Crain's Chicago Business articles from February 2002

Crain's Chicago Business archives from February 2002

Kmart latest casualty of retailing's evolution.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... When I was a young kid on Chicago's Near North Side, there were two ``dime stores'' within a block of each other on North Avenue, just east of Larrabee Street. One of them was F. W. Woolworth Co., where I often crammed down a hamburger,...

Conventions.(calendar for week of Feb. 4)(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... WEEK OF FEB. 4 Feb. 4-6: American Medical Assn. Alliance, Drake Hotel, estimated attendance 300. Feb. 4-6: Fiserv Inc., Ritz-Carlton Hotel, estimated attendance 175. Feb. 6-8: Retail Advertising Conference, Hyatt Regency Chicago,...

ALLSTATE PUTS TEETH INTO REVAMP PLAN; Aiming to get agents to sell securities vs. old-line policies.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... Allstate Corp., accelerating a high-risk strategy to transform itself into a big financial services player, is finally laying it on the line for its agents: No more excuses. Start selling certificates of deposit, annuities and mutual funds. ...

Illinois pols: Bash Enron; Auditor taking too much heat, Democrats assert.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... WASHINGTON-Illinois officials are starting to express concern about the intense political heat put on Andersen over its role in the collapse of Enron Corp. While no one is rushing to defend Andersen, which admitted shredding a...

Office space stacking up around O'Hare; Once steady, vacancy rates climb 25%.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... Long the Chicago office market's strongest and steadiest region, the area around O'Hare International Airport is now awash in empty office space. Vacancy rates there soared 25% between the fourth quarter of 2000 and last year's fourth...

Hotel union raises stakes; New leadership promises to close local wage gap.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... After nearly three decades of what one industry insider calls ``a sweetheart deal'' with the union that represents their workers, the city's largest hotels are in for a jarring wake-up call. New leadership at Local 1 of the AFL-CIO's Hotel...

Crain's to host preview at Historical Society.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... On Feb. 13, Crain's will present its first Chicago Historical Society corporate preview breakfast. Attendees at this exclusive Crain's event will hear from Historical Society President Lonnie G. Bunch, curator of the soon-to-open exhibit,...

Red ink flows at area printers; Linchpin of area economy in decline.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... The Chicago printing industry, the largest in the country and long a bulwark of the region's economy, is mired in its deepest slump in 20 years. Printers are losing business as customers slash spending, put business forms and marketing...

Segal, biz on states' radar; Ill., Calif. regulators seek to learn more.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... As Chicago insurance executive Michael Segal prepares to fight for his freedom in federal court, his legendary insurance firm already is engaged in a fight for its very survival. On the legal front, Mr. Segal's involvement in an alleged...

Snow arrives in Chicago.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... The season's first big snowstorm swept through the Chicago area last week, dumping 12 inches at O'Hare International Airport and more in some suburbs. Heavy snow and freezing rain were blamed for several deaths, and passengers were stranded at...

Urban outlets give Kmart chance to be a survivor.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... The future of the company known for its blue light specials isn't so bright. But that doesn't mean it's time to turn out the lights at Kmart Corp., which recently filed for bankruptcy protection and is searching for a new long-term strategy....

Andersen line of defense: Enron biz model at fault.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... Andersen admits it made a ``gross error in judgment'' in shredding documents related to its audit of Enron Corp. But the Chicago accounting giant and its CEO, Joseph Berardino, also attribute Enron's demise to a ``failed business model.''...

Chicago Observer.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... Not every biz problem is Enron: 'difficult times' for Willis Stein The once-robust private equity firm has been swamped by a red-ink gusher at Ziff Davis Media Inc. Investors in Willis Stein & Partners LLP had to cough up another $25...

Late News.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... EXELON AND UNION AGREE ON JOB CUTS Exelon Corp. plans to offer retirement packages to more than 450 union workers at Commonwealth Edison Co. and the company's 10 Illinois nuclear plants under a deal reached during quiet contract-extension...

Datebook.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... WEEK OF FEB. 4 FEB. 5: Northern Illinois University presents Reinventing the Rules for the Brand New Workplace. 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Fairmont Hotel, 200 N. Columbus Drive. Fee: $419. (800) 873-3451. FEB. 5: Local Initiatives Support...

Steaks, seafood and radio personalities.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... Keefer's is designed with the business diner in mind. Of the new downtown restaurants, this collaboration of brothers Glenn and Richard Keefer, radio industry mogul Jimmy de Castro and executive chef John Hogan distinguishes itself by serving...

