Crain's Chicago Business articles from February 2003

Crain's Chicago Business archives from February 2003

Builders see red over green roofs; Developers say city's eco-move will be costly. (News).(environmentally-friendly roofs in Chicago)
February 3, 2003... Byline: ALBY GALLUN and GREG HINZ After planting an elaborate rooftop garden on top of City Hall, the Daley administration is pressuring local real estate developers to follow its lead, sparking complaints from developers about strong-arm...

Execs feel wait of world; Delay, uncertainty add to leaders' anxiety.(News)
February 3, 2003... Byline: GREG HINZ As America prepares to go to war, a nervous corporate Chicago has one wish above all: End the suspense and get it over with fast. In the same way that uncertainty is roiling the stock market, area leaders fear that...

Chicago Observer: Lobbyists know their business-particularly the Springfield kind. (Briefs).(Chicago news briefs)
February 3, 2003... Byline: Steven R. Strahler Taxpayers may not have been uppermost in the mind of Tim Bramlet, who heads the watchdog Taxpayers' Federation of Illinois, when he sought a state job for his mother. Mr. Bramlet-along with other business...

Firms out to manage workers' health care; Plans focus on employee groups that generate most costs. (News).
February 3, 2003... Byline: JOHN T. SLANIA Charles Harden is convinced that the only reason he's alive today is that his company aggressively managed his health care. Mr. Harden, 61, who has spent almost 40 years as a machinist with International Truck &...

Belt-tightening begins; Hiring freezes, cost cuts and new strategies eyed. (News).(Chicago business)
February 3, 2003... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN and BOB TITA The prospect of a war is forcing Chicago-area business owners to lower expectations for an economic rebound and revise their business strategies. Companies of all sizes in all industries, ranging...

Big names on Ryan list. (Briefs).(job requests from George Ryan)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... Federal prosecutors at Scott Fawell's corruption trial unveiled a list of more than 1,000 requests for patronage jobs or favors from former Gov. George Ryan, when he was secretary of state. The list names hundreds of politically connected job...

Cubs not scoring for Trib; Will media giant follow peers divesting pro teams? (News).(Tribune Co.)
February 3, 2003... Byline: JEREMY MULLMAN As Walt Disney Co., AOL Time Warner Inc. and News Corp. seek buyers for the Angels, Braves and Dodgers, Tribune Co. appears destined to become the last major media company with a Major League Baseball club. A...

A reservist's spouse fights for family biz; Big, small firms on brink. (News).(Nancy Cammack of A-1 Communications)
February 3, 2003... Byline: BOB TITA Jack and Nancy Cammack's cellular phone business in Elmhurst is on the front lines of war. When Mr. Cammack, a Marine Corps reservist with nearly 20 years' service, was called to active duty on the Japanese island of...

Schools tap bank alum for lessons; Vitale assuming non-paid post to assist CPS chief Duncan. (News).(David J. Vitale, Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan)
February 3, 2003... Byline: GREG HINZ A veteran banking and futures exchange executive is going to work full-time for the Chicago Public Schools-for free. David J. Vitale, who as recently as last fall was trying to unify the fractious Chicago Board of...

SBC set to cross its final frontier; Long-distance okay expected.(News)
February 3, 2003... Byline: JULIE JOHNSSON After years of regulatory rebuffs, SBC Communications Inc. is poised to realize its long-deferred dream of offering long-distance phone service in Illinois by summer-a move certain to shake up the telecommunications...

Wish wash: Sears axes holiday book. (News).
February 3, 2003... Byline: SANDRA JONES Sears, Roebuck and Co. is discontinuing its annual holiday Wish Book as it consolidates catalog operations under Lands' End Inc. management. The Hoffman Estates-based company introduced the slimmed-down version of...

Bankruptcy could be least of UAL's woes; Big, small firms on brink. (News).(United Airlines)
February 3, 2003... Byline: PAUL MERRION If war erupts in Iraq, one of the first casualties undoubtedly will be United Airlines. The double-whammy of skittish passengers and soaring oil prices threatens to push an already-teetering United into...

