The litigation between Johnelle Hunt’s BHL Financing LLC and Little Rock’s One Bank & Trust is no more.

The federal case was dismissed on June 23 after a settlement was reached.

You might recall the lawsuit got rolling after BHL Financing landed a $14.7 million default judgment in September against One Bank’s holding company, OneFinancial Corp.

That action represented a second lawsuit to collect on financial guarantees made by former One Bank CEO Layton “Scooter” Stuart, who died in March 2013.

The guarantees were tied to an October 2002 reworking of $30 million of debt amassed by Stuart in business dealings with Hunt’s late husband, J.B. Hunt, founder of J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. of Lowell.

A chunk of that debt reflected money owed to the Hunt family for selling One Bank to Stuart.

Arkansas consumers expect to make large purchases now because they're seeing low unemployment rates, lower interest rates and the possibility of inflation looming on the horizon, according to the Spring 2016 Arvest Consumer Sentiment Survey released Tuesday.

The final piece of the survey, conducted in March and sponsored by Arvest Bank, focuses on consumer attitudes concerning spending, saving and debt.

From September to March, Arkansas consumers' household savings rate increased from 13.9 percent to 16.4 percent, and the percentage of those planning to increase their savings rate rose from 14 percent to 21 percent, the survey said.

But consumers also see the next six months as a time to make planned purchases before prices start going up, according to Kathy Deck, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas and lead economist for the survey.

"With gas prices and interest rates remaining low and incomes rising, Arkansans were most positive about the idea that buying conditions are at an attractive level right now," Deck said. "With such low unemployment rates, there may be inflationary pressures building in the state's economy, so large purchases are particularly appealing right now."

In Arkansas, 30 percent said they plan to make a major household purchase — items such as furniture, televisions and refrigerators — in the next six months, up from the 24 percent reported in September.

Seven percent of respondents said they'd seek auto loans and credit cards; 6 percent would seek mortgage loans; and 4 percent said they'd seek student loans.

Jim Cargill, president and sales manager of Arvest Bank in Little Rock, said the bank is seeing evidence that supports the findings, including increases in mortgage activity — new purchases and refinancing.

Arkansans' consumer debt continued to remain below that of their neighbors in Missouri and Oklahoma in all categories. Arkansas respondents reported that 30 percent had mortgages in March, 2 percent had home equity loans, 29 percent had auto loans, 40 percent had credit card balances and 18 percent had student loans. Twenty-three percent reported having no outstanding debt.

The Arvest Consumer Sentiment Survey is conducted by the CBER, which also evaluates the Arkansas data, with the University of Oklahoma’s Public Opinion Learning Laboratory conducting 1,200 random phone and online surveys. The survey is conducted twice a year, with the next results in October. 

Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Wednesday announced the following appointments to state boards, commissions and other entities:

Robin Covington, Fort Smith, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug Abuse Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2019. Reappointment.

Kimberly Brown, Jonesboro, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug Abuse Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2019. Reappointment.

Kirk Lane, Paron, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug Abuse Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2019. Replaces Everett Cox.

Melinda Squires, Bryant, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug Abuse Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2019. Replaces Katherine Lewison.

Sheriff Michael McCormick, Hot Springs, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug Abuse Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2019. Replaces Tate Lawrence.

The Honorable Nathan Smith, Bentonville, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug Abuse Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2019. Replaces Scott Ellington.

Jana Haltom, Texarkana, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug Abuse Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2019. Replaces Gail Stith.

Dean Kelsey, Little Rock, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug Abuse Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2019. Replaces LJ Bryant.

Lisa Oppenheim, Jonesboro, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug Abuse Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2019. Replaces Erin Gildner.

Marvin Covey, Maumelle, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug Abuse Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2019. Replaces Charlotte Denton.

Stephen Tabor, Greenwood, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug Abuse Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2019. Reappointment.

George Weaver, Jacksonville, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug Abuse Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2019. Reappointment.

Paul Dottley Sr., Monticello, to the Arkansas Alcohol and Drug Abuse Coordinating Council. Appointment expires July 1, 2019. Reappointment.

Jeffrey Kent Moore, Rogers, to the Arkansas State Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Appointment expires June 9, 2021. Replaces Thomas Butler.

Jon Standridge, Benton, to the Arkansas Sentencing Commission. Appointment expires May 15, 2021. Reappointment.

Andrew Branch, Benton, to the Information Network of Arkansas. Appointment expires Dec. 21, 2018. Replaces Harold Evans.

Ashley Graves, Malvern, to the Information Network of Arkansas. Appointment expires Dec. 31, 2018. Reappointment.

Mike Smith, Wynne, Cross County District Court Judge. Appointment expires Dec. 16, 2016. Replaces The Honorable Joseph Boeckmann.

Jerry Patterson, Marshall, to the Arkansas Public Defender Commission. Appointment expires July 1, 2020. Replaces Tiffany Rogers.

Randal Scott, Blytheville, to the State Banking Board. Appointment expires Dec. 31, 2020. Replaces John Freeman.

Thomas Jameson Jr., Little Rock, to the Capitol Zoning District Commission. Appointment expires May 1, 2019. Reappointment.

Albert Hurst, Pangburn, to the Capitol Zoning District Commission. Appointment expires May 1, 2019. Reappointment.

Darrell Brown, Sherwood, to the Capitol Zoning District Commission. Appointment expires May 1, 2019. Replaces Amber Jones.

Cassandra Toro, Little Rock, to the Capitol Zoning District Commission. Appointment expires May 1, 2019. Replaces Carla Davis.

Jon Carroll, Moro, to the Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Promotion Board. Appointment expires July 1, 2017. Reappointment.

Trent Dabbs, Stuttgart, to the Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Promotion Board. Appointment expires July 1, 2017. Reappointment.

Lynn Middleton, Jasper, to the Criminal Detention Facility Review Committee, Judicial District #14. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2020. Replaces Tim Slape.

Thomas Curtis, Russellville, to the Supervisory Board for the Arkansas Crime Information Center. Appointment expires June 30, 2017. Replaces David Guntharp.

