MAY 2015

PAGE 4D

Conway Regional focuses on a Healthy WorkforceConway Regional woRkfoRCe benefiting fRom impRoved health and ReduCed insuRanCe Claims

Faulkner County Business Journal To subscribe call (501) 329-2927 • Log Cabin Democrat2D — Sunday, May 17, 2015

Managers who are looking to pro-vide team building or reward oppor-tunities for their employees may find that Bowling for Business is right up their alley.

Bowling for Business encourag-es interaction in a fun and laid-back environment and promotes friend-ly competition among participating businesses. The event, hosted by the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce, will take place Friday, June 19, at Conway Family Bowl.

Crafton Tull is the presenting sponsor.

Bowling for Business offers morn-ing and afternoon “flights.” The morn-ing flight is from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., and the afternoon flight is from noon to 3 p.m. Bowling times include lunch

from noon to 1 p.m. Lunch is included for all partici-

pants, giving more than 200 profes-sionals the chance to network while enjoying traditional bowling alley fare.

Smith Ford, Southwestern Ener-gy Company and Kimberly-Clark are the lunch sponsors.

Five-person team sponsorships are available for $200, and lane sponsor-ships – which include company iden-tification on one lane, T-shirts for each team member, and an opportu-nity to give door prizes at the event – are available for $400.

To participate in Bowling for Busi-ness on June 19, register online at ConwayChamber.org or call 501-327-7788.

Registration open for Chamber bowling event

Submitted photo

Team Crafton Tull at Bowling for Business 2014

for Business

BOWL I NG

Lane Sponsor – $400• Team of 5• T-shirt for each bowler• Lunch• Signage• Opportunity to provide

participant giveaways

LOOKING FOR TEAM BUILDING OR REWARD OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES?

We have something that’s right up your alley.BowlingTimes

Friday, June 19Conway Family Bowl

Team Sponsor – $200• Team of 5• Lunch

Morning Bowl10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Afternoon Bowl12 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Bowling times include lunch from 12 – 1 p.m.

SIGN UP YOUR TEAM TODAY! 501-327-7788 | ConwayChamber.org

Presented by:

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Crain Buick GMC was the highest-scoring team at Bowling for Business three years in a row.

Faulkner County Business Journal Sunday, May 17, 2015 — 3D Log Cabin Democrat • Find our online edition at www.thecabin.net

SubMitted Photo

Three of the seven finalists were named Outstanding Administrative Professionals at the luncheon. Con-gratulations to Elaine Story, Bonnie Holloway and Colleen Fuller.

2015 Administrative Professionals Awards Luncheon celebrates professionals

The inaugural Administrative Professionals Awards luncheon celebrated the valued work of administrative professionals and recognized individuals in the Conway area who keep their offices running smoothly.

SubMitted Photo

Congratulations to the finalists for the Outstanding Administrative Professional award (from left): Elaine Story, Acxiom Corporation; Brenda Martin, Crain Buick GMC; Shawanna Rodgers, True Holiness Saints Cen-ter; Sherry Payne, Acxiom Corporation; Bonnie Holloway, Kimberly-Clark Corporation; and Colleen Fuller, Hewlett-Packard. Angela Russell of Central Baptist College was unable to attend.

Address............Beds/Baths........Subdivision.........SQFT.........$/SqFt.......Built

612 Padgett Rd.......6/4/2.........................none.........................6211.............132.83.............20031200 Chablis Dr......3/3/1.........................Falcon Crest...........5243 ............143.05.............20025300 Bay Town.......4/3/3..........The Reserve at Centennial...4766.............144.57.............1999975 Chapel Hill Dr..4/3/1......................Chapel Hill...............3421..............134.17............20135215 Bay Town Dr...4/4/0.......Centennial Fairways...............3916..............114.89............2005

TOP RESIDENTIAL SALES, MAY

Meadowlake Corner businesses to host Chamber networking event

Businesses located in the Mead-owlake Corner shopping center will co-host the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce’s first Business After Hours of 2015.

The networking event will take place on the corner of Meadow-lake Road and Donaghey Avenue on Thursday, June 25, from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

Hurley Chiropractic and Wellness Center, one of the co-hosts of the event, moved to its new location at 2100 Meadowlake Road in March.