A comfortable lunch setting with a compact menu.( )(Restaurant Review)
February 3, 2003... Byline: ANNE SPISELMAN Running a restaurant requires much, much more than being a good chef. That's the lesson chef/proprietor Allen Sternweiler may be learning since he took over Harvest on Huron from his partners last year, revamped the...

Conventions.(Calendar/Datebook)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... WEEK OF FEB. 3 Feb. 5-7: Retail Advertising Conference, Hilton Chicago, estimated attendance 2,000. Feb. 7-9: Illinois Gymnastics Institute, Navy Pier, estimated attendance 8,000. Feb. 9-11: Merchandise Mart Properties,...

People: Former jeweler's new task: Make State Street sparkle. (People).(Jerry Sider )
February 3, 2003... Byline: SANDRA JONES After closing a landmark State Street jewelry store last year, Jerry Sider is working to restore luster to Chicago's original shopping district. The former owner of Carter Jewelers took the helm of the Greater...

Profile: Developer offers more to high-end condo buyers who want it all. (Real Estate).(Fordham Co.)
February 3, 2003... Byline: PATRICIA RICHARDSON Once a developer of suburban upscale single-family homes, Christopher T. Carley, founder and chairman of Chicago-based Fordham Co., has become a sought-after developer of high-end residential projects in...

Datebook.(Calendar/Datebook)
February 3, 2003... WEEK OF FEB. 3 FEB. 5: Women's Business Development Center presents Business Plan: How To Write a Successful One. 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. or 5:45 to 8:45 p.m. Women's Business Development Center, 8 S. Michigan Ave. Fee: $40. (312) 853-3477. ...

Customer service? Give three cheers for Southwest. (Opinion).(Southwest Airlines)
February 3, 2003... Byline: Norb Tatro Treat the customer right and he or she will respond with loyalty and repeat business. It's an old concept and the idea behind frequent-flier programs. But it has fallen off the radar of some airlines. Except one....

Real Estate Review: Vacancies in stock at shopping centers; But location makes a difference.(Real Estate)
February 3, 2003... Byline: ALBY GALLUN The gap between the strong and the weak is widening as Chicago-area shopping center vacancies hover at their highest level in 12 years. The average vacancy rate at area shopping centers with at least 50,000 square...

INDUSTRIAL-SIZE WOES: Losing ground; Towns struggling as manufacturers close plants.(Real Estate)
February 3, 2003... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Energy giant Enron Corp. and discounter Kmart Corp. have dominated the headlines since the recession began, but the economic downturn has cut deepest into the manufacturing sector. Feeling that pain most intensely are...

Under attack: freedom of expression over the Net. (Opinion).(Dow Jones sued in Australia)
February 3, 2003... Byline: Marc J. Lane In a stunning blow to free speech online, Australia's High Court has allowed a novel cross-border libel suit to proceed in the Australian courts. And the Bush administration needs to act fast to promote a multinational...

Executive Moves.(People)
February 3, 2003... ARCHITECTURE/ENGINEERING Grant C. Uhlir, 39, to vice-president at Gensler, from senior associate. FINANCIAL SERVICES Kenneth C. Anderson, 38, to CEO and continuing as president at ABN AMRO Funds. Also, Gerald F. Dillenburg, 35, to...

Nanocor inks deals with resin suppliers.(News)
February 3, 2003... Byline: Crain News Service Nanocor Inc., an Arlington Heights-based producer of clay materials for nanocomposite applications, has formed separate alliances to expand the use of its products with resin suppliers Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Co....

Robust New Lenox draws commercial projects.(News)
February 3, 2003... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY With development mushrooming along Interstate 80, the little village of New Lenox is poised for rapid growth. Some 40 residential subdivisions are either planned or under way, expected to push the New Lenox...

