Editor’s Note: “The Economic Development Side” originally appears in the Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce’s weekly member e-newsletter. It is written by Rhonda Dishner, the Economic Development Alliance’s executive assistant.
David Beck of First Arkansas Insurance is the new board chairman of the Economic Development Alliance for Jefferson County. He was elected at the board’s December meeting and assumed the volunteer duties Jan. 1. Beck previously served as vice chairman.
Other newly elected officers are Marc Oudin Jr. of Oudin Properties, vice chairman; and Tim DeJarnette of The Strong Co., secretary-treasurer. Both Oudin and DeJarnette transitioned to Alliance board membership in 2018 after previously serving on the board of the Jefferson County Industrial Foundation, an Alliance-affiliate organization.
Alliance officers traditionally are elected to serve for two years.
Beside their new individual responsibilities as officers, the three also will serve in an administrative oversight role as members of the Alliance Executive Committee. Outgoing Alliance board chairman Steven Brown of Relyance Bank will remain on the executive committee in the new position of past chairman.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
A 2018 restructuring doubled the size of the Alliance’s board of directors from five to 10 elected members, effective Jan. 1. Also now serving on the board are Dr. Laurence Alexander of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Mac Bellingrath of B3 Properties, Marty Casteel of Simmons Bank, Duke Fakouri of M.K. Distributors, Becky Simpson of Express Employment Professionals, and Ford Trotter of Trotter Auto Group.
Additionally, chairmen of two Alliance-affiliate organizations serve as ex-officio members of the board. For 2019 those directors are Janice Acosta of Relyance Bank, who is chairman of the Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce; and David Bush, a retired Simmons Bank executive and chairman of the Pine Bluff-Jefferson County Port Authority.
Lou Ann Nisbett is president and chief executive officer for the Alliance, and Caleb McMahon is director of economic development.