ROGERS -- The possibilities for Northwest Arkansas are unlimited in the years ahead, Don Bacigalupi, former executive director and president of Crystal Bridges, said Thursday.
Sandy Edwards, deputy director of Crystal Bridges, had a conversation with Bacigalupi during the annual Bentonville/Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce dinner at the John Q. Hammons Center.
2014 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:
• Ambassador of the Year: Nancy Morgan-Kalish, Hilton Garden Inn
• Teacher of the Year: Kory Price, Washington Jr. High School; Greg Puckett, Bentonville High School; Sheila O’Neal, Barker Middle School; Ashleigh Dewey, Apple Glen Elementary School.
• Spirit Award: Suzanne Nicholas
• WalStreet Award: Acosta
• MainStreet Award: Source Gas
• Arthur (Rabbit) Dickerson Award: Dr. Don Cohagan
• R.E. (Ed) Buck Award: Rob Brothers
Source: Bentonville/Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce
Edwards asked Bacigalupi to recall his thoughts when Crystal Bridges was announced, the skepticism it endured from the art world, what it has done for the area and how it bodes for the decade ahead.
"I think that the next 10 years are going to be extraordinary and, again, unlimited," Bacigalupi said.
Bacigalupi spoke about the community's collaborative effort to establish Crystal Bridges. The intensity of the collaborative spirit of this region is unique, he said.
"There was so much positivity that it was infectious," Bacigalupi said.
It's what continues to propel the museum's national recognition; and when people come to visit it, they get a taste of Northwest Arkansas, he said.
Bacigalupi's colleagues who were skeptical of the museum opening in Bentonville would become ambassadors of the project and for Northwest Arkansas when they came to visit, he said.
It's that same collaborative effort, spirit of volunteerism and philanthropic activity that is moving the region ahead in a thoughtful, smart way, Bacigalupi continued. It's the region, not just its institutions, that collectively take on problems, projects and advance, he said.
"Many cities grow, many regions grow, but they don't always grow intelligently," he said. "I think what's happening here is the history, the collaborative spirit, that kind of banding together that's been part of the culture here is moving us forward in a very intelligent, very thoughtful, very well-organized way."
Bacigalupi recently accepted the position as the founding president of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art to be built in Chicago. He will remain a Crystal Bridges board member, according to the event program.
Mike Shupe, with CEI Engineers, said the program was the best he's seen in 30 years. He said enjoyed the conversational format of the program rather than the traditional keynote speech.
He said he was also impressed with Bacigalupi and what he's done for the region and the art world.
"He was really magic," Shupe said.
Shelley Parson, chamber board chairwoman, recapped the chamber's highlights of 2014 and outlined plans for 2015.
The NWA Technology Council was established last year and hosted the first NWA Technology Summit in August, Parson reported. Chamber officials believe it will become a signature event in the region.
The Business Matters Breakfast and the Breakfast Playbook Series were just two of many new programs the chamber implemented last year.
The chamber has 1,016 members after adding 234 members in 2014, Parson said.
North Walton Boulevard will be a target area for development this year, she continued. The North Walton Loan Consortium was recently announced. Eight banks have committed $16 million to loan to developers in an effort to accelerate development in that corridor.
"I'm excited about the success I see coming for 2015," Parson said.
NW News on 02/13/2015