Todd Reynolds, Elkins, to the Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park Advisory Commission. Appointment expires June 13, 2021. Replaces Gaylene Deere.

Vincent Anderson, Gassville, to the Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park Advisory Commission. Appointment expires June 13, 2021. Replaces Susan Parks-Spencer.

Robert Unwer, Maumelle, to the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas. Appointment expires June 15, 2020. Reappointment.

Benjamin Mullen, Little Rock, to the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas. Appointment expires June 15, 2020. Reappointment.

Dr. Prajwal Chevireddy, Little Rock, to the State Kidney Disease Commission. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2019. Replaces Dr. Garry Glasco.

Dr. Avin Rekhi, Fayetteville, to the State Kidney Disease Commission. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2019. Replaces Dr. Sameh Abul-ezz.

Kathryn Pierce, Pine Bluff, to the State Kidney Disease Commission. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2019. Reappointment.

Mark Winslow, Little Rock, to the State Kidney Disease Commission. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2019. Reappointment.

Deborah Wooten, McRae, to the State Kidney Disease Commission. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2019. Replaces Mr. Bob Abbott.

Dr. Michael Bierle, Little Rock, to the State Kidney Disease Commission. Appointment expires Jan. 14, 2019. Replaces Dr. James Campbell.

Brandon Ellison, Mena, to the Arkansas Workforce Development Board. Appointment expires May 1, 2020. Reappointment.

Rodney Loy, North Little Rock, to the Arkansas Workforce Development Board. Appointment expires May 1, 2019. Replaces Jerry Riley.

Mark Breeding, Benton, as a Special Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Arkansas. CV-15-861 SEECO Inc., et al v. Carver L. Holden et al. Replaces Justice Robin Wynne, who has disqualified himself from the case.

Jeffrey W. Hatfield, Little Rock, as a Special Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Arkansas. CV-16-434 Teresa Bloodman v. Stark Ligon as Executive Director of the Supreme Court Committee on Professional Conduct. D-16-301 Stark Ligon as Executive Director of the Supreme Court Committee on Professional Conduct v. Teresa Bloodman. Replaces Justice Rhonda Wood, who has disqualified herself from the case. 

The Federal Reserve Board on Tuesday approved Bank of the Ozarks' record-setting deal to buy Community & Southern Bank of Atlanta, along with another deal to buy C1 Financial Inc. of St. Petersburg, Florida.

The publicly traded Little Rock-based company (Nasdaq: OZRK) announced the all-stock CSB deal, worth about $800 million, in October. It would be the single biggest acquisition by an Arkansas bank in terms of both purchase price and assets acquired. It would also increase Bank of the Ozarks' presence in Georgia and Florida.

The company announced the C1 Financial deal in November. The all-stock deal, worth $402.5 million, will put Bank of the Ozarks in Miami and Orlando for the first time.

Community & Southern Bank has about $4.4 billion in assets. C1 has about $1.7 billion in assets. As of March 31, Bank of the Ozarks had about $11.4 billion in assets.

Bank of the Ozarks already has 28 branches in Georgia, the result of aggressive acquisition of failing banks along the East Coast during the financial crisis. With the addition of CSB's network, Bank of the Ozarks will have 75 Georgia branches compared with 80 in Arkansas.

Ozarks anticipates closing the CSB transaction on or about July 20, and expects to close the C1 deal on or about the next day.

Blake Fletcher, vice president of commercial lending at Stone Bank of Little Rock, was recently appointed president of the 2016-17 emerging leaders section council at the Arkansas Bankers Association Leadership Conference in Fayetteville on June 17.

John Anderson, assistant vice president of commercial loans at Relyance Bank, was named vice president, and George Purvis, assistant vice president and loan officer at Cornerstone Bank in Eureka Springs, was named secretary and treasurer.

Fletcher has 16 years of banking experience and has served at Stone Bank for the past nine months.

Anderson has been in banking for 13 years, including eight years working at Relyance.

Purvis began work at Cornerstone after graduating from Arkansas State University in 2006; he graduated from the Graduate School of Banking in Colorado in 2014.

See more of this week's Movers & Shakers, and submit your own announcement at ArkansasBusiness.com/Movers.

Call it a loose end in the estate of Gaylon Lawrence Sr. Ownership of the $83.8 million-asset Piggott State Bank in Clay County is passing to his son, Gaylon Lawrence Jr. of Memphis.

The change comes about four years after the death of the elder agribusinessman and bank owner, who graduated from Piggott High School in 1951 and later made his home in Sikeston, Missouri.

The Lawrence family’s controlling ownership of Piggott State back dates back more than 30 years and marked its entry into banking.

In addition to building one of the largest family farm operations in the nation, the Lawrence family extended its banking interests to $462 million-asset Farmers Bank & Trust of Blytheville and beyond Arkansas.

Out-of-state holdings now include three banks in southeast Missouri: First Missouri Bank of SEMO in Kennett, First Missouri State Bank of Poplar Bluff and Cape Girardeau and one in Tennessee: F&M Bank of Clarksville.

Combined assets of the six banks: about $1.9 billion.

Piggott State Bank

^*In thousands at year end

Citizens Bank & Trust Co. of Van Buren is working to entrench itself deeper in the Crawford County market.

The $375 million-asset lender intends to open a branch in Cedarville. Has a full-service banking office ever operated in the community of 1,300 residents?

“To our knowledge, no,” said Keith Hefner, CEO and president of Citizens.

Plans call for a new branch to be built at 8828 Hwy. 59N, former home of ImaJerk BBQ, to serve northwest Crawford County.

“People in that part of the county have to drive a long distance to reach a brick-and-mortar location,” Hefner said.

The Cedarville office represents the seventh full-service branch for Citizens, which operates four locations in Van Buren and one each in Alma and Mountainburg. Among eight banks in the market, Citizens holds a 47.3 percent share of the county’s $689 million deposits.

The bank, founded on a charter dating back to May 1886, is owned by First Bank Corp. of Fort Smith. That mostly stock swap transaction in 1994 was valued at $17.4 million.

