Arkansas Business articles from December 2003

Arkansas Business archives from December 2003

Jury still out on results of tort reform: malpractice insurance remains elusive in state.(Insurance)
December 1, 2003... ARKANSAS TORT LAW REVISIONS have been in force since March 25, but the debate continues on whether the changes will affect malpractice insurance rates. "We think that we are already seeing some stabilization because we passed tort reform,"...

State Insurance Regulators oppose federal oversight of industry: insurers want dual system similar to banks.(Insurance)
December 1, 2003... PRACTICALLY EVERYONE IN the insurance industry agrees the current state-based system of insurance regulation needs improvement. But that's where the agreement ends. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners is pushing to keep...

Title insurance trade draws judicial scrutiny.(Insurance)
December 1, 2003... BOTH SIDES CLAIMED VICTORY in a recent lawsuit envisioned as bringing clarity to the rules of engagement for competitors in the title insurance business. American Abstract & Title Co. of Little Rock emerged from Pulaski Circuit Court with...

Working retirement.(Whispers)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... You may have heard that Jim Lawson Jr. won't be working for the city of Little Rock at the end of the year But you may not know what the soon-to-be-former planning director will be doing with his time come January. Lawson, who spent 30...

Montana Grill.(Whispers)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Contrary to local scuttlebutt, billionaire Ted Turner isn't building one of his new restaurants in North Little Rock. Turner's newest enterprise, Ted's Montana Grill, has--understandably--been confused with local restauranteur Steve Im's...

Park purchase.(Whispers)(B&F Properties LLC)(Snikpoh Investments Ltd)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... A 16-acre trailer park in southwest Little Rock rang up a $1.8 million deal. B&F Properties LLC, led by John Bailey and Paul Fleming, purchased the Southern Pines Mobile Home Park at 9500 S. Heights Road. The seller? Snikpoh...

Lasiter goes to court.(Whispers)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Searcy Municipal Airport and a residential development in west Little Rock's hot Highway 10 corridor have become embroiled in lawsuits brought by Lasiter Construction Inc. of Little Rock. Lasiter, whose president is Michael Lasiter, on Oct....

Distributor takes on Super D.(Whispers)(Worldwide Wholesale Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... A Little Rock wholesale distributor said Super D Drugs of Pine Bluff stiffed it on a bill. Worldwide Wholesale Inc. said in its lawsuit filed in Pulaski County Circuit Court that between 1999 and 2000 it sold Super D Drugs $6,627 worth of...

Book it.(Whispers)(the Campus Book Store )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The owners of the Campus Book Store in Fayetteville paid $1.68 million for the shopping center that's attached to their book shop at 624 W. Dickson St. James and Terry Barnes now own 60 percent of the shopping center. Jim Batcheller owns...

Daddy's caters.(Whispers)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Daddy's Deli, a small sandwich shop at Second and Center streets in downtown Little Rock, closed its restaurant operation last week to focus more on catering. Owners Marie and Bill Watson closed the storefront to expand their catering...

Wal-Mart 2-for-1.(Whispers)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Since 1992, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. of Bentonville has become America's leading grocer and 13,500 grocery stores nationwide 17 percent of the total--have closed, according to Retail Forward, a consulting firm quoted by Forbes magazine in November....

Correction.(Whispers)(Correction Notice)
December 1, 2003... An article on stock holdings by various Arkansans in the Nov. 24 issue of Arkansas Business erroneously stated that Murphy Oil Corp.'s stock price had slumped in the past 12 months. Murphy's stock split two-for-one in December 2002; adjusted...

Good news.(Editorial)
December 1, 2003... AT LONG LAST THERE'S GOOD economic news. Several reports came out last week that suggest the nation's economy is well into recovery after the nearly three-year slowdown. The revised gross domestic product, released by the Commerce...

Sensible move.(Editorial)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... THE NURSING HOME LOBBY should be thanked for retreating from its effort to get more tort reform on the special session agenda. The special session set to begin next week needs to focus its entire attention on dealing with education reform....