Executive Moves.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... EDUCATION Terry Applebaum, 56, to executive vice-president and chief operating officer at the Music Institute of Chicago, from senior fellow at the Midwest Center of Nonprofit Leadership at the University of Missouri in Kansas City. ...

Nothing wrong with City That Works? Don't believe it.(Chicago, Illinois)(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... Let's face it. Our city, the city that is supposed to work, is not working well at all. And no one seems to do anything about it. The signs and symptoms are obvious. Mayor-for-life Richard M. Daley is presiding over three certifiable,...

IN THE PARKWAY'S PATH: Pushing the limits; New roads or no, sprawl takes root in Kendall farmland.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... In Yorkville, once a sleepy hub of cafes and grain elevators serving Kendall County farmers, the school district is under siege. A high school opened three years ago already has reached its 800-student capacity, and officials are lobbying...

Profile: Quarterbacking the Bears' controversial stadium rehab plans.(Ann Carey)(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... The last tailgaters had finally moved aside for the demolition cranes. Trucks were roaring in and out. And now, the media wanted to delve into reports of asbestos contamination. No sweat. Just another day at the office-er, trailer-for Ann...

Andersen building line of defenses; Responses hold risk, offer little reward.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... After weeks of standing dumbstruck before the overwhelming glare of the Enron Corp. scandal, Andersen appears finally to have decided what its public stance will be: It's not the accounting; it's the business model. Andersen CEO Joseph...

Talent raids beginning at besieged Andersen.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... Small and mid-sized accounting firms are seizing on a rare opportunity to pick up well-trained staff from embattled Andersen. The accounting firm's massive troubles, stemming from its much-criticized audit of energy trader Enron Corp.,...

People: Litigator trades the law for American Lung Assn.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... Joel Africk, the new CEO of the American Lung Assn. of Metropolitan Chicago, wants big-time lawyers, accountants and real estate executives to join the blue-chip medical experts on his board. To accomplish that, and to boost the corporate...

Merger costly for True North's FCB; Shop regroups after account losses.(Foote Cone & Belding)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 4, 2002... When Interpublic Group of Cos. reports financial results this week, Foote Cone & Belding Worldwide's performance is sure to be scrutinized. The agency went through a rough initiation into the Interpublic fold, with account losses, legal...

Enron debacle shouldn't zap Social Security reform.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 4, 2002... Some of the critics of President George W. Bush's proposal to offer workers the opportunity to invest a portion of their payroll taxes for themselves aren't fighting fair. But, despite their incendiary arguments, allowing younger workers to set...

Real Estate Review: Availability of industrial space surges in 2001.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 4, 2002... The amount of industrial space available for lease in the Chicago region spiked dramatically in 2001, taking a major toll on some of the area's strongest markets, according to statistics compiled by the Midwest industrial services group at New...

Tech Watch: Fat CEO package gets rewrapped by Lante.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 4, 2002... Lante Corp. has unwound perhaps the richest executive stock deal struck in Chicago during the recent Internet mania. Last month, the struggling tech consultancy repurchased and retired 2.4 million shares from CEO Rudy Puryear, writing off a...

OLD CLUBS SWEATING AS RIVALS CLOSE IN; High-end newcomers roil fitness market here.(Brief Article)
February 4, 2002... Operating a Chicago health club is about to become a much tougher workout. The health club industry is breaking a sweat as non-profit rivals such as park districts, hospitals and YMCAs get more aggressive, especially in the suburbs. But...

No revised lesson plan at b-schools; Back of the class: ethics after Enron.(News)(business schools)
February 11, 2002... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN It's fodder for a case study in any business ethics course: self-dealing, questionable bookkeeping, conflicts of interest and a corporate culture that exalted profit and pay above all other values. While the...

State joins pursuit of Andersen; With pension funds out $40 mil., top lawyer sues.(News)(Jim Ryan launches investigation)
February 11, 2002... Byline: PAUL MERRION Joining a throng of state and federal investigators, Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan has launched a formal probe of Andersen's involvement in the downfall of Enron Corp. Mr. Ryan is pursuing Andersen on two...

Charlie Trotter adds expansion to menu.(News)
February 11, 2002... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY In the weeks after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks-which occurred as he was sitting on a plane waiting to depart New York's LaGuardia Airport-Chicago chef Charlie Trotter hinted that he was facing career burnout and...

