Fort Smith Regional Alliance

Working regionally is key to success in the future in economic development. In 2010, a team with the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce lead by President/CEO, Paul Harvel, embarked on an effort to form a regional alliance comprised of communities within a 50-mile radius of Fort Smith.   

The effort with greeted by enthusiasm and agreement by the surrounding towns. One of the primary factors in the initiative was that each community partner will receive two votes on the board regardless of population size. This gives each town an equal voice in the regional effort. Therefore in April 2010, the board representatives voted to unanimously create the Alliance and model it after the Metro Rock Alliance.

 

Click here for the Metro Rock Alliance's Facebook page.

The Fort Smith Regional Alliance includes six counties in Arkansas – Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Sebastian and Scott – and two counties in Oklahoma – LeFlore and Sequoyah. 

It is currently comprised of 14 communities: Alma, Altus, Booneville, Charleston, Clarksville, Greenwood, Fort Smith, Ozark, Paris, Poteau, Roland, Sallisaw, Van Buren and Waldron.  

For more information, please contact Lea Taylor, Executive Director at 479-650-4193 or via email.

Strategic Plan

Board of Directors

FAQ

Fort Smith Reginal Alliance News

Not your daddy’s alliance

The Fort Smith Regional Alliance is alive and moving forward. It’s not the same alliance effort that was tried a couple times prior. This is different. How? As they say…timing is everything – and now is the time.

Community leadership, stakeholders and residents are ready, passionate and committed. Arkansas and Oklahoma State and Federal legislation are looking at regional efforts vs. individual initiatives.

Organizational structure provides an equal voice in the decisions made by the Alliance. Regional communities have experienced the benefits and strength of economic development partnerships.

This Alliance has the support of the AR and OK Governors as well as Arkansas Economic Development Commission and the Oklahoma Department of Commerce.

Now granted, the real test will be the implementation of the plan. The Alliance’s movement must transition into action. But if the current momentum is any indication of what is to come, then this Alliance have a very bright future ahead.

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