Walmart U.S. CEO Bill Simon said Wednesday (Sept.11) that the retailer enlisted the help of more than 1,000 kids to test and play with this year’s toy selection ahead of the holiday season.


Today (Sept. 12), Wal-Mart unveiled its “Chosen by Kids” top toy list to the public. The retailer said the list is not only kid tested, but it’s also child preferred. Children between the age of 18 months to 10 years gave their input on this year’s toy selection. 


Simon said those selected items were ordered deep the company has rolled back prices on hundreds of dolls, action figures, ride-on toys and more.


This year’s favorites include a few newcomers such as VTech Go ! Go! Smart Wheels Train Station Playset, Sofia the First Talking Doll and Animal Friends and Flutterbye Flying Fairy Doll.


The retailer also said classic toys like the Barbie Dreamhouse is expected to be a girl’s favorite again this year, while Elmo and a Furby product are also likely high on kid’s wish lists.


“We are taking the guesswork out of customers’ holiday toy shopping by turning to kids to tell us what the real top toys are,” said Scott McCall, senior vice president of toys and seasonal at Walmart U.S.
 “Kids told us they want interactive toys as well as classic brands. After hearing this feedback, we did what we do best. We made price investments to offer absolutely great savings on these holiday toys and more for our customers.”   


Wal-Mart said all of its kid-approved toys are eligible for layaway which launched in stores on Friday, Sept. 13. 


This year’s favorite toy list can be viewed online.


Toys are an important segment for holiday sales and the largest toy retailers continually seek to increase their marketshare of this $24 billion industry. The showdown occurs between Oct. 1 and Dec 24, the period with the majority of toys are sold
.

Wal-Mart and Toys R Us have already said they will match competitor prices, both offer layaway and special online deals and Toys R Us is expected to utilize pop-up stores to boost its physical presence while also providing convenience for consumers.

Wal-Mart Stores won a major victory against labor groups when Washington D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray vetoed a municipal bill that would have required big box retailers to pay a minimum wage of $12.50 per hour.

“Mayor Gray has chosen jobs, economic development and common sense over special interests – and that's good news for D.C. residents. Now that this discriminatory legislation is behind us, we will move forward on our first stores in our nation's capital,” said Wal-Mart spokesman Steve Restivo. “We look forward to finishing the work we started in the city almost three years ago: a plan to bring more jobs, shopping options and fresh food choices to Washington, D.C. residents."

Wal-Mart officials said in July the company was halting its expansion plan in the nation’s capitol after the city council pushed through a bill that required larger retailers to raise the starting wage by more than 50% over the city’s minimum. The Bentonville-based retailer announced plans to expand into Washington D.C., in late 2010 planning six stores that would have brought roughly 1,800 retail jobs to the city, according to the retailer’s website.

Three of those stores are already under construction, one recently opened and the a second is slated to open this fall.

Mayor Gray reportedly called the measure a “deal-killer” as the reason he chose to the veto the bill.

John Brown University announced this week that it has begun steps towards creating a nursing program after receiving unanimous prerequisite approval Wednesday (Sept. 11) from the Arkansas State Board of Nursing in Little Rock. JBU’s nursing program will offer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.
 
The prerequisite approval is the first step in a three-step approval process for new nursing programs. Wednesday’s board approval allows JBU to advertise the nursing program and begin recruiting pre-nursing students for the Fall 2014 semester.
 
“Prospective students ask about nursing more than any other major not currently offered at JBU. Moreover, there is a critical need for BSN-trained nurses in Arkansas and throughout our region,” said Dr. Chip Pollard, JBU president.
 
Dr. Ericson, vice president for academic affairs, and Dr. Brian Greuel, chair of the division of natural and health sciences, have led JBU’s efforts to develop the new nursing program.
 
“Because of the shortage of bachelor-trained nurses, we feel creating a nursing major is a healthy move for JBU and will present a highly-sought after option for our students,” Ericson said.
 
After completing the next step in the process, initial approval, JBU could begin admitting students into its nursing program as early as the Fall 2016 semester. Final approval of the program must be obtained before graduating the first class of nursing majors.
 
“Obtaining prerequisite approval for a nursing program was the hardest step in the three-step approval process and was the culmination of a detailed feasibility study and a lot of personal lobbying,” said Greuel. “Our next task is to hire a nursing director and to get to work on planning the curriculum and establishing affiliation agreements with various clinical agencies.”
 
