Recently, a third group has entered the marketplace, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Seeking neither to hedge risk nor to speculate on prices, these individuals invest in commodity futures as a separate asset class, not unlike someone buying stocks or bonds.

Texas Business reports: DALLAS—New York’s Standard Motor Products Inc., an automotive replacement parts manufacturer and distributor acquired CompressorWorks, a temperature control company, for approximately $37.4 million.

Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—Apache Corporation completed its previously announced acquisition of Cordillera Energy Partners III  LLC, a privately held company with operations and acreage across the Granite Wash, Tonkawa, Cleveland and Marmaton plays in western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle. 

Texas Business reports: FRISCO, Texas—Comstock Resources Inc. completed the previously announced divestiture of certain oil and gas properties located in Tyler and Polk counties in South Texas and Lincoln Parish in North Louisiana.

Texas Business reports:  AUSTIN—Asset Revitalization Solutions LLC, an Austin-based distressed commercial real estate asset management company recently completed the acquisition of $73 million in distressed loans from a New York bank.

Texas Business reports: IRVINE, Califorina—CarFinance Capital LLC, a specialized provider of non-prime financing services for auto dealers, opened a new office in Fort Worth which is expected to eventually house up to an additional 125 employees. 

The Department of Education has been transferring large batches of federal student loans to new loan-servicing companies — leaving in the lurch some borrowers who are suddenly encountering problems with their loans, such as payments that are mysteriously adjusted up or down.

Texas Business reports:  DALLAS—Biometric Signature ID Inc. (BSI), developers of patented gesture biometrics software for Identity authentication over the Internet, closed a Series A financing with Mohegan Biometrics LLC, a subsidiary of the Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut.

Texas Business reports:  AUSTIN—College graduates with nonbusiness backgrounds can now earn a master of science degree in finance (MSF) from the McCombs School of Business. The 10-month degree, which is the newest expansion of McCombs' specialized master’s degree programs, will launch in July 2012.

Texas Business reports: SUGAR LAND, Texas—Imperial Sugar Company completed the sale of its 50% interest in Wholesome Sweeteners Inc. to an affiliate of Arlon Group, a private investment group focused on food and agriculture. 

Texas Business reports:  HOUSTON and KEMAH, Texas—Delta Seaboard International Inc. and American International Industries Inc. sold Delta's wholly-owned subsidiary, Delta Seaboard Well Service, Inc. to Delta Seaboard LLC, ( Delta LLC) an entity controlled by Delta president Robert Derrick, Jr. and Delta vice president Ron Burleigh.

Texas Business reports:  San Antonio’s largest credit union is tapping the UTSA market.

Texas Business reports:  A Round Rock firm won an $7.3 million contract for support of the military’s health insurance program, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.   

Texas Business reports:  SUGAR LAND, Texas—Arabian American Development Co received notification that its common stock has been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and is currently going through the required regulatory processes associated with the switch to the NYSE.

Texas Business reports:  PLANO—ViewPoint Financial Group Inc. received all regulatory approvals for its acquisition of Highlands Bancshares Inc. and Highlands' subsidiary bank, The First National Bank of Jacksboro. 

Texas Business reports:  ADDISON— ULURU advised the NYSE Amex of its intent to initiate a voluntarily delisting of the company's common stock from trading on the exchange.

Texas Business reports:  AUSTIN—Campus Advantage, a student housing company, receinlty closed its acquisition of two properties, a $100 million joint venture with one of the nation's largest pension funds.

Texas Business reports:  Fort Worth—VHGI Holdings Inc. announced its wholly-owned subsidiary, VHGI Coal, Inc. acquired all of the stock of Lily Group Inc.

Texas Business reports: KATY—Two pro sports women's associations are teaming up to form a credit union with an educational wealth empowerment program for pro athletes and their families. 

Texas Business reports:  THE WOODLANDS— Cardon Healthcare Network announced that Outreach Services has agreed to a merger between the two companies.

Texas Business reports:  DALLAS—Ryan, a leading global tax services firm with the largest indirect tax practice in North America, secured a $100 million (expandable to $135 million) syndicated credit facility led by Bank of America, N.A., including Comerica Bank; Citibank, N.A.; and Fifth Third Bank.

Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—Prosperity Bancshares Inc.  plans to acquire The Bank Arlington. 

Texas Business reports:  MANSFIELD—Texas Trust Credit Union will soon open another branch in Grand Prairie, its ninth in north Texas, giving area consumers more choice for their banking options.

Texas Business reports:  AUSTIN—Asset Revitalization Solutions,  specialists in distressed asset investments and management, acquired $10 million in distressed loans in Florida.

Texas Business reports:  HOUSTON—Prosperity Bancshares Inc. completed the previously announced acquisition of Texas Bankers Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Bank of Texas, Austin, Texas.

Texas Business reports:  DALLAS—Texas Instruments Incorporated is transferring its stock exchange listing to The NASDAQ Global Select Market from The New York Stock Exchange, effective January 1, 2012.

Texas Business reports:  CHICAGO—RFG Fund I LLC acquired a majority interest in Excel Finance Holding Company ("Excel"), headquartered in Austin, Texas.

Texas Business reports: HOUSTON—Frost Insurance will acquire Stone Partners Inc., a human resource consulting firm that specializes in compensation, benefits and outsourcing services, effective on January 1, 2012.

Texas Business reports:  DALLAS—Highland Funds Asset Management LP will spin off from Highland Capital Management LP and form Pyxis Capital, a registered investment adviser serving financial advisers, institutions, and individual investors seeking registered alternative investment solutions.

Texas Business reports:  DALLAS—Generational Equity, a mergers and acquisitions advisor for privately-held and family-owned businesses, announced the sale of its client, Trevathan Tool Company to a private investor.

Texas Business reports:  HOUSTON—Prosperity Bancshares Inc. signed a definitive agreement to acquire East Texas Financial Services Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary, First Federal Bank Texas (Firstbank).

Texas Business reports:  Louisiana-based MidSouth Bancorp Inc. confirmed its subsidiary, MidSouth Bank , completed its acquisition of the Beacon Federal branch in Tyler, Texas.

Texas Business reports: DALLAS—Dallas-based Akard Street Partners, an investment partnership operated by Hunt Realty Investments, agreed to capitalize its newest real estate operating company, Capital Health Holdings LP, which will acquire and selectively develop private pay senior housing assets throughout the U.S., primarily assisted living and memory care facilities.

Texas Business reports:  DALLAS—Resort Finance America LLC  acquired a controlling interest in PH Towers Westgate in Las Vegas, Nevada from Westgate Resorts. 

Texas Business reports: AUSTIN—WhaleShark Media,  the world's leading marketplace for online coupons and deals, received $150 million in funding from J.P. Morgan Asset Management and Institutional Venture Partners (IVP) bringing the company's total funding from investors to nearly $300 million.

Texas Business reports:  Nebraska-based Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. (Ameritas Life) entered into an agreement in principle to acquire BNL Financial Corporation (BNL), the parent company of Brokers National Life Assurance Company (Brokers National), an Austin, Texas-based insurance company domiciled in Arkansas.

Texas Business reports:  The Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) selected Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. LP to manage $3 billion of TRS' capital across a variety of private markets' asset classes.

Texas Business reports:  THE WOODLANDS—Huntsman Corporation announced that its Advanced Materials division completed the sale of its stereolithography resin and Digitalis machine manufacturing businesses to 3D Systems Corporation for $41 million in cash.

Texas Business reports: DALLAS—Many Texas Credit unions had a steady stream of new accounts open on Saturday as "Bank Transfer Day" drew attention online and on the streets across the state.

Texas Business reports:  DALLAS—MoneyGram International signed an agreement with Massachusetts-based Cumberland Farms to launch the first locations of the MoneyGram  Xpress service.

Texas Business reports:  BRENHAM--On May 5, 2011, an Emergency Cease and Desist Order was issued to Emmitt Lewis, Jr., dba Lewis Funeral Home and Chapel for the sale of a trust-funded preneed funeral contract without the required state permit and the mishandling of funds as required by Texas Finance Code Chapter 154, the Texas Department of Banking announced this week.

