BUSINESS BRIEFS

Arvest A Top Agriculture Lender

Arvest Bank ranks as the 25th leading bank lender to U.S. agriculture, according to the American Bankers Association’s list of the top 100 farm lenders. The bank made about $415 million in agricultural loans last year.

Farm lending is about 5.6 percent of the bank’s loan portfolio.

Farm production loans plus farmland loans have increased 82 percent from $227 million in 2006.

Total farm loans made byall banks have increased 47 percent from $49.1 billion in 2006 to $72.3 billion in 2011.

Bentonville To Get

The Mustache

A business that opened in April 2011 in downtown Fayetteville will branch out with a new store in Bentonville.

The Mustache: Goods & Wears is converting 113 W. Central Ave. off the Bentonville square into an extension of the quirky brand. Owners Lori and Michael Fastin partnership with Ashley and Brian Bailey hope to open the store in mid-July.

“The two stores will have a similar feel, but a new location will allow us to introduce and try out new lines,” Brian Bailey said.

The store sells an eclectic array of shirts, dresses, moccasins, hats, books and mustache-related items.

The original store at 15 S. Block Ave. is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. It can be reached at 479-966-4610 or online at shopthemustache.

com.

Center Expands Nurse Program

Washington Regional Medical Center has expanded a geriatric resource nurse program from the Senior Specialty Unit to the entire hospital.

The program is one component of a NICHE designation, which Washington Regional earned last year. Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders is the only national designation indicating a hospital’s commitment to elder care excellence.

Washington Regional has 10 nurses who have completed specialized training for the geriatric resource nurse program.

Penske Moves To Larger Space

Penske Truck Leasing opened an 8,800-squarefoot facility at 425 N.

Bloomington St. in Lowell to offer full-service truck leasing, commercial truck rental and contract maintenance service for fleets. Housed on 6.2 acres, the building contains two service bays,a wash bay and a fuel island. Wireless technology components allow service technicians to integrate vehicle diagnostic and repair software. Penske moved from 701 S. Bloomington St.

BRIEFS ARE FOR BUSINESSES IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THAT ARE NEW, HAVE MOVED OR CLOSED, OPENED A NEW BRANCH, CHANGED OWNERS OR HAVE BEEN HONORED BY AN INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION. EMAIL ITEMS TO CSWANSON@NWAONLINE.

COM. INFORMATION WILL BE PUBLISHED AS SPACE ALLOWS.

Business, Pages 9 on 06/24/2012

Upcoming Events