The pre-nursing curriculum usually takes two years to complete and is required before a JBU student could be admitted into a JBU nursing program as a junior. Assuming that the university completes the next step of the approval process, by the time the first pre-nursing students complete their sophomore year, the nursing program will be ready to admit its first students. Completing the pre-nursing phase and the nursing program is expected to take, on average, about four years, said Greuel.
 

Six teams in the NWA StartUp Cup competition were announced on Thursday (Sept. 12).

The teams faced the judges Thursday and got the nod to move on the next round which is slated for November. The next phase of judging will produce three finalists announced Nov. 20, the release said.

Tonya Nkokheli, president of Innovative Markets, which holds the NWA StartUp Cup license, is the chief event coordinator. She said all of the existing teams will receive two levels of coaching, which happens in the weeks between the judging sessions.

StartUp Cup began in Tulsa in 2007 and has become a global network of locally-driven business model competitions with 52 StartUp Cups in 44 countries.

Each competitor is paired with a mentor that helps the business owner modify and further develop the business model between each competition round. This increases the participant’s chances of winning the competition, but also increases their ability to have a successful venture after the competition.

The teams moving on include:
Turner Light Covers — Rob Turner innovated no-pest lighting covers for outdoor fixtures. These patented insect resistant covers are manufactured in Northwest Arkansas.

Umoja Soul Publications — Leora Jackson operates a publication company that produces the Black Business Directory of Northwest Arkansas and maintain a website that provides stories and events related to the African-American community.

Storage in Motion — Mike Gillespie makes a line of products for safely and responsibly storing firearms in vehicles and homes.

Your Move Managers — Kathleen Thompson operates a service business that helps senior citizens downsize and relocate.

Solgave Animal Solutions — Jared and Sunniva Ritter run a socially conscious company that offers pet sitting, house sitting, dog walking, behavior modification and a variety of other pet-related services.

Wise Custom Realty — J. Grant Wise is a new locally-owned real estate firm that focuses on residential property.

Andrew Todd has been hired by the accounting firm Beall Barclay & Company. He will work on the company’s Rogers, Ark., office.

Todd is a 2013 graduate of Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. Prior to graduating Summa Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a bachelor’s degree in finance, he served as an intern in the office of U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark.

He is a student member of the Arkansas Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Todd is also a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Societies. He also served as president of the Arkansas State University Accounting Club and state president of Phi Beta Lambda business professional fraternity.

Todd is a native of Fort Smith where he graduated from Union Christian Academy. He is a volunteer with Compassionate Utilization of Resources (C.U.R.E.), a medical supply and disaster relief ministry and The Hope Chest in Fort Smith.

Todd also is an Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America.

Sherry Clark has joined National Bank of Sallisaw and will work as a agriculture/consumer loan officer.

Clark joined NBS in May 2013 after time with another financial institution and 16 years with the United States Department of Agriculture. She was born and raised in Stilwell, Okla., and received a bachelor’s degree in agriculture education from the University of Arkansas.

She and her husband have one daughter.

Toys R Us is offering a 10% cash reward up to $100 on certain toy purchases through Oct. 31 for its rewards card members and will extend the deadline for holiday returns through Jan. 25, the company announced Thursday.

The company said it will give customers their cash-back earnings on e-gift cards in November so they can use the money for holiday shopping. Layaway customers can also earn the rewards.

Toys R Us is bringing back free layaway through Dec. 15 with no upfront service fee and no minimum purchase requirement. For the first time, the company will let customers make layaway payments online.

In a move clearly aimed at rival Walmart's aggressive toy pricing, Toys R Us said "key items" will be marked "Hot Price Every Day," so shoppers know they are getting a good deal. The company recently rolled out a "Red Hot Deal" program, which regularly offers what the store says are big savings on certain products.
 

Five executives of Tyson Foods Inc. recently sold off more than $29 million worth of shares in open market transactions that are tracked by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Tyson shares closed Monday (Sept. 16) at $30.30, up 5 cents on the day. Over the past 52 weeks Tyson shares have rallied from a low price of $15.87 to a high $32.40 hit recently.

Economists predict beef processors will see tighter margins through next year amid a shrinking supply of cattle and tepid beef demand. Tyson is a multiple protein processor but beef still accounts for a major part of the company’s total profits in a year’s time.

At the same time chicken supplies are increasing rapidly, which is expected to have a dampening effect on wholesale prices for processors, according to analysts.