Texas Business reports:  DALLAS--glendonTodd Capital LLC, a private equity firm that focuses on investments in a broad range of industry sectors including financial services, business services, and technology announces the investment into F&M Bancorporation Inc.

Texas Business reports:  AUSTIN—Executive teams from 10 Texas Venture Labs (TVL) portfolio companies will pitch their ideas to investors at the upcoming Venture Expo Oct. 27.

Texas Business reports:  FRIENDSWOOD—Texas Gulf Bank broke ground on its new branch location in Friendswood, Texas.

Texas Business reports:  LAREDO—International Bancshares Corporation plans to close 55 of its smaller in-store branches located in grocery stores.

Texas Business reports:  ALICE, Texas—Forbes Energy Services Ltd. announced that on September 9, 2011, the company and certain of its subsidiaries entered into a five year asset based revolving credit facility with Regions Bank and certain other lenders, which is secured by substantially all of the company's assets. 

Texas Business reports:  AUSTIN—EZCORP Inc. terminated an agreement to acquire a controlling interest in Cash Converters International.

Texas Business reports:  WACO—Life Partners Holdings Inc, parent company of Life Partners, Inc., announced  The Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq) accepted the company's plan to regain compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) (the Rule) which will permit a continued listing of the company's stock on the Nasdaq Global Select market.

Texas Business reports:  AUSTIN—Forestar Group Inc.  completed the sale of approximately 50,000 acres of timberland in Georgia and Alabama for $75 million to Plum Creek Timber Company, Inc. Forestar reserved mineral rights and retained an option to acquire the mitigation rights to approximately 1,000 acres for use in mitigation banks.

Texas Business reports:  AUSTIN—Kimbia Inc. raised more than $4 million in a Series 2 round of funding led by S3 Ventures to expand industry adoption of its Web-based fundraising and event management software.

Texas Business reports: SES Advisors Inc., a Philadelphia-based ESOP advisory, transaction and administration firm,  opened a new office in Fort Worth.

Texas Business reports:   M.R. Beal & Company, an investment banking firm specializing in municipal finance, corporate finance, and equity execution, announced a major expansion in Texas with the opening of offices in Houston and San Antonio to complement the firm’s presence in Dallas.

Texas Business reports:  Tennessee’s Wunderlich Securities opened a  branch in Dallas and named Murray (Pap) Roark as managing director – Texas.

Texas Business reports:  AUSTIN--Interest rates on new credit card offers stayed at record highs this week, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report.

Texas Business reports:  AUSTIN—Temple-Inland Inc. acknowledged that International Paper Company IP announced that it will commence an unsolicited offer to acquire all of the outstanding shares of common stock of Temple-Inland for a price of $30.60 per Temple-Inland share in cash.

 Texas Business reports:  SAN ANTONIO—Pioneer Drilling Company Inc entered into an amendment and restatement of its existing credit agreement.  The amended and restated credit agreement provides the company with a $250 million, five-year, senior secured revolving credit facility.

Texas Business reports:  A California firm bought 51 percent of a Houston company and made it a subsidiary. Medina International Holdings Inc. of Corona, California, entered into a with WinTec Protective Systems Inc. of Houston, in which Medina will issue three million shares of its restricted common stock in exchange for 20,400,000 shares of the common stock of WinTec.

Texas Business reports:  The Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), which maintains a special reserve fund mandated by Congress to protect the customers of insolvent brokerage firms, said that it expects to announce on or about September 15, 2011 its decision about the referral provided by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with respect to the Stanford Group Company, operated by former Waco businessman  Robert Allen Stanford.

Texas Business reports:  ORCHARD—Global Technologies Ltd.  reached an agreement to acquire and merge with Oxygen Orchard  Inc.

Texas Business reports: BEDFORD—Foundation Financial Group, a financial services companies in the U.S., will open its seventh U.S. sales center at 1903 Central Drive in Bedford, Texas, between Fort Worth and Dallas.

Texas Business reports:  GRAPEVINE—Greenhunter Energy Inc., a diversified renewable energy company focused on water resource management, biomass power generation, wind and solar energy projects, closed a non-brokered private placement of 522,500 units of GreenHunter Energy Inc. at a price of $2.00 per unit, for aggregate gross proceeds of $1,045,000. 

