The Arkansas Economic Development Institute at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock has received $102,100 from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) to create a feasibility study on the development of a leadership institute in the Arkansas-Louisiana-Texas-Oklahoma region.
The focus of the leadership institute will be on building an understanding of the regional community that is based on the U.S. Army Red River Depot labor shed. This community includes the Texarkana, AR-TX Metropolitan Statistical Area, two parishes in northwest Louisiana, and one county in southeast Oklahoma. The participants in the institute will learn various aspects of what makes up the “ArkLaTexhoma” economy as well as essential aspects of leadership.
“We have the opportunity to collaborate with the Southwest Arkansas Planning and Development District and their counterparts in Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma to build an innovative leadership institute with our EDA District partners that focuses on a natural region without worrying about state boundaries; and, at the same time through the institute identify the future proactive leaders the will help foster the region’s future” said Jim Youngquist, Executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Institute.
The first class is planned to begin in September of 2019.
Jim Youngquist, Executive Director of the Arkansas Economic Development Institute
