Crain's Chicago Business articles from August 2006

Crain's Chicago Business archives from August 2006

Stiffing Topinka now could hurt biz for years.(Opinion)(Judy Baar Topinka)
August 7, 2006... A fundamental rule of Illinois politics is, "Don't back no losers.'' Business seems to be heeding that adage when it comes to supporting Republican gubernatorial nominee Judy Baar Topinka. So far, the business community hasn't come across...

Welcome back; 'Boomerang' executives know how to leave on good terms- and parlay experience elsewhere into a boost when they return.
August 7, 2006... Byline: LISA BERTAGNOLI When employees leave a company, a door closes behind them. However, that door usually isn't locked. A well-done exit and well-timed return can be a smart career move. One high-profile example: Irene Rosenfeld....

At Deadline.(Late News)(Abbott Laboratories Inc. (Abbott Park, Illinois))(Duke Realty Corp.)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... United keeps grip on O'Hare gates United still has exclusive rights to its gates at O'Hare, a Bankruptcy Court ruled late last month, even though the carrier defaulted on financing for the facility in Chapter 11. The decision is a blow to...

Guarding Aon's tall tower; It's big and has seen big changes since Sept. 11.(Focus: Commercial Real Estate)
August 7, 2006... Byline: D. MARIE STESHETZ Prior to Sept. 11, tenant life at the Aon Center was all about amenities, like its amazing views and its location right off Lake Michigan. Not anymore. At 83 stories above ground (and five below ground),...

Complex moves; Guarding three big properties at Chicago's Federal Center.(focus: commercial real estate)
August 7, 2006... Byline: D. MARIE STESHETZ Sept. 11 wasn't the catalyst for better security at Chicago's sprawling Federal Center. The initial wake-up call came six years earlier when a rental truck exploded outside the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma...

Trades, traders and threats; Protecting the CME hasn't been easy.(Focus: Commercial Real Estate)(Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc.)
August 7, 2006... Byline: D. MARIE STESHETZ As the world's largest futures exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) has an obligation to protect two of its most valuable assets: its electronic trading system and the building in which it does...

He's paid to worry for you; Meet Chicago's own Dr. Doom-and-Gloom.(focus: commercial real estate)(interview with Bob Koverman)(Interview)
August 7, 2006... Byline: SAMANTHA STAINBURN Designing and installing a security system in an office tower can run 7% to 10% of construction costs, according to Sako & Associates, a Chicago security consultancy. At these prices, what's really necessary?...

UAL hubs under siege; Discounters on the march as Virgin eyes West Coast markets.(United Airlines Inc.)(Virgin America Inc.)
August 7, 2006... Byline: JULIE JOHNSSON As Southwest Airlines steps up the pressure on United Airlines' airport hubs in Chicago, Denver and Washington, D.C., a new discount rival is taking aim at United's West Coast strongholds. Virgin America Inc.,...

For rent.(Focus: Commercial Real Estate)(occupancy)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Byline: Christina Le Beau It's not the sort of thing building managers like to publicize, but the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks have had a lasting impact beyond metal detectors and disaster drills. Occupancy, too, is hurting. In downtown...

Cat chasing opportunities in emerging economies; Caterpillar Inc. Friday Close: $73.10.(Markets)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Byline: Daniel Rome Levine The pick: Optimum owns 110,000 shares of the Peoria-based equipment maker. Mr. Pinsoneault started buying the stock in late 2004. The average cost of shares he bought is $50. He says the stock could reach $87 in...

Need to Know.(Focus: Commercial Real Estate)
August 7, 2006... 7 Number of men arrested June 22 in Miami for allegedly plotting to bomb the Sears Tower. 6 Number of emergency vehicles dispatched to the Merc in a May 2004 noxious-fumes scare. 25th Floor at the John Hancock Center where a worker...

Tootsie price hike backfires; Lower package weights and higher prices made for sad second-quarter sales.(Markets)
August 7, 2006... Byline: JULIE JARGON Tootsie Roll Industries Inc. just learned the hard way that customers aren't crazy about paying more for less. Stung by rising ingredient costs, Chicago-based Tootsie Roll raised prices earlier this year and...