Putting heart data in palm of the hand; Cardiologist gathering info for drugmakers.(News)(Michael Davidson)
February 11, 2002... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN A local cardiologist has devised software for handheld computers in a bid to cash in on drug companies' hunger for information on doctor's prescribing practices. Michael Davidson, director of preventive...

Credit Andersen top dog for just showing up in D.C.(Opinion)(Joseph Berardino testifies before Congress)(Editorial)
February 11, 2002... Byline: Paul Merrion Say what you will about Andersen CEO Joseph Berardino, the man knows how to take a public flogging. Any day you're compared to Hitler by a member of Congress can't be considered a good day, but Mr. Berardino did...

Good timing: Bad ads kept Accenture out of limelight.(Opinion)(Accenture discussed)
February 11, 2002... Byline: Rance Crain A year ago, when Andersen Consulting became Accenture, people lined up to deride the new moniker. Edward Saenz, founder of Gravity Branding, a San Francisco firm that comes up with new company and product names,...

Executive Moves.(People)
February 11, 2002... CONSUMER SERVICES Holly Michaud, 27, to director of business development at Susanin's Auctions, from marketing management and special projects analyst at Wellington Management Co. Michael Sands, 34, to chief marketing officer at Orbitz...

Economy aiding franchise biz; In down market, interest is rising dramatically.(Small Business)(Industry Overview)
February 11, 2002... Byline: LISA BERTAGNOLI Franchise companies sit on a peculiar economic seesaw. In brisk economic times, the business of selling franchises drops. When the nation's financial health dips, interest perks up. Low returns in the stock...

January stampede flattens tech stocks.(News)(Industry Overview)
February 11, 2002... Byline: JAMES B. ARNDORFER Local stocks were trampled in January as equity markets that began the month bullish collapsed in a stampede of panicked investors. All major indexes fell during the month-the Dow Jones Industrial Average...

Smaller firms find answers at center; Info clearinghouse offers wide range of crucial services.(Small Business)(Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center discussed)
February 11, 2002... Byline: ED AVIS Unlike many small businesses, Vibes Media LLC in Evanston was growing rapidly at the end of 2001. The operator of text messaging systems for cell phones had a customer base topping 10,000 and daily message volume reaching...

Late News.(United Airlines, Advocate Health Care, McCook Metals LLC discussed)
February 11, 2002... UNITED FACES STRIKE IF PACT VOTED DOWN Union leaders at United Airlines are now pushing hard for mechanics to authorize a Feb. 20 strike in expectation that members will reject a new contract in a companion vote Tuesday. ``My gut instinct...

Freedom ringing in phone market; Slashed exit fees under long-term Ameritech contracts give biz customers room to move.(News)
February 11, 2002... Byline: SANDRA JONES A big chunk of the lucrative market for local business phone services is up for grabs starting this month, after state regulators ordered Ameritech to stop charging excessive penalties for customers that want to get...

Quote of the Week.(Quotes)(Brief Article)
February 11, 2002... When a fish gets washed up on the beach, no one comes to look. But when it's a whale, everyone pays attention. W. Michael Hoffman, executive director of the Center for Business Ethics at Bentley College in Massachusetts, on the Enron case...

Crain's to host preview at Historical Society.(People)(Brief Article)
February 11, 2002... On Feb. 13, Crain's will present its first Chicago Historical Society corporate preview breakfast. Attendees at this exclusive Crain's event will hear from Historical Society President Lonnie G. Bunch, curator of the soon-to-open exhibit,...

Oak St. boutique peddles cut-rate couture; A `gently worn' Chanel suit? $1,600.(News)(Daisy Shop)
February 11, 2002... Byline: MARY ELLEN PODMOLIK Around the corner from Escada, down the street from Jil Sander, tucked behind closed venetian blinds atop a narrow, six-floor building is Oak Street's version of Wal-Mart. At the Daisy Shop, women who can...

CAUGHT IN THE CRUNCH; Rookie consultants struggle to sell themselves in a competitive market.(Small Business)(Industry Overview)
February 11, 2002... After 21 years at the same company, Bert Stunkard had grown complacent about his career, but he was hesitant to take a gamble. His employer, Naperville-based Ondeo Nalco Co., forced his hand in July, telling him that his job would be...

Tech Watch: Managers, creditors wrestle over Comdisco.(Briefs)(Company Profile)
February 11, 2002... Byline: Sandra Jones The battle for Comdisco Inc.'s future has evolved into a face-off between management and creditors. Creditors are clamoring for the technology equipment leasing firm, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy...

