Crain's Chicago Business articles from February 2007

Crain's Chicago Business archives from February 2007

What do you think of the claims Kraft makes on its food packages?(News)(Kraft Foods Inc.)(Brief article)
February 5, 2007... I used to think (Kraft's) macaroni and cheese had natural cheddar, but having kids got me to start looking at the ingredient label. I stopped buying macaroni and cheese, and now I make it from scratch. -Tiye Hayes, 45, operating room...

Stars in his eyes; Want to be an investment banker? It helps to love long hours and Excel spreadsheets.(Focus: Finance)(Mesirow Financial Holdings Inc.'s Michael Molitor)(Interview)
February 5, 2007... Byline: KATE RYAN Michael Molitor's friends are baffled when he goes in to work on Saturday. "They just don't get it,'' he says. "They are shocked that I could have so much work that I stay until midnight or 2 a.m.'' But as a...

Moto holders cool to Icahn's advances; Raider needs allies to achieve his aims.(News)
February 5, 2007... Byline: STEVEN R. STRAHLER Motorola Inc. shareholders aren't rushing to back corporate raider Carl Icahn's push to win a board seat and force the cell phone maker to conduct a massive share buyback. "To have a large stock buyback in...

Gauging boeing's maximum altitude; Some analysts expect the stock to pass $100, others say it's peaked.(Markets)(Statistical data)
February 5, 2007... Byline: PAUL MERRION Boeing Co.'s stock climbed to another record last week, raising questions about whether the jet maker's shares can soar any higher. Bearish Wall Street analysts say the stock is fully valued. At 19 times estimated...

Empowered shareholders can beat Icahn.(Opinion)
February 5, 2007... Carl Icahn, a canny investor with a nose for corporate vulnerability, has zeroed in on Motorola Inc. A battered stock, strategic missteps and-most important-a big pile of cash made the cell phone maker a sitting duck for Mr. Icahn....

A Fruit-juice Label Draws A Lawsuit, As Does A Tub Of Green Dip.(News)(Kraft Foods Inc.'s packaging for Capri Sun )(Brief article)
February 5, 2007... The Center for Science in the Public Interest sued Kraft last month for calling Capri Sun "all natural,'' when it contains high-fructose corn syrup. Kraft says it's in the process of reformulating the juice drink to contain vitamins C and E and...

Owning the road by size-or speed; That tank? It's for carpooling; men push Corvette to comeback.(Business of Life)(Ivy Israel)
February 5, 2007... Byline: SHIA KAPOS Ivy Israel likes adventure. She owns a Harley-Davidson, goes on safaris and recently bungee-jumped off a cliff at Victoria Falls in Africa. So it's no surprise that the Gold Coast attorney would buy a Hummer....

Speed reader.(Business of Life)(Motor Werks of Barrington Inc.'s Paul Tamraz)(Interview)(Brief article)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Laura Bianchi Paul Tamraz, 62, is president and CEO of Motor Werks in Barrington, which carries luxury vehicle lines including BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. He makes frequent pit stops for the news: Eyes open by 5 a.m. to...

For The Record.(Briefs)(Dominick's Finer Foods Inc.'s closure of Chicago-area stores)(Blackstone Group L.P.'s acquisition of Equity Office Properties Trust)(Government aid to research at University of Illinois )
February 5, 2007... Dominick's is closing 14 of its 97 Chicago-area stores, calling them underperformers. The closures are part of a broader revitalization program that includes opening new stores and converting 20 others this year to its "lifestyle'' format,...

Meet the gatekeepers.(Focus: Finance)(talks with Kristina Peters, Justin Friesen and Dominick Zarcone)(Interview)
February 5, 2007... Byline: KATE RYAN You don't have to be a rocket scientist to be an investment banker, but you do need to use your brain, recruiters at the big firms say. The way to get your foot in the door is the same as in any industry: Do your...

Smart businesses see value, and profit, in promoting women.(Opinion)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Marc J. Lane The pace at which women are invited into the city's boardrooms and executive suites remains sluggish at best. Until that changes, corporate Chicago is denying itself the talent pool it needs to compete effectively,...

