Free Enterprise in the USA. Today it is easy to get caught up sectors. To me, this is the real definition of “Free Enterprise”
in barbeques, a day off work and firecrackers galore. Even led by many SMEI Arkansas members.
the words to the Star Spangled Banner move us back to
the importance of “Bombs bursting in air”. Our founding
fathers of the USA also believed in Free Enterprise along
Established in 1940, SMEI Arkansas is an affiliate of SMEI.
with our Personal Freedom. The following 159 years of
As the only Sales and Marketing Executives Association
prospering and growing the Free Enterprise system helped
in Arkansas, SMEI Arkansas provides the utmost basis
form the basis for the inception of SMEI today.
for expanding the Free Enterprise System in Arkansas.
We provide a personal and professional community
devoted to providing knowledge, growth, leadership and
We’ve also come a long way since the late 1880’s when connections between peers and business leaders both in
Sales and Marketing was not considered to be a popular or Sales, Marketing and Free Enterprise.
attractive career choice. Many in the Sales and Marketing
profession saw a need for professional recognition based
on high standards and ethical practices. These “Sales
For 69 years, SMEI Arkansas has produced industry
Managers’ Clubs” started in the 1880’s in North America
leaders locally and internationally to promote and grow
and gradually spread throughout the Pacific Rim, Australia,
Free Enterprise. With names such as: Dillard, Hunt, Tyson,
South America and Europe. From these Sales Managers’
Walton and Rockefeller. The above local and international
Clubs SMEI emerged as a recognized force in Sales,
leaders are just a few of several hundred professionals
Marketing and promotion of Free Enterprise.
involved with the growth of SMEI Arkansas.
Sales and Marketing Executives International (SMEI) was
Today, our high standards of Free Enterprise continue to
founded in 1935 in New York City. At the time, IBM founder
enhance and promote the eleven points that make up the
Thomas Watson Sr. and Raymond Bill, founder of Sales
SMEI Creed. SMEI Arkansas conducts mini-workshops to its
and Marketing Management Magazine along with several
members before each monthly meeting. These workshops are
other visionaries believed in a need for a network of Sales
provided by industry leaders and professionals, and are no
and Marketing executives to promote the professionalism
additional charge to our members. Our Distinguished Sales
of the industry and promotion of Free Enterprise. The
and Marketing Award™ (DSMA) Banquet with attendance
result was the National Federation of Sales Executives.
of 125+ and our Top Manager of the Year Award Banquet
The first of several names of SMEI. By the late 1940’s the
with attendance of 350+ are heralded statewide as two
Federation grew to include over 40 countries and was the
of the most professional award banquets annually. SMEI
largest in the world for Sales and Marketing Managers.
Arkansas awards numerous college scholarships annually
This unprecedented growth was not possible without huge
to students in Sales and Marketing careers and promotes
growth of Free Enterprise within its members. In 1949 the
Free Enterprise. We include workshops to our members
Federation became the National Sales Executives (NSE) -
and non- members statewide. These seminars promote our
International and in 1961 became SMEI. Promoting Free
trade and Free Enterprise within our individual professions
Enterprise was well on its way to also being a tremendous
and SMEI Arkansas as a Professional Organization.
by product of SMEI.
The future for SMEI Arkansas and Free Enterprise is
SMEI Arkansas has a very similar history in our inception
brighter than ever. Our internal leadership raises the bar
and promotion of the Free Enterprise System. Arkansas
every year. Our standards of excellence increase every
entered the Union on June 15th, 1836 as the 25th state of
year. We self govern these standards which also raises our
the USA. Until the early 1950’s Arkansas was primarily an
professionalism to new heights. Our monthly speakers,
agricultural state. Farming was the chief source of income
board meetings and special programs are focused on
but a difficult profession for many, particularly in the uplands.
expanding and raising our standards of Free Enterprise.
Free enterprise was available and encouraged but many
Our partnership and involvement with local Universities
could not take advantage of the opportunities that await
and students assure our future community, business Leaders
them. At this time, many people left Arkansas in search of
and SMEI Leaders are qualified to take Free Enterprise to
a better livelihood. Then, Arkansas, aided by coordinated
the highest levels possible.
planning and new developments in transportation and
power production began to industrialize very rapidly.
In closing, to us, Free Enterprise = SMEI Arkansas and we are
SMEI Arkansas was a key behind this new growth of a
eager for another 69 years of Leadership, Professionalism,
different type of Free Enterprise in Arkansas. By the end of
Standards and promotion of Free Enterprise in Arkansas
the 1950’s manufacturing had surpassed farming as the
and throughout the World.
chief source of income and in the 1990’s Arkansas had
an economy dominated by the manufacturing and service
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