July 2013 Newsletter Chamber Calendar Tuesday July 16 Business After Hours 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Grand Prairie Center FRIDAY JuLY 19 Chamber Board of Directors 11:30 a.m. Chamber office WEDNEsday July 24 SYPN Wine Seminar 6:00 p.m. Arkansas County Bank Thursday july 25 SIDC Board of Directors 12 noon Chamber office Thursday July 25 Business After Hours 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Days Inn & Suites Friday august 2 Arkansas Rice Expo 8:00 a.m. Grand Prairie Center Thursday august 15 Teacher Appreciation Lunch 11:30 a.m. Grand Prairie Center Contact Us Chamber of Commerce 507 S. Main P.O. Box 1500 Stuttgart, AR 72160 (870) 673-1602 Stephen Bell Executive Vice President stuttgartchamber@centurytel.net Bethany Hodges Director of Programs programdirector@centurytel.net Ribbon cutting held for Nelson Design Center n A ribbon cutting ceremony was held in June to celebrate the opening of Nelson Design Center & Showroom. The business is located at 2309 S. Main St. and is owned by Tony Nelson. The manager of Nelson Design Center is Cindy Griffin. An open house was held from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. following the ribbon cutting. The company s website is www.nelsonquality.com Ribbon cutting ceremonies are sponsored by the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce to celebrate local business success stories. Business After Hours held for museum exhibit n The Museum of the Arkansas Grand Prairie hosted a Business After Hours to unveil its newest exhibit of Arkansas first Secretary of Agriculture. The exhibit recognized Richard E. Bell of Stuttgart, who was appointed as Arkansas first Secretary of Agriculture in 2005 by Gov. Mike Huckabee. He later went on to serve under Gov. Mike Beebe until his retirement in 2012. Bell served as president and CEO of Riceland Foods for 23 years and was employed at Riceland from 1977-2004. He previously served as Assistant Secretary of Agriculture in the Nixon and Ford administrations in Washington, D.C. Business After Hours are sponsored by the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce and hosted by a local business. It is a way for business people to gather and network in an informal setting. RIBBON CUTTING Nelson Design Center & Showroom, located at 2309 S. Main, held a ribbon cutting in June. Nelson Construction has been a general contractor for more than 25 NEW MUSEUM EXHIBIT The Museum of the Arkansas Grand Prairie hosted a Business After Hours to unveil its newest exhibit honoring Richard E. Bell, Arkansas first Secretary of Agriculture. He was joined at the unveiling ceremony by his son, Stephen Bell, and his grandchildren Michael Bell and Stephanie Bell of Stuttgart.
Arkansas County to celebrate 200th birthday n Arkansas County will celebrate its 200th birthday this December. County Judge Sonny Cox has formed a Bicentennial Committee which is planning events to market the occasion at the Arkansas County Courthouse in DeWitt. Chairman of the Bicentennial Committee is Dyan Bohnert of Friends of Arkansas Post National Memorial. Stephen Bell of the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce is the vice chairman and Freda Mattmiller of Friends of Arkansas Post National Memorial is the treasurer. NELSON DESIGN CENTER A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at Nelson Design Center by the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce. The business is an all-in-one home construction center, featuring heating and air, electrical, contractors and a design center. Days Inn & Suites to host Business After Hours NELSON DESIGN Kari Melnychuk, Junior Queen Mallard Maraye Tudor, and Gillian Griffin attended the ribbon cutting at Nelson Design Center. n Days Inn & Suites will host a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Business After Hours on Thursday, July 25. The ribbon cutting and Business After Hours are being held to welcome the hotel s new owner, C.K. Patel. He previously worked at the Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa in Hot Springs. Days Inn was founded in 1970 and is now part of the Wyndham Hotel Group. Business After Hours are sponsored by the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce and hosted by a local business. It s an opportunity for business people to gather and network in an informal setting. Grand Prairie Center to host Business After Hours MUSEUM EXHIBIT Bethany Hodges of the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce with Garland Derden, Jr., and Donald Stephens at the Business After Hours hosted by the museum. n The Grand Prairie Center will host a Business After Hours on Tuesday, July 16. The Grand Prairie Center is hosting the event to welcome its new director, Renee Robison. Robison was previously Group Travel Manager at the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. She was Director of Education for the Arkansas Hospital- ity Association for 5 years. Business After Hours are sponsored by the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce and hosted by a local business. It s an opportunity for business people to gather and network in an informal setting.
