Arkansas Business back issues from May 2009:
Continental Express hits bumpy road.
May 04, 2009; ... CONTINENTAL EXPRESS INC., which was one of Arkansas largest private companies, struggled to pay its bills just before it was sold in December, according to lawsuits filed against the Little Rock trucking company. Several of its former employees also have sued Continental, ...
Life after Alltel: businesses rise from ashes: nine new companies emerge from merger, more are expected.(Company overview)
May 04, 2009 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AS THE NAME THAT ONCE represented one of Arkansas largest companies fades into the background, several new businesses have emerged from the pool of talent that flooded the market when Verizon Wireless completed its purchase of Alltel Corp. of Little Rock ...
LR entrepreneur's reversal of fortune.
May 04, 2009; ... SEVEN YEARS AGO, JOE BLANKENSHIP was enjoying a multimillion-dollar payday that entrepreneurs dream of. His Little Rock e-mail database company, Total eData Corp., was sold to ChoicePoint Inc. of Alpharetta, Ga. As chief executive officer of Total eData, Blankenship pocketed a ...
Coming soon.(Whispers)
May 04, 2009 ... Still interested in the unidentified Arkansas customer whose alleged fraud forced IberiaBank Corp. of Lafayette, La., to take ...
Bank buy.(Whispers)
May 04, 2009 ... Heard about a bank merger in the works in east Arkansas? The proposed deal has The Farmers & Merchants Bank of Stuttgart acquiring First National Bank of Marianna. First National, with two Lee County locations, reported total assets of $57.3 million and net income of ...
Ridge estates dispute.(Brief article)
May 04, 2009 ... A debt of $422,795.25 that was due Jan. 13 may cost developers property in which they invested many times that amount. One Bank & Trust of Little Rock has filed a foreclosure suit in Pulaski County Circuit Court on property owned by MW Properties LLC of Little Rock, led by Nick ...
Hungry for news.(Affiliated Foods Southwest Inc)(Brief article)
May 04, 2009 ... Whether it files for bankruptcy, a competitor buys it or a merger is worked out, expect changes at Affiliated Foods Southwest Inc. of Little Rock. The wholesale grocery distributor released a statement Wednesday saying that a change is imminent, but the company did not disclose ...
Medical bill.(Whispers)
May 04, 2009 ... Court records filed last week show a group of doctors spent $1.2 million in costs and attorney fees to sue Baptist Health of Little Rock over the hospital's credential policy. Now the doctors, who are represented by Williams & Anderson PLC of Little Rock, have filed a motion to ...
In vino veritas.(Whispers)
May 04, 2009 ... A new wine bar is headed for the Heights. Anna Barker and Susan Crosby plan to open By The Glass in the old Spaule location at 5713 Kavanaugh Blvd. at the beginning of June. Barker said that depending on some of the construction work, the two might open their doors in late May. ...
100 days.(Editorial)(Editorial)
May 04, 2009 ... SINCE PRESIDENT FRANKLIN Roosevelt, much has been made of a presidents first 100 days in office. And with all the problems President Barack Obama inherited, pundits everywhere are weighing in on his performance. Some actually are thoughtful; some give moderate praise; some are ...
And now, the flu.(Editorial)
May 04, 2009 ... IT'S NOT LIKE BUSINESS DIDN'T have enough to deal with, what with a recession and all. Now a flu bug is floating around that could cause even more headaches, of both the literal and figurative kind. The federal government offers businesses a checklist to help them prepare for ...
[Cartoon].(Editorial)(Cartoon)
May 04, 2009 ... YOU CAN LEAD A HORSE TO WATER ... BUT YOU ...
Health care reform redux.(Publisher's Note)
May 04, 2009; ... REMEMBER THE LAST TIME A reform-minded Democratic president was elected and tried to use his popularity to overhaul the nation's health care system? That was Hillary--oops, Bill--Clinton. The president put his first lady into an unprecedented leading role on the initiative, and ...
Where are our medals?(Commentary)
May 04, 2009; ... ISN'T IT TRUE THAT IF YOU TAKE a bullet for your country, you get a medal? If so, every Bank of America shareholder deserves one. In this space on Feb. 2, 2009, I speculated that when Ken Lewis, CEO of Bank of America, tried to back out of the Merrill Lynch deal last December, ...