LSV locks down funds; Quant manager reaches crossroads at $61 billion.(LSV Asset Management)
August 7, 2006... Byline: STEVEN R. STRAHLER Josef Lakonishok forgoes a salary as a University of Illinois finance professor but rakes in millions testing his stock market theories as a contrarian Chicago money manager. LSV Asset Management, which he...

Ripe for reform; DOES ANYONE HAVE THE POLITICAL WILL TO MERGE COOK COUNTY'S TAX AGENCIES?(a move to benefit taxpayers)
August 7, 2006... Byline: Greg Hinz With all the talk of cost-cutting and personnel changes suddenly emanating from the County Building, you'd never know political reformer Forrest Claypool came up short in his March primary race for board president. ...

Latecomers to Topinka's party; Biz starts writing checks, but is it too little, too late?(Judy Baar Topinka)
August 7, 2006... Byline: GREG HINZ Illinois business is starting to warm up to GOP gubernatorial hopeful Judy Baar Topinka, potentially giving her the wherewithal to be competitive on TV when it counts most, after months in which Democratic incumbent Rod...

Bunkers abound. Houses, too; Atmosphere, amenities at par for White Deer Run.(The Business of Life)
August 7, 2006... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY With predictable hole routing around hundreds of subdivision homes and an architecturally undistinguished clubhouse, Boulder Ridge Country Club in Lake in the Hills leaves visitors with the feeling they've played a...

Voice Choice.(The Business of Life)(Matt Bisbee- radio voice-over artist)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Byline: Kevin Davis Matt Bisbee, 50, radio voice-over artist, creative services director, Bonneville International Corp., Chicago. Duties: Creates radio promotions and ads using various characters, voices and announcing styles. Regular...

Exit Strategies.(The Business of Life)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Byline: Lisa Bertagnoli A well-orchestrated departure can leave the door ajar for you. Here's the way to go: Behave professionally. Give enough notice. Don't leave with company information that you shouldn't have. And resist the urge...

For The Record.(Briefs)(Exelon Corp.)(Public Service Electric and Gas Co.)(Children's Memorial Hospital (Chicago, Illinois))
August 7, 2006... New Jersey regulators said Friday they cannot greenlight a deal that would pave the way for Exelon to buy PSEG, and they want the utilities to keep negotiating. Exelon, which agreed to buy PSEG for $17.9 billion in 2004, has struggled to win...

Correction.(Corrections)(Correction notice)
August 7, 2006... The July 24 Focus section misstated the age of Walgreen Co. director Marilou M. Von Ferstel. She is 68.

Olympic blunders.(News)
August 7, 2006... New York, 2012 Mistake: The city lacked statewide support for a new stadium. A state panel voted against funding the stadium a month before the International Olympic Committee vote, leaving Big Apple organizers to come up with an alternate...

OLYMPIC RACE: HOW CHICAGO STACKS UP; Handicapping the 3 U.S. finalists in bid for 2016 games.(News)
August 7, 2006... Byline: SHRUTI DATE SINGH In the race to host the 2016 Olympic Games, Chicago looks like a long shot. Late last month the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) narrowed the list of hopefuls to three, selecting Chicago, Los Angeles and San...

Brazilian berry makes a splash.(The Business of Life)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Byline: Laura Bianchi Coming to a menu near you: exotic acai berry. More than a year after the berry juice debuted at smoothie giant Jamba Juice and Whole Foods Markets, the Brazilian beverage is trickling into the kitchens of...

Big project. Big worry. How does The Donald think about security?(Focus: Commercial Real Estate)(interview with Bruce Fox )(Interview)
August 7, 2006... Byline: JOHN T. SLANIA Bruce Fox is the security point man at Trump International Hotel & Tower. As a construction manager, he's responsible for choosing the right system and making sure it gets installed right. Dennis Chmielewski is...

