The trucking industry will have to continue randomly testing at least 50% of its drivers for drug and alcohol in 2015, according to a decision by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
 The American Trucking Association had hoped the mandatory 50% would be lowered to 25% which is the requirement for marine and public transit drivers. 


The Dec. 31 FMCSA announcement was based on data gathered from industry-controlled lab results from 2012 along with drug and alcohol testing survey data and investigations.


"The trucking industry met the incentive-based rate reduction criteria in FMCSA's own regulations. The information and other data cited in FMCSA's statement on this issue raises a whole host of questions concerning the basis for the random rate decision,” notes ATA executive Dave Osieki.

He said the ATA will dig a little deeper into the issue with the FMCSA in the next few months.

The FMCSA cited positive test rates that increased by 4.1% from 2011 to 2012. They also found that reasonable-suspicion positive rates increased from 15.7% in 2011 to 37.2% in 2012.
 The results for FMCSA’s 2012 testing survey of approximately 2,000 carriers indicate that positive random drug-testing results are down for a second year.

While the carrier industry had hoped for a lower mandatory testing rate, not all carriers voiced concern with the ruling.

Wal-Mart, one of the nation’s largest private carriers, said it “is comfortable with the current industry standards of testing and we comply with enforcement accordingly,” according to Walmart spokesman Brian Nick.

Arvest Bank has expanded the territories of Andy Smith and Asa Cottrell.

Smith is the regional investment officer for Arvest Asset Management in the Fort Smith, River Valley and Eastern Oklahoma areas. He also serves as the trust manager for Fort Smith, River Valley, Eastern Oklahoma, and now, the Little Rock market.

Cottrell is also with Arvest Asset Management and works as the central Arkansas, River Valley, Eastern Oklahoma, and now Fort Smith, location manager.

Smith, who has more than 20 years of experience in the finance industry, partners with trust officers, investment client advisors and retirement plan specialists in servicing the investment and planning needs of high-net worth clients.

He graduated from the University of Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree in finance, and also graduated from the Southern Trust School and the Cannon Financial Institute, where he received his Certified Retirement Plans Specialist designation.

Smith has completed extended education in finance and holds a Certified Retirement Services Professional certification from the Institute of Certified Bankers as well as the Certified Wealth Strategist designation from Cannon Financial Institute. He graduated from Leadership Fort Smith and serves on the board of Community Services Clearinghouse.

Cottrell has been with Arvest for more than 20 years. He is a Certified Financial Planner and in the past has taught advanced degree accounting classes for John Brown University.

Cottrell graduated from the University of Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree in finance. He began his career with a national brokerage company. In 1994, he joined Arvest Asset Management at Arvest Bank, Siloam Springs. Cottrell also holds a general securities representative license.

Arvest Bank Springdale announced the addition of Angela Whitlow as human resource manager for that market. The bank also said Megan Ford has been promoted to the new branch manager of the Walmart Supercenter location of Arvest Bank in Springdale.

Whitlow has worked for Wal-Mart Stores for the past 24 years, focusing on progressive human resource management roles across various divisions for half of that time.

“Angela has tremendous knowledge and skills in human resources that we can’t wait to benefit from here at Arvest Bank in Springdale and management,” said Lisa Ray, president of Arvest Bank in Springdale. “She is a true professional with a great personality. She will make a great addition as a key member of our team.” 

Whitlow has been Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certified since 2006. She is an active member of the Northwest Arkansas Chapter of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the National Society for Human Resource Management (NOARK). 
She and her husband, Scott Whitlow, live in Rogers. 

Megan Ford, the newly named branch manager for the Walmart Supercenter location in Springdale, has been with the bank for four years. She began as a teller in the Centerton branch, later working in financial services and then as assistant branch manager in Springdale.

“Megan brings several years of banking experience to her new role,” said Justin Luebker, regional in-store administrator for Arvest Bank. “This is an exciting opportunity for her and we look forward to her valuable addition to our team.” 

