Crain's Chicago Business articles from January 2007

Crain's Chicago Business archives from January 2007

When in doubt grab a mouse, or a phone.( U.S.SourceLink's Maria Meyers interviewed)(Interview)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Dee Gill Maria Meyers, network coordinator for U.S.SourceLink, a non-profit that works with cities to implement a program designed to give entrepreneurs easy access to small business resources. Each city's program is modeled after...

City Watcher.(Department of Planning and Development's Lori T. Healey management techniques)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Dan Weissmann As commissioner of Chicago's Department of Planning and Development, everyone's business is Lori T. Healey's business, from affordable housing to zoning. Her brief includes the city's 144 tax-increment financing...

When should a man give up wearing white shirts?(Business of Life)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Laura Bianchi When a man's hair turns white or gray, a white shirt can wash the color out of his complexion, making him look older or even sickly, says Robin Walker, wardrobe consultant and founder, My Wardrobe Companion Ltd.,...

when less is not more.(Chicago public schools students not performing well)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Samantha Stainburn The problem: Poor performance by Chicago public school students The solution: Lengthen the school day The players: Chicago Public Schools, the teachers union, state government and business leaders ...

Critics now in charge at Bally: So what's the plan? Stock of beleaguered gym chain still trading under $3 a share.(Bally Total Fitness Holding Corp.)
January 1, 2007... Byline: GREGORY MEYER A year after two hedge funds besieged Bally Total Fitness Holding Corp.-trying to shake up management of the ailing fitness club chain-the activist investors are now running the company. Now what? Seven...

For Aon's Case, it's go time; After two years of cost-cutting, brokers must boost sales in 2007.(Greg Case )
January 1, 2007... Byline: STEVE DANIELS Now comes the hard part. After a two-year cost-cutting campaign that claimed 1,800 jobs, Aon Corp. CEO Greg Case is confronting the prospect of increasing the giant insurance broker's revenue at a time of shrinking...

SELLING THE DEAL; Kim Taylor must convince skeptical traders that CME-CBOT combo works for them.(News)(Chicago Mercantile Exchange)(Chicago Board of Trade)
January 1, 2007... Byline: ANN SAPHIR Kim Taylor landed a job at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange by asking a smart question. Interviewing for a position at the CME's clearinghouse in 1989, Ms. Taylor "was just kind of so-so,'' says John McPartland, the...

Newly jobless face tough start to year; For employees put out of work over holidays, hunting season begins now; the challenges of a setback amid festivities.(Business of Life)
January 1, 2007... Byline: SHIA KAPOS Terry Walsh is beginning the new year in a way he didn't imagine a month ago: job hunting. Though unemployment nationwide was at a low 4.5% in December-unchanged from the previous month and down from a year earlier,...

How to make school days last longer.(Focus: Agenda for Chicago)(dialogue with Hilary Pennington )(Interview)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Samantha Stainburn Hilary Pennington is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, a Washington, D.C., think tank, and co-founder of Jobs for the Future, a research and policy development organization. In "Expanding...

Money is Out there, but where?(Focus: Agenda for Chicago)(small business services)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Dee Gill The problem: Chicago entrepreneurs are unaware of the wealth of free services and available funding. The solution: City Hall should adopt SourceLink-a phone number and Web site that entrepreneurs can tap for all small...

Slate cleaner.(Business of Life)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Kevin Davis Karli Bertocchi, 33, founder, Organized With Style, Chicago Duties: Offers organizing services for individuals and businesses, from cleaning out closets to setting up home offices, at a typical cost of $75 an hour....

For The Record.(Briefs)(holiday fare sale from United Airlines )(company sales)
January 1, 2007... LaSalle Bank's parent announced plans to cut 5% of its North American workforce, including about 500 Chicago-area jobs. Sales of single-family homes and condominiums in the Chicago area fell dramatically in November from the previous year,...

Investment in transit system the first step in pursuit of games.(Column)
January 1, 2007... Byline: MarySue Barrett MarySue Barrett is president of the Metropolitan Planning Council. The Olympics have always been an enduring symbol of human triumph: Athletes train for years to qualify for the games, where they hope not only...

