Conferences & Festivals Archives - Bentonville Economic Development

Igniting Futures: Bentonville’s Next-Gen Leaders at the NWA Tech Summit

Join host James Bell in this special episode of The Bentonville Beacon podcast featuring interviews with students from Bentonville Schools’s Ignite Professional Studies Program. These conversations were live-recorded at the 2023 Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit, where the students were exposed to innovators, creators and leaders reshaping the world. At the start of the show, James also sits down with the program’s Director, Jessica Imel, to learn how Ignite helps juniors and seniors gain valuable work-based experience, industry-valued credentials and high-quality classroom instruction across nine different career fields. Ignite Professional Studies upholds its commitment to excellence by creating a real, relevant learning environment that helps students make informed decisions about their futures and prepares them for challenges and opportunities ahead. This nationally recognized program represents the collaboration of education, business and community to provide students with unique and immersive involvement that results in highly skilled, adaptable global innovators and leaders. Tune in now to discover how one of Bentonville’s unique educational programs is shaping tomorrow’s leaders today!

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2023 NWA Tech Summit Live Part 4

Join host James Bell in the final episode of a special four-part series of The Bentonville Beacon podcast, featuring live-recorded conversations at the 2023 Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit with the thinkers and doers shaping the future of global tech in Bentonville. The NWA Tech Summit is the Heartland’s premier technology conference and serves to enhance, prepare and diversify the Northwest Arkansas economy. Now in its tenth year, the event is hosted by the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce and is supported by nearly 100 partners, including the Walton Family Foundation, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Verizon, Salesforce, T-Mobile for Business, Zebra, Scott Family Amazeum and Arvest. These episodes bring together voices from the event to share their company’s stories, personal insights and unique #BecauseBentonville moments that define the community’s character. Tune in as we explore the innovations and experiences that are fostering a culture where technology meets the essence of Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas!

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2023 NWA Tech Summit Live Part 3

Join host James Bell in this third episode of a special four-part series of The Bentonville Beacon podcast, featuring live-recorded conversations at the 2023 Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit with the thinkers and doers shaping the future of global tech in Bentonville. The NWA Tech Summit is the Heartland’s premier technology conference and serves to enhance, prepare and diversify the Northwest Arkansas economy. Now in its tenth year, the event is hosted by the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce and is supported by nearly 100 partners, including the Walton Family Foundation, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Verizon, Salesforce, T-Mobile for Business, Zebra, Scott Family Amazeum and Arvest. These episodes bring together voices from the event to share their company’s stories, personal insights and unique #BecauseBentonville moments that define the community’s character. Tune in as we explore the innovations and experiences that are fostering a culture where technology meets the essence of Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas!

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2023 NWA Tech Summit Live Part 2

Join host James Bell in this second episode of a special four-part series of The Bentonville Beacon podcast, featuring live-recorded conversations at the 2023 Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit with the thinkers and doers shaping the future of global tech in Bentonville. The NWA Tech Summit is the Heartland’s premier technology conference and serves to enhance, prepare and diversify the Northwest Arkansas economy. Now in its tenth year, the event is hosted by the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce, and is supported by nearly 100 partners, including Walton Family Foundation, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Verizon, Salesforce, T-Mobile for Business, Zebra, Scott Family Amazeum and Arvest. These episodes bring together voices from the event to share their company’s stories, personal insights and unique #BecauseBentonville moments that define the community’s character. Tune in as we explore the innovations and experiences that are fostering a culture where technology meets the essence of Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas!

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2023 NWA Tech Summit Live Part 1

Join host James Bell in this special four-part series of The Bentonville Beacon podcast featuring live-recorded conversations at the 2023 Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit with the thinkers and doers shaping the future of global tech in Bentonville. The NWA Tech Summit is the Heartland’s premier technology conference and serves to enhance, prepare and diversify the local Northwest Arkansas economy. Now in its tenth year, the event is hosted by the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce, and is supported by nearly 100 partners, including Walton Family Foundation, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Verizon, Salesforce, T-Mobile for Business, Zebra, Scott Family Amazeum and Arvest. These episodes bring together voices from the event to share their company’s stories, personal insights and unique #BecauseBentonville moments that define the community’s character. Tune in as we explore the innovations and experiences that are fostering a culture where technology meets the essence of Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas!

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Exploring the 2023 Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit

On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host Allie Johnston welcomes back to the show Kris Adams, Director of the Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit. The NWA Tech Summit is the Heartland’s premier technology conference, and it serves to further enhance, diversify and catalyze the economy of Bentonville and the Northwest Arkansas region. Throughout the episode, Kris breaks down what it takes to plan the NWA Tech Summit–and he shares what attendees may expect from this year’s gathering, the positive impact this important annual event has on the NWA community and why tech startups and scaleups are relocating, launching and growing in Bentonville.

Thanks for tuning in!

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Celebrating Bentonville’s Thriving Cycling Economy

On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Kenny Belaey, Founder and CEO of Bentonville Bike Fest, a festival that celebrates and champions everything bike related in Bentonville. Originally from Belgium, Kenny is a globetrotting mountain biker who holds the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) record for most podium spots at a world championship in the discipline of trial. Since his career started in 1996, Kenny has been nicknamed the Magician for his ability to clear seemingly impossible obstacles. He has been featured on the Extreme Sports Channel and is a Red Bull ambassador. Throughout the episode, James and Kenny discuss the motivation behind establishing the Bentonville Bike Fest, Kenny’s travels across the world and the exponential growth of the biking industry in Bentonville.

Thanks for tuning in!

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Bonus Episode | NWA Tech Summit Live

The NWA Tech Summit is the Heartland’s premier technology conference and serves to enhance, prepare, and diversify the local Northwest Arkansas economy. In its ninth year, the NWA Tech Summit came back with 1,700 registered attendees when it returned in-person to downtown Bentonville. The NWA Tech Summit is an event hosted by the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce, and it is supported by the Walton Family Foundation, Northwest Arkansas Council, Walmart, J. B. Hunt, Tyson Foods, Salesforce, and the University of Arkansas Blockchain Center of Excellence.

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