Ford graduated from Rogers High School in 2007 and earned her bachelor’s degree from John Brown University in 2013. She and her husband, Justin, reside in Rogers.

The retail sector from top to bottom continues to shed its brick and mortar stores as four retailers announce streamlining efforts in recent days. J.C. Penney, Macy’s, Bloomingdales and Wet Seal lead those efforts.

The turnaround story for J.C. Penney is still being written as the department store chain focuses on closing 4% of its stores just as it reports a 3.7% rise in holiday sales.

Penney said 39 mall-based stores in 19 states will close by early April. None of those affected stores were located in Arkansas. The shuttering of these underperforming stores include the lay off of 2,250 workers.

"We continually evaluate our store portfolio to determine whether there's a need to close or relocate underperforming stores,'' said Penney media relations manager Sarah Holland. "Reviews such as these are essential in meeting our long-term goals for future company growth. While it's never an easy decision to close stores, especially due to the impact on our valued associates and customers, we feel this is a necessary business decision."

Macy’s announced a restructuring and the closure of 14 stores along with two or three layoffs at its remaining 830 Macy’s and Bloomingdale locations in its effort to move faster to where the shoppers can be found.

"Our business is rapidly evolving in response to changes in the way customers are shopping across stores, desktops, tablets and smartphones. We must continue to invest in our business to focus on where the customer is headed – to prepare for what's next," Macy's CEO Terry Lundgren said.


Macy's, reported same-store November rose in November / December sales rose 2.7%.

Teen retailer Wet Seal announced earlier this week that it could close 338 stores and eliminate 3,700 jobs as it seeks to avoid bankruptcy. This purge will leave Wet Seal with 173 stores and its online business.

"Our financial condition leaves us no other alternative than to close these stores," CEO Ed Thomas said in a statement. "This was a very difficult decision to make."

Wet Seal locations in Fayetteville and Hot Springs were closed this week. The store at Park Plaza Mall in Little Rock told The City Wire that it was not impacted by the closures. It is the only remaining Wet Seal in the state.

Four administrative staff members have been hired for the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education and the proposed Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine at Chaffee Crossing.

The recent additions are Dr. Natasha Bray, associate dean of Clinical Sciences, Dr. Ross Longley, associate dean of Bio-Medical Sciences, Dr. Lydia McDonald, associate dean of Student Affairs, and Dr. Keith Fudge, director of Marketing.

Bray served as a vice president and chief medical officer, Broward Health Accountable Care Organization of the North Broward Hospital District in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. She earned degrees from the University of Tulsa, Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Nova Southeastern University.

Bray also served as the chief intern physician at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and was a resident physician at Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard Affiliated Hospital.

Longley comes to the Fort Smith community from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Bradenton, Fla, where he served as the director of Problem Based Learning and coordinator of Research Programs. Longley has earned degrees from the University of Oklahoma and has performed post-doctoral work with the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, in Oklahoma City.

McDonald comes to the area from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock where she held the position of assistant dean of Student Affairs in the College of Public Health in which she served as senior student affairs officer where she oversaw admissions, student recruitment, and the office of the registrar. McDonald has also held positions with Hendrix College and the University of Central Arkansas, and has earned degrees from Valdosta State College, the University of South Dakota, and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Fudge earned degrees from Arkansas Tech University and from the University of Mississippi. Most recently, he served as associate professor of English, and as department head of English, Rhetoric and Writing at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith. At UAFS, Fudge also held the position of NCAA Faculty Athletic Representative and received national recognition for his work by the NCAA. Fudge has also held faculty positions at Henderson State University, and the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts.

“We are fortunate to have been able to bring these people on board. They are a group with diverse skills and abilities as educators and as professionals who share our vision for the institution and its role in furthering health care for the region,” Kyle Parker, president and CEO of ACHE, said in a statement.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has donated a 254-acre real estate investment in south Fayetteville to the University of Arkansas, his alma mater.


The development known as South Pass was seized by Chambers Bank from the original developers in the summer of 2010. The South Pass Development company included John Nock, Richard Alexander, Steve Aust and Hank Broyles. 