Other hosts include The Ride, a full-service bicycle shop; an Edward Jones branch operated by financial advisor Matthew Carpenter; and Sonshine Academy, an activity and performing arts center.

With multiple, neighboring busi-nesses hosting the event, the Cham-ber has taken a new approach to Business After Hours.

Therese Pollard, director of

events, said this collaborative mod-el involves more businesses and concentrates on specific commercial districts in Conway.

“Conway has several locations throughout the city that are home to thriving businesses, and this gives us an opportunity to high-light those areas and the businesses within them,” Pollard said.

“In addition, being able to visit with and learn about diverse busi-nesses in the same area will provide guests with a new and unique expe-rience.”

Attendees are encouraged to bring business cards, as Business After Hours allows members to net-work, strengthen professional rela-tionships and develop new opportu-nities to work with fellow Chamber members.

The event is free to Chamber

HOST < 6D

Faulkner County Business Journal To subscribe call (501) 329-2927 • Log Cabin Democrat4D — Sunday, May 17, 2015

Conway Regional woRkfoRCe

benefits fRom impRoved health

and ReduCed insuRanCe Claims

In its third year Conway Region-al Health System’s Employee Health and Wellness Plan has begun to show lasting improvements in the overall health of the workforce. Im-provements in employee health were a factor in Conway Regional being selected as the first organization in Faulkner County to achieve the Ar-kansas Governor’s Quality Award in 2014.

Conway Regional’s leaders decid-ed to take a proactive approach in 2012 to address health issues among employees in response to escalat-ing medical insurance claims and in-creases in employee premiums.

The plan emphasizes biometric screenings that enable employees to monitor improvement in health con-ditions such as obesity and elevated blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose levels.

The plan also tracks the reduction of tobacco use on a yearly basis.

Employees participating in the health system-funded CoreSource insurance program were initially screened in June of 2012 with follow-up screenings in 2013 and in 2014.

Next, Conway Regional relied on health coaches provided by Trestle-Tree, Conway Regional’s wellness

vendor, to provide monthly advice and encourage employees who were working to improve their health.

All employees in the health plan are strongly encouraged to partic-ipate in the screenings and regular coaching sessions, if needed.

Employees whose biometric re-sults do not meet one or more of the established standards are encour-aged to participate in health coach-ing with TrestleTree. The standards are:

•Blood pressure < 140/90•Total cholesterol < 240 or LDL

cholesterol <160•Fasting blood glucose < 126•BMI < 30•No tobacco useEffective January of 2014, Con-

way Regional no longer hires tobacco users and is using free smoking ces-sation classes to help current tobac-co users kick the habit.

ResultsIn the area of tobacco use, signif-

icant progress was made by the end of the 2013-2014 period. Forty-nine percent of the 92 employees who re-ported tobacco use indicated they in-tended to quit. Seventeen employees actually reported quitting tobacco af-ter 12 months. Eighteen percent re-ported quitting tobacco use in 2014, compared to 2.5 percent in 2013.

The overall results show that fo-cusing on health and making small changes in behavior related to eating and exercise can have a significant impact in improving overall health.

The average blood pressure of those engaged in health coaching

has continued to decline. Similar re-sults can be seen in total cholesterol and blood glucose levels.

A key metric that can have a major impact in improving overall employ-ee health is weight reduction. The results show progress in this area as well. Employees in health coaching lost an average of 12.1 pounds dur-ing the two-year period.

Incentives and RewardsFor Conway Regional, not only has

the overall health of the workforce improved, but the organization has managed to dramatically slow the pace of increasing health insurance claims costs from previous years.

For the participating employees, in addition to improved health, oth-er benefits of this program have in-cluded stable yearly insurance pre-miums.

In each of the last two years, these employees were rewarded with pre-mium holidays where they received a break from paying their insurance premiums for a pay period, reducing their insurance costs by 4 percent.

Health plan participants are also experiencing improved quality of life, beginning with quitting tobacco.

Wellness ResourcesAll Conway Regional employees

are eligible to receive a waiver for the joining fee for the Weight Man-agement program provided by the Conway Regional Health & Fitness Center. Employees are responsible for the participation fee of $5 per week. Employees also receive a 50 percent discount on the overall cost

of joining the Health & Fitness Cen-ter and the joining fee is waived.