Kane backing off on open-space commitment; New land use plan may open county to more development.(Kane County, Illinois)
February 3, 2003... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY With development engulfing farm fields in Kane County, local officials once dedicated to open-space preservation are bending in the face of the onslaught. In 1996, the Kane County Board gained notice around the...

Weighing in on Bush's economic stimulus plan.(Commentary)
February 3, 2003... Byline: Joe Cappo While Congress is mulling over President George W. Bush's economic stimulus package, it is time for all Americans-especially business people-to come forth with their suggestions to help us rise out of our economic...

For Bush, now is the time to make the case for war.(Opinion)
February 3, 2003... It's been nearly 40 years since the name of Adlai Stevenson-a former Illinois governor, presidential hopeful and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President John F. Kennedy-has been bandied about with such regularity. Lately, however,...

Stockbroker defections roil stressed Blair; Team seeks autonomy, a new model.(William Blair and Co.)
February 3, 2003... Byline: STEVEN R. STRAHLER LaSalle Street stalwart William Blair & Co. LLC has been rocked by the defection of a highly productive stockbroker team, triggering what sources say is a tug-of-war over client assets, as Blair, like most...

Quote of the Week.(Quotes)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... This sort of uncertainty is seriously troubling to people. Steven Koch, Chicago-based vice-chairman of Credit Suisse First Boston Corp., on corporate Chicago's anxiety over the prospect of war PAGE 4

Late News.(Chicago business news briefs)
February 3, 2003... BLOOMIES FLAGSHIP GETS A NEW LOOK Bloomingdale's is renovating the top floors of its 900 N. Michigan Ave. Chicago flagship as it moves all of its housewares, textiles and luggage into its new, freestanding home store at the renovated...

Chicago Observer: Discovering the less temperate half of the year to be in Chicago.(Briefs)(business news briefs)
February 10, 2003... Byline: Steven R. Strahler When there's a power struggle between the majority owner and the hired CEO, guess who wins? Harris Brumfield installed himself in that post last week at futures industry software vendor Trading Technologies (TT)...

Northern gets ready to take a bow in NY; Aiming to make a splash without big-name partner.(News)(Northern Trust Corp. plans to open its first New York office)
February 10, 2003... Byline: STEVE DANIELS Northern Trust Corp. will make its New York debut as a solo act. Chicago-based Northern plans to open its first New York office within months, realizing a long-held goal of establishing a foothold in the...

My little chickadee, United unions have but one choice.(Opinion)(despite the pessimism surrounding United Airlines, its survival is the best option for employees)(Column)
February 10, 2003... Byline: Paul Merrion W. C. Fields, the cantankerous, hard-drinking juggler and comic, never had anything good to say about kids, religion or his birthplace. ``I once spent a year in Philadelphia,'' he said. ``I think it was on a...

U.S. Cellular's pricey play; Firm pays up for Chi. marketshare.(News)(U.S. Cellular Corp. launches a marketing blitz that focuses on customer service)(Company Profile)
February 10, 2003... Byline: JULIE JOHNSSON and ANNE MOORE Customer service is the central theme of a multimedia marketing blitz from U.S. Cellular Corp. that ranges from Comiskey Park naming rights to TV commercials featuring homegrown movie star Joan Cusack....

What's in store: Toys 'R' Jewel; Grocer is testing co-branded aisle at 5 local outlets.(News)(Jewel-Osco and Toys 'R' Us Inc. are testing toy-only aisles under the Toys 'Ru' Us name)
February 10, 2003... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY With superstore-style rivals such as Wal-Mart, Target and Meijer taking a bite out of its base, Jewel-Osco is toying with a new idea: toys. Chicago's largest grocery chain, in conjunction with New Jersey-based...

Online survey shows firms will retrench.(News)(effect of impending on Iraq on Chicago area businesses)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2003... Byline: KELLY QUIGLEY As the United States prepares for war with Iraq, most people believe such a conflict would have far-reaching negative effects on Chicago-area businesses, according to a Crain's online poll. War would force local...

