Crain's Chicago Business articles from December 2006

Crain's Chicago Business archives from December 2006

Need to Know.(Focus: Commercial Real Estate)
December 4, 2006... 6,532 Number of commercial real estate lessors in Illinois. 56,404 Number of building construction workers in Illinois. 522 Number of pipeline workers in Illinois. 177 Number of people who clean building exteriors for a living in...

Trump's odds.(Focus: Commercial Real Estate)(Trump International Hotel & Tower)(role of Paramedics and elevator operators)
December 4, 2006... Byline: John T. Slania On every major construction site, there are some jobs that stand out because they are so unusual. That's certainly the case at the $800-million Trump International Hotel & Tower. The 92-story complex will require...

Abbott's new pill is a tough sell; 'Good'-cholesterol drug from Kos hasn't caught on with family physicians.(News)(Abbott Laboratories Inc.)(Kos Pharmaceuticals Inc. )
December 4, 2006... Byline: MIKE COLIAS For patients with dangerously high levels of so-called bad cholesterol, Milton Chavez prescribes medication to reduce the risk. For those who don't have enough "good'' cholesterol, he prescribes more exercise and a...

Ryan free on bail, but loses pension.(Briefs)(Gov. George Ryan )(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... A federal appeals court ruled that former Gov. George Ryan may remain free pending the appeal of his racketeering and fraud conviction, but if it decides to uphold the corruption verdict handed down in April, 72-year-old Ryan must go...

Dangling and hanging; Looking very closely, wherever it may lead.(Focus: Commercial Real Estate)(Klein and Hoffman Inc.-Mary Brush's profession of preparing report on safety and maintenance need of the buildings)
December 4, 2006... Byline: STEVE HENDERSHOT "Right there,'' Mary Brush says, pointing to a spot on the exterior of the Monroe Building. "You don't want to drill through the grapes,'' she tells contractor Krzysztos Gonciarczyk as they work 14 stories above...

Dominick's turns page on promos; Holiday catalog touts 'lifestyle,' not coupons.(News)(Dominick's Finer Foods LLC. uses catalogues for marketing)
December 4, 2006... Byline: JOHN T. SLANIA While high-end retailers try to pump sales through eye-catching catalogs, grocers usually hawk food using newspaper coupons. So Dominick's Finer Foods LLC's glossy, full-color holiday catalog is a striking...

OLD DOG'S NEW TRICKS; Despite discount competition, Greyhound profits roll-thanks to surprising tactic.(News)
December 4, 2006... Byline: BOB TITA Facing a new breed of discount competitors, Greyhound Lines Inc. is fighting back with a surprising tactic: price increases. Greyhound, a unit of Naperville-based Laidlaw International Inc., has raised most of its...

On the Move.(People)(Art Institute of Chicago promoted Sam Quigley)(Northwestern University promoted J. Larry Jameson)(Houlihan Smith & Co. promoted Karl D'Cunha)
December 4, 2006... ARTS/ ENTERTAINMENT Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago: Sam Quigley, 54, to vice-president for collections management, imaging and information technology, from director of digital information and technology at the Harvard University Art...

All the office is a stage-for fun and profit; Sprucing up can sell or fill a space quicker.(Focus: Commercial Real Estate)
December 4, 2006... Byline: STEVE HENDERSHOT On HGTV's prime-time show "Designed to Sell,'' host Clive Pearse and his team of experts help homeowners transform their cluttered, tasteless homes into hot properties. They paint the bedrooms neutral colors,...

Todd's task; IN SUCCEEDING HIS FATHER, MR. STROGER INHERITS A FISCAL TRAIN WRECK.(News)(Todd Stroger - president of the Cook County Board)
December 4, 2006... Byline: Greg Hinz If he doesn't know it yet, Todd Stroger begins Monday to learn the wisdom of the old saw that you'd better be careful what you wish for. Mr. Stroger got his heart's desire: his dad's post as president of the Cook...

Chinese biz group sets up U.S. beachhead here; Showroom aims to give association an entree to North America.(News)
December 4, 2006... Byline: EDDIE BAEB A group of Chinese companies is aiming to tap the U.S. market-via Chicago. The China International Cooperation Assn. of Small and Medium Enterprises-a Beijing-based group whose members typically own one to several...