The organization, as a whole, is making a more conscious effort to offer healthier meals and snacks at hospital functions.

Conway Regional’s leaders stress the importance of establishing a good relationship with a family physician and getting an annual physical.

The health insurance plan pays 100 percent of the cost of wellness related expenses with no co-pays or deductibles.

Additional wellness advice focus-es on:

•Better decision-making regard-ing nutrition

•Commitment to regular exercise•Setting and attaining reasonable

health goals•Family participation in wellness

activitiesUse of additional Conway Region-

al services such as diabetes man-agement, annual flu shots, and the Conway Regional Health & Fitness Center.

For more information about how to improve the health of your orga-nization, contact Richard Tyler, Con-way Regional’s Corporate Director of Human Resources, at 501-513-5308.

Conway Regional focuses on a Healthy Workforce

Sunday, May 17, 2015 — 5D Log Cabin Democrat • Find our online edition at www.thecabin.net

Faulkner County Business Journal To subscribe call (501) 329-2927 • Log Cabin Democrat6D — Sunday, May 17, 2015

Health care profes-sionals, representatives from Corco Construc-tion, and Conway busi-ness leaders and gov-ernment officials broke ground on the Central Arkansas Medical Park on Monday, May 11.

The medical park will be located next to the new Baptist Health Medical Center-Con-way. Dr. James Thom-as, a Conway cardiol-ogist who is planning the development, said the location of the three-story, 45,000-square-foot facility is suited to serve the medical needs of Ar-kansans in north-cen-tral Arkansas.

Each floor of the building spans 15,000 square feet, and there are four units on each floor. “With its 12-foot

ceilings, the lower level would be ideal for med-ical businesses, such as a pharmacy, urgent care, sleep study labs, and more,” Dr. Thomas said. “The second and third floors are ide-al for medical offices and will have an open design that allows for natural light.”

Half of the third floor has been leased, ac-cording to Dr. Thomas, leaving approximately 36,000 space of square foot available.“We have plenty of room to grow. When the first build-ing is leased, we will move on to the sec-ond building with the same model, and hence forth. “With Conway’s growth in retail and in its medical community, the city is an attractive option for newcomers.”

Submitted photo

Health care professionals, representatives from Corco Construc-tion, and Conway business leaders and government officials broke ground on the Central Arkansas Medical Park on Monday, May 11. The medical park will be located next to the new Baptist Health Medical Center-Conway.

Officials break ground on Central Arkansas Medical Park

Conway seniors reCognized at aCademiC signing day

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Each year, Academic Signing Day, presented by Acxiom Corporation, recognizes high school seniors in Conway who have received significant academic awards and substantial scholarships. The ceremony takes place each May at one of the city's three colleges. This year’s event took place at the University of Central Arkansas. Congratulations to the 2015 Academic Signing Day honorees: Andrea Bollinger, University of Arkansas; Gabrielle Childress, University of Arkan-sas; Samuel Coker, Hendrix College; Jackson Cormier, Ouachita Baptist University; Bailey Craig, Baylor University; Ah-Lexea Criswell, Henderson State University; Amanda Crnic, Saint Francis University; Matthew Evans, University of Arkansas; Michael Fahr; University of Arkansas; Hunter Hall, University of Arkansas; Andrew Hopp, LeTourneau University; Courtney Joseph, University of Arkansas; Kylie Joseph, University of Arkansas; Megan Ledbetter, Harding University; Brian Lehigh, Arkansas Tech University; Erin McShane, United States Naval Academy; Ross Minner, John Brown University; Rachel Morgan, Hendrix College; Wesley Oliver, Ouachita Baptist University; Emery Parker, Brigham Young University; Ryan Plemmons, Hendrix College; Lincoln Reynolds, University of Arkansas; Robert Scott, University of Central Arkansas; Bethany Starr, Hendrix Col-lege; Tanner Thomason, Arkansas Tech University; Macy Trevillion, University of Alabama; and Ethan Washispack, University of Arkansas.

members and their employees. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres will be provid-

ed. For more information about Business After

Hours, call Therese Pollard at 501-932-5411 or visit ConwayChamber.org.

