Money Talk: Former Oklahoma Governor, American Bankers Association CEO To Speak In Arkansas

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FORMER OKLAHOMA GOVERNOR, AMERICAN BANKERS ASSOCIATION CEO TO SPEAK IN ARKANSAS
Gov. Frank Keating, who is now the president and CEO of the American Bankers Association, will speak at a luncheon event of the Arkansas chapter of the Risk Management Association on Sept. 17 at the Clinton Presidential Library.

Keating became ABA’s president and CEO on January 1, 2011, following seven years of service as the president and CEO of the American Council of Life Insurers, and after serving two terms as Oklahoma governor. He also served Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush in the federal Treasury, Justice and Housing departments.

INSURANCE COMMISSIONER APPROVES NEW TITLE UNDERWRITER
Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Allen Kerr announced last week the approval of Alliant National Title Insurance Company (ANTIC) to do business in the state of Arkansas. ANTIC, a title underwriter for residential and commercial property, is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Agents Investors Group of America, LLC and is domiciled in Colorado. The company is licensed in 17 states and currently writes title business in 11 jurisdictions.

U.S. GDP GROWTH REVISED UPWARD TO 3.7%, PUTS FED POLICY MEETING BACK IN FOCUS
In the “second revision” of the nation’s real gross domestic product, or GDP, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data shows that the U.S. economy advanced at a robust annual rate of 3.7% in the second quarter of 2015, the Department of Commerce reported Thursday.

The sharp upward revision may put the topic of the “lifting off” of interest rates back on the table at the Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee (FOMC) policy meeting on Sept. 16, although New York Fed President William Dudley said on Wednesday “pockets of weaknesses” remain.

FAYETTEVILLE-BASED SAGE PARTNERS EXPANDS WITH LITTLE ROCK REAL ESTATE OFFICE
Fayetteville-based commercial real estate firm Sage Partners is expanding its Little Rock operations with a move to office space at the former Alltel Corp. headquarters. As part of the expansion, the real estate firm has hired Ryan Gibson as an associate. Gibson comes to Sage from Windstream Holdings, Inc., where he served as a financial analyst.