Arkansas Business articles from August 2005

Arkansas Business archives from August 2005

Builders brace for shortage of cement.(Commercial Real Estate)
August 1, 2005... Though a national cement shortage has not yet tightened its grip on Arkansas, experts are predicting that builders and concrete providers in the state could be feeling heightened effects as soon as September. The shortage of cement is...

An eminently debatable issue: lawyers digest practical applications of Supreme Court's Kelo ruling.
August 1, 2005... Few rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court are so momentous that their names enter the public conscience. Kelo v. New London seems to have the potential to join Roe v. Wade, Miranda, Dred Scott and Brown v. Board of Education. The decision,...

Medicare's '75% rule' hits rehab hospitals, helps nursing homes.
August 1, 2005... Since July 1, 2004, Helena Regional Medical Rehabilitation Center has turned away between 25 and 50 patients to ensure it didn't lose a large portion of its Medicare funding. The number of patients the 18-bed rehab center turns away is...

Melanie again.(Stewart Title Guaranty Co. sues Melanie Steele to collect expenses)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... In the July 25 issue of Arkansas Business, we whispered about the elusive Melanie Steele getting sued by Stewart Title Guaranty Co., which had to pay $185,000 to clear a $2.55 million Internal Revenue Service lien originally filed against...

New project.(Melanie Steele speaks about HydroFuel Systems Inc.'s pitch for a Department of Energy deal)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Steele spent much of the time in our office touting her latest money-making effort. She said she's on the board of directors of HydroFuel Systems Inc. of Fort Worth, a company that's been working on ways to turn water into hydrogen fuel....

Serial transactions.(property deals)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... You want near $2 million deals? Here's a trio. A 197-acre rock mining property in North Little Rock yielded a $1.96 million sale. EC Rowlett Construction Co. purchased its Crystal Hills Quarry, about a mile northwest of Interstate 430 and...

Venturing into Little Rock.(Arkansas Capital Corp plans to bring National Association of Seed & Venture Funds' 2006 annual conference to Little Rock)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The National Association of Seed & Venture Funds has given up on Orlando, Fla., and is now looking to bring its annual conference to Little Rock in the fall of 2006. Sam Walls, executive vice president of Arkansas Capital Corp. Group, said...

More mystery lawsuits.(Mystery Properties embroiled in construction and credit card related lawsuits)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The bad news continues to rain on Mystery Properties of Little Rock. Earlier this month, a creditor and investor each filed separate lawsuits against the real estate developer. The investor, Stephen J. Pinter of Little Rock, said he...

So long, cinema.(plans for a movie theater in Arkadelphia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... We told you a couple of weeks ago about Arkadelphia officials' attempts to attract a movie theater to a six-acre park in the cinema-deprived, two-college town. Turns out the Arkadelphia Board of Directors didn't want to settle for a...

Stephens legacy.(remembering Jackson T. Stephens)(Editorial)(Obituary)
August 1, 2005... IT'S DIFFICULT TO KNOW where or how to begin assessing the life and legacy of Jack Stephens, who died at age 81 on July 23. His impact on Arkansas business and politics was and continues to be far greater than anything less than book length...

Give me a break.(Letter)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2005... I just read the article in your July 25 Whispers section concerning the misuse of dealer tags. New-car dealers are now "thinking twice about all those cars they loan to colleges and universities and drivers education programs around the state."...

A dry state.(liquor law for Arkansas)(Editorial)
August 1, 2005... As I have opined previously, the liquor laws in this state--particularly those dealing with wet and dry counties--are designed to provide the liquor industry with the highest possible profit margin by removing any likelihood of a change in the...

Lots land.(real estate acquisition)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Thirty-five residential lots in a new west Little Rock subdivision tipped the scales at $1.75 million. James and Stephanie Pace bought homesites in the 83-lot Madison Valley development on Montgomery Road from Card Investments LLC, led by...

Mini transaction.(real estate acquisitions)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... A 2.8-acre ministorage development in North Little Rock changed hands in a $1.4 million deal. Joe Clay acquired the AAA Mini-Storage project at 3400 Industrial Center Drive from Tri-B Realty Inc., led by J.C. Billingsley. The deal is...

