The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) articles from March 2001

The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) archives from March 2001

High-Tech Farm Equipment to Be Showcased at Memphis, Tenn., Exhibition.
March 5, 2001... Byline: Christopher Barton Mar. 1--With the aid of a police escort, two huge pieces of farm equipment made their way down Walnut Grove earlier this week to the Memphis Cook Convention Center. A six-row cotton picker recently showcased...

The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn., Money Matters Column.
March 5, 2001... Byline: David Flaum Mar. 1--QUESTION: What recourse do I have if think my reported income on the W-2 is not correct? I have made three phone calls to the company trying to reconcile a difference of $740 between the W-2 and my final pay...

Memphis, Tenn.-Based Bank to Sell Student Loan Portfolio.
March 6, 2001... Byline: Christopher Barton Mar. 6--Memphis-based First Tennessee National Bank said Monday it is selling its student loan portfolio, but plans to continue to offer students loans at its banks. The bank's holding company, First...

Memphis, Tenn., Firms Offer Multi-Media Business Cards.
March 6, 2001... Byline: Mark Watson Mar. 6--At a convention or trade show with many prospective customers, you know you won't have time to give each prospect a comprehensive picture of the benefits offered by your company. But you go, anyway, on the...

Information Security Executive Discusses Technological Change.
March 6, 2001... Byline: Mark Watson Mar. 5--Technology changes faster than we think, and people change slower, Thornton May said Friday. That fact has serious implications for businesses, May said at the University of Memphis Institute for Managing...

Mother, Daughter, Launch Lakeland, Tenn.-Based Online Specialty Button Firm.
March 6, 2001... Byline: Linda A. Moore Mar. 6--A daughter-mother team is taking the concept of a former family business in a new direction by selling what they see as jewelry for your clothes. Holli Thompson and her mother, Lucy Smith, the former...

Cotton Merchant Blames Low Commodity Prices on Large Supply.
March 6, 2001... Byline: Christopher Barton Mar. 3--One reason cotton commodity prices are at record lows is because American farmers are planting too much cotton, one of the world's largest cotton merchants said Friday. William B. Dunavant Jr. told...

The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn., Money Matters Column.
March 6, 2001... Byline: David Flaum Mar. 3--With stocks no longer the darlings of investors as they were for most of the late 1990s, people are casting about for other profitable investments. While advisers warn against trying to time markets --...

Northwest Airlines Employees Vote on Possibility of Strike.
March 6, 2001... Byline: Richard Thompson Mar. 5--In Memphis, as well as across the nation, mechanics, cleaners and custodians at Northwest Airlines Corp. voted Friday on whether to authorize a strike if contract negotiations with company next week fail to...

Tennessee Legislature Prepares to Vote on Check Loan Company Fees.
March 9, 2001... Byline: Linda A. Moore Mar. 9--In an ideal world, state legislation that helps the check loan industry get more money from consumers wouldn't be much of an issue. In that ideal world, consumers would have budgets, savings accounts and...

Michigan-Based Company Buys Memphis, Tenn.-Based Construction Firm.
March 9, 2001... Byline: Christopher Barton Mar. 9--A Memphis construction firm that specializes in repairs after fires or natural disasters has been sold to a Michigan-based conglomerate. Birmingham, Mich.-based INRECON, one of the country's largest...

Federal Reserve Report Shows State of Regional Tennessee-Area Economy.
March 9, 2001... Byline: Linda A. Moore Mar. 8--High energy prices, weak manufacturing activity and severe winter weather were contributing factors in the slower economic pace of the region, according to a national summary released Wednesday. The Beige...

Federal Express Executive Given Award by Memphis, Tenn., University.
March 9, 2001... Byline: Christopher Barton Mar. 7--More than 20 years ago, Laurie Tucker remembers listening to lectures on marketing from professor John Pepin. On Tuesday, Pepin, now dean of the Fogelman College of Business & Economics at the University...

