Leadership Fayetteville Gains Statewide Perspective on Economic Development During Visit to Little Rock

Last weekend, Leadership Fayetteville Class 34 traveled to Little Rock to meet with state officials and economic developers.

The trip commenced with a visit to the?Little Rock Port Authority, where participants learned how strategies and trends in economic development differ between Northwest Arkansas and the rest of the state. Bryan Day, Executive Director of the Port Authority, discussed the historical and present-day significance of the Port to Arkansas's economic development.

Next, the class visited with leaders in state government, including Governor Asa Hutchison, Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, and Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Courtney Hudson.

Rose Law Firm, the oldest law firm west of the Mississippi River, presented its 200-year history to the class. And in doing so, covered the entire scope of Arkansas's statehood from the perspective of its oldest continually running business.

Randy Zook, President of the Arkansas State Chamber, discussed exciting statewide developments, including?U.S. Steel's Next Generation Steel Mill?in Osceola, which is poised to be the largest private project in Arkansas history, and various education and workforce training initiatives.

Christopher Crane,?Film Commissioner?of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, discussed past, present, and future Arkansas-based films and the economic impact these projects have had on the state.

Fayetteville leaders left Little Rock with a broader, statewide perspective on Arkansas history, government, and economic development.