State projected to lose House seat after 2010; Trends, politics mean Downstate may take hit.(News)
February 5, 2007... Byline: PAUL MERRION WASHINGTON-Illinois is almost certain to lose another congressional seat after the 2010 census, recent analyses show. "It's not looking good,'' says Kimball Brace, president of Election Data Services Inc., a...

Altria to spin off Kraft stake.(Briefs)
February 5, 2007... Altria said it would spin off its 89% stake in Kraft on March 30. Recent earnings posted by both companies-higher quarterly profits for Altria and tumbling ones for Kraft-highlighted the difference between them: Kraft has struggled under higher...

CBOE hopes to take NYSE volume; Rule change could give options exchange an opening vs. Big Board.(News)(Chicago Board Options Exchange )(New York Stock Exchange)(Brief article)
February 5, 2007... Byline: ANN SAPHIR The Chicago Board Options Exchange is gunning for the New York Stock Exchange. A new rule making it easier for small exchanges to grab business, combined with the CBOE's big presence in stock trading-its members...

This Week: McD's eyes ad plan, shifts breakfast biz.(Late News)(McDonald's Corp.)(Brief article)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Kate MacArthur McDonald's is conducting a global brand-strategy study and shifting its breakfast ad account, valued at $100 million. Mary Dillon, global marketing officer, says the study is intended to keep McD's abreast of...

Blago aims to insure all; Business would fund most of $2-billion plan to cover 1.7 million.(News)(Gov. Rod Blagojevich )
February 5, 2007... Byline: MIKE COLIAS Gov. Rod Blagojevich will unveil a plan next month to offer health coverage for all of the state's 1.7 million uninsured, sending most of the $2-billion-plus annual tab to businesses. The governor and his staff...

At Deadline.(Late News)(Abbott Laboratories CEO Miles White's investments)(Jeweler David Yurman new store)(Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan decision on charity care)
February 5, 2007... Hinsdale may opt out of ComEd system Hinsdale's village board, dissatisfied with the state of ComEd's west suburban electric grid, is slated to vote Tuesday on a plan to create a municipal electric utility, similar to ones in Naperville,...

"When I was . . ."; Wisdom, career advice from an old hand at the game of banking.(Focus: Finance)
February 5, 2007... Byline: KATE RYAN These days, investment bankers can plug a few numbers into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and put a price on a company within seconds. When Gary Walther started his career in 1968, that would have taken weeks. "There...

Plans for Aurora get more ambitious; Condos, retail could reshape its downtown.(News)
February 5, 2007... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY When two developers stepped forward more than a year ago with plans to remake Aurora's struggling downtown, their proposals, envisioning hundreds of condos and several blocks of retail and commercial space, were...

High-risers rebel; REDEVELOPED AREAS AROUND THE LOOP COULD ELECT A TRULY INDEPENDENT ALDERMAN.(News)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Greg Hinz Three decades after rapid change and rampant development in Lincoln Park helped spawn political heartburn for Mayor Richard J. Daley, an oddly similar dynamic may be setting up on the South Side lakefront for Mayor Daley...

Discover new artists.(Business of Life)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Margaret Littman About 150 emerging artists have been chosen to exhibit in the largely local Around the Coyote Winter Festival 2007. This Wicker Park weekend gallery walk is a first stop for up-and-coming arts patrons, too. ...

West Side growth spurs Jewel site; Full-size grocery slated for Fulton River District.(News)
February 5, 2007... Byline: JOHN T. SLANIA Jewel Food Stores is seeking to profit from the residential boom on Chicago's Near West Side-and also grab business from rival Dominick's Finer Foods LLC-by opening a full-size grocery in the Fulton River District....

Where do you go?(Focus: Finance)(University of Chicago. School of Business)(Northwestern University. Kellogg School of Management)(University of Illinois)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Kate Ryan To break into the industry, it's important to have the right education. Here's a rundown of the undergraduate and graduate programs in Chicago that are building tomorrow's investment bankers. Northwestern University...