A Chicago accent; How a local textile firm is making room for itself.(Focus: Commercial Real Estate)
December 4, 2006... Byline: Stuart Luman What: Eastern Accents, a Chicago-based wholesale manufacturer and designer of high-end bedding and linens, is constructing a 60,000-square-foot, two-story addition and rehabbing three other buildings. Where: 4201...

This Week: Ex-N'western chief quits trade group post.(Late News)(Florida's Healthcare Research & Development Institute- Gary Mecklenburg )(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... Byline: Mike Colias Former Northwestern Memorial CEO Gary Mecklenburg has resigned as non-exec chairman of a trade group undergoing antitrust probes in Illinois and Connecticut (Crain's, Sept. 25). He retired last month from Florida's...

Trump's conductor; Concrete, steel and the making of music.(Focus: Commercial Real Estate)(Curtis Brown- Trump International Hotel & Tower )(Interview)
December 4, 2006... Byline: JOHN T. SLANIA Curtis Brown, 50, is in charge of "making sure everyone is playing nicely on the playground.'' That's a tall order when your playground will eventually cover 92 stories and employ some 800 workers. We asked the Bovis...

Keeping growth on an independent track.(People)
December 4, 2006... Byline: Lorene Yue Job: Chairman, Schiff Hardin LLP, since Nov. 1. Vitals: 52 years old; bachelor's degree in history, 1975, Denison University, Granville, Ohio; law degree, 1978, University of Chicago Law School; joined Schiff Hardin...

Killer views, killer business plan; Looking for a bird's-eye perspective? Call these guys.(Focus: Commercial Real Estate)(SkyPan International - Mark Segal, Jeff Jones )
December 4, 2006... Byline: STEVE HENDERSHOT Mark Segal and Jeff Jones were facing an empty lot on Michigan Avenue south of downtown, waiting for the right light to launch their 5-foot-long helicopter. Suddenly, a dark blue van screeched to a stop beside...

The model model maker; Plying the smaller side of a big business.(Focus: Commercial Real Estate)
December 4, 2006... Byline: STEVE HENDERSHOT Martin Chadwick has a job any 10-year-old boy would love. First, he punches the dimensions of a skyscraper into a computer, then watches as an automated laser cutter spits out brick walls and marble columns. He...

Patience profits; Get paid to wait in long lines? You bet.(Focus: Commercial Real Estate)(Permit Guys LLC - Brian Wilson)
December 4, 2006... Byline: STEVE HENDERSHOT Brian Wilson's job is to wait in line. There are dozens like him at City Hall, and they're easy to pick out once you know the signs: early 20s, bored and prone to wander. Mr. Wilson is an expeditor with Permit...

Of water and algae; Operating Buckingham Fountain: the man behind, and beneath, the landmark.(Focus: Commercial Real Estate)(John Burke )
December 4, 2006... Byline: STEVE HENDERSHOT The problem with the Chicago Park District's best engineering job is that it doesn't last all year. Each spring, John Burke makes Buckingham Fountain flow and each fall he pulls the plug. This year, drainage...

Leftover days off: Try Vegas, cruises.(Business of Life)(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... Byline: Lisa Bertagnoli It's a December conundrum: how to quickly use unspent vacation days before yearend. Travel experts say there are thrifty ways to cash in those final days. Best bets include cruises, early ski vacations and...

Selling off pieces; Wrigley execs take advantage of stock rise, cashing in options for quick profit.(Markets)(Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.- Frank Birkel, Rory Finlay, Carol Knight, Igor Saveliev, Denis Schrey)
December 4, 2006... Byline: JULIE JARGON Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.'s shares soared 14% in October, posting their biggest one-day jump in decades, after the gum maker reported better-than-expected profit and named a new CEO. Some execs didn't wait long to cash in....

Layoffs on tap at Harris Bank; As parent BMO aims to slash costs, local job cuts loom.(News)
December 4, 2006... Byline: STEVE DANIELS Harris Bank employees are bracing for the first substantial job cuts in more than a decade as the bank's Canadian parent looks to prune ballooning expenses following a disappointing fiscal year. William Downe, who...

Prez Towers on sale block; Complex likely to sell for $450 mil. or more in big payday for Pritzkers.(News)
December 4, 2006... Byline: ALBY GALLUN AND THOMAS A. CORFMAN Eleven years after bailing out the Presidential Towers apartment complex, Chicago's billionaire Pritzker family is selling the 2,346-unit West Loop property, which could fetch $450 million or more....