Twenty-one Arkansas banks recorded a first-quarter profit of less than $200,000. Of that group, only five booked losses.

Little Rock’s One Bank & Trust posted the biggest loss for the period ending March 31: more than $1.3 million. Allied Bank of Mulberry, whose parent company is in Chapter 7 bankruptcy, reported an $830,000 quarterly loss.

Heartland Bank of Little Rock followed its big fourth-quarter earnings hit of nearly $4.7 million with a $660,000 loss during the first three months of 2016.

The other banks that finished in the red were more in keeping with the small-lender profile that dominated the roster of 21, banks with less than $100 million in total assets.

The $48.8 million-asset Forrest City Bank lost $50,000, and the $35.9 million-asset Little River Bank of Lepanto (Poinsett County) lost $30,000.

A future restaurant location in west Little Rock weighed in at $1.8 million.

Chick-fil-A Inc. of Atlanta purchased the 2.34-acre site at the southwest corner of Bass Pro Drive and Interstate 30 Frontage Road from Bass Pro Outdoor World LLC of Springfield, Missouri.

The property previously helped secure a $2.2 billion funding agreement, overseen by JPMorgan Chase Bank of Columbus, Ohio.

The land was acquired in October 2012 as part of a $3 million deal with Town Center LLC, led by Tommy Hodges.

Donut Development

A Dunkin Donuts in west Little Rock tipped the scales at $1.3 million.

Kanis Estates LLC, led by Leonard Falcone, bought the 10721 Kanis Road project.

The seller is Kanis & Shackleford Investments LLC, led by Stephen Whitwell. The deal is funded with a 25-year loan of $1.2 million from Regions Bank of Birmingham, Alabama.

The 0.64-acre development previously was tied to an August 2012 mortgage of $686,608 held by First Security Bank of Searcy. The land was purchased for $52,000 in May 1986 from the Tommy Russell Sr. estate.

Apartment Buy I

A 10-unit apartment project in Little Rock’s Hillcrest neighborhood rang up a $720,000 sale.

Spanish Court LLC, led by John Chandler, acquired its namesake project at 808 Palm St. The seller is CCH Family Ltd., led by Colene Crawford Hansen.

The deal is backed with a five-year loan of $612,000 from IberiaBank of Lafayette, Louisiana.

The 0.32-acre location was bought for $25,000 in January 1976 from Blanche Donham Sitlington.

Branch Acquisition

A bank branch in North Little Rock changed hands in a $470,000 transaction.

Pontus Vault Portfolio LLC of La Jolla, California, purchased the 2,441-SF project at 3200 JFK Blvd. from First States Investors 6000C Ltd. of New York.

The 0.55-acre development is helping secure a $106 million mortgage held by Cantor Commercial Real Estate Lending Ltd. of New York.

The property previously helped secure a September 2007 mortgage of $22.7 million held by LaSalle Bank of Chicago.

First States acquired the branch for $510,000 in September 2005 from Bank of America of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Apartment Buy II

A 13-unit apartment project in Jacksonville sold for $185,000.

A.P. Rentals LLC, led by Austin and Jennifer Patton, bought South Oak Apartments at 800 S. Oak St. The seller is Gamma Properties Inc., led by Amin Amarshi.

The deal is financed with a $300,000 loan from Centennial Bank of Conway.

Gamma purchased the 0.76-acre development for $180,000 in January 2009 from Tracy Hall.

Clifton Purchase

A 7,200-SF retail-warehouse project in south Little Rock is under new ownership after a $150,000 deal.

The Clifton Family LLLP, led by Norman Clifton, acquired the Arkansas Car Stereo property at 5017 S. University Ave. from the Margaret M. Parker Revocable Trust.

The 1.19-acre site was bought as part of two transactions: $11,000 in September 1956 from W.B. and Essie Knight and Oma Brooks; and James and Leah Avance, an undisclosed sum in March 1969.

Hickory Pointe Manor

A 6,327-SF home in west Little Rock’s Hickory Pointe neighborhood tipped the scales at $1.7 million.

WVM LLC, led by Rush Harding, purchased the house from Maxie and Patricia Bobbitt. The deal is funded with a one-year loan of $1.2 million from Little Rock’s Bank of the Ozarks.

The Bobbitts acquired the residence for $1.8 million in June 2007 from Ken and Marjorie Burnett.

PV Residence

A 5,121-SF home in west Little Rock’s Pleasant Valley neighborhood drew a $675,000 sale.

Eugene and Leah Davis bought the house from the Barket Family Revocable Living Trust, led by Terry Barket.

The deal is backed with a one-year loan of $540,000 from Riverside Bank of Sparkman (Dallas County).

The residence previously was linked with a May 2011 mortgage of $260,000 held by Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp. of Plano, Texas, and an October 2014 mortgage of $50,000 held by One Bank & Trust of Little Rock.

The property was purchased for $648,000 in May 2011 from James Lee Kidd III and Rebecca Watters.

Maisons Abode

A 4,342-SF home in The Maisons neighborhood of west Little Rock’s Chenal Valley development rang up a $551,000 transaction.

Julius Petty III acquired the house from Kami and Michael Perkins. The deal is financed with a 10-year loan of $562,012 from Simmons Bank of Pine Bluff.

The residence previously was tied to a November 2012 mortgage of $417,000 held by IberiaBank Mortgage Co. of Little Rock. The property was bought for $528,000 more than three years ago from Christopher and Lisa Byrd.

Oakwood House

A 3,230-SF home in Little Rock’s Oakwood Place neighborhood changed hands in a $522,000 sale.

Patrick and Katherine Paullus purchased the house from Anne Orsi.

The deal is funded with a 30-year loan of $417,600 from Arvest Bank of Fayetteville. The residence previously was linked with a March 2013 mortgage of $375,600 held by CBC National Bank of Fernandina Beach, Florida.

Orsi acquired the property for $400,000 in August 2005 from Victor and Barbara Henderson.

Church Mortgage

A church expansion in North Little Rock is backed with a $4.1 million construction loan.

