SMEI Arkansas 2010-2011


OFFICERS President Jim Hyden


Member Manager Hyden, Miron & Foster, PLLC


VP of Membership Jan Grimsley Sales Manager


Archway Graphic & Design / Razor Wrap


VP of Marketing/Public Relations Shawn Solloway President


Exit Marketing


VP of Finance/Treasurer Don Smith


Managing Partner Thomas and Thomas, LLC


VP-at-Large Sydney Gilbert Financial Advisor


Wells Fargo Advisors


Chairman of the Board Jeananne Hawking Director of Sales


Wyndham Riverfront


DIRECTORS Jason Burt


Jason Burt Photography


Ken Haycook Kendel Group Austin Pittman


Bedford Camera & Video


David Simpson TCPrint Solutions


Dr. Jon Taylor, Ph.D


Comedy Stage Hypnotist, Corporate Speaker


Jeanie Reed Executive Director Jim Hyden SMEI-AR President


FROM THE PRESIDENT…... Dear Fellow SMEI Arkansas Members:


The day after our May monthly luncheon meeting, Jeanie and I went to the home office of Frank Fletcher to get his formal acceptance of our nomination of him as the 2011 Top Manager Recipient. This was my first time we had met. Frank is a wonderful choice. He gets marketing and sales. He learned from one of the best - Sam Walton. He took those lessons learned (not all were easy ones by the way) and set up in Little Rock what would become the largest producer of lamps in the world. He sold his output to outlets such as Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Sam's, Penney's and so forth. He did not brand them as his. He put these customers' brand on them. But he has grown out of this business, selling off the last of it last year. Since then he has gone full force into the automobile business setting up about a dozen dealerships. He also bought the Wyndham Riverfront Hotel and what is now Fletcher-Bensky Furs. In just recent years he has invested in thoroughbred racehorses. So, the theme for the 2011 TMN event on September 13th will be cars and horses. We are very excited about this event, and we will be working diligently on this almost immediately. Please mark the date on your calendar now.


Our monthly meeting was well attended on May 11th. Our speaker was Jay Chesshir, President of the LR Regional Chamber of Commerce. I was ready for this "update". Jay told us how the Chamber can stay relevant in the recent rapidly changing times for its members and the community. They set their mission statement and stuck with it. And they continue to stay with it as the Central Arkansas region works together as a "region" instead of several fragmented communities. We have some great business and governmental leaders who are focused on economic development, education, infrastructure and so on and less on promoting their own local community. The end results are more jobs in a more vibrant local "regional" economy. Central Arkansas is a great place to live, make a living and raise your family. Jay told us how the Chamber has been involved in this process in recent years and what is on the roadmap ahead.


At our May 11th meeting, we also elected our officers and directors for the coming fiscal year beginning on July 1. We will install those folks at our next monthly meeting on June 8th. There is more on this in another part of our newsletter. I look forward to working with this fine group as we enter another year. We will "retreat" on July 27th beginning at Noon at the Wyndham Riverfront to plan an outstanding year for SMEI-AR and YOU, the members.


As mentioned above, our next lunch meeting is June 8th with guest speaker Jason Richard, Manager of Sissy’s Log Cabin Little Rock Store. Jason will be speaking on “P30X: An Extreme Selling Workout”. I would like to encourage you to attend and bring you sales team.


I would also like to recommend that you sign up with Linked In and add SMEI-AR as one of your groups. It will provide you with access to probably TMI ("too much information") about sales and marketing. But, some of these articles that come by email almost everyday are so insightful and helpful. It might be just what you are looking for. It is a wonderful exchange of ideas site. I scan it almost every time it comes and every now and then I read one or more articles included. I am not much on Facebook or Twitter but Linked In seems to be more professional than social. I learned of this Linked In idea from SMEI's President and CEO. He runs the International organization pretty much on the Linked In framework. This old dog is still learning a new trick or two from time to time.


Much success in selling,


Remember Dad on Father’s Day June 19th


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