Tax exemptions for religion break against business.(Viewpoint essay)
December 4, 2006... Byline: Marc J. Lane Chicago attorney and corporate governance expert Marc J. Lane is president of Marc J. Lane Investment Management Inc. In the Bill of Rights, James Madison and his brethren wisely proclaimed religious freedom and...

CME deal may boost Clearing; Monopoly concerns spark interest in firm.(News)(Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc.'s acquisition of The Clearing Corp.)
December 4, 2006... Byline: ANN SAPHIR The specter of a Chicago futures monopoly may help revive a forgotten player in the city's derivatives industry. Clearing Corp., which has operated largely on the margins of the futures industry since 2004, is the...

County's Medicaid ailment; Errors lead state to reject 39% of claims on first pass, creating a $200-mil. gap.(News)
December 4, 2006... Byline: GREG HINZ Cash-strapped Cook County is losing about $200 million a year-at least temporarily-because of its failure to submit the right paperwork at the right time to the state. Thirty-nine percent of Medicaid claims submitted...

Personal story drives support for Children's.(Business of Life)(Medical Research Institute Council - Richard Tannenbaum)(Interview)
December 4, 2006... Byline: Mary Cameron Frey The Medical Research Institute Council was founded in 1951 to support scientific research at Chicago's Michael Reese Hospital. In 1991, after Michael Reese became a for-profit hospital, the council began...

For The Record.(Briefs)(Tribune Co. delayed disinvestment)(Citadel Investment Group L.L.C.'s profit grows)(lawyer Donald Hubert died)
December 4, 2006... Tribune said it would extend its deadline for deciding whether to sell the company until the first quarter of 2007. The Chicago-based media conglomerate had said it would decide by yearend. After five months as Global Hyatt's interim...

No time for cheer? Hire it out; If you can't decorate, delegate; from table design to grandma's pie.(Business of Life)
December 4, 2006... Byline: ALISON NEUMER LARA The holidays are a breeze when you get a little help-and by a little, we actually mean a ton. "Never do anything yourself that others can do for you,'' said Dame Agatha Christie, as she kept busy writing 80...

Correction.(Correction notice)
December 4, 2006... Michael DeSantiago, president of Primera Engineers Ltd., graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago. A profile in the Nov. 27 Focus section misidentified the school.

BEARS INCORPORATED; Ted Phillips brought corporate structure to the Chicago Bears. Next goal: Win a Super Bowl.(News)(Chicago Bears Football Club Inc.- Ted Phillips)
December 4, 2006... Byline: GREGORY MEYER Chicago Bears Football Club Inc. sits off a cul-de-sac of a tidy Lake Forest office park, just past the headquarters of several large public companies. The tranquil corporate site, 36 miles from the roar of...

Woodward fueled by new orders; Friday Close: $37.40.(Markets)(Woodward-Clyde Group Inc.)(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... Byline: Daniel Rome Levine The pick: IronBridge owns 420,855 shares of the Rockford-based maker of aircraft engine components and industrial power equipment. Mr. Faber first bought the stock in December 2005 and has paid an average of $30...

The softer side of speed; Sears lures busy moms with 5-minute shopping.(News)(Sears, Roebuck and Co.)
December 4, 2006... Byline: MYA FRAZIER AND LISA SANDERS Crain News Service Sears to Mom: Just give us five minutes. Amid declining sales, the retailer is shifting strategy in a holiday push to promote it as a speedy shopping destination for the harried...

Ad market ready for turnaround; Wal-Mart win giving execs reason to hope.(News)
December 4, 2006... Byline: JEREMY MULLMAN Crain News Service Chicago ad agencies lost a number of big accounts and employees this year, but a hiring binge at one local shop is giving industry executives hope for 2007. DraftFCB Group is hiring more than...

Chic spots to refuel just off the Mag Mile; Bistro fare plus formality at elegant Le Petit Paris.(Business of Life)(Restaurant review)
December 4, 2006... Byline: ANNE MOORE This time of year, Michigan Avenue's sidewalks and restaurants are jammed with shoppers. We stopped in at two places that are near the avenue yet far enough away that crowds and waits aren't a problem at lunch or dinner....

Datebook.(Calendar/Datebook)
December 4, 2006... THIS WEEK DEC. 4: Career Resource Center Inc. presents Resume Preparation and Presentation. 10:15 a.m. Career Resource Center, Grove Cultural Campus, 40 E. Old Mill Road, Suite 105, Lake Forest. Fee: $40. (847) 295-5626. DEC. 5: Small...