Marketing for Boneheads.(On Marketing)
December 1, 2003... DURING THOSE LESS-RESPONSIBLE college days of long ago, the members of my fraternity had a tradition. Before the close of our weekly chapter meetings, a duly appointed senior would select and announce the "Bonehead of the Week"--the member who...

Little Rock Region celebrates 2003.(Commentary)
December 1, 2003... THE YEAR 2003 HAS TRULY been phenomenal for the Metro Little Rock Region, and it has been an honor for me to serve as chairman of the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce. With announcements in economic development, exciting new...

Mortgage lending.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
December 1, 2003... Mortgage Lending January-August 2003 Mtg./ Mtg. value Mortgage dep. * (millions) Volume Bank of Little Rock ([dagger]) 138.32% ...

Arbors transaction.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(Little Rock Partners Ltd)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The sale of a 184-unit apartment project in west Little Rock tipped the scales at $11 million. Arbors of Pleasant Valley LLC of Ocean, N.J., bought its namesake project at 2020 Hinson Loop Road. The seller is Arbors of Little Rock Partners...

AA acquisition.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(AA Properties LLC)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... A medical office building in Little Rock rang up an $800,000 deal. AA Properties LLC, led by Dr. Syed Samad, acquired the 1024 N. University Ave. project from the Rosalyn D. Jacuzzi Revocable Trust and the Dante P. Jacuzzi Share Trust No....

Carwash buy.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(Asher Carwash LLC)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... A North Little Rock commercial property sold for $450,000. Asher Carwash LLC, led by Jon Luer and David Bounds, bought the land on the north side of East Broadway and east of Park Place from Timothy Pedigo. The deal is backed with a...

Landmark sale.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(St. Mark Baptist Church)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... A Jacksonville church changed hands in a $700,000 transaction. St. Mark Baptist Church acquired Landmark Baptist Church at 800 N. First St. The deal is financed with a five-year loan of $500,000 from Bank of the Ozarks in Little Rock. ...

Land recovery.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(W&E Management Inc)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... An industrial property in North Little Rock drew $116,000 at a foreclosure sale. Capital Bank of Little Rock recovered the 4.8-acre site adjoining 7301 Industry Drive from W&E Management Inc., led by Walter Anderson. The sale was...

Chenal abode.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... A 3,311-SF home in west Little Rock's Chenal Valley neighborhood is under new ownership after a $530,000 deal. Ted Snider Jr., and his wife, Jan, acquired the house from William and Virginia Cawthon. The residence previously was tied...

Mill mortgage.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(R&W Properties LLC)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The owner of a North Little Rock industrial project landed a $9.1 million funding agreement. McElroy Metal Mill Inc. of Bossier City, La., obtained the 15-year loan from Amsouth Bank of Shreveport. McElroy Metal purchased the 4.6acre...

Academy loan.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(Little Rock Christian Academy Inc)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... A west Little Rock private school picked up an $8.5 million financial package. Little Rock Christian Academy Inc. received the five-year loan from Metropolitan National Bank of Little Rock. The 29-acre development at 19010 Cantrell...

Baptist financing.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(Second Baptist Church)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... A Little Rock congregation secured a $921,726 funding agreement. Second Baptist Church obtained the five-year loan from Twin City Bank of North Little Rock. The 0.8-acre property at 222 E. Eighth St. previously was linked with an...

Sign funding.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(Lindsey Road Partnership)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The owner of an industrial project in east Little Rock secured an $800,000 mortgage. Lindsey Road Partnership, led by James May, got the four-year loan from Twin City Bank. The 12-acre Interstate Highway Sign Corp. development at 7415...

Financial freight.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... A trucking enterprise in North Little Rock was used to back a $654,000 funding agreement. Jefferson and Madonna Smith picked up the one-year loan from Georgia Bank & Trust of Calhoun, Ga. The 3.5-acre JRC Co. development at 300...

