Did You Know?
In 1972, downtown Benton and Saline County were used as backdrops for the Burt Reynolds movie White Lightening.
Metro Little Rock Alliance (MLRA) is a coalition of 11 counties (Conway, Faulkner, Garland, Grant, Hot Spring, Jefferson, Lonoke, Perry, Pulaski, Saline and White) dedicated to central Arkansas becoming recognized as the premier location for new and expanding business within the mid-south.
It is our mission to cultivate regional growth and prosperity throughout the area by marketing the region's strengths and advantages to prospective companies and site location consultants for the purposes of attracting investment and creating jobs.
The organization began meeting as the Central Arkansas Economic Development Alliance (CAEDA) in 2001 and formally organized itself with funding in 2003. Each of the 11 counties within the alliance contributes annually to the organization's budget. Contribution amounts for each county are figured based on population percentages compared to the entire region's population so that the total contributions equal an annual income of $300,000.
CAEDA changed its name to the Metro Little Rock Alliance in 2004 to incorporate "Little Rock" and improve the region's name recognition both nationally and internationally. The name change came as part of the adoption of the region's Strategic Plan. This plan provides direction for all our economic development activities for the imminent future.
Representatives from each MLRA contributing county make up the organization's governing Board of Directors.
2008 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Conway County
Doug Cahill, Edward Jones Investments
Barry McKuin
Faulkner County
Bill Hegeman, Conway Development Corporation
Dan Nabholz, Conway Development Corporation
Garland County
Tom Butler, Arkansas Welding Supply
Hot Spring County
Blake Robertson, Ouachita Technical College
Don Walsh, Southern State Bank
Jefferson County
Ted Drake, Bridges, Young, Matthews & Drake - Chairman of the Board
Joe Ratliff, Ratliff Brothers, LLC
Lonoke County
Michael Florence, ALPS Laminating, Inc.
David Moody, Steve Standridge Insurance
Pulaski County
Mark Ramm, AR Precast Corporation, Jacksonville
Mike Wilson, Attorney at Law, Jacksonville
Frank Thomas, Stephens, Inc., Little Rock
Hugh McDonald, Entergy, Little Rock
Mike Watson, City of Maumelle, Maumelle
Dave Harrington, Maumelle
James Dietz, Rector Phillips Morse, North Little Rock
Hal Matthews, Matthews Properties, North Little Rock
Herschel Bowman, Bowman Realty, Sherwood
Saline County
Harry Allen, Saline County Abstract & Guaranty Co.
Eddie Black
White County
Belinda LaForce, City of Searcy
Wayne Hartsfield, Regions Bank - Treasurer