Ken Kimbo, chief human resource officer at Tyson Foods, got the ball rolling early last month when he sold 10,000 shares of Tyson stock at $30.77 in the open market. Gross proceeds totaled $307,700.

CEO Donnie Smith then cashed in 5,780 shares of Tyson Foods stock for $31.90 on Aug. 14. This transaction totaled $184,383 in gross proceeds, according to the federal filing.

Donnie King, senior VP of poultry and prepared foods at Tyson, sold a total of 14,295 shares of company stock for $30 on Sept. 11. King’s proceeds grossed $428,850.

Jim Lochner, chief operating officer at Tyson, sold 864,001 shares of Tyson Foods on Sept. 11. The proceeds grossed $25.9 million with a per share price of $30.02.

Noel White, senior VP of fresh meats at Tyson, sold 75,000 shares of Tyson Foods stock on Sept. 12. White garnered $2.265 million in his open market sale.

The Tyson Limited Partnership, operated by the estate the Don Tyson, disposed of 1 million shares of Tyson Foods Class A stock last week. The shares were not sold into the open market, according to the filing. The Tyson Limited Partnership still owns 2 million shares of Class A stock and 70 million shares of Class B, restricted stock.

A study involving 10,912 K–12 students, some 489 teachers from 123 different schools examined the impact Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art has had on learning.

The study results were shared in the journal — Education Next — by researchers from the University of Arkansas who conducted the analysis over the past year.

“We found that students who attended a school tour at Crystal Bridges demonstrated stronger critical thinking skills, displayed higher levels of tolerance, had more historical empathy and developed a taste for being a cultural consumer in the future,” said Jay P. Greene, head of the department of education reform at the UA. Greene is also the 21st Century Chair in Education Reform at the college who conducted the study along with senior research associate Brian Kisida and doctoral fellow Daniel H. Bowen.

“We also found that these benefits were much larger, in general, for students from rural areas or high-poverty schools, as well as minority students,” said Greene.

Since its opening Sept. 11, 2011, Crystal Bridges set forth to be a valuable educational resource for the region. A generous donation from the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation of Springdale established a $10 million endowment for Crystal Bridges to provide school groups with funds necessary for a complete museum visit, including funding to cover the cost of transportation and substitute teachers if needed, lunches for the students and teachers, and pre- and post-visit educational materials.

“Since Crystal Bridges is in an area where an art museum had not previously existed, and because the field trip is free to schools, we had high demand for the tours and decided to select participants via a random lottery,” said Anne Kraybill, Crystal Bridges’ school programs manager. “In initial meetings with the University of Arkansas, it became clear that this lottery system would provide the right conditions for conducting research.”

During the first two semesters of the school tour program, Crystal Bridges received 525 applications from school groups representing 38,347 K-12 students.

Greene, Kisida and Bowen matched pairs among the applicants based on similarity in grade level and other demographic factors.

“An ideal and common matched pair would be adjacent grades in the same school,” said Greene. “We then randomly ordered the matched pairs to determine scheduling prioritization. Within each pair we randomly assigned which applicant would be in the ‘treatment’ group—the group that would receive a tour that semester—and which would be in the control group, whose tour would be deferred to a later time.”

The team administered nearly 11,000 surveys roughly three weeks after they toured the museum.. The surveys included items assessing student knowledge about art, as well as measures of student tolerance, historical empathy, and desire to become cultural consumers. After the survey assessment, each control group was guaranteed a tour during the following semester as a reward for its cooperation.

The team also collected critical thinking measures from students by asking them to write a short essay in response to a painting that they had not previously seen. Finally, they collected a behavioral measure of cultural consumption by providing all students with a coupon good for free family admission to a special exhibition at the museum to see whether the field trip increased the likelihood of students making future visits.

“This research is the first large-scale, randomized controlled trial measuring what students learn from school tours of an art museum,” said Kisida.

Greene said the survey results showed students retained a great deal of factual information from their tours.

For example, 88% of the students who saw the Eastman Johnson painting, At the Camp—Spinning Yarns and Whittling, knew when surveyed weeks later that the painting depicts abolitionists making maple syrup to undermine the sugar industry which relied upon slave labor. 

He said 82% of those who saw Norman Rockwell’s Rosie the RIveter could recall that the painting emphasizes the importance of women entering the workforce during World War II.