 Texas Business reports:  Oklahoma’s Laredo Petroleum, LLC ("Laredo") and Dallas-based Broad Oak Energy  Inc. entered into definitive agreements whereby Broad Oak will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Laredo in exchange for aggregate consideration of approximately $1 billion.

Lion column from a Neptune memorial reef

Texas Business reports:  Houston—Service Corporation International, the largest provider of deathcare products and services in North America bought 70 percent of the outstanding shares of The Neptune Society Inc.

Texas Business reports:  Groesbeck--A Limestone County jury sentenced Reginald Lee Clark to 25 years in state prison after convicting him of stealing more than $400,000 from clients of his investment advisory business. The 12-member jury convicted Clark on a charge of theft on May 25, according to a statement by the Texas State Securities Board.

Texas Business reports: The Justice Department today announced settlements with two lenders, including a Texas-based lender, under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) to resolve allegations that the lenders wrongfully foreclosed upon active duty servicemembers without first obtaining court orders, in violation of the SCRA.

Texas Business reports: Austin—Rules-Based Medicine (RBM), a provider of biomarker testing services, bought the intellectual property assets from Satoris Inc. RBM itself has signed an agreement to be bought by a Utah firm.   

 Texas Business reports:  Dallas—Ray M. White, 52, of Mansfield, Texas, who pleaded guilty in June 2010 to one count of commodities fraud, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade to 10 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas.

Texas Business reports:  Argyle—SMSA Treemont Acquisition Corp. consummated a share exchange agreement with Xiangrui Pharmaceutical International Limited, a British Virgin Islands company (“XPI”), and the sole shareholder of XPI.

Texas Business reports:  Securities Commissioner Benette L. Zivley on May 13 entered an Emergency Cease and Desist Order against a North Texas company and its affiliate, alleging the fraudulent sale and marketing of oil and gas interests to teachers and other school district employees.

Texas Business reports:  TriNovus LLC, a Birmingham, Alabama company focused on delivering relevant technology solutions to the financial marketplace, will buy eBank Systems LLC, a Lubbock, Texas-based solutions provider specializing in delivering complete turnkey core processing systems to community banks.

Texas Business reports:   InComm, a provider of sales and marketing of prepaid products and  transaction processing, recently partnered with Texas-based Fiesta Mart, Inc., a Texas-based grocery store chain to go into the prepaid business.

Texas Business reports:  The Federal Reserve Board on Thursday requested public comment on a proposed rule that would create new protections for consumers who send remittance transfers to recipients located in a foreign country.

Texas Business reports:  Asset Revitalization Solutions LLC bought $18 million in commercial real estate loans secured by Jacksonville Area properties from an undisclosed seller.

Texas Business reports:  A 20-year-old computer hacker from North Carolina has been sentenced to prison for planning to hack into Houston-area ATMs, United States Attorney José Angel Moreno announced.

Texas Business reports:  SAO PAULO—Austin’s Rev Worlwide launched Brazil's first reloadable prepaid card for everyday purchases with Banco PanAmericano and MasterCard in participating PanAmericano.

Texas Business reports:  Spiceworks Inc. closed a $25 million financing round with new investors Adams Street Partners and Tenaya Capital and participation from existing investors.

Texas Business reports: A Tennessee firm completed its buy of a controlling interest in a Houston hospital. IASIS Healthcare LLC completed the acquisition of a 79 percent ownership interest in St. Joseph Medical Center (“St. Joseph”), a 792 licensed bed facility in downtown Houston.

Texas Business reports:  Round Rock—Dell plans to buy Dell Financial Services (DFS) Canada Ltd., a CIT Vendor Finance and Dell partnership.

Texas Business reports:  Dallas—Cotton Creek Capital and its co-investors completed the acquisition of Fort Worth-based Graco Supply & Integrated Services.

Texas Business reports:  Texas is investing $1.2 million through the Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF) in TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation for the expansion of their Fort Worth facility.

