It is time for Christmas Bingo!

The Fort Smith Regional Chamber’s Shop Local Bingo is a fun and interactive way to promote local businesses while encouraging community members to shop and explore. The Holiday season is the perfect opportunity to shop with local businesses, explore local attractions, and dine at local restaurants.

Shopping local matters. When you shop local you are:

• Investing in your community
• Supporting local jobs
• Preserving what makes our community unique
• Getting better, more personalized service
• Helping our environment
• Building stronger community connections
• Keeping tax dollars at home

Visit the link below to learn more about how to play Christmas Bingo and to view the Bingo card!

Thank you to all of our sponsors for supporting Shop Local!

First Friday Breakfast

We had a great morning at our November First Friday Breakfast!

It was a pleasure to head from Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs, Colonel (Ret) Robert A. Ator II! Colonel (Ret) Ator spoke about plans and programs to support veterans in the state of Arkansas. 

Thank you to our sponsors for making this event possible!

Presenting: Cromwell Architects Engineers

Hosting: Littlefield Companies

Coffee Bar: Encompass Health, Kaleb House

Incentive Drawing: Choctaw Casino & Resort

Location: University of Arkansas - Fort Smith

Business Brew

We had the best time at our Business Brew at Peak Innovation Center on November 18th!

Networking and touring this amazing facility is always a great time. Our networking game included talking about our first jobs and there were some interesting ones.

Thank you to our sponsors for making this event possible!

Presenting Sponsor: Red River Credit Union

Hosting Sponsor: United Way of Fort Smith

Breakfast Sponsor: The Fort Smith Convention Center

Junior Leadership & Career Academy

November was all about Healthcare for the Junior Leadership & Career Academy! Fort Smith EMS kicked off our day with a great breakfast, tour, and listen in on 911 calls. We put our healthcare knowledge into action with Baptist Health Fort Smith & Van Buren and their CPR, Stop the Bleed, and handwashing stations. Mercy Hospital Fort Smith welcomed us for a tour of their new ICU, a lesson on parasites & pig lungs, and lunch. We wrapped up our day at Methodist Village Senior Living learning about their ladder program over ice cream.

Thank you to all of our healthcare providers and community partners for making Fort Smith a healthcare hub!

We appreciate our sponsors for creating these opportunities for students! 

Presenting Sponsor: OG&E

Platinum Sponsors: AT&T, Silgan Plastic Food Containers

Annual Lunch & Break: Dixie / Georgia-Pacific

Gold Sponsors: ABB Motors and Drives US, First National Bank of Fort Smith, Hytrol, Mercy Hospital, RightFiber

A big thank you to Area Agency on Aging of Western Arkansas for sponsoring our Healthcare Session!

Leadership Fort Smith

LFS Class of 2026 was booked & busy for our Community Outreach session! We learned about the many needs and offerings in our area, and how we can be catalyst for change. 

The Fort Smith Boys & Girls Clubs kicked off our day with a great breakfast, tour, trivia and science experiment! We heard from Eddie Lee Herndon about board selection, and how to be a good board member. The ACHE Research Institute Health & Wellness Center welcomed us for a lunch and learn style event, where the class created pottery, custom charcuterie boards, and cheffed up some lunch!

Shea & Maddie from United Way of Fort Smith kicked off the second half of our day, where we did a powerful agency tour visiting the Boys Shelter Inc., Fort Smith Crisis Intervention Center, Community Services Clearinghouse, and The Salvation Army of Fort Smith, AR. Thank you United Way for sponsoring our lunch! 

Thank you to all of our annual sponsors for supporting such a

powerful day for our class. 

Presenting Sponsor: Arkansas Colleges of Health Education

Partner Sponsor: BHC Insurance, Mercy Hospital Fort Smith

Session Sponsor: Gerdau

November Ribbon Cuttings

Congratulations to the members who held ribbon cuttings with us this month! We are thrilled to celebrate these milestones with you! 

New Members in November

We are so excited to welcome these businesses as members!

Don Wise Construction

Club Car Wash

Altitude Imagery - Powered by Demi Barron Photography

CDI Contractors

Fort Smith Smiles

Cards Recycling

Byrider Fort Smith

Peterson Chemical Technology, LLC

Heritage Signs, Awnings, and Canopies

AMBASSADOR OF THE MONTH

October 2025

We would like to congratulate Shawna Burgess with First Security Bank on being chosen as our October Ambassador of the Month!

We would also like to recognize and thank the companies that allow their BEST to be a part of our ambassador team! 

