Wynne Economic Development Corporation

What Wynne Economic Development Corporation does

Wynne Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is a public, non-profit economic development organization headquartered at 1790 North Falls Blvd, Ste 2, Wynne, Arkansas, serving the city of Wynne and surrounding Cross County. Founded in 2011 when citizens of Wynne voted to establish a dedicated one-cent sales tax funding stream, WEDC's mission is to improve quality of life through job creation, infrastructure development, and workforce improvement. The organization's core proposition is Wynne's geography: it markets the city as a logistics hotspot at the intersection of two major highways and Union Pacific Railroad main lines, connected to Interstate 40 via a 12-mile four-lane highway, and located within 50 miles of Memphis International Airport (the largest U.S. freight airport), Mississippi River ports, and Downtown Memphis.

WEDC operates a small staff led by President & CEO Bevin Hunter (appointed June 2023, previously of the Delta Regional Authority and The Lawrence Group), Director of Community Engagement and Operations Alexis Gahr (promoted 2025), and Office Manager/Event Outreach Coordinator Samantha Hagler, governed by a 12-member board. Its go-to-market motion is enterprise field sales: direct engagement with site selectors and prospective companies, property tours, and incentive negotiation, supplemented by the Renew Wynne façade improvement grant program for existing commercial and industrial real estate owners, and direct real estate offerings such as Fisher Plaza (3,000 to 10,000 SqFt leaseable). Marketing channels include the wynneedc.com website, a Business Round-Table Newsletter, community events, and partnerships with the Cross County Chamber of Commerce and City of Wynne.

The business model is fundamentally a public-sector funding model rather than a commercial revenue model. Recurring operating income is generated by the voter-approved one-cent sales tax, which the source material classifies as subscription/recurring. WEDC does not sell a product or service at a price, does not disclose financial statements, and has no funding rounds, investors, or parent company. Customer relationships are with three constituencies: (1) prospective enterprises evaluating Wynne for location or expansion, (2) existing local commercial and industrial property owners using the Renew Wynne grant program, and (3) citizens of Wynne who benefit from community economic development outcomes. Notable established employers in the Wynne ecosystem that WEDC promotes include Mueller Industries, EAKAS Industries, Producers Rice Mill, Matthews Ridgeview Farms, Ridgefield Rice, Addison Shoe Company, B&K Products, and Farmers Supply Association.

Name

Wynne Economic Development Corporation

Legal name

Wynne Economic Development Corporation

Website

https://wynneedc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Wynne Economic Development Corporation is a public, non-profit economic development organization funded by a voter-approved one-cent sales tax, marketing Wynne, Arkansas as a logistics hub to attract and retain businesses, administer façade grants, and support local employers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Wynne

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Sales Tax Funding: WEDC is funded through a one-cent sales tax first passed by citizens of Wynne in 2011. This provides a stable recurring funding stream for economic development activities including job creation, infrastructure development, and workforce improvement initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

WEDC is a public, non-profit economic development corporation that attracts new businesses to Wynne, Arkansas, retains and expands existing employers, and administers incentive programs such as the Renew Wynne facade improvement grant. It markets available commercial buildings and industrial sites and promotes Wynne's strategic logistics location at the intersection of two major highways and Union Pacific Railroad main lines, with direct Interstate 40 access and proximity to Memphis International Airport and Mississippi River ports.

Product overview

Wynne Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is a public, non-profit economic development organization that provides economic development services rather than a traditional technology product. Its offerings include the Renew Wynne façade improvement grant program for local business revitalization and commercial real estate options such as Fisher Plaza. The organization also promotes local industrial sectors including manufacturing and agriculture, and facilitates business connections through initiatives like the Business Round-Table Newsletter.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Renew Wynne Facade Improvement Grant
• Fisher Plaza Commercial Leasing
• Wynne Highway 1 Industrial Site Listing
• Business Round-Table Newsletter

Quantifiable outcome

• One-cent sales tax funding for economic development since 2011
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Jonesboro Economic Development Council: Regional economic development organization serving Jonesboro, Arkansas — a similarly-sized Arkansas city competing with Wynne for industrial investment and retail recruitment. Comparable in mission (small-city EDC within Arkansas), target customer base (site selectors and industrial/manufacturing tenants), and geographic market.
• Conway Development Corporation: Non-profit economic development corporation serving Conway, Arkansas, focused on industrial recruitment and workforce development. Directly comparable to WEDC in structure (public non-profit EDC), services offered (site selection, incentives, business retention), and Arkansas small/mid-city context.

Regional players

• Mississippi Development Authority: State-level economic development organization for Mississippi operating across the same I-40/Mississippi River corridor that defines Wynne's logistics advantage. Comparable mission (industrial attraction, infrastructure, workforce) but serves a different state just across the river from Wynne's catchment area.
• Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development: State-level EDO for Tennessee competing for the same logistics-driven industrial investment along the I-40/Memphis corridor. Highly comparable mission (attraction, retention, site selection) but operates across state lines from WEDC's geography.

Broad incumbents

• Delta Regional Authority (DRA): Federal economic development agency covering the lower Mississippi River Delta region including Eastern Arkansas. Highly relevant given that WEDC's CEO spent 14 years at DRA; both organizations target workforce, infrastructure, and job creation in the same eight-state Delta footprint.
• Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC): The State of Arkansas's primary economic development agency, offering statewide business attraction, incentives, and site-selection support. WEDC is effectively a sub-state partner that funnels prospects into Arkansas; AEDC operates one governance layer above WEDC.
• Greater Memphis Chamber: Regional economic development organization covering the greater Memphis metro area, including site selection, workforce development, and business attraction for the same I-40/logistics corridor in which Wynne operates. Comparable in mission (business attraction/retention) but materially larger in scope and resources.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wynne Economic Development Corporation