Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell sits down with Andrew Branch, Chief Operating Officer of XNA Northwest Arkansas National Airport. XNA began operations twenty-five years ago following an opening ceremony from then-President Bill Clinton and Air Force One. The airport’s mission is to ensure that the safest and most modern aviation infrastructure is in place to satisfy the needs of the traveling public. The airport’s economic impact exceeds $500 million dollars and provides thousands of jobs annually. With nearly one million boardings, this year will be the best year in the airport’s history. Throughout the episode, James and Andrew discuss the start and growth of XNA and how the airport is connecting the region’s community to the world all while making Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas an even more desirable place for business and residents.
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Show Notes
Timestamps in this blog are for the audio-only version of the podcast; video timing differs.
(0:57) Introduction to Andrew Branch
(3:29) Andrew’s Role as Chief Operating Officer
(5:06) XNA Northwest Arkansas National Airport’s Founding Story and Its Achievements
(7:52) The Challenges of Growing an Airport
(9:46) New XNA Construction and Terminal Modernization
(17:27) Aspects of Northwest Arkansas That Draw People Here
(24:42) Andrew’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(26:27) How Northwest Arkansas’s Growth Is Influencing XNA
(30:25) Andrew’s Three Wishes for XNA
(34:25) Utilizing Skills Learned and Developed in Previous Roles
(37:37) Closing Thoughts
Links
Bentonville Economic Development
Andrew Branch (andrew.branch@flyxna.com)
XNA Northwest Arkansas National Airport
Quotes
“To your question about contributing to Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas’s desirability, the figure I’ve heard is something around sixty percent of people in Benton county were not born in Arkansas. So obviously they come from somewhere and their families are other places. That, along with the businesses that do business with Walmart, Tyson and J. B. Hunt that are here, having that connectivity where you can conduct business or have family visit you, it’s easier. I think that is huge for a region to be able to attract the kind of citizens we’re trying to attract to work at these companies.” – Andrew Branch, (11:47)
“I’ve lived in other places and not any place I’ve lived had so many of those things that you could do in one place and walk around. [Bentonville’s] like a perfect small town, and then five minutes away you’ve got all these other amenities that you wouldn’t see in a small town. And I think that’s what is unique about Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas.” – Andrew Branch, (25:16)
“I was at an event in Fayetteville today and they were talking about how if you live in Bentonville, you want Bentonville to win. But if Bentonville isn’t going to get this new business, if Fayetteville gets it, that’s great, because there’s a feeling of it being a region, and that’s unlike other places I’ve lived. It’s not so competitive between the different cities. Obviously, there’s some healthy competition, but if we can’t get it, we want them to get it. We want the region to win regardless of whether it’s our city or the next city.” – Andrew Branch, (23:21)
Runways to Growth: How XNA Transformed Bentonville and NWA with Andrew Branch
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell sits down with Andrew Branch, Chief Operating Officer of XNA Northwest Arkansas National Airport. XNA began operations twenty-five years ago following an opening ceremony from then-President Bill Clinton and Air Force One. The airport’s mission is to ensure that the safest and most modern aviation infrastructure is in place to satisfy the needs of the traveling public. The airport’s economic impact exceeds $500 million and provides thousands of jobs annually. With nearly 1 million boardings, this year will be the best year in the airport’s history. Throughout the episode, James and Andrew discuss the start and growth of XNA and how the airport is connecting the region’s community to the world all while making Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas an even more desirable place for business and residents.
The History of XNA
After multiple failed attempts to set up a regional airport authority, a visionary group of influential community members like Sam Walton, J. B. Hunt, Don Tyson, Alice Walton and others came together to form the Northwest Arkansas Council. The Council knew the airport was something that was necessary to connect the region to the rest of the world, and they were able to unite the five major cities and two counties in Northwest Arkansas to create the Northwest Arkansas Airport Regional Authority.
Their successful attempt to promote regionalism resulted in XNA starting service November 1, 1998. And after formerly being called “the airport to nowhere,” XNA now offers direct, non-stop flights from six airlines to twenty-two destinations, and served close to two million passengers this year. The airport has major hubs at DFW, Chicago, Phoenix, Atlanta, Denver and Houston, allowing its travelers to go just about anywhere in the world with one stop.
“To your question about contributing to Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas’s desirability, the figure I’ve heard is something around sixty percent of people in Benton county were not born in Arkansas. So obviously they come from somewhere and their families are other places. That along with the businesses that do business with Walmart, Tyson and J. B. Hunt that are here, having that connectivity where you can conduct business or have family visit you, it’s easier. I think that is huge for a region to be able to attract the kind of citizens we’re trying to attract to work at these companies.” – Andrew Branch, (11:47)
The Appeal of Northwest Arkansas
The most noticeable project happening at XNA is its terminal modernization program, which is extending the front wall of the lobby and adding additional elevators and escalators to accommodate more passengers with mobility challenges. Furthermore, the airport is replacing its baggage claims with new ones and refreshing the inside with new lighting, floors, etc. With the region’s population approaching one million, XNA focuses the planning for its future growth around the exceptional growth of the region.
As far as what is drawing people to Northwest Arkansas, and specifically Bentonville, there are multiple reasons. One being the considerable amount of job opportunities. The next being the amenities that the region’s community leaders and corporate citizens have created. And lastly, the impeccable school systems. All of these factors exist together to make the Northwest Arkansas region a wonderful place to live and work where people want to raise their families.
“I’ve lived in other places and not any place I’ve lived had so many of those things that you could do in one place and walk around. [Bentonville’s] like a perfect small town, and then five minutes away you’ve got all these other amenities that you wouldn’t see in a small town. And I think that’s what is unique about Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas.” – Andrew Branch, (25:16)
Get Connected!
Thank you for tuning into this episode of The Bentonville Beacon! Join us weekly for more stories and advice from the entrepreneurs, business executives and community leaders who are sparking the rise of the Greater Bentonville Area. If you are interested in discussing whether your business should have a presence in Greater Bentonville or would like to discuss this podcast, please contact James Bell. You may reach James at jbell@greaterbentonville.com or (479) 273-2841.
Links for Additional Mentions
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion (AMP)
What Happens Later, starring Meg Ryan and David Duchovny