BANK VOLUNTEERS BancorpSouth volunteers at Fun N Fishin included Andrea Prislovsky, Lauren Drummond, Gwen Way and Vickie Alberson. BANK VOLUNTEERS Arkansas County Bank volunteers at Fun N Fishin included Brent Atkins, Allie Holbert, Kamekia Robinson, Phillip Edwards and Stacy Dixon. Local Economy City sales tax revenues Current Year WEIGH MASTER Caleb Mitchell and Thomas Coleman of Mitchell s Bait & Tackle were the weigh masters at the annual Fun N Fishin and weighed fish for children. The Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce held the annual Fun N Fishin at the Riceland Foods pond. The Arkansas Game & Fish Commission stocked the pond with 700 pounds of catfish. Previous Year May 373,220 358,001 April 349,183 370,043 March 364,890 328,132 February 449,160 477,339 January 400,206 391,927 December 400,130 381,266 November 343,369 382,987 October 384,861 349,911 September 339,274 395,921 August 352,642 329,044
NEW MEMBERS 2013 SHERWIN WILLIAMS Retail sales store for paints, coatings and related products for professional, industrial, commercial, retail and individual customers. 2109 S. Main St., Stuttgart, AR 72160 Telephone: (870) 673-6991 Email: sw7256@sherwin.com Website: www.sherwinwilliams.com Contact: Chris Weaver NELSON DESIGN CENTER An all-in-one home construction center, featuring heating and air, electrical, contractors and a design center. 2309 S. Main St., Stuttgart, AR 72160 Telephone: (870) 672-7177 Email: nelsondesigncenter@gmail.com Website: www.nelsonquality.com Contact: Cindy Griffin ARKANSAS COUNTY FARM BUREAU Property and casualty insurance protection is provided by Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company and Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Arkansas, Inc. Life insurance protection is provided by Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company. 2024 S. Buerkle, Stuttgart, AR 72160 Telephone: (870) 673-1651 Website: www.afbic.com Contact: Chuck Wallace SYPN to sponsor wine tasting class July 24 n The Stuttgart Young Professionals Network will be sponsoring a Wine Tasting Class on Wednesday, July 24. Gary Green from Great Wine and Spirits in Memphis will be teaching the class. The class will be held at 6 p.m. in the Mallard Room at Arkansas County Bank. The class will include information on how to order wine in a restaurant and information on various types of wine. The registration fee is $25. This will cover the cost of the wine at the class, as well as the speaker's fee. To register for the class, email the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce at stuttgartchamber@centurytel.net or call (870) 673-1602. RIBBON CUTTING - Inside Nelson Design Center & Showroom. BLAZNGUNS DUCK CLUB Full-service duck hunting lodge and guide service. Telephone: (870) 734-6370 Email: hunt@blaznguns.com Website: www.blaznguns.com Contact: Brandon McGowan BELK Leading retail department store offering the latest in women s, men s, juniors and kids apparel, along with bed and bath items, jewelry and cosmetics. 2110 S. Buerkle, Stuttgart, AR 72160 Telephone: (870) 673-2544 Website: www.belk.com Contact: Debbie Vester DUCK DOWN GUIDE SERVICE Full-service duck hunting lodge and guide service. 1407 W. Clint Henderson Rd., Altheimer, AR 72004 Mailing address: 1228 Keg Mill Rd., Sheridan, AR 72150 Telephone: (870) 395-1942 Email: www.duckdownguideservice@gmail.com Website: www.duckdownguideservice.com Contact: Ryan Henderson MIKE BERG COMPANY Real estate agency specializing commercial, agricultural and recreational real estate. 160 Stonehill Dr., Sherwood, AR 72120 Telephone: (501) 392-6017 Email: mberg@comcast.net Contact: Mike Berg
CATCH OF THE DAY The annual Fun N Fishin was held at the Riceland Foods pond. The Arkansas Game & Fish Commission stocked the pond with 700 pounds of catfish. STUTTGART CHAMBER OF COMMERCE P.O. Box 1500 Stuttgart, AR 72160 FISHIN CREW The annual Fun N Fishin is a free fishing day for children 12 and under. Sponsors included Riceland Foods, BancorpSouth, Arkansas County Bank, Walmart, Stedman s ACE Hardware, Delta Plastics of the South, Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce and Mitchell s Bait & Tackle.