The Arkadelphia Alliance and Chamber leads economic and community development initiatives advancing growth and prosperity in Clark County, Arkansas. Through collaboration with our partners and members, we champion and support business and industry, our educational institutions, and a vibrant community where businesses thrive, and every citizen can flourish.
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Organizations
Alliance Board of Directors
The board of directors of the Alliance is comprised of leaders from various community organizations working toward growth and prosperity in Clark County.
Chamber Board of Directors
The Arkadelphia Area Chamber of Commerce is a business-driven leadership organization responsible for fostering the economic growth and development of the Arkadelphia area, to ensure that business, industry, and education may operate profitably, and to enhance the learning opportunities and quality of life for every citizen.
Economic Development Corporation of Clark County
The Economic Development Corporation of Clark County, EDCCC, is a tax-funded organization created to develop and fund economic development projects and activities to stimulate the local economy and to support the creation of new job activities.
Shelley Short, IOM
President & CEO
Shelley Short, IOM, became president and CEO of the Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance and Area Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Corporation of Clark County in September 2022. Prior to this role, she served as vice president of programs and partnerships at the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/AIA and as executive director of Arkansas Economic Developers and Chamber Executives (AEDCE).
Shelley launched her economic development career in 2006 at the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, where she held a series of increasingly senior roles, culminating as director of marketing in 2015.
A native of central Arkansas, Shelley holds a Master of Arts in Political Management from Regent University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Central Arkansas. She is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute and the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for Organization Management. Shelley serves on the board of the Metro Little Rock Alliance, the Southwest Regional Intermodal Authority, and is an active member of the International Economic Development Council and the Southern Economic Development Council.
Residing in Arkadelphia, Shelley is a member of the Arkadelphia Rotary Club and a board member of Group Living, a non-profit organization providing normalization skills and living assistance to adults with developmental disabilities. She is a proud mom to her daugther, Reagann, a recent Ouachita Baptist University graduate.
Jon Merryman
EVP & Chamber Director
Jon Merryman joined our team as Executive Vice President and leader of the organization’s chamber of commerce October 28, 2024. In this role, Merryman leads the Chamber’s efforts to support and grow the local business community, bringing a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to the Clark County area.
Merryman joins the Alliance and Chamber after serving since 2011 as the Director of Alumni Relations at Ouachita Baptist University, where he played a pivotal role in engaging the university’s more than 18,000 living alumni through events, communications, and outreach. In 2012, he expanded his responsibilities to include directing The Ouachita Student Foundation. His leadership was instrumental in organizing and producing the university’s signature event, Tiger Tunes, which has raised over $1,000,000 for student scholarships during his tenure.
A 2000 cum laude graduate of Ouachita Baptist University with a B.A. in Mass Communications, Merryman began his career in music marketing in Nashville, Tennessee, before transitioning into a 17-year career in full-time, bi-vocational, and missions ministry. His diverse background includes leading communications and marketing strategies for global nonprofits, contributing to national publications, and overseeing major fundraising campaigns.
Merryman and his wife, Emily, live in Arkadelphia and are proud parents to their son, Dennis, whom they adopted from Moldova in 2008. His deep ties to the community and passion for supporting local businesses make him an ideal leader for the Chamber.
Donald Westerman
Director of Workforce Development
Donald Westerman joined our team as the Director of Workforce Development in June 2025. In this role, Westerman leads the Alliance’s efforts to align education with industry needs, strengthen talent pipelines, and expand career-connected learning opportunities across Clark County.
He began his career as a vocational agriculture teacher before serving as principal at both Fountain Lake Charter High School and Lake Hamilton High School. Under his leadership, Lake Hamilton High School earned national recognition in 2024 as a Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Pacesetter School, thanks to its robust and innovative career and technical education (CTE) program.
The CTE program overhaul under Westerman’s leadership included modernizing course offerings, integrating new instructional methods, and expanding access to industry-recognized certifications. His expertise has since extended beyond the classroom through his work as a consultant with Bailey Education Group and the SREB, where he supported school systems in building impactful career pathways and workforce strategies.
Westerman’s distinguished career has earned him numerous honors, including being named FCCLA State and National Principal of the Year and receiving SREB’s Excellence in Action Award for his contributions to career and technical education innovation.
Westerman and his wife, Stephanie, have been married for 38 years and reside on the outskirts of Lonsdale in rural Garland County. He is an avid outdoorsman, serves as an Elder at Lake Valley Community Church, and treasures time with his seven grandchildren, especially when they Zoom in to hear their “Big Pappy” read a Dr. Seuss bedtime story.
Ashlee Vaughan
Economic Development Manager
Ashlee Vaughan currently serves as Economic Development Manager for the Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance and has performed several different roles within the organization since 2013.
Vaughan is a native of Arkadelphia and is a Arkadelphia High School graduate and received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at Henderson State University in 2003. She also served as a Graduate Assistant at Henderson State while pursuing her Master of Liberal Arts in Social Sciences.
Vaughan has a strong background in sales and marketing as well as a robust passion to grow and improve her community. The Hostess Brands acquisition ranks atop her projects portfolio, as the global leader in snack cakes and sweet goods made their decision to locate its new bakery in Clark County in 2021.
Her background and love for the community has led her to a variety of volunteer opportunities and leadership roles. She is an active member of Third Street Baptist Church, the Arkadelphia Noon Rotary Club, the Veolia Advisory Board, the Southern Economic Development Council, the International Economic Development Council, and in January of 2023 Vaughan was named to the Arkansas Economic Developers and Chamber Executives Board of Directors, representing the 4th congressional district.
In her spare time, Ashlee loves to spend time with friends and family. She and her husband, Andy, have two children, Carsyn and Cannyn.
E'Lyse Thaxton
Director of Marketing and Communications
E'Lyse Thaxton is a communications and marketing professional who joined the Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance and Area Chamber of Commerce in February 2023 as the communications and marketing manager. Her previous role was as the admissions marketing manager at Henderson State University. In February 2024, she was promoted to Director of Communications and Marketing.
In her position at the Alliance, E'Lyse's main responsibility is to develop and execute a comprehensive marketing and communications plan for economic and community development. This includes tasks such as creating content, managing social media platforms, implementing direct business attraction and expansion marketing initiatives, and more.
E'Lyse holds a Master of Arts degree in Communications from Southern New Hampshire University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Innovative Media from Henderson State University. Her work has been featured in various publications, including Arkadelphia Life, Arkansas Next, Arkansas Bound, the Arkansas Times College Guide, and other regional publications.
(870) 246-1460