Construction of the ASU Delta Center for Economic Development in Jonesboro should be completed in August.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)
May 04, 2009; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Construction of the ASU Delta Center for Economic Development in Jonesboro should be completed in August. The 27,000-SF project at 319 ...
Land transaction.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)
May 04, 2009; ... A 1.3-acre office site in west Little Rock changed hands in a $1.2 million sale. 13000 Cantrell Road LLC, led by Robert Jorgensen, Rodney Breuer and Robert Harrison, bought the land near the northwest corner of Cantrell and Sam Peck roads. The seller is IGS IV Inc., ...
Sherwood sale.(Brief article)
May 04, 2009; ... A 0.59-acre commercial development in Sherwood shifted ownership in a transaction valued at $630,000. William and D.M. Woolverton purchased the 120 Brookswood Road project from Carroll and Ladon Woolverton. The deal ...
School purchase.(Brief article)
May 04, 2009; ... A 6.5-acre charter school development in Jacksonville is in motion after a $415,000 deal. Lighthouse Academies of Arkansas Inc., led by George Biggs, acquired the property at 251 N. First St. The seller is First Place Partners, led by James Green. The project is ...
Southwest acquisition.(Brief article)
May 04, 2009; ... A 0.62-acre commercial development in southwest Little Rock drew a $155,000 sale. Southwest Radiator Shop Inc., led by Ronald Dowler, bought the 3618 Baseline Road ...
Condo buy.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)
May 04, 2009; ... A 2,866-SF condo unit in Little Rock's Riverdale area tipped the scales at $830,000. ZP Management & Investment Co., led by Jerald Barnett Jr. acquired the 11th-floor space in Riviera Condominiums at 3700 Cantrell Road. The seller is Riviera Partners LLC, led by Tom ...
Chenal home.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)
May 04, 2009; ... A 6,015-SF home in the Margeaux Place neighborhood of west Little Rock's Chenal Valley development rang up a $675,000 sale. Curtis and Nancy Arnold purchased the house from Barney and Peggy Taylor. The deal is funded with a 15-year loan of $417,000 from Centennial Bank of ...
Lexington Park loan.(Brief article)
May 04, 2009; ... The owner of an apartment project in North Little Rock picked up a $21.2 million funding agreement. Burkhalter-Vestal LLC, led by John Burkhaher and Kent Vestal Jr., obtained the 10-year loan from Grandbridge Real Estate Capital LLC of Birmingham, Ala. The 22-acre ...
Car wash financing.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)
May 04, 2009; ... A commercial property in south Little Rock is backed with a $2.4 million financial package. Jonesboro Carwash LLC, led by Brad Vaden, received the six-month loan from Jonesboro's Liberty Bank of Arkansas. The 1.57-acre ...
Church mortgage.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)
May 04, 2009; ... A downtown Little Rock congregation landed a $1.5 million mortgage. Central Church of Christ got the three-year loan from Twin City Bank. The 2.5-acre development at 823 W. Sixth St ....
Branch funding.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)
May 04, 2009; ... The owner of a Metropolitan National Bank branch in the Heights area of Little Rock secured a $1.6 million funding agreement. Kidco Properties Inc., led by L. Walter Quinn III, obtained a 30-month loan of $1.2 million from Allied Bank of Mulberry and a three-year loan of ...
Rainey note.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)
May 04, 2009; ... A 12,800-SF office building in west Little Rock is backed with a $700,000 financial package. Rainco Ltd., led by Roy Rainey Sr. and his wife, Salliejane, and Roy Rainey Jr ....
Welspun holds dedication of pipe plant at Little Rock.(MANUFACTURING)
May 04, 2009; ... Welspun Gujarat Stahl Rohren Ltd. of Mumbai, India, the second-largest line pipe producer in the world, formally dedicated its $150 million manufacturing facility at Little Rock last week. Located next to the Little Rock Port, the spiral pipe and coating facility sits on 740 ...