Here's what you can do.(Focus: Agenda for Chicago)(Informed Energy Decisions LLC)(dialogue with John Porterfield)(Interview)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Sarah A. Klein John Porterfield is co-founder of Informed Energy Decisions LLC, a Chicago consulting firm that helps developers, builders and homeowners improve the energy performance of buildings. For 30 years, Mr. Porterfield has...

Durbin's day; OBAMA, EMANUEL GET MORE PRESS, BUT STATE'S SR. SENATOR WILL WIELD TRUE NATIONAL POWER.(News)(Barack Obama)(Interview)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Greg Hinz Of all the Illinois politicians looking forward to the new year, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin may have the biggest reason to smile. Presidential wannabe Barack Obama and House campaign-meister Rahm Emanuel have been grabbing...

CHECKING IN ON LAST YEAR'S ISSUES.(controlling health care costs)(changing zoning laws so that more private schools can be constructed)(funding public transportation)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Christina Galoozis So what has come of our Agenda for Chicago suggestions for 2006? Not a whole lot. Here's a quick rundown of what we proposed last year, and what's actually happened: TRANSPORTATION (2 stars) Our...

The pull of coin-op nostalgia.(Frank Stenson and his company Nostalgia)
January 1, 2007... Byline: KEVIN DAVIS Stepping into Frank Stenson's Homer Glen family room is like taking a trip back to the 1950s. There's a Wurlitzer jukebox, a Coke machine that dispenses glass bottles, a 25-cent slot machine and an old-fashioned...

Chicago can be greener.(Focus: Agenda for Chicago)(real estate developers )
January 1, 2007... Byline: Sarah A. Klein Problem: Chicago isn't doing enough to lower carbon emissions and slow global warming Solution: Require builders to meet more stringent energy efficiency standards to obtain a building permit Players: The...

Rush to relax: Spas fill fast.(Business of Life)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Shia Kapos Department store shoppers have dispersed, but now there's a crowd in another area: the line for spa appointments. With "spa day'' certificates a popular gift, recipients are lining up to begin the new year with a little...

This Week: Bids for CTA's Grand redo come in high.(News)(Chicago Transit Authority)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Greg Hinz Plans to renovate the CTA's Red Line subway stop at Grand Avenue have hit a financial hurdle, with the low bid coming in at $67.25 million, more than twice the city's estimate. A Chi-cago Department of Transportation rep...

Got a problem? Ask a driver.(Focus: Agenda for Chicago)(dialogue with Jerry Gross)(Interview)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Stuart Luman To learn more about bus bunching-and the potential solutions-we went straight to someone who knows: Jerry Gross, 66, who drove a Chicago Transit Authority bus for more than 25 years before retiring in 2003. We asked...

bunching AND WAITING.(managing Chicago Transit Authority buses)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Stuart Luman The problem: Bunching, the inability of Chicago Transit Authority buses to stay evenly spaced, which, by some estimates, plagues routes 40% of the time The solution: Hire back full-time supervisors to manage...

'07 outlook: double vision; Manufacturing sags but professionals surge even as economy cools.(Republic Windows & Doors LLC)
January 1, 2007... Byline: STEVEN R. STRAHLER The housing slump is bad news for Republic Windows & Doors LLC on Goose Island, where Chief Operating Officer Barry Dubin is hoping to staunch a slide in revenues, which were down 20% in 2006. Meanwhile,...

Pedigree pays off at Osteria; Tru chefs open a winner in new Wheeling hotel; pastas, desserts all pop.(Osteria di Tramonto managed by Rick Tramonto and Gale Gand)
January 1, 2007... Byline: LAURA BIANCHI When two of Chicago's finest chefs put their names on a new venture, expectations run high. In the case of Osteria di Tramonto, they pay off in great food served in beautiful surroundings. Osteria di Tramonto is...

Earmark cutoff hits Illinois hard; Reform pressures shut congressional spigot for local projects.(News)
January 1, 2007... Byline: PAUL MERRION WASHINGTON-Under growing pressure for budget reform, Congress has killed plans to earmark at least half-a-billion dollars in federal money this year for hundreds of Illinois municipalities, hospitals, schools,...

