NEWS IN BRIEF

Hunt exec to head state trucking group

BRANSON — Craig Harper, chief operations officer at J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc., will serve the next two years as chairman of the Arkansas Trucking Association.

Harper replaces Gary Salisbury, chairman and chief executive officer at Fikes Truck Line. Harper was one of six new officers announced Thursday during the trucking association’s annual meeting.

Joining Harper as officers are Chairman-elect Butch Rice, president and chief executive officer of Stallion Transportation Group; Vice Chairman Al Heringer IV, vice president of Star Transportation; state Vice President for the American Trucking Associations Roy Slagle, president of ABF Freight; Secretary Mike McNutt of Distribution Solutions; and Treasurer Vicki Stephens, owner of CC Jones Inc.

During a brief luncheon address to Arkansas Trucking Association members, Harper said he wanted the organization to maintain a focus on safety and drivers. Of particular importance to Harper is helping shippers understand the time constraints that drivers face.

— Chris Bahn

Five state firms get

global trade award

Five Arkansas companies have received the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Global Trade, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission said Thursday.

POM Inc., a parking meter company in Russellville, received the Arkansas rising star award, and Harris International of Springdale, the maker of a rust remover, received the global sustainability award.

Sweepscrub.com, a North Little Rock company that sells used and refurbished commercial cleaning equipment and parts, received the small manufacturer exporter award.

Triangle Engineering, a Jacksonville manufacture of heavy-duty fans, received the medium manufacturer award, and Arkansas Steel Associates of Newport received the large manufacturer exporter award.

The awards were presented Thursday at a ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion.

— Jessica Seaman

Arkansas Index up,

led by USA Truck

The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, rose 2.85 to 338.18 Thursday.

“U.S. stocks continued to rally on Thursday supported by another good housing number and a strong May Markit [Economics purchasing managers index] reading,” said John Blackwell, senior vice president and managing director of equity trading at Stephens Inc. in Little Rock.

USA Truck climbed 3.2 percent on average volume. Acxiom advanced 2.7 percent in heavy trading. Windstream also gained 2.7 percent on low volume.

Total volume of the index was 18.2 million shares.

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

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