Affiliated Foods merger or sale appears likely.(RETAIL)(Brief article)
May 04, 2009; ... Affiliated Foods Southwest Inc. of Little Rock is entertaining offers from other companies for either a merger or purchase of the Arkansas wholesale grocery distributor. The company would not release details of the possible suitors, referring only to "'other wholesale food distributors." ...
Lions World Services sacks executive director.(NONPROFIT)(Brief article)
May 04, 2009; ... Ramona Sangalli was removed last week as executive director of Lions World Services for the Blind, the international nonprofit headquartered in Little Rock. Carl Foreman, chairman-elect of the LWSB board of directors, said he would serve as interim director until a replacement for Sangalli ...
Stanley Reed to lead Farm Bureau trade panel.(AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS)
May 04, 2009; ... The Arkansas Farm Bureau has created a seven-member trade advisory committee to advise the bureau's board of directors on matters affecting the trade of Arkansas agricultural commodities. The committee, which will be led by former bureau President Stanley Reed of Marianna, will ...
The Downtown Little Rock Partnership is relocating to Lafayette Square at Sixth and Louisiana streets this month.(Inside Business)
May 04, 2009 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: The Downtown Little Rock Partnership is relocating to Lafayette Square at Sixth and Louisiana streets this month. The organization will occupy Suite 305 on the third floor of the renovated Lafayette Hotel. Sales of condos ...
P.A.M. Transportation posts $3.3 million loss.(Public Company Reports)(Financial report)
May 04, 2009 ... P.A.M. Transportation Services Inc. reported a first-quarter net loss of $3.3 million, or 36 cents a share, compared with a loss of $2.8 million, or 29 cents a share, for the same period of 2008. Operating revenue, which includes fuel surcharges, fell to $65.8 million for the ...
P.A.M. executives get slight increase in pay.(Public Company Reports)
May 04, 2009 ... Executives at P.A.M. Transportation Services inc. received small raises last year, but there were no bonuses or option awards given. The Tontitown truckload dry van carrier lists only three executive officers in its proxy. Robert W. Weaver, president and CEO, received ...
One-time gain lifts earnings of Baldor.(Public Company Reports)
May 04, 2009 ... Baldor Electric Co. reported first-quarter net earnings boosted by a one-time gain from the modification of its debt agreement. Baldor said earnings reached $36.4 million, up from $25.6 million during the same quarter last year. But excluding a one-time gain of $35.7 million ...
Deltic Timber Corp.(Public Company Reports)
May 04, 2009 ... Deltic Timber Corp. declared a quarterly dividend of about 7.5 cents a share, ...
Canadian company plans Arkansas biofuel plant.(ENERGY)
May 04, 2009; ... A Canadian company has taken the first steps toward building a $40 million biomass-to-biofuel plant in the El Dorado area. Dynamotive Energy Systems Corp. of Vancouver said its new U.S. subsidiary, Dynamotive USA Inc., had entered a long-term contract to buy sawdust from ...
Southwest Power Pool OKs transmission plans.(ENERGY)(Brief article)
May 04, 2009; ... Southwest Power Pool Inc.'s directors have approved more than $700 million worth of extra high voltage economic transmission expansion upgrade projects. The Little Rock operator said the projects would be funded by the application of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission-approved ...
Norwalk Furniture now Luxe Home Interiors.(RETAIL)
May 04, 2009; ... The former Norwalk Furniture & Design showroom at 12310 Chenal Parkway in Little Rock has joined about 25 other Norwalk franchisees across the ...
Largest newspapers by daily circulation.(Inside Business)
May 04, 2009 ... <Pre> Largest Newspapers by Daily Circulation Paper Circulation Gain/Loss 1 USA Today 2,113,725 (-7.46%) 2 The Wall Street Journal 2,082,189 0.61% 3 The New York Times1,039,031 (-3.55%) 4 Los Angeles Times ...
Priority Bank at the top of return on equity list.(NW Journal: A Look at News From Northwest Arkansas)
May 04, 2009; ... The Northwest Arkansas Business Journal's annual list of private banks showed some changes in the top 10 banks by return on equity from year-end 2007 to 2008. Most banks reported lower ROE overall. Only private banks chartered in the state and doing business in the six-county ...