Methodist mortgage.(Real deals: a look at important real estate transactions)(First United Methodist Church)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... A North Little Rock congregation received a $539,200 financial package. First United Methodist Church landed the six-year loan from Bank of America. The four-acre development at 6701 John F. Kennedy Blvd. previously was tied to a...

Riceland's income and sales are up.(Agricultural Business)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Riceland Foods Inc. reported income of $470 million on record sales of $873 million during its 2003 fiscal year. Income was up $43.7 million over the previous year, and sales increased $123.2 million over fiscal 2002. President and CEO...

Avow acquired by Kentucky firm.(Avow Technology Solutions )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Avow Technology Solutions of Little Rock has been acquired by NetGain Technologies LLC of Louisville, Ky. Eleven-year-old Avow was operated by Technology Partners Inc. NetGain President Mark Jacobson said Avow President Tom Allen would...

Stephens owns majority of Texas IPO.(In Full View)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... STEPHENS INC. OF LITTLE Rock shared underwriting honors last week on the initial public offering of a Texas electronics retailer s stock, but the Stephens interest in Conn's Inc. goes much deeper than the underwriting commission. Before...

DAC Technologies seeks to collect judgment.(Inside Business)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... DAC Technologies Group International Inc., a Florida-based designer and importer of gun locks and other safety items whose primary offices are in Little Rock, is still working to collect a $1.5 million judgment from a company it sued. DAC...

Bank of Cave City to buy First Community branch.(Banking & Finance)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The Bank of Cave City will buy First Community Bank's branch at Strawberry (Lawrence County) for an as-yet-undisclosed price. Pocahontas Bancorp Inc. of Jonesboro, the publicly traded holding company for First Community Bank, said the...

AFCU introduces 8-year car notes.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Arkansas Federal Credit Union of Jacksonville, the state's largest credit union, appears to be the first financial institution in central Arkansas to offer an eight-year loan product for buyers of new cars. The 96-month product, which is...

Financial education available to schools.(Education)(Money Smart Alliance Pro-gram)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Arkansas' high school students will get the opportunity to learn about money and finance through a new program from the Federal Deposit In-surance Corp. Called the Money Smart Alliance Pro-gram, it will be available to roughly 60,000 11th-...

Huckabee names higher-ed panel.(appointments at Blue Ribbon Committee for Higher Education)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Gov. Mike Huckabee has appointed 15 Arkansans to the recently formed Blue Ribbon Committee for Higher Education. The committee will make recommendations to the governor and the Legislature for improving colleges and universities in...

Crossland serves up new center.(NW journal: a look at news from Northwest Arkansas)(Crossland Construction Inc)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Bentonville's Wal-Mart Stoles Inc., the world's largest company, has hired Crossland Construction Inc. of Rogers to build its new $4.4 million tennis facility on Southeast 14th Street in Bentonville. The 68,000-SF facility, along with...

Paragould bottler selling Dr Pepper.(NE journal: a look at news from Northeast Arkansas)(Pepsi MidAmeriea of Marion)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The Dr Pepper-7Up RC Bottling Co. of Paragould is in the process of selling its Dr Pepper franchise to Pepsi MidAmeriea of Marion, Ill., and PepsiAmexicas of Rolling Meadows, Ill., for an undisclosed sum. Herb Bland, the secretary/treasurer...

CEOs gather for heart walk kickoff.(NW journal: a look at news from Northwest Arkansas)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Mel Blackwood, regional executive for Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, told executives at a recent American Heart Association event at Walton Arena at Fayetteville that 25 percent of all the claims his company paid during 2002 were related...

Mississippi County gets ruling on jail fees.(NE journal: a look at news from Northeast Arkansas)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... A Mississippi County Circuit Court judge recently ruled that Mississippi County should be able to collect jail fees from cities that house their prisoners in the county jail. The county sued several cities in the county earlier this year to...