Texas Business reports:  Austin-Interest rates on credit card offers rose for the first time in nearly two months, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report, thanks to a move by Chase.

Texas Business reports:  Houston—Momentum Oil & Gas LLC executed a four year, $100 million credit agreement with BNP Paribas, Union Bank, and Bank of Texas.

Texas Business reports:  The Federal Reserve Board is seeking comment on a notice that outlines how it intends to apply certain parts of its current consolidated supervisory program for bank holding companies to savings and loan holding companies (SLHCs) after assuming supervisory responsibility for the SLHCs.

 Texas Business reports:  Grapevine—Greenhunter Energy Inc., a renewable energy company focused on biomass power generation, wind and solar energy projects, and water resource management, announced financial and operating results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010.

Texas Business reports:  Austin—Interest rates on credit card offers remained unchanged for a record fifth straight week, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report, and experts say that's good news for consumers.

Texas Business reports:  Dallas—Arabian American Development Co., which owns and operates a petrochemical facility north of Beaumont, realigned the audit committee of the board of directors to regain compliance with the listing rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market.

Texas Business reports:  The Federal Reserve Board requested comment on a proposed rule to repeal the Board's Regulation Q, which prohibits the payment of interest on demand deposits by institutions that are member banks of the Federal Reserve System.

Texas Business reports:  Eastland—First Financial Bank, Eastland plans to open a new branch bank in Cisco.

Texas Business reports:  Austin—Interest rates on credit card offers remained unchanged for the fourth straight week, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report, but issuers are still tweaking offers.

Texas Business reports:  Little Elm—Retractable Technologies Inc., a maker of safety needle devices, announces net income of more than $2.4 million in 2010 compared to a net loss of more than $9.4 million in 2009.

Texas Business reports:  Austin—VGM Insurance Company chose 4Sight Business Intelligence, a provider of off-the-shelf property and casualty specific business intelligence products , for property and casualty insurance.

Texas Business reports: Dallas--Transcontinental Realty Investors Inc., a Dallas-based real estate investment company, reported results of operations for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2010.

The company reported net loss applicable to common shares of $68.3 million or $8.42 per diluted earnings per share, as compared to a net loss applicable to common shares of $80.7 million or $9.94 per diluted earnings per share for the same period ended 2009.

Texas Business reports:  McAllen—The former president and vice president of a McAllen-area bank and an area homebuilder have been convicted of bank fraud after pleading guilty, United States Attorney José Angel Moreno announced.

Texas Business reports:  The Texas Attorney General’s office resolved the state’s enforcement action against South Carolina-based income tax consulting firm JK Harris & Company.

Texas Business reports: Dallas--Texas Instruments will buy California’s National Semiconductor in a $6.5 billion  transaction.

Texas Business reports:  Frisco—Assured Pharmacy, a specialty pharmacy group that provides prescription medications to more than 3,000 sufferers of chronic pain, announced total sales on a same store basis for the month of January  2011 were $1,430,278 which equates to $68,108 per business day. 

Credit union customers deposit checks with scanner, computer.

Texas Business reports:  Fort Worth:  A federal credit union added a service that allows its customers to deposit checks with a computer and scanner.

Texas Business reports:  Exterran Holdings Inc. and Exterran Partners L.P. announced that the underwriters of the previously announced secondary offering by Exterran Holdings of 5,250,000 common units representing limited partner interests in Exterran Partners at $28.65 per common unit, which closed on March 4, 2011, partially exercised their over-allotment option and purchased an additional 664,466 common units.

Texas  Business reports:  The Federal Reserve Board on Friday adopted two rules that would expand the coverage of consumer protection regulations to credit transactions and leases of higher dollar amounts.

Texas Business reports:  The average annual percentage rate (APR) on new credit card offers remained unchanged at 14.65 percent for the second straight week, according to CreditCards.com's Weekly Rate Report.

Texas Business reports:  Midland—Dawson Geophysical Company and TGC Industries Inc.  entered into a merger agreement dated March 20, 2011 whereby Dawson will acquire TGC in a tax-free stock-for-stock transaction.  

outhwest Airlines Buys Airtran

Texas Business reports:  Shareholders of AirTran Holdings Inc., the parent company of AirTran Airways (AirTran), approved the proposed acquisition of AirTran by Southwest Airlines.