Jones paid $7.3 million for the land in December and then transferred the ownership to the UA through the Razorback Foundation once the deal closed Dec. 30.
 Property records indicate the South Pass Development group paid $8.25 million for the land at the market peak in late 2005.

Jones was made aware of the property through his brother-in-law, John Ed Chambers, who is also an owner and CEO of Danville-based Chambers Bank.

The U.S. retail sector enjoyed a robust holiday season as consumers spent more money creating the best holiday sales increase since 2005.

ShopperTrak reports holiday spending during November and December rose 4.6% from a year ago. This exceeded the 3.8% estimate the research firm made prior to the holiday. It was also the best performance since the sector returned a 5.2% increase in 2005.

Some analysts had warned margins would be thinner because of the extended sales season with Black Friday deals being dialed up a full week early and Thanksgiving Day sales also eclipsing some of the Black Friday deals. That could still bear out as retailers report net profits in the next month or so.

Atlanta-based First Data notes that retail sales rose 3.2% from Nov. 1 to Jan. 4, which compared to a meager 0.5% lift in the year-old period.

“The outcome punctuates the declining importance of a single day within the season,” Chicago-based ShopperTrak said in the report. “This 10-year trend speaks to retailers’ success in elongating the shopping season, as well as the consumers’ increased willingness to shop early.”

Black Friday sales were trumped again this year as the biggest shopping day in 2014 was the Saturday before Christmas, deemed Super Saturday.

First Data reports Black Friday sales rose 2.2%, up from the 1.3% dip reported in 2013. December sales increased 2.9%, which was higher than 1% gain in 2013.

The Board of Trustees of the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education has added four people to the board. The new members, elected by the current Arkansas Colleges of Health Education Board of Trustees, are Drs. R. Cole Goodman, of Fort Smith, Christopher Greer, of Fort Smith, Esther Tompkins, of Little Rock, and James Zini, of Mountain View, Ark.

“A venture as bold and as visionary as creating Arkansas' first College of Osteopathic Medicine requires a diverse board of trustees that possesses unique talents, broad experiences, and a commitment to serve,” John Taylor, chairman of the Board of Trustees, said in a statement. “The Board of The Arkansas Colleges of Health Education will prove to be one of our greatest resources as we improve the quality of life for thousands through medical education and training.”

Construction has begun on preparing the site at Chaffee Crossing in Fort Smith with an official groundbreaking to occur in the spring of 2015. The proposed medical school is planned to open in fall 2016 with a first cohort of approximately 150 students.

Goodman is the president/CEO of Mercy Clinics in Fort Smith and has been on the staff of St. Edward Mercy Medical Center since 1978. Goodman has also served as chief of surgery at Sparks Regional Medical Center and St. Edward Mercy Medical Center. He earned his medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in 1973, is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons, and is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Goodman has served as the past president, and is a founding member of the Arkansas Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons.

Greer practices at Cooper Clinic in Fort Smith, and received his D.O. degree from Des Moines University – College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1984 after receiving his bachelor’s degree from Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa. He is certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Ophthalmology. He is a past president of the Arkansas Osteopathic Medical Association, and is a Fellow of the American Osteopathic College of Ophthalmology and American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Tompkins is an associate professor of Pediatrics at UAMS and is the attending physician in Pediatric Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock. Tompkins earned undergraduate degrees from Greenville College and Northwestern University in Illinois, and received her Doctor of Osteopathy degree from the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. She is certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and is the current president of the Arkansas Osteopathic Medical Association.

Zini is a family practitioner in private practice in Mountain View. He holds medical licensure in Arkansas and Missouri and is Board Certified in Family Practice and Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy by the American College of Osteopathic Family Practitioners. He holds degrees from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis, and The University of Health Sciences/College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kansas City, Mo. He is a past president of the American Osteopathic Association, and the Arkansas Osteopathic Medical Association.

