AEDC director to address Marion Chamber banquet

AEDC director to address Marion Chamber banquet

Annual MCOC gathering set for Sept. 13

ralphhardin@gmail.com Mike Preston, Executive Director for the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming 2018 Marion Chamber of Commerce banquet.

Governor Asa Hutchinson appointed Mike Preston executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission in March 2015. Preston is widely regarded as a leading advocate for economic development.

Before joining AEDC, Preston served six and a half years as the Vice President of Government Relations for Enterprise Florida. During his tenure at Enterprise Florida, he was part of the team that helped create more than 147,000 jobs paying an average wage of $56,437 and generating $10.07 billion in capital investment.

Since joining AEDC, Preston and Governor Asa Hutchinson have made business recruitment trips to Japan, China, France, Germany, Israel, Cuba, Mexico, New York City, United Kingdom, and Silicon Valley. The trips continue to play an important role in the state’s economic development efforts and have led to more than 300 companies signing agreements with AEDC to locate or expand in Arkansas.

These companies are investing $6.8 billion and creating more than 11,200 new jobs.

The banquet will also feature the presentation of several awards, including Outstanding Business of the Year, New Business of the Year, Chamber Member of the Year, and the Ernest Crawford Lifetime Achievement Award. This year’s banquet is being sponsored by Willowbend of Marion, Southland Park Gaming & Racing, Baptist Memorial Health Care, ESa, Entergy, Fidelity National Bank, Farm Bureau Insurance, Hino Motors, and First Community Bank, Fenter Physical Therapy, and Stern Cardiovascular.

The banquet is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 14, beginning at 6:30 p.m., at Southland Park Gaming & Racing.

By Ralph Hardin