Counterclockwise from upper left: Beatrice Shelby, Becky Hall, Tyrone Stayton, Jim Sato (Dana Chadwick not pictured).

-  Becky Hall, Director of Delta AHEC and Health Care Goal Team Co-Chair. Becky, a Marvell native, has served as the Director of the Delta Health Education Center, now the Delta Area Health Education Center, since 1990. Recently she has led the Growing Healthy Communities initiative which among other accomplishments has resulted in a comprehensive walkability assessment of the city of Helena-West Helena.  Through her role as Co-Chair, the work of this initiative will join with the Health Goal Team.

-  Jim Sato, Chief Executive Officer of Helena Regional Medical Center and Health Care Goal Team Co-Chair. Jim moved to Helena from California in August, 2009. He has over 36 years of hospital experience in nonprofit, district, county and investor owned industries. Jim’s leadership will strengthen the goal team’s work as the hospital is a critical partner for health care initiatives in the community. Jim is particularly interested in developing and implementing a citywide plan for sidewalks, trails and bike lanes.

-  Tyrone Stayton, Helena-West Helena Journeyman Serviceman/Lineman with Entergy and co-chair of the Economic Development Goal Team. Tyrone, a Helena native, has been with Entergy for 27 years. He currently serves on the Board of the Phillips County Port Authority and is actively involved with his daughter’s education at KIPP High School. Tyrone’s already active community involvement will be a strong asset this year, as the goal team takes substantial steps towards the development of a unified economic development strategy for Phillips County.

-  Dana Chadwick, co-owner of the Edwardian Inn and Housing Goal Team Chair. Dana and his wife Lynn moved to Helena in 2009 from North Little Rock where they both had long-time careers in education. Over the last three years they have renovated a home and successfully revitalized the Edwardian Inn. Dana’s experience as a landlord and property owner gives him an excellent background for the goal team’s neighborhood and community focused projects.

-  Beatrice Shelby, Executive Director of BGACDC and at-large Steering Committee member. Mrs. Shelby has served as Executive Director of BGACDC since January of l985. Under her leadership the BGACDC has been the recipient of several honors including the Robert Wood Johnson Leadership Award and the Ford Foundation Leadership for a Changing World Award.

Each Goal Team has identified specific priorities and goals to be accomplished by the end of 2011. These key projects are highlighted below. Goal Teams are currently looking for additional volunteers to help make each of these exciting and ambitious goals a reality. Please contact Tim Schuringa, Julia Nordsieck, or any of the listed Goal Team Co-chairs below for more information about how to get involved.

The Economic Development Goal Team (Ellis Bruce and Tyrone Stayton) will:

• Organize a meeting of key economic stakeholders to begin developing a unified economic development strategy (Strategic Plan Economic Development Goal 1, Action Step A)
• Develop a one-page summary of five to seven business incentives (either existing or needed)  (Strategic Plan Economic Development Goal 6)
• Complete basic market research on the viability of distributing local produce (creating an inventory of potential buyers in the region, including restaurants, distributers, and markets). (Strategic Plan Economic Development Goal 7)

The Tourism, Recreation, and Quality of Life (TRQ) Goal Team (Paula Oliver and Katie Harrington) will:

• Identify  and track common measures for county, city and neighborhood crime (Strategic Plan TRQ Goal 8, Action Step A)
• Coordinate with Housing Goal Team neighborhood associations and neighborhood watch programs to develop community policing strategies (Strategic Plan TRQ Goal 8, Action Step I)
• Expand hospitality training in several ways including: familiarization tours for front line staff, ongoing customer service training and promotional events throughout Tourism Week (Strategic Plan Goal 9)

The Education Goal Team (Kyle Miller and Suzann McCommon) will:

• Increase the number of Phillips County students in post-secondary programs (Strategic Plan Education Goal 1)
• Develop a committee of business and civic leaders to do regular public school site visits and evaluations (Strategic Plan Education Goal 5, Action Step E)
• Establish a dropout and truancy prevention strategy in each school district (Strategic Plan Goal (Strategic Plan Education Goal 10, Action Step E)

The Housing Goal Team (Dana Chadwick) will:

• Develop education programs focused in part on housing maintenance and repair (Strategic Plan Housing Care Goal 1, Action Step B)
• Organize and revive neighborhood associations and neighborhood watch programs (Strategic Plan Housing Care Goal 6, Action Step B)
• Organize neighborhood clean-ups (Strategic Plan Housing Care Goal 6, Action Step B)

The Leadership Goal Team (Doug Friedlander and Judge Kathleen Bell) will:

• Successfully launch countywide volunteer program, Phillips County Volunteer Corps (Strategic Plan Leadership Goals 1 and 2, Action Step A)
• Establish a mentoring and professional shadowing program for youth (Strategic Plan Leadership Goal 4, Action Step G)
• Develop a Citizenship 101 Course, a community-based civics education and empowerment program (Strategic Plan Leadership Goal 5, Action Step A)
• Create website and pamphlet to disseminate neutral and freely available information about local elections (Strategic Plan Leadership Goal 5, Action Step B)

The Health Care Goal Team (Becky Hall and Jim Sato) will:

• Ensure residents have access to facilities for recreational use through the development of joint use agreements (Strategic Plan Health Care Goal 1, Action Step A)
• Create a countywide plan for sidewalks, trails and bike lanes (Strategic Plan Health Care Goal 1, Action Step B)
• Increase countywide STD testing (Strategic Plan Health Care Goal 5, Action Step B)
• Develop and distribute simple and comprehensive guide for STD and teen pregnancy resources (Strategic Plan Health Care Goal 5 and 6, Action Step A)