This Week: Accenture chops 200 from Chicago payroll.(Briefs)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Byline: Shruti Date Singh Accenture plans to lay off about 200 people in its roughly 4,800-employee Chicago office over the next eight months, a spokesman confirms. Layoffs, which will affect the consulting and outsourcing firm's human...

Special events spot also special for lunch; Marchetti's offers break from Loop; Como roots.(Joe Marchetti)(Como Inn)(Restaurant review)
August 7, 2006... Byline: ANNE MOORE Tired of small plates and big attitudes? Head to Joe Marchetti's, where servings are generous and help is professional. Best of all, food is reasonably priced, very fresh and prepared with panache. One day we visited,...

Data Drenched.(information explosion makes selection of useful items a tough process)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Byline: Dan Weissmann Greg Shipley, 32, chief technology officer of Chicago-based information security consultancy Neohapsis Inc., says the information age may have entered a "fire hose phase,'' where the flood of data makes it hard to...

Pritzkers' grittier business; Rail car unit isn't sexy, but it's drawing looks.
August 7, 2006... Byline: BOB TITA For months, speculation about what asset Chicago's billionaire Pritzker family might unload next has centered on the glitzy Hyatt hotel empire. But a grittier holding could also become a sought-after prize: Union Tank Car...

Chicago's a blue bag holdout; Only big city left using program; a bust in Ohio.(recycling industry)
August 7, 2006... Byline: JOE TRUINI Crain News Service And then Chicago stood alone. Columbus, Ohio, one of the nation's largest cities, ended its 15-month blue bag curbside recycling pilot project in July and decided not to expand the program due to...

Honda's Indiana decision should be Illinois' wake-up call.(Opinion)(Honda Motor Company Ltd.)
August 7, 2006... Byline: Gerald D. Skoning Honda Motor Co.'s decision to locate its new $550-million assembly plant in Indiana was a crushing disappointment. The automaker let Illinois down easy by saying proximity of parts suppliers and the Indianapolis...

Donnelley looks like LBO target; Printing giant could fetch $8 bil. in buyout.(News)
August 7, 2006... Byline: BOB TITA Unloved on Wall Street but still dominant in the printing business, R. R. Donnelley & Sons Co. appears ripe to be taken private by cash-flush buyout firms trolling for big investments. A group of top-tier...

On the Move.(People)(Northern Trust Corp has appointed Duane Rocheleau)(Urban Retail Properties Co. has appointed Mike Lesiuk)(Information Resources Inc. has appointed Andrew A. Salzman)
August 7, 2006... CONSUMER SERVICES Terlato Wine Group, Lake Bluff: Mike Graham, 46, to chief financial officer, from senior vice-president and controller at R. R. Donnelley & Sons Co. He succeeds John Scribner, 59, who continues as senior vice-president...

Local grocery chain's gain; Caputo's New Farm Produce steps in where Marsh's expansion failed.(Marsh Supermarkets Inc.)(Caputo's New Farm Produce Inc.)
August 7, 2006... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY So long, Marsh, we hardly knew you. Hello, Caputo's. In an experiment that proved short-lived, Marsh Supermarkets Inc. of Indianapolis closed its grocery store in Naperville on July 22. The struggling chain, which...

Pampered Chef CEO looks to give inspiration.(People)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Byline: Lorene Yue Job: CEO, the Pampered Chef, since May. Vitals: 45 years old; bachelor's degree, 1984, Indiana University; MBA, 1993, Northwestern University. Worked at KPMG LLP and Kraft Foods Inc. Joined Pampered Chef in 2003 as...

Safety in numbers.(Focus: Commercial Real Estate)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Byline: Christina Le Beau Commercial buildings nationwide spent 14% more on security in 2002 than they did in 2001, jumping from an average of 49 cents per square foot to 56 cents, according to Building Owners and Managers Assn....

U of C wins 5-year Argonne pact.(Briefs)
August 7, 2006... The U.S. Department of Energy decided the University of Chicago should continue to manage and run Argonne National Lab for at least the next five years. And the new $2.5-billion pact can be extended for up to 20 years without competition if the...

