Ribbon Cuttings | January - June

We would like to thank all of our members for a great start to 2025! We have seen so much growth, networking, and community development so far. Congratulations to the members that joined, held ribbon cuttings, and celebrated milestones with us. We could not do any of this without the support of our wonderful members. We are so excited to see what the rest of the year has in store!

Member Benefits

Member Monday

As a Chamber member, you have a free opportunity to be featured in our Member Monday spotlight — shared every Monday on our Facebook page with over 12,000 followers! This is a great way to introduce your business to a wider audience, share your story, highlight a special service, or promote an upcoming event. With no cost to participate, this feature is one of the many ways we help amplify our members' voices and support their continued growth.

Each Member Monday post is crafted to showcase the unique value your business brings to our community, helping to drive awareness, engagement, and local support. Whether you're a new member or a long-time partner, this is your chance to expand your reach, gain visibility, and connect with customers who want to support local. We encourage all members to take advantage of this valuable benefit — it’s easy, effective, and just one more way your Chamber is working for you.

Submit Your News

Share your news with us and it could be included in the next Chamber Connections newsletter!

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.

Does your business offer a military discount?

We have put together a tab on our website that features businesses in our area that offer military discounts! This page is shared with the community and military members. Click below to fill out the form and tell us about the perks and discounts you offer!

New Members in June

We are so excited to welcome these businesses as members!

Gateway Construction, Inc.

GetCus2mized - Designs by Fritzie

Inner Peace Massage and Body Studio

Hey Heifer Boutique

Daily Thread

Fianna Hills Consignment Boutique

Edward Jones - Anthony Hood

ProElite Basketball Academy

The Fort Storage (Barling)

AMBASSADOR OF THE MONTH

May 2025

We would like to congratulate Jerry Lovins with Drivers Select and Direct Staffing Inc. on being chosen as our May 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!



Jerry Lovins - Drivers Select and Direct Staffing

Ben Brown - Bullfrog Bouncers LLC

Jill Golding - United Federal Credit Union

Rachel Dahl - Arkansas Colleges of Health Education

Kim Nemeth - Univision Arkansas

Jerry is the District Sales Manager for Drivers Select and Direct Staffing. While he has only been with these companies for a year, he has 40 years of experience in sales and prides himself on providing the best service to his clients. Jerry resides in Fort Smith with his wife where they have raised two children and welcomed several grandchildren. Jerry's favorite activity is golf and he enjoys pouring into the Fort Smith community through the many charity golf tournaments hosted by our local non-profit organizations.

Drivers Select and Direct Staffing are sister companies. Drivers Select has been in Fort Smith since 2001 and offers CDL staffing in 11 states. Direct Staffing has been here since 2021 and offers staffing solutions ranging from a one-day employee through a temporary-to-permanent status employee. Drivers Select and Direct Staffing are committed to helping their customers find quality employees so that their businesses run smoothly. At Drivers Select and Direct Staffing, “We take care of all of the back-end work so that you can put people to work.”

Congratulations to Jerry and all our Ambassadors on another great month!

Partners In Education (PIE) Luncheon

Earlier this month, the Fort Smith Chamber hosted the Partners in Education (PIE) Luncheon in coordination with Fort Smith Public Schools and the Partners in Education Board. Local businesses that participate in the PIE Program were invited to attend with their partner school staff to celebrate their efforts with local students. Congratulations to those who won volunteer awards and thank you to all of our sponsors for supporting this luncheon event!

JLCA CLASS ANNOUNCED

Congratulations to the 31 students who were selected for the Junior Leadership & Career Academy Class X!

These high school freshmen will gain a backstage pass to the River Valley and will be introduced to potential employers, business leaders, and community leaders in our region.

We are excited to celebrate the new JLCA participants at their New Class Reception in July!

Thank you to our 2025-2026 Sponsors!

Presenting: OG&E

Platinum: AT&T, Silgan Containers

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

Annual Lunch & Break: Georgia-Pacific

Journal: Armstrong Bank

First Friday Breakfast

We had a wonderful morning on June 6th, hearing from Director Jared Wiley of the Arkansas Department of Transportation at our First Friday Breakfast!

Director Wiley delivered a keynote on the funding, current projects, and planned improvements to Arkansas's highway and interstate systems.

Thank you to our sponsors for making this event possible! 

Presenting: First National Bank of Fort Smith 

Hosting: ArcBest 

Buffet: Logistics Warehouse 

Coffee Bar: FORSGREN INCORPORATED 

Incentive: Choctaw Casinos & Resorts 

Location: University of Arkansas - Fort Smith

Jack White Legislative Golf Tournament

We had a wonderful time at our 32nd Annual Jack White Legislative Golf Tournament on June 13th! We want to give a huge shoutout to all of our teams, sponsors, and volunteers who made this event a huge success!

Congratulations to the tournament winners! 

1st Place - Cherokee Nation Casino PM

2nd Place - Acme Brick 

3rd Place - Cherokee Nation Casino AM

Business Brew

We had a great time networking at our Business Brew on June 17th! Attendees got to make connections, enjoy breakfast, and share information about events and itiatives in our community! 

Thank you to our sponsors for making this event possible!

Presenting Sponsor: Red River Credit Union

Hosting Sponsor: El Olvido Mexican Restaurant

Breakfast Sponsor: The Fort Smith Convention Center

Business After Hours

We had a great time networking at our Business After Hours event at Crowder Field on June 26th! Members made great connections, enjoyed drinks, and got to take in the game. Our Events Administrator, Arianna Daniels, also got to throw out the ceremonial pitch!

Thank you to our Hosting Sponsor, the Fort Smith Marshals!

Visit With The AEDC

We were honored to welcome the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and their staff to Fort Smith the first week of June! Their visit included a tour of the 188th Wing, Arkansas Air National Guard and ABB, followed by a wonderful evening dinner at Rolando's Nuevo Latino Restaurante.



The AEDC Council, made up of 16 members appointed by the Governor to serve four-year terms, plays a vital role in guiding economic growth across the state.

Thank you to ABB Motors and Drives US and Five Rivers Distribution for sponsoring these tours and dinner!

Celebration for the U.S. Army's 250th Birthday

On June 14th, we had the honor of celebrating the 250th birthday of the United States Army at the U.S. Marshals Museum! We were proud to hear remarks from Captain Devin Mashack and to join in recognizing the brave men and women who serve our nation. Thank you to all members of the military for your service and sacrifice!

Western Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma Employers! You can post your open jobs directly to Career Ready Fort Smith to get those career opportunities in front of jobseekers immediately. Career Ready Fort Smith is a resource for jobseekers looking for positions in Sebastian, Crawford, and Franklin County, AR, as well as Le Flore and Sequoyah County, OK.

Use this link to go to Career Ready Fort Smith and register today!

Thank you for supporting Leadership Fort Smith!

Join us for Business 2 Business Luncheon!

This quarter, we will be at The Resolve Center. This dynamic event provides businesses and individuals with a platform to showcase their products and services through an interactive speed networking session. 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).

We look forward to seeing you there!

2025 Business Brew Series: July 15th

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 Kids Unlimited Learning Academy. This casual event provides a refreshing way to kick off your day and expand your network!

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 Back to School Bash Events

Each year, the Chamber and its members like to express our gratitude for the hard work and dedication of area teachers and faculty. The Back to School Bash's offer our members an opportunity to give back to the teachers in public, private, and charter schools.

Thanks to our sponsors for making this possible! This year's Back to School Bash events are presented by OG&E. Our headlining sponsor is Sam's Furniture.

Interested in sponsoring this event and supporting our local teachers? Email Grace Wilmath here.