The new members will join a Board consisting of:
• John R. Taylor, CPA, Chair, senior vice president, Sterne, Agee & Leach, Inc.;
• David Craig, Vice-Chair, investment advisor at October Wealth;
• Ronnie Hawkins, Secretary and Treasurer, retired president, Hawkins-Weir, Inc.;
• Mike Rappeport, Vice President, senior financial advisor, Merrill Lynch/Bank of America;
• Jeff Beauchamp, president, Bedford Camera and Video;
• Judy Boreham, Ph.D., retired higher education administrator;
• Benny Gooden, Ed.D., auperintendent, Fort Smith Public Schools;
• Jim Patridge, president, West/South Arkansas Division, BancorpSouth; and
• Karen Pharis, Co-owner, Pharis Broadcasting.

• Kellogg to acquire Egyptian biscuit company
Kellogg announced it expects to acquire an 85.93% stake in Bisco Misr for an estimated $125 million which is based upon the number of shares tendered to the company through the Egyptian Stock Exchange as of the close of Kellogg's Mandatory Tender Offer Jan. 11.

The cereal maker became the only suitor for the biscuit company when private equity firm Abraaj said on Dec. 31 it would withdraw from a bidding war that drove up the offer price by over 20%.

Bisco Misr is a large packaged biscuits company in Egypt. Headquartered in Cairo, Bisco Misr is a publicly-held company listed on the Egyptian Exchange. With approximately 3,300 employees and three manufacturing facilities, Bisco Misr has a history in the Egyptian market dating back to 1957.

A recent flurry of mergers and rights issues has boosted activity on the Cairo exchange, which struggled to revive investor confidence in the turmoil that has followed the 2011 Arab Spring uprising.

Kris Charles, Kellogg spokeswoman, confirmed that while Kellogg was excited and delighted about the opportunity, it will not offer further details until the final transfer of the shares to Kellogg, expected to be on or around Jan. 18.

Food is seen as a fast-growing sector in the most populous Arab nation of 90 million people and Bisco is a well-known brand throughout Egypt.

Kellogg is a major supplier to Wal-Mart Stores and operates a sales offices in Bentonville.

• General Mills to close two more plants
General Mills’ restructuring efforts continue into 2015 as the company announces plans to close a plant in Midland, Ont., and one in New Albany, Ind. The news came in a Jan. 8 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The two closings combined will reduce the company’s workforce by 500.

Citing a need to reduce refrigerated dough capacity, General Mills said it will incur restructuring charges of approximately $109 million if both restructuring efforts are completed. The New Albany plant manufactures refrigerated goods and employs approximately 400. The company called its decision to close the New Albany plant, which has a unionized workforce that is represented by the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, “tentative” and said it will enter into negotiations with the union. If the closing is completed, General Mills will incur charges of approximately $88 million.

The Midland plant manufactures frozen pizzas, refrigerated dough, cookies and other products for distribution in both the United States and Canada. The plant employs approximately 100 and charges from the closing are estimated to be $21 million.

The Midland and New Albany plants are part of a company-wide strategic review of General Mills’ manufacturing and distribution network that the company announced it was undertaking last June. Other manufacturing plants the company plans to close include a ready-to-eat cereal plant in Lodi, Calif., and a yogurt processing facility in Methuen, Mass.

General Mills is a major supplier to Wal-Mart Stores and operates a large sales office in Rogers.

Dave Matthews Band announced plans to perform at the Walmart AMP on May 19, as part of his 2015 North American Tour. The band will perform two full sets each night during this tour.

Tickets for the local performance will go on sale Friday, Feb. 13 at 10 a.m.

The move to a two-set format last year drew praise from fans and reviewers alike.

Rolling Stone named Dave Matthews Band’s 2014 run as one of the hottest summer tours, observing how the change “resulted in plenty of surprises,” and The Atlanta Journal noted, “the stage is where DMB built its empire and where the band remains master of its domain…DMB deserves kudos for always bringing their A-game to the stage,” the release notes.
 

