Author: Roby Brock

Roby Brock

Legislative Memo Outlines Public School Employee Insurance Changes

Last week, House Speaker Davy Carter (R-Cabot) and Senate President Michael Lamoureux (R-Russellville) charged the heads of the legislative education and insurance committees to come up with a framework for…

Plum Creek CEO Says Housing Rebound, Chinese Demand Bodes Well For Industry

Plum Creek Timber Corp. CEO Rick Holley told members of the Arkansas Forestry Association that a housing recovery and new markets bode well for the industry as he expects bullish…

Health Insurance Marketplace To Go Live Tuesday

While the federal budget in Washington, D.C. shuts down over health care funding, the health insurance market in Arkansas is about to open a new outlet for business.

Up To 2,000 Arkansas Workers Could Be Affected By Federal Government Shutdown

While federal lawmakers wrestle with resolutions to keep the national government funded, state leaders are making contingency plans for furloughs and delays.

Will The Cows Come Home?

Mired in a debate to keep the government’s lights on, Congressional inaction on agricultural policy could lead to real pain for farmers and consumers.

Notes From The Campaign Trail 9.27.13

The U.S. Senate campaign dominated the exchanges behind-the-scenes as a tussle over a variety of federal issues escalated.

Broadband Conference Assessing State’s Internet Future

State business, education and policy leaders are meeting at the Marriott Hotel in Little Rock to discuss strategies for deploying more broadband throughout Arkansas. The Connecting Arkansas Internet Conference, spearheaded…

Teacher Insurance: A Consensus That There Is No Consensus

Lawmakers and public school stakeholders have been holding non-stop meetings all week in an effort to find a solution to a $58 million teacher health insurance deficit.

Going Deep With Murphy Oil CEO Roger Jenkins

Roger Jenkins is the first deepwater drilling expert to lead Murphy Oil Corp. as he took the CEO helm at the end of the Murphy USA spin-off period. Jenkins, a…

Mapping Murphy USA’s Future With CEO Andrew Clyde

Editor’s note: This story appears in the latest magazine issue of Talk Business Arkansas, which you can read online at this link. An El Dorado boy can have a lot of…

Magazine: Talk Business Arkansas September/October

Meet the new CEOs of Murphy Oil and Murphy USA, learn where the business of big-time college sports is headed, and go behind-the-scenes in the U.S. Senate race.

Forthcoming Insurance Exchange Details Explained

On Monday, the state’s health insurance marketplace takes a step forward, but Insurance Commissioner Jay Bradford and State Sen. Jonathan Dismang warn that ‘a bumpy road’ remains.

Big River Steel’s John Correnti: We’re ‘In The Red Zone’

Big River Steel superproject investor John Correnti is as excited as a football coach with championship expectations at the start of the season. On Thursday (Sept. 19), the Arkansas Department…

Windstream CEO Reveals Roundtable Discussion With President

Windstream CEO Jeff Gardner is optimistic that Congress can become functional, pass meaningful tax reform, and help boost a struggling economy despite new data that suggests his peers see conditions…

Pryor vs. Cotton: Could They Be Any Different?

The two candidates for next year’s heavyweight match-up for the U.S. Senate couldn’t offer a bigger contrast in campaign styles or pure personality.

Bankers Meet With Dodd-Frank Regulator To Discuss Concerns

The head of the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Richard Cordray, met with about 15 state bankers on Monday night in Arkansas to discuss concerns related to the Dodd-Frank financial law. The meeting was well-received, but apprehension remains.