News in brief

Two Little Rock marketing firms merge

Two Little Rock marketing firms -- EXIT Marketing and Thoma Thoma -- have merged, the companies said Monday.

The firm, to be called Thoma Thoma with EXIT Digital as its social media-digital marketing arm, will be led by the three principals of the merging firms: Shawn Solloway of EXIT and Martin and Melissa Thoma of Thoma Thoma.

"The merger creates tremendous synergy for both firms and our clients," Martin Thoma said. "Thoma beefs up its creative and digital capabilities. EXIT gets significant planning, media, administrative and strategic horsepower. We expect our current clients and future clients to respond enthusiastically to the combined team."

The firms are "highly complementary," Solloway said.

The firm will be housed at 1500 Rebsamen Park Road in Little Rock.

Thoma Thoma has been in business for 30 years. The firm's clients include Southern Bancorp and Hendrix College, and it has done work for Pizza Hut, Comcast, Jack Henry and Associates, Potlatch, ABF Freight and Heifer International.

EXIT Marketing was founded by Solloway in 2004. EXIT's clients include Fairway Lawns, P.I. Roofing, Cecil's Fine Jewelry, National Park Medical Center, Applied Technology Group and Central Arkansas Water.

-- David Smith

5 inductees named for agriculture hall

The Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame on Monday announced the next five members who will be inducted into the group during a luncheon at 11:30 a.m. March 1 at the Embassy Suites hotel in Little Rock.

The latest five inductees include three educators: L.B. "Bernie" Daniels, a retired animal science professor at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville; Donna Graham, a UA agriculture professor; and Terry Siebenmorgen, a UA agriculture professor.

The new class also includes David Walt of Dumas, a retired soybean farmer, and Ed Fryar of Rogers, founder of Ozark Mountain Poultry.

The Arkansas Farm Bureau, which helps with the hall's administration, announced the new members. Their addition will bring the hall to 169 members.

-- Stephen Steed

Index picks up 8.33 to close at 383.97

The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, rose 8.33 to 383.97 Monday.

"Shares of Amazon.com and Netflix pushed stocks higher on Monday, helped by some positive news regarding the U.S.-China trade talks and Federal Reserve Chairman's comments eased concerns that have troubled investors in recent months," said Chris Harkins, managing director with Raymond James & Associates in Little Rock.

Total volume for the index was 21.3 million shares.

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

Business on 01/08/2019

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