UA study quantifies effects of risks on Treasury returns.(NW Journal: A Look at News From Northwest Arkansas)
May 04, 2009 ... A University of Arkansas study documents a positive relationship between expected return on Treasury securities and risk associated with the liquidity of the U.S. Treasury market. The study also finds a strong relationship between return and information risk. The ...
Operator of two hospitals didn't pay bills, officials say.(NE Journal: A Look at News From Northeast Arkansas)
May 04, 2009; ... Ameris Health Systems of Nashville, Tenn., left behind unpaid bills when it stopped operating two hospitals in Mississippi County, officials said. The city of Osceola is trying to collect a $313,000 electric bill Ameris left behind from its operation of South Mississippi County ...
Craighead County repeats drop in sales tax receipts.(NE Journal: A Look at News From Northeast Arkansas)
May 04, 2009; ... For the first time since 2002, Craighead County reported a second consecutive month of declining revenue from its I percent sales tax receipts when compared with the same month in the previous year. In March, the county collected $1.2 million, which was down 8.1 percent from ...
ASU receives $1.75m for business incubator.(NE Journal: A Look at News From Northeast Arkansas)(Brief article)
May 04, 2009 ... The U.S. Department of Commerce recently awarded Arkansas State University at Jonesboro's Arkansas Biosciences Institute a $1.75 million grant. The grant will be used for the completion of the Arkansas State Biosciences Institute Commercial Innovation Center, which is ...
Unimin Corp.(Business Briefs)
May 04, 2009 ... Unimin Corp. of New Canaan, Conn., is making a major capital expansion at its Guion (Izard County) plant that will increase by 700 percent the plant's capacity to produce ISO/ API 40/70 frac sand. The expansion will be completed by the end ...
The University of Arkansas School of Law is ranked in the top tier of the nation's law schools in U.S. News and World Report's 2010 edition of America's Best Graduate Schools.(Business Briefs)
May 04, 2009 ... The University of Arkansas School of Law is ranked in the top tier of the nation's law schools in U.S. News and World Report's 2010 edition of America's Best Graduate Schools. The School of Law tied for 94th place ...
The latest issue of the Historical Report of the Secretary of State is now available either as a book or online.(Business Briefs)
May 04, 2009 ... The latest issue of the Historical Report of the Secretary of State is now available either as a book or online. The University of Arkansas Press and the Arkansas History Commission collaborated with the Secretary of State's office to update the reference work, which is a compendium ...
The University of Central Arkansas' Division of Academic Outreach, in collaboration with the College of Business and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, is facilitating a pre-employment training program for the new Hewlett-Packard Conway facility.(Business Briefs)
May 04, 2009 ... The University of Central Arkansas' Division of Academic Outreach, in collaboration with the College of Business and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, is facilitating a pre-employment training program for ...
The Arkansas Hospitality Association's 2009 Conventions & Trade Show will be held Sept. 23-24 at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock.(Business Briefs)
May 04, 2009 ... The Arkansas Hospitality Association's 2009 Conventions & Trade Show will be held Sept. 23-24 at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock. The theme will be "Wild About Arkansas." The ...
The Hot Springs Advertising & Promotion Commission will name the plaza at the west end of the Hot Springs Convention Center in honor of the late Bob Wheeler and will lead a campaign to build a fountain in the plaza, also in Wheeler's honor.(Business Briefs)(Brief article)
May 04, 2009 ... The Hot Springs Advertising & Promotion Commission will name the plaza at the west end of the Hot Springs Convention Center in honor of the late Bob Wheeler and will lead a campaign to build a fountain in the plaza, also in Wheeler's honor. Wheeler, a former city director and member of the ...
The Arkansas Department of Education has contracted to use IBM technology to monitor its spending of the $569.9 million in American Recovery & Reinvestment Act funding grants.(Business Briefs)
May 04, 2009 ... The Arkansas Department of Education has contracted to use IBM technology to monitor its spending of the $569.9 million in American Recovery & ...
Harding University's tutoring program is the first in the nation to receive continuing certification from the National Association for Developmental Education.(Business Briefs)
May 04, 2009 ... Harding University's tutoring program is the first in the nation to receive continuing certification from the National Association ...