XNA adds Cleveland flights.(NW journal: a look at news from Northwest Arkansas)
December 1, 2003... Continental Airlines will begin providing service from the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport in Highfill to Cleveland's Hopkins International Airport on April 4. The one daily nonstop flight on an Embraer regional jet will leave XNA at...

Wynne Mayor proposes layoffs.(NE journal: a look at news from Northeast Arkansas)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Wynne Mayor Paul Nichols has proposed laying off eight city employees to meet a $230,000 budget shortfall in 2004. "I don't like to do it," Nichols said, but he said he was left with no choice. For the past several years, the city has...

Paul M. Williams, sales leader for Acxiom Corp., died Nov. 23 in a car accident.(Business Briefs)(Obituary)
December 1, 2003... * Paul M. Williams, sales leader for Acxiom Corp., died Nov. 23 in a car accident. He was 56. Reports said Williams' automobile was traveling on U.S. 65 in Faulkner County when it hydroplaned and hit another vehicle. Williams and the driver of...

United Parcel Service Inc.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... * United Parcel Service Inc. is raising its ground shipping rates 1.9 percent effective Jan. 5. The new rates include a dollar delivery charge for commercial shipments headed for remote ZIP codes. There also are increases on the company's...

CenterPoint Energy Inc. is selling CenterPoint Energy Management Services LLC to Entergy Solutions District Energy LLC.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... * CenterPoint Energy Inc. is selling CenterPoint Energy Management Services LLC to Entergy Solutions District Energy LLC. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. CEMS, with 54 employees, provides energy management services to commercial and...

Tyson Foods Inc. has expanded the Office of Animal Well-Being at its Springdale headquarters under the leadership of veterinarian and animal welfare expert Dr. Kellye Pfalzgraf.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... * Tyson Foods Inc. has expanded the Office of Animal Well-Being at its Springdale headquarters under the leadership of veterinarian and animal welfare expert Dr. Kellye Pfalzgraf. The office is responsible for overseeing animal treatment and...

Allegra Print & Imaging.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... * Allegra Print & Imaging will award $20,000 in printing grants to area nonprofit organizations in January. Applications may be obtained from Allegra at 3200 S. Shackleford Road, Suite 15, Little Rock. Deadline is Dec. 31. Each organization may...

Murphy Oil Corp.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... * Murphy Oil Corp. said the hydrocracker at its 110,000 barrels-per-day refinery in Meraux, La., was shut down after a fire on Nov. 22. Repairs are expected to take a week. A hydrocracker is a unit used to process high-octane gasolines, jet...

Weyerhaeuser Co. will sell its treated utility pole plant at De Queen because the mill is not part of the company's core function.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... * Weyerhaeuser Co. will sell its treated utility pole plant at De Queen because the mill is not part of the company's core function. The plant has 45 workers, 37 in hourly jobs and eight on salary. Weyerhaeuser bought the plant in 1969 as part...

American Eagle Airlines will open a new maintenance facility at the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... * American Eagle Airlines will open a new maintenance facility at the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport. The new facility will employ about 60 full-time mechanics who will perform "line" maintenance, or routine overnight maintenance and...

Vic Snyder.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... * Rep. Vic Snyder, D-Ark., was praised by conservationists for taking a strong stance against the pollution of U.S. waters and destruction of wetlands. Snyder was among 217 congressmen asking President Bush to rescind recent directives and stop...

American Trucking Associations.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... * The American Trucking Associations' advanced seasonally adjusted Truck Tonnage Index fell 1.2 percent in October. October's decrease followed a jump of 10.6 percent in September.

Pilgrim's Pride Corp., the nation's second-largest poultry producer, has completed its acquisition of ConAgra Foods Inc.'s chicken division.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... * Pilgrim's Pride Corp., the nation's second-largest poultry producer, has completed its acquisition of ConAgra Foods Inc.'s chicken division. The purchase price is estimated at $546.8 million. With the purchase, Pilgrim's Pride is expected to...

First Federal Bancshares of Arkansas Inc.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... * First Federal Bancshares of Arkansas Inc. has declared an 18 cent cash dividend payable Dec. 19 to stockholders of record on Dec. 5.