Clybourn Ave.'s PMD corridor leads nowhere.(A. Finkl & Sons Co., planned manufacturing district )(Column)
January 1, 2007... Looking a gift horse in the mouth, always impolite, can be unwise as well. But that's what the city may do with the A. Finkl & Sons Co. site, a plum development opportunity on the western edge of Lincoln Park. Finkl is moving after 104...

So simple, even your mother could do it.(Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko interviewed about the health benefits of walking)(Interview)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Sarah A. Klein Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko, head of the kinesiology and community health department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is such a fan of the health benefits of walking that he co-sponsored a conference on...

Walk away from heart disease.(Focus: Agenda for Chicago)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Sarah A. Klein The problem: Heart disease, which kills more Chicagoans than cancer, diabetes and homicide combined The solution: A citywide program that encourages every Chicagoan to walk 30 minutes per day The players:...

JOHN BUCKSBAUM'S BLACK DIAMOND RUN; Facing toughest slope ever at General Growth, he aims to redeem former Wall St. darling.(News)
January 1, 2007... Byline: ALBY GALLUN As usual, John Bucksbaum spent the holidays in Aspen, Colo., relaxing at his family's vacation home and indulging his passion for the slopes. An accomplished skier, Mr. Bucksbaum spent a lot of his alpine time banging...

At Deadline.(Late News)(real estate transactions, retail expansions)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Richest home sale in 2006: $19.3 mil. Horizon Farms, a 400-acre Barrington Hills estate and horse farm, sold for $19.3 million at auction, making it the area's highest-priced residential sale of 2006. The Algonquin Road estate of late...

Happy Returns? A look back at how money managers' picks performed last year.(James W. Oberweis and Carl M. Birkelbach's management techniques)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Compiled by Daniel Rome Levine, Rachel Koning Beals and Brett Chase. Designed by Jen Mystkowski. Best James W. Oberweis CEO, president, Oberweis Asset Management Inc., Lisle Mr. Oberweis zeroes in on fast-growing...

Need to Know.(Chicago, Illinois. Public Schools's services)(Chicago Transit Authority's human resources management)(American Heart Association's Start Walking campaign)(number of homes built with energy efficiency)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Sources: Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago Public Schools, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, American Heart Assn. 47: Number of CTA bus supervisors the agency has cut since 1998 5 hours, 45 minutes: Length of Chicago Public...

Not all business is good for business; Here's how to cut the losers from your list.(Interview)
January 8, 2007... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN Raman Chadha, executive director of the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center at DePaul University, has counseled more than 200 entrepreneurs on how to manage their businesses. So what are major blind spots? Employee and...

Story Builder.
January 8, 2007... Byline: Christina Le Beau Dave Pepper, 47, CEO of $852-million Pepper Construction Group Inc. in Chicago, prefers print to broadcast and paper to Web page. "I like to have something in my hands.'' His picks: After meeting author Jackie...

FEARING A FAT BAN, BAKERS MIX IT UP; Pressure to purge trans fats has local bakeries fretting about greasy doughnuts, crumbly cakes.
January 8, 2007... Byline: JULIE JARGON When the topic of trans fats comes up, images of melting chocolate fill Jory Downer's head. The owner of Bennison's Bakery in Evanston worries that his signature chocolate cake won't hold up if he's forced to...

Homing in; affordable-housing shortage tempting pols to meddle with market.
January 8, 2007... Byline: Greg Hinz City Hall got to play Solomon last year, when it brawled over how to ensure that "big box'' retail workers receive a fair wage without impelling the big boxes to move to cheaper suburbs. Now a similar battle is...

Obama taps local fundraising bigwigs.(Barack Obama)(Brief article)
January 8, 2007... Byline: Paul Merrion Sen. Barack Obama has been calling some of Chicago's biggest Democratic fundraisers over the last month to line up support for his incipient presidential campaign, another sign that he will soon announce a decision to...

New manager for Macy's on State; A former Lord & Taylor store manager is taking over Macy's State Street location.(Top Story)(Brief article)
January 8, 2007... Linda Piepho hopes to apply the lessons she learned during a 23-year career with Lord & Taylor to draw shoppers to the former Marshall Field's flagship store. Between 1998 and 2004, she was general manager of the Lord & Taylor in Water Tower...

