Tim Allen, PCED, chief operating officer of the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce, has been elected to the board of the Arkansas Economic Developers (AED.)

Whitney Yoder, assistant to the president of the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce, has been elected as Vice President of the Arkansas Chamber of Commerce Executives for 2013.

Allen will serve a four-year term with AED. The group is an association of professional and volunteer economic developers in the state of Arkansas and was organized in 1976. AED was created for the purpose of advancing, through professional and educational efforts, the quality of life in Arkansas by the development of employment opportunities through economic growth and community development.

From a legislative front, AED monitors issues of significance to economic developers in the state. It gathers data generated by legislative activities surrounding economic development, analyzes and summarizes that information, and disseminates the information to AED members for consideration and/or calls to action.

The Arkansas Chamber of Commerce Executives promotes the advancement, professionalism, education, and efficiency of Chambers of Commerce and related groups working for the general welfare of communities, regions, and the state and promotes an interchange of ideas and information among their members.