Sherwood sale.(JLN Properties LLC buys property from Richardson Investment Corp.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... A pair of commercial properties in Sherwood is under new ownership after an $827,000 deal. JLN Properties LLC, led by James Narup, purchased the 1.3-acre 9400 Hwy. 107 and 9410 Hwy. 107 properties from Steven and Stephanie Deere. The...

Office purchase.(1221 Westpark LLC buys property from American Services LLC)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... An office building in west Little Rock sold for $600,000 transaction. 1221 Westpark LLC, led by Dave and Stacy Grundfest, bought its namesake property from American Services LLC, led by Ray Barber. The deal is financed with a five-year...

Residential acreage.(David and Lisa Smith acquires land between Roland and Lake Maumelle from 2610 Acres LLC)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... About 25 acres of undeveloped residential land in west Pulaski County attracted a $595,000 transaction. David and Lisa Smith acquired the land between Roland and Lake Maumelle from 2610 Acres LLC, led by Gene Cauley. The deal is backed...

Convenient buy.(Brian and Boks Kiln purchases Metromart at 2500 Highway 161 from Yelenich Family Trust)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... A half-acre convenience store project in North Little Rock drew a $575,000 sale. Brian and Boks Kiln purchased the Metromart at 2500 Highway 161 from the Yelenich Family Trust, led by Rocky Yelenich. The trust provided a $495,000...

Suds acquisition.(Suds of Central Arkansas LLC buys property from JADZ LLC)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... A new commercial project is in motion in North Little Rock after a $110,000 deal. Suds of Central Arkansas LLC, led by David Atkins, bought the half-acre location at 2224 Pike Ave. The seller is JADZ LLC, led by David Zakrzewski. The...

Edgehill manor.(Thomas Blackmon Jr. acquires home from Vicki Moody)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The sale of a 7,375-SF manor in Little Rock's prestigious Edgehill neighborhood tipped the scales at $2.3 million. Thomas Blackmon Jr. and his wife, Ginger, acquired the home from Vicki Moody. The deal is funded with a 30-year loan of...

Country home.(Stephanie H. Overton Revocable Trust purchases house from Dickey Joint Revocable Trust)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... A 4,300-SF home in west Pulaski County is under new ownership after a $730,000 deal. The Stephanie H. Overton Revocable Trust purchased the house from the Dickey Joint Revocable Trust, led by Edward and Lila Dickey. The deal is...

Hickory abode.(Cendant Mobility Financial Corp. of Danbury buys house from Randy and Diane Spicer)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... A 5,000-SF home in west Little Rock's Hickory Creek neighborhood changed hands in a $682,000 deal. Cendant Mobility Financial Corp. of Danbury, Conn., bought the house from Randy and Diane Spicer. The residence previously was tied to a...

Ridge residence.(Franklin and Gabriella McLarty acquires house from Jeffrey and Nicol Wright)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... A 4,000-SF home in west Little Rock's Ridge neighborhood rang up a $549,000 deal. Franklin and Gabriella McLarty acquired the house from Jeffrey and Nicol Wright. The deal is funded with a 30-year loan of $439,200 from One Bank & Trust of...

Lumber funding.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)
August 1, 2005... A south Little Rock enterprise landed a pair of mortgages totaling $2.8 million. Kaufman Lumber Co., led by Steve Wortman, received a three-year loan of $1.67 million from Twin City Bank of North Little Rock and a $1.2 million loan from...

Country Club note.(Country Club Development LLC obtains one-year loan from Bank of the Ozarks)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Residential lots in Maumelle and North Little Rock were used to secure a $2.7 million funding agreement. Country Club Development LLC, led by Jack Wilson and John Wright, obtained the one-year loan from Bank of the Ozarks. The 102 lots...

Excavation loan.(B&B Materials LLC secures loan from Regions Bank of Birmingham)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The owner of an 81.6-acre mining operation along the north shore of the Arkansas River in Pulaski County picked up a $1.28 million financial package. B&B Materials LLC, led by Markley Breckenridge, secured the loan from Regions Bank of...

