Photo: Jeff Pipkin
Jeff Pipkin, president and CEO of the Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce, has announced his pending retirement. Pipkin made the announcement Monday to the board of directors citing family health issues.
Although his last official day with the Chamber will be June 30, Pipkin says he will continue to work with the staff, board of directors and volunteers to make the transition as smooth and successful as possible. He will remain with the Chamber in a consulting role for the remainder of the year.
“Unfortunately, this exciting opportunity and experience will have to come to an end for me,” Pipkin says in a news release. “Due to family health issues and the fact that my wife and I will soon be the grandparents of two grandchildren under the age of two, living three hours away, I know the time has come for me to retire from my position. As important as this organization and this community is to me, my family comes first.”
Chamber Board President Jeff Quick thanked Pipkin for his service during 3 1/2 years in the position.
“We are grateful for Jeff’s leadership and passion for our Chamber and the Twin Lakes area,” says Quick. “We’ve seen some wonderful accomplishments during Jeff’s time with the Chamber, and our Executive Committee and Board of Directors will be working to implement our transition plan to continue the positive momentum that we’ve grown accustomed to.”
Quick adds, “While we have a transition plan in place, we certainly want to celebrate Jeff in in the coming weeks and then move into an interim transition period to ensure we are able to announce a new president/CEO by the end of the year.”
Pipkin’s leadership was credited as a catalyst for growth, for both the chamber and the community, according to the release.
“These past 40 months have been amazing to say the least,” says Pipkin. “Since my arrival we have been directly involved in saving two major employers from not only leaving the area, but we provided assistance to help them expand their manufacturing operations as well. In fact, we have assisted 10 companies with their expansion projects, resulting in the creation of 440 new jobs and capital investments totaling over $27 million.”
During Pipkin’s tenure, the organization says its membership has grown by 22%, making it the 18th largest chamber in the state.
“Not bad for a chamber of commerce in the 32nd largest city in the state,” says Pipkin.
The Chamber’s budget has increased by approximately 15%, and it finished 2019 with positive cash flow and with money in the bank.
Pipkin also cites the Baxter County Forward initiative as one of the highlights of his tenure.
“With the help of over 150 volunteers, we initiated and fully developed a new strategic plan known as Baxter County Forward (BCF). BCF resulted in the formation of several action teams that have produced more positive results than this space allows me to list,” he says.
Pipkin says, “Our efforts did not go unnoticed around the state. BCF received the prestigious SOAR Award from the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, Research and Extension. We also received the Innovative Community Development Award from the Arkansas Community Development Society.”
The Chamber also relocated its offices twice, endured a complete turnover in staff, redesigned its website, reduced its debt and purchased a new building during Pipkin’s tenure.
He says, “My proudest accomplishment has been the building of relationships and friendships with business owners, the hundreds of volunteers, board members, staff and the people in this oasis we call the Twin Lakes Area.”
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