At an October 2025 Polk County Quorum Court meeting, Meghan Salmon, chief executive officer of the Russellville Regional Alliance and Russell Chamber of Commerce, and Steve Houseran, the chamber's newly hired chief economic development officer, gave a five‑minute update on workforce and economic development efforts serving Russellville and surrounding communities.

The presenters told the court their work focuses on supporting large local employers and connecting residents to jobs. "The contract allows the county to provide critical services to your largest taxpayer," Salmon said, naming ConAgra, Rockline, Tyson and "A and O" as examples of employers the alliance works to serve. She said an analysis of ZIP code commutes for third quarter 2025 shows high daily commutes into Russellville from Dover, Pottsville, London, Atkins, Hector, Witts Springs and Tilly.

The nut graf: The alliance said its programs aim to keep large employers operational and to give county residents access to "good jobs, career advancement, and upskilling opportunities," and the group described several initiatives it said support that goal.

Salmon and Houseran described several specific programs. Salmon said the alliance runs an annual Draft Day/Skilled Trade Expo at Cyclone Arena that draws about 1,500 students and connects them directly with employers offering welding, HVAC and other skilled positions. "Seniors can walk away from Draft Day with a job," she said. The alliance also organizes employers and educators for plant tours and meetings so school staff can better understand employer expectations.

Salmon said the alliance maintains a local job finder website and an app that aggregates and vets job postings. "We vet every single job before it's released," she said. The alliance also convenes a regional workforce cabinet that brings agency and industry representatives together to discuss training funding and programs; Salmon cited recent meetings with a state Office of Skills Development representative and with state legislators to review legislation and funding opportunities.

Houseran said his early work has included meetings with manufacturers, educators and CTE instructors and that employers have asked for both credentialed technical training and professional skill development ("soft skills"). He described plans to develop credentialing and training programs and noted state resources that reimburse a portion of training costs. "There's a ton of resources at the state level," he said, and he encouraged local employers to take advantage of available grants and technical assistance.

The presenters also listed recent recruitment and expansion wins the alliance attributes to its economic development work, including Owens Corning, expansions at Taber (Tabor) and Americold, and several retail openings. Salmon said those efforts represent "$230,000,000 in capital investment in Pope County in the last two years" and "200 plus net new jobs" in 2025 compared with 2022.

The presentation lasted about five minutes and concluded with an offer to provide additional information to court members who request it. No formal action was taken; the presentation was listed under correspondence and information to the court.