Coburn mortgage.(Coburn Land & Leasing LLC gets a 10-year mortgage loan from Twin City Bank)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... A south Little Rock enterprise is backed with a $700,000 mortgage. Coburn Land & Leasing LLC, led by Roger Coburn, got the 10-year loan from Twin City Bank. The Volvo Rents at 9300 Mabelvale Pike previously was linked with a November...

Arkansans 'cautiously optimistic' about economy.
August 1, 2005... The first Arkansas Omnibus Survey released last week by the University of Arkansas Research Center at Fayetteville indicated that Arkansas residents are less confident about current economic conditions than Americans in general --and have...

Fiscal office projects slower growth this year.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Arkansas' Department of Finance & Administration, in its July 27 revision to its revenue forecast, projects slower economic growth of less than 2 percent over the next couple of years, but says that's still more than sufficient to fund state...

Fed: business activity expands in 8th District.(Federal Reserve Bank report)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The Federal Reserve Bank said last week that business activity in its 8th District, which includes Arkansas, expanded from June to July, but the bank also painted a mixed picture of plant closings, work force reductions and a rise in home...

Contractors hail executive order.(Arkansas bans union-only "project labor agreements" on state-funded construction projects)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... An executive order signed by Gov. Mike Huckabee has made Arkansas the first state to ban union-only "project labor agreements" on state-funded construction projects. The order was a pre-emptive strike by the Associated Builders &...

Kimberly-Clark to add jobs, expand in Conway.(INDUSTRY)
August 1, 2005... Kimberly-Clark Corp., the Dallas paper product manufacturer, is adding 50 jobs and making more than $20 million in upgrades to its Conway plant. The move is part of a consolidation of the company's six North American and European adult and...

Arkansas Best reports 2Q earnings rise.(Public Company Reports)
August 1, 2005... Arkansas Best Corp. of Fort Smith reported second-quarter profit of $23.4 million, or 91 cents a share, up from the $190 million, or 76 cents a share, it reported during the same quarter last year. The company's second-quarter revenue was...

Murphy Oil 2Q profit dips, beats estimates.(Public Company Reports)
August 1, 2005... Murphy Oil Corp. of El Dorado said second-quarter net income fell slightly to $347.8 million, or $1.85 a share, from $349.9 million, or $1.87 a share, a year earlier. The latest results included a gain of $106.8 million, or 57 cents a...

First Federal income up slightly in 2Q.(First Federal Bancshares of Arkansas Inc.'s second quarter results)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... First Federal Bancshares of Arkansas Inc. of Harrison posted net income of $1.95 million, or 37 cents a share, for the second quarter, compared with $1.93 million, or 36 cents a share, for the same period a year ago. For the six-month...

USA Truck to sell 3 million shares.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... USA Truck Inc. of Van Buren filed to sell 2 million shares of its stock, and existing shareholders will offer another 1 million shares in a secondary offering. The trucking company said it plans to use proceeds from the sales for debt...

Delta adds nonstop flight to New Orleans.(Delta Connection Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Delta Air Lines is adding a new nonstop flight to New Orleans starting Sept. 13. Delta Connection Inc. carrier Comair will offer customers two daily round-trip flights between New Orleans and Little Rock National Airport using the...

Wal-Mart sues former executive.(Tom Coughlin accused of fraud and misappropriation of company funds)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Wal-Mart Stores Inc. of Bentonville filed a lawsuit against former vice chairman Tom Coughlin last week, alleging fraud and misappropriation of company funds. The suit seeks reimbursement of the money Coughlin allegedly misappropriated...

Walton named fifth most influential businessman.(Forbes magazine recognizes Sam Walton)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Sam Walton, the late founder of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. of Bentonville, has been named Forbes magazine's fifth most influential businessman. The ranking is part of the magazine's list of the 20 most influential businessmen of all time. The...

Liquor at Sam's worries competitors.(Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s liquor permit for Sam's Club)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Some liquor store owners in northwest Arkansas think a liquor permit granted to Wal-Mart Stores Inc. for a new Fayetteville store is the first step in a plan for more Sam's Clubs to sell liquor. On July 20, the state Alcoholic Beverage...

Carnall Hall tops Northwest in revenue per room.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The 49-room Inn at Carnall Hall was No. 1 in Benton and Washington counties last year in revenue per room with $26,531. The hotel, which opened in August 2003, had total room revenue of $1.3 million last year. The hotel on the University of...