Idea developer.(Business of Life)(Friedman Properties Ltd.- Albert M. Friedman)(Brief article)
December 4, 2006... Byline: Dan Weissmann Albert M. Friedman, 58, is president and CEO of Friedman Properties Ltd., which specializes in redeveloping historic buildings, especially in River North, including the Medinah Temple and Tree Studios. How he stays...

Party starter.(Business of Life)(Jay Congdon)
December 4, 2006... Byline: Kevin Davis Jay Congdon, 55, president and disc jockey, Fourth Estate Audio, Clarendon Hills Duties: Spins party and dance mixes for events, including holiday gatherings and awards dinners. Clients have included Allstate and...

Steele's move typifies Illinois' political farce.(Bobbie Steele - President of Cook County Board )(Viewpoint essay)
December 4, 2006... In Cook County's long history of log-rolling, double-dipping and feather-bedding, few acts of political self-dealing surpass the tour de force pulled off by Bobbie Steele last week. The interim president of the Cook County Board confirmed...

If I'm being treated to lunch, is it appropriate to send back a flawed dish?(Business of Life)
December 4, 2006... Byline: Laura Bianchi Whether you are at a job interview or a client meeting, if you can eat the dish, "grin and bear it,'' advises Anna Soo Wildermuth, image consultant and founder of Personal Images Inc. in Elmhurst. "It is not about...

At Deadline.(Late News)(Peoples Energy Corp. got fined)(McDonald's Corp. plans to replace more of its kids' Playlands next year with R Gyms)(Hedge fund investor Jeffrey Gendell his stake in Navistar Corp.)
December 4, 2006... Boul Mich landlord sues Neiman for rent Neiman Marcus Group is being sued by its Michigan Avenue landlord for underpayment of rent. A unit of Aetna Insurance alleges the retailer owes from $150,000 to $450,000 a year for an unspecified...

Faces of Fall 2006.(Business of Life)
December 11, 2006... After School Matters Sept. 13 U.S. Cellular Field Maggie Daley and student photographer Tyler Bouyer Francie Comer, widow of late Land's End founder Gary Comer, and daughter Stephanie J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. Midwest...

How can I use the Web to streamline gift buying?(Business of Life)
December 11, 2006... Byline: Laura Bianchi "Encourage friends and family to create an online wish list,'' says Niquenya D. Fulbright, an executive life coach in Chicago. Many sites, including www.amazon.com and www.kaboodle.com, offer this service without...

On the Move.(People)(Allegiance Healthcare Corp. promoted Anthony K. Kesman)(Greenberg Traurig L.L.P. promoted Jose A. Isasi II)(Chapman & Cutler LLP promoted Thomas White)
December 11, 2006... ARCHITECTURE/ENGINEERING HOK, St. Louis: Sheryl Schulze, 44, to director of interiors in Chicago, from senior projects manager at the Environments Group. CONSUMER SERVICES Lutheran Life Communities, Arlington Heights: Ann...

Steakhouse a natural for heavy hitters; Few surprises here-but that can be a good thing.(Business of Life)(Capital Grilles )(Restaurant review)
December 11, 2006... Byline: LAURA BIANCHI With its posh interior, top-rung service and fine, dry-aged steaks, Capital Grille might have been designed by a committee of CEOs with business entertaining in mind. One of 26 Capital Grilles nationwide, this...

Gift gatherer.(Business of Life)(Stacy Drumtra- Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Illinois)(Brief article)
December 11, 2006... Byline: Kevin Davis Stacy Drumtra, 29, community affairs specialist, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Illinois Duties: Manages volunteer activities for 8,000 employees. "Every day I get to see people's generosity.'' Employee...

At Deadline.(Late News)(Navistar Corp. layoffs)(Abbott Laboratories' investigation for regulatory compliance)(Baxter International Inc.'s investigation for regulatory compliance)(McDonald's Corp.s plans to focus on core business)
December 11, 2006... Navistar to cut 179 jobs in Melrose Park Navistar says it plans to lay off 179 of the 609 manufacturing workers at its Melrose Park plant starting Jan. 3. The plant makes engines for medium-duty trucks. Layoffs also are planned at truck...

