Paul Harvel, Fort Smith (Ark.) Regional Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, lightened the mood and promoted regional economic development at the Sallisaw Chamber of Commerce membership meeting Wednesday.

Members met at Western Sizzlin restaurant for lunch.

Harvel entertained chamber members with tales of his experiences as a chamber leader from El Dorado, Ark., to Little Rock, Ark., and back to Fort Smith. Harvel served in president and CEO positions for two years at the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and for more than 20 years at the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce.

At one position Harvel said the chamber was planning a Christmas program and wanted Santa Claus to sky dive into the festivities, but thought that may be too dangerous, so they substituted a dummy for Santa Claus.

“Everything went fine until they threw the dummy out of the airplane,” Harvel recalled. “The parachute didn’t open and Santa Claus plunged to earth. The kids all said I killed Santa Claus.”

At another pre-holiday event, Harvel, who said he was unmarried at the time, decided to put up the city’s Christmas lights himself on Thanksgiving Day. A friend from the El Dorado chamber — Fran Craig — came by and asked him what he was doing. After Harvel explained, Craig invited him to her home for Thanksgiving dinner after he had completed his chore. Harvel initially refused the invitation, because he said he wouldn’t know anyone. But Craig said that didn’t matter, and he was to spend the holiday with her and her family. Harvel said he completed hanging decorations, then went in search of his friend’s home.

At the house he went to the door, knocked, and told the person who answered he was Paul Harvel from the chamber, and he was there for Thanksgiving dinner. He recalled he was delighted to see the Craig family had a copy of the local newspaper lying on a living room table. The newspaper had published a story on him and the newspaper was lying in plain sight with Harvel’s photo visible.

“Of course I didn’t know anyone,” Harvell said, “but after a while I asked ‘Where’s Fran?’ They all looked at me and asked, “Who?’”

Harvel confessed he was at the wrong house, but the other Craig family was going to feed him anyway.

Harvel then discussed the serious task of economic development at a time of a weakened economy.

He said companies and businesses don’t look at specific cities and towns, they look at prospective sites and the surrounding 50-mile area.

“They look at regions…how people work together in those regions,” he said.

As an example Harvel explained that Hewlett Packard, when that company opened a plant in Conway, Ark., had company officials look at the surrounding area including Little Rock. The same was true of Mitsubishi’s recent decision to open a manufacturing plant in Fort Smith, Harvel said.

“It is imperative that we have a structured region, have maps and other information available, have Web sites together,” Harvel urged. “Some companies want all the metro advantages but they want to be 30 to 40 miles a way. Some want to be in the town, but a lot don’t.”

Harvel said he “has a passion for the Arkansas-Oklahoma region.”

He added, “And Arkansas and Oklahoma have a lot of the same issues, especially on the federal level.”

Senators and representatives from both sides of the Arkansas-Oklahoma state line must work together for the economic strength of both their states, Harvel said.

“And if a company comes into the area, it’s going to be a great deal for the whole area,” he concluded.

Other Business

Chamber President Marley Abell reminded chamber members that the annual Christmas parade had a “Christmas at the Movies” theme, and all those intending to participate must submit an entry form. The entry forms will be available at the chamber office, at the corner of Wheeler and Cherokee, on Nov. 30, and the deadline to return the entries is Dec. 10. Lt. Gov. Jari Askins, who is running for governor, will be the parade marshal. The parade will be held at 6 p.m. Dec. 12.

The next Chamber After Hours will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Dec. 3 at the Cherokee Casino.

The chamber’s Christmas luncheon will be at noon Dec. 9 at the First United Methodist Church.

Abell said the chamber is again sponsoring angels, submitted by Catholic Charities, and urged everyone to choose an angel to give gifts to for Christmas.

He added that the Shop Sallisaw promotion is underway, and all shoppers are reminded to get tickets for every transaction they make at a participating merchant in Sallisaw. Their half of the ticket may entitle the holder to one of several cash giveaways that will take place at noon Dec. 12 on the lawn at Stanley Tubbs Memorial Library in Sallisaw. Judy Martens, chamber executive director, said the merchants are giving away $5,500 this year, the most ever given away in this promotion.