30 Jul 2024 The story of Conway Corp

Posted at 10:12 PMh in Business by

By Beth Jimmerson

The story of Conway Corporation is one of continuous growth and development, not only of industry, but of the town. Nearly 100 years ago, Conway had an uncertain future as it faced the threat of losing Hendrix College and Central Baptist College. City leaders, businessmen and residents joined together to find a solution that would preserve the city’s economically strapped educational institutions as well as attract future industries and jobs to the area.

A town meeting was held, a committee was selected, and eventually, a recommendation was made. An article printed in the April 20, 1929, issue of the Log Cabin Democrat gave a detailed account of the meeting and the committee chair’s statement:

“Conway has arrived at a crisis in her history. …Conway is built around her colleges; to remove any of them would … leave her … crippled, if not doomed to die and impair, if not destroy, the civic pride and ambition essential to progress.

“In its municipal electric light plant, the city of Conway has an asset of inestimable value—one which has many times in past years bridged the city over financial crises. To it, in the belief of this committee, we must now turn in this major crisis.” 

The people agreed and banded together to create a vision no one had seen before. In the grips of the Great Depression, bonds were sold to create Conway Corp out of the city’s electric utility revenues and to generate enough money to keep the two universities in the city. Since then, those original 1929 monies have been reinvested time and time again to power education, economic growth and countless other projects in our community. And today, Conway Corp is celebrating 95 years of powering Conway.

Originally, electricity was only available between sundown and midnight. No electric meters were used, and customers were billed according to the number of lights they had. Residents were billed 35 cents per month for each 16 candlepower (25 watt) lamp connected. All power was generated downtown, where Conway Corp’s business office is located currently.

As the city grew, so did the needs of citizens in new and different ways. It started with turning the city’s modest Light Department into an economic development engine, then expanded into purchasing enough power to support a growing city and finding a reliable way to get water to an increasing population. Conway Corp began operating the city’s waterworks system in 1930 and has been continually planning for Conway’s future water needs since.

As technologies advanced, so did the company’s offerings. Cable was added in 1981, and Conway became the fifth city in North America to have broadband cable internet service in 1997. Telephone service was added in 2008, and security and automation services were added in 2016.

As Conway Corp continues to grow and advance, the people of Conway benefit from services and profits that are reinvested back into the community. What started as $215,000 worth of bonds given to local education institutions in 1929 has grown into millions of dollars invested and reinvested into the community over the years. 

Conway Corp is strongly invested in area education and is committed to providing world-class digital technology and other resources, such as grants and scholarships, to local schools, universities and students. 

Supporting education has always been a top priority. From preschool to grad school, world-class technology is provided to local schools and universities, along with scholarships, grants, education outreach and more.

Since 2008, Conway Corp has given scholarships through the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Faulkner County and more than $650,000 in endowed scholarships to local students who attend the University of Central Arkansas, Central Baptist College and Hendrix College. It provides additional scholarships every year, including five sports scholarship awards to local student-athletes for their performance on the field and in the classroom.

In addition to scholarships, Conway Corp has pledged millions for education facility upgrades across the community and helps fund Classroom Impact Grants, which are presented by the Conway Public Schools Foundation each year. 

Education is a huge part of the company’s history and future. Conway Corp is dedicated to investing in the community through investing in its young minds.

In 1929, city leaders built a framework to benefit future generations over and over again. They created an opportunity powered by Conway Corp and its commitment to the community. Since then, Conway Corp and its employees have worked to honor that commitment and make a difference in the place we call home. The company proudly continues the efforts of those leaders who in 1929 captured the spirit of Conway and created a vision of the city powered by Conway Corp.

Beth Jimmerson
Latest posts by Beth Jimmerson (see all)