8:00 a.m.
Registration & Exhibits Open
El Dorado Conference Center

9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Welcome and Opening Plenary - Harnessing the Soul of the Town: Place Attachment
Harnessing the Soul of the Town: Place Attachment Meets Local History in Creating Vibrant Downtowns-Dr. Katherine Loflin - The City Doctor and The City Doctor Productions Dr. Katherine Loflin has a long-standing reputation for highly acclaimed keynotes globally for over two decades. In this keynote, Dr. Loflin will present the groundbreaking place attachment model that changed the way communities understood the relationship between people and place and why it matters and her latest award-winning work applying the place attachment model to local history immersive experiences. Dr. Loflin will explain how any town can use its local history as the fastest, most scalable, and cost-effective strategy to strengthen place attachment, local economies, and downtown vitality.

10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Break

10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Getting the House in Order
Getting the House in Order – Randy Wilson, Community Design Solutions Do you want to improve the visual quality of your downtown but don’t know where to start? This session unveils a self-help diagnostic tool that helps individuals systematically evaluate their downtown and identify practical responses to design and planning issues that range from gateways to streetscapes, from parks and open spaces to facades and much, much more. Best of all, the training will forego fancy architect or planner speak and use plain and understandable language by comparing getting our downtowns in top shape to getting our house ready to host a party.

10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Strategies for Effective Meeting
Charlotte Strickland, Director – Office of Employee Engagement and Enrichment, University of Central Arkansas Have you ever wondered why your community fails to get involved? Do you want to learn how to work smarter when meeting with your leadership and community members? There are proven tools, tips and techniques that can assist you which will make your coalitions stronger. This session will address meeting construction, creating trust and rapport opportunities, open communication and more!

10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Funding Opportunities Available Through the Delta Regional Authority
Matthew Campbell, Strategic Partnerships Program Manager – Delta Regional Authority This session will cover public infrastructure, workforce development, small business development, and strategic planning grant programs available through the Delta Regional Authority. DRA serves a total of 255 counties and parishes across the Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt regions.

10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Making the Capital Stack
Joe Borgstrom, Principal – Place & Main Advisors This session will explain various incentives for historic rehabilitation projects, including Federal and State Historic Tax Credit programs, and creative ways to bridge the financing gap.

11:45 – 1:30 p.m.
Lunch on your own

1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
The Biggest Issues in Downtown Real Estate and What to Do About Them
Joe Borgstrom, Principal – Place & Main Advisors

1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Main Street Remix: Fresh Trends, Smart Tech, and AI Shaping Downtown Futures
Ben Muldrow, Partner & Brand Strategist - Arnett Muldrow & Associates Do you have enough hours in your day? Ever wish you had someone—or something—that could simply do what you ask? Downtown revitalization is evolving rapidly, driven by innovative trends, smart technologies, and groundbreaking tools like artificial intelligence designed to streamline your workload. In this energizing session, you’ll explore what’s new, what’s next, and what’s possible in the Main Street world. From leveraging AI-powered solutions for marketing, design, and data-driven decision-making, to uncovering cutting-edge placemaking concepts and retail innovations, you’ll gain practical ideas and actionable insights you can implement immediately. Discover how today’s tech can help your Main Street stay ahead of the curve, saving you time, energy, and resources along the way.

1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Boosting Main Street: Innovative Membership & Partner Programs for Sustainable
Brian Ostrovsky – CEO of Locable This session will explore effective marketing strategies to develop or enhance membership or supporter programs as a supplemental revenue source. Attendees will learn how to increase their Main Street’s visibility, attract more businesses to their district and create a thriving, supportive community network.

1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Heritage Tourism, Storytelling, and Placekeeping
Justin Burch, Washington County Economic Alliance, Greenville, MS; Daniel Boggs, Greater Greenville and Main Street Greenville Using case studies from the Mississippi River Delta, this session will explore ways to preserve and interpret significant historic sites with a community-driven approach.

2:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Break

3:00 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.
Improve Your Photography Skills

3:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
A Recipe for Creating Thriving Rural Downtown Destinations
Stephanie White, Mayor of Keo, AR; Will Staley, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Thrive, Inc.; Ryan Biles, Director of Development and Creative Placemaking – Thrive, Inc. In this session, Mayor Stephanie White shares the compelling story that put tiny Keo, Arkansas back on the map! From the creation of a pecan-oriented festival to asserting the town’s crown as “Pecan Capital of Arkansas,” Mayor White, along with designer Will Staley of Helena, AR-based Thrive, Inc. engage in a conversation demonstrating how well-designed destination assets can reinforce the unique identity of place and drive downtown investment in the most overlooked places.

3:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
Accountability & Professional Conversations
Accountability & Professional Conversations: Having the Courage and Tools to Confront – Charlotte Strickland, Director – Office of Employee Engagement and Enrichment, University of Central Arkansas There are two types of employees and volunteers – “Can’t do the job” (haven’t been trained or equipped) and “Won’t do the job” (attitude issues). With the “Can’t do” employees/volunteers we train and equip them until they are confident and prepared. But how do we as leaders resolve the “Won’t do” employees/volunteers? This session will provide information on attitude issues and specific models and techniques to follow when confronting employees or volunteers.

3:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
Sustainability and Deconstruction
Mae Bowley, Big Tree Projects, LLC This session will trace the history of building deconstruction and reuse as a sustainable practice and explain how responsible deconstruction is an excellent alternative to demolition when buildings cannot be preserved in place.

6:00 p.m.
Denim, Diamonds & the Grand Finale – Murphy Arts District
Join us for Denim, Diamonds & the Grand Finale - the perfect Southern-chic send-off to close out an unforgettable conference experience. Enjoy live music, delicious bites, and signature cocktails as we toast to new connections and shared memories. Dress in your best Denim and Diamonds and get ready for a sparkling surprise that will have you shining all the way home!

8:00 a.m.
Registration & Exhibits Open
El Dorado Conference Center

9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Face-to-Face with Facades
Join nationally recognized Main Street experts Randy Wilson and Ben Muldrow for an interactive session on everything you need to know about the facades of your downtown historic buildings. This face-paced, Q&A formatted session (along with Randy and Ben's banter) will address all manner of issues pertaining to facades, such as, but not limited to: the importance of context; basic color theory for historic buildings; mid-century alterations to historic buildings; the pivotal role of historic photographs, the importance of architectural style; and, the relevance of interior use, etc. Moreover, they will also provide real-life tips on how to conduct building owner interviews (especially when their building looks terrible), how to convey preferred facade enhancements without being offensive, and even provide some ballpark cost estimates associated with common facade improvements

9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Stronger Together: Working with Small Businesses to Boost Main Street
Lisa Thompson, Senior Program Officer for Revitalization Services, Main Street America Main Street thrives when small businesses succeed. This session offers practical tips for directors and board members to build strong, supportive relationships with local entrepreneurs. Learn how to engage business owners in planning, align your work with their needs, and create a downtown that works for everyone.

9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
DIY Main Street: Reconciling Tactical Urbanism with the Main Street Approach
Amanda Lanata – Assistant Director, Louisiana Main Street; Coordinator, Certified Local Government; Amy Poladian, Executive Director – Springhill (LA) Main Street Looking for a quick win? Is that grant project taking YEARS to finish? This session will examine how we can take quick action NOW using tactical urbanism: citizen-led, quick-build, low-cost interventions. But how do you balance “fast” with the Main Street principle of quality? What if you get into trouble or alienate local partners? We’ll explore these issues, using real-life examples from Springhill, LA (population: 4,800).

9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Emerging Technologies and Historic Preservation
Paul Kim, APIAHiP: Asian & Pacific Islander Americans in Historic This session will provide an overview of artificial intelligence platforms and show attendees how they can be used to enhance the preservation of cultural histories and landscapes.

10:15 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Break

10:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
Creating Videos the Simple Way
Scott Sewell, Former Director – Kansas Main Street Videos are incredibly important to Main Street organizations. They provide a powerful and effective way to communicate and build a strong brand image. Yet many people struggle to create videos because they believe it’s expensive, time consuming and effort intensive. In this session you will learn how to use devices like your smart phone and a few other basic tools to create simple, effective videos in minutes even if you have no prior video production experience.

10:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
Crisis Reaction in Main Street Districts
Mary Mayes Wirth, President/State Coordinator – Main Street Alabama In times of crisis, our beloved towns and Main Street districts are tested, but it’s during these moments that our Main Street family shines the brightest. With the support of Main Street America and the Leadership Council, we are committed to helping our local districts not only recover but also thrive. The session will share experiences with crisis and lessons learned. Also understanding a crisis can be many things from floods, storms, fire, crime and more. Having protocols in place is critical to the timing to offer support and long-term recovery options. Attendees will hear from two local Arkansas directors (Jonesboro and Paragould) about their recent experiences with disasters in their downtown areas, one being a tornado and the other being a long-vacant building that was falling into the sidewalk and street.

10:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
Signs of Life: Mastering Public & Private Signage for Vibrant Downtowns
Ben Muldrow, Partner & Brand Strategist - Arnett Muldrow & Associates In downtown districts, signage isn’t just informative - it’s transformative. From crafting memorable gateways and intuitive wayfinding systems to creating impactful business signage that strengthens local brands, great signage can define a community’s identity and enhance visitor experiences. Join Ben Muldrow as he reveals proven strategies, real-world examples, and practical tips for developing cohesive public and private signage. This session covers the essentials, including conceptual planning, effective design principles, creative placemaking, guerrilla wayfinding, and innovative funding approaches. Whether you’re representing the public sector or advising private businesses, you’ll leave equipped to elevate your district through strategic signage solutions.

10:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
Preservation Advocacy
Vincent Michael, Ph.D., Conservation Society of San Antonio This session will provide general tips for effective preservation advocacy and explain specific advocacy issues like the Historic Preservation Fund and Historic Tax Credit.

12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Conference Wrap-up