Crain's Chicago Business articles from April 2005

Crain's Chicago Business archives from April 2005

How to avoid student loans; Chicago schools offer bargain-basement MBA.(Focus: MBA Programs)
April 4, 2005... Byline: SAMANTHA STAINBURN With $8,000, you can pay for two courses in the MBA program at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management-less than 10% of the credits you'll need to graduate. Or, you can cover the entire tuition at...

Spoiled rotten; Business school students (and profs) get lavish treatment these days. Who's got it the cushiest?(Focus: MBA Programs)
April 4, 2005... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN When setting out to find the best amenities at local MBA programs, we figured no one could compete with the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, which just unveiled a spanking new $125-million building...

Student loans a drag on Career Education; Bad-debt accounting tied to charge, SEC inquiry.(News)(Securities and Exchange Commission)
April 4, 2005... Byline: KATE RYAN Fewer Career Education Corp. students are paying back tuition loans on time, and the company's accounting adjustment for increased loan defaults has drawn the attention of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. ...

Rod's snow job; Governor needs to focus on Illinois' subpar employment picture.(News)
April 4, 2005... Byline: greg hinz You might have missed the Illinois Department of Employment Security's press release a few days ago, the one that chirped about how great everything is on the local job front. "February data reveal Illinois economy in...

Chicago's clusters of cars; Like-minded residents favor same cars, too; blocks of Jettas, Camrys.(The Business of Life)
April 4, 2005... Byline: MARK SCHEFFLER Look around your neighborhood. See a lot of cars just like yours? It's no accident. "People with similar socio-economic profiles tend to sort themselves into similar neighborhoods, and patterns of car buying...

For the Record.(Briefs)(OfficeMax Inc.)(Royal Philips Electronics)(Whitehall Jewellers Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... OfficeMax said it started a tender offer to buy back up to 23.5 million of its outstanding common shares at a price between $30 and $34 a share, or up to $799 million in total. Federal aviation officials want airlines to replace or modify...

Auto Pilot.(The Business of Life)(Harry Caray's )(Luis Gonzalez)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Jim Hatfield Luis Gonzalez, 42, valet manager, Harry Caray's restaurant, Chicago Salary: $70,000, including tips Years on the job: 11/2 Duties: In an up to 10-hour day, manages other valets and parks 25 cars himself...

Expert Opinion: What's the most useless question you can ask when buying a car?(The Business of Life)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Darci Smith "How much did the dealer pay for the car?'' says Art Kelly, chairman of the Chicago Automobile Trade Assn. "It's a question that has no impact whatsoever on what the transaction price of the vehicle will be. All dealers...

Southwest smells blood; Bigger expansion eyed; United and American targets.(News)(Airlines)
April 4, 2005... Byline: JULIE JOHNSSON Southwest Airlines is mulling an expansion that would make Midway Airport its largest hub in the country. That would position Southwest to shatter the duopoly in Chicago long enjoyed by United and American...

Bewildering Ballot?(News)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Resurrection's supporters worry that the complex wording of Tuesday's referendum item will favor the union. "Shall the Cook County Assessor challenge the tax-exempt status of Resurrection Health Care properties, including those in...

Morgan drama has local twist.(Markets)(Morgan Stanley)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Byline: STEVEN R. STRAHLER In his public spat with former executives of Morgan Stanley, CEO Philip Purcell enjoys full backing by the Wall Street firm's board of directors. Perhaps with good reason: Four of Mr. Purcell's 10 boardroom...

A two-year Rx for Abbott Labs; New drugs in pipeline lift investors' outlook.(Markets)(Abbott Laboratories Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Byline: BRETT CHASE Chicago Cubs fans are used to saying, "There's always next year.'' Abbott Laboratories investors are saying, there's always two years from now. The North Chicago drugmaker faces challenges this year and next as...

Film tax credit faces foes again; It's working, but caucus wants more minorities.(News)
April 4, 2005... Byline: JEREMY MULLMAN A tax break credited with tripling film industry spending in Illinois last year is back in the editing room. During 2004, the first year of the tax-credit program, the film industry spent $77 million in the...

On the Move.(People)(Distribution Plus Inc.)(DDB Worldwide Communications Group Inc.)(Lipman Hearne Inc.)(appointments)
April 4, 2005... CONSUMER SERVICES Distribution Plus Inc., Wilmette: Andrew Kramer, 40, to vice-president of marketing and new business development, from national director of ethnic marketing and specialty foods at Albertson's Inc. EDUCATION ...

