Presented by
Award Sponsors
Feature Sponsor
Advocate Sponsors
Acxiom Corporation, Arvest Bank, Bledsoe Chiropractic, Conductor, Conway Regional Health System, First Arkansas Bank & Trust, Home2Suites & Hilton Garden Inn, Lake Liquor, Las Delicias, Melvin’s Painting, Nabholz Construction Corporation, Sam’s Club, Simmons Bank, University of Central Arkansas, V.I.P. Nails
The Conway Area Chamber of Commerce holds this annual event to elevate and honor underrepresented business enterprises that are owned or led by the following person(s) or group of persons: African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, Native American, Pacific Islander; Veteran, or LGBTQ+ and individuals with disabilities.
Eligible nominees for the Diversity in Business Awards include but are not limited to business owners/executives/employees, nonprofit organizations, for-profit firms and institutions, universities and colleges, and representatives of local, state, and federal governments who are members of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce.
Recipients of these awards have been dedicated professionals, philanthropists, business owners, and friends of the community. A list of previous Diversity in Business honorees can be found below.
Award Categories
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Celebrates high standards of excellence, dedication and accomplishment over a sustained period of time. The award is granted to an individual who has played an integral role in the creative, technical or professional progress of business development over the course of his/her life.
2023 Honoree: Dr. Francisco Yanez
BUSINESS EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR
Presented to the owner, executive or leader of a business. This award recognizes executives in the community who have displayed outstanding performance in either an individual or collaborative endeavor. This person is a driving force behind the company and works to maintain an enriched business climate and an enhanced quality of life in Conway.
2023 Honoree: Drew Gainor
OUTSTANDING YOUNG PROFESSIONAL
Presented to an individual between the ages of 21 – 39 who has committed themselves to business and community service. This award will be presented to a business owner or professional.
2023 Honorees: Jessica Crum & Charles Frost
BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
Presented to the business whose practices have had a significant impact on the community.
2023 Honoree: EOS Worldwide, Drew Spurgers
Guest Speaker: Jesse Washington
Jesse Washington is a journalist, author, and documentary filmmaker. He has worked for the ESPN platform Andscape since it launched in 2016 as The Undefeated, writing columns and features on sports, race, and society. Among his award-winning pieces are The Waco Horror, about the 1916 lynching of another man named Jesse Washington; college coaches struggling with how to respond to the racial upheavals of 2020; and the mystery of the Michael Jordan statement “Republicans buy sneakers, too.” Prior to joining ESPN, he covered race in America for The Associated Press; was a top editor at the magazines Vibe, Blaze and Bounce; and graduated from Yale University in 1992.