New Hope Baptist Church got the five-year loan from Simmons Bank.

The church assembled its 5.14-acre property at 1821 Edmonds St. as part of two buys totaling $30,000. The sellers were the Urban Renewal Agency of North Little Rock, $10,000 in October 1972, and the Naomi Kirspel Trust, $20,000 in May 1997.

Apartment Note

The owner of an 84-unit apartment project in downtown Little Rock landed a $2.3 million financial package.

Barrister-College View Properties LLC, led by Keith Johnson and Mike Akin, received the three-year loan from Union Bank & Trust of Monticello.

The 0.76-acre Barrister Court Apartments development at 1016 McGowan Drive previously was tied to a June 2008 mortgage of $2.6 million held by the bank. The property also is linked with a June 2008 mortgage of $1.2 million held by Centennial Bank.

The project was bought for $3.1 million in June 2008 from M&R Development LLC, led by Michael and Rhonda Wood.

Motorcar Loan

A 14,000-SF auto facility in Sherwood was used to secure a $2.3 million funding agreement. Sherwood Tractor Property LLC, led by Danny and Donna Montgomery, obtained the five-year loan from Twin Lakes Community Bank of Flippin (Marion County).

The 3.3-acre Zimmerman Motorcars project at 8830 Landers Road previously was tied to a December 2014 mortgage of $1.1 million held by First Security Bank.

The property was purchased for $1.2 million in August 2007 from the James D. Fiser Revocable Trust and the Masami Y. Fiser Revocable Trust.

Seven-Digit Construction

Renovation    $4,656,378
Arkansas Blue Cross & Blue Shield
601 S. Gaines St., Little Rock
Baldwin & Shell Construction Co., Little Rock

Church Offices    $3,600,000
New Hope Baptist Church
1821 Edmonds St., North Little Rock
Carson & Associates Inc., Little Rock

Today, a taxpayer’s worst nightmare is hearing from their CPA: “We can’t e-file your return. There’s an e-file error which indicates a return is already on file with the IRS using your Social Security number.” The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) paid out nearly $5.2 billion in bogus refunds to identity thieves for the tax year 2013 and it is estimated by the end of 2016 the number will hit $21 billion.  

According to the Government Accountability Office, (GAO), the real figure is probably significantly higher because it is difficult for the IRS to detect all income tax frauds. Thieves are able to file returns using counterfeit or fraudulent W2s because W2s are not required to be filed with the Social Security Administration until Feb. 29 and in turn, the Social Security Administration does not send the W2s to the IRS until July. This lag in reporting allows a perfect storm for identity thieves to file fraudulent returns undetected. In response to this growing problem, there are new regulations requiring W2s to be filed with the Social Security Administration on Jan. 31, 2017. However, there is still a delay in SSA forwarding the W2s to the IRS for use in matching data with returns as they are filed.

According to IRS publication 5027, if you become a victim of tax return identity theft you should:

• File a complaint with prosecuting attorney or your local law enforcement

• Contact one of the three major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit records

• Equifax, www.equifax.com, 800-755-0008

• Experian, www.experian.com, 888-397-3742

• TransUnion, www.tranunion.com, 800-680-7289

• Contact your financial institution and close any financial or credit accounts opened without your permission or tampered with by identity thieves

• Complete and file IRS Form: 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit  

Remember, the IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by telephone or electronic means to request personal or financial information. This includes any type of electronic communication such as emails, text messages, and social media channels. The IRS is reporting a 400 percent increase in these types of scams from 2015. Report suspicious online or emailed phishing scams to phishings@irs.gov or call 800-366-4484.  

A common scam is for criminals to call and impersonate a U.S. Treasury official and threaten jail time, liens, or a visit from the sheriff if you do not immediately provide them with payment for overdue tax liabilities. This scare tactic has proven effective in separating people from their money, and there is no way to recover the stolen funds. The fraudsters are so sophisticated they can make your caller ID display the IRS, as no initial verification of information will ever be done over the phone with an IRS employee. Always use caution in providing personal information over the phone to strangers, no matter how legitimate they sound.

The IRS has resources to help if you are a victim of identity theft. Publication 4524 Taxes.Security.Together. lays out steps you can take to help protect yourself from identity theft and phishing scams.

WASHINGTON — U.S. services firms expanded last month at the fastest pace since November, good news for the U.S. economy.

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

ATLANTA - Wal-Mart will now let you pay with its phone app at all 4,600 stores nationwide.

The effort is part of Wal-Mart's strategy to make shopping easier and faster, while learning more about consumer behavior.

With Wal-Mart Pay, the customer uses the phone's camera to scan a QR code that's displayed at the register to charge a credit, debit or Wal-Mart gift card linked with the account. It differs from Apple, Samsung and Android Pay, which involves tapping your phone next to a payment machine with a wireless technology called NFC.

In December, Wal-Mart said it would develop its own digital wallet rather than honor existing systems from Apple and others, though Wal-Mart said it isn't ruling out third-party wallets in the future.

Retailers have been pushing their own systems in part because they retain control. Daniel Eckert, senior vice president of services at Wal-Mart U.S., says data from the app will be used to improve the shopping experience. One way, he said, would be to use past shopping behavior to build a personalized shopping list. The customer could then delete or add items. He said such features would be done only with a customer's permission.

Wal-Mart joined other retailers in backing CurrentC, a system that was also based on scanning codes rather than NFC. But the beta test of the system faltered as Apple Pay became more popular. The consortium last week suspended its launch indefinitely, saying it plans to focus on other aspects of its business.

Apple Pay, in particular, has been credited with boosting interest in mobile payments, though many consumers still use traditional plastic cards because it's not difficult to pull one out. Although the number of stores accepting NFC payments has grown, it's still relatively low, and the stores with the right equipment still need cashiers familiar with it.

Wal-Mart says no payment information is stored on users' phones or at registers. Rather, card information is stored on Wal-Mart servers. By contrast, Apple, Samsung and Android Pay use alternative card numbers for added security, so if hackers break into a merchant's system, they wouldn't be able to go on a buying spree. Wal-Mart uses regular card numbers, but it insists it keeps the information secure.