Hospital's tax bug looks contagious; Resurrection, union spat spreads beyond Evanston.(News)
April 4, 2005... Byline: BRETT CHASE A contentious ballot issue in Evanston this week may be just the beginning of headaches for Resurrection Health Care, parent of eight Chicago-area Catholic hospitals. Evanston voters are being asked Tuesday whether...

WHY YOU DON'T WANT THIS GUY'S JOB; Sears' Alan Lacy lost his board and his company. Now he has the boss from hell. He won't stay long.(News)
April 4, 2005... Byline: STEVEN R. STRAHLER Alan J. Lacy's tenure as CEO and vice-chairman of Sears Holdings Corp. is likely to be shorter than his five-year employment agreement. Much shorter. Mr. Lacy was front and center as Sears, Roebuck and...

Meet the $444/hour forklift operator; Sunday, overtime rates are McCormick killers.(News)
April 4, 2005... Byline: KRISTINA BUCHTHAL Six days a week, McCormick Place has steep labor costs, higher than competing convention centers in Las Vegas and Orlando, Fla., yet roughly within the same lofty altitude. On Sundays, however, Chicago's rates...

TYREE'S TRIPLE PLAY; In past decade, Mesirow's CEO has grown the firm threefold. Now he's thinking bigger.(News)(Jim Tyree of Mesirow Financial Inc.)
April 4, 2005... Byline: KATE RYAN Two years ago, Michael Crowe was ready to go into business for himself. After six years as a value investment manager at Chicago-based Lunn Partners LLC, he made plans to buy out his division and rename it Crowe Capital...

Datebook.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
April 4, 2005... THIS Week APRIL 4: Small Business Development Center at McHenry County College presents How to Develop a Business Plan. 7 to 10 p.m. McHenry County College, 8900 U.S. Hwy. 14, Room E118, Crystal Lake. Fee: $39. (815) 455-8588. APRIL...

All I needed to know . . .(Focus: MBA Programs)(Norman Bobins)(LaSalle Bank Corp.)(Interview)
April 4, 2005... Byline: ARUNDHATI PARMAR Every year Chicago's business schools churn out another batch of MBAs eager to rule the corporate world. But are academic theories really helpful in the boardroom? We ask four CEOs to reflect on what they learned...

Love & cash flow; It is possible for MBA students to fall in love with someone other than themselves.(Focus: MBA Programs)
April 4, 2005... Byline: CARLEEN HAWN Nothing says true love less than business school. But somehow, as it turns out, it is possible for ambition-crazed MBA students to find romance over wee-hour discussions of discounted cash flow. To explain this...

Title Holder.(The Business of Life)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Christina Le Beau Michael McGrath, 58, is president of McGrath Lexus/Acura, the brands' largest Midwest dealer, with $350 million in sales last year. He also chaired the 2004 Chicago Auto Show. And all those magazines you see in...

Faculty all-stars.(Focus: MBA Programs)
April 4, 2005... Byline: CHRISTINA Le BEAU The difference between a good teacher and a great teacher is one who not only knows the subject matter, but can inspire students to get out of bed for an early class. Here's a roundup of the top profs at Chicago's...

Carwash owner hits open road.(The Business of Life)(Simon's Shine Shop)(Nicole Kloiber)(Interview)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Laura Bianchi Nicole Kloiber, 32, became a first-time small business owner eight months ago when she opened Simon's Shine Shop, a hand carwash and detailing center in Lincoln Park. She named it after her 110-pound Alaskan malamute,...

Did somebody sing McDonald's? 'Adversongs' urge fast food into hip-hop lyrics.(News)(Maven Strategies)
April 4, 2005... Byline: MARC GRASER Crain News Service Hip-hop artists have plugged virtually every high-end brand from Cartier to Versace into their song lyrics. Now the Big Mac is about to get name-dropped. McDonald's Corp. has hired entertainment...

Baseball predictions little more than swings in the dark.(Opinion)
April 4, 2005... It's Opening Day, and the annual plethora of preseason baseball prognostications that flood the airwaves, magazines, newspapers and the Internet are behind us. Hope you clipped and saved them. Most will be wrong. One year ago, experts...

Snack maker's loan troubles hinder Heico; Investor had planned to rescue Tom's Foods.(News)
April 4, 2005... Byline: JULIE JARGON Heico Cos. LLC, the Chicago investment firm known for reviving ailing businesses, is taking a licking with a Georgia snack food company it bought 12 years ago. Tom's Foods Inc. is in default to Bank of New York and...