HOST from 3D

Faulkner County Business Journal Sunday, May 17, 2015 — 7D Log Cabin Democrat • Find our online edition at www.thecabin.net

Conway EconomyAt a Glance

Unemployment RateMarch 2015Seasonally AdjustedUS................................................5.5%Arkansas.....................................5.6%

Not Seasonally AdjustedUS................................................5.6%Arkansas.....................................5.7%Faulkner County........................ 5.3%Conway........................................5.0%

Sales Tax CollectionsConway*

February2015..................................$1,815,9992014....................................1,713,294Percent Change......................... 6.0%

Year to Date (February)2015$3,525,7432014$3,330,948Percent Change 5.8%

Annual2014................................$23,416,6282013..................................23,235,8912012..................................22,944,163Percent Change 2013-14.......... 0.8%*Tax Rate..................................1.75%

Faulkner County*February2015.....................................$659,6072014.......................................642,286Percent Change..........................2.7%

Year to Date (February)2015..................................$1,301,3942014..................................$1,242,757Percent Change..........................4.7%

Annual2014..................................$8,774,1092013....................................8,588,8352012....................................8,465,686Percent Change...........2013-14 2.2%*Tax Rate.......................................0.5

Restaurant Sales*March

2015................................$15,961,5162014..................................15,282,481Percent Change......................... 4.4%

Year to Date (March)2015................................$44,857,2682014..................................41,685,455Percent Change .........................7.6%

Annual Sales 2014..............................$176,205,9652013................................164,519,3692012................................161,318,563Percent Change 2013-14............7.1%*Including mixed drink sales

Hotel SalesMarch2015..................................$1,552.3362014....................................1,617.282Percent Change............................-4.0

Year to Date (March)2015..................................$4,143,2042014....................................4,197,483Percent Change........................ -1.3%

Annual Sales2014................................$19,336,1692013..................................18,559,3082012..................................18,683,677Percent Change 2013 – 2014....4.2%

Conway Building PermitsSingle Family Homes

Year to Date (April)2015..................................67 Permits2014..................................38 PermitsPercent Change........................76.3%

Annual2014.................................119 permits2013................................147 Permits2012................................186 Permits 2011................................153 PermitsPercent Change 2013 – 2014

-19.0%

Average Construction Cost*Year to Date (April)2015.....................................$251,764

2014.....................................$222,904Percent Change........................12.9%

Annual2014.....................................$220,3112013.......................................228,2752012.......................................207,5372011 ......................................204,387Percent Change 2013 – 2014...-3.5%*Not including lat or lot improve-

ments

Average Square Footage*Year to date (April)2015............................................2,8322014............................................2,784Percent Change..........................1.7%

Annual2014............................................2,9292013............................................3,0022012............................................2,9102011............................................2,814Percent Change 2013-2014....-2.4%* Total under roof

Average Construction Cost Per Square Foot*

Year to Date (April)2015.................................$88.902014.................................$80.07Percent Change........................11.1% Annual2014..........................................$75.222013............................................76.042012............................................71.332011............................................72.64Percent Change 2013 – 2014... -1.1%* Total under roof

Lottery SalesFaulkner County

Year to Date (April)2015..................................$5,169,7562014....................................5,310,685Percent Change.........................-2.7%Annual2014................................$14,193,2042013..................................17,038,2772012..................................16,943,909Percent Change 2013 - 2014..-

16.7%

Total StateYear to Date (April)2015..............................$149,124,2352014................................147,882,767Percent Change..........................0.8%

Annual 2014..............................$401,251,3652013................................432,932,7982012................................452,245,217Percent Change 2013 - 2014

-7.3%

Natural GasSeverance TaxDistribution

Conway Year to Date (May)2015.....................................$127,1682014........................................139,633Percent Change........................ -8.9%

Annual2014.....................................$363,8372013.......................................276,5232012.......................................162,523Percent Change 2013 - 2014 31.6%

Faulkner CountyYear to Date-(May)2015.....................................$103,5912014.......................................113,642Percent Change.........................-8.8%

Annual2014.................................$296,4112013.................................224,4552012131,418Percent Change 2013 –

2014...32.1%

By Roger LewisInformation provided by Pulse

of Conway

EconomyGlance

To subscribe call (501) 329-2927 • Log Cabin Democrat8D — Sunday, May 17, 2015