Wal-Mart Pay is built into Wal-Mart's app, which has 20 million active users. The Bentonville, Arkansas, company finished upgrading stores in 25 states last week to complete the national rollout. Eckert said 88 percent of Walmart Pay transactions are from repeat users.

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Peggy Pierson has been promoted to vice president and loan officer at Generations Bank of Van Buren.

Pierson joined Generations in 2000 as an assistant vice president and loan officer, formerly working at Mercantile Bank.

She has completed Intermediate Lending Compliance School and recently attended the Arkansas Bankers Association seminar on analyzing personal and corporate tax returns and financials.

See more of this week's Movers & Shakers, and submit your own announcement at ArkansasBusiness.com/Movers.

“How can students market themselves to get good jobs after graduation — and to succeed once they get there?”

In a few weeks I will address that very question in a keynote to the graduate business students at the University of Florida. Given the increasing pace of change, they will need to develop a proactive mindset and the skills necessary for frequent reinvention along the way. Here are three practices that should help them — and anyone who wants to get off to a fast start in his career — to stand out among the waves of millennial professionals:

♦ Positioning. In the marketing world, “positioning” means the attempt to influence buyers’ perceptions of your stuff relative to competing brands or products.

During my own MBA experience, I stumbled badly during my first interview for a professional internship. Appropriately chastened, I asked our management communication director for advice. “Jim,” he said, “draw a chart with five columns and three rows.” The columns represent important attributes that serve to define you, such as “persistent” or “creative”; the rows under each one are examples that support your claim. The examples might come from things you’ve done at school, at work, in church or as a volunteer.

The process for selecting the right attributes and examples will take a little time. But once you have them, you will have established personal positioning — and will be prepared to share real stories that help others predict how you will help their organization.

♦ Networking. Many professionals — across age levels — approach networking incorrectly. They treat networking as a discrete event, to be attended (and endured) a few times each year. I recommend that young professionals on the rise see networking as a relatively continuous state of mind. Those who do it well one, establish some level of relationship before asking for something, and two, engage people who are out of work or in transition. Someone might not be able to get you a job today, but he or she can be a valuable resource tomorrow.

Your mastery of networking will be vitally important to you. You will be changing roles and jobs frequently — in essence, reconstructing your career time and again. You will need a strong network on your side.

♦ Conversational skill. Some people lack the confidence to engage others in conversation, believing that it is a game best left to extroverts. Recent research tells us something very different. Studies of salespeople have revealed that extroverts are no more effective than are introverts. In fact, the best salespeople are neither extroverts nor introverts but rather in the middle. Researchers call them “ambiverts.” Ambiverts are in the majority.

Many other students and young professionals are so comfortable with social media and instant messaging that they have never gained experience in real conversation. Yes, it will take some effort and practice to add “face time” skills to your repertoire. But those skills will definitely help you to stand out from your peers. As a millennial, if you can confidently lead a professional conversation, your career will accelerate in ways you can’t even imagine today.

Taken together, these three practices comprise a sort of “ready, set, go” framework for people getting started in their careers (or changing careers, as I have done several times).

Positioning is the “ready,” through which you not only can figure out your marketable strengths but also prepare to share the stories that will help them come to life. Establishing your network is the “set,” through which you build relationships and earn a reputation for providing value. Engaging others in real conversation — where decisions typically get made — is the “go.”

Today’s market for talent is a mixed bag. Things might be different in a year or two. But regardless of the overall state of the job market, a proactive approach for marketing yourself will give you many opportunities to prosper.

Jim Karrh of Little Rock is a consultant, coach and professional speaker as well as a consulting principal with DSG. Visit JimKarrh.com, email him at Jim@JimKarrh.com and follow him on Twitter @JimKarrh.

Property in west Little Rock envisioned for apartments tipped the scales at $3.3 million.

Richardson Properties LLC, led by Keith Richardson, purchased 69 acres from Verona Belle Spatz and her namesake charitable remainder unitrust.

The land is along the south side of Olds Lane between Bowman Road and Brodie Creek.

The Spatz family assembled the acreage in two transactions with E.O. and Emma Sue Bagley, an undisclosed sum for more than 25 acres in February 1943; and Claire Jean Olds, 40 acres for $125,000 in July 1996.

Commercial Parcel

Undeveloped land in southwest Little Rock weighed in at $1.3 million.

Stribling Equipment LLC of Richland, Mississippi, bought 10 acres at the northeast corner of Childers Drive and Interstate 30 Frontage Road from the William L. Huffstutlar Revocable Trust.

The property was purchased for $371,000 in May 1985 from the Raymond C. Cook Real Estate Trust.

Office Transaction

A 6,123-SF office building in west Little Rock changed hands in a $710,000 sale.

Old Blue Properties LLC, led by Kristen Rowlands, acquired Building A at 500 Pleasant Drive from One Bank & Trust of Little Rock.

The deal is financed with a three-year loan of $710,000 from First State Bank of Russellville.

Marabelle Properties LLC, led by John Childers Jr. and his wife, Jill, forfeited the 0.66-acre development in October 2015 to One Bank in lieu of foreclosure.

The property previously secured an August 2007 mortgage of $925,000 held by the bank.

Marabelle bought the project for $925,000 nearly nine years ago from McKay & Co. LLC, led by John McKay Jr.

Redevelopment Buy

A 21,876-SF industrial project in east Little Rock is under new ownership after a $450,000 deal.

1212 East Sixth LLC, led by Dan Fowler, purchased its namesake property, home to Recycle Bikes for Kids. The seller is ROP LLC, led by Ron King.

The deal is funded with a two-year loan of $391,000 from Arvest Bank of Fayetteville.

The 0.8-acre development was acquired for $120,000 in December 1994 from Billy and Dorothy Bailey.

Cliffewood Abode

A 3,600-SF home in Little Rock’s Cliffewood neighborhood rang up an $815,000 sale.

James and Elizabeth Smitherman bought the house from Coleman and Shannon Treece.