Car talk: A parting gift for Galvin; At Moto, ex-CEO gets wheels valued at $81K.(News)
April 4, 2005... Byline: ROB JOHNSON When Christopher Galvin left the helm of Motorola Inc. in 2003, he didn't have to walk away. Thanks to one parting perk, he could drive in style. The cell phone giant's latest proxy statement, released last month,...

Late News.(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Sears stake's a bargain for Lampert hedge fund Sears Holdings Chairman Edward Lampert's hedge fund paid $84.2 million to acquire Sears Holdings shares valued at $858.7 million as part of Kmart's acquisition of Sears, Roebuck, an SEC filing...

Where are they now? Catching up with MBAs who finished 10 years ago.(Focus: MBA Programs)
April 4, 2005... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN Ten years after the Class of '95 hit the streets, what's happened to that group of MBAs? Probably they've gained a few pounds, had a few children, made a pile of money. Is there more to it? Jose Guillermo...

Carryout options from curbside; Drive by for dinner; just one gets it perfect.(The Business of Life)
April 4, 2005... Byline: VIRGINIA GERST Going out to a restaurant is great, but some nights call for quiet. You want to bring the restaurant home to you. Plenty of spots deliver, but if you're driving home from work anyway-and tired of the familiar pizza...

Freescale shuns Chicago.(Briefs)(Freescale Semiconductor)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Freescale Semiconductor decided to keep its corporate headquarters in Austin, Texas, rather than move to Chicago. The chipmaker, which was spun off from Schaumburg-based Motorola and went public last summer, had said earlier that it was...

A class by themselves.(Focus: MBA Programs)
April 4, 2005... Byline: CHRISTINA Le BEAU We asked students in five Chicago MBA programs to nominate the most dreaded, difficult, palm-sweat-inducing yet grudgingly admired classes in their curriculums. There wasn't universal agreement, but the courses...

New Salton recipe: celeb chefs; Sputtering housewares firm to lure foodies with high-end gadgets.(Markets)
April 4, 2005... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY With sales of its George Foreman line of grills flattening, its stock sagging, debt deadlines coming and a leading shareholder pressing for the CEO's ouster, now might seem an unusual time for Salton Inc. to invite...

Good buddies; Navistar likes to send employees to DePaul to get executive MBAs.(Focus: MBA Programs)
April 4, 2005... Byline: MARK HENRICKS Navistar's International Truck & Engine Corp. is one of DePaul University's best customers. For the past 10 years, the Warrenville truck manufacturer has been sending employees to get their MBAs at DePaul's...

Spotlight: Argonne director to lead with vision, plan.(Argonne National Laboratory)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Paul Merrion Job: Director of Argonne National Laboratory, effective April 18. Vitals: 57 years old; bachelor's degree in physics, Brandeis University, 1969; Ph.D. in physics, Harvard University, 1976; professor of astronomy...

Redmoon's fortunes rising on its rentals; Actors for hire enliven corporate shindigs.(Redmoon Theater)
April 4, 2005... Byline: JEREMY MULLMAN Redmoon Theater's business is growing quickly, but neither ticket sales nor fund raising has anything to do with it. The company, best known for what the Chicago Tribune calls "puppet- and contraption-inclined...

Who's got dough to be next Stroger?(News)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Byline: GREG HINZ The political scramble to become president of the Cook County Board has just begun, but two things already are clear: It will take a lot of money to win, and some contenders are far better positioned to get it than...

Stock Market: Caterpillar slips on industry fears.(Markets)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Bob Tita Caterpillar Inc. had a bumpy ride last week. Its shares fell 3.7% on concerns that the construction equipment market has peaked. Investment bank Morgan Stanley ignited the downward momentum with a report that noted...

In memoriam: A sad legacy for Sears' board.(Opinion)
April 4, 2005... Much of the recent discussion regarding governance issues at public companies has centered on the most egregious instances of corporate corruption: cooking the books, engaging in sweetheart deals with top execs or cheating customers. But...

Trib, ImpreMedia duking it out; Spanish-language weekly La Raza's circulation up 30% as it adds zones.(News)
April 4, 2005... Byline: JEREMY MULLMAN La Raza, Chicago's largest Spanish-language newspaper, is proving to be one tough hombre against competition from Tribune Co. Since 2003, when Tribune launched a Chicago edition of its weekday Hoy, weekly La...

Need to know.(Focus: MBA Programs)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Sources: Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Kraft Foods Inc. 50% Increase in Northwestern University and University of Chicago MBA grads hired by Goldman Sachs Group Inc. in 2005 from the year before. 250 Number of summer...

