American Equity Investment Life Holding Co. yesterday announced that Wendy Carlson, chief financial officer and general counsel, and John Matovina, vice chairman, will present at the Friedman, Billings, Ramsey 2008 Fall Investor Conference in New York on Tuesday, Dec. 2, at 1:20 p.m. Iowa time. Investors may access a webcast of this presentation on American Equity’s Web site, www.american-equity.com.

Gov. Chet Culver has been confirmed as the keynote speaker for the 73rd annual Iowa Taxpayers Association (ITA) tax symposium and annual meeting at the Sheraton West Des Moines Hotel on Dec. 9 from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. For more information on how to register for the event, visit ITA’s Web site at www.iowataxpayers.org.

The Wells Fargo Home and Consumer Finance Group yesterday announced it is laying off 67 employees at its Dallas, Texas, automotive finance facility starting Jan. 10, 2009, the San Antonio Business Journal reported. The company is implementing what is “anticipated to be a permanent plant closure of the entire facility,” according to a letter sent to the Texas Workforce Commission, which the company anticipates will better align capacity with loan volume.

Chicago-based General Growth Properties Inc., the developer of West Des Moines’ Jordan Creek Town Center, considered filing for bankruptcy earlier this month but saw its share price more than double Monday and then rise another 36 percent on Tuesday after Pershing Square Capital Management LP, a hedge fund manager, bought a 20 percent interest through shares and swaps, Bloomberg reported. Pershing Square acquired 20.1 million shares, or 7.5 percent, of the real estate investment trust for $9.3 million between Nov. 13 and Nov. 17, according to a filing made today with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The shares are now worth $27.3 million.

Moline-based Deere & Co. today announced an 18 percent decline in fiscal fourth-quarter profits, the Associated Press reported. The farm-equipment manufacturer said it earned $345 million, or 81 cents per share, for the three months ended Oct. 31, down from $422.1 million, or 94 cents per share, in the same quarter a year ago. The company doesn’t predict things will get any better in fiscal 2009, and expects net income to slip about 7 percent to $1.9 billion. In the first quarter, Deere projects earnings will plunge more than 25 percent to $275 million, compared with $369.1 million last year.

Cedar Rapids-based Rockwell Collins Inc. yesterday announced that it had completed its acquisition of SEOS, a leading global supplier of highly realistic visual display solutions for commercial and military full flight simulators. The company did not disclose the terms of the agreement.

Wachovia Corp. said its top 10 executives would be eligible for a total of $98.1 million in severance pay after the financial services company is acquired by Wells Fargo & Co. next month, the Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area reported. According to a company filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Wachovia shareholders will vote on the merger Dec. 23. Wachovia says the executives will receive severance under their employment agreements if the merger closes by Dec. 31 and their jobs are subsequently terminated.

Note:

The Business Record Daily will not publish on Thursday, Nov. 27, or Friday, Nov. 28, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.