The deal is backed with 30-year loans of $652,000 and $81,500 from U.S. Bank of Cincinnati. The residence previously was tied to a November 2012 mortgage of $399,500 held by First Financial Bank of El Dorado.

The Treece family purchased the property for $200,000 in March 2003 from Sammye Johnston.

Rural Residence

A 4,665-SF home in the River Valley View Estates neighborhood of west Pulaski County drew a $759,000 transaction.

Jeffrey and Nancy Taylor acquired the house from WVM Construction LLC, led by William Parkinson III.

The deal is financed with a 30-year loan of $417,000 and a five-year loan of $266,100 from Eagle Bank & Trust of Little Rock.

The residence previously was linked with an April 2014 mortgage of $518,000 and a May 2015 mortgage of $85,500 held by Centennial Bank of Conway.

The land was bought in January 2004 as part of a $2.4 million deal with Soterra LLC of Jackson, Mississippi, an affiliate of Greif Brothers Corp. of Delaware, Ohio.

Hickory Grove Home

A 3,293-SF home in west Little Rock’s Hickory Grove neighborhood sold for $665,000.

Thomas and Michelle Bolin purchased the house from Rush and Linda Harding. The deal is funded with a 30-year loan of $418,000 from Regions Bank of Birmingham, Alabama.

The Hardings acquired the location for $165,000 in April 2009 from EVMark Development LLC, led by James Markus.

Hickory Creek House

A 4,779-SF house in west Little Rock’s Hickory Creek neighborhood changed hands in a $600,000 deal.

CBM Appraisals Inc., led by Chris Maris, bought the house from the Deena L. Burnett Revocable Trust.

The deal is backed with a one-year loan of $603,450 from Southern Bancorp of Arkadelphia.

Burnett purchased the property for $551,000 in March 2002 from William and Cathleen Burgess.

Woodland’s Purchase

A 4,235-SF home in the Woodland’s Edge neighborhood of west Little Rock is under new ownership after a $550,000 transaction.

Mark and Kristen Schneider acquired the house from The Dillon Group Inc., led by Janet Dillon.

The deal is financed with a 30-year loan of $440,000 from Arvest Bank. The residence previously was tied to a May 2015 mortgage of $436,000 held by First Security Bank of Searcy.

The location was bought for $80,000 in April 2015 from Rocket Properties LLC, led by Lisenne Rockefeller and Ron Tyne.

Thomas Park Sale

A 4,279-SF home in west Little Rock’s Thomas Park neighborhood rang up a $510,000 sale.

Patrick and Kasey Andis purchased the house from Michael and Kelley Nichols.

The deal is funded with a seven-year loan of $408,000 from Little Rock’s Bank of the Ozarks.

The residence previously was linked with a February 2016 mortgage of $213,060 held by Wells Fargo Bank of

Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and a September 2010 mortgage of $100,000 held by Bank of America in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The property was acquired for $308,000 in September 2002 from Sidney and Jean Dabbs.

Hotel Funding

Construction of a seven-story Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Little Rock is backed with a $15.48 million financial package.

McCain Lodging Downtown LLC, led by Laxmiben and Hasmukhlal Patel, Ishverbhai Govind and Nayan Nagin, obtained the two-year loan from Arkansas Federal Credit Union of Jacksonville.

The property previously was tied to a December 2013 mortgage of $750,000 held by First Security Bank.

The 1-acre site was assembled in two transactions totaling more than $2 million.

The sellers were Grace Properties, led by Barnett Grace, and Walthour-Flake Co., led by Dickson Flake, $950,000 in December 2013; and River Market South LLC, led by Jimmy Moses and Rett Tucker, $1.1 million in January 2014.

Triple Mortgage

Three commercial projects were used to secure a $3.15 million funding agreement. WM Capital Partners XLII LLC of New York got the loan from Chambers Bank of Danville.

Two of the properties are in North Little Rock: the 45,000-SF building at 5410 Landers Road leased to Lisa Academy and the adjoining 0.68-acre Sonic Drive-In development at 5400 Landers Road.

The third is the 0.44-acre Precision Tune development at 4630 JFK Blvd. in North Little Rock.

Until June 2015, the trio was owned in the name of Matthews Management Co. LLC, led by David Matthews.

The 5.34-acre Lisa Academy development and the other two projects also are linked with a March 2016 mortgage of $1.4 million held by Bank of Commerce in McLean, Texas.

The Matthews family’s Metropolitan Trust bought the Landers Road properties as part of a $2.4 million deal with the C.H. Briley Trust in December 1985. Justin Matthews purchased the JFK property as part of a $3,000 deal with C.E. Moore in August 1925.

(See Sherwood Lisa Academy Among Matthews Properties Tangled in Mortgage Shuffle.)

Seven-Digit Construction

Renovation    $1,338,800
Centene Corp.
19 Remington Drive, Little Rock
MAPP Construction LLC, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Equestrian acreage, an office project and a convenience store provide a Conway trio of million-dollar transactions.

Inception Management Group LLC, led by Joan and Darren Waggoner, bought the Back Achers Ranch at 3725 College Ave. for $2.8 million.

Who sold the 45-acre spread, with its 46,864-SF horse arena-restaurant and more? Letitia McMaster.

Worman Properties LLC, led by Arthur Worman, purchased the 10,000-SF Wingate Plaza at 930 Wingate St. for $1 million.

Sellers: Rhonda Wenberg and Ronald and Tammy Brown.

An affiliate of North Little Rock’s Coulson Oil sold the Road Runner at 801 Hogan Lane for $1 million.

Buyer: Gosen LLC, led by Joseph Park.

Saline & Lonoke

Meanwhile, in Saline and Lonoke County, we find a duo of deals.

Merchants & Farmers Bank of Dumas paid more than $1.5 million for 2.63 acres for a new branch site at 3512 Hwy. 5N in Bryant. Sellers: R&D Holding LLLP, led by Terri and Don Thompson.

An affiliate of Cincinnati’s Kroger Co. bought a 1.2-acre parcel adjoining its Cabot store for $1.5 million.