'We have incidents every day'; Sept. 11 had a huge impact on the Sears Tower, Chicago's tallest building. But is it safer?(Focus: Commercial Real Estate)
August 7, 2006... Byline: CHRISTINA LE BEAU There's no question Sept. 11 changed the Sears Tower. Security officers are everywhere. Large planters outside are clearly more for protection than decoration. And the 25,000 people who work in and visit the...

Is Chicago ready for the worst? Here's what your city has planned for you.(Andrew Velasquez III)(Interview)
August 7, 2006... Byline: SAMANTHA STAINBURN Since Sept. 11, Chicago's emergency team has been filing plans and stockpiling gadgets. Crain's asked Andrew Velasquez III, 38, executive director of the city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications...

Building fear? Sept. 11 altered the world of architecture, too.(Focus: Commercial Real Estate)
August 7, 2006... Byline: SAMANTHA STAINBURN No office worker has looked at their high-rise the same way since watching the World Trade Center towers collapse five years ago. The disaster has given architects a new perspective, too, says Ross Wimer, a...

Scarface to Potbelly? When a dark past gives way to a brighter future.(Uptown Broadway Building)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Byline: STUART LUMAN What: Uptown Broadway Building Where: 4701-4715 N. Broadway When: To be completed January 2007 How big: 23,000 square feet, including a 7,000-square-foot basement Cost: $4.5 million ($1.1 million...

GAS PRICES CHOKE $5 BIL. OUT OF LOCAL ECONOMY; As consumers spend more at the pump, they're spending less elsewhere-and it's showing.(News)
August 7, 2006... Byline: PAUL MERRION Gasoline prices are pumping $5 billion from the Chicago-area economy, a hit that could cost the region roughly 62,000 jobs if prices stay above $3 for the remainder of the year, according to a new study prepared for...

Is it okay to relax one's dress code when it gets hot?(The Business of Life)
August 7, 2006... Byline: Laura Bianchi No matter how hot it is, don't give in to the temptation to underdress, says Mary Ann McGrath, associate dean of the Graduate School of Business at Loyola University Chicago. "I am seeing older executives showing up...

Hancock owner considering sale.(Shorenstein Properties has hired New York real estate firm Eastdil )(Brief article)
August 14, 2006... The owner of the John Hancock Center is taking the first step toward putting the iconic Michigan Avenue skyscraper up for sale. Shorenstein Properties has hired New York real estate firm Eastdil Secured to study options, including a possible...

Art Canvasser.(The Business of Life)
August 14, 2006... Byline: Laura Bianchi Patti Gilford, 52, owner, Patti Gilford Fine Art, Chicago Duties: Develop art collections for corporations and private residences, at $2,500 to $35,000 per work. "I think of myself as a visual psychologist. I...

Inspiration Seeker.(services of Carlette McMullan)(Brief article)
August 14, 2006... Byline: Dan Weissmann Carlette McMullan, 47, is a principal at investment firm William Blair & Co. LLC, where she manages the firm's private investor department, a $9-billion portfolio. She takes home stacks of research reports by Blair...

Federated to cut newspaper ads; National mags, TV to gain in Macy's branding plan.(News)
August 14, 2006... Byline: MYA FRAZIER Crain News Service Local newspapers, beware: Sept. 9 is just around the corner. That day marks the start of a drain of as much as $425 million in spending by the medium's largest advertiser, Federated Department...

Sound economics takes back seat to political `theology'.(reports of estate taxes)
August 14, 2006... Byline: Terrence L. Barnich Upon leaving President Richard M. Nixon's Council of Economic Advisors, Herb Stein was asked by the Washington press corps for some parting advice. His response was classic Stein: "One, take an economics course,...

Blah, blah, blah. Sell, sell, sell; Corporate blogging can have big benefits.(interview)(Interview)
August 14, 2006... Byline: SAMANTHA STAINBURN The creative minds at Coudal Partners, a Chicago design and advertising firm, started blogging before there were blogs, manually updating their company's Web site whenever employees found a link to a cool site...

