Crain's Chicago Business articles from August 2004

Crain's Chicago Business archives from August 2004

Tellabs gearing up for fiber buildout; But will $1.9-bil. bet on Bells' plans pay off?(News)
August 2, 2004... Byline: BOB TITA Tellabs Inc. is making a huge bet on Baby Bells' willingness to provide fiber-optic cable to tens of millions of homes in coming years. In the biggest acquisition ever by the Naperville-based telecommunications...

City of big boxes? Chicago lacks a retailing strategy.(suburban development aspects, sales tax collections, jobs and other economic benefits)
August 2, 2004... Walking the Magnificent Mile, or strolling along 26th Street in Little Village, you'd think Chicago was the retailing capital of the world, a shopper's paradise. In truth, as Senior Reporter Sandra Jones writes, our city badly lags the...

For high-touch service, hotels go high-tech.(business travelers, wireless Internet connections, online profiles of guests, tracking of preferences)
August 2, 2004... Byline: MARY ELLEN PODMOLIK It's not surprising that hotels are wooing business travelers by installing wireless Internet connections. But hotels are also increasingly using technology behind the scenes to gain a competitive edge. ...

Illinois Democrats: Stop bickering, start governing.(Governor Rod Blagojevich, House Speaker Michael Madigan, Senate President Emil Jones, building casino )(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... The bitterness between Gov. Rod Blagojevich, House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President Emil Jones was on display at the Democratic National Convention in Boston last week, as Senior Reporter Greg Hinz writes in this week's issue. The...

Fortune rises with home remodeling; Booming sales allow addition of plants, jobs.(News)
August 2, 2004... Byline: JULIE JARGON Things are good on the home front at Fortune Brands Inc., where home and hardware sales are growing at more than three times the rate of the Lincolnshire consumer products maker's office products, golf equipment and...

On its birthday, Medicare keeps giving to Americans.(39th birthday)
August 2, 2004... Byline: Charlie Jarvis A 39th birthday, generally speaking, is a mournful milestone. The 40th birthday, marking the passage of youth and onset of middle age, is mere months away. It's not a particularly pleasant time. However, in the...

Kraft warms to 'hot vending' machines; Venture with California firm expands concept.(News)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Byline: JULIE JARGON Kraft Foods Inc. is getting into the fast-food business, but customers won't have to wait in line to place an order. With the push of a button, a hot pizza, grilled cheese sandwich or hot dog will pop out of a...

Executive Moves.(People)(Directory)
August 2, 2004... CONSUMER SERVICES John Costello, 55, to senior vice-president of technical services at Exelon Energy Delivery, from senior vice-president of customer and marketing services. Also, Bridget Reidy, 41, to senior vice-president of customer and...

Citigroup: Changes at the top; Talking with Mullin; Bobrinskoy leaves for Ariel.(Charles Bobrinskoy, vice-chairman at Ariel Capital Management, Leo Mullin)(Column)
August 2, 2004... Byline: STEVE DANIELS The head of Citigroup Inc.'s investment banking office in Chicago is taking a newly created executive position at a local asset-management boutique, while a familiar name from Chicago's business past talks to...

Hissing match for state pols; Power struggle gathers steam.(Democratic party, Governor Rod Blagojevich, House Speaker Michael Madigan, Mayor Richard M. Daley, Barack Obama, senate president Emil Jones)
August 2, 2004... Byline: GREG HINZ BOSTON-News accounts here all last week proclaimed the Democratic Party unified. Perhaps they should have interviewed a few convention delegates from Illinois. Local Dems surely loathe George W. Bush as much as their...

ROOM RATES DIP DESPITE HIGH DEMAND; Hotels try to offset drop by courting online bookers.(News)(Column)
August 2, 2004... Byline: KRISTINA BUCHTHAL A phenomenon that's good for consumers but bad for hotel operators is playing out in Chicago: Demand for rooms is rising, but prices aren't. Average room prices in Chicago have hit their lowest monthly rates...

The siren call of clout; Heed national pull or focus on state?(Democratic Politics, Barack Obama, Illinois Senate race)(Column)
August 2, 2004... Byline: PAUL MERRION BOSTON-Barack Obama's celebrity status creates a political problem: He's in prime position to help other Democratic candidates and causes nationwide, thus increasing his political capital and clout in the Senate. ...