Ad wraps make cars stop traffic.(The Business of Life)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Lisa Bertagnoli Drivers of decal-plastered novelty cars are looking for attention-for their business. But thanks to rides that are basically billboards on wheels, they've also experienced stops by curious cops, the occasional...

Foreign agents; Far flung feds help state's small business exports double in 2004.(Focus: Small Business)
April 11, 2005... Byline: BOB TITA Thanks to some in-country assistance from the U.S. Department of Commerce, doing business overseas isn't just for giant corporations anymore. With the weak value of the U.S. dollar and stiff domestic competition, more...

Common Errors.(The Business of Life)(in english grammar)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... * Incorrect subject-verb agreement. For instance, "neither of the managers is here''-not "are here''-is correct. * Using "myself'' instead of "me'' or "I.'' It's a cop-out when the speaker or writer is not sure which pronoun to use. ...

Clip addict.(The Business of Life)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Dan Weissmann As executive director of World Business Chicago, Paul O'Connor, 58, leads efforts to court international firms from Harrods Ltd. to Boeing Co. Data about labor force, tax rates, cultural activities and flight...

Datebook.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
April 11, 2005... THIS Week APRIL 12: Small Business Development Center at McHenry County College presents Trademark and Copyright Basics. 6 to 8 p.m. McHenry County College, 8900 U.S. Hwy. 14, Room E118, Crystal Lake. Fee: $39. (815) 455-8588. APRIL...

For The Record.(briefs)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Morgan Stanley is planning to spin off its Riverwoods-based Discover Card division to existing shareholders, ending speculation that the credit card unit might be sold. Sears Holdings said it plans a "mass layoff'' of at least 500 workers...

Foreign relations.(Focus: Small Business)(Philip Pittsford)(Now Foods Corp.)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Louise Daly As a high school exchange student in Brazil, Philip Pittsford got a taste for foreign cultures, which he later parlayed into a career in international sales. He's exported everything from tobacco and coal to apples and...

Words to the wise: Grammar Schools.(The Business of Life)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Feltre School 22 W. Erie St. (312) 255-1133 www.feltre.org Seven-week classes in grammar, writing, public speaking and elementary classical Latin, $435 per class. Grammar Group www.thegrammargroup.com (800)...

Economy lifts local stocks; FDA boosts American Pharmaceutical to top local stock in quarter.(Food and Drug Administration)
April 11, 2005... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY In a lackluster first quarter, U.S. stocks retreated nearly 3%, but for American Pharmaceutical Partners Inc. in Schaumburg, all it took was a thumbs-up from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to buck the trend in...

More dressing up boosts Hartmarx; Earnings jump in fiscal 2004 as suit sales gain.(News)
April 11, 2005... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Is the casual menswear phenomenon past its peak? Suitmaker Hartmarx Corp. is enjoying rising revenues and profits as men appear to be dressing up again, both for play and work. Unit sales of its branded suits,...

Pane manager.(The Business of Life)(Donald Hamel Window Cleaning Co.)(Steve Hamel)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Jim Hatfield Steve Hamel, 43, foreman, Donald Hamel Window Cleaning Co., Chicago Salary: Union scale, $16/hour Years on the job: 25 Duties: Cleans windows at businesses and residences as high as 70 stories; supervises...

Business must back tax changes to boost education spending.(Opinion)
April 11, 2005... Byline: John A. Buck Most people believe the state of Illinois should contribute the majority of public school funding. Yet on average the state provides just 36%, forcing more and more schools in financial crisis to turn elsewhere to...

When one door closes.(Focus: Small Business)(Gourmet Kitchen Inc.)(Lisa Johnson )
April 11, 2005... Byline: Sandra Swanson Lisa Johnson knows the importance of a flexible business plan. In 1987, she and her husband opened a health food restaurant in downtown Chicago, but its foot traffic was quickly outpaced by orders to cater business...

Steel roll-up's gilt-edged calling card; LBO king Kelly bequeaths Esmark name to new firm.(News)
April 11, 2005... Byline: BOB TITA With a blessing-and an equity investment-from 1980s leveraged buyout specialist Donald Kelly, a pair of brothers is attempting to reprise the 83-year-old entrepreneur's empire-building act in a different industry. The...

Airborne attorney finds a mood-lifter.(The Business of Life)(Interview)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Laura Bianchi Gary Westerberg, 60, is a partner with Lord Bissell & Brook LLP, where he specializes in defending aircraft product manufacturers, airlines and general aviation operators. In his free time, he pilots two of his own...