Reese Rowland, a principal with Polk Stanley Rowland Curzon Porter Architects Ltd. of Little Rock, will present a lecture titled "Halfway There: Creating Place Through an Architecture of Meaning" at 6 p.m. on May 5, at the Arkansas Studies Institute.(Business Briefs)
May 04, 2009 ... Reese Rowland, a principal with Polk Stanley Rowland Curzon Porter Architects Ltd. of Little Rock, will present a lecture titled "Halfway There: ...
Acxiom Corp. has signed a multi-year renewal with Chase Card Services, the credit card division of JPMorgan Chase & Co., to provide customer marketing services.(Business Briefs)
May 04, 2009 ... Acxiom Corp. has signed a multiyear renewal with Chase Card Services, the credit card division of JPMorgan Chase & Co., to provide customer marketing ...
BNSF Logistics LLC of Springdale has been selected as 2008 Fixture/ Construction Carrier of the Year by Wal-Mart Stores Inc.(Business Briefs)
May 04, 2009 ... BNSF Logistics LLC of Springdale has been selected as 2008 Fixture/ Construction Carrier of the Year by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. BNSF ...
Futurity First Insurance Group of Rocky Hill, Conn., has opened a permanent Little Rock branch office at 9714 Maumelle Blvd.(Business Briefs)(Brief article)
May 04, 2009 ... Futurity First Insurance Group of Rocky Hill, Conn., has opened a permanent Little Rock branch office at 9714 Maumelle Blvd. The office employs 10 and expects to add another 10 ...
Recession's effects on Arkansas' public companies prove mixed.(Overview)
May 04, 2009; ... THE RECESSION THAT BEGAN in the last quarter of 2007 began to affect Arkansas publicly traded companies in 2008, though other factors played their part in both earnings and losses. The economic downturn has proven beneficial to Wal-Mart Stores Inc., for example, as ...
Public companies' annual reports.(Directory)
May 04, 2009 ... <Pre> Public Companies' Annual Reports Ranked by net income in fiscal 2008, except as noted. All figures in millions, except earnings per share. Company Fiscal Year End Net IncomeAddress, Phone Previous Year or Loss 1 ...
Public financial institutions.
May 04, 2009; ... <Pre> Public Financial Institutions Ranked by net income in 2008. All figures in millions except earnings per shareCompanyFiscal Year End Net Income or Address, Phone Previous YearLoss 1 Bank of the Ozarks Inc....
LR entrepreneur's MeritBuilder lets employees create personal brands.
May 04, 2009; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FAST-FORWARD 25 YEARS. * Head Coach Paul Petrino leads a downtown Little Rock parade celebrating the Hogs' seventh football national championship. * Hard Rock Little Rock celebrates its 20th anniversary in the River Market. ...
IA, Station X team up again.(Innovation News Briefs)(Brief article)
May 04, 2009 ... Station X, a Little Rock emerging media marketing company, was Innovate Arkansas' first client. Now IA is a client of Station X. A partnership of Winrock International and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, IA encourages technology-based innovation and job creation in ...
EDA grants to fund innovation centers.(Innovation News Briefs)(Brief article)
May 04, 2009 ... U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke visited Little Rock to award $5.25 million in federal economic-development grants for Fort Smith, Jonesboro and Conway County. Arkansas State University in Jonesboro will receive $1.75 million for a commercial innovation center and the ...
Cromwell Architects Engineers Inc.(ARCHITECTURE)
May 04, 2009 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Charles J. Penix has been elected CEO of Cromwell Architects Engineers ...
Terri Mathis has joined Mulhearn Wilson Constructors of North Little Rock as financial controller.(CONSTRUCTION)(Brief article)
May 04, 2009 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Terri Mathis has joined Mulhearn Wilson Constructors of North Little Rock as financial controller. Also joining the firm are April Snuggs as customer service representative, Christy Acre as project ...
Timothy A. Kral, professor of biological sciences at the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, has been named the 2009 winner of the Charles & Nadine Baum Faculty Teaching Award.(EDUCATION)
May 04, 2009 ... Timothy A. Kral, professor of biological sciences at the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, ...