Mission

Governor Mike Beebe led 1,500 community leaders from all 75 Arkansas counties gathered on October 15-16, 2008 for an unprecedented combined effort to build a brighter economic future for the Natural State.

Let us make Arkansas the place where dreams come true and hopes become reality. Let us knock down the barriers and say to everyone, black and white, men and women, rich and poor, rural and urban that we have awakened to the possibilities of change and the promises of success. Follow your hopes and your dreams. Follow them right here in Arkansas. We will be stewards of our heritage and the authors of our future. 

- Governor Mike Beebe, 2007 Inaugural Address

That summit inaugurated the ongoing Arkansas Works Summit initiative to cultivate the direct relationship between education and economic development on the community level to foster a stronger economy in every part of the state.

By unifying the efforts of educators and employers across Arkansas and within each county, we will increase the pool of qualified, educated workers to entice more new businesses to see Arkansas as a desirable destination and to further build established companies that have shown faith in our workforce.

The initial summit, held at the Statehouse Convention Center, provided the opportunity for leaders from each of the 75 counties to sit down together and discuss pressing topics. Together, through this summit and the ongoing efforts from it, we can work to make Arkansas a better place to live, learn and work.

Co-chairs of Arkansas Works 2008 included Claiborne Deming, President and CEO, Murphy Oil Company; Dr. Les Wyatt, President, Arkansas State University System; and Senator-Elect Joyce Elliot, an education activist and school teacher.