Avis executive joins
America's Car-Mart
A top executive at Avis Budget Group has joined Rogers-based America's Car-Mart as the company's new president.
Douglas Campbell, with 25 years of experience in the auto industry, will become Car-Mart's new president effective Oct. 3, according to a Monday news release. Jeff Williams, who served as president of the company since 2016 and chief executive officer since early 2018 will remain as chief executive officer.
"We are delighted to add a leader of Doug's caliber to our dedicated executive team, and we look forward to the impact that he will have on our efforts around product, capitalizing on significant market growth opportunities in the coming years," Williams said in a statement.
According to a Monday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Campbell will receive a base salary of $650,000 along with other perks, stock options and bonus opportunities. He also qualifies for a $500,000 one-time cash signing bonus.
Campbell worked at Avis Budget Group as vice president of remarketing for the Americas. Before that he was employed by Auto Nation and Coral Springs Auto Mall in Florida.
Car-Mart shares closed at $66.78, down 54 cents, or less than 1%, in trading Monday on the Nasdaq.
-- John Magsam
Arkansas rice mills
donate to food bank
To mark National Rice Month, Arkansas rice mills are donating rice to the Arkansas Food Bank again this year.
The donations are coming from Producers Rice Mill in Stuttgart, Ralston Family Farms in Atkins, Riceland Foods Inc. of Stuttgart, Riviana Foods in Carlisle, Specialty Rice Inc. of Brinkley and Windmill Rice Company in Jonesboro.
In Arkansas, 25% of children may not have enough to eat, and one in five Arkansans may be struggling to access nutritious food, according to the Arkansas Food Bank's website.
The donations will be distributed to five Feeding America network food banks in Arkansas, including the River Valley Regional Food Bank in Fort Smith, Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas in Jonesboro, Harvest Regional Food Bank in Texarkana, Arkansas Foodbank in Little Rock and Northwest Arkansas Food Bank in Springdale.
-- Cristina LaRue
Arkansas Index falls
on 'choppy' Monday
The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, closed Monday at 719.45, down 7.77.
"A choppy Monday for U.S. stocks closing lower as global central banks continue to hike rates and share concerns over inflation, while investors remain cautious toward adding to stocks despite this year's selloff," said Chris Harkins, managing director at Raymond James & Associates.
The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.