The opening acts for the spring 2015 season at the Walmart AMP, a venue of the Walton Arts Center was announced this week. This is the second season for the Walmart AMP and the entertainment lineup includes: Kenny Chesney, Chicago, Dave Matthews Band, Steve Miller Band and Brantley GIlbert.

May 1: Brantley Gilbert with special guest Casey Donahew Band
Country artist Gilbert’s 2014 album, Just As I Am includes the number one single “Bottoms Up” and debuted at No.2 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart. Tickets for this show go on sale Friday, Feb. 27. Prices range from $25 to $45.
 
May 3: Chicago
The Grammy Award winning band Chicago line-up includes original band members Robert Lamm on keyboards and vocals, Lee Loughnane on trumpet, James Pankow on trombone, Walt Parazaider on woodwinds, Jason Scheff on bass and vocals, Tris Imboden on drums, Keith Howland on guitar, Lou Pardini on keyboards and vocals, and Walfredo Reyes Jr. on percussion Tickets go on sale Friday, Feb. 20. Prices range from $42 to $97.
  
May 16: Steve Miller Band
Steve Miller Band is touring in 2015 to relive the classics it recorded in the 1970s and 1980s. Tickets go on sale Friday, Jan. 23. Prices range from $31 to $75.50.
 
May 19: Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band has sold over 30 million records worldwide. Tickets go on sale Friday, Feb. 13. Prices range from $40.50 to $85.
 
July 30: Kenny Chesney
The contemporary country star is back on tour after taking a year off. Tickets go on sale Friday, Jan. 30. Prices range from $60 to $105.
 

Dr. Timothy Maryanov has joined Sparks Neurosurgical Associates located inside Sparks Plaza on Dodson Avenue.

Among the diseases he treats are spinal degenerative diseases, spinal cord injuries, spinal and cranial trauma, tumors of the spine, brain and pituitary gland, as well as intracranial aneurysms.

Maryanov graduated Cum Laude from the University of California at Los Angeles, with degrees in neuroscience and psychology and graduated as a Doctor of Medicine from University of California at San Diego. He was a psychology major in his undergraduate program and worked with autistic children and adults with disabilities at a summer camp. But one class took his education in a new direction.

Maryanov completed his residency at the University of North Carolina’s hospital in Chapel Hill before working as a neurosurgeon at the University of South Carolina’s hospital in Columbia. He most recently worked at a hospital in Jonesboro, Ark.

The Ukraine native and his family moved to southern California when he was a teenager. He is fluent in Russian and Spanish. Maryanov was trained and certified in medical Spanish by the University of California at San Diego.

Umarex USA has teamed with the U.S. Marshals Museum to offer a limited edition U.S. Marshals Museum commemorative airgun of the Colt Single Action Army® Revolver, also known as the "gun that won the west."

The gun will display a U.S. Marshals emblem in the grip and will be numbered consecutively one to 500. The 500 limited edition U.S. Marshals Museum Colt Peacemakers will be available to order on a first-come-first-served basis to dealers who place an order at the Shooting Hunting & Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT Show). Orders will be taken at the Umarex booth, number 15062, in Las Vegas from Jan, 20-23. Dealers are limited to 30 guns and they are expected to sell out quickly.

"There are many historical firearms highly desired as collectibles, but not many can afford to own one," Richard Turner, vice president of sales and marketing at Umarex USA, said in a statement. "The U.S. Marshals Commemorative not only gives the collector an opportunity to own a limited collectible replica airgun of the firearm dubbed 'Peacemaker' and 'Equalizer,' but it also helps us promote our nation's oldest federal law enforcement agency."

This is the second consecutive year that Umarex USA has offered a limited edition replica commemorative. At the 2014 SHOT Show, it offered a Colt 1911 commemorating World War II. The Limited Edition U.S. Marshals Peacemaker will serve as a tribute to our nation's oldest federal law enforcement agency started by President George Washington and the first Congress 225 years ago.