The word on text.(Focus: Small Business)
August 14, 2006... Byline: MEREDITH LANDRY Since 2001,Vibes Media has offered Burger King, Verizon, the Backstreet Boys and others an alternative to traditional forms of advertising. The Chicago mobile marketing agency, launched in 1998, creates...

EARS FOR SEARS; Tower's owners draw up plans for a Disneyfied experience on the Skydeck.(redevelopment project)
August 14, 2006... Byline: THOMAS A. CORFMAN The typical trip to the top of the Sears Tower-go up, look around, come down-could soon become a more Disneyesque experience, with a special-effects theater, a light-show ride on a glass elevator and man-made...

Conventions.(Calendar/Datebook)(Brief article)(Calendar)
August 14, 2006... THIS WEEK AUG. 14-16: Questex Media Group Inc., Navy Pier, estimated attendance 2,500. AUG. 14-18: United States Postal Service, Hyatt Regency O'Hare, estimated attendance 400. AUG. 14-20: U.S. Apple Assn., Four Seasons Hotel...

Veto wage law, then get down to business.(Viewpoint)
August 14, 2006... The argument over the city's so-called living-wage ordinance raged on last week, with two intriguing developments. First, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced it was raising starting pay at 1,200 stores, including those around Chicago, by 6%. ...

Area native leading Ernst & Young in Midwest.(People)(Anthony K. Anderson)(Ernst & Young LLP)(Brief article)(Biography)
August 14, 2006... Byline: Shruti Date Singh Job: Managing partner of Ernst & Young LLP's Midwest practice since July. Vitals: 50 years old; bachelor's degree in accounting from Chicago State University; 30-year veteran of Ernst & Young; named a partner...

Teacher talk; BETTER PAY HELPS, BUT MORE IS NEEDED TO FIX FACULTY QUALITY AT CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.(rankings of public schools)
August 14, 2006... Byline: Greg Hinz Under normal economic rules, talent follows money. If a company wants top workers, it's got to offer top dollar. When pay suffers, so eventually does the quality of the product. But things aren't that simple at...

Tiger's hot, PGA tickets are not; Slow sales for tourney at Medinah; does golf still sell in Chicago?(forecasts and trends of tournaments)
August 14, 2006... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY A potential duel between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson at this week's PGA Championship is the buzz of golf fans everywhere. That is, everywhere except Chicago, where the tournament is being played. Mr. Woods has...

Crash Landing; Rewards Network's legal problem is unsettling for investors.(sales and earnings of Rewards Network Inc. )
August 14, 2006... Byline: ALBY GALLUN A California lawsuit is turning up the heat on a local company that gives diners discounts through its loyalty program. And investors are getting out of the kitchen. Closing Friday at $4.02, shares of Rewards...

Discounted Dining.(restaurants for frequent-dining credits)(Brief article)
August 14, 2006... Byline: Source: 21st Century Research HOW IT WORKS: * Rewards Network advances cash to restaurants for frequent-dining credits, typically paying 55 cents on the dollar for each credit. It then advertises for the restaurant. * When...

Time to get plugged in? Many use the Internet to boost biz. You can, too.(Focus: Small Business)
August 14, 2006... Byline: MEREDITH LANDRY It's been called the "Great Equalizer.'' The Web, after all, offers all businesses, regardless of size, a platform to compete for the same customers. But despite its universal acceptance as a powerful sales and...

New and improved.(Focus: Small Business)(Interview)
August 14, 2006... Byline: BRIAN MCCORMICK For Integrated Project Management (IPM), effective Web site redesign began with what wasn't working. Clients and potential clients complained they couldn't navigate the Burr Ridge consulting firm's unwieldy,...

Spam-a-lot? Here's how to stop.(Focus: Small Business)(Interview)
August 14, 2006... Byline: SAMANTHA STAINBURN You've got mail? It's more like you've got trouble if you annoy customers by cluttering their in-boxes with unwanted messages announcing sales and company news. Scott Dorsey, CEO of ExactTarget, an Indianapolis...