Eaton Corp.(Business Briefs)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... * Eaton Corp.'s Mountain Home plant is set for a $6.5 million expansion that will add 142 employees to its current work force of 240. Eaton is a worldwide manufacturer of industrial and automotive hoses.

Workers' comp market remains stable: Arkansas rates rise slightly after eight years of declines equal to 44.5%.(Insurance)
December 1, 2003... WHILE SOME NEIGHBORING states have seen sizable increases this year in the cost of workers' compensation, Arkansas had only a slight rise after eight straight years of falling rates. In a report to the state Legislature this fall, Arkansas...

D&O policies get pricier, choosier.(Insurance)
December 1, 2003... EVEN THE MOST SCRUPULOUS directors and officers of Arkansas corporations should be watching each other more closely these days. Sweeping changes in directors and officers (D&O) insurance coverage have given corporate brass a whole new level of...

Property & casualty list stable at the top.(List Overview)
December 1, 2003... ONCE AGAIN, STATE FARM Insurance Cos. tops Arkansas Business' list of the largest property and casualty insurance companies in the state. The Illinois-based insurer saw its premiums in the state climb 8.9 percent in 2002 to $449.84...

Arkansas business list: largest property & casualty insurance cos.
December 1, 2003... ARKANSAS BUSINESS LIST: LARGEST PROPERTY & CASUALTY INSURANCE COS. Ranked by total premium written in Arkansas during 2002 Company Name 2002 Arkansas Total Assets Local Address, Phone ...

New businesses: a listing of business start-ups in Arkansas.
December 1, 2003... MIRACLE CARWASH Owners: Bill Keathley and Hank van Rossum Address: 8015 Stagecoach Road, Little Rock 72210 Phone: (501) 960-3333 Hours: 24 hours/seven days a week Miracle Carwash, which claims to be the first carwash in...

Calendar.(Calendar)
December 1, 2003... DECEMBER * 2--Starting a Business in Arkansas Sponsors: UA Small Business Development Center, Arkansas Capital Corp. Time: 6-9 p.m. Location: Genesis Technology Incubator, Fayetteville Fee: $20 For more information,...

BKD LLP.(Accounting)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Steven Warren has been elected to the management committee at BKD LLP in Little Rock.

Arkansas Automobile Dealers Association.(Automotive)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Andy Lewis of Lewis Auto Group in Fayetteville has been selected to serve as chairman of the board of Arkansas Automobile Dealers Association. Other officers elected include Charlie Russell vice chairman; Brett Russell, treasurer; Jim Machen,...

Gerald Moses, owner of Steamatic of Arkansas Inc. in Little Rock, has been named Affiliate of the Year.(Business Services)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Gerald Moses, owner of Steamatic of Arkansas Inc. in Little Rock, has been named Affiliate of the Year by the National Association of Residential Property Managers.

Arkansas State University.(Education)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Erica Marshall has joined Arkansas State University in Jonesboro as editor of publications in the office of alumni relations. Marshall previously served as publications coordinator in the office of corporate development at St. Vincent Health...

Arkansas Counselor Association.(Education)(State Counselor Educator of the year)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Dr. Linda G. English of Prescott has been named State Counselor Educator of the Year for 2003 and Southwest Region Post Secondary Counselor by the Arkansas Counselor Association. English is assistant professor in the Counselor Education...

Stock summary.(Movers & Shakers)(Illustration)
December 1, 2003... Stock Summary 11/25/03 Weekly YTD Arkansas Public Company Stocks Close Change Change Acxiom Corp. (ACXM) 16.35 3.68% 6.79% A.E.R.T....

Vicksburg District Corps of Engineers.(Engineering)(appoints chief of the operations division)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Dermis O. Norris will replace William "Bill" Hobgood as chief of the operations division at Vicksburg District Corps of Engineers. Hobgood has retired after serving 36 years in the Corps. Norris previously served as the assistant chief of...