For the Record; Week ended 1.5.07.(FTR)(briefs)
January 8, 2007... Former Tribune Chairman and CEO John W. Madigan left his post as special partner at private-equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners, which is pondering a bid for the media company. Mr. Madigan, a board member at McCormick Tribune Foundation, will...

Oasis money drying up for tollway; New leasing agent hired after concessions fall.(Northern Realty Group Ltd)
January 8, 2007... Byline: THOMAS A. CORFMAN The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority's revenue from its oases has dropped by half, to $2 million a year, under a controversial redevelopment agreement that officials hailed as an "innovative public/private...

Trib facing low bids-or none; With media values falling, firms unlikely to aim above stock price.(Tribune Co.)
January 8, 2007... Byline: GREGORY MEYER Extending its auction process by two months doesn't seem to have made Tribune Co. any more attractive to potential buyers. As next week's deadline for "best and final'' offers to buy the company approaches, the...

Ill-advised expansion? Resurrection plans $90-mil. rehab as losses mount.(Resurrection Health Care)
January 8, 2007... Byline: MIKE COLIAS Resurrection Health Care is planning a roughly $90-million makeover of its flagship hospital on the Northwest Side, despite deteriorating financials and questions about management of the city's largest health system....

Solo Cup slips out of family's hands; Private-equity operator Vestar now calls shots.(Solo Cup Co.)(Vestar Capital Partners L.P.)
January 8, 2007... Byline: BOB TITA The Hulseman family, who founded Solo Cup Co. in the 1930s, relinquished control of the Highland Park company last month after three years of losses stemming from the acquisition of a rival. Solo's private-equity...

On the Move.(People)(briefs)
January 8, 2007... ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT Chicago Sky, Chicago: Jo Ann Sager Gilley, 50, to vice-president of marketing and communications, from director of marketing at the Cradle in Evanston. FINANCIAL SERVICES Allstate Corp., Northbrook: James E....

SONNENSCHEIN SHAKE-UP; Incoming chairman aims to vault old-line Chicago law firm into industry's top tier, but can he do it without a merger partner?(Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP)
January 8, 2007... Byline: STEVEN R. STRAHLER A Washington, D.C., insider is shaking up Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP, a century-old Chicago law firm that has traditionally catered to real estate firms, mid-sized companies and clients as synonymous with...

At deadline.
January 8, 2007... CBOT to CBOE: Not so fast on that IPO The Chicago Board of Trade vows to stand in the way of the Chicago Board Options Exchange's plans to do an IPO next year-that is, unless the CBOE will strike a deal, a CBOT lawyer says. The CBOT sued...

Inventive cuisine sets Naha apart; Despite some flaws, its creativity can dazzle.(Restaurant review)
January 8, 2007... Byline: ANNE MOORE If you're entertaining a client who wants inventive cuisine for lunch or dinner, this is a very good choice. Although part of the dining room gets noisy, and service needs to take a giant step up to equal the exquisite...

Seen & noted: Fitness-minded bare motivations in stores.(Brief article)
January 8, 2007... Byline: Kevin Davis A mild winter has kept walkers and runners outdoors this year, but last week fitness stores filled up with buyers motivated by everything from New Year's resolutions to "Rocky Balboa.'' Impulse buyers usually want...

Subtle ties covered in whimsy; Look closer: Elegant pattern might be bulls and bears on seesaws.
January 8, 2007... Byline: LISA BERTAGNOLI All truth lies in the small print, and so it is with whimsical neckties. From a distance, they look average-nicely colored, covered with small things. Up close, those small things reveal themselves to be sheep...

NAVISTAR A LOOSE PILLAR OF THE NYSE; Big Board mulls tossing truck maker; investors buy.(Navistar International Corp.)
January 8, 2007... Byline: BOB TITA As Navistar International Corp. faces the threat of being kicked off the New York Stock Exchange, where it has traded for almost 100 years, the truck maker's shares are rallying. With a decision by the Big Board...