Guv's taking aim at biz tax breaks; Eyeing at least $1 bil. in loopholes, givebacks.(News)
February 10, 2003... Byline: GREG HINZ Illinois business is likely to be stuck with a hefty tab as Gov. Rod Blagojevich struggles to fill a nearly $5-billion budget hole. Amid talk of closing tax ``loopholes'' and ending ``unfairness,'' aides to the new...

Profile: Marketing veteran lands on her feet after leaving the corporate world.(Technology)(Sharon Hamilton opens Foot Solutions outlet)
February 10, 2003... Byline: SANDRA JONES Sharon Hamilton sees a future in feet. After getting swept up in the widespread tech layoffs of late 2001, Ms. Hamilton, 45, has turned her attention to saving soles. The 17-year technology marketing veteran...

Quote of the Week.(Quotes)
February 10, 2003... Supermarkets are deciding to pay Wal-Mart back in kind. David Merrefield, editorial director of Supermarket News, on a joint venture between Jewel and Toys `R' Us PAGE 3

Late News.(local briefs)
February 10, 2003... MAG MILE TO GET SENIOR HOUSING The Franciscan Sisters of Chicago Service Corp. plans to build a high-rise senior living center on a prime parcel on Loyola University's Water Tower campus just west of Michigan Avenue. The project will...

Yuppies at the plant gate; Condos squeeze another manufacturer.(News)(Riddell Inc.'s Milwaukee Avenue plant faces gentrification)
February 10, 2003... Byline: JAMES B. ARNDORFER The gentrification blitz is closing in on Riddell Inc., the Northwest Side maker of football helmets. Pricey townhouses and single-family homes gradually are nearing Riddell's plant at 3670 N. Milwaukee Ave....

United plans leisure airline.(Briefs)(United Airlines to restructure, use more regional jets)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2003... Elk Grove Township-based United Airlines, whose parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December, revealed some of its restructuring strategy, including the use of more regional jets and plans for a separate, low-cost...

Can Spiegel mend tattered finances? Not unless banks, Ottos keep patching up threadbare firm.(News)
February 10, 2003... Byline: ALBY GALLUN As Spiegel Inc. tries to dig itself out of a deep financial hole, its future will depend on the patience of its banks and the generosity of its majority owner, Germany's Otto family. So far, the Ottos have been...

Airfares, like the food, are hard to swallow.(Commentary)(new phase for airline food: charging passengers to eat it)(Column)
February 10, 2003... Byline: Joe Cappo Airline food, for decades the butt of many jokes, is entering a new phase in its evolution. It will no longer be free. At least two airlines are experimenting with charging passengers for meals. The concept of paid...

Companies' cautious outlook pressured stock prices in Jan.(News)
February 10, 2003... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Dour economic forecasts from top executives pummeled local stocks including Kraft Foods Inc. and United Stationers Inc. in January. ``Companies are deciding they'd rather be pessimistic and conservative in their...

Call to arms: Biz must lend support to reservists.(Opinion)(Column)
February 10, 2003... With the growing threat of war in Iraq, reserve units of the U.S. armed forces have been mobilized or are being notified of the possibility of mobilization. While a sudden call-up is part of being in the reserves, that doesn't make it any...

Down market not distressing to real estate entrepreneur.(People)(Jeffrey Johnson launches his own real estate investment firm, Lakeshore Holdings LLC)
February 10, 2003... Byline: ALBY GALLUN Jeffrey Johnson has decided that the worst real estate market in a decade is the best time to start his own real estate venture. That's not surprising, considering Mr. Johnson is a disciple of Sam Zell, the...

Troubled airline redux: American.(News)
February 10, 2003... Byline: SANDRA JONES It's deja vu all over again. And it's a rerun that the Chicago-area won't like to witness. American Airlines, the world's largest air carrier and the second-biggest at O'Hare International Airport, is on course to...

Boeing space race continues; Shuttle crash expands mission for nascent X-37.(News)
February 10, 2003... Byline: PAUL MERRION WASHINGTON-The crash of the Columbia shuttle, touching off growing concerns about the safety of space exploration, is giving greater urgency to Boeing Co.'s development of an experimental spaceship called the X-37. ...

