OZRK CEO George Gleason's Pay, Options Exceed $8M in 2013
George Gleason, chairman, CEO and largest shareholder of Bank of the Ozarks Inc., was paid $4.3 million in total compensation last year and realized an additional $3.8 million by exercising stock options.
View ArticleSale of Bald Knob Bank Completed
Southern Missouri Bancorp Inc. of Poplar Bluff completes its acquisition of Citizens State Bankshares of Bald Knob Inc. on Friday.
View ArticleConvicted Beebe Banker Banned From Industry
A Beebe banker scheduled to enter federal prison in less than two weeks has been banned from working in the banking industry in the future.
View ArticleAY Drops Publication of Talk Business
A shakeup has occured between former publication partners Vicki Vowell and Roby Brock. Since 2012, Vowell Inc., which publishes Little Rock's AY Magazine, had also been printing Brock's bimonthly Talk...
View ArticleMatt Hicks New Market President at Rogers and Bentonville Centennial Bank
Matt Hicks was recently promoted to market president of Centennial Bank in Rogers and Bentonville. “Matt is very involved in the community and his leadership skills will help further build upon our...
View ArticleMore Workers Earning Graduate College Degrees, Earnings
The U.S. Census Bureau reports that the number of adults who finished some graduate school rose 24 percent from 2008 to 2013, increasing from 29 million to 36 million.
View ArticleCentennial Bank Promotes Deana Osment, Ed Way to New Posts
Centennial Bank has promoted Deana Osment and Ed Way to new positions in the company's northeast Arkansas market.
View ArticleCompensation Unchanged for Most Home BancShares Execs
The 2013 compensation packages among the five top executives at Home BancShares Inc. of Conway didn't grow except for one: Tracy French, regional president of Centennial Bank, was awarded an 18 percent...
View ArticleSimmons First Announces Plans to Combine Bank Charters
Simmons First National Corp. of Pine Bluff says it will collapse its six state bank charters into its flagship Pine Bluff charter, Simmons First National Bank. The company expects the move save money...
View ArticleBank of the Ozarks Completes Purchase of Texas Bank
Bank of the Ozarks Inc. of Little Rock completes its acquisition of Omnibank parent Bancshares Inc., a $301 million-asset holding company based in Houston.
View ArticleAverage U.S. 30-year Mortgage Rate Slips to 4.28 Percent
Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages fell after three weeks of increases, edging closer to historically low levels.
View ArticleUCA, First Arkansas Bank & Trust Announce Credit Card Affinity Program
A partnership between the First Arkansas Bank & Trust and the University of Central Arkansas Alumni Association is expected to provide scholarships to UCA students.
View ArticleWLR Retail Project Trails $1.8M Land Purchase (Real Deals)
An 8,245-SF retail project in west Little Rock is in the works after a $1.8 million land deal. A $1.75 million land buy in North Little Rock is preceding development of a 350,000-SF distribution...
View ArticleIberiaBank Keeps Adding Acquisitions
IberiaBank Corp. has remained largely dormant on the acquisition trail in Arkansas since its 2007 buys of Pulaski Investment Corp. of Little Rock ($130 million) and Pocahontas Bancorp of Jonesboro ($30...
View ArticleStephanie Purifoy Takes Over Development for Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance...
Stephanie Purifoy has been promoted to development director at the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance in Little Rock. Purifoy started with the organization as field manager for the alliance's program...
View ArticleBank of the Ozarks Settles In at Park Avenue Digs
Not much has been written about the loan production office opened by Bank of the Ozarks in New York City, a decision that was announced last summer, so your Whispers staff thinks it's time to introduce...
View ArticleCommunity First Bancshares Exits TARP In the Black
The U.S. Treasury ended up with nearly $3.7 million more than it “loaned” to Community First Bancshares Inc. of Harrison. The $12.7 million that Uncle Sam invested in Community First was accomplished...
View ArticleMinimum Wage Proposals Spark Disagreement
Whether raising the minimum wage — a burning issue in the tourism and hospitality industries — will actually help all the people it's aimed at is a question of deep disagreement, even among experts....
View ArticleUpdated: Winner, Loser in Simmons Charters Consolidation
Last week's news that Simmons First National Corp. will be collapsing its six smaller charters into its flagship Pine Bluff bank was surprising only in that it took so long.
View ArticleProposed Change in State Securities Law Out of Step With Neighboring States
Arbitration clauses and courtroom avoidance are common in the securities business. That norm stands in contrast to a not-so-modest proposal by Stephens Inc. to go straight to a judge to rule on...
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