Need to Know.(Focus: Finance)(compensation of Investment advisers)(Brief article)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Source: Vault.com 2006 survey $105,000 Annual salary of a second-year financial analyst at Robert W. Baird & Co. in Chicago, including a $45,000 bonus. $260,000 Annual salary of a corporate finance associate at Robert...

On the Move.(People)(briefs)
February 5, 2007... ARCHITECTURE/ ENGINEERING Legat Architects Inc., Waukegan: Patrick Brosnan, 40, to president and CEO, from studio director and principal. Metro Transportation Group Inc., Hoffman Estates: David B. Miller, 61, to chairman and CEO, from...

Banking and schmoozing; The job is more than just poring over spreadsheets.(Focus: Finance)
February 5, 2007... Byline: KATE RYAN For a big city, Chicago is a small town when it comes to investment banking. So if you want to join the group, it's a good idea to become involved with a charity or get yourself on a board. "Being an active...

Transit funding lacks support in Springfield.(News)(Public transit )
February 5, 2007... Byline: GREG HINZ Public transit needs appear to be taking a back seat as the contest for state dollars heats up in Springfield. Chicago-area transit bosses this week are scheduled to officially unveil their funding requests for the...

Little future in gold; CBOT losing trading volume in lucrative metal-thanks to its would-be owner.(News)(Chicago Board of Trade )(Chicago Mercantile Exchange)
February 5, 2007... Byline: ANN SAPHIR The Chicago Board of Trade is losing marketshare in its most lucrative futures contract, gold, and its would-be acquirer, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, is to blame. Starting in 2004, the CBOT waged an...

Elegant getaway: hotel's 'Lobby'; Refined atmosphere, healthy-choice menu rate stars at Peninsula.(Business of Life)(Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels Ltd. Peninsula Group)(Restaurant review)
February 5, 2007... Byline: ALISON NEUMER LARA The Lobby restaurant at the Peninsula Hotel is a grand setting for a refined, quiet lunch. Golden domes carved into the high ceiling are hung with Asian-inspired waterfall chandeliers. Marble-topped tables,...

Auto Show faithful on new-model hunt; Showing up to buy: The mind of a true car fan.(Business of Life)(talks with Tim Roberts, a car enthusiast)(Interview)
February 5, 2007... Byline: MARGARET LITTMAN Of everyone heading to McCormick Place for the 2007 Chicago Auto Show-the nation's largest-Maserati fans are among the most enthusiastic. At $110,000 to $130,000, with a waiting list of just a few months, its...

Edgebrook latest startup to falter; Regulators hit two banks for inadequate controls.(News)(Edgebrook Bank)
February 5, 2007... Byline: STEVE DANIELS The latest wave of Chicago-area bank startups is keeping regulators busy. Edgebrook Bank, a small bank on Chicago's Northwest Side, was hit by state and federal bank regulators in November with an order alleging...

'Lifestyle centers' looking to locals; Oak Brook retail spaces won't have usual suspects.(News)
February 5, 2007... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Three so-called "lifestyle centers''-open-air shopping plazas built to look like town squares-are going up within range of the sprawling Oakbrook Center mall in west suburban Oak Brook. In the race to fill them,...

Big money buys a nicer color, too.(Business of Life)(Automotive coatings)(Brief article)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Darci Smith Don't call that Range Rover HSE red: It's actually "Rimini Red Micatallic.'' Does that red, with the $77,250 Range Rover price tag, have anything over the "Victory Red'' sported by a $12,575 Chevrolet Cobalt? ...

CareerBuilder apes viral effort; Age-o-Matic aims to entertain, build brand.(News)
February 5, 2007... Byline: JEREMY MULLMAN Crain News Service CareerBuilder Inc. last year got more than 12 million people to e-mail talking-chimp greetings to their friends. This year, in a bid to repeat its viral-marketing success, the online job-listings...

Exelon CEO touts nukes' green edge; Rowe aims to convince the Street that his utility will profit from carbon caps.(News)(John Rowe)
February 5, 2007... Byline: STEVE DANIELS Exelon Corp. CEO John Rowe is pitching Exelon on Wall Street as a way to profit from the growing momentum to curb global warming. As the nation's largest owner of nuclear power plants, Exelon is positioned to...

