The Future of Rural Chambers: A Discussion with Shelley Short, Vice President of Programs and Partnerships at Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce

by Julianne Dunn - March 23, 2022

CREATE BRIDGES’ Brandon Mathews recently had a conversation about the future of rural Chambers of Commerce with Shelley Short, vice president of programs and partnerships at the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and executive director of Arkansas Economic Developers and Chamber Executives (AEDCE).

This recorded conversation was part of the CREATE BRIDGES initiative, CREATE FORCE (Celebration Retail, Accommodations, Tourism, and Entertainment by Fostering Opportunities for Rural Chamber Excellence), that focused on providing support and resources to rural chambers in six rural counties ⁠— Fulton, Howard, Little River, Izard, Sharp, and Sevier.

In this 30-minute conversation, Mathews and Short cover how chambers stepped up during the pandemic, what risks they face, what opportunities lie ahead to support and grow rural business, and how rural chambers can be catalysts, conveners, and champions for their communities. Short outlines what chambers have been focusing on and provides a pathway to what is possible with available resources and commitments.

About CREATE BRIDGES

CREATE BRIDGES aims to strengthen economies in rural Arkansas by building capacity in retail, tourism, accommodations, and entertainment sectors. The initiative was launched in 2018 to promote and strengthen these industries within the Ozark Foothills (Sharp, Izard and Fulton counties) and 3Cs (Howard, Little River and Sevier counties) regions of Arkansas.

For more information about CREATE BRIDGES, visit www.uaex.uada.edu/createbridges.