You've got to go with the flow; At any business, big or small, it's all about the cash flow. Are you reading yours right?(Interview)
January 8, 2007... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN Small business owners often find themselves cash-strapped because they analyze their cash flow in a way that fails to detect monthly or seasonal variances that can make or break their businesses, says Linda Darragh,...

SPOTLIGHT Rick Chesley; Chairman builds law office from ground up.(People)(Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker L.L.P. )(Brief article)
January 8, 2007... Byline: Lorene Yue Job: Office chair, law firm Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker LLP's new Chicago office, since Nov. 21. Vitals: 46 years old; bachelor's degree in political science and economics, Northwestern University, 1982; law...

What is your business really worth? If you don't know, you'd better find out.(Focus: Small Business)(professor Steven Rogers)(Interview)
January 8, 2007... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN Each new year, small business owners should determine the value of their companies and set a goal for the following year's valuation, says Steven Rogers, professor of entrepreneurship at Northwestern University's...

Battles over bad habits- at home; She's a dentist, he won't floss-expertise can fall on deaf ears.(The Business of Life)
January 8, 2007... Byline: SHIA KAPOS Living with annoying habits of family members and friends is a fact of life. But what happens when your hard-won professional expertise gives you certain knowledge that their habits are just plain bad? Just ask Alice...

Need to know.(Focus: Small Business)
January 8, 2007... $693 million - Sales of self-help books in 2005. 37% - Percentage of Americans who plan to improve their personal finances in 2007, up from 23% last year. 12.4% - Percentage of new gym memberships purchased in January. Small...

Informed users make better health care consumers.(Opinion: Your View)
January 8, 2007... Byline: Patrick W. Boughey Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, last fall introduced legislation in Congress that would require states to publicly report hospital charges for certain inpatient and outpatient services. It also would require...

Another fresh start; How do you plan to do a better job in 2007? We asked 10 Chicago entrepreneurs to tell us their New Year's resolutions. If you don't have one, maybe you can steal one of theirs.(Focus: Small Business)
January 8, 2007... Byline: Cynthia Hanson A BETTER WEB SITE Julie Duffy, 38 Dinner by Design, Grayslake Meal preparation Annual sales: $8 million "I plan to revise our customer Web site so it does a better job of describing our...

how did they do? Did the entrepreneurs from last year stick to their resolutions?(Focus: Small Business)(Brief article)
January 8, 2007... Byline: Cynthia Hanson Did the entrepreneurs from last year stick to their resolutions? Five say they did: Gini Dietrich, 33 Arment Dietrich Chicago Public relations Resolution: Stop using e-mail to give instructions and...

A better you; FROM THE CRAIN'S DEPARTMENT OF NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS.(Focus: Small Business)(Editorial)
January 8, 2007... Byline: Thomas Mucha Yes, the new year is upon us. And, if you're like the majority of Chicagoans, you've probably already broken your New Year's resolution for 2007. But this week's Focus section isn't about whether you're going to...

Experience, not clout, should govern McPier.(Opinion: Our View)(Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority's CEO Juan Ochoa )
January 8, 2007... Anyone wondering if qualifications matter more than clout with Gov. Rod Blagojevich should consider his choice of Juan Ochoa to run the agency that oversees the McCormick Place convention center, one of Chicago's greatest economic assets. ...

What to do: Sporting life.(The Business of Life)(Brief article)
January 8, 2007... Byline: Margaret Littman Ready to spring into the great outdoors? At the 2007 Chicagoland Outdoors Show, you can book a vacation at a high-end hunting lodge, find pricey gadgets to outwit the fish or cast a line right in the middle of one...

ComEd eyes more hikes; Execs tell Wall Street about plans to raise rates for several years.(Commonwealth Edison Co.)
January 8, 2007... Byline: STEVE DANIELS As the fight over soaring electric rates heats up in Springfield, Commonwealth Edison Co. plans a series of new hikes over the next five years on top of the 24% increase that kicked in this month. The utility's...

What's your resolution?(entrepreneurs and management techniques)(Brief article)
January 8, 2007... Could a rubber chicken be making an appearance at your office this year? Maybe. Here's how some entrepreneurs plan to make 2007 more profitable and more fun.