• ConAgra sells LightLife brand
Packaged food giant ConAgra is divesting one of its smaller brands — LightLife — to private equity fund Brynwood Partners. LightLife provides vegetarian-based burgers, hotdogs other meatless frozen and refrigerated foods.

There were no terms of the deal announced on Monday (Sept 16) but Brynwood will assume control of the LightLife manufacturing facility in Turner Falls, Mass.

Brynwood named Roy Lubetkin as Lightlife's president and CEO and Michael Morin as chief financial officer.

Lightlife, which was founded more than 34 years ago, will join Brynwood's active investments in natural foods maker Back to Nature Foods Co., as well as DeMet's Candy Co. and Pearson Candy Co.

ConAgra last week cut its full-year earnings outlook, as the packaged-foods company said fiscal first-quarter earnings were softer than expected, especially in its consumer foods segment. In response, the company has said it is adjusting its merchandising, promotion and pricing strategies for its retail brands to improve the consumer foods segment's results as the fiscal year progresses.

ConAgra is a supplier to Wal-Mart Stores Inc. with a large sales office in Northwest Arkansas.

• Post Holdings acquires pasta business

Post Holdings announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Dakota Growers Pasta Company from Viterra Inc.


Post will pay $370 million in cash for the pasta business at the time of closing, which is slated for January.


The acquisition will be funded by a combination of cash on hand and up to $200 million in committed debt financing. On a full year basis, the transaction is expected to contribute approximately $300 million to net sales and approximately $42-$46 million of gross earnings.


Dakota Growers is a player in the approximately $5 billion North American pasta market, with leadership positions in the private label retail, foodservice and ingredient channels, according to the release. 


The Dakota Growers business will be managed independently from other Post Holdings businesses by its existing management team led by Ed Irion, vice president and general manager.

The company is located in Carrington, N.D., where it has durum wheat milling and pasta production capabilities. Dakota Growers also has production capabilities in New Hope, Minn.  

Post is a supplier to Wal-Mart Stores Inc. with a sales office in Northwest Arkansas.

Van Buren-based USA Truck has hired Russell Overla as executive vice president, Truckload Operations, and Jeff Lester as executive vice president, Safety and Risk Management.

Lester and Overla have a combined 40 years in the transportation industry, according to the USA Truck statement.

In the course of his 15-year career, Overla has spent time with several industry leaders, including LinkAmerica, JBS Carriers, National Freight and Arnold. His job titles hve included load planner, customer service and planning, regional sales and operations. At USA Truck, Overla oversees fleet operations, fleet maintenance, driver recruiting and retention and customer service.

Lester brings 25 years’ experience to USA Truck, including work in safety, compliance, risk management, security, insurance and independent contractor programs. He was most recently at Greatwide Logistics, and has also worked for FedEx and Ryder. Lester, who will serve as USA Truck’s chief risk officer, holds a master’s degree in safety management. At USA Truck, Lester oversees safety, insurance, claims, compliance, orientation and the student driver program.

Lester and Overla will report directly to John Simone, president and CEO of USA Truck.

“These key additions to our executive management team represent our dedication to operational excellence and to positioning our company for continued growth well into the future,” Simone said in a statement. “Russell and Jeff are both proven performers who get results. I’m excited to have them join the USA Truck family.”

The University of Arkansas and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff have agreed to form a partnership they hope will help fill a need for more graduates in the poultry sciences.

The “3+1 course curriculum” collaboration allows for agriculture majors with an animal science option at UAPB to take poultry science classes at the UA as seniors.

Those courses will be recognized by UAPB’s School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences, and count toward degree requirements. At the same time, those students will earn a Poultry Science Undergraduate Certificate of Excellence from the UA.

“As the state’s flagship university, we are proud to work within our borders and form this partnership with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff,” said Provost Sharon Gaber. 
“The poultry industry has indicated there is a need for a more qualified workforce. This is an opportunity for us to help develop young professionals.”

Completion of the certificate requires 26 to 28 hours of poultry science credit.

“This partnership takes advantage of areas of strength in two University of Arkansas system universities. It gives students the opportunity to pursue a course of study tailored to their interests.” said UAPB Chancellor Laurence Alexander.

Mike Kidd, head of poultry science at the UA, said there are more jobs available in the poultry industry than can be filled with the graduates around the country.

“In reality, this is a partnership between the two universities and the poultry industry. In order to meet industry needs, we’re going to get creative and do things like this,” Kidd said.

Representatives from local poultry companies attended the signing of agreement ceremony in Fayetteville on Sept. 13.