Online, old-line don't mix; Unhappy Internet foray burns United Stationers.(News)(Company Profile)
February 11, 2002... Byline: JAMES B. ARNDORFER United Stationers Inc., an 80-year-old office products distributor, seems an unlikely casualty of the tech wreck. Yet the popping of the Internet bubble has punctured growth plans at the Des Plaines-based...

Next on Oprah: TV doc debut; `Dr. Phil' spinoff to test chatfest star's coattails.(News)
February 11, 2002... Byline: BRIAN McCORMICK Talk show titan Oprah Winfrey puts her star-making potential on the line this year with the launch of ``Dr. Phil,'' a TV show featuring the ``life strategist'' who tends to crises of the emotionally wounded in 10...

A retail survivor charges ahead; New megastore tests Abt's mettle.(News)( Abt Electronics & Appliance)(Company Profile)
February 11, 2002... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY The staying power of Abt Electronics & Appliance, one of the largest and most successful local family-owned retailers, will be put to the test next month when it relocates to a 350,000-square-foot megastore in...

Loophole boosts Blagojevich cash; In hard-fought campaign, candidate gets soft money windfall.(News)(U.S. Rep. Rod Blagojevich)
February 11, 2002... Byline: GREG HINZ A recent financial juggling act that netted U.S. Rep. Rod Blagojevich, D-Chicago, an extra quarter of a million dollars in campaign cash underlines the stakes in this week's scheduled House showdown vote on campaign...

Gallagher buys its way to big leagues; But pricier deals raise cost of insurance broker's M.O.(News)(Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.)(Company Profile)
February 11, 2002... Byline: STEVE DANIELS A two-year burst of deal-making has transformed Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. from an obscure insurance brokerage into the nation's fourth-largest commercial insurance broker. Itasca-based Gallagher has turned in two...

Reservations aside, make room for hotel wage hike.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
February 11, 2002... It's not the best time to be bidding for big pay hikes in any industry. But it's especially problematic within the hotel business, which has been devastated by the slowdown in business and leisure travel since Sept. 11. Yet the city's...

Real Estate Review: Developers see cars driving mall turnaround.(Real Estate)
February 11, 2002... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY The latest redevelopment plan for the vacant St. Charles Mall, an eyesore on the west side of the Fox Valley suburb for more than five years, would turn the enclosed shopping center into an auto mall. A group of...

Profile: Desktop security a top priority for Internet browser inventor.(Technology)(Roger Lee Heath discussed)
February 11, 2002... Byline: PAUL MERRION Bill Gates, meet Roger Lee Heath. The world's richest man would not appear to have much in common with a little-known entrepreneur from Glenview, but he does. Both market Internet browser software, and both are...

Chicago Observer: Emancipated from one big fund,.(Briefs)(Lincoln Capital Management, Bank One, Union League Club of Chicago is discussed)
February 11, 2002... Byline: steven r. strahler Lincoln Capital binds up wounds Once boasting an equity portfolio of nearly $40 billion, Lincoln Capital Management Co. has watched it shrivel to about $7 billion. Employment is down 25%, to about 90...

United's Jan. traffic drops.(Briefs)(United Airlines)(Brief Article)
February 11, 2002... United Airlines said miles flown by paying passengers declined almost 16% in January as the airline scaled back flight service about 20%. The Elk Grove Township-based unit of UAL Corp. also said an average of 69% of seats on its flights were...

Biometrics outfit keeps focus on police, emergency uses.(Technology)(Industry Overview)
February 11, 2002... Byline: SANDRA JONES After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, security experts started to take a new look at biometrics technology. What if all air travelers could be identified by digital fingerprint as they pass through an airport? ...

Cashing in, selling out for campaign dollars.(Commentary)(Michael Bakalis drops out of gubernatorial primary)
February 11, 2002... Byline: Robert Reed A day after meeting with the Crain's editorial board to discuss whether the newspaper would endorse him, Michael Bakalis withdrew from the Democratic Party's gubernatorial primary. Something we said, Mike? Not...

Marketing luncheon will focus on Boeing Co.(News)(Chicago Chapter of the Business Marketing Association plans luncheon)
February 11, 2002... On Feb. 21, the Chicago Chapter of the Business Marketing Assn. (BMA) will present a luncheon seminar, ``Repositioning Boeing for the Global Marketplace.'' The featured speaker will be Anne Toulouse, Boeing vice-president of brand...

