To accomplish this he draws on the talents of his staff. Even his waiters are culinary-trained. “That’s how we deliver what we promise and offer our guarantee.”
Now moved to their sweet new Metro Park bistro in Pinnacle Hills, Cuisines Gourmet to Go has exciting plans for 2009. The new kitchen is a dream come true for the catering group, who didn’t miss a beat through a busy move and even busier holiday.
The new location includes a quaint dine-in bistro. For the on-the-go break¬fast crowd Cuisines Gourmet To Go offers a limited menu of bakery items and coffees. Although not in place at press time, plans also call for a dine-in or togo lunch menu and dinner – served gourmet to go.
“Every day we will offer a dinner menu of gourmet meals to go. These will be fresh, chef-prepared gourmet foods to take home to finish and serve in the comfort of your home,” Don explains. He wants to rotate favorites, offer special orders in advance, and provide healthy alternatives for light eaters or special dietary needs.
As an entrepreneur, Don DeSpain recognizes the need to “draw the line to the customer,” making sure that no matter what business you are in you have to help the customer understand why you are their best choice for the job.
“You have to make it easy for them to do business with you, and be glad they did in the end.”
University of Arkansas Global Campus Expanding Opportunities and Global Connections
The view from the top of the Arkansas World Trade Center is a spectacular reminder of where Rogers used to be and where it’s headed. With the opening of the new Global Campus at ARWTC, UofA has successfully expanded its educational reach and opened the door to global connections.
The University of Arkansas School of Continuing Education and Academic Outreach is the academic unit for the Global Campus, a local degree completion and professional development center, with locations in downtown Fayetteville and now Rogers.
“We are very excited about the opening of our new facility and the opportunities to better serve the formal and informal educational needs of the state and beyond,” said Linda Beene Ballard, Dean and Associate Provost of the University of Arkansas Global Campus and Associate Provost for Academic Outreach. “Through this new location, our programs will expand and allow synergy with the Arkansas World Trade Center to provide global outreach to both education and business.”
Why is the Global Campus such an important development?
For Northwest Arkansas residents who are not able to travel to Fayetteville to continue their studies, the Global Campus offers a world of opportunity. The University of Arkansas Global Campus encompasses five departments – Distance Education, Study Abroad, Special Programs and Professional Studies, Conference Planning and Facilities, and Media Services.
Within these departments, the Global Campus offers undergraduate degree programs, graduate degree programs, independent study courses, licensure and certificate programs that give working professionals the opportunity to expand their knowledge while enhancing their skills.
The Global Campus offers Executive education courses as well as professional development programs. Professional development programs include skills such as industry-specific Spanish for police officers, bank employees, business leaders and teachers; or conflict resolution for HR.
Also popular are computer classes that can be customized to fit a particular business need, while the mobile computer lab makes it convenient to train employees at the client’s site.
For companies looking to host a workshop, conference, confab or training program, the Global Campus offers a multi-purpose venue. Executive boardrooms are replete with services, including global teleconferencing capabilities and wireless internet. Classrooms were designed to easily reconfigure for whatever use is needed, and the multi-station student computer lab makes individual computing practical and private. On-site personnel, including conference coordinators and media specialists, are part and parcel.
There’s ample, convenient shopping are all within walking distance, and the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport is a short drive through bucolic back roads if you choose.
Housed on the fourth floor of the Arkansas World Trade Center, the Global Campus is in place to deliver higher education outside the physical boundaries of the Fayetteville UofA campus. The goal of the Global Campus is to develop and deliver quality, student-centered offerings that connect the University of Arkansas and the world.
The University of Arkansas School of Continuing Education and Academic Outreach is the academic unit for the Global Campus, a local degree completion and professional development center, with locations in downtown Fayetteville and now Rogers.
“We are very excited about the opening of our new facility and the opportunities to better serve the formal and informal educational needs of the state and beyond,” said Linda Beene Ballard, Dean and Associate Provost of the University of Arkansas Global Campus and Associate Provost for Academic Outreach. “Through this new location, our programs will expand and allow synergy with the Arkansas World Trade Center to provide global outreach to both education and business.”
Why is the Global Campus such an important development?
For Northwest Arkansas residents who are not able to travel to Fayetteville to continue their studies, the Global Campus offers a world of opportunity. The University of Arkansas Global Campus encompasses five departments – Distance Education, Study Abroad, Special Programs and Professional Studies, Conference Planning and Facilities, and Media Services.
Within these departments, the Global Campus offers undergraduate degree programs, graduate degree programs, independent study courses, licensure and certificate programs that give working professionals the opportunity to expand their knowledge while enhancing their skills.
The Global Campus offers Executive education courses as well as professional development programs. Professional development programs include skills such as industry-specific Spanish for police officers, bank employees, business leaders and teachers; or conflict resolution for HR.
Also popular are computer classes that can be customized to fit a particular business need, while the mobile computer lab makes it convenient to train employees at the client’s site.
For companies looking to host a workshop, conference, confab or training program, the Global Campus offers a multi-purpose venue. Executive boardrooms are replete with services, including global teleconferencing capabilities and wireless internet. Classrooms were designed to easily reconfigure for whatever use is needed, and the multi-station student computer lab makes individual computing practical and private. On-site personnel, including conference coordinators and media specialists, are part and parcel.
There’s ample, convenient shopping are all within walking distance, and the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport is a short drive through bucolic back roads if you choose.
Housed on the fourth floor of the Arkansas World Trade Center, the Global Campus is in place to deliver higher education outside the physical boundaries of the Fayetteville UofA campus. The goal of the Global Campus is to develop and deliver quality, student-centered offerings that connect the University of Arkansas and the world.
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