The future U.S. Marshals Museum will be a national museum located on the banks of the Arkansas River in downtown Fort Smith. Museum plans include 50,000 square feet of three galleries (A Changing Nation, Frontier Marshals and Marshals Today), a Hall of Honor, a national education center and more. A ceremonial groundbreaking was held in September, and museum officials hope to have the facility open by late 2017.

Smith Chevrolet Cadillac has opened its new 35,000-square-foot dealership at 6500 Autopark Drive near the company’s Nissan dealership.

The building is the newest auto dealership in Arkansas and is easily accessible from Interstate 540, Zero Street, and U.S. 71.

The new facility includes the newest technology in sales and service. With Smith’s new Hawkeye Elite quick alignment check system, an ASE Certified mechanic can check your car alignment, battery and run a complete on-board diagnostics report on the health of your car in less than 15 minutes.

There are typically more than 900 new and pre-owned vehicles on the Smith Chevrolet Cadillac and the adjacent Smith Nissan dealership.

“We've tried making the entire process of buying a new car or truck as easy and seamless as possible,” Smith Chevrolet Cadillac Executive Manager of Operations Bryan Penniman said in a statement. “Unlike the Towson Avenue location, everything is under one roof, from sales to service, our customers can stay in the loop when it comes to their vehicle. ... We want to be upfront and honest with our customers so when they drive off our lot they feel good about doing business with us, new or pre-owned.”

Penniman said for all pre-owned vehicles, Smith Chevrolet Cadillac uses a “market based pricing,” sales model that compares all like vehicles within 250 miles and advises on pricing points.

The showroom is open Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Service hours are Monday -Friday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Little Rock-based Bank of the Ozarks posted full year net income of $118.6 million, a record for the company and a 30% increase compared to 2013. The total was boosted by fourth quarter income of $34.8 million, up 42.4% compared to the 2013 quarter.

Income gains have largely been the product of acquisitions. The bank holding company completed three bank purchases in the last six quarters. The company announced in July it would buy Intervest Bancshares Corp., with the $228.5 million deal expected to close in February.

“2014 was an excellent year for our Company. We achieved record loan and lease growth, record growth of our unfunded balances of closed loans, record deposit growth, a robust net interest margin, an excellent net charge-off ratio, a favorable efficiency ratio, and excellent returns on average assets and stockholders’ equity,” George Gleason, chairman and CEO, said in a statement. “In fact, it was our fifth consecutive year of achieving a return on average assets in excess of 2.00%.”

Other highlights from the earnings report issued Thursday (Jan. 15) after the markets closed include:
Net interest income for the full year of 2014 was a record $270.5 million, a 39.8% increase from $193.5 million for the full year of 2013;

Non-interest income for the full year of 2014 increased 11.6% to $84.9 million compared to $76.0 million for 2013;

Mortgage lending income decreased 7.8% to $5.19 million for the full year of 2014 compared to $5.63 million for the full year of 2013;

Trust income increased 36.5% to a record $5.59 million for the full year of 2014 compared to $4.10 million for the full year of 2013;

Deposits were $5.5 billion at Dec. 31, 2014, a 47.9% increase compared to $3.72 billion at Dec. 31, 2013; and

Total assets were $6.77 billion at Dec. 31, 2014, a 41.2% increase compared to $4.79 billion at Dec. 31, 2013.

The bank’s shares (NASDAQ: OZRK) closed Thursday at $32.55, down 69 cents. During the past 52 weeks the share price has ranged from a $38.22 high to a $27.51 low.

Routine bridge maintenance will require a lane closure on Interstate 540 in Fort Smith/Van Buren, according to Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) officials.

Crews will perform maintenance on the Interstate 540 bridge located over the Arkansas River between Fort Smith and Van Buren. The work will require closing the southbound inside lane on the bridge.

The southbound inside lane closure will be Wednesday, Jan. 21 through Friday, Jan. 23, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., each day, weather permitting. Traffic will be controlled using barrels and warning signs.

This bridge was constructed in 1967. It is 3,396 ft. long and 66 ft. wide.

ABF Freight has partnered with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the U.S. Army on a joint program to help soldiers transition from military service to the civilian world with work as a truck driver.