Top 10 hotels in room revenue for 2004.(Illustration)
August 1, 2005... Top 10 Hotels in Room Revenue for 2004 Dollar values in millions Hotel City 1 Holiday Inn Northwest Arkansas Springdale 2 Embassy Suites - Northwest Arkansas Rogers 3 Radisson...

Jackson T. 'Jack' Stephens, 1923-2005.(obituary)(Obituary)
August 1, 2005... From business to philanthropy, politics to sports, in Arkansas and beyond, Jackson T. "Jack" Stephens touched the lives of many. More than 1,000 people celebrated the life of the Arkansas business and philanthropy icon at his funeral last...

Case study cost comparison.(costs for long term care)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... A 74-YEAR-OLD WOMAN HAS a right total knee arthroplasty; a wound infection, fever and high white blood count are noted on her second postoperative day. A workup indicates the existence of staphylococcus aureus septicemia. Patient lacks full...

Alltel Corp. of Little Rock has chosen Motorola Inc.'s CDMA 1xEV-DO wireless broadband software for its Axcess Broadband service.(code division multiple access)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Alltel Corp. of Little Rock has chosen Motorola Inc.'s CDMA 1xEV-DO wireless broadband software for its Axcess Broadband service, which will be rolled out later this year. Alltel's Axcess Broadband service lets users access the Internet...

The U.S. Census Bureau is coming to Little Rock to conduct three half-day conferences promoting the availability of data from the 2002 Economic Census and related programs.
August 1, 2005... The U.S. Census Bureau is coming to Little Rock to conduct three half-day conferences promoting the availability of data from the 2002 Economic Census and related programs. The training, to be held Aug. 22-23, is sponsored by the University of...

Wal-Mart Stores Inc.(plans retail stores in China)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Wal-Mart Stores Inc. of Bentonville plans to open another 42 stores in China by the end of next year, nearly doubling its presence in the country. The company plans to have 90 outlets in China by the end of 2006, up from the current 48.

Scott Schuh of The Lloyd Schuh Co. in Little Rock is the new chairman of the Mailing & Fulfillment Service Association, headquartered in Alexandria, Va.(Virginia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Scott Schuh of The Lloyd Schuh Co. in Little Rock is the new chairman of the Mailing & Fulfillment Service Association, headquartered in Alexandria, Va. Members include over 650 companies focused on mail production, mail marketing, printing and...

State Sen. Shane Broadway, D-Bryant, is chairman of the annual meeting of the Southern Legislative Conference.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... State Sen. Shane Broadway, D-Bryant, is chairman of the annual meeting of the Southern Legislative Conference that meets in Mobile, Ala., July 30-Aug. 3.

National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors of Arkansas will present a seminar on "The Basics of Long-Term Care Marketing" from 1-5 p.m. on Aug. 24.(Business Briefs)
August 1, 2005... The National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors of Arkansas will present a seminar on "The Basics of Long-Term Care Marketing" from 1-5 p.m. on Aug. 24. The seminar, open to all insurance agents, will qualify for four hours of...

Teletouch Communications Inc. of Tyler, Texas, has been awarded a new contract by the Arkansas Department of Health & Human Services to provide wireless messaging and paging services throughout Arkansas.(Business Briefs)
August 1, 2005... Teletouch Communications Inc. of Tyler, Texas, has been awarded a new contract by the Arkansas Department of Health & Human Services to provide wireless messaging and paging services throughout Arkansas. ADHHS has valued the contract at over...

Pulaski County Empowerment Zone.(Eyona Scott appointed)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Eyona Scott, former administrative assistant at Downtown Partnership, has been named manager of the Pulaski County Empowerment Zone. She can be reached at (501) 375-0121 or escott@downtownlr.com.

The central Arkansas district of the American Society of Interior Designers, South Central Chapter has given $8,000 to the Pulaski County Habitat for Humanity.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The central Arkansas district of the American Society of Interior Designers, South Central Chapter has given $8,000 to the Pulaski County Habitat for Humanity. The donated funds are proceeds from the recent Wine & Design Event.

