Governor Beebe's Weekly Column and Radio Address: The World is Taking Notice
Attracting new business and investment to Arkansas is critical to growing our State's economy and improving the standard of living for every Arkansan. We've had two very successful years in that arena, and the world is continuing to take notice.
The latest issue of Southern Business & Development magazine referred to "Arkansas's Great Year" as one of the Top 10 stories of 2008. The last line of that story reads as follows:
The worst recession to hit the South in decades shows up and Arkansas has its best year ever. Go figure.
In reality, it's not difficult to figure at all. Arkansas's recent successes have been built on an age-old formula of solid planning, hard work, collaboration, and persistence.
The Arkansas Economic Development Commission, led by Executive Director Maria Haley, continues to execute a strategic plan focused on making the most of Arkansas's strengths: Our central location, robust transportation infrastructure, excellent biodiversity, and, most important, our enviable quality of life.
Maria and her team are promoting Arkansas every day to business contacts around the world, and thanks to the vision and cooperation of our legislators, AEDC has powerful new tools to lure potential investors. The Governor's Quick Action Closing Fund, first authorized by the General Assembly in 2007, has placed Arkansas in a position to compete for projects that would have gone elsewhere a few years ago.
This past week, I had the pleasure of attending the grand opening of Welspun's new multimillion-dollar facility in the Little Rock Riverport. Welspun, one of India's largest conglomerates, and one of the world's fastest growing companies, will put 300 Arkansans to work. Its leaders chose Arkansas as the site for Welspun's North American headquarters, and they're not the only foreign firm to make significant investments in Arkansas over the past two years. Dassault Falcon Jet, LM Glasfiber, Polymarin, Nordex - companies from around the globe - are discovering that Arkansas is a great place to do business.
While it's extremely gratifying to have publications, such as Southern Business Development, Forbes, and USA Today, acknowledge our ability to attract and expand economic development across the State, now is not the time to rest on our laurels. Arkansas might be doing better than the rest of the U.S., but the deep recession our country is experiencing has left its mark within our borders, too.
Thousands of Arkansans have lost jobs, and the State's success, relative to the rest of the country, is little consolation to folks wondering how to pay their bills and feed their families. It's my wish that those who are suffering will take from this good news a renewed sense of hope and confidence. We are working hard, every day, to attract investment, expand Arkansas's economy, and bring good jobs and retraining to the people of our State.
We're attracting new business investment in the midst of a recession, because of our tireless commitment to make Arkansas competitive in the global economy. When this recession lifts, we'll be prepared to lead the way.