No grand slam at the ballpark; Can Sox raise enough for revamp?(News)(Chicago White Sox sells stadium naming rights to U.S. Cellular Corp)
February 10, 2003... Byline: JEREMY MULLMAN and STEVEN R. STRAHLER The Chicago White Sox deal to fund a renovation of Comiskey Park by selling stadium naming rights to U.S. Cellular Corp. is more of a stand-up double than the walk-off home run it's been billed....

Bank One to keep tech an inside job; Job market and new efforts feed hiring binge.(Technology)
February 10, 2003... Byline: STEVE DANIELS Bank One Corp. has taken a new tack on tech. Once one of the leading financial institutions in outsourcing technology functions, Bank One is bucking the trend by bringing technology support in-house. In the...

Conventions.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
February 10, 2003... WEEK OF FEB. 10 Feb. 10-13: Material Handling Industry of America, McCormick Place North, estimated attendance 42,000. Feb. 13-14: Chicago Principals and Administrators Assn., Fairmont Hotel, estimated attendance 700. Feb. 13-16:...

Luxury weddings get big reception; Companies are reaping the rewards of nuptial blowouts.(Small Business)
February 10, 2003... Byline: MARY ELLEN PODMOLIK Weddings have become one-of-a-kind extravaganzas for couples willing to pay the price. That means heady times and higher profitability for small businesses in the wedding services industry. But the headiness...

Ethnic biz owners say, `Bring it on'; As mainstream competitors and gentrification move in, grocers are undaunted but will have to adapt.(Small Business)
February 10, 2003... Byline: ED AVIS When customers enter Pal Mex Mini Market in Little Village, on the outskirts of the Pilsen neighborhood, they might think they're back in their native Mexico or Puerto Rico. Mexican-style cheeses and meats crowd the cooler....

Offering their best defense; Firms competing for new homeland security contracts.(Small Business)(CityMainStreet Technologies Inc., DorBioPharma Inc. and other firms compete)
February 10, 2003... Byline: BRIAN LEAF Protecting the nation from terrorism is a huge job, but some of Chicago's smallest tech companies are vying to fill the government's shopping cart with new products. The impetus: new procurement rules that require...

CFOs playing by the rules; Sarbanes-Oxley compliance takes time and money.(Small Business)(discussions with some CFOs at small companies)
February 10, 2003... Byline: JOHN T. SLANIA When Lawrence Kenyon's co-workers ask him about the latest episode of ``The Sopranos,'' he's clueless. He has little time for any leisure activity because he's spending so much time working on his company's...

Cutting into state safety net won't cure budget ills.(Opinion)
February 10, 2003... Byline: Sid Mohn Illinois' staggering budget deficit, estimated by Gov. Rod Blagojevich at about $5 billion, will play a role in just about every decision made in Springfield this spring. As they start their work, the governor and the...

Following tough acts on chic restaurant row.(Dining/Restaurant Review)(D.Kelly)(Restaurant Review)
February 10, 2003... Byline: ANNE SPISELMAN Daniel Kelly has chutzpah. Not only did this 11-year veteran of Chicago-based Hyatt Corp. launch his first restaurant, D.Kelly, in tough economic times, he opened it in the space previously occupied by the...

Datebook.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
February 10, 2003... WEEK OF FEB. 10 FEB. 11: Chicago Regional Chapter of ASM International presents Precision Manufacturing With Solid State Lasers. 5:30 p.m. European Crystal Banquet & Conference Center, 519 W. Algonquin Road, Arlington Heights. Fee: $15...

Becoming landlord won't fix Field's flagship store.(Opinion)(Marshall Field's seeks to capitalize on vacant flagship store)(Brief Article)(Column)
February 10, 2003... It's smart that Marshall Field's is exploring ways to better use the vacant space in its flagship State Street store. But Field's strategy to lease prime selling space to outside retailers is unwise because it turns the merchant into a...