Extra trains raise Amtrak ridership; State funds aid increase in round trips; more service demands likely.(News)
February 5, 2007... Byline: BOB TITA Additional trains led to a dramatic increase in Amtrak ridership within Illinois late last year. Ridership in November and December rose 36.4% after Amtrak increased the number of trains operating daily between Chicago...

Datebook.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
February 5, 2007... THIS WEEK FEB. 5: 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. FEB. 5: Jewish...

Conventions.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
February 5, 2007... THIS WEEK FEB. 6-11: Corp. for National Service North Central Cluster-Americorps Vista Pre-Service Orientation, Wyndham O'Hare Hotel, estimated attendance 200. FEB. 7-9: Visit Illinois-Illinois Governor's Conference on Tourism, Palmer...

Director cares about Chicago communities.(People)(personal profile)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Lorene Yue Job: Executive director, Chicago Cares, since Oct. 17. Vitals: 37 years old; bachelor's degree in economics, Indiana University, 1991; clerk, 1991-92, operations manager, 1992-2003, JIS Options Corp.; director for...

It's good to be a banker; The M&A market in Chicago is booming, and so is the investment banking industry.(Focus: Finance)(mergers and acquisitions)
February 5, 2007... Byline: KATE RYAN Last year was another record-breaker for mergers and acquisitions, with Chicago investment bankers saying their deal pipelines were stronger than ever-up to 50% larger than they were at the end of 2005. "It has been a...

WHO'S THE NEXT WARREN BUFFETT? KEEP READING; a conversation with money manager peter goldman.(Markets)(dialogue with Peter Goldman)(Interview)(Brief article)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Julie Jargon CRAIN'S: What's your investment philosophy? MR. GOLDMAN: Buy very well-managed, growing businesses at favorable prices. For us to buy, we need to see 30% to 50% upside (for share price). While we do care about the...

Suiting up; Yes, you're smart, but can you look the part?(Focus: Finance)(Paul Stuart Inc.)
February 5, 2007... Byline: KATE RYAN Want to be an investment banker? First you have to get dressed. Sure, the suit you bought at Burlington Coat Factory may get you through your interviews, but once you've landed the job, you'll need some fashion help. ...

Kraft Not Alone.(News)
February 5, 2007... The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a Washington, D.C.-based consumer watchdog group, has been pressuring food companies to be more truthful in their claims. Here are some of the companies and products the group has targeted:...

WoodwardGovernor heads west; Colorado wins out as location of choice.(News)(Woodward Governor Co.)
February 5, 2007... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY After 137 years in Rockford, Woodward Governor Co. is moving its corporate headquarters to Fort Collins, Colo. The move is largely symbolic, involving only about a half-dozen staffers. Thomas A. Gendron, 45, who...

CHIEF'S FINANCIAL WORKOUT: NO PAIN, NO GAIN.(News)(Stephen Cole )(Interview)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Gregory Meyer When a potential donor said he'd write a $10,000 check to the YMCA if its executives jumped into the pool, Stephen Cole didn't hesitate. He strode past the crowd nibbling hors d'oeuvres by the Lake Zurich Y's new...

Outlook 'bleak' for Ford; Updated vehicles won't keep local plant busy.(News)(Ford Motor Co.)
February 5, 2007... Byline: BOB TITA Restyled versions of slow-selling Ford Motor Co. vehicles made at the company's Chicago assembly plant, set to debut at next week's Chicago Auto Show, aren't likely to rev up the local assembly lines. The struggling...

IS KRAFT CROSSING THE LINE? Packaging pushes the envelope in chase for health-conscious consumer.(News)(Kraft Foods Inc.)
February 5, 2007... Byline: JULIE JARGON If Matt Leli read "Made with Real Kraft Cheese'' on a can of Kraft Easy Cheese, he'd think of a block of Wisconsin cheddar. But only if he hadn't read the list of ingredients on the other side of the can. Easy...

