“I’m proud to be from here, to be a native.”
This comes from HFA’s Joyce Dean, Program Administrator and NWA native.
Though she left Arkansas for about 20 years to live in Tulsa, Joyce says even back in the 80’s, being from Bentonville was always a conversation starter. “People always knew about Walmart and how it was growing. I just never expected the rest of the area to grow with it like it has,” she laughs. She remembers a time when NWA was “just Walmart” without any of the commercial development it now sports and without HFA.
Joyce also recalls seeing the HFA building on A Street for the first time and being impressed with it from the structure to the awning. Since then she has moved with the firm as it has transitioned from A Street to The Silo to its current home at 1705 S. Walton Blvd., Suite 3 in Bentonville. “Seeing HFA grow like it has- there’s very much a sense of pride in being part of that. I like knowing I work for a place that is helping design and grow my home town.”
In terms of her role as Program Administrator, Joyce credits Program Manager Phillip Fetters with one of her “greatest” accomplishments thus far – “He taught me how to roll plans back in 2007!” She says the company took a chance on her and taught her a job that she now “kind of” understands and she enjoys feeling a sense of accomplishment every day.
Joyce says, “When I started at HFA there were only about 35 employees. Now there are over 230 and I have the pleasure of saying I’ve been here to watch HFA grow up… Bentonville too. I’m so glad I came home.”
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