Center for Business & Economic Research

State of the Northwest Arkansas Region Report release
and Business Analysis Luncheon Set for Oct. 25

Presentation Slides

The Center for Business and Economic Research in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, in collaboration with the Northwest Arkansas Council, will release the annual State of the Northwest Arkansas Region Report on Oct. 25 at 11:30 a.m. at the Fayetteville Town Center 15 W Mountain Street. This highly anticipated event will provide valuable insights on the economic climate and future growth prospects for the Northwest Arkansas region. 

First published in 2011, the State of the Northwest Arkansas Region Report is amoung the best measures of the area’s economy, comparing peers such as Madison, Wis.; Raleigh, N.C.; Provo-Orem, Utah; Des Moines, Iowa; and Austin, Texas.

Join us from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on October 25, 2023 at the Fayetteville Town Center, 15 West Mountain Street, Fayetteville, Arkansas. Networking and registration will begin at 11:00 a.m.

Guest Speaker: Donna Morris, is executive vice president and chief people officer for Walmart, Inc. Morris is responsible for attracting, retaining and developing talent for more than 2 million associates around the world. 

Why it matters: Mervin Jebaraj, Director of the Center for Business and Economic Research  will share economic data from the Center’s Quarterly Business Analysis.

• “The program will highlight Northwest Arkansas’ progress on a number of key metrics and highlights areas where the region still faces challenges” Jebaraj said.“We will also discuss projections for the national and regional economy as it recovers from a period of high inflation and when we might see another recession.”

To register, please call 479-575-4151. The cost of the luncheon is $50 for an individual or $500 for a table of 10. Preregistration is required by Friday, October 20, 2023.

The Quarterly Business Analysis program builds networks of leaders from business, academic and governmental sectors in the region while addressing business highlights of the previous quarter, key economic trends and projections and immediate and long-term issues facing the regional and state economy.

Donna Morris joined Walmart in 2020 from Adobe, where she led all aspects of the company’s human resources, real estate and security operations. Morris also helped drive a number of workplace-friendly initiatives at Adobe, including expanding its family leave policy and simplifying standard HR processes.

For further questions and inquiries please contact cber@walton.uark.edu.