Old Todd; BASED ON HIS FIRST BUDGET, THE NEW COUNTY BOSS WILL BE SPROUTING GRAY HAIR SOON.(News)(Cook County Board President Todd Stroger)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Greg Hinz Cook County Board President Todd Stroger has been sporting a vandyke since he took office a few weeks ago. The new county chief, a youthful-looking 44, says his wife told him it makes him look older. With all due...

At Deadline.(Late News)(ING Clarion Partners acquired Hotel Allegro)(sales of Condominiums)(Cadbury Beverages to increase prices)
February 12, 2007... Loop's Hotel Allegro gets a new owner An affiliate of ING Clarion Partners has acquired the 483-room Hotel Allegro in the Loop, confirms Michael Moyer, CEO and managing member of Chicago's Palmet Venture LLC, the seller. Mr. Moyer declines...

The Southwest effect; Discounter's Midway push drives down biz fares to Dallas, Denver and D.C.(News)
February 12, 2007... Byline: PAUL MERRION Chicago business travelers escaped the brunt of last year's airfare increases-if they were traveling in the right direction. Southwest Airlines' expansion at Midway Airport into major business hubs served by United...

Report: Ill. transit needs $9 bil. a year; State must end neglect, business coalition says.(News)(Brief article)
February 12, 2007... Byline: BOB TITA Illinois needs to spend almost $9 billion a year for the next five years to maintain and expand the state's highway and mass transit systems, according to a new report. The report, paid for by a group of business and...

Biz closing pension gap; Stock market helps Boeing, others shore up underfunded pools.(News)
February 12, 2007... Byline: BOB TITA A rising stock market is helping bail out the Chicago area's biggest companies from a problem that has plagued them for the past several years: pension-fund shortfalls. When Boeing Co. announced recently that it has...

Faith seeker.(Business of Life)(David Gomez and Associates Inc.'s David Gomez)(Brief article)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Dan Weissmann David Gomez, 54, is president and CEO of diversity-focused search firm David Gomez & Associates Inc. and has recently recommitted to his Catholic faith. Where he looks for answers: Wall Street Journal, business...

Execs draw jeers at Factory Card; Pay, performance spark call for change at top.(News)
February 12, 2007... Byline: JULIE JARGON Investors have been sending messages to the board of Factory Card & Party Outlet Corp.-but not the kind its card stores are known for stocking. "The current management team has eviscerated the profitability of the...

Conventions.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
February 12, 2007... FOUR WEEKS FROM NOW MARCH 13-18: National Wildlife Rehabilitators Assn. National Conference, Indian Lakes Resort, estimated attendance 500. MARCH 15-18: Chicagoland Christian Women's Conference Annual Retreat, Westin Chicago Northwest,...

Muller & Monroe sets new fund of funds; Targeting minority-run, Midwest investments.(News)(Muller & Monroe Asset Management LLC)
February 12, 2007... Byline: STEVEN R. STRAHLER Muller & Monroe Asset Management LLC, a minority-owned private-equity fund that invests in other private-equity funds, is close to adding a second fund of funds oriented toward Midwest and women- and...

Style for Spring.(Business of Life)(Brief article)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Margaret Littman Planning the serious spring wardrobe begins now. The Chanel spring trunk show at Neiman Marcus offers a sneak peek at the top designer pieces that will clothe the most fashion-conscious and help set trends for...

Embracing the Web; News flash: The Internet is changing the world.(Focus: Small Business)
February 12, 2007... Byline: DEE GILL In the late 1990s, people who wanted to start online businesses spent $30,000 or so to build a Web site, courted venture capitalists and paid big bucks for a stable of talent. Since the dot-com bust, the Web has become...

your FIVE QUESTIONS.(Focus: Small Business)
February 12, 2007... Byline: DEE GILL Failures in e-commerce used to make headlines, but you don't hear as much about busted dot-coms these days. For the most part, venture capitalists have quit funding elaborate offices with rock-climbing walls and pool...

