Welcoming New Jobs, Restoring Old Ones

This week, Arkansas celebrated welcome economic-development news in three different communities. First, Hewlett-Packard opened its brand-new, multi-million facility in Conway. The company currently employs approximately 400 people and plans to continue hiring until eventually employing a staff of 1,200.

We also received the good news that Whirlpool will bring 400 previously laid-off employees back to work at its Fort Smith plant. The company's decision to take action to meet increased production requirements provides a bit of positive evidence that the recession may be slowly turning around. In fact, Whirlpool may soon hire new workers beyond the 400 it has already called back.

Then, on Tuesday, we announced that Little Rock will become the corporate headquarters of Allied Wireless Communications Corporation. Although Allied already has a presence in several other states, its leadership decided that Arkansas was the right place to establish their center of operations. This means that AWCC will hire 200 to 250 people to fill high-paying, high-tech positions. These are the types of jobs that will keep talented Arkansans from leaving the State to seek rewarding opportunities elsewhere.

All three of these developments are signs of better times ahead, adding some encouragement to a year that will end with thousands of Arkansans left without the jobs they held when the year began. Like so many other states across the country, Arkansas has faced the repeated news of layoffs and company closures. At the same time, however, we have recruited thousands of new jobs, thanks in large measure to the persistence of Economic Development Commission Director Maria Haley and her team.

Time and again, business success in Arkansas has come about with the help of committed, dedicated advocates working for the betterment of our State. One of these is Warren Stephens, the president and CEO of Stephens Inc. Warren and his team introduced AWCC's parent company to the concept of establishing a headquarters in Little Rock.

Thanks to the suggestion from Stephens, AWCC approached Arkansas with an open mind, and we were happy to share the merits of our workforce with them. By choosing to stake a claim in Arkansas, AWCC leaders will benefit from the large pool of well-educated, telecommunications professionals already here. AWCC's investment in Arkansas demonstrates confidence in the resilience of our economy and our growth potential in the wireless communications industry.

Building face-to-face relationships through mutual respect leads to good business decisions. Michael Prior, President and CEO of Atlantic Tele-Network, AWCC's parent company, told the media this week that he had "never had a more straightforward, business-like approach with a government," as he has had with Arkansas. It's a simple formula that is working time and again for our State: promoting our strong points, establishing personal relationships, and offering attractive incentives that pay off for our investors, the taxpayers.

Over the past three years, we have seen many achievements in economic development, thanks to the tools provided by the Legislature and the tireless work of state-and-local officials. With news like Allied Wireless's this week, I fully expect to continue turning those initial conversations into concrete jobs, and careers, for Arkansans.