End of the line; WHY IT'S TIME FOR FRANK KRUESI TO LEAVE THE CTA.(News)(Chicago Transit Authority )
April 11, 2005... Byline: Greg Hinz The CEO is fighting with his board and has alienated investors the company is counting on for cash infusions. A huge capital project is wildly over budget, with major customer groups publicly griping that they're...

Outsourcing deal pinches Hewitt; Little cause to celebrate Exult acquisition.(Markets)(Hewitt Associates L.L.C.)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Byline: SHRUTI DATE SINGH Hewitt Associates Inc.'s stock is sinking as a bid to dominate human resources outsourcing squeezes profit margins and pits the Lincolnshire company against deeper-pocketed rivals. The acquisition of Exult...

On the Move.(People)(AT&T Corp.)(Chef Solutions Inc.)(Charter One Bank )(promotions)
April 11, 2005... CONSUMER SERVICES AT&T Corp., Bedminster, N.J.: Tracy Hughes, 39, to vice-president of sales in Chicago, from client director. CHEF Solutions INC., Schaumburg: Carl W. Warschausky, 46, to executive vice-president and chief financial...

Working the capital.(Focus: Small Business)(Decision Management Company Inc.)(Frank Riordan )
April 11, 2005... Byline: Christina Le Bea After finishing his master's degree in mechanical engineering, Frank Riordan began consulting and writing control and automation software for industrial clients with his former graduate adviser. In July 1996, he...

Finally, a lease at Block 37.(Briefs)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... WBBM-TV/Channel 2 became the first tenant to commit to the planned mixed-use project at Block 37, signing a long-term lease for a 100,000-square-foot TV studio on the long-vacant Loop property. The Block 37 development, which will include a...

Late News.(Modern Luxury)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Chicago Social parent invests in Frisco mag Modern Luxury, the Roy Disney-backed publisher of Chicago Social, is purchasing an undisclosed stake in San Francisco magazine. The partnership calls for the paid-circulation city magazine to be...

Conventions.(News)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
April 11, 2005... THIS WEEK APRIL 11-13: Society for Human Resource Management, Hilton Chicago, estimated attendance 500. APRIL 11-14: National Environmental Partnership Summit, Fairmont Hotel, estimated attendance 700. APRIL 12: Illinois Assn. of...

New at Kauffman; Foundation launches three new programs for entrepreneurs, and one for kids.(Focus: Small Business)(Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation)
April 11, 2005... Byline: MARK HENRICKS With nearly $1.8 billion in assets, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is one of the country's biggest private sources of support and assistance for entrepreneurs. Last year the Kansas City, Mo., foundation launched...

Condos win, city loses; Tax break sells posh digs; millions less for schools.(News)
April 11, 2005... Byline: STEVEN R. STRAHLER A program that freezes property taxes for owners of landmark buildings has mushroomed into a huge marketing tool for luxury condo sellers, costing the city tens of millions in tax dollars. The 22-year-old...

Wedge it In.(The Business of Life)(Rhapsody)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Cheese flights at Rhapsody ($9 for three, $14 for five or $21 to try all 10) are designed from a list of choices including Valdeon from Castille-Leon, a Spanish blue; Caprino Cremoso Tartufo, Piemonte, Italy, with black truffles; Fleur-de-Lis...

Spotlight: Fifth Third deposits new exec in Chicago.(Fifth Third Bank)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Steve Daniels Job: President and CEO, Fifth Third Bank in Chicago. Vitals: 53 years old; bachelor's degree in business management, St. Mary's College of California, 1974. Joined San Francisco-based Wells Fargo & Co. in 1989;...

Crain's takes top biz publication award.(News)(Crain's Chicago Business)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Crain's Chicago Business won the "Best in Business'' award from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers Inc. (SABEW) for overall excellence in 2004. It's the fourth year in a row Crain's has taken top honors in the annual business...

Road work ahead for McD's executive; Oversees outlets in 24 states; runs stopwatch, checks men's rooms.(News)(McDonald's Corp.)(Jan Fields)
April 11, 2005... Byline: JULIE JARGON The woman responsible for more than 40% of McDonald's Corp.'s sales has one thing on her mind these days: service. Jan Fields, president of McDonald's Central division, spends 80% of her time on the road, visiting...