New park shines, but city needs master plan for arts.(pay offs from art centers)(Column)
August 2, 2004... Byline: Keigh S. Breslau Chicago's downtown is coming alive again. And it didn't take a new corporate headquarters or a fancy new department store. Millennium Park, with its signature centerpiece band shell designed by architect Frank...

United sued over pensions.(Briefs)(International Assn. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... The International Assn. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, representing more than 20,000 ramp workers and customer service agents, sued the top three United Airlines executives for halting contributions to employee pensions while United...

Late News.(Navy Pier)
August 2, 2004... FEDS SEEKING TO CUT BACK O'HARE ARRIVALS The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) wants to trim landings at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport up to 14%. When federal officials meet this week with the airlines to discuss delays at...

Vegetarian meals sizzle with creativity.(Dining/Restaurant Review)(Green Zebra)(Jai Hind)
August 2, 2004... Byline: Jonathan Black Let's say it together: vegetarian. There, that wasn't so bad. Of course I know what you're thinking. Boiled tofu and soy shakes and "burgers'' made of something called seitan. Lots of people like that stuff-it might...

Winter gas forecast calls for high-priced heat.(News)(Summer storage)
August 2, 2004... Byline: STEVE DANIELS Brace for steep heating bills this winter. Forward prices in Chicago's natural gas market for the winter months are close to 70 cents per therm-the highest winter-pricing levels in recent memory for this time of...

Elgin makes $9-million Sanfilippo investment; TIF funds sweeten deal to move HQ.(News)
August 2, 2004... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Elk Grove Village-based John B. Sanfilippo & Son Inc. is hunting for a new headquarters and may have found it on state-owned land in Elgin. In a deal expected to close by October, the city of Elgin will pay the...

Chicago's $6.5-billion retail drain; City loses sales-tax dollars to burbs, Web.(News)
August 2, 2004... Byline: SANDRA JONES The city of Chicago has a $6.5-billion retail gap. Translation: Chicago consumers spend $6.5 billion a year on goods outside the city's borders-meaning the city is losing out on tens of millions of dollars a year...

Investors check into condo hotel market; No units yet, but prices are rising.(Real Estate)
August 2, 2004... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY There isn't a single condominium hotel ready for occupancy yet in Chicago, but that hasn't stopped investors from snapping up units priced, in some cases, at $1 million and more. Outside of Florida resorts, condo...

Tax breaks act as film-biz hero; Chicago plays Gotham in the next `Batman' film, signaling a rebound for the movie industry here. Take that, Toronto.(News)(Batman Begins)
August 2, 2004... Byline: JEREMY MULLMAN Chicago will play Gotham City in the movie "Batman Begins,'' a coup for a city that just three years ago was passed over in a bid to play itself. It's the latest success for the Illinois Film Office, which has...

Lettuce alums dish up new Go Roma; Testing fast-casual Italian trend with 2 restaurants.(Dining/Restaurant Review)(Restaurant Review)
August 2, 2004... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY A group of alumni from Chicago's Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises Inc. is testing a new fast-casual Italian restaurant concept in the Chicago area. The first Go Roma Italian Kitchen opened in March in west...

Ex-cons on the job; Law may hide felonies; do employers have a right to know?(News)
August 2, 2004... Byline: KEVIN DAVIS Earnest Magazine is the exception among Chicago employers: He willingly hires ex-convicts for his 14-person cleaning service, and he isn't terribly surprised when something goes wrong. Last month, a worker who for a...

Cell high: Moto CEO resists price war.(News)(Cheif Executive Officer)
August 2, 2004... Byline: JULIE JOHNSSON Edward Zander, the new CEO of Motorola Inc., is determined not to get sucked into a price war with archrival Nokia Oyj of Finland. A former computer industry executive, Mr. Zander rejects the conventional wisdom...

Where goes the neighborhood? The skyline isn't the only thing that will change when Trump Tower goes up.(News)
August 2, 2004... Byline: SANDRA SWANSON Soon the familiar profile of the squat, utilitarian Chicago Sun-Times headquarters will be replaced by the 90-story Trump International Tower and Hotel. The tower will house a five-star hotel and 461 residential...

Quote of the Week.(News)
August 2, 2004... "They're trying to tame the lion. Only, the lion has been out in the jungle, and he's been doing Pilates." Travel industry analyst Henry Harteveldt, on hotel companies' efforts to distance themselves from online bookers such as Travelocity...