Texas Business reports:  Rent-A-Center Inc.,  the nation’s largest rent-to-own operator,  announced that its board of directors has declared a $0.06 per share cash dividend for the second quarter of 2011 to be paid to the company’s common stockholders.

Texas Business reports:  An Austin firm entered an agreement to buy a controlling interest in Australia’s Cash Converters.

Texas Business reports: Permian Basin Royalty Trust declared a cash distribution to the holders of its units of beneficial interest of $.135350 per unit, payable on April 14, 2011, to unit holders of record on March 31, 2011. 

Texas Business reports:  Pennsylvania’s Mace Security International Inc. sold another non-security asset, a full-service car wash facility and convenience store located in Lubbock.

Texas Business reports:  The board of directors of Commercial Metals Company declared a quarterly cash dividend of twelve cents per share on common stock to stockholders of record on April 1, 2011.  

Texas Business reports: San Antonio—Payment Data Systems Inc., an integrated electronic payments solutions provider, announced the payment processing projections for the first quarter of 2011 and provides an update on the selection of a new sponsoring bank for its card issuing division, FiCentive.

Texas Business reports:  In a scheduled update to its business outlook for the first quarter of 2011, Texas Instruments Incorporated narrowed its expected ranges for revenue and earnings per share (EPS).

Texas Business reports:  The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced today that it has fined Southwest Securities, Inc. of Dallas $500,000 for using paid consultants to solicit municipal securities business and for violations of other Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) rules.

Texas Business reports:  The Federal Reserve Board on Thursday requested public comment on proposed amendments to Regulation CC (Availability of Funds and Collection of Checks) to encourage banks to clear and return checks electronically, add provisions that govern electronic items cleared through the check-collection system, and shorten the "exception" hold periods on deposited funds.

Texas Business reports:  Fort Worth—American Airlines Inc., the principal operating subsidiary of AMR Corporation announced the private offering of $1,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its senior secured notes.  

Texas Business reports:  Oklahoma-based BancInsure announced that Texas bankers would see rate adjustments.

Texas Business reports:  The Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed regulations regarding the credit score disclosure requirements of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

Texas Business reports:  Houston’s LINN Energy, LLC  announced the pricing of its public offering of 16,000,000 units of its limited liability company interests at a price to the public of $38.80 per unit.

Texas Business reports:  Allstate Insurance Company plants to open a miminum of 140 agencies in Texas this year. 

Texas Business reports:  Corpus Christi’s Susser Holdings Corporation   reported that same-store merchandise sales for the fourth quarter of 2010 increased by 7.3 percent, compared with growth of 3.4 percent in the third quarter and a decline of 1.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009. 

Texas Business reports:  The Federal Reserve Board this week issued a final rule and requested public comment on a second rule under Regulation Z to revise the escrow account requirements for certain home mortgage loans.

Texas Business reports:  Houston’s Endeavour International Corporation announced an increase in proved and probable reserves as of December 31, 2010 resulting in a 419 percent reserve replacement rate of 2010 production, based on 2P reserves.

Texas Business reports:  Houston—Petrohawk Energy Corporation   announced its fourth quarter and full year 2010 financial results and provided guidance on its production and unit cost outlook for 2011.

Texas Business reports:  Houston—The board of directors of Westlake Chemical Corporation  declared on Friday a dividend of 6.35 cents per share, payable on March 25, 2011, to stockholders of record on March 11, 2011.

Texas Business reports:  Sugar Land—Imperial Sugar Company announced that its board of directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.02 per share payable on March 10, 2011 to shareholders of record on March 1, 2011.

Texas Business reports:  The board of directors of Southside Bancshares Inc., parent company of Southside Bank declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.17 per common share. 

Texas Business reports:  KeyOn Communications Holdings Inc., one of the largest providers of wireless broadband, satellite video and voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services in the United States, entered into a definitive asset purchase agreement with ERF Wireless, Inc.  to acquire certain wireless broadband networks and subscribers in East Central Texas.

