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Lisa Davis
Program Associate-Leadership
Phone: 501-671-2260
Email: ldavis@uada.edu
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
2301 S. University Avenue
Little Rock, AR 72204
On the Road with LeadAR: My Mississippi County Experience
On Wednesday, May 20th, I embarked on my road trip to northeast Arkansas to explore
Mississippi County with LeadAR Class 21 for the face-to-face seminar alongside Lisa
Davis and Dr. Julie Robinson.
During my drive to Blytheville, I noticed lots of wide-open spaces, less populated towns, and fewer operating businesses. I began to wonder where the innovators were in this part of Arkansas.
The next morning, I got to meet Courtney Fisher, chief of staff at Arkansas Northeastern College and LeadAR Class 19 alum, along with the LeadAR 21 class. We were given a brief overview of what the next day and a half would look like, and I slowly started to understand what all Mississippi County had to offer.
History, rural community development, and innovators.
Our first stop was the art deco Greyhound Bus Station, which was a LeadAR project for David Gullic, who was a part of LeadAR Class 10. The station opened in 1937, with the last bus leaving the station in 2000. Back in the day, it wasn’t uncommon to see blues singers stop by on their way to Memphis. During the tour, Gullic shared his experience of renovating the building and how it is still a popular establishment in Blytheville. The historic sign is still working due to a local sign company. The building is now a rental for baby showers, parties, karaoke, and a hub for the county’s Mayfest, and is “Bringing The Downtown Spirit Home,” as many residents of Mississippi County said.
After leaving the station, we walked downtown while Fisher told us about newer businesses in the area. One eye-catching stop was the Ritz Civic Center, which was renovated by Jennifer Johnson, LeadAR Class 18, and Randy Newman, LeadAR Class 17.
For lunch, the chamber of commerce provided us with Dixie Pig barbeque — the local favorite. We were then welcomed by Liz Smith, executive director of the Mississippi County Regional Chamber of Commerce. She shared the history and improvements in the town of Blytheville — one that stuck out to me was the increase in safety throughout the town. An exciting part of her presentation was when she shared that the National Cold Center is currently in the works and will be built in Blytheville. This is going to bring in visitors and will be a great asset for their community.
To end the first day, we loaded the buses and traveled to the Lawrence Family Campus of Arkansas Northeastern College. We were presented with a “Work Here. Live Here.” presentation by Randy Scott, vice president of the local FM Bank & Trust and a Great River Economic Development Foundation presentation from their vice president, Mallory Derby. For the remainder of the evening, we toured the breathtaking property, had a reception, and got to visit with multiple local officials.
Bright and early on Friday morning, we packed our cars and loaded the buses for NUCOR — North America’s largest steel manufacturer and recycler. Upon arriving, we were welcomed, put on our personal protective equipment (PPE), and split into tour groups. While touring, we visited the “hot” and “cold” plants.
A memory I will never forget was when my tour group got to see a 150,000 pound bucket of scraps of steel drop into the furnace. It was massive, bright, and very warm, but also very eye-opening to see a small glimpse of what staff at NUCOR do during their shifts.
We ended our seminar in Mississippi County by touring the Arkansas Northeastern College Center for Allied Technologies. They truly have a wonderful program for individuals looking to work at steel mills, earn dual college credit, and receive a college education locally.
While traveling back to northwest Arkansas, I reflected on my experience and felt very empowered to be an innovator like the community members in Mississippi County.