Member Spotlight | Arkansas Economic Developers & Chamber Executives

Ashley Brumley is the Chamber Director for the Cross County Chamber of Commerce. She is responsible for effectively leading the organization such that it successfully achieves its mission of service to members. Services include Membership Investments, Community Events, Programs and oversees the Board of Directors.

1. What do you love most about Arkansas? It’s overall beauty. There are so many beautiful places to see in Arkansas. The lakes and waterfalls we have are one of my favorites.
2. Very few people know that I…love to travel.
3. What advice would you give to your 21-year old self? Build your dreams and never be afraid to reach your fullest potential.
4. Top three things on your bucket list? I can’t think of three, but I would love to travel across America and see a Broadway show.
5. If you were a superhero, what superpowers would you like to have? (Choose two) Make time stand still to enjoy every moment and super-speed
6. If you weren’t in economic development/chamber work, what would you being doing? I would likely be in the banking industry doing residential home loans.
7. The greatest risk I ever took was…? My husband and I venturing out into our own business.
8. What issue facing Arkansas, or your local community is most pressing in your mind? Job creation and continuing to keep our city a place where you would want to live.
9. How long have you been in the chamber/economic development profession? I have been with the Cross County Chamber of Commerce for 4 ½ years and absolutely love it. It is hard to pick just one thing I love about my job. Getting to be out in my community and seeing how we can make a difference, whether it’s popping in to visit a business or seeing a child’s happy face, at one of our events gives me the most joy.
10. What is the best career advice you would give someone in the chamber/economic development profession? Be persistent and resilient, and don’t let bumps in the road discourage you. Look at that as succeeding because we are all thrown different obstacles in this business every day. Networking is also great to have in this career. We are all here to help one another succeed because we all want the best for our community.

Brandon Campbell is the director of small business and inclusion at Little Rock Regional Chamber. In his role, Brandon provides guidance for small businesses, including minority and women-owned enterprises, to facilitate economic growth. He connects entrepreneurs to resources. Also, Brandon collaborates with the chamber’s events team to help develop and manage its programs, “AR Story” social media segment, Equip Small Business Success Series, SCORE Office Hours, Small Business Impact Awards, Minority Enterprise Development Week and with The Venture Center, the Spark! pre-accelerator.

1. What do you love most about Arkansas? I love its potential, and the cost of living is a bonus!
2. Very few people know that I… am a huge Michael Jackson fan.
3. What advice would you give to your 21-year old self? People are not for a season and you should take a friend from every stop along your journey with you.
4. Top three things on your bucket list? I want to experience all three of my daughters grow up and become successes in their own right and be happy.
5. If you were a superhero, what superpowers would you like to have? I would like my superpowers to be the strongest mind and greatest vision on the planet. I’ve been wearing glasses since I was 7, so it has gotten old.
6. If you weren’t in economic development/chamber work, what would you being doing? I would be running my businesses full time and utilizing all the local resources to help me grow them.
7. The greatest risk I ever took was…? The greatest risk I ever took was leaving the entertainment industry to return back to Arkansas to launch my first company, Little Rock Fashion Week.
8. What issue facing Arkansas, or your local community is most pressing in your mind? Fostering a more diverse, equitable and inclusive community is most pressing in my mind.
9. How long have you been in the chamber/economic development profession? What do you like most about your job? I have been at the chamber for 2 years. I didn’t know it back then, but I have been involved in economic development since I started my company 11 years ago. What I like most about my job is the day to day interactions with small business owners and diverse entrepreneurs and helping them maximize their talents. My life’s reward is seeing people I have come in connect with achieve their goals.
10. What is the best career advice you would give someone in the chamber/economic development profession? The best advice I would give to someone in this profession is that there is no “I” in “economy.” An economy doesn’t become successful due to the work of one individual or one company. It takes teamwork, so collaborate and practice inclusion as much as possible.