Texas Business reports: Austin’s Combined Agents of America LLC partnered with two new companies, Allied Insurance and Allied General Agency Company.

Texas Business reports:  Fitch Ratings has affirmed its 'AA' rating on the following Granbury bonds as part of its surveillance efforts:

Texas Business reports:  Swank Capital LLC changed the name of its investment advisor subsidiary to Cushing MLP Asset Management LP.

Texas Business reports:  Information Services Group Inc., a Connecticut information-based services company, acquired Austin’s STA Consulting (Salvaggio, Teal & Associates) an independent information technology advisor serving the public sector.

Texas Business reports:  Houston’s Alpheus Communications, the largest competitive fiber network operator in Texas, announced acquired new fiber rings in east Dallas County and downtown Fort Worth from FiberLight.

Texas Business reports:  McKinney’s Torchmark Corporation, which owns American Income Life Insurance Company of Waco and Liberty National Life Insurance Company of McKinney, will release fourth quarter 2010 earnings after the market closes on Wednesday.

Texas Business reports: Huntsman Corporation announced that the company's board of directors has declared a $0.10 per share cash dividend on its common stock.

Texas Business reports: Richardson’s Intrusion Inc. will announce fourth quarter 2010 financial results on Wednesday.   

Texas Business reports:  Fitch Ratings affirmed its 'A' rating on the City of McAllen’s approximately $38 million in outstanding International Toll Bridge System (the system) revenue bonds, series 2007A and 2007B.

Texas Business reports: VINtek, a provider of automotive collateral management, electronic lien and title (ELT) and direct auto finance solutions, contracted to provide ELT services to Amarillo National Bank.

 Texas Business reports:  A Swiss firm bought out  the rest of a Texas materials firm.

Texas Business reports.  The Southwest Airlines board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of $.0045 per share to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 3, 2011 on all shares then issued and outstanding.

Texas Business reports:  An Arlington pet supply firm was sold to a Chicago equity firm.

Texas Business reports:  Plano’s Dr Pepper Snapple GroupInc., will issue its fourth quarter and full year 2010 financial results on Thursday, February 17, before the market opens. 

Texas Business reports:  Holly Energy Partners L.P. today announced declaration of its cash distribution, for the fourth quarter of 2010, of $0.845 per unit.

Texas Business reports:  A New York-based bank closed out an buyout by employees of a Houston staffing firm.

Texas Business reports:  XOG LLC, an independent oil and natural gas company headquartered in Houston received a $50 million equity commitment from Kayne Anderson Energy Funds and management.

Texas Business reports  USAA, a financial services provider,selected Addison as the location for its new Financial Advice Contact Center, which is expected to employ up to 200 people by the end of next year.

Texas Business reports:  Corpus Christi-based TOR Minerals International Inc.  entered into a new U.S. credit agreement with American Bank, N.A.  

Texas Business reports:  Doral Energy Corp. and Pure Energy Group completed a merger, forming Cross Border Resources Inc. of San Antonio.

Texas Business reports:  Texas Gulf Bank opened new location in Friendswood.

Texas Business reports:  The Federal Reserve Board on Wednesday approved an interim rule amending Regulation Z, which implements the Truth in Lending Act (TILA).

Texas Business reports:  The Federal Reserve Board proposed two rules that would expand the coverage of consumer protection regulations to credit transactions and leases of higher dollar amounts.

Texas Business reports:  An Arizona firm bought Clowe & Cowan of El Paso Inc., a wholesale distributor of waterworks supplies. 

Texas Business reports:  Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare Corporation  rejected a $7.3 billion buyout offer from Tennessee-based Community Health Systems Inc. 

Texas Business reports:  The Dwyer Group Inc. of Waco,  one of the world’s largest franchising companies of trades service brands,  will be acquired by an investor group led by New York’s TZP Capital Partners I, LP private equity fund. 

Texas Business reports:  Texas Rare Earth Resources Corporation changed its trading symbol from SDSR to TRER. 

Texas Business reports:  Multimedia Games Inc. authorized the repurchase of up to $15 million of the Company’s common stock over the next three years.