“It is good for the industry,” said Monte Henderson, former president of George’s Inc.

Frank Myers, director of breeder operations for Simmons Foods, said the search for good talent is always ongoing.

“We are excited and see this as an opportunity to draw in talent that wasn’t possible before,” Myers said.

Tyson Foods agreed, adding that talent is the lifeblood in need for continued success for the industry.
 

A leading advertising industry trade publication, AdWeek, has named Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods as the “Top Shop” in Arkansas. 

In its September 16, 2013 edition, AdWeek identified its selections for the leading agency in each state.

“We are gratified to receive this honor from a prestigious publication such as AdWeek,” said Wayne Woods, chairman and CEO of Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods. 

“This is a reflection not just of the professionals we have on our staff, but also on our clients and their willingness to develop and execute great creative and communications strategy,” Woods said.

In its article entitled “The United States of Ad Agencies; Our Picks for the Top Shop in Each State,” AdWeek said its methodology was a combination of head count, notable clients and reputation.

Commenting on its selection criteria, the publication notes:

“Every state has ‘that agency.’  The one you can’t help but admire, or envy. The one where you’d like to work – or if you’re lucky, where you do work. The one that’s hard to beat. The one that critics moan is overrated.  The one that, more often than not, just gets it right.”
 

Commercial real estate firm Sage Partners is broadening the scope of their services with the formation of a new company, Sage Assets Solutions.


Tommy Van Zandt, one of the founders of Sage Partners who serves as director of operations for the new company, said Sage Assets Solutions was formed to meet a growing need in the Northwest Arkansas market.


“We offer a much broader scope of services that is now required in the maturing Northwest Arkansas property management market,” Van Zandt said. “We’ve also assembled a team that I believe brings a level of experience and expertise that is currently not available in this market.”


Joining Van Zandt in the business are Sage Partners Marshall Saviers, T.J. Lefler, Alex Blass, Brian Shaw, who will serve as principal broker, and Scott Audrain, who is the managing partner.



Audrain, who returned to Northwest Arkansas after spending several years in Houston and Memphis, said the company’s mission is to reduce clients’ costs through better management practices.


“Clients will realize savings through lower insurance, capital sourcing, maintenance, and custodial costs,” Audrain said. “We’re confident clients will see significant cost reductions in these areas.”


Audrain said Sage Assets Solutions acts as a strategic asset manager working with clients to evaluate a property’s needs, establish financial objectives, develop comprehensive service agreements, and manage the delivery of services during the life of a contract.

Retail stocks rose 1.1% on Wednesday (Sept. 18)  following the surprise announcement by the Federal Reserve to stay the course on its asset purchases for the near term.


The S&P Retail Index hit a record high at 851.32, up 1% on the news. Broader market indexes also rose to uncharted territory highs. 


It was widely speculated that the Federal Reserve would begin tapering down its monthly $85 billion of debt purchases later this year. That sentiment pushed long term interest rates higher in recent weeks and somewhat curtailed consumer spending.


Wal-Mart, Dollar General and other retailers in recent weeks have said consumers are being more cautious about every discretionary dollar spent, even though they are buying up large ticket items like automobiles.


Analysts expect holiday sales to rise a modest 2% to 3% from a year ago and said there is no real inflation to speak of at this time.


Wal-Mart shares closed Wednesday at $76.42, up $1.27. Little Rock-based Dillard’s shares rose $1.08, to close at $82.40.


Other retailers also reported higher closing prices on Wednesday:
Target $65.48, up $1.10;

Dollar General $57.92, up 59 cents;

Family Dollar $74.46, up $1.72; and

Amazon $312, up $7.86 or 2.59%.
 

Denise Garner of Fayetteville and Sam Sicard of Fort Smith have been appointed by Gov. Mike Beebe to the Vision 2025 Legislative Commission on the Future of Higher Education. The other members appointed by Beebe to the commission are:
Dr. Donald Bobbitt, Little Rock.
Chad Brown, North Little Rock.
Nate Looney, Jonesboro.
Sarah Roberson, Little Rock.
George West, North Little Rock.
 
These are new positions and expire Jan. 1, 2017.

“The Vision 2025 Legislative Commission on the Future of Higher Education shall study, research, and brainstorm ways in which higher education can transform and positively impact the state by 2025 and beyond 2025,” noted the language of the Act creating the commission.

The commission is scheduled to meet quarterly, and the first progress report is expected no later than Nov. 1, 2014.

