State of Northwest Arkansas Region, Business Analysis Set for Oct. 8

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Michael Harvey and Mervin Jebaraj

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Center for Business and Economic Research in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, in collaboration with the Northwest Arkansas Council, will release the ninth yearly State of the Northwest Arkansas Region Report on Oct. 8.

The State of the Northwest Arkansas Region Report, first published in 2011, will be shared during a Zoom webinar beginning at 11:30 a.m. Registration in advance is required for the event.

Register at the Center for Business and Economic Research homepage.

Mervin Jebaraj, the center’s director, will outline the economic highlights in the State of the Northwest Arkansas Region Report and will report economic data and insights about the impact of COVID-19.

The State of the Northwest Arkansas Region Report is viewed as one of the best measures of the area’s economy, comparing that to peer regions such as Madison, Wisconsin; Raleigh, North Carolina; Provo-Orem, Utah; Des Moines, Iowa; and Austin, Texas.

Mike Harvey, the chief operating officer for the Northwest Arkansas Council, will give an overview of the council’s efforts to attract talent to the region by highlighting quality of life and job opportunities. The Finding NWA program uses social media platforms like LinkedIn to help recruiters identify top talent from places such as San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas and Kansas City for careers at Walmart, Tyson Foods and other companies. Human resources managers at these companies have praised the Finding NWA efforts since its program expanded in June, the council reports.

Karen Roberts, the 2020-2021 presiding co-chair of the Northwest Arkansas Council, will moderate the event. Roberts is executive vice president and general counsel for Walmart. In this role, she oversees the legal department, which is responsible for handling all legal matters affecting the company in its domestic and international markets.

The deadline for pre-registration is Wednesday, Oct. 7.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 3 percent of colleges and universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.