Texas Business reports:  The Beaumont-based Conn's Inc, a specialty retailer of consumer electronics, home appliances, furniture, mattresses, computers and lawn and garden products completed its refinancing plan. 

Texas Business reports:  A Lewisville firm is looking to raise $7.9 million in a common stock offering. 

Texas Business reports:  AUSTIN – The State of Texas, six other states and the U.S. Department of Justice today resolved a lengthy antitrust investigation into the anti-steering and non-discrimination rules of MasterCard International and Visa Inc.

Texas Business reports:  A Dallas bank formed a lending division dedicated to Small Business Administration loans. 

 Texas Business reports:  Regulators from the National Credit Union Administration took over Southwest Corporate, the wholesale credit union that serves as a central payment processing and investment facility for many Texas credit unions. 

Texas Business reports:  MoneyGram International, a leading global payments company, announced today that it will move its corporate headquarters to Dallas from Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

Texas Business reports:  As the oil & gas industry players frantically scrambles to position themselves in Texas, Dallas-based F&M Bank & Trust Company established a Texas Energy Lending Group. 

Texas Business reports:  The Dallas Federal Reserve Bank announced the U.S. federal banking agencies support the agreement reached at the September 12, 2010, meeting of the G-10 Governors and Heads of Supervision.

Texas Business reports:  A publicly traded Irving firm was able to keep its stock listed on NASDAQ. 

Texas Business reports:  American International Industries Inc. announced the approval by its board of directors to repurchase up to $1 million worth of its common stock.

Texas Business reports:  On a day of numerous final and proposed rules announced by the Federal Reserve Board, the agency on Monday proposed enhanced consumer protections and disclosures for home mortgage transactions.  

Texas Business reports:  The Federal Reserve Board on Monday proposed a rule to revise the escrow account requirements for higher-priced, first-lien "jumbo" mortgage loans. 

Texas Business  reports:  The Federal Reserve Board on Monday announced final rules to protect mortgage borrowers from unfair, abusive, or deceptive lending practices that can arise from loan originator compensation practices.

An auctioneer takes bids.

TexasBusiness.com reports:  HOUSTON—Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, the world's largest industrial auctioneer, will sell more than 550 FEMA trailers and 75 cranes during the next multi-million dollar unreserved public auction at its auction site in Houston on August 26-27, the company announced today. 

TexasBusiness.com reports:  The Dallas Federal Reserver announced that it will disclose certain information regarding discount window borrowing.

TexasBusiness.com reports:  Austin-based Owner Resource Group in partnership with the management of Gila Corporation, announced today that it has acquired Austin-based Gila Corporation.

The pawn lending locations operate in the states of Washington and Arizona under the names Pawn X-Change and Maxit.

TexasBusiness.com notes:  As he sits in the Bell County Jail, accused of the Nov. 5 Fort Hood shooting that left 13 dead, Maj. Nidal Hasan continues to receive his monthly U.S. Army paycheck, which based on his rank and experience is probably more than $6,000.

That's standard procedure for soldiers who are confined before military trial, according to Army officials, reports Jeremy Schwarz of the Austin American-Statesman.

TexasBusiness.com reports:  The overseas division of Bank of America San Antonio won a $7.2 million contract to provide military banking services, the U.S. Department of Defense announced today.  

TexasBusiness.com reports:  In an announcement of its annual shareholders meeting, Life Partner Holdings Inc. said it plans to spin out $100 million in net assets into a separate vehicle to be owned by its shareholders pro-rata to their share holdings. 

Bridge360 CEO Brenda Hall, joined partner Camelot Information Systems  Inc.,  chief executive Simon Ma and COO Heidi Chou to ring The Opening Bell at the New York Stock Exchange Friday.

After sliding to a 13-year low in 2009, venture investing in Austin companies rebounded sharply in the first half of 2010,  reports Lori Hawkins of the Austin American-Statesman.

The government  will auction  warrants it received from Houston-based Sterling Bancshares Inc. as part of its effort to recoup a $700 billion financial bailout.

The Texas Rangers owe Alex Rodriguez $25 million.  The Texas Rangers are in bankruptcy.  Rodriguez requested a seat on the creditors' committee.