The Web convert; His mild interest turns into booming business.(Focus: Small Business)(Dennis Boudreau -4electronicwarehouse)(Company overview)
February 12, 2007... Byline: DEE GILL Dennis Boudreau had been selling electronics at his Your Electronic Warehouse store in Quincy for 20 years before the dot-com boom got rolling. So when his son Matt came home from college in 1997 and built a Web site for...

Profits, form and function; Designing an online store can be cheap and easy, or expensive and even easier.(Focus: Small Business)
February 12, 2007... Byline: DEE GILL Any computer-savvy entrepreneur can build an e-commerce store in a matter of hours these days, for little or no money. But what's the difference between a site made with Yahoo Store templates and those $25,000 sites that...

Baking and Googling.(Focus: Small Business)(Solomon's Gourmet Cookies )(Brief article)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Dee Gill Type in "gourmet cookies'' on Google, and Solomon's Gourmet Cookies comes up third under the non-sponsored links. How did this tiny Chicago bakery on Elston Avenue climb to the top of the list? The owners attribute...

There's big money in the middle; How one man turned a hobby into a business.(Focus: Small Business)(Alan Hutchinson owner of HTMarket.com)(Company overview)
February 12, 2007... Byline: DEE GILL HTMarket.com has no warehouse, no inventory and only seven employees. But the company, whose revenues have grown 25% to 30% a year since 2002, will sell about $4.5 million in home theater equipment this year. The...

No money? No problem; Even on the Web, hustle and savvy help cut costs.(Focus: Small Business)(Julia Kuras, Robert Kuras owners of Spice Daddy Inc.)(Company overview)
February 12, 2007... Byline: DEE GILL Back when selling garlic salt was little more than a hobby for Julia and Robert Kuras, they discovered a cheap way to market it: Open a plastic baggie of the stuff on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Mr....

Tasting Menu; Here's a sampling of Roger Greenfield's hits and misses in 30 years on Chicago's restaurant scene.(News)(Chronology)
February 12, 2007... 1977 opens Le Rendez-vous on Ontario Street 1978 Le Rendez-vous closes 1978 opens 50 East on Oak Street 1978 sells 50 East 1984 opens American Grill in Glenview 1985 opens Dixie Bar & Grill in River North 1986 opens...

Multistate registry to report emissions; System would give biz credit for reductions.(News)
February 12, 2007... Byline: PAUL MERRION Illinois is joining 31 other states to develop a unified system for companies to report emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. It's a crucial first step in attacking the threat of global warming,...

THE FUTURE OF OPTIONSXPRESS.(Markets)(OptionsXpress Holdings Inc.)
February 12, 2007... Byline: ANN SAPHIR Ask David Kalt and he'll tell you that OptionsXpress Holdings Inc., the electronic brokerage he took public two years ago, is still a fast-growing company. Now he has to convince Wall Street of that just months after...

New proposals to replace state's old landfills; Amid opposing voices, operator promises of tax revenue stream.(News)
February 12, 2007... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Officials in communities ringing Chicago are facing a surge of new solid-waste landfill proposals for the first time in years, as developers press to build dumps in locations ranging from Kankakee to Yorkville. The...

Andrew to continue focus on acquisitions; Possible takeover offers, profitability still issues.(News)
February 12, 2007... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Wireless equipment maker Andrew Corp., which narrowly avoided being taken over last summer, has been on an acquisition tear of its own recently as it looks to bulk up in the consolidating telecommunications industry....

A slow learner, Cook can no longer ignore past lessons.(Cook County )(Viewpoint essay)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Laurence Msall Economist Milton Friedman might have had Cook County in mind when he said, "Governments never learn. Only people learn.'' As county commissioners struggle to balance the budget, everyone will be better served if they...

With health care push, guv ignores state's basic needs.(Gov. Rod Blagojevich )(Viewpoint essay)
February 12, 2007... It's a paradox of politics that elected officials continually seek to expand government's influence into new spheres of society while neglecting its most traditional functions. Thus, we have Gov. Rod Blagojevich planning to extend the state...

Crain's names Chase deputy managing editor.(News)(Crain's Chicago Business appointed Brett Chase )
February 12, 2007... Crain's Chicago Business has promoted Brett Chase to deputy managing editor. In the newly created position, Mr. Chase will oversee the paper's news section and handle general print and online editing duties. Mr. Chase, 42, joined...