A rally on behalf of Lt. Gov. Win Rockefeller raised $2,204 for the National Marrow Donor Program, and 75-100 people volunteered to be bone marrow donors.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... A rally on behalf of Lt. Gov. Win Rockefeller raised $2,204 for the National Marrow Donor Program, and 75-100 people volunteered to be bone marrow donors. Rockefeller has been diagnosed with an unclassified myeloproliferative disorder, a blood...

Friends of Central Arkansas Libraries will have a book sale Aug. 12-14 at the Main Library basement and River Market Books & Gifts on the Main Library campus.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Friends of Central Arkansas Libraries will have a book sale Aug. 12-14 at the Main Library basement and River Market Books & Gifts on the Main Library campus. Books in the Main Library will be priced 50 cents for paperbacks and $1 for...

Simon Group in China deal.(Simon Property Group of Indianapolis, SZITIC Commercial Property Co. Ltd.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Simon Property Group of Indianapolis last week announced a deal with Morgan Stanley Real Estate Funds and SZITIC Commercial Property Co. Ltd., the property subsidiary of Chinese state-owned trust and investment firm Shenzhen International Trust...

Commercial real estate market improving.(Real Estate Notes)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The commercial real estate market is improving as vacancy rates decline and rents firm up in all four commercial market sectors, according to the National Association of Realtors' Commercial Real Estate Spotlight. Solid gains are forecast...

More workers' 401(k)s may offer real estate.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... In the past, employees have had few opportunities to invest in real estate through the retirement plans offered by most companies. Most of those plans offer mainly stock and bond funds. That may be changing, however, according to an article...

Crye-Leike reports record quarter.(Real Estate Notes)
August 1, 2005... Crye-Leike Realtors of Memphis, the nation's 10th-largest real estate company that is expanding rapidly in Arkansas, said low mortgage rates led to another record-setting quarter. Crye-Leike posted $1.55 billion in sales during the second...

Two LR retail projects show progress, but developers not talking.(Little Rock)
August 1, 2005... THE RACE AMONG LITTLE Rock retail developers is showing signs of movement after months of behind-the-scenes negotiations to firm up tenant rosters at several large projects. Lou Schickel's Pleasant Ridge Town Center should be the first...

Speculators flip over commercial property.(northwest Arkansas real estate market trend)
August 1, 2005... THE NORTHWEST ARKANSAS real estate market is so hot that it's difficult for a person with some money to lose it on a commercial real estate venture. "You'd have to be a total village idiot not to make a lot of money if you had a couple of...

Property management changes break status quo.
August 1, 2005... THE BIGGEST COMMERCIAL property management firm based in Arkansas got bigger, and another Little Rock concern enjoyed strong growth amid a roster of companies where the changes were few and far between. Colliers Dickson Flake Partners Inc....

Arkansas business list: commercial property mgmt. firms.(management)(Directory)
August 1, 2005... ARKANSAS BUSINESS LIST: COMMERCIAL PROPERTY MGMT. FIRMS Ranked by gross square feet of office, retail and warehouse space managed Firm Address, Phone Company Contact 1 Colliers Dickson Flake...

Great Wraps. (New Businesses: A Listing of Business Start-Ups in Arkansas.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Owner: Howard and Donna Tompkins Address: 11400 N. Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock 72212 Phone: (501) 225-WRAP Fax: 225-9728 Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday Startup: May 5, 2005 E-mail: greatwrapsk@sbcglobal.net...

Snappy Auctions. (New Businesses: A Listing of Business Start-Ups in Arkansas.
August 1, 2005... Owners: Gary and Susan Robertson, Richard Smith Address: 2603 McCain Blvd., North Little Rock 72116; 5811 Kavanaugh, Little Rock 72205 Phone: (501) 812-0440, McCain location; (501) 663-3229, Kavanaugh location Hours: 10 a.m.-6...

Calendar.(Calendar)
August 1, 2005... AUGUST 4--Arkansas State Teachers Association Sizzlin, Summer Conference Sponsor: Arkansas State Teachers Association 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Location: IMAX Theater. 3301 E Roosevelt, Little Rock Fee: $25 For more information, call...

Hudson Cisne & Co. LLP.(appointments and promotions)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Gina Moran has been promoted to principal of Hudson Cisne & Co. LLP in Little Rock. Karen E. Garret has been admitted as a partner in the firm, and Sarah Nanneman and Brent Sharpmack have both been promoted to senior accountants.