Listed are the TOP 5 out of 55 ambassadors who were extremely engaged with our new members, volunteered at events, and had a great online presence this month!

Shawna Burgess - First Security Bank

Krystina Israel - Mercy Hospital Fort Smith

Jill Golding - United Federal Credit Union

Jerry Lovins - Drivers Select

Sterling Henderson - ClearCreek Wealth Management

Shawna is all about seeing businesses and investors succeed. This Arkansas native comes from a small business family where her people person ways really shine. Over her 27 year career in banking, Shawna has worked in a variety of roles including small business banking, commercial lending, and business development. She is a proud Fort Smith Chamber Ambassador and serves on the Christmas Honors board (honoring Veterans by working with the community to place wreaths on every headstone in the National Cemetery in December). She is on the event committee for Methodist Village Senior Living (working on the annual Bubbles and Bowties event fundraiser for our elders in the community on New Years Eve).

“My favorite part of being a Fort Smith Chamber Ambassador is meeting new people and celebrating new beginnings for business opportunities and watching them succeed here in Fort Smith. I truly value the relationships that I’ve made being an ambassador.”

As a Community Banker and Commercial lender at First Security, she specializes in providing full-service banking. She manages deposit and credit relationships for each of her clients. Visit Shawna at 7613 Rogers Ave in Fort Smith.

First Security Bank was chartered to do business in the State of Arkansas in 1932. The privately held First Security Bancorp has the most complete and diverse product offering of any Arkansas-based financial services holding company. First Security Bank is a state member of the Federal Reserve system. Proud to be financially strong supported by the strength of more than $1.35 billion in total capital and over $8.5 billion in assets, First Security Bancorp has the ability to meet financing needs from $1 to $100 million-right here in Arkansas.

Congratulations to Shawna and all of our Ambassadors on another great month!

Grow Your Business in 2026 with the Fort Smith Chamber — Marketing Guide Now Available!

Our 2026 Fort Smith Chamber Marketing Packet is now available! Follow the link below to see all the exciting ways you can get involved next year!

Does your business offer a military discount?

Does your business offer a military discount? Fill out the form linked above and your business will be listed on our website and will receive a window sticker!

View our military discount directory here: https://www.fortsmithchamber.org/military-discounts/.

Thank you to all of our area businesses who offer discounts and support our military members!

Ready to shine in 2026? Host one of our Networking Events!

Contact Arianna Daniels to learn more about hosting a Business Brew, Business 2 Business Luncheon, or Business After Hours next year.

2025 First Friday Breakfast Series: December 5th

Join us on December 5th at 7:30AM at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith in the Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center! This month our featured guest speaker is President / CEO of the Arkansas State Chamber, Randy Zook. Whether you're looking to expand your network, gain valuable insights, listen to an informative program, or simply enjoy a delicious breakfast among peers, this event is for you. 

Seats are limited, so don't miss this opportunity to connect with fellow business professionals and community leaders. We look forward to seeing you there! 

2025 Business Brew Series: November 18th

Join us at our November Business Brew: Your Monthly Morning Networking Hub!

Held every third Tuesday, our monthly Business Brew event happens from 8:00AM to 9:00AM at a new space each month. This month, we will be at Peak Innovation Center. This casual event provides a refreshing way to kick off your day and expand your network! The goal of our Business Brew event is to create an inviting space where you can meet other members, discuss your business, share your goals, and forge meaningful relationships. Conversations flow easily over a light breakfast and fresh coffee, helping you to connect authentically.

Feel free to bring your business cards, brochures, and any materials that tell your story! Wear your name tag and bring a door prize (optional).

2025 Business After Hours: December 18th

Join us at our December Business After Hours: Connect, Collaborate, and Unwind!

You're invited to our Fourth Quarter Business After Hours event - an informal yet impactful way to network! This quarter, we will be on the 7th Floor at 524 Garrison Avenue sponsored by Hampton Inn and Regions Bank. Whether you are looking to meet new connects, share ideas, or explore potential partnerships, Business After Hours offers the perfect relaxed setting to connect with fellow professionals! You will enjoy complimentary beverages, appetizers, and great conversations while building valuable connection. Come for the drinks, stay for the connections, and leave with new opportunities! 

Feel free to bring your business cards, brochures, and any materials that tell your story! Wear your name tag and bring a door prize (optional).

Submit Your News

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This feature is to celebrate company milestones, employee recognition, promotions, or other accomplishments. Please utilize your Chamber Master account for events, deals, or general news releases.