McD's tries burgers on wry in new ads.(News)(McDonald's Corp.)
February 11, 2002... Byline: KATE MacARTHUR Crain News Service McDonald's Corp. is flashing a wry smile. The Oak Brook-based burger chain's first television commercial in its 2002 advertising campaign introduces an edgier tone than the lilting ``We love to...

Allstate's strategy makes firm's 'good hands' shake.(Opinion)(Company Profile)
February 11, 2002... Business journalists write about the phenomenon so often, it has almost become a cliche: XYZ Corp., stuck in a slow-growing niche, reaches beyond the business on which it built its reputation-and stumbles. The story's all-too-familiar...

Smurfit-Stone's CEO seeking way out of tight economic box.(People)(Patrick J. Moore joins Smurfit-Stone Container Corp.)
February 11, 2002... Byline: JAMES B. ARNDORFER Patrick J. Moore is taking the top job at Chicago-based boxmaker Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. as the packaging industry suffers through its worst slump in nearly 30 years. Mr. Moore, who last month succeeded...

YOUTH OR CONSEQUENCES: Of mice and mend; UIC team sees promise in cell-regeneration discovery.(Technology)(University of Illinois at Chicago )
February 11, 2002... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN Robert Costa doesn't want to build a better mousetrap. He wants to build a better mouse -one that lives forever. The 44-year-old molecular geneticist at the University of Illinois at Chicago hopes someday to...

Celebrate the New Year, in Chinatown or downtown.(Dining/Restaurant Review)(restaurants Szechwan, Mountain View Chef reviewed)(Restaurant Review)
February 11, 2002... Byline: ANNE SPISELMAN Welcome the Year of the Horse on Feb. 12 by enjoying Chinese food-on Michigan Avenue or in Chinatown. Like the other Asian restaurants on and near the Magnificent Mile, Szechwan (625 N. Michigan Ave., main...

Conventions.(Calendar/Datebook)(conventions in Chicago, Illinois area)(Calendar)
February 11, 2002... WEEK OF FEB. 11 Feb. 13-15: Digital Consulting Institute, Lakeside Center, estimated attendance 8,000. Feb. 14-16: Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity, Palmer House Hilton, estimated attendance 350. Feb. 14-17: Chicago Cultural Alliance...

Datebook.(Calendar/Datebook)(events in Chicago, Illinois)(Calendar)
February 11, 2002... WEEK OF FEB. 11 FEB. 11: Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University presents The Black Male in America. 4 p.m. Northwestern University, Fisk Hall, 1845 Sheridan Road, Room 217, Evanston. Free. (847) 491-5401. FEB. 11:...

Gallagher buys its way to big leagues; But pricier deals raise cost of insurance broker's M.O.(Arthur J. Gallagher and Co.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 11, 2002... A two-year burst of deal-making has transformed Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. from an obscure insurance brokerage into the nation's fourth-largest commercial insurance broker. Itasca-based Gallagher has turned in two straight years of earnings...

Photo-ready Tuscan villa has potential.(Carlucci Lincolnshire restaurant in Chicago, Illinois)(Review)(Brief Article)
February 18, 2002... Four-and-a-half-month-old Carlucci Lincolnshire has the potential to be a delightful lunch destination. Carlucci Hospitality Group, which also runs Carlucci in Rosemont and Strega Nona in Chicago, has transformed the freestanding restaurant...

Quote of the Week.
February 18, 2002... We're feeling more bearish at the moment than we expected to feel. Exelon Corp. Co-CEO John W. Rowe on the future of the power generation market PAGE 1

Tech Watch: Talent drain stunting local biotech hopefuls.(Brief Article)
February 18, 2002... James Hussey grew up in the Chicago area and now heads NeoPharm Inc., a Lake Forest biotech concern considered a local success story. The only thing keeping it local, however, is his family. Despite his role as a biotech booster here, Mr....

Message to UAL union: Airline you save is yours.(mechanics for UAL's United Airlines reject proposed contract)(Brief Article)
February 18, 2002... When it comes to the labor vs. management struggle under way at UAL Corp., it's becoming increasingly futile to hope that cooler heads will prevail. Last week, mechanics for UAL's United Airlines rejected a proposed contract, voting instead to...

Profile: Auctioneer sees no final gavel on recession-yet.(Winternitz Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 18, 2002... Auctioneer and appraiser Charles Winternitz started seeing signs that the economy was heading south in early 1999, as manufacturers grumbled about foreign rivals. Today, with the market flooded by equipment once owned by now-shuttered...