AN EMERGING MARKET: Hidden assets; Intellectual property becomes a hot commodity.(Technology)(discusses Boeing Co. and other companies' approaches)
February 10, 2003... Byline: JULIE JOHNSSON Mired in a tough economy, Chicago companies are exploring new ways to wring cash from their intellectual property: buying, selling and trading the ideas that underpin their businesses. It's an emerging market...

Executive Moves.(People)(personnel changes by service industry)
February 10, 2003... ARCHITECTURE/ENGINEERING Jacqueline J. Loewe, 42, to vice-president of marketing at Hitchcock Design Group in Naperville, from president and director at JL Marketing Solutions Inc. James A. Torvik, 54, to president at Torvik Associates...

Cut-rate airfares take flight; Desperate O'Hare carriers slash business ticket prices.(News)
February 17, 2003... Byline: KEVIN DAVIS The major airlines are discounting business fares with the steepest reductions seen in a decade as they struggle to reverse the stubborn slump in ticket sales and defections to discount rivals. Fares on popular...

Corporate circulation exec tapped by Crain.(News)(Crain Communications Inc., Nina M. La France appointment)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... Nina M. La France has been named corporate circulation director of Crain's Chicago Business parent Crain Communications Inc. Ms. La France, 41, most recently was senior vice-president of marketing and online at San Francisco-based RHC Media...

No need for instant reply: TiVo won't hurt advertising.(Opinion)(TiVo will save the television networks rather than ruining them)(Editorial)
February 17, 2003... Byline: Rance Crain Turner Broadcasting System Inc. Chairman and CEO Jamie Kellner, speaking at the recent Madison & Vine advertising conference in Los Angeles hosted by Crain's sister publication Advertising Age, predicted that TiVo will...

State shouldn't be a player in White Sox's bond game.(Opinion)
February 17, 2003... Byline: Robert Reed There's a difference between ``take me out to the ball game'' and just being taken. When it comes to dropping the Comiskey Park moniker and calling the ballpark U.S. Cellular Field, there's a chance that taxpayers...

Arlington Pk. chief sets growth track.(Clifford Goodrich, new president of Arlington Park race track)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... Byline: BOB TITA After negotiating a truce with horsemen to ensure the start of Arlington Park's racing season on May 9, Clifford Goodrich will turn his attention to expanding the track's revenue base. Mr. Goodrich, who will take over...

McD's shares fall on news.(McDonald's Corp.)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... Shares of McDonald's Corp. fell late last week to their lowest level since 1994 after the Oak Brook-based fast-food giant reported that sales at restaurants open at least 13 months fell 0.5% in the U.S. and 2.4% worldwide. McDonald's shares...

DUCT TAPE NOT STICKING IN CHICAGO.(Response to government terror warnings)
February 17, 2003... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN The government's elevated terror warning hasn't provoked Chi-cagoans to start hoarding duct tape and plastic sheeting. Unlike their East Coast counterparts, the locals are making more-tempered security-minded...

For mayor of Chicago, Daley is the best choice.(Opinion)
February 17, 2003... At the end of this month, Chicago is holding a mayoral election. However, no one would blame anyone for not noticing. In a town that takes a perverse pride in its boisterous politics, this race has been extremely quiet and contained. One...

Chicago Observer: ABA must know that situations like this can result in litigation.(Briefs)
February 17, 2003... Byline: Steven R. Strahler The American Bar Assn. is experiencing its own version of Millennium Park's runaway costs: What the Chicago-based trade group thought was going to be a $12-million upgrade of its information technology system is...

Late News.
February 17, 2003... MADIGAN LIGHTENS TRIBUNE HOLDINGS Tribune Co. Chairman John Madigan sold company shares with a total value of more than $12 million last month. Securities and Exchange Commission filings show Mr. Madigan unloaded 250,000 shares at prices...

