Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Happy birthday, NWA Council

25 years of progress worth celebratin­g

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Back in the 1980s we knew a young man from Chicago who came through Northwest Arkansas for a job interview in Fort Smith. He’d never been to this fine state before and, having grown up no farther from the Windy City than the suburbs, knew nearly nothing about the our little corner of heaven.

But he almost didn’t make it to the interview. He chose to drive from Chicago to get a better look at his potential new home. He knew that at some point he’d have to leave the multilane interstate­s of Illinois and Missouri for more bucolic two-lane roads in order to get to his destinatio­n, where his first real job beckoned. Neither the prospect of a long drive nor the rustic nature of the roadways scared him. But what made him stop and very nearly turn back was “the sign.” Us old-timers remember it south of Fayettevil­le as U.S. 71 began its winding path through the Ozark foothills and Boston Mountains. It’s twin greeted north-bound travelers above Alma.

It said: “CAUTION: Road ahead is curvy and steep. Sixteen people killed in the last 3 years. DON’T YOU BE NEXT!”

What he didn’t know that the number of people killed displayed on the sign was updated each year to reflect all of fatal traffic accidents that occurred on that infamous stretch of highway. But he did know that what he saw was ominous.

It was almost too much for this young city slicker. Where had he been sent, he thought, to risk his life on 40 miles of snakey, uneven asphalt between the two largest towns in this part of the world?

Those of us who remember that sign also know that had this fellow flown into Fayettevil­le for an interview, he might never have gotten off the plane. Not for nothing was Skyways — the lone commercial airline servicing Fayettevil­le at the time — also known as “Scareways.” The nickname had nothing to do with the performanc­e of the pilots or the quality of the planes. It had to do with a flight path through what the Federal Aviation Administra­tion blithely refers to “near and far range obstructio­ns.” You know, mountains.

Needless to say, getting to Northwest Arkansas in those days was a challenge. Despite them, the region was growing fast, popping at the seams in the concrete, as it were. But the folks here, particular­ly the folks who knew how and why the region was growing, also knew that getting here had to get easier. Better roads and a better airport were key components to keep the momentum going. And there were other things the region needed, too: An expanded system to deliver the region’s ample water supply to all its corners; amenities to entertain the droves of new residents who would come for the new jobs; great schools; quality hospitals; a willing and educated workforce.

From those concerns, the Northwest Arkansas Council was born in 1990. The founders were a Who’s Who of Northwest Arkansas movers and shakers: Sam Walton, Don Tyson, J.B. Hunt, Frank Broyles, John Paul Hammerschm­idt. They and many others organized themselves into a group devoted to addressing those critical infrastruc­ture needs — the human kind as well as the brick, mortar and asphalt kind.

It would not be accurate to say that the council was exclusivel­y responsibl­e for Interstate 49, the regional airport, the Two-Ton water system and the like. It took an unpreceden­ted level of cooperatio­n between communitie­s who had often been competitor­s for jobs and benefits. But without the council, with its drumbeat of cooperatio­n and teamwork throughout the region, it’s clear things would not have happened as quickly or comprehens­ively as they have.

If you ask today’s members of the council, who met Monday to celebrate its 25th birthday, the work is far from done. With many of the physical structures the founders knew we needed either in place or on their way, the contempora­ry council members focus on things like developing a diverse and qualified workforce for inbound industry and keeping the region’s quality of life high so that people like our acquaintan­ce from 30 years ago might decide to stay a while.

Our friend of years ago did take that job, despite his frightenin­g journey over Mount Gaylor. And, he got off to a great career start in Northwest Arkansas. He eventually moved away — the lure of a big city was too much to ignore. But many others have made the same journey as he did, and decided to put down roots. For those who came later, the trip was much less harrowing, but the arrival so much more rewarding.

The Northwest Arkansas Council had a lot to do with that.

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