UNCIVIL WAR; Richard Klein says he was blindsided by family who ousted him from tool firm.(News)(Company overview)
December 11, 2006... Byline: STEVE DANIELS Richard T. Klein Jr. had no idea his career at his family's 150-year-old toolmaking company was hanging in the balance when he walked into a Lincolnshire pancake house in August. The 50-year-old chairman of Klein...

HIS JOB: MAKE BOEING'S DREAM COME TRUE; Michael Bair has been a rising star; now he must shoot the moon by delivering the 787.(News)
December 11, 2006... Byline: PAUL MERRION Instead of photos of all the aircraft he's worked on in nearly 30 years at Boeing Co., Michael Bair's office walls are lined with images of distant galaxies shot by the Hubble Space Telescope. Mr. Bair has always...

Honor roll.(Business of Life)
December 11, 2006... People who appeared in Crain's online Society slide shows (by event attended): After School Matters Francie and Stephanie Comer Tyler Bouyer Maggie Daley William M. Daley Bernie Keller Ray and Judy McCaskey ...

No joke: DDB hires 'SNL' alum; Writer heads to Chicago to lead Anheuser-Busch's online network, Bud.tv.(News)(Matt Piedmont )
December 11, 2006... Byline: JEREMY MULLMAN Crain News Service Live from Chicago, it's Bud.tv. The Windy City outpost of New York ad agency DDB has hired a former "Saturday Night Live'' writer and producer to lead efforts to build an online TV network for...

Pets and profits; DISPATCH FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL COMMERCE.(Focus: Small Business)(Editorial)
December 11, 2006... Byline: Thomas Mucha Take a walk almost anywhere in Chicago and you'll see it: the special bond between humans and animals. Poodles in Prada. Cats crunching kosher food. Trainers, massage therapists and psychologists tending to fur balls....

Lab School ties still bind top alums; Diverse friendships endure for decades; is it really so different?(Business of Life)
December 11, 2006... Byline: SHIA KAPOS On the first Friday of December, Linda Johnson Rice, president and CEO of Johnson Publishing Co., greeted a lofty circle of friends and colleagues at home for her annual holiday party. As onlookers often notice, the...

For The Record.(Briefs)(Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. plans to resume its Chicago-London route )(United Airlines increase in sales)(DraftFCB lost advertising contract for Wal-Mart Stores )
December 11, 2006... Three people, including the gunman, were killed in a shooting in Citigroup Center, the downtown skyscraper housing a commuter train station. A fourth victim was in stable condition at press time. Train service was suspended for hours, stranding...

No longer any point.(Briefs)(Chicago Spire's construction of Streeterville tower)(Brief article)
December 11, 2006... The Chicago Spire is losing its point. The developer of the proposed Streeterville tower, which would be North America's tallest, filed design changes with the city eliminating the 430-foot antenna atop the twisting design by Spanish architect...

Needles and dollars; From acupuncture to hydrotherapy, vet offers alternative approach.(Focus: Small Business)(Integrative Pet Care veterinary )
December 11, 2006... Byline: MEREDITH LANDRY Speedo was given two months to live after he was diagnosed with mouth cancer. That was four years ago. The cat's owners brought the stricken mixed-breed to Julie Mayer, a veterinarian and certified animal...

Timing right on Sun-Times stock options; Black, others got bargain price four years in a row.(News)(Hollinger International Inc.-Conrad Black)
December 11, 2006... Byline: GREGORY MEYER Like many things at Hollinger International Inc. during Conrad Black's reign, stock option pricing seems to have worked in favor of the newspaper company's lordly ex-CEO. Hollinger, the Chicago Sun-Times publisher...

This Week: McD's tests trans-free oil in 1,200 locations.(Late News)(McDonald's Corp.)(Brief article)
December 11, 2006... Byline: Julie Jargon McDonald's is testing trans fat-free oil at 1,200 U.S. outlets, sources say. That's just under 10% of the company's U.S. restaurants. A rep confirms the testing of trans fat-free oils in U.S. outlets but won't say in...

Persistence pays for head of children's charity.(People)
December 11, 2006... Byline: Lorene Yue Job: Executive director, Midwest chapter, Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation, since Nov. 6. Vitals: 46 years old; bachelor's degree in political science, Case Western Reserve University, 1983; advance work...

Report on Ill.'s dire fiscal future is a call to arms.(Viewpoint essay)
December 11, 2006... A group of corporate bigwigs lobbed a concussion grenade at Springfield last week in the form of a report on the state's collapsing finances. The Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago estimates that Illinois faces more than...

