Banking & Finance - ArkansasBusiness.com

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A prominent Arkadelphia insurance agent, Berry Bishop, had his insurance license suspended Tuesday morning in an emergency order alleging seven-figure bank fraud and conversion of premium to personal use.

Bart Newman discovered irregularities and spent weeks working on a plan to rescue Alliance Insurance Group of Arkadelphia. Then he saw Arkansas Business' report that Alliance's license had been suspended.

Undergraduate and graduate student teams from the University of Arkansas and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock walked away from the 18th annual Governor's Cup competition with $154,000.

Home BancShares Inc. of Conway on Thursday reported first-quarter profit of $73.1 million, up 56 percent from the same quarter last year, a new record.

Long-term U.S. mortgage rates climbed upward this week, slightly worsening affordability for homebuyers.

Arvest Bank closes on its previously announced acquisition of Bear State Financial Inc. of Little Rock, the parent company of Bear State Bank.

Re/Max Elite, Coldwell Banker RPM Group and Keller Williams Realty, all of Little Rock, moved up among the top 10 residential realty firms in Arkansas last year.

While Lex and Ellen Golden were discharged from bankruptcy last week, their Chapter 7 liquidation remains active with a pending auction of household furnishings and other assets.

First National Bank of Paragould announced Monday that it is buying One Bank & Trust of Little Rock.

Stone Bank of Mountain View has finished renovating an 18,000-SF space in Little Rock for $1 million and opened its fourth retail banking location in Arkansas there.

U.S. sales of existing homes increased 1.1 percent on a monthly basis in March, which suggests that buyers are undeterred by the dwindling number of properties available on the market.

Simmons First National Corp. of Pine Bluff reports quarterly net income of $51.3 million, up 132 percent from the same quarter last year, as the company completed integrating Southwest Bank into its subsidiary bank.

The Bank of Prescott and Citizens Bank of Batesville filed civil suits Monday alleging frauds totaling $2.4 million by former insurance agent Berry Bishop and his agency, Alliance Insurance Group of Arkadelphia Inc.

Southern Bancorp Inc. of Little Rock raises $17.7 million through a recent capital campaign.

Greg Hartz, founder and co-owner of registered investment advising firm Foundation Resource Management, and Mark Millsap, co-owner, recently sold a minority interest in the firm to five staff members.

An insurance conglomerate has sued Alliance Insurance Group of Arkadelphia and its owner, Berry R. Bishop, pushing the total value of claims filed against them to more than $3 million.

Gary Griffin has almost 40 years of U.S. Small Business Administration lending experience and is a past board member of the National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders.

A California real estate investment firm paid more than $11 million for the Springdale Ridge Apartments.

Rock Town Distillery Inc., led by Phil Brandon, bought the onetime home of Jungkind Photographic at 1201 Main St.

SPONSORED: 'Doctor Of Sales' Prescribes Individualized Approach

Insurance Agent Berry Bishop Accused of Fraud, Misuse of Premium

Alliance Insurance Agents Surprised by AID Order; Plan to Buy Insolvent Agency

Medical Device Teams from UA, UA Little Rock Sweep Governor's Cup

Home BancShares 1Q Profit Up 56 Percent

Average US 30-Year Mortgage Rate Rose to 4.47 Percent

Arvest Bank Closes on Bear State Acquisition

Residential Trio Climbs the 2017 Ladder of Top Real Estate Agencies

Debt Discharged for Lex and Ellen Golden

First National Bank of Paragould to Buy One Bank & Trust

Stone Bank Opens New Branch in Little Rock

US Existing Home Sales Rose 1.1 Percent in March

Makris: Simmons First's 1Q Shows 'Productive Start' to 2018

Two Banks Allege $2.4M in Fraud by Arkadelphia Insurance Agent Berry Bishop

Southern Bancorp Raises $17.7M in First Close of Capital Campaign

Minority Interest in LR Investment Firm Sold to Staff

Third Lawsuit Pushes Claims Against Berry Bishop to $3M

Gary Griffin Promoted to EVP at Stone Bank (Movers & Shakers)

Springdale Ridge Property Bought for $11.25 Million (NWA Real Deals)

Rock Town Distillery Buys $2 Million Home (Real Deals)