Bank of the Ozarks.(Financial Services)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Martie North has joined Bank of the Ozarks in Little Rock as vice president and director of community development. North previously served as manager of Argenta NeighborWorks Home Ownership Center within Argenta Community Development in North...

Arkansas Department of Economic Development.(Government)(appoints communications section leader )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Mitch Chandler has been named communications section leader at the Arkansas Department of Economic Development in Little Rock. Chandler has held positions in news, programming, promotion and sales at various television stations in Little Rock.

NovaSys Health.(Insurance)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Grant Humphries has joined NovaSys Health in Little Rock as a group representative. Humphries previously worked in pharmaceutical sales.

Aromatique.(Manufacturing)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Mike Britton has been named vice president as well as comptroller of Aromatique in Heber Springs.

Youth Home Inc.(Nonprofit)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Dawn Vandiver has been elected president of the board of directors at Youth Home Inc. in Little Rock. Vandiver is property manager for Benafield Cos. Other elected board members include Christie E. Bardwell of Vestcom; Jeff L. Hildebrand of...

Dan Darnold has joined the staff of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries of Arkansas in Little Rock.(Nonprofit)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Dan Darnold has joined the staff of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries of Arkansas in Little Rock. Darnold will serve as director of membership and

Arkansas Recycling Coalition.(Nonprofit)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Dan Hodson of Benton has been elected to serve a two-year term on the Arkansas Recycling Coalition board of directors. Hodson is operations manager for Drumco facilities in Bauxite and Memphis.

Pulaski County Regional Solid Waste Management District has received the America Recycles Day Award from the Arkansas Recycling Coalition.(Nonprofit)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Pulaski County Regional Solid Waste Management District has received the America Recycles Day Award from the Arkansas Recycling Coalition. Other winners include Taldi Walter, Citizen Recycler of the Year; L'Oreal USA, Corporate Recycler of the...

Why the men aren't.(Outtakes: an inside look into Arkansas media)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... By now we've all heard that Nielsen Media Research Inc. has been unable to find a big chunk of the adult male audience in the 18-24 and 18-34 age groups. familiar with the concept of the missing men TV viewers. Nearly 20 percent of the first...

Hey, didn't you ...(Outtakes: an inside look into Arkansas media)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... That was a splashy little piece on Nov. 20 by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's Kyle Brazzel on Little Rock Monthly stepping into its second year. He led with everyone's favorite philanthropist, Jennings Osborne, who made it onto the...

Allen buzzed?(Outtakes: an inside look into Arkansas media)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Another DJ has left Stanley Knox and the Morning Buzz, KABZ-FM, 103.7. Deep-voiced Jeff Allen has joined exHog David Bazzel in jumping. Allen has landed at KKPT-FM, 94.1, The Point, in the midday 10 a.m.-3 p.m. slot. Some believed...

ADED wins awards.(Outtakes: an inside look into Arkansas media)(Arkansas Department of Economic Development)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The Arkansas Department of Economic Development has picked up five awards from the Southern Economic Development Council, a regional economic development association, for materials developed by Stone Ward of Little Rock. The awards were...

SW hires 2.(Outtakes: an inside look into Arkansas media)(Stone Ward )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Stone Ward has hired Carol Cassil and Dan McFadden. Most recently Cassil was vice-president of marketing at Fidelity Information Services (formerly Alltel Information Services) of Little Rock for five years, and McFadden spent two years as...

Medicare bill expands health insurance choice.(Employee Benefits)
December 8, 2003... WITH HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS up 13.9 percent over last year and another 12.6 percent increase in group premiums predicted next year, sheer necessity is the mother of inventive new approaches to cost control. Rather than opt out of...

DataPath charging ahead: LR firm teams with benefit bank on medical credit cards.(Employee Benefits)
December 8, 2003... DATAPATH INC. OF LITTLE ROCK has flown under the radar for several years as it goes about its business of licensing software for management of benefits programs for employers, consultants and third-party administrators. It's a...