Human Resources Provider Consolidates Operations in Germantown, Tenn.
March 9, 2001... Byline: Jerome Obermark Mar. 9--ATS Inc., a professional employer organization that provides payroll and human resource functions to small- and medium-sized companies, is consolidating two operations into an office building at 3860...

Northwest Airlines Continues to Deal with Mechanics' Union.
March 9, 2001... Byline: Richard Thompson Mar. 7--Northwest Airlines Corp. and the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association return to the negotiating table before the National Mediation Board today in Washington. It remains to be seen if this will be the...

Memphis, Tenn., Area Benefits from Government-Induced Low Energy Prices.
March 9, 2001... Byline: Christopher Barton Mar. 8--An energy crisis similar to the one in California isn't likely to happen in Memphis, mostly because of the area's reliance upon low-priced power from government-owned Tennessee Valley Authority. But...

Several Memphis, Tenn., Retailers Offer Discounted Prices As They Close Doors.
March 9, 2001... Byline: Linda A. Moore Mar. 9--Tisha Watkins and Johnson Darling aren't regular shoppers of Bugle Boy at Southland Mall. But the "store closing" signs promising 30-50 percent off regular prices were enough to draw them in. "We...

Memphis, Tenn., Engineering Firms Win Awards.
March 10, 2001... Byline: Tom Bailey Jr. Mar. 10--How can you build Memphis International's World Runway without getting in the way of the planes taxiing around the airport 24 hours a day? How can you build one of the world's largest natural...

New Federal Program Helps Poor Tennessee Counties Pay for Infrastructure.
March 10, 2001... Byline: Christopher Barton Mar. 10--JACKSON, Tenn.--More than 70 government and business leaders from 21 West Tennessee counties gathered here Friday to learn more about federal funding under the newly created Delta Regional Authority. ...

FedEx Launches Wireless Technology for Package-Status Tracking.
March 13, 2001... Byline: Richard Thompson Mar. 13--FedEx Corp. has launched its next-generation of wireless information technology, the Memphis-based global transportation company said Monday. The new applications allow FedEx customers, couriers and...

Memphis, Tenn.-Based Consulting Firm Expands after Buying Competitor.
March 14, 2001... Byline: Christopher Barton Mar. 14--A Memphis-based environmental consulting firm has expanded into Nashville after buying one of its competitors. EnSafe Inc., which has about 200 employees, has bought EMPE Inc., which had about 45...

Court Hears Argument over Postal Service's Procurement of FedEx Contract.
March 14, 2001... Byline: James W. Brosnan Mar. 14--WASHINGTON--With 1,500 jobs for Memphis hanging in the balance, a federal judge heard seven hours of argument Tuesday in a bid by Emery Worldwide Airlines to overturn the new seven-year contract of the U....

Memphis, Tenn.-Based Firm Offers Processing Systems for Health-Care Providers.
March 14, 2001... Byline: Mark Watson Mar. 14--Isys Technology President Scott Vogel calls Oct. 16, 2002, a "medical Y2K" because on that day, a federal law will require virtually all large health plans and providers to accept and transmit claims...

Healthcare Company Sells Memphis, Tenn., Unit to Nashville, Tenn.-Based Firm.
March 14, 2001... Byline: Christopher Barton Mar. 15--Methodist Healthcare has sold its outpatient dialysis program at its Midtown hospital to Renal Care Group Inc. of Nashville. The move means that Renal, one of the largest dialysis service companies...

Kentucky University Professor Teaches College Students How to Talk about Money.
March 14, 2001... Byline: David Flaum Mar. 15--Teenagers and college students don't know enough about managing their money, and Celia Hayhoe has set out to do something about it. "Money is still the last taboo subject in our culture," said Hayhoe,...