Madison Dearborn's paper gain; What's the next chapter after major acquisitions?(News)
August 9, 2004... Byline: BOB TITA Far from the forests of the Pacific Northwest, Madison Dearborn Partners LLC has become a major player in the paper industry. The Chicago private equity investment company late last month added Idaho-based Boise...

Go where the other guy isn't; PAYCHEX Pursues small clients that rivals won't.(Small Business)
August 9, 2004... Byline: MARK HENRICKS Tom Golisano became a big business owner by going where no big business wanted to go. As a 29-year-old salesman for a payroll processing company that targeted companies with 50 to 1,000 employees, Mr. Golisano...

Christian media group branches out; New digs, focus for Total Living Network.(News)(Total Living Network)
August 9, 2004... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY The Christian-based Total Living Network, a fixture in Chicago for most of the past three decades as a television broadcaster, is expanding beyond the city and beyond TV. In early July Total Living moved from its...

Lean times at Hyde Park Co-op; A neighborhood mainstay hits a rough patch.(News)(Co-op Markets)
August 9, 2004... Byline: JULIE JARGON Want to spot celebrities like rising Democratic star Barack Obama, mystery writer Sara Paretsky or Nobel Prize winner Gary Becker while picking up a loaf of bread and a gallon of milk? Hyde Park's Co-op Markets is a...

Executive Moves.(People)(Arch Consultants Ltd)
August 9, 2004... ARCHITECTURE/ENGINEERING Frank R. Muraca, 37, to managing director at Arch Consultants Ltd. in Lincolnshire, from senior partner. CONSUMER SERVICES Howard C. Eirinberg, 45, to president and chief operating officer at Vienna Beef...

Firm launches 'fund of funds' with a twist; Chicago Analytic Capital Mgmt. looks to raise $1 bil.(News)(Chicago Analytic Capital Management LLC)(Brief Article)
August 9, 2004... Byline: JULIE JOHNSSON Hedge fund operator Chicago Analytic Capital Management LLC is launching a new hybrid fund that bases investors' returns on the gain reaped from their individual investment strategies, rather than the overall...

Quote of the Week.(Quotes)
August 9, 2004... Boy, I'm glad we didn't do that deal. Robert Falor, whose company backed out of a plan to purchase the vacant Renaissance Chicago O'Hare Suites Hotel PAGE 4

Give employees service tools; RITZ-CARLTON Puts its trust in front-line staff.(Small Business)
August 9, 2004... Byline: SANDRA SWANSON Ritz-Carlton knows a thing or two about treating customers well. To dazzle guests at its luxury hotels, the company puts enormous faith in front-line workers. When there's a problem, housekeepers, front-desk...

Simply special: Places you can count on.(Dining/Restaurant Review)(Restaurant Review)
August 9, 2004... Byline: Jonathan Black Once restaurants were declared entertainment, things got dicey because keeping it fresh has its downside. Sometimes new isn't better-it's only new. Let trendy chefs strut their stuff on someone else's dime. You want...

Dealers roll out Segway; Scooter to sell locally, vs. online only.(News)
August 9, 2004... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Chicagoans soon will be able to test-drive the Segway Human Transporter, when the first local dealerships selling the vehicles open later this month. Segway LLC, which has been selling its devices over the...

Fine-tune your acquisition plan; ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS Succeeds with '80/20' rule.(Small Business)
August 9, 2004... Byline: KAREN J. BANNAN Don't buy companies-buy products. That strategy has helped Glenview-based Illinois Tool Works Inc., a manufacturer of products ranging from plastic packaging to construction fasteners, experience a 17% jump in...

Simple pleasures: Web experts pick their favorite consumer sites.(Technology)(Brief Article)
August 9, 2004... Byline: SANDRA SWANSON We asked our reviewers to name the commercial Web sites they like best. Some top picks: Miniusa.com Two reviewers picked this site, for the Mini Cooper car, as a fave. "Bold, brash and full of personality,''...

Grading local sites: room for improvement.(Technology)
August 9, 2004... Crain's asked some experts for a report card on a handful of Chicago-based companies' Web sites. They found a common weakness: hitting visitors over the head with too much information at the get-go. "People try to accomplish too much on the...

Wickes liquidation disassembles chain; Property sales among last steps.(News)
August 9, 2004... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY After more than 50 years in business, lumber retailer Wickes Inc. is dismantling itself. Last month, Wickes sold virtually all of its remaining lumberyards to four separate buyers as part of its liquidation in...

