Mena is an active participant in the “Arkansas Community of Excellence” (ACE) program.

The Arkansas Department of Economic Development describes the ACE program below:

“Arkansas is a Natural for Business. To prepare communities for different types of business opportunities, the Arkansas Department of Economic Development facilitates the Arkansas Community of Excellence (ACE) process. “

ACE is the cornerstone of the Department's economic development partnerships on the local level. Since the Department created the program in 1992, it has provided a valuable map for economic growth and community development. In 1998, with input from community groups throughout the state, the Department redesigned ACE to be a true strategic planning process, incorporating more tools and resources for communities to use when planning for their future.

Change in the economy and the global market is inevitable. As never before, communities are competing for a share of the marketplace of the nation - and the world. A community - just as a business -- cannot afford to wait for ideal circumstances but must become an active agent of change and pursue the future it desires.

ACE provides a method to thoughtfully and methodically determine a desired direction and develop a plan to achieve essential goals. The process of self-analysis, organization and goal setting encourages total community participation.

Through ACE, a community can pursue a diverse array of sectors, including high-tech manufacturing, knowledge-based companies, agricultural and medical biotechnology industries, tourism, retiree relocation, and other sectors of today's global economy that offer a variety of economic opportunities.

Mena is proud to be an Arkansas Community of Excellence!

For those interested in the complete ACE report, Community Evaluation & Planning updated October 2001, you can download it as an Acrobat PDF file here.