Northwest Airlines, Memphis, Tenn.-Based Trucking Firm Issue Profit Warnings.
March 14, 2001... Byline: Richard Thompson Mar. 15--Call it the Slow Economy Blues, and Northwest Airlines Corp. and M.S. Carriers Inc. added their voices to the chorus of U.S. profit warnings. The Eagan, Minn.-based airline passenger carrier said it...

Time Inc. Executive to Speak at Germantown, Tenn.-Area Event.
March 14, 2001... Byline: Mark Watson Mar. 14--Walter Isaacson knows a little about Time, and members of the Germantown Area Chamber of Commerce wanted to learn a little bit about it from him. That's why Isaacson, Time Inc. editorial director, was asked...

Dot-Com Collapse Creates Increased Demand for Memphis, Tenn., Marketing Firm.
March 15, 2001... Byline: Mark Watson Mar. 15--Much of the past year's dotcom disaster could have been avoided, if managers had spent more money and time on the services of companies such as Memphis's NextResearch, company founder Jennifer Choate said...

The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn., Money Matters Column.
March 15, 2001... Byline: David Flaum Mar. 15--QUESTION: I received a non punitive settlement and desire to invest in an investment sheltering not only the principal, but also the earnings. This is to protect other income. I live on a limited fixed income...

Senator from Tennessee Wants to Help Small Businesses Use Federal Wage Subsidy.
March 21, 2001... Byline: James W. Brosnan Mar. 20--WASHINGTON--Spurred by a discussion with a leader of the Black Business Association of Memphis, Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) has authored a bill to make it easier for small businesses to take advantage of a...

Flint, Mich.-Based Companies to Open Cardboard Box Factory in Memphis, Tenn.
March 21, 2001... Byline: Christopher Barton Mar. 20--The owners of two Michigan-based companies plan to open a cardboard box factory in Memphis and hire 50 workers in the next three years. Compak Inc. and Webcor Packaging Corp., both of Flint, Mich.,...

Regional Development Officials Want New Organization in Memphis, Tenn.
March 21, 2001... Byline: Christopher Barton Mar. 20--Officials with Memphis-based Lower Mississippi Delta Development Center Inc. say they want the newly-created Delta Regional Authority to be based in Memphis. The board also would like to see one of...

Memphis, Tenn., Real Estate Market Stays Flat in February 2001.
March 21, 2001... Byline: Jerome Obermark Mar. 20--Memphis Area Association of Realtors reported 865 house sales last month. That was identical to their sales in February 2000. The 3,500-member trade association tracks monthly sales data through its...

Memphis, Tenn.-Area Hosts Home and Business Expo.
March 22, 2001... Byline: Cindy Wolff Mar. 22--The Bartlett Home & Business Expo will be today from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Bartlett Recreation Center, 7700 Flaherty Place. The expo will feature more than 80 booths from area businesses, including some...

Indianapolis-Based Women's Retail Chain Closes Stores in Memphis, Tenn., Area.
March 22, 2001... Byline: Linda A. Moore Mar. 22--Paul Harris Stores Inc. has joined the list of bankrupted retailers going out of business and closing stores. Closing sales are underway at Paul Harris stores at Wolfchase Galleria, Hickory Ridge Mall...

Tennessee Legislation May Threaten Telecom Venture Planned for Memphis Area.
March 22, 2001... Byline: Mark Watson Mar. 21--Bills pending in the Tennessee General Assembly would make the Memphis Networx project "virtually impossible," an attorney representing Memphis Light, Gas & Water Division said Tuesday. LG&W and a group of...

Southwire to Close Wire Plant, Adding to Woes in Osceola, Ark.
March 22, 2001... Byline: Christopher Barton Mar. 21--Carrollton, Ga.-based Southwire Co. said Tuesday it will close its wire production plant in Osceola, Ark., by the end of the year, leaving 100 workers jobless. The move cast another shadow on the...

Public Would Pay `Just About All' of Cost of Arena in Memphis, Tenn.
March 23, 2001... Byline: Blake Fontenay Mar. 22--Should Memphis build an arena to attract an NBA team, "just about all" of the estimated $200 million to $250 million cost would come from public sources. But J.R. `Pitt' Hyde III, leader of a local group...