Lifestyle mall stalled in northern suburbs; No tenants, financing after two years.(News)
August 9, 2004... Byline: ALBY GALLUN Nearly two years after unveiling plans for a 450,000-square-foot "lifestyle'' shopping center in Northbrook, a development group has yet to line up a single tenant or financing for the project. The delay is testing...

Offer (occasional) surprises; COSTCO Lures customers with one-off treasures.(Small Business)
August 9, 2004... Byline: IRWIN SPEIZER There's something to be said for predictability in business-letting customers know what to expect, then giving it to them. But sometimes it helps to add an element of surprise, so long as it's pleasant. Costco...

13 lessons you can learn from big companies.(Small Business)
August 9, 2004... Byline: Jeff Bailey It's fashionable these days to look for cutting-edge management lessons among smaller, entrepreneurial companies. After all, isn't that where all the big thinkers are going? Isn't that where the jobs are created? Isn't...

Learn the Hispanic market; TOYOTA Recognizes subtle cultural differences.(Small Business)
August 9, 2004... Byline: SAMANTHA STAINBURN For companies seeking more customers, Hispanics are an attractive group. They make up 13% of the population-almost 20% in Chicago-and spend $581 billion annually. But how to reach them? At Toyota, it's with a...

Define a niche, build its loyalty; Chico's Knows what middle-aged women want.(Small Business)
August 9, 2004... Byline: CYNTHIA HANSON Retailer Chico's FAS Inc. has found customer loyalty and success by consistently giving an underserved group of consumers what it wants. Since 1983, the Fort Myers, Fla.-based chain has been selling its...

Don't let core customers go; McDONALD'S Lost business with new products.(Small Business)
August 9, 2004... Byline: BRANDON COPPLE Here's a simple maxim for every business owner: Don't lose the special sauce. That's what McDonald's Corp. did in the late 1990s, when the company blew $470 million on new kitchen equipment and revamped its...

WHAT'S A CAR WASH WITHOUT A BRUSH? The founder of Super Wash believed in a new way to clean. Investors believed in Bob Black. But now, some are in a lather.(News)
August 9, 2004... Byline: STEVE DANIELS From tiny Downstate Morrison, former high school teacher Bob Black built the nation's biggest chain of car washes by brushing aside the industry's conventional wisdom: His self-serve Super Wash car washes are all soap...

$2 billion to pensions at Boeing; Result: tax breaks, higher profits.(News)
August 9, 2004... Byline: JULIE JOHNSSON Boeing Co. pumped more than $2 billion into its employee pension plans in the first half of 2004 and is contemplating another billion-dollar contribution before the end of the year. That far exceeds the $100...

Beware of critics bearing new strategies; Walgreen Unfazed by Web, CEO stayed course.(Small Business)(Chief Executive Officer)
August 9, 2004... Byline: BRANDON COPPLE Smart entrepreneurs are usually ready to adapt when a plan isn't working. What's tricky is sticking with a plan you still believe in when everybody-including investors-says it's time for a change. In 1999,...

Reining in Internet explorers; Tool or time-waster? Managers try to curb workplace Web surfing.(Technology)
August 9, 2004... Byline: Brian Leaf The Web's globe-spanning reach has made it an indispensable business tool. But that same quality-the ability to bring information to desktops in an instant-has also made the Web a Pandora's box for office managers...

O'Hare crowds mean it's time to start expansion.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
August 9, 2004... Worsening delays and calls for flight reductions at O'Hare International Airport underscore the need to get moving on the expansion of the airport. A moderate recovery in air travel is jamming the works at O'Hare. U.S. Transportation...

Groom, hype your successor; INTEL Mentors potential top execs for years.(Small Business)
August 9, 2004... Byline: SANDRA SWANSON At Intel Corp., there's usually little speculation about who will be the next CEO. That's because the company starts considering candidates about 10 years in advance. Consider Paul Otellini, who is expected to...

Plea for common sense in world of pensions.(Opinion)
August 9, 2004... The surprising news that Boeing Co. is adding billions of dollars to its pension funds and in the process reaping big tax breaks and boosting its future reported profit has us thinking about the nasty pension mess in this country. As...

Myths give outsourcing an undeserved, bad reputation.(Opinion)
August 9, 2004... Byline: Art Kelly As owner of a Nissan dealership with more than 50 employees, I understand that despite recent strong economic growth, many people in the Chicago area are still concerned about their own job prospects. Extensive media...

