ROGERS-LOWELL AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES DESIGNATED TO PRESERVE, PROMOTE, AND ENHANCE COMMERCE IN THE CITY OF ROGERS, ARKANSAS THROUGH DEVELOPING AND INVOLVING LEADERS, HONORING AND SERVING ALL BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY, PROMOTING FREE ENTERPRISE, AND EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY THROUGH CONFERENCES AND ADVERTISING.THE CHAMBER STAFF ASSISTED 385 INDIVIDUALS SEEKING RESOURCES ON STARTING A SMALL BUSINESS. THE CHAMBER HOSTED OVER 250 STUDENTS ACROSS THE KINDERGARTEN TO JOB (K2J) CONNECT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS FOCUSING ON CAREERS IN HOSPITALITY AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. WE FOSTERED A BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT LEADING TO THE CREATION OF OVER 1,200 JOBS IN THE CITY OF ROGERS, INCLUDING OVER 70 MILLION DOLLARS OF NEW COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS, EITHER ANNOUNCED OR OPENED THROUGHOUT ROGERS.PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES DESIGNATED TO PRESERVE, PROMOTE, AND ENHANCE COMMERCE IN THE CITY OF ROGERS, ARKANSAS THROUGH DEVELOPING AND INVOLVING LEADERS, HONORING AND SERVING ALL BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY, PROMOTING FREE ENTERPRISE, AND EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY THROUGH CONFERENCES AND ADVERTISING.THE CHAMBER CONTINUES TO HOLD A FIVE-STAR ACCREDITATION WITH THE U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. ACCREDITATION WITH THE UNITED STATES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DEFINES EXCELLENCE IN CHAMBER PLANNING AND RECOGNIZES OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD POSITIVE CHANGE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. ACCREDITATION STATISTICS, AS JUNE 2023, OUT OF THE 7,000 CHAMBERS IN THE UNITED STATES, ONLY 190 CHAMBERS ARE ACCREDITED. THESE ELITE CHAMBERS REPRESENT THE TOP 4% OF ALL CHAMBERS IN THE UNITED STATES. THE NATIONAL LOCAL AND METRO CHAMBER ACCREDITATION STATISTICS ARE AS FOLLOWS. 2 ARE ACCREDITED 7 ARE 3-STAR 28 ARE 4-STAR 146 ARE 5-STARIN 2023, THE CHAMBER ADDED 245 NEW MEMBERSHIPS WITH A YEAR-END OF 1,969 MEMBERS. HOSTED 301 EVENTS AND PROGRAMS INCLUDING 147 BUSINESS NETWORKING EVENTS FOR OUR MEMBERS.DOWNTOWN ROGERS EXPERIENCED THE GROWTH OF 33 NEW BUSINESSES IN 2023 INCLUDING: ADDITIONS TO THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND VENDOR COMMUNITY: BRANDED, HAIR ON FIRE TECH (A MARKETING FIRM), FREEDOM DREAMER PHOTOGRAPHY, SPECIALIZED HAIL COMPANY, DEMON BIKINI (LIGHT MANUFACTURING), ALTANGL (LIGHT MANUFACTURING).SALONS: TL BEAUTY SCHOOL & SALON, VIP HAIR SALON, HAIROLOGY, EDEN BIRTH & WELLNESS, ANDREA CERTIFIED TRICHOLOGIST, 479 COUNSELING, YOGA STORY DTR, THE BEST MASSAGE SALONENTERTAINMENT: DREW DIVILBISS FINE ART, KALEIDOSCOPE COLLECTIVE, THE MUSIC DEPOT, THE PLACE INRETAIL: BIG E'S CAPS AND ACCESSORIES, C. WHITE'S JEWELRY, THE GINGER GYPSY, THE PARLOUR ROOM/UNDERBRUSH BOOKS RESTAURANTS: CROW'S NEST CAFE, THE CHEF'S GARAGE, PINKY SWEAR, HOUSE 1830, PUB ON THE BRICKS. THERE ARE 133 MULTIFAMILY UNITS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND 45 MULTIFAMILY UNITS IN PLANNING.VISIT ROGERS CONTINUED TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY DRAWING IN VISITORS, GROUPS AND EVENTS INTO THE COMMUNITY. 176 LEADS AND 77,950 ROOM NIGHTS WERE SOURCED IN 2023. IN 2023, OUR STRATEGIC AREAS OF FOCUS INCLUDED DESTINATION MARKETING, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT, WORKFORCE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, SMALL BUSINESS OUTREACH, COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS, AND LONG-RANGE COMMUNITY PLANNING TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE.