Stephens Steals One

Steve Carroll, a 12-year veteran of A.G. Edwards & Sons’ downtown Fayetteville office, jumped ship March 22 to join Stephen’s Inc. on Millsap Road.

The financial consultant has been a registered broker dealer since 1977 and a major player in the local field. He took with him to Stephens more than 1,000 clients and Kathryn Franks, his registered sales assistant. Carroll, a Little Rock native, started with Stephens the same day he resigned from A.G. Edwards.

Ame Knight, a financial consultant and C.P.A. for the last 18 months with Edward D. Jones in Fayetteville, also switched to Stephens recently giving the Little Rock securities firm 14 financial consultants in Northwest Arkansas.

Tim Hynes, manager of Stephens’ Fayetteville office compared his two new hires to “first round draft choices.” Hynes pointed out Stephens’ history of taking companies such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc., J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. and the former American Freightways Corp. public and said his firm is committed to helping maintain the area’s wealth.