The property at 14 Prospect Court, home to a Dollar General store, was owned by an affiliate of Dollar General Corp. of Goodlettsville, Tennessee.

Bank of the Ozarks Inc. of Little Rock on Monday announced record second-quarter net income of $54.5 million, up nearly 22 percent from the same quarter last year.

The publicly traded company (Nasdaq: OZRK) said diluted earnings per common share were a record 60 cents, up nearly 18 percent from the same quarter last year.

The earnings beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of five analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 58 cents per share, according to the Associated Press.

"We are very pleased with our excellent second quarter results, highlighted by quarterly records for net income, earnings per share, net interest income, service charge income, mortgage income and trust income," Chairman and CEO George Gleason said in a news release. "Combined with our 4.82 percent net interest margin, 35.4 percent efficiency ratio, excellent growth in both the funded and unfunded balances of closed loans, and some of our best asset quality ratios as a public company, we are clearly hitting on all cylinders."

For the six months that ended June 30, net income totaled $106.2 million, up about 25 percent from net income of $84.7 million for the first six months of 2015.

Diluted earnings per common share for the first six months of 2016 were $1.16, up about 18 percent from 98 cents for the first six months of 2015.

Results for the first six months of this year included about $1.3 million of acquisition-related and systems conversion expenses and $100,000 million in software and contract termination charges, the company said.

Last month, the Federal Reserve Board approved Bank of the Ozarks' record-setting deal to buy Community & Southern Bank of Atlanta, along with another deal to buy C1 Financial Inc. of St. Petersburg, Florida. Both deals are set to close before the end of the month. 

Total loans and leases, including purchased loans, were $9.73 billion as of June 30, up almost 48 percent from $6.6 billion at June 30, 2015. Deposits were $10.2 billion, up almost 44 percent. Total assets were $12.3 billion, up 41 percent.

Quarterly net interest income was a record $119 million, up 27 percent from the second quarter of 2015. Non-interest income was $22.7 million, down a little more than 2 percent.

The company's second-quarter efficiency ratio improved to 35.4 percent compared to 36.6 percent in the second quarter of 2015.

A 126-unit apartment complex in west Little Rock weighed in at $6.3 million.

Andmark Colony West Apartments LLC of Los Angeles purchased Colony West Apartments at 1420 Breckenridge Drive from RCP Colony LLC of New York.

The deal is financed with a 10-year loan of $5 million from Berkadia Commercial Mortgage LLC of Ambler, Pennsylvania.

The 7.45-acre development previously was linked with a March 2011 mortgage of $3 million held by Beech Street Capital LLC of Bethesda, Maryland.

RCP Colony bought the property for $3.2 million more than five years ago from Colony West Associates II Ltd., an affiliate of The Omnicorp Group of Atlanta.

Antiques Transaction

A 7,340-SF retail project in the Heights area of Little Rock tipped the scales at $1.34 million.

5701 Kavanaugh LLC, led by Barnett Briggs Jr. and Brock Martin, acquired its namesake property and former home of Ellen Golden Antiques from Heartland Bank of Little Rock.

The transaction includes the adjoining 1916 N. Fillmore St. building. The deal is backed with a $1.1 million loan from Gateway Bank of Rison (Cleveland County).

In January, Heartland recovered the 0.32-acre development from Ellen Golden Direct Importer of French Antiques LLC in lieu of foreclosure on a July 2012 loan of $1.36 million.

The limited liability company purchased the property for $650,000 in July 2007 from the Hopkins Living Trust, led by Edward and Robert Hopkins.

Office Purchase I

A 10,200-SF office building in west Little Rock changed hands in an $885,000 sale.

Cinco Innwood LLC, led by John Hathaway, bought the 5 Innwood Circle project. The sellers are Innwood Partnership, led by Willis Smith, and Bek Kaiser.

The deal is backed with a 10-year loan of $708,000 from Simmons Bank of Pine Bluff.

The 1.12-acre development previously was tied to a July 2008 mortgage of $800,000 held by Pulaski Bank of Little Rock.

The location was acquired for $115,000 in an October 1993 purchase from the Otis W. Howe Trust.

Parcel Buy

A 1.53-acre parcel in west Little Rock is under new ownership after a $225,000 transaction.

15000 Cantrell Road LLC, an affiliate of Little Rock’s Rector Phillips Morse, purchased the land from One Bank & Trust of Little Rock.

The bank recovered the property from Ideal Arkansas Properties LLC, led by John Childers Jr., in lieu of foreclosure on an August 2007 mortgage of $925,000.

Childers bought the land for $300,000 in February 2000 from Jorden and Eva Davie.

Office Purchase II

A 2,300-SF office building in west Little Rock rang up a $160,000 sale.

10014 W. Markham St. LLC, led by Brenda and Lee Stephens, acquired its namesake property. The seller is Solomon Enterprises Inc., led by Barry Solomon.

The deal is funded with a five-year loan of $163,780 from One Bank & Trust.

The 0.3-acre site was purchased for $58,000 in February 1985 from Fritchman Realty Inc., led by Larry Fritchman.

Riverbend Residence

A 4,541-SF home in Little Rock’s Riverbend neighborhood weighed in at $1.05 million.

Clifford Woods LLC, led by Mack and Donna McLarty, bought the house from Curtis Finch Jr. and his wife, Jackye.

The Finches acquired the property for $230,000 in May 1992 from Virginia Bailey.

PV Home

A 4,961-SF home in west Little Rock’s Pleasant Valley neighborhood drew a $700,000 transaction.

Michael and Sophie Hussey purchased the house from Joseph and Lois McDaniel.

The deal is financed with a 30-year loan of $665,000 from Bank of America in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The McDaniels bought the residence for $849,000 in May 2006 from The Calvin R. Anderson Revocable Trust.

Cliffewood House

A 2,684-SF home in Little Rock’s Cliffewood neighborhood sold in a $675,000 deal.

Tyler Kirk acquired the house from Ellen and Kelly Kreth. The deal is backed with a 30-year loan of $675,000 from Centennial Bank of Conway.

