NEWS IN BRIEF

— Rockbridge Growth

buys ad firm Triad

Detroit-based Rockbridge Growth Equity LLC said Thursday that it has purchased online retail advertising company Triad Retail Media, according to a release.

Tampa, Fla.-based Triad has offices in Rogers, Ark.;

Orlando, Fla.; Chicago;

New York; and San Jose, Calif. Triad employs 300 employees, including 25 at its Rogers office. The company was founded in 2004.

Its customers include retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Sam’s Club and eBay. The purchase price wasn’t disclosed.

“Rockbridge has a deep operating knowledge in digital media, and data and analytics, combined with expertise in technology and marketing services, providing a perfect opportunity to accelerate Triad’s already strong growth,” Greg Murtagh, chief executive and founder of Triad, said in the release.

Boston-based Falcon Investment Advisors, a private equity firm, partnered with Rockbridge on the deal.

  • John Magsam

Starting a business

focus of workshop

The Arkansas State University Small Business and Technology Development Center will co-host a workshop in Jonesboro on Jan. 22 titled “Starting a Business in Arkansas: How to Get a New Business Started Right.”

Co-hosting the event are the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Jonesboro Association.

The meeting will be at the ASU Delta Center for Economic Development from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Registration is $30 per person; $20 for Jonesboro chamber members; and $15 for ASU faculty and staff members, and students.

Registration is free for military veterans and their families.

More information is available by calling (870) 972-3517 or e-mailing asusbtdc@astate.edu. Online registration is available at asbtdc.ualr.edu/ training/jonesboro.asp.

  • David Smith

News from abroad

aids Arkansas Index

The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, climbed 0.76 to 251.17 Thursday.

“U.S. stocks continued to climb on Thursday after optimism surrounding strong Chinese export data and positive commentary from [European Central Bank] President Mario Draghi outweighed some mixed economic data in the U.S.,” said John Blackwell, senior vice president and managing director of equity trading at Stephens Inc. in Little Rock.

Arkansas Best rose 4.6 percent on average volume, while P.A.M. Transportation Services dropped 2.3 percent on only 200 shares traded.

The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.

Business, Pages 25 on 01/11/2013

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