Universities seek transfer of power ; Academia looks to commercialize more discoveries.(Statistical Data Included)
February 18, 2002... In the struggle to treat Alzheimer's disease, Lester Binder, a professor of cell and molecular biology at Northwestern University, and a research team have been working on promising antibodies for most of the past decade. The payoff might be...

UAL taps bankruptcy guru; Enlists top legal gun amid strike concerns.(United Airlines hires attorney James "Jamie" Sprayregen)
February 18, 2002... Thinking the unthinkable, United Airlines is bringing on board noted Chicago bankruptcy attorney James ``Jamie'' Sprayregen as the struggling carrier girds for a possible strike this week by mechanics. Any prolonged walkout would be...

After Enron, biz schools must answer ethics test.(Brief Article)(Column)
February 18, 2002... The collapse of Enron Corp. has rattled the entire financial establishment, prompting accountants, lenders, investment bankers, securities analysts and even the media to reflect on the way they conduct their affairs. But the silence is...

Young eyes see best into economic future.(Brief Article)
February 18, 2002... Our own Winter Olympics-also known as the 2001 Economic Forecasting Contest-has ended with an astounding group of medal winners. As strange as it may seem, the top three finishers were all high school students when they submitted their...

A prolonged busy signal on long-distance; Ameritech's bid to offer service delayed yet again.(SBC Ameritech)(Brief Article)
February 18, 2002... SBC Ameritech's attempt to get into the long-distance phone market is taking longer than expected and could be delayed until 2003. The Chicago-based local phone company originally had hoped to begin offering long-distance service in its...

Guv hopefuls court party chiefs; In tight Democratic race, top leaders' support is prized.(Chicago, Illinois gubernatorial race)(Brief Article)
February 18, 2002... Three Democratic Party elders are emerging as potential kingmakers as the party's tightening race for governor heads toward a photo finish. Drawing increasing attention over what they'll do-or won't do-in the final weeks before the March...

Employees, not feds, can best reform 401(k) plans.(Brief Article)(Column)
February 18, 2002... Accompanying the catastrophic losses in Enron Corp.'s 401(k) plan, there have been shrill cries for severe restrictions on the percentage level of an employer's stock within 401(k) plans. Unfortunately, asset accumulations resulting from an...

It's back: Futures tax on Bush agenda; This time, exchanges may not prevail.(taxation of futures trading on the Chicago Board of Trade and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 18, 2002... WASHINGTON-The Bush administration's proposed tax on futures trading may be a case of political deja vu all over again for Chicago's exchanges, but this time, it stands a better chance of becoming law. Attempted five times in the last 11...

Economy here worst since '91 recession; But manufacturing, a leading indicator, is beginning to stir.(Brief Article)
February 18, 2002... The local economy eked out a small gain in 2001, its worst showing since the recessionary year of 1991, according to the Crain's Chicago Index. The index, a measure of gross regional product, rose 0.80% during 2001, compared with an...

U.S. Cellular in deal with Georgia antenna maker.(Brief Article)
February 18, 2002... U.S. Cellular Corp., a Chicago-based cellular telephone service provider with operations in mainly rural markets around the country, entered a fulfillment services agreement with Georgia-based EMS Wireless, a division of EMS Technologies Inc....

Air pressure; TURBULENT TIMES ON THE TARMAC: Aircraft finance biz loses altitude since Sept. 11, keeping the repo man busy.(profile of Sage-Popovich Inc., aircraft repossessors)(Company Profile)
February 18, 2002... Nick Popovich will tell you about the time he was jailed in Haiti after bribing an airport operator with $10,000 in cold cash to let him fly a Boeing 707-720 off the tarmac. Or when he commandeered a McDonnell Douglas MD-81 at Paris'...

Executive Moves.(multiple Chicago, Illinois-area business and industry appointment briefs)(Brief Article)
February 18, 2002... ARCHITECTURE/ENGINEERING George ``Jib'' Chapman, 46, and Mark A. Nichols, 40, to principal at Loebl Schlossman & Hackl, from senior associate principal. Christopher L. Groesbeck, 48, and Theodore A. Schnell, 53, to principal at VOA...

It's a small world with big opportunity.(Nanotechnology)(Brief Article)
February 18, 2002... Chicago is playing catch-up in biotechnology, but even the harshest critics concede that in a subset, nanotechnology, Chicago is neck and neck or even leading the pack. More scientists and civic and business leaders believe the technology,...