IS DEERE JUMPING TOO HIGH? Execs predict tepid growth in 2007 but few are listening.(Markets)
December 11, 2006... Byline: BOB TITA Wall Street is used to Deere & Co. delivering more than it promises. For five straight quarters, the company turned in higher-than-expected profit. That may explain why analysts are ignoring Deere's forecast for flat...

AMA mulls move to Union Station; Quitting longtime HQ for train terminal tower?(News)(American Medical Association)
December 11, 2006... Byline: ALBY GALLUN The American Medical Assn. is in advanced talks to move out of its longtime River North headquarters and into a new 18-story tower planned atop Union Station in the West Loop. The trade group is negotiating a...

Off message; SEN. OBAMA SEES NO HYPOCRISY IN HIS WIFE'S POST AT A FIRM THAT DOES BUSINESS WITH WAL-MART.(News)(senator Barack Obama)(Michelle Obama- TreeHouse Foods Inc. )
December 11, 2006... Byline: Greg Hinz Barack Obama made national headlines last month when he loudly enlisted in the campaign to get Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to treat its workers better. The Chicagoan who would be president-maybe-told members of a...

All dressed up? You'd better be.(Business of Life)(Brief article)
December 11, 2006... Byline: Laura Bianchi Think you're having a tough time deciding what to wear to your office's holiday party? Imagine how your spouse feels. Making the right impression is hard enough for employees who are steeped in the company's style...

Wealth index rises at PowerShares; Acquisitions, new products affect takeover price.(News)(PowerShares Capital Management's acquisition of The Nasdaq Stock Market Inc.)
December 11, 2006... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY PowerShares Capital Management LLC, the Wheaton-based exchange-traded funds provider recently acquired by a London financial conglomerate, is rolling out new products while working to close its biggest deal yet for a...

It's a dirty job. Let them do it; These suburban 'waste managers' will gladly take the unpleasant side of pet ownership off your hands.(Focus: Small Business)(Poop B' Gone)(Doo Care)(K-9 Poop Patrol)
December 11, 2006... Byline: MEREDITH LANDRY No one said picking up after your dog was fun. But don't worry-supply and demand, the iron law of economics, holds true even when applied to dog poop: There are more than 20 businesses in the Chicago area willing to...

The new nature vs. nurture; Being crazy about your animal companion doesn't make you crazy.(Focus: Small Business)(Clinton Sanders- University of Connecticut )(Interview)
December 11, 2006... Byline: SAMANTHA STAINBURN Pet owners spend an average of $113 a year on toys and treats for their dogs and $72 a year on such goodies for their cats, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Assn. Crain's asked Clinton...

Peddling to pets; How to market couture when your target audience can't speak.(Focus: Small Business)(Kathy Stevens )(Interview)
December 11, 2006... Byline: SAMANTHA STAINBURN Three years ago, Kathy Stevens couldn't find a cute dog coat to keep Scooter, her Boston terrier, warm. So she sewed him one. Today, she and her husband design and manufacture Scooter's Friends Couture, a...

Busy browser.(Business of Life)(Marshall Field- Old Mining Co.)(Brief article)
December 11, 2006... Byline: Dan Weissmann Marshall Field V, 65, still gets his local news from the Sun-Times, where he was publisher from 1969 to 1980. The Field family, which also owned WFLD-TV Channel 32, sold its media interests in the early 1980s. Mr....

Shortfall at McPier; Inability to cover bond payments could lead agency to tap sales tax.(News)(McCormick Place and Navy Pier)
December 11, 2006... Byline: GREGORY MEYER With tourism taxes falling short of its debt payments, the agency that runs McCormick Place and Navy Pier could for the first time be forced to tap state sales taxes to pay off bonds floated to fund projects including...

Like father, like Rover?(Focus: Small Business)
December 11, 2006... Is there any truth to the saying that pets look like their owners? To find out we sent staff photographer Erik Unger to the annual Paws Fur Ball in Chicago. We'll leave the answer up to you. the horwitzes Brook Horwitz, 57, of Chicago,...

Methode's fortunes tied to Big 3; Friday Close: $10.84.(Markets)(Chery Automobile Company Ltd.)(Honda Motor Company Ltd.)(Brief article)
December 11, 2006... Byline: Daniel Rome Levine The pick: Ms. Scinto began buying shares of the Chicago-based maker of electronic components in early 2003, when the stock was trading at around $9.50. Voyageur owns 104,000 shares purchased at an average price...