Memphis, Tenn.-Based Bank Holding Company Plans to Adopt New Name.
March 23, 2001... Byline: David Flaum Mar. 23--National Commerce Bancorporation will become National Commerce Financial Corp. if shareholders approve the name change next month. The vote is scheduled for the Memphis-based company's annual meeting April...

Stockholder Wants Memphis, Tenn., Bank To Sell, Merge Company.
March 23, 2001... Byline: David Flaum Mar. 23--A Union Planters Corp. stock owner wants his fellow shareholders to vote to order the Memphis-based bank holding company directors to take immediate steps to seek a sale or merger of the company. The...

Tennessee Investors Reveal Role in Bid for Vancouver Grizzlies.
March 23, 2001... Byline: David Williams Mar. 22--Memphis businessman Staley Cates said Wednesday that he and his brother Andy are the "anonymous" members of AutoZone founder J. R. 'Pitt' Hyde III's investment group seeking an ownership share of the...

Federal Express Buys Memphis, Tenn., Distribution Facility.
March 23, 2001... Mar. 22--Federal Express Corporation has paid $4.1 million for Jostens' Memphis distribution facility and about 13 acres that came with it. FedEx bought the 67,000-square-foot building to accommodate its anticipated future growth, said....

Federal Express Meets Expectations Despite Little Economic Growth.
March 23, 2001... Byline: Richard Thompson Mar. 22--Memphis-based FedEx Corp. saw economic growth evaporate during the three months ending Feb. 28; but through stringent cost controls and a one-time gain from foreign tax credits, the company managed to post...

Germantown, Tenn., Firm Lands 3 Deals for Its Information-Aggregation Service.
March 23, 2001... Byline: Mark Watson Mar. 22--Germantown's uMonitor Inc. has snagged three deals that may generate, altogether, several hundred thousand dollars in revenue. uMonitor provides a secure information aggregation platform that allows users...

FedEx Aggressively Woos NBA Team to Memphis, Tenn.; Firm Wants Naming Rights.
March 23, 2001... Byline: David Williams Mar. 22--FedEx Corp. will buy team and arena naming rights from the Vancouver Grizzlies if the NBA franchise relocates to Memphis. Officials of the Memphis-based company wouldn't disclose financial details of the...

Retailer Converts Memphis, Tenn., Store into Clearance Center.
March 23, 2001... Byline: Linda A. Moore Mar. 23--Dilliard's is in the process of converting its Raleigh Springs Mall store to a clearance center that will receive merchandise from between 30 and 40 locations in the Southeast. The conversion is under...

Plano, Texas-Based Snack Food Firm To Expand Arkansas Plant.
March 23, 2001... Byline: Christopher Barton Mar. 23--Plano, Texas-based FritoLay Inc. said Thursday it will spend $35 million to expand its Jonesboro, Ark., plant, creating 100 additional jobs in two years. The company already has about 520 workers at...

The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn., Wise Consumer Column.
March 23, 2001... Byline: Linda A. Moore Mar. 23--A MAGAZINE ABOUT shopping sounded hard to resist, so I didn't. Lucky bills itself as "the new magazine about shopping." But that's not entirely true. The magazine is all about shopping, but its...

Legislation Would Improve Airline Service, Fares at Memphis, Tenn., Airport.
March 26, 2001... Byline: Richard Thompson Mar. 16--By a vote of 12-10, a Senate committee Thursday passed a bill that its sponsors say will restore airline competition, forcing carriers to lower fares and improve service, at single-carrier-dominated...

Phillips County, Tenn., Bank to Buy Arkansas Counterparts.
March 26, 2001... Byline: David Flaum Mar. 24--First National Bank of Phillips County has agreed to buy the offices and operations of Union Planters Bank in West Helena and Marvell, Ark. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition includes...

