Building for the Future

HOPE – “Building for the Future” was the theme of the 35th annual Hempstead County Economic Development Commission Banquet, held virtually this week for the second consecutive year due to COVID.

The welcome was given by HCEDC Chairman Dr. Lester Sitzes III, who talked about the legacy of private and public entity cooperation to produce a well-trained workforce for Hempstead County.  He said a lot of things have changed over the past three decades and the partnership must grow and adapt.

Steve Harris, President of the EDC, introduced Jack Thomas, Senior Project Manager for the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. Thomas gave a timeline of how the Dansons project started to where they are now with about 30 employees in the former Georgia-Pacific building in the Hope Industrial Park in Oakhaven. Thomas said the Hope facility is “the largest barbecue pellet mill in North America.”

HCEDC Vice-chairman Dr. W. Ladell Douglas introduced Jamie Pafford-Greshem, who said Pafford Medical Services has experienced growth in the last 18 months, including the opening of a clinic in Hope and pop-up COVID testing.

Harris and Akili Moses Israel, Director of Industry Outreach & Community Education at the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana, addressed the  virtual meeting with details of the ACT National Career Readiness Program.I srael said she is working with educators and employers on growing the program and understanding the importance of a trained local workforce.

Former Hope Mayor and HCEDC member Steve Montgomery and Hempstead Hall Director Amanda Lance concluded the meeting with an overview of Thrive Hempstead County and the pulling together of the work of local government and institutions, HCEDC and the Hope-Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce on the same information platform.