Bucktown retail sizzling; Lured by 'grittiness,' maker of edgy jeans inks Chicago lease.(News)(G-Star Denim Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Byline: SANDRA JONES G-Star Denim Inc., a Dutch company known for its pricey men's designer jeans, plans to open its first Chicago store in Bucktown this summer. The lease is one of 13 retail deals in Bucktown that Chicago-based real...

Streeterville: next ripple in condo wave; But with 3,000 new units on tap, a glut is looming.(News)
April 11, 2005... Byline: ALBY GALLUN The downtown condo building boom is about to explode in Streeterville. Developers are set to launch at least nine high-rise projects that could add 3,000 condominiums or more to the neighborhood sandwiched between...

ARTS BOARDS IN WHITE PERIOD; With Coney as new chair, Goodman takes diversity lead. But it's a bad scene for minorities on other cultural boards.(News)
April 11, 2005... Byline: JEREMY MULLMAN The Goodman Theatre is expected to name Aon Corp. Senior Managing Director Lester Coney as its new chairman Monday, making him the first African-American to lead one of the city's blue-chip cultural boards. But...

Execs learn to talk smart; Moving up the ladder but not soundin' like it; back to basic grammar.(The Business of Life)
April 11, 2005... Byline: LISA BERTAGNOLI It's a gray, cold Saturday morning, but the Feltre School is warm and cozy. The aroma of coffee wafts from a first-floor sitting room to a second-floor conference room, where a small, casually dressed group sits at...

AFSCME ploy to strong-arm hospital unwise.(Opinion)(American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees)
April 11, 2005... Evanston voters showed good judgment last week when they rejected a referendum that could have led to the revocation of tax-exempt status for Resurrection Health Care, which owns St. Francis Hospital in the near north suburb and seven others...

What kind of umbrella can stand up to rainy, windy spring days in Chicago?(The Business of Life)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Darci Smith "Something you can hold onto,'' says John Tyler, doorman at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago. Downtown side streets are "all wind tunnels right off the lake. I recommend Burberry. The wire inside has to be very sturdy....

Gala is a Daley double; Big money respects Richard-both of them.(News)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Byline: GREG HINZ In a city where Mayor Richard M. Daley holds absolute power, the city's corporate and civic brass are ponying up some of their biggest charitable contributions ever to support a research center commemorating Mr. Daley's...

Stamp of approval.(Focus: Small Business)(Intercon Solutions)(Brian Brundage)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Christina Le Beau Five years ago, Intercon Solutions Inc. had barely $50,000 in sales and no idea how to expand the business. Today, it is one of the largest electronics recyclers in the country, employing 25 people and on track to...

Med-mal reform requires better business practices.(Opinion)
April 11, 2005... Crain's article on the state's largest medical malpractice insurer, ISMIE Mutual Insurance Co., serves to emphasize the need for better accountability and transparency in its business practices ("Rebels take aim at ISMIE,'' March 28). ...

Odd man in: Does Aon CEO have the chops? No corporate resume; Ryan still down the hall.(News)(Gregory Case)
April 11, 2005... Byline: STEVE DANIELS Aon Corp. is handing the rudder to a public company neophyte at the stormiest point in its history. Gregory Case, 42, named last week as Aon's first CEO of the post-Patrick Ryan era, is making a highly unusual...

When it's time to say good-buy.(Focus: Small Business)(George King)(Appetizers and Inc.)
April 11, 2005... Byline: H. Lee Murphy Back in the 1950s, George King was a chef at the old Blackhawk restaurant in Chicago's Loop. But after leaving the kitchen for a sales job at Kraft Foods, he found his true vocation. While calling on a Park Ridge...

Stock Report: FreightCar steams out of IPO station.(Markets)(FreightCar America Inc.)(Initial public offerings)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Bob Tita FreightCar America Inc. seemed to be on the right track with investors last week in its debut as a publicly traded company. The initial public offering of shares for the Chicago-based railroad car maker was priced at...

The need for speed.(Focus: Small Business)(Indoor Racing LLC)(Tony Stewart)
April 11, 2005... Byline: H. Lee Murphy As a race car driver in Europe in the '70s and '80s, London native Tony Stewart realized he wasn't prepared to take the extreme risks necessary to become a top-flight star. So he got a degree in economics from the...

No more dull boy.(Focus: Small Business)(Michael Nikolich)(Tech Image Ltd.)
April 11, 2005... Byline: H. Lee Murphy After graduating from Northern Illinois University with a double major in journalism and marketing, Michael Nikolich put in a 10-year stint at Selz Seabolt & Associates Inc., a Chicago public relations agency, where...