Beebe also announced on Wednesday (Sept. 18) the following appointments to boards and commissions:
 
Erna Boone, Cabot, reappointed to the Arkansas Respiratory Care Examining Committee.  Appointment expires Aug. 7, 2016.
 
Matthew Buchman, Paragould, to the State Marketing Board for Recyclables.  Appointment expires July 31, 2017.  Replaces Les Jackson.
 
Bobby Burns, Beebe, reappointed to the State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors.  Appointment expires June 1, 2016.
 
Niki Cung, Fayetteville, reappointed to the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council.  Appointment expires July 1, 2015.
 
Tamika Edwards, Little Rock, to the Pulaski Technical College Board of Trustees.  Appointment expires July 1, 2020.  Replaces William Page.
 
David Elam, Danville, reappointed to the Arkansas Agricultural Board.  Appointment expires Aug. 18, 2017.
 
Wes Fowler, Huntsville, reappointed to the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council.  Appointment expires July 1, 2017.
 
Ronald Harder, Little Rock, to the Interstate Commission on Education Opportunity for Military Children.  Appointment expires Aug. 15, 2017.  This is a new position.
 
Kristin Hodge, Little Rock, to the Advisory Council for the Education of Gifted and Talented Children.  Appointment expires June 20, 2016.  Replaces Marilyn Nabholz.
 
Beverly Lyn-Cook, Little Rock, to the Arkansas Biosciences Institute Board.  Appointment expires Oct. 1, 2017.  Replaces Kurt Knickrehm.
 
Lisa McDermott, Texarkana, to the Arkansas State Board of Acupuncture and Related Techniques.  Appointment expires July 31, 2016.  Replaces Cynthia Wolfe.
 
Al Miller, Forrest City, to the East Arkansas Community College Board of Trustees.  Appointment expires Dec. 31, 2014.  Replaces John Stipe.
 
Dr. Michael Pollock, Little Rock, reappointed to the Governor's Trauma Advisory Council.  Appointment expires July 1, 2015.
 
Eddie Schmeckenbecher, Little Rock, reappointed to the Arkansas Child Abuse, Rape and Domestic Violence Commission.  Appointment expires July 1, 2015.
 
Annette Watson, Lonoke, reappointed to the Arkansas Child Abuse, Rape and Domestic Violence Commission.  Appointment expires July 1, 2015.

To the Arkansas Coalition for Juvenile Justice Board:
Kay Forrest, Cherokee Village.
Captain Lloyd Franklin, Sr., Pine Bluff.
Brittany Parnell-Quinn, Mena.
Jerry Walsh, Magnolia.
 
These reappointments expire Aug. 15, 2016.
 
To the Electronic Recording Commission:
Andrea Billingsley, Foreman.  Reappointment.
Sharon Blout-Baker, Alma.  Replaces J.T. Ferstl.
Mayme Brown, Donaldson.  Replaces Phyllis Villines.
Alicia Nowotny, Clarksville.  Replaces Alma Davis.
Martha Smith, Arkadelphia.  Reappointment.
Laurie Westfall, Nashville.  Reappointment.
Rhonda Wharton, Conway.  Reappointment.
Cheryl Wilson, El Dorado.  Reappointment.
 
These appointments expire Sept. 1, 2015.

Mercy Northwest Arkansas recently announced Brenda Chase as its new chief operating officer.

Prior to this appointment Chase served as ambulatory care director, assistant vice president and vice president of patient care service. She also formerly held the chief operating officer position for Mercy Hot Springs.

Chase is 20-year veteran in health care and a third generation in her family to work at Mercy.

In her new role, Chase is accountable for effectively leading the clinical and ancillary operations of Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas. She will be heavily involved in strategic planning, the development of new or expanded services and promoting the integration of services on a system-wide basis.

“One word I would use to describe myself is determination. I don’t give up on people, co-workers, performance improvement projects and goals. I also strive to be a leader who listens. I have experienced all the different aspects of health care, allowing me to truly empathize with co-workers or physicians and understand their concerns, frustrations and obstacles as well as opportunities. I do not just see this as something I merely can do, but what leaders must do,” Chase said.

She is married to Raymond Chase and said one of the most important things to remember is that life is a balance. She said spending time with her family helps her keep that focus.
 

Murphy USA, the spin-off retail and refinery business of El Dorado-based Murphy Oil Corp., posted net income of $41.7 million on revenue of $4.79 billion during its first quarter as a standalone business.