Road work not ahead for builders; Construction companies squeezed as public works spending declines.(News)
August 9, 2004... Byline: BOB TITA Spending on public works projects in Illinois is down nearly 30% this year, dealing another blow to road construction companies still reeling from a dismal 2003. The value of contracts issued in the state for public...

Reverse co-pay shifts Rx costs to patients; New approach means workers pay larger share.(News)
August 9, 2004... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN Employers have found a way to keep their drug costs down: Make employees foot most of the bill. It's called "reverse co-pay,'' and it turns the traditional system of co-payments on its head. Until now, most...

Where rivals zig, create biz that zags; SOUTHWEST Turned maverick idea into gold mine.(Small Business)(airlines)
August 9, 2004... Byline: IRWIN SPEIZER For the business daring enough to defy an industry model, and savvy enough to recognize how to capitalize on being different, the rewards can be substantial. Three decades ago, the conventional wisdom was that the...

Late News.
August 9, 2004... ILLINOIS TRAILS NATION IN REPLACING LOST JOBS The job recovery in Illinois is lagging far behind the nation, according to a report to be released Monday from National City Corp. As of June, Illinois recovered only 11.7%, or 31,900, of the...

Hotel sits unopened at O'Hare; Renaissance Suites was built, but never bought, in glutted market.(News)
August 9, 2004... Byline: KRISTINA BUCHTHAL It's a new hotel, just three miles from the world's busiest airport. The beds are made, the offices are stocked. But there are no guests. Construction of the Renaissance Chicago O'Hare Suites Hotel was...

Turn your weaknesses into strengths; ANHEUSER-BUSCH Gets good will from good deeds.(Small Business)
August 9, 2004... Byline: ROBERT JOHNSON Nobody sells more tickets to see marine animals do tricks than St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch's three SeaWorld theme parks, and the chain's staff of rescue workers jump through plenty of hoops, too, in...

Growing economy to test Huron; Turnaround industry drops as $115-million IPO sought.(News)(Initial Public Offering, Huron Consulting Group)
August 9, 2004... Byline: SHRUTI DATE SINGH Can Huron Consulting Group adjust the mix of its practice to the improving economy, keep its nearly 500 consultants busy and do it all skillfully enough to yield a successful initial stock offering? Those are...

DePaul seeking award applicants.(News)
August 9, 2004... The Government Assistance Program at DePaul University will accept applications for its Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Public Innovator Awards through Sept. 7. The award honors agencies that implement programs in three areas: e-governance,...

First-class perk: Guv's allies fly high on state planes.(News)
August 9, 2004... Byline: GREG HINZ and SHRUTI DATE SINGH Gov. Rod Blagojevich is taking full advantage of a treasured Springfield perk, offering convenient, low-fare travel on state-owned airplanes to political backers. According to official records,...

Sell more to current clients; WELLS FARGO Sees its products as problem-solvers.(Small Business)
August 9, 2004... Byline: KAREN J. BANNAN It's one of the first lessons in business school: Keeping the customers you have is cheaper and easier than procuring new ones. San Francisco-based Wells Fargo & Co. is formalizing that idea. The international...

Gov't: Abbott patent to stand.(Briefs)(Abbott Laboratories Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 9, 2004... The government refused to override patents on North Chicago-based Abbott Laboratories' AIDS drug Norvir, effectively allowing a quintupling of the price to stand despite consumer groups' accusations of price gouging. Patient groups and some...

Train and pay staff well; CONTAINER STORE Keeps lid on staff turnover.(Small Business)
August 9, 2004... Byline: DEE GILL If you want to know how to keep employees happy and loyal to your company, Kevin Fuller at the Container Store's Dallas headquarters will gladly share his secrets. Barely 12% of the chain's employees quit every year in an...

McD's marketing strategy must stand for something.(Opinion)
August 9, 2004... Byline: Jack Trout McDonald Corp.'s marketing maven, Larry Light, was the key-note speaker at AdWatch Outlook 2004, a recent advertising industry conference. His basic message was that his controversial "I'm lovin' it'' campaign was a big...

Datebook.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
August 16, 2004... WEEK OF AUG. 16 AUG. 16: 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 B168, Crystal Lake. Fee: $35. (815) 455-8588. ...

Collectibles drag down Enesco; Looks to home decor, giftware for growth.(News)
August 16, 2004... Byline: JULIE JARGON People aren't collecting as much stuff anymore, and Enesco Group Inc. is feeling it. The Itasca-based distributor of Precious Moments figurines-porcelain kids bearing inspirational messages-has expanded its...

