Northwest Arkansas corporations go head-to-head at Jones Center in Springdale

Dylan Shade (left) and Denyse Leon (right) pull co-worker Deanna Young, all with Spectrum Brands, during a part of a relay race Friday during the Corporate Games at The Jones Center in Springdale. Several companies competed against one another in a variety of games including volleyball, relay racing, broomball and battleship.

SPRINGDALE -- Corporate teams from across Northwest Arkansas went head to head Friday in a series of athletic events at the Jones Center.

"It's basically held around team building and corporate outreach," said Chase Coonrod, membership coordinator for the Jones Center.

Participating Teams

The corporate teams that participated in the Jones Center event include:

• Kellogg’s

• P&G

• Reese’s

• Arvest Bank

• Pepsico

• Spectrum Brands

• Northwest Health

• Wal-Mart Reverse Logistics

• HFA Creative Solutions

• Hershey

• Core Architects

• Conagra Brands

• Flintco

• Unilever

• Chobani

• Camp War Eagle

Source: Staff Report

Sixteen teams comprised of 350 employees participated, said Stephen Paul, the center's recreation coordinator. Next year's event also will have 16 teams, Paul said.

[EMAIL UPDATES: Get free breaking news updates and daily newsletters with top headlines delivered to your inbox]

"Sixteen is where we will keep it because that's all we can provide activity for. We're basically at max capacity," he said.

Teams from companies including Arvest, Hershey, Reese's, Spectrum Brands and Core Architects played a variety of games including dodgeball, volleyball, broom ball, hot shot basketball and spin bike challenge in a tournament setup. The competition had curling and laser tag for the first time this year.

Kellogg's, last year's competition winner, returned this year to defend its crown, Coonrod said. But Kellogg's was unable to repeat as champion as P&G took the title and traveling trophy Friday.

The tournament spanned eight hours with a different kind of "Battleship" to end the day. It was the only game involving every team and team member playing at once, with the teams in canoes in the Jones Center pool trying to sink each other as they would if playing the classic board game, Coonrod said.

Jimmy Ashley, Wal-Mart Reverse Logistics general manager, and 15 team members participated for the first time this year. Ashley learned about the event on the Internet and signed up to work on team building. Regional Manager Chris Scroggins served as team captain.

"It's great. We will be back next year," Ashley said.

Core Architects also participated for the first time.

Core is renovating the Jones Center, having completed work on the Harvey Jones Foyer and Conference Center and is wrapping up renovation to the Tyson Fitness and Food wing, said Jessie Vines, interior designer.

"We just like to get to know our clients on a more personal level," Vines said. "It's also a fundraiser for the facility, so we felt it was a good cause to contribute to."

Teams paid $900 to compete. The money helps pay for corporate games and other Jones Center events, Paul said.

NW News on 05/13/2017

Upcoming Events