Known as the Teamsters Military Assistance Program, the initiative was jointly announced at the Pentagon with a proclamation by Tim Thorne, ABF Freight president, James Hoffa, Teamsters general president, and Lt. Gen. James McConville, U.S. Army deputy chief of staff G-1.

“ABF Freight and the Teamsters have worked as partners for over 50 years,” Thorne said in a statement. “As a veteran who understands the needs of transitioning soldiers, I am proud our company can serve as a resource for future veterans to exit with a clear path to a new career.”

Through TMAP, qualifying soldiers will receive training to earn a class A commercial driver’s license and hazardous material certification. Experienced ABF Freight professional drivers will provide a mix of classroom instruction and hands-on driving training during the soldiers’ final weeks of enlistment. Successful completion of the program sets the future veteran on a career path as a professional driver with ABF Freight with excellent pay and benefits. 

“During this program, if soldiers provide the will to succeed, then our team will teach them the skill to not only meet but exceed certification requirements,” Thorne said.

ABF Freight is the largest subsidiary of Fort Smith-based ArcBest Corp., a transportation industry holding company.

The Tyson Foods Foundation and the Tyson family donated $500,000 to the University of Arkansas system to support its online university program, eVersity.

The online program allows students to complete course work via the web and will be marketed to many former students who are still several credits shy of an undergraduate degree.

UA System President Don Bobbitt, Ph.D., has pushed for the project despite resistance from faculty.

“When I first learned of Dr. Bobbitt’s plan for eVersity as a member of the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees, I was convinced that this will be a game changer and a huge contributor to the future of higher education in our state,” said John Tyson, Tyson Foods chairman of the board. “We must have a way to reach the more than 300,000 Arkansans who have a year or two of college and had to drop out for one reason or another, but want to pursue a degree so they can improve their quality of life.”

Tyson said another factor in his decision to help financially support the program was to help Tyson Foods employees.

“Many of these people work for Tyson Foods, or some other company in our state, and a college degree will enable them to move from an hourly production job into a supervisory position and eventually management,” Tyson said. “eVersity will be a blessing to these individuals and to the economy of Arkansas.”

Initial degree programs through eVersity include health care management, information technology, criminal justice, business and general studies with multiple degree options available within each field.

Applications for eVersity’s degree programs will be available this summer with the first classes beginning in the fall of 2015.

Fort Smith-based ArcBest Corp. on Thursday (Jan. 22) announced a quarterly divident of 6 cents per share to shareholders of record on Feb. 5. The dividend is paid on Feb. 19.

The company is set to announce full-year revenue and income on Feb. 15. The consensus estimate is that the company will earn $1.72 per share for the year on total revenue of $2.6 billion. The consensus estimate on quarterly income is 44 cents per share on revenue of $652.66 million.

ArcBest shares (NASDAQ: ARCB) closed Wednesday at $39.49. During the past 52 weeks the share price has ranged from a $47.52 high to a $29.88 low.

ArcBest is a transportation holding company, and its largest subsidiary is ABF Freight System, one of the nation’s largest less-than-truckload carriers.

Voting to name features of the Parrot Island Waterpark concludes at 11:59 p.m. on Friday (Jan. 23).

Each of the seven amenities in the contest has five choices – all of which were submitted by citizens during the first round of the contest.

Finalists whose names received the most votes during the open voting will be chosen as the official name for each of the designated attractions. Those who submitted the winning names will receive prize packages, to include individual season passes, and passes for the winner and immediate family members to attend the opening day festivities.

The seven amenities to be named are: wave pool; children’s play area; lazy river; yellow slide; purple slide; orange slide; and blue slide. (Link here to reach the online voting page.)

The $10.9 million facility – located in Ben Geren Regional Park – will include three bodies of water, a 500 foot lazy river and four water slides for a total footprint of more than 20,000 square feet. It is on track for a Memorial Day 2015 opening, and should be a larger facility than those recently opened in Rogers and Clarksville, Ark.