CHILLING OUT; Home appreciation cools in all but a few spots; at least it's still going up.(News)
February 12, 2007... Byline: ALBY GALLUN Home values in the Chicago area rose 5% last year, as robust price increases in South Side neighborhoods offset a virtual halt to appreciation in some formerly red-hot suburbs. An index of single-family home prices...

Have no fear; FROM THE CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF E-COMMERCE.(Focus: Small Business)(Editorial)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Thomas Mucha Attention, Chicago entrepreneurs and small business owners: We know you don't like technology. We know you don't have time to figure out this complex and constantly changing facet of your business. We know...

Correction.(Corrections)(Correction notice)
February 12, 2007... A Feb. 5 story incorrectly reported the titles of Varghese Chacko and Joseph Graber of All American Bank in Des Plaines. Mr. Chacko is chairman; Mr. Graber is vice-chairman.

Last of old guard to depart Aon; CEO Case completes makeover of exec team.(News)
February 12, 2007... Byline: STEVE DANIELS Greg Case's makeover of Aon Corp.'s executive team is complete. Mr. Case became CEO of the commercial insurance brokerage in 2005, succeeding company founder Patrick G. Ryan and inheriting a team of managers with...

A solid investment: black pants; Wardrobe staple pushes bounds on price, fabric.(Business of Life)
February 12, 2007... Byline: LISA BERTAGNOLI Lovers of black pants, rejoice: The wardrobe workhorses are getting a makeover of sorts, with fabrics such as microfiber; heavy, satin-finish cotton, and even velvet joining classic gabardine and worsted wool as not...

Datebook.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
February 12, 2007... THIS WEEK FEB. 12: Illinois State Bar Assn. presents Advanced Workers' Compensation. 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. UBS Tower, 1 N. Wacker Drive. Fee: $115 members, $215 non-members. (800) 252-8908. FEB. 13: Illinois State Bar Assn. presents Tax...

Bar Louie owner runs up the tab; Greenfield's hot again, but old landlords cry foul.(News)
February 12, 2007... Byline: STEVEN R. STRAHLER The moving trucks arrived unexpectedly, late on a Sunday afternoon in November 2004, at South City Tavern, a "New Southern'' restaurant open only six months at 1530 S. State St. By the time they left,...

DANGER ON THE JOB; Utility workers face guns, knives; will new law help?(News)
February 12, 2007... Byline: STEVE DANIELS With a gun pointed at his head, Juan Marrero decided to fight. The Peoples Gas mechanic was hooking up service in a South Side basement when a man accosted him with a handgun, demanding money. Mr. Marrero didn't...

New downtown pub elevates quick lunch; Charming spot to relax; only its breakfast falters.(Business of Life)(Emerald Loop)(Restaurant review)
February 12, 2007... Byline: LAURA BIANCHI Emerald Loop, a new Irish bar and grill at the edge of the Loop, is a charming place for putting clients, colleagues or friends at ease, from lunch through after-work drinks and dinner. Except for breakfast, the...

This Week: Dips in Trib ad sales add to headaches.(Late News)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Gregory Meyer The Chicago Tribune's ad revenues generally declined about 3% in the last three quarters of '06, company officials disclosed last week. Ad sales at the Trib had been holding steady, helping offset declines at other...

Riders fume at chatter; Metra's shattered peace triggers outbursts; starting family time early irks captive listeners.(Business of Life)
February 12, 2007... Byline: SHIA KAPOS Deitra Mangrum speaks in hushed tones on a cell phone during her trek home to Skokie on Metra. With yoga-like flexibility, she leans toward the window and bows her head so she's at least somewhat out of others'...

Your history: Pulverized.(Business of Life)(commercial shredding companies )(Brief article)
February 12, 2007... Byline: Kevin Davis Home paper shredders just don't cut it for some people, so they're turning to commercial shredding companies for their personal destruction needs. "I had a guy bring in his old license plates,'' says Angelo...