ROGERS — Dana Davis, the Bentonville/Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce CEO, reviewed highlights from 2013 and addressed changes planned for 2014 during the chamber’s annual dinner Thursday night.
“It’s been an outstanding year for the chamber and the community,” Davis told the attendees of the dinner held at the John Q. Hammons Center.
At A Glance
2013 Award Recipients
The Bentonville/Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce held its annual dinner Thursday at the John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers. The award recipients were:
• Sam M. Walton Award: David Glass
• Teacher of the Year: Stephanie Blecher, second-grade teacher at Central Park Elementary School; Lori Badeen, kindergarten teacher at Centerton Gamble Elementary School; Christy Ralph, P.E. teacher at Brightfield Elementary School
• Ambassador of the Year: Carl Ballou, Digi-Flash
• Spirit Award: Blair Cromwell, Bentonville Convention and Visitors Bureau
• MainStreet Award: Angela Robinson and The Job Guide
• WalStreet Award: Landon Noble and Kendal King Group
• R.E. (Ed) Buck Award: Jim Demaree
• Arthur (Rabbit) Dickerson Award: Dr. Steve Goss, Mercy Clinic-Northwest Arkansas
Source: Bentonville/Bella Vista Chamber Of Commerce
Davis commented on the community’s highlights including the opening of 21c Museum Hotel, Crystal Bridges seeing its one-millionth visitor, the groundbreaking of the Bentonville Community Recreation Center and millage passing for a second high school.
Bella Vista's population topped 30,000 people and Bentonville surpassed 40,000, Davis said. The cities saw employment growth of 4.1 and 3.9 percent respectively.
The chamber added 176 members in 2013, which brought the total to 952, Davis said.
There will be some programs the chamber will end in 2014, including the Urban Summit Series and Chamber Night at the Board of Education, Davis said.
However, there will be new programs implemented. Business Matters will be a breakfast held quarterly where issues relevant to the area will be discussed. There will also be the start of a Business Women’s Leadership Network, which will meeting quarterly and also provide a $5oo scholarship to a Bentonville High School female senior who will pursue a business-related field.
The creation of a Technology Council will also take place this year. It will reach out to educational partners and small businesses while focusing on innovation and businesses development, Davis said. Its first event is planned for March.
David Glass, the keynote speaker, received the Sam M. Walton Award. It is the fifth time the award has been given out since Sam Walton was its first recipient in 1979, Davis said. Glass is chairman and CEO of the Kansas City Royals baseball team and former CEO of Walmart.
The award is given to someone whose contribution has made a huge difference in the growth of the region, Davis said.
Glass was hired by Walton as the vice president of finance 1976 after several attempts to get the job, Davis said. Glass became company’s vice chairman and chief financial officer in 1982 then president and chief operations officer in 1984. He served as president-CEO from 1988 to 2000.
During his time with Walmart, sales increased tenfold to $165 billion, earnings soared from $628 million to $5.4 billion, stores tripled to 4,000 and the number of employees increased from 183,000 to 1.1 million, Davis said.
Glass was also instrumental in setting up international business and getting Walmart into foreign markets, Davis said. Glass also pioneered the development of the first Walmart Supercenter.
Previous Sam M. Walton Award recipients include John Cooper Jr. in 1998, Bob and Marilyn Bogle in 2001, Gary Compton in 2007 and David Short in 2011.