Engstrom Grayson Green & Patterson PLLC.(David Warden and Stephen Boozer appointed)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... David Warden and Stephen Boozer are the newest additions to Engstrom Grayson Green & Patterson PLLC in North Little Rock. Warden has been hired as a senior auditor and Boozer has been hired as audit manager.

The Wilcox Group Architects.(Michelle Teague and Wendell Kinzler appointed)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Michelle Teague and Wendell Kinzler have joined The Wilcox Group Architects in Little Rock. Teague and Kinzler have been hired as architect interns.

University of Arkansas.(Garry A. Ritter appointed)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Garry A. Ritter has been appointed to the Chair of Education Policy in the department of education reform at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Ritter continues to serve as the associate director of the interdisciplinary doctoral...

Henderson State University.(Billy Tarpley appointed)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Billy Tarpley has accepted the position of director of development at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia.

BancorpSouth.(John Martensen and Michele A. Young appointed)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... John Martensen has joined the Little Rock office of BancorpSouth as a mortgage loan originator. Michele A. Young has joined BancorpSouth in Fort Smith as vice president of cash management.

Heartland Community Bankers Association.(Dwayne Powell elected)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Dwayne Powell, CEO of First Community Bank in Jonesboro, has been elected to a three-year term on the board of directors of the Heartland Community Bankers Association of Topeka, Kan.

Simmons First National Bank.(Bill Johnson and Ritchie D. Howell appointed)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Bill Johnson has been named community chairman and Ritchie D. Howell has been named community president of the Conway branch of Simmons First National Bank.

Regions Bank.(Sabrina Kendrick appointed)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Sabrina Kendrick has joined the main branch of Regions Bank in Russellville as senior vice president of commercial lending. Regina Pack has joined Regions Bank as branch manager of the east branch in Russellville.

Poultry Federation.(appointments)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Jim Smith, president and CEO of Keith Smith Co. in Hot Springs, has been named president of the board of directors for the Poultry Federation of Little Rock. Other officers include Ken Primm of O.K. Industries in Fort Smith, vice president;...

Arkansas Children's Hospital.(Michael Cronkhite appointed)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Michael Cronkhite has joined the board of directors of Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock. Cronkhite is a vice president of financial planning in the private client group at Stephens Inc. of Little Rock.

Hospice Home Care.(Jim McDonald promoted)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Jim McDonald has been promoted from chief operating officer to president and CEO of Hospice Home Care in Little Rock.

The Sisters of Mercy Health System.(Eric Jackson appointed)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Eric Jackson of Little Rock and Charles E. Thoele of St. Louis have been elected to three-year terms on the board of directors for The Sisters of Mercy Health System of St. Louis. The Sisters of Mercy Health System operates hospitals, clinics...

Michael K. Givens, assistant vice president for patient care services at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro, has received the designation of diplomate.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Michael K. Givens, assistant vice president for patient care services at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro, has received the designation of diplomate from the American College of Healthcare Executives in Chicago, making Givens a...

Stock summary.(public company stocks)(Illustration)
August 1, 2005... STOCK SUMMARY 7/28/05 Weekly YTD Arkansas Public Company Stocks Close Change Change Acxiom Corp. (ACXM) 20.39 -0.10% -22.77%...

Leader's leader.(Garrick Feldman wins first place award from the National Newspaper Association)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Garrick Feldman, the editor and publisher of the Leader, a biweekly based in Jacksonville, last week won a first place award from the National Newspaper Association for a column he wrote denouncing the payday lending business. The "loan...

Network news.(cable network rankings)
August 1, 2005... Dan Fortenberry, general manager of the Jonesboro ABC affiliate KAIT-TV, Channel 8, recently got some more good news from network officials. Following the May television ratings book by Nielsen Media Inc. of New York, the network broke...

PR gaffe.(Wal-Mart Stores Inc. lifts ban on newspaper for its criticism)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Last week the manager of a Pensacola, Fla., Wal-Mart banned the local newspaper from being sold at the store after taking issue with a column the paper published that criticized Wal-Mart's fringe benefits and insurance packages for employees....