Shelby County, Tenn., Officials Debate Merits of Funds for Basketball Stadium.
March 26, 2001... Byline: Blake Fontenay Mar. 22--Faced with the prospect of approving taxpayer money to finance a new basketball arena, some County Commissioners and City Council members enthusiastically embraced the idea Wednesday. However, others...

Memphis, Tenn., Brokers Urge Investors to Take a Hard Look at Bonds.
March 26, 2001... Byline: David Flaum Mar. 24--The folks at The Bond Market Association don't give investment advice, but with stocks taking a beating over the past year, they say people should at least learn about bonds. "If there was ever a time to...

Akron, Ohio-Based FedEx Executive Announces Plans to Retire.
March 26, 2001... Byline: Richard Thompson Mar. 17--R. Bruce Simpson, the president and chief executive officer of Akron, Ohio-based FedEx Custom Critical, said Friday he will retire on his 61st birthday in June. June 15 will be his last day after...

Lumber Prices Hit 10-Year Lows, May Rise.
March 26, 2001... Byline: Christopher Barton Mar. 16--Lumber prices are at 10-year lows, making it more affordable to buy a new home in Shelby County. But prices could rise after a lumber trade agreement with Canada ends March 31, and that increase...

British Firm Considers Expanding Memphis, Tenn.-Area Plant.
March 26, 2001... Byline: Christopher Barton Mar. 17--London-based Smith & Nephew Plc is considering a major expansion in Memphis that would include adding 415 jobs in three years, the company said. The company plans to spend $32 million to build a...

The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn., Money Matters Column.
March 26, 2001... Byline: David Flaum Mar. 24--QUESTION: I have a 401(k) account and IRAs, each with different institutions. I am retired but have not yet reached the age for mandatory withdrawals. When I reach 70 1/2, will I be required to withdraw a...

Nasdaq Delists Memphis, Tenn.-Based Oncology Services Firm.
March 26, 2001... Byline: Mark Watson Mar. 17--Nasdaq de-listed the stock of Memphis-based Response Oncology Inc. from the Nasdaq National Market on Thursday because Response Oncology's stock price remained below $1 a share for too long. On the...

Indianapolis-Based Women's Clothing Chain to Close Tennessee Stores.
March 26, 2001... Byline: Linda A. Moore Mar. 22--Paul Harris Stores Inc. has joined the list of retailers going out of business and closing stores. Closing sales are under way at Paul Harris stores at Wolfchase Galleria, Hickory Ridge Mall and Oak Court...

Teamsters Threaten Strike at Memphis, Tenn., Brewery.
March 26, 2001... Byline: Christopher Barton Mar. 24--Members of the Teamsters Local 1196 could go on strike at the Coors Brewing Co. plant in Memphis on April 1 if the company and union can't reach an agreement. Wesley Fiveash, secretary and treasurer...

Employee-Recognition Products Maker Closes Memphis, Tenn., Operations.
March 26, 2001... Byline: Christopher Barton Mar. 17--Officials with Minneapolis- based Jostens Inc. said Friday it will close its Memphis operations, leaving 100 employees out of work. The company is consolidating its three Recognition unit plants,...

Memphis, Tenn., Bank Company Plans to Sell Arkansas, Mississippi Branches.
March 29, 2001... Byline: David Flaum Mar. 27--Union Planters Corp. of Memphis has plans to sell more bank offices. Its Union Planters Bank in Clarksdale, Miss., has agreed to sell branches in Lula, Lambert, Friars Point and Sledge, Miss., to Southern...

Memphis, Tenn., Concrete Truck Company Targets Smaller Businesses.
March 29, 2001... Byline: Linda A. Moore Mar. 27--Business owner Stan Bryant says his company's two concrete trucks look like oversized Tonka toys. Although decidedly smaller than the average ready-mix concrete truck, these trucks go where no concrete...