One year ago, Murphy USA posted profits of $11 million on revenues of $4.97 billion.

Murphy USA said the improved results were primarily driven by higher retail fuel margins, increased values received from the sale of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs), and improved results from two ethanol facilities.

During the quarter, those ethanol plants turned around losses of $9.4 million from the previous year and posted $4.5 million gains.

Capital expenditures for the quarter ended September 30, 2013, were $33.7 million compared to $30.2 million in 2012. Of the capital expenditures for the just completed quarter, $26.1 million were for retail growth with $5.4 million spent on retail maintenance items.

“We couldn’t be more excited about our results and progress in our inaugural quarter as a stand alone company,” said Murphy USA President and CEO Andrew Clyde. “Our financial position is rock solid, our separation was seamless, and we made significant progress on exiting non-core assets. We remain very bullish on our growth prospects with Walmart and with the early results from the new 1,200 sq. ft. format sites.”

Other quarterly highlights included:
• For the current quarter, merchandise revenues were $557 million compared to $548 million for the 2012 period, an increase of $9.2 million.

• Station and other operating expenses were $135.3 million for the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2013, compared to $134.6 million for the same period in 2012.

• Income generated by the sale of RINs were $31.8 million compared to $5 million in the 2012 period.

• During the current period, 42 million RINs were sold at an average selling price of $0.75 per RIN.

• Murphy USA has opened 21 retail locations in 2013 with six opening in the last quarter.

Murphy USA (NYSE: MUSA), which began trading as a standalone company on Sept. 3, 2013, has seen its shares trade between $36.12 and $44.42 during the past two-and-a-half months. The stock closed on Thursday at $42.14 per share.

Dr. Ricky Tompkins of Rogers was appointed vice president for learning by Dr. Evelyn Jorgenson, president of NorthWest Arkansas Community College.
 
Tompkins had filled the position on an interim basis following the resignation of Dr. Ted Phillips, who left NWACC to take a position in Texas. Tompkins began serving in the interim post in April.
 
“Dr. Tompkins has proven to be an effective leader in each of his positions at NWACC,” said Dr. Steven M. Gates, Senior Vice President for Learning and Provost. “He listens critically to all, values collaboration and is committed to serving people. I look forward to working with him in this role.”
 
The appointment becomes effective Sunday, Nov. 10.
 
He holds a doctorate of education from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, a master’s degree in English from Henderson State University, and a bachelor’s degree from East Texas Baptist University. In addition to his administrative experience, Tompkins has served as an adjunct faculty member in English at NWACC and in Sociology at Henderson State University.

Tompkins joined the NWACC team in 2006 as director for the Institute for corporate and public safety. He became executive director for grants and institutional research in 2007 and was named associate vice president for research and planning in 2011. That same year, he assumed the added responsibilities of chief diversity officer and began serving on the president’s cabinet.

Serving as interim, Tompkins continued to have oversight of several key areas, such as Grants, Research, Planning, Effectiveness, and Diversity. Additional areas that began reporting to Tompkins in April included Communication and Arts, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Science and Mathematics, Library Resources, and oversight of Distance Learning.

Amazon.com Inc. is working with the U.S. Postal Service to deliver packages on Sunday, starting in the Los Angeles and New York metropolitan areas in time for this holiday season.


Amazon Prime members, who receive unlimited, free two-day shipping on millions of items, can now receive their packages on Sunday in these areas. Amazon and the U.S. Postal Service plan to roll out this service to a large portion of the U.S. population in 2014 including Dallas, Houston, New Orleans and Phoenix, to name a few.


“If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can order a backpack for your child on Friday and be packing it for them Sunday night,” said Dave Clark, Amazon’s vice president of worldwide operations and customer service.

“We’re excited that now every day is an Amazon delivery day and we know our Prime members, who voraciously shop on Amazon, will love the additional convenience they will experience as part of this new service,” he added.

To participate, Amazon customers can simply add millions of eligible items to their cart and will see the Sunday delivery promise at checkout when available in their region.

“As online shopping continues to increase, the Postal Service is very happy to offer shippers like Amazon the option of having packages delivered on Sunday,” said Patrick R. Donahoe, Postmaster General and CEO.

The postal service expects a 12% increase in package delivery this season over last year, but it is in a precarious financial condition. The organization lost $15.9 billion in its last fiscal year and expects a loss of $6 billion this year.