Conventions.(Calendar/Datebook)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
August 16, 2004... WEEK OF AUG. 16 Aug. 16-20: HP World Solutions and Technology Conference and Expo, McCormick Place North, estimated attendance 7,000. Aug. 17-18: Police Security Expo Midwest 2004, Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, estimated...

Illinois companies' earnings pop; But estimates look good mostly by comparison to poor 3Q '03.(Third Quarter Earnings)
August 16, 2004... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN Illinois companies, including some of those hardest hit by the recent recession, are in for an earnings rebound in the third quarter. But the bounce may be short-lived, as a rise in interest rates threatens to derail...

UAL seeking supplier refund.(Briefs)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... Elk Grove Township-based UAL Corp. wants to recoup about $450 million paid to 2,500 suppliers. The parent of United Airlines is seeking a court order for an expedited process to go after vendors that were paid at least $600 for goods and...

Case against new sprinkler rules doesn't hold water.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... As the one-year anniversary of the fatal fire in the Cook County Administration Building approaches, the city still hasn't enacted an ordinance requiring older office buildings to install sprinkler systems. Buildings constructed before 1975 are...

Late News.
August 16, 2004... STATE BUYOUT OFFER COMMENCES TODAY A buyout offer to state employees kicks off today. The state hopes to trim 3,000 jobs and save $81 million in annual payroll costs. Under the plan, adopted as part of the recently approved state budget,...

Sprinklers don't douse downtown office markets.(News)
August 16, 2004... Byline: SHRUTI DATE SINGH Proposals to require sprinkler systems in older downtown high-rises in the wake of last year's fatal Cook County Administration Building fire have landlords fretting about the cost. But similar rules enacted...

More big-box stores won't alter city's shopping habits.(Opinion)
August 16, 2004... Byline: Orla Castanien Chicago is blessed with a rich diversity in retailing. Throughout the city, there are thousands of retailers that not only contribute tax revenue, but also something far more valuable-they offer unique products and...

How to reduce power costs, conduct an energy audit.(Opinion)
August 16, 2004... Byline: Christopher E. Markert A year ago, a massive power failure blackened the Northeast and parts of the Midwest, leaving 50 million people and tens of thousands of businesses throughout Canada and the United States without power, some...

Universal Access gets stuck in middle; Feeling effects of telecom downturn that hurt clients.(News)
August 16, 2004... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Slumping demand and changing technology in the telecommunications industry landed Universal Access Global Holdings Inc. in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, following some of its best customers. For instance,...

Gourmet picnics for worker bees.(Dining/Restaurant Review)(Restaurant Review)
August 16, 2004... Byline: Anne Moore Summer warmth has sometimes been elusive this year, so I'm glad there's still time ahead to savor outdoor evening pleasures: movies or concerts or fireworks in the parks, watching day turn to night at the beach or an...

RATES ARE RISING, BUT WE'VE SEEN WORSE.(Finance)
August 16, 2004... Byline: CHRISTINA LE BEAU When we bought our house in 2000, the interest rate on our mortgage was 8.375%. Two years later, we refinanced at 7%. In 2003, we did it again, at 5.45%. I'm not holding my breath for another refi. But I'm glad...

People: New Sinai chief vows 'constant vigilance' to stem flow of red ink.(People)
August 16, 2004... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN Sinai Health System tapped an executive with a record of stabilizing struggling urban hospitals as its new president and CEO. Alan H. Channing's top priority is stopping the flow of red ink at Sinai, where the...

Bio-logic pins hopes on global growth; Seeking new markets for infant hearing test gear.(News)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Bio-logic Systems Corp. is looking overseas to reignite sales growth for its infant hearing test technology. The domestic market has flattened out for Mundelein-based Bio-logic, which estimates that 90% of all...

Big move-and risk-for General Growth; Mall owner expands into Latin America.(News)
August 16, 2004... Byline: ALBY GALLUN Facing low investment returns in the United States, General Growth Properties Inc. is stepping into a riskier realm: Latin America. In its first foray abroad, the Chicago-based shopping mall owner is investing about...

Tennis group, United in scrap over sponsorship.(News)(United Airlines inc.)
August 16, 2004... Byline: JULIE JOHNSSON The United States Tennis Assn. claims United Airlines double-faulted on $700,000 in expenses when it pulled out as official airline sponsor of this year's U.S. Open tennis tournament. The tennis association has...