Whirling by: a season of top names, places.(Business of Life)(After School Matters- arts-apprenticeship program for students)(Chicago History Museum )
December 11, 2006... Byline: Mary Cameron Frey Fall 2006 will be remembered as a busy, star-studded, dance-filled season on Chicago's social calendar. Civic leaders and corporate supporters ushered in the season just after Labor Day. The city's first lady,...

Credit agency downgrades Resurrection.(News)(Resurrection Health Care )(Brief article)
December 11, 2006... Byline: Mike Colias Resurrection Health Care posted a $77.9-million operating loss in fiscal 2006, prompting New York-based credit rating agency Fitch Ratings to downgrade the Chicago hospital system's debt and revise its outlook from...

Earnings expected to rise; Midwest profit picture poised to overtake U.S.(News)(Midwestern companies )
December 11, 2006... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY The moribund homebuilding industry is casting a cloud over many businesses' profit outlooks, but so far the storm of recession remains at bay: Overall, earnings in the current quarter are expected to rise for many...

Ill. uninsured get noticed; Health plans target 1.7 million with no coverage; will it help?(News)(UnitedHealthCare of Illinois Inc.)(Blue Cross Association)
December 11, 2006... Byline: MIKE COLIAS Illinois' biggest health insurers are jockeying for an early lead in a vast market that they've ignored for decades: the 1.7 million state residents who don't have insurance. The uninsured population has emerged as...

Goldman to buy Hancock Center; Chicago's Golub could join firm in $385-million deal.(News)(Goldman Sachs and Co.)(Shorenstein Properties LLC )
December 11, 2006... Byline: THOMAS A. CORFMAN Shorenstein Properties LLC has agreed to sell the John Hancock Center to Goldman Sachs & Co.'s Whitehall Fund for $385-million, a price that substantially surpasses expectations, according to sources familiar with...

Privatizing city's assets: Where are proceeds going?(Viewpoint essay)
December 11, 2006... Byline: Larry D. Blust Recently, Mayor Richard M. Daley announced a proposal to lease four underground parking garages for 99 years to Morgan Stanley Investment Management and a Connecticut parking facility operator. The transaction,...

2006 News Quiz.(Focus: 2006 News Quiz)
December 18, 2006... You know it was a big year for Chicago business when Bono came to shop and the foodies of Gourmet magazine came to eat. But that's not all. How closely were you reading your Crain's this year? 1. What was missing from the Field Museum's...

Answers.(Focus: 2006 News Quiz)
December 18, 2006... 1. D 2. B The retailer announced it was closing this year but will continue operating until March. 3. C As part of Project Red, a program developed by the U2 singer that involves Motorola, Gap, American Express and other global brands....

A few questions for Daley before his victory stroll.(Mayor Richard M. Daley )(Viewpoint essay)
December 18, 2006... To nobody's surprise, Mayor Richard M. Daley confirmed last week that he will run for a sixth term. His re-election next year is all but assured. Potential heavyweight opponents U.S. Reps. Jesse Jackson Jr. and Luis Gutierrez ducked a fight...

On the Move.(People)(Franklin Capital Corp.- Francisco Menchaca)(EN Engineering LLC- David Schramm)(Allscripts LLC- Donato J. Tramuto)
December 18, 2006... ARCHITECTURE/ENGINEERING EN Engineering LLC, Woodridge: David Schramm, 50, to vice-president and senior project manager, from director of pipeline integrity and corrosion services. FINANCIAL SERVICES Franklin Capital Corp.,...

How can I make holiday shopping less fatiguing?(Business of Life)(Brief article)
December 18, 2006... Byline: Laura Bianchi Tote a bottle of water and sip while you shop, says Barry Zweibel, executive coach and founder of Gotta Getta Coach! Inc., Northbrook. Shopping in a heavy coat can dehydrate you and water fountains in stores are rare....

Holiday strain: providing all that joy; Behind the cheer, they're counting the days until the season ends.(Business of Life)
December 18, 2006... Byline: LISA BERTAGNOLI For some people, the holiday season is indeed the most wonderful time of the year. But the festivities can leave those in the business of creating cheer-restaurateurs, church workers, even greeting-card...