Newspaper stocks: not dead yet; a conversation with money manager Janna Sampson.(Markets)(Interview)
January 8, 2007... Byline: Brett Chase Editor's note: The money manager column takes a new form today. This weekly feature digs into the philosophy, strategy and challenges of a local investment pro. CRAIN'S: What's your New Year's resolution? ...

Prelude to a sale.(Tribune Co. (Chicago, Illinois) being sold out)(Brief article)
January 8, 2007... May 30: Tribune Co. announces a $2-billion buyback of a quarter of its outstanding shares. June 13: Chandler Trusts releases a letter opposing the buyback and urging Tribune's breakup or sale. The majority of board members resist. ...

At Deadline.(Late News)(McDonald's Corp.'s new grilled chicken snack wrap)(DMJM Aviation Inc. appointed Jim Chilton)(Kraft Foods Inc.'s increased investments in R&D and marketing)
January 15, 2007... McD's to roll out new chicken wrap McDonald's will introduce a new grilled chicken snack wrap as soon as month's end. That follows the U.S. rollout of a crispy chicken snack wrap in July. McD's also is "aggressively testing'' a new...

Walgreen orders its coffee to go; New kiosks offer drinks, food and high margins.(News)
January 15, 2007... Byline: JOHN T. SLANIA Walgreen Co. is dipping its toe into the specialty coffee market, territory dominated by Starbucks, McDonald's, Dunkin' Donuts and even convenience stores like White Hen. The Deerfield-based drugstore chain is...

Time Saver.(Scott W. Klein, Information Resources Inc.)(Brief article)
January 15, 2007... Byline: Dan Weissmann As president and CEO of market-research firm Information Resources Inc., Scott W. Klein, 49, runs a company that observes consumers' relationship to goods: what individual customers buy at the drugstore and which ads...

Conventions.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
January 15, 2007... THIS WEEK JAN. 17-19: Mid-America Horticultural Trade Show, McCormick Place, estimated attendance 13,000. JAN. 17-21: National Marine Manufacturers Assn.-Chicago Boat, RV and Outdoors Show, McCormick Place North, public. JAN....

Cuisine steals show in theatrical setting; Bold Nuevo Latino spot adds flair to North Pier.(Business of Life)(DeLaCosta )(Restaurant review)
January 15, 2007... Byline: LAURA BIANCHI Artsy, dramatic DeLaCosta makes a trip to North Pier worthwhile for business entertaining. DeLaCosta ("of the coast'') combines sizzling Nuevo Latino cuisine with exuberant decor. A wall of ghostly white masks...

Team-building outings heat up.(Business of Life)(teaching teamwork by making employees to cook in teams)(Brief article)
January 15, 2007... Byline: Kevin Davis Chicago-area cooking schools are offering programs that bring corporate employees into the kitchen to slice, dice and assemble dishes together. "Some people are dragged to these classes but end up having a good...

Looks get you only so far.(Markets)
January 15, 2007... Byline: JULIE JARGON Motorola Inc. chief Edward Zander has proven he has an eye for high fashion. Now he has to assume a more buttoned-down approach to managing investors' expectations. Shares of Motorola, best known for the...

Secret weapon: a young mentor; Strivers keep senior execs fresh with lessons in technology, 'bling' and why not to start the workday at 7:30 a.m.(Business of Life)
January 15, 2007... Byline: SHIA KAPOS Many baby boomers, by this point in their careers, have had to adapt to a Generation X boss. But beyond just tolerating them, some senior executives are cultivating ties with younger employees, who help them stay current...

No sweat; DESPITE EXPANDED POWER, DIVIDED DEMS IN SPRINGFIELD POSE NO REAL THREAT TO BUSINESS.(News)
January 15, 2007... Byline: Greg Hinz Shellshocked Illinois business leaders had reason for concern when results trickled in from the November general election. If it wasn't Chicago Democrat Rod Blagojevich winning a new term as governor and Chicago...

Promotion, new reporter at Crain's.(Terry Gallaher appointed general manager for Crain's Chicago Business)(Brief article)
January 15, 2007... Terry Gallaher has been named general manager/interactive of Crain's Chicago Business. Mr. Gallaher, 33, has for the past two years served as Crain's advertising sales manager. In his new role, he will oversee sales and general business