Big hit : The 10th annual NWA Business Women’s Conference was held Tuesday.
Posted on Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Daily Record photograph by Sarah Nader Gladys Knight was the keynote speaker at the Northwest Arkansas Business Women’s Conference at the John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers on Tuesday afternoon.
ROGERS — Shelley Parson, committee chairwoman for the huge Northwest Arkansas Business Women’s Conference, made a prediction as the one-day conference opened Tuesday morning at the John Q. Hammons Center here.
“ This will be one outstanding day, ” Parson declared.
Was she ever right. From Emory Austin, the morning motivational speaker who kicked things off, to Gladys Knight, who gave the keynote address and closed the day with wise words and her best-known song, “ Midnight Train to Georgia, ” the 10 th annual event was nonstop information, fun and good food. The conference was hosted by the Bentonville-Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce with founding sponsor Mercy Heath System of Northwest Arkansas and presenting sponsor Wal-Mart.
A highlight during the lunch hour was the announcement of the winner of the prestigious Athena Award. Honored for striving for the highest levels of professional accomplishment and devoting her resources to the community was Kelly L. Johnson, manager of the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport. Other nominees were Mary Beth Brooks, Kathy McFettridge and Ladonna Penner.
Several seminar speakers offered topics ranging from personal image to self-defense strategies. Women attended both a morning and an afternoon seminar session. During any free time, there was a silent auction filled with a gigantic variety of items up for bids. The auction benefited the Benton County Women’s Shelter.
Kelly Sargent, founder of Helen’s Pajama Project to Protect Women, attended the conference for the first time. Conference attendees could bring new pajamas to be given to women at shelters. Locally, Red Ball Productions in Springdale spearheaded Sargent’s drive in northwest Arkansas. Greeting people who stopped by the Red Ball booth, Sargent was wearing a pair of comfy PJs and soft house slippers.
“ I’m so impressed by this event, ” Sargent said. “ It’s wonderful, and I hope I can get something like this started in my hometown, Des Moines (Iowa ). This is just great. ”
Business vendors lined the walls and halls of the Grand Ballroom at the Hammons Center. Registration forms for drawings, giveaways and merchandise for purchase were available throughout the day at the business booths.
Bentonville Mayor Bob Mc-Caslin greeted and welcomed the sold-out crowd of 1, 100 just before the busy day got under way. As he was leaving, he commented on the conference.
“ You don’t see events like this in smaller municipalities, ” McCaslin said as he gazed over the huge number of attendees. “ This is something people expect to see in Dallas or some other big city. I don’t think people understand what an amazing event this is. Krista (Khone, vice president of the Bentonville-Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce special events and training ) and everyone involved with this conference do a great job. What a wonderful day it is in northwest Arkansas. ”
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