Memphis, Tenn.-Based Electronic Transaction Company Takes Place in S&P 500.
March 29, 2001... Byline: David Flaum Mar. 27--Concord EFS Inc. of Memphis will join Standard & Poor's 500 Index after the close of stock trading on Friday. That move should boost the price of the company's shares, an analyst said. The electronic...

Health Care Firm Drops Appeal of Plans to Build Bartlett, Tenn., Hospital.
March 29, 2001... Byline: Cindy Wolff Mar. 29--Methodist Healthcare-Memphis Hospitals dropped its appeal Wednesday of a plan by Saint Francis Hospital to build a 90-bed facility in Bartlett. Methodist's decision clears an obstacle that could have...

Referendum Could Block Memphis, Tenn.'s Shot at NBA, Says Booster.
March 29, 2001... Mar. 29--A public referendum on whether to issue bonds to finance an NBA-worthy arena could kill the city's chances of getting a team, a member of Memphis's NBA pursuit team said Wednesday. The Vancouver Grizzlies and the Charlotte Hornets...

Speedier Internet Access Goes Rural in West Tennessee.
March 29, 2001... Byline: Mark Watson Mar. 29--While Congress ponders incentives to expand access to high-speed Internet services in rural areas, some companies already are doing it. BellSouth, for example, is expanding digital subscriber line service...

Northwest Airlines Acting to Prevent Spread of Foot-and-Mouth Disease.
March 29, 2001... Byline: Richard Thompson Mar. 29--Eagan, Minn.-based Northwest Airlines Corp. said Wednesday it's taking steps to address foot-and-mouth disease concerns relating to travel to and from Europe. Foot-and-mouth disease does not afflict...

Lawyers Debate When Tennessee-Based Phone Company Can Begin Building.
March 29, 2001... Byline: Mark Watson Mar. 29--NASHVILLE, Tenn.--Even if the Tennessee Regulatory Authority approves Memphis Networx's application for a certificate to operate a local phone company, attorneys differ on whether the company can start...

Birmingham Steel Corp. Decides Not to Buy Memphis, Tenn., Mill.
March 29, 2001... Byline: Christopher Barton Mar. 26--Birmingham Steel Corp. said Monday that a deal to sell its closed Memphis steel mill has fizzled. The company, however, will continue to search for other buyers, said J. Daniel Garrett, chief...

Tennessee Could Get at Least Three Centers for Stroke Care.
March 29, 2001... Byline: Richard Locker Mar. 29--NASHVILLE, Tenn.--Elizabeth Steele of Memphis was out shopping March 6 when she felt her legs weakening. She didn't feel so bad, but went home. When her son arrived, he rushed her to a hospital, where...

Memphis, Tenn., Officials to Rule on Nature of Telecom Business.
March 29, 2001... Byline: Mark Watson Mar. 26--Memphis Networx's proponents and opponents return to the Tennessee Regulatory Authority's basement meeting room today in what one interested party said may become "a major, major battle." Memphis Light,...

The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn., Business Briefs Column.
March 31, 2001... Mar. 31--ARBITRATOR TO HEAR CASE OF FIRED FEDEX PILOT: An arbitrator will begin hearing arguments Monday in reference to Memphis-based FedEx Corp.'s firing of Capt. Robert M. Freeman, who crashed an MD11 aircraft upon landing at Newark...

Memphis, Tenn.-Based Electronic Parts Maker Hopes to Be Profitable in Future.
March 31, 2001... Byline: Christopher Barton Mar. 31--Financially troubled Thomas & Betts Corp. said Friday it is still losing money, but hopes to become profitable in the future. Top officials refused to speculate when the company will post a quarterly...

Memphis, Tenn., Oncology Firm Files for Bankruptcy.
March 31, 2001... Byline: David Flaum Mar. 31--Response Oncology Inc. of Memphis has filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition in U. S. Bankruptcy Court in Memphis in what the company said was a move to help it reorganize its capital structure and strengthen...