The residence previously was linked with a July 2011 mortgage of $100,000 and a June 2012 mortgage of $409,500 held by Arvest Bank of Fayetteville.

The Kreths purchased the house for $574,000 in March 2011 from Davison Hall and Katherine Riley.

Terra Bella Abode

A 4,754-SF home in west Little Rock’s Terra Bella neighborhood changed hands in a $645,000 transaction.

David Connor Jr. and his wife, Celeste, bought the house from the Jill Marie Snyder Living Trust.

The deal is funded with a 30-year loan of $417,000 from Bank of Little Rock Mortgage Corp. and a 15-year loan of $99,000 from BancorpSouth Bank of Tupelo, Mississippi.

The location was acquired for $65,000 in June 2001 from Kevin Barre Construction Co.

Maisons Property

A 4,428-SF home in The Maisons neighborhood of west Little Rock’s Chenal Valley development is under new ownership after a $584,000 sale.

Benjamin and Sarah Katon purchased the house from the Rebecca Elaine Gwatney Revocable Trust.

The deal is financed with a 30-year loan of $417,000 and a five-year loan of $109,410 from Simmons Bank.

The residence was acquired for $630,000 in February 2006 from Bonheur Maison LLC, led by John Brooks.

Land Loan

The owner of a 16-acre commercial site in southwest Little Rock picked up a $5.5 million financial package.

Fletcher Realty LLC, led by Frank Fletcher, received the two-year loan from Bank of America.

The land near the southwest corner of Interstate 30 and Otter Creek Road was bought for $5.8 million in December 2013 from Thomas Bartholomew.

Apartment Mortgage

A 256-unit apartment complex in Little Rock is backing a $3.9 million funding agreement.

Forest Place TIC I LLC and Forest Place TIC II LLC, investment groups led by Maxis Properties Inc. of North Kansas City, Missouri, obtained the seven-year loan from NorthMarq Capital LLC of Bloomington, Minnesota.

The 11.3-acre Forest Place development at 1421 N. University Ave. also is secured by a March 2012 mortgage of $14.1 million held by NorthMarq.

The property was acquired for $17.6 million more than four years ago from Forest Place Joint Venture, led by Pete Hornibrook, and Rector Phillips Morse Inc.

Ridgeview Note

The owner of a 242-unit apartment complex in North Little Rock landed a $2.69 million construction loan.

Ridgeview Partners LLC of Los Angeles got the three-year loan from Nebraska’s Mutual of Omaha Bank.

The limited liability company entered the ownership picture in December 2014 when NHDC Ridgeview Apartments Inc. of Rancho Cucamonga, California, forfeited the property in lieu of foreclosure.

The 10.93-acre development at 4700 August Circle was securing an April 2004 mortgage of $8.6 million.

Auto Zone Funding

A Little Rock Auto Zone project is securing a $2.2 million mortgage.

A-Z Holdings LLC, led by Kevin Huchingson, received the five-year loan from Arvest Bank.

The nearly half-acre development at 515 E. Roosevelt Road previously was tied to an August 2004 mortgage of $2.4 million held by American Fidelity Assurance Co. of Oklahoma City.

The location was purchased for $135,000 in April 2003 from Baird Inc., led by John Schlereth.

Jennifer Garcia and Dana Ferguson, loan officers at Generations Bank in Camden, have been promoted to vice president/mortgage loan officer and assistant vice president/loan officer.

Garcia joined Generations Bank in 1997, serving as assistant vice president and mortgage loan officer. Ferguson joined the bank in 2005 as a loan clerk, later becoming a credit analyst before being named loan officer.

Bucky Houser and Matthew Lewis were recently named president and vice president of the board of directors of the Mortgage Bankers Association of Arkansas, alongside Keith Little and Ryan Atkins, named secretary/treasurer and past president/legislative chair.

In addition, the association appointed Christine Benson, Adam Caudle, Tommy Owen, Clay Partridge, Greg Ramer, David Shoptaw, Tommy Sproles and Scott Todd as directors.

Katherine Roberts and Ricky O’Brien recently joined the firm of Edward Jones as financial advisers. Roberts will work at the firm’s Benton office, and O’Brien will work in the Maumelle office.

Kelly Roswell has joined Centennial Bank of Paragould as a commercial loan officer. Roswell has 13 years of experience in banking and finance, previously serving as a loan officer and branch manager.

Stacey Leder was recently promoted to bank examiner manager for the trust examination staff at the Arkansas State Bank Department. Leder has served at the Bank Department for more than 21 years, working as a commercial examiner and later a trust examiner. She will succeed Tom Narrell, who recently retired.

See more of this week's Movers & Shakers, and submit your own announcement at ArkansasBusiness.com/Movers.

You may have heard that Chip’s Barbeque of Little Rock recently closed and filed for bankruptcy protection.

But did you know that the restaurant, which was founded in 1961, listed $400,000 in debts?

The assets of the company, however, were only $15,000. The value of the patents, copyrights and barbecue sauce recipe were listed as unknown.

Chip’s, which has a legal name of Honest Integrity LLC, showed that sales were on the rise.

In 2015, gross revenue was $463,984, up 4.1 percent from the previous year. And from Jan. 1 through July 6, it was $266,560.

Chip’s owes nearly $300,000 to Markham Square Holdings LLC of Little Rock for the lease of the west Little Rock building space until 2023, according to the filing.

Chip’s owner, Christopher Harcrow, also filed his own Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation the same day that the restaurant did.

He listed $100,178 in assets and nearly $500,000 in debts. Some of the debts listed in Harcrow’s filing were also in Chip’s. Harcrow became the owner of Chip’s in July 2013, according to his bankruptcy filing.

Harcrow was unemployed when he made the filing.

In 2015, his total income from operating Chip’s was $8,665. The previous year it had been $31,300.

The phone number for Chip’s wasn’t operating on Thursday. Harcrow couldn’t be reached for comment.

Attorney Kyle Havner of the Havner Law Firm in White Hall is representing Harcrow and Chip’s. Havner declined to comment.