Quaker Oats sales spree in the cards? PepsiCo's spinoff scenarios.(News)
February 17, 2003... Byline: JAMES B. ARNDORFER In six months, PepsiCo Inc. will be free to unload some of the food businesses it picked up in its acquisition of Quaker Oats Co. in August 2001. PepsiCo bought Chicago-based Quaker for its Gatorade sports...

Condos weigh on West Loop; Developers offer perks to lure buyers.(Real estate in Chicago)
February 17, 2003... Byline: ALBY GALLUN For sale: Lots of condos in the West Loop. Good access to restaurants, downtown. Motivated sellers willing to offer amenities like free parking, granite countertops and stainless steel-finished appliances. As an...

UAW, Cat set to pounce on rising health costs; Issue will be critical to coming contract negotiations.(Negotiations with Caterpillar Inc.)
February 17, 2003... Byline: JAMES B. ARNDORFER While their contract doesn't expire until April 2004, the United Auto Workers union and Caterpillar Inc. are already confronting the issue of spiraling health care costs. Cal Rapson, vice-president and...

FOR THE RECORD.(Briefs)
February 17, 2003... Byline: SARA D. WHITE, Compiled from ChicagoBusiness.com, Bloomberg News reports and other sources. INFORMATION RESOURCES INC. A shareholder called on CEO Joseph Durrett to resign and urged that the Chicago-based market research firm...

Manager rebounds after '90s setback.(Mutual fund manager Donald A. Yacktman)
February 17, 2003... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Mutual fund manager Donald A. Yacktman has had quite a comeback since making a string of wrongheaded investments in the late 1990s. In 1999, when the Nasdaq Index soared an astonishing 86%, the Yacktman Fund...

Stations seek 10 p.m. news knockout; WMAQ, WLS vie for big TV ad purse.
February 17, 2003... Byline: JEREMY MULLMAN Seldom have so many local ad dollars ridden on news features like ``Great Sex for Moms'' and ``Leaner for Life.'' Fresh off its November ratings coup, WMAQ-TV/Channel 5 is trailing in its attempt to again unseat...

Iridium rises as Motorola flails; New owner turns ailing venture into a winner.(Iridium Satellite L.L.C.)
February 17, 2003... Byline: JULIE JOHNSSON Iridium Satellite LLC is riding high these days. Yes, that Iridium. The Virginia company is built around the remnants of Motorola Inc.'s ill-fated satellite venture, which investors acquired out of Bankruptcy...

City should try casino bet, then sports play.(Ganmbling in Chicago)
February 17, 2003... Byline: Joe Cappo Mayor Richard M. Daley has flip-flopped several times on the issue of casino gambling in Chicago, but I think his last flip was a flop. Back in ancient times, Mr. Daley, then Cook County state's attorney, was...

Profile: Hiring strategy and narrow focus achieve growth.(Finance)(Robert L. Riter of American Chartered Bank)(Interview)
February 17, 2003... Byline: Steve Daniels Robert L. Riter isn't your typical banker. The chairman and CEO of Schaumburg-based American Chartered Bank is a former Peace Corps volunteer and academic who reads poetry, bikes in southern Chile and runs...

Quote of the Week.(Quotes)
February 17, 2003... When you have to go to money in your pocket to pay the band, you know what time it is. Checkerboard Lounge owner L. C. Thurman, on the famed blues club's financial straits PAGE 1

International song at revamped Fairmont spot.(Dining/Restaurant Review)(Aria)(Restaurant Review)
February 17, 2003... Byline: ANNE SPISELMAN Any restaurant that starts diners off with hot nan (East Indian bread) and four delicious dips deserves some slack. That's the mantra I keep repeating to myself on three visits to Aria, while encountering service...

CONSUMERS AN ASSET: Getting personal; Big banks embrace improved customer service.(Finance)
February 17, 2003... Byline: STEVE DANIELS Don't mess with the PTA. As treasurer of the parent-teacher association at her child's school, North Shore resident Karen Donnan kept the group's account at Bank One Corp. but had one bad experience after another....