Otto J. Loewer

ADDRESS: 226 Engineering Hall, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701; Office: 479-575-5118; FAX: 479-575-2412;
E-mail: ojl@uark.edu.
POSITION: Director of the University of Arkansas Economic Development Institute

December 6, 2004

Welcome to the UAEDI web site! There is a level of enthusiasm and excitement about the role of UAEDI in the future of Arkansas, and I am delighted that you are interested enough to check us out. Let me give you a brief overview.

UAEDI is a collection of University of Arkansas faculty, staff, administrators, students and UA partners who are voluntarily working together to enhance the economic and social well-being and prosperity of the people of Arkansas. UAEDI focuses on five strategic areas of involvement: Discussion Groups and Special Initiatives; Regional Partnerships; Student Engaged in Economic Development (SEED); Information Resources; and Referrals and Connections.

We are relatively new, having been created in July 2002. In just over two years, we are about 850 strong (approximately 400 University of Arkansas faculty, staff and administrators and 450 partners outside of the University of Arkansas are on our electronic mailing list). UAEDI is working in partnership with organizations representing at least 17 of Arkansas’s 75 counties and with land grant universities in three other states. Our web site has been accessed by individuals in all 50 states and approximately 90 foreign counties. We are exploring many other partnership opportunities to include several other Arkansas counties and a leading university in China. Indeed, we are excited about UAEDI’s growth and acceptance as a new model for engaging higher education in the broad-based development of our state.

Our goals and programs are grounded in “preparing people for prosperity.” We don’t claim to be able to deliver prosperity. However, we do believe that we can help stack the odds in favor of Arkansans being more economically and socially prosperous by fully utilizing the considerable physical and intellectual resources of the University of Arkansas and its partners in a comprehensive and collaborative effort. This will often involve writing joint proposals and implementing collaborative projects, many of which will involve students working hand in hand with community organizations and businesses.

We want to be part of building a new Arkansas through what we call “broad-based development and breakthrough solutions.” We believe that this approach offers the best alternative for moving Arkansas forward to be competitive in a technology-based global economy while offering opportunity and a high quality of life for all of our people.

Broad-based development is composed of four elements: economic development, community development, educational development and leadership development. All are synergistically interrelated and essential, and need to be addressed simultaneously if sustainable progress is to be made. Breakthrough solutions are the result of creative and innovative thinking, ideas, and implementation that we believe offer the best promise for rapid advancement.

So, you may be wondering how any of this applies to you. Hopefully, information in the UAEDI web site can help answer that question. Certainly, feel free to call me if you seek additional information. We welcome partners to help with the great task that faces our state in preparing to successfully compete in a technology-based global economy. We believe that It will take implementation of a new model based on breakthrough solutions, broad-based development, collaborative partnerships and adequate physical, monetary and intellectual resources. But most of all, it will take visionary, capable, and willing leaders who understand how best to contribute, both collectively and individually. UAEDI is about helping bring this type of leadership together for the betterment of our state.

If you are interested in UAEDI, contact me and we will discuss how you can be part of our endeavor.

Sincerely,

Otto J. Loewer

Background of Director