At Deadline.(Late News)(Brief article)
August 14, 2006... Sara Lee cuts dividend by half Sara Lee last week said it will cut its annual dividend to 40 cents a share from 79 cents as it becomes a smaller company. Credit Suisse analyst David Nelson estimates that Sara Lee's dividend yield likely...

Steeple Chase: an acquired taste; Dire lack of amenities; tough calls for first-timers.(The Business of Life)
August 14, 2006... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY The Steeple Chase Golf Club in Mundelein doesn't always hold its own against tough competition from entrepreneur-owned facilities such as Pine Meadow and White Deer Run. A visit for 18 holes is a very mixed...

Need to Know.(Focus: Small Business)
August 14, 2006... Byline: Sources: Pew Internet Project, Alexa Internet Inc., Technorati Inc. 57 million: Number of Americans who read blogs. 26,801: Number of blogs that link to Chinese actress Xu Jinglei's blog, the most popular in the world. ...

This Week: N.Y. hedge fund dumps McD's stake.(Late News)(New York )(McDonald)(Brief article)
August 14, 2006... Byline: Julie Jargon New York hedge fund manager Leon Cooperman, who last year supported fellow hedge fund activist William Ackman's failed proposal to restructure McDonald's, has unloaded his stake in the fast-food chain. His Omega...

Biz tax load gets lighter; Housing boom shifts property-tax burden; city turns competitive.(News)
August 14, 2006... Byline: GREG HINZ After decades of shouldering one of the most onerous property-tax loads in the country, Chicago's business community is emerging as a big winner in the dramatic reshuffling of the city's real estate market. A new...

Can't stand the heat? Get off the patio.(The Business of Life)
August 14, 2006... Byline: Laura Bianchi Chicago's al fresco dining scene has not completely wilted this summer, despite the weather. It was the second-warmest July since 1895, with a series of days with heat indices topping 100 degrees-on the heels of an...

For The Record.(Briefs)(Don Kornstein and Barry Elson been appointed at Bally Total Fitness)(Sara Lee's profits)(McDonald's sales and earnings)
August 14, 2006... Bally Total Fitness announced the immediate ouster of CEO Paul Toback and the delay of its quarterly filing and said its quest to find a buyer has been unsuccessful. Bally elected Don Kornstein to serve as interim chairman and Barry Elson as...

Middleby CEO lays it all on the line; Bassoul targets British restaurant supplier.(News)(Middleby Corp wants to acquire Enodis PLC)
August 14, 2006... Byline: BOB TITA Selim Bassoul has an appetite for taking big risks. After a bidding war of more than three months, the CEO and 12% owner of Elgin-based commercial kitchen equipment maker Middleby Corp. is still trying to acquire...

In post-Enron era, Navigant gets the call; Navigant Consulting Inc. Friday Close: $18.05.(Markets)(Brief article)
August 14, 2006... Byline: Daniel Rome Levine The pick: Mr. Burridge began buying shares of the Chicago-based consulting firm last December. RMB purchased its 260,000 shares at an average price of $21.50, and Mr. Burridge says the stock could reach the mid-...

Corrections.(Correction notice)
August 14, 2006... * An Aug. 7 At Deadline item misidentified David McSweeney, the Republican candidate for Illinois' 8th District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. * The Aug. 7 Focus section incorrectly identified PricewaterhouseCoopers as a tenant...

On the Move.(People)(Rama Kavaliauskas joins Sterling Engineering Inc.)(David A. Greene joins University of Chicago)(Susan L. Goldenberg joins Neal Gerber and Eisenberg LLP)
August 14, 2006... ARCHITECTURE/ ENGINEERING Sterling Engineering Inc., Elmhurst: Rama Kavaliauskas, 37, to president, from vice-president. She replaces Patrick Flynn, 34, who left to start his own company. EDUCATION University of Chicago, Chicago:...

Exelon faces savvy N.J. guv; Blagojevich couldn't stop utility, but ex-CEO Corzine a tough customer.(Rod Blagojevich, Jon Corzine)
August 14, 2006... Byline: STEVE DANIELS Less than a year after outflanking Gov. Rod Blagojevich in the clash over an Illinois power auction, Exelon Corp. CEO John W. Rowe finds himself in another high-stakes face-off with a big-state governor. But...

