Page 3 - 2016Progress.March27

Progress 2016 – Business & Industry El Dorado NEWS-TIMES – Sunday, March 27 – 3 ‘Talk about your resources and don’t be afraid to brag on yourself’
Lindsay Duncan
lduncan@eldoradonews.com
Executive director for the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, Mike Preston, said that El Dorado definitely has economic assets that are a great base.
“I have high praise for what El Dorado is doing,” Preston said. “The quality of life with the downtown area and com- panies is very impressive.”
Preston is recognized as a leading
advocate for economic development
and has worked for the last six and
a half years as the vice president of
government relations for Enterprise
Florida. He secured hundreds of mil-
lions of dollars for the organization,
the state’s economic development tool-
kit, international trade initiatives and capital programs, according to a news release from the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce. He also worked closely with state legisla-
tors to advance economic development projects through the legislative approval process.
During his tenure at Enterprise, he was part of the team that helped create more than 147,000 jobs, paying an average wage of $56,437 and generating $10.07 billion in capital investment. He worked with the organization’s international team to help facilitate trade efforts which have resulted in $3.7 billion in export sales.
The Arkansas Economic Development Commission has a mission to “create economic opportunity by attracting higher paying jobs, expanding and diversifying our state and local economies, increasing incomes and investment and generating positive growth throughout Arkansas,” according to the official website.
“We partner with local communities and see what they have to offer and what they want to focus on,” Preston said. “Each region has different focus points and inter- ests.”
Preston said that the Arkansas Economic Development Commission aims to show resources and attractions that Arkansas has for people globally who may be looking to relocate.
“We want to promote Arkansas as a business destina- tion,” Preston said. “We work with existing businesses in Arkansas to help with workforce training and other needed areas as well.”
With the downtown redevelopment and the workforce that El Dorado has, Preston said that it is an impressive place with a lot of room to grow.
“Millennials and the younger generation are not just looking for work anymore,” Preston said. “They are look- ing for a place where they can be happy.”
Preston was impressed with the El Dorado Promise and the two El Dorado-based Fortune 500 companies.
“Not many places can say that they offer that,” Preston said. “Each community has to identify what is important to them and go from there.”
Advice that Preston suggested for El Dorado employees would be to be proud to work in El Dorado and not afraid to tell people about it. You have to be your biggest cheer- leader, according to Preston.
“Take ownership of where you’re from,” Preston said. “Talk about your resources and don’t be afraid to brag on yourself.”
Preston
Expanding business opportunities, jobs focus of chamber of commerce
Jessica Stevens
jstevens@eldoradonews.com
“We are working with any and all prospects,” said Mike Dumas,
acting executive director of the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce, when asked about the chamber’s economic development plans for this year. “The chamber is cur-
rently in talks with four business- es, two of which would be new to El Dorado and two looking to expand.”
The chamber is currently work-
ing with two businesses new to the area – a manufacturing com- pany and a wholesale distribu- tor. “If this come to fruition, it would generate 52 area jobs,” said
Dumas. He said there are also two local businesses looking to expand their current operations.
See CHAMBER, Page 6
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BROMIDE
METAL FINISHING
HEALTHCARE
MINING
2466
El Dorado Metals, Inc.
122 Pellizzari Place • El Dorado, AR 71730 Phone 870-863-5757 | Fax (870) 853-4230 Email: info@eldomet.com | Web: www.eldomet.com
El Dorado is a privately held company based in El Dorado, Arkansas. We specialize in the design, production, and installation of a wide variety of industrial lead linings, and radiation shielding products. Our primary focus is on the Aerospace, Defense, Health-care, Mining, Nuclear, and Specialty Chemical industries worldwide. We believe that our proven product capabilities, coupled with our ability to execute and develop partnerships will enable us to sustain and grow our business.
2016 News & Projects
Industrial Projects - We will continue to deliver our Bromine ISO’s to the Japanese & Asian markets. Also, we are under contract for extensive sul-furic
acid plant maintenance projects. Our schedule includes: Chevron Hawaii; Cornerstone Chemical Company Louisiana; Eco-Services Baton Rouge, LA; Eco-Services Dominguez & Martinez, CA; Eco-Services Hammond, IN; Langeloth Metallurgical PA; Nyrstar Clarksville, TN; & Valero Refinery McKee, TX. For other international business, we will be manufacturing and installing new equipment at the Teck Cominco Facility in Trail, British Co-lumbia, and for the BHP Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter in Australia.
Healthcare Projects - After 2 years of development, we are pleased to announce that we have installed (7) of our new Bi-Part Direct Shield Door Systems over the last year. These installations were at: CARTI Facility Little Rock, Kaiser Permanente Anaheim; and Hershey Medical Center. Also, currently sched- uled projects for 2016 include: Bon Secours Harbour View Virginia; Kaiser Permanente San Diego; Penn State Medical Center; Riverside Shore Memorial Virginia; Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital California, Tift Regional Medical Center Georgia; and UCLA Tourney Road California.