Mall owner likes small markets; Barrington firm buys centers without rivals.(News)
August 14, 2006... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Far from the shadow cast by big mall operators such as General Growth Properties Inc., GK Development Inc. of Barrington is carving out a niche in small towns. Earlier this month, GK announced a $90-million deal...

Moto accord shows moxie; Zander used Nextel ties to lock up Sprint deal.(News)
August 14, 2006... Byline: JULIE JOHNSSON Sprint Nextel Corp.'s big investment in WiMax, an unproven wireless broadband technology, is not only a vindication of Edward Zander's gamble on that technology, but a giant step toward repairing Motorola Inc.'s...

Arts patrons feel roped in; Cultural groups resist ticket sales flexibility; perks favor planners.(The Business of Life)
August 14, 2006... Byline: LISA BERTAGNOLI Busy arts patrons say they want to buy tickets that suit their own schedules, but pre-season overtures from music and theater groups still favor an old standby: fixed subscription packages. Chicago arts groups,...

Do laptop cable locks really prevent theft?(The Business of Life)(Brief article)
August 14, 2006... Byline: Darci Smith While any level of security is a good idea, don't be too complacent if you have a cable lock that secures your laptop to a table or desk, says Arlene Yetnikoff, director of information security for DePaul University. A...

Still need help figuring out the Web? Look here.(Focus: Small Business)
August 14, 2006... Byline: MARK HENRICKS Taking a business online doesn't take a lot of money, but it does take some know-how. These Chicago-area courses,Web sites, books and other resources offer help. WEB SITES Hostway Business Resources ...

Babes in Webland.(Focus: Small Business)(interview with Jenni Prokopy from ChronicBabe.com)(Interview)
August 14, 2006... Byline: BRIAN MCCORMICK A decade after being diagnosed with asthma, anxiety and a blood vessel disorder, Jenni Prokopy now works full-time on ChronicBabe.com, a Web site she developed for young women with chronic illnesses. Through her...

Klingon 101; OF BITS AND BYTES.(Focus: Small Business)
August 14, 2006... Byline: Thomas Mucha If you're like most small business owners, you don't like technology. It's too complicated. It's expensive. It changes too quickly. The jargon can sound like Klingon (and for some IT pros, it actually is). So it's...

STAND BY ME; Daley combs the council looking for aldermen to change their big-box votes.(Mayor Richard M. Daley)
August 14, 2006... Byline: GREG HINZ One says he's torn between doing the right thing and doing the right thing the right way. A second hints that he's awaiting a call from the mayor. A third is catching heat from allies on different sides of the issue,...

Then there were two: Brazilian steakhouse shift.(The Business of Life)(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... Byline: Laura Bianchi Three has proven to be a crowd for the trio of nearly identical Brazilian steakhouses bunched within a few city blocks. Sal & Carvao, 739 N. Clark St., is about to become the first of the competing churrascarias to...

Activist investor buys Tribune stake.(Nelson Peltz investing in Tribune Co. (Chicago, Illinois))(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... Nelson Peltz, the billionaire investor agitating for change at the top of H. J. Heinz, has amassed a significant stake in Chicago media giant Tribune. Mr. Peltz's investment fund bought about 2.83 million shares in the quarter ended June 30,...

TARGETING CHICAGO; Can big-box retailer really thrive without more stores here?(Target Corp.)
August 21, 2006... Byline: SHRUTI DATE SINGH If Target Corp. sticks to its threat to halt expansion in Chicago, it can rule out 27-year-old Smita Kini as a regular customer. The Edgewater resident, who has no car, shopped at Target only a couple of times...

Gates gives it up for Chicago; Foundation has given $67 million to fund city's public schools.(Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation provided finance to Northwestern University Settlement Association)
August 21, 2006... Byline: SAMANTHA STAINBURN For the Northwestern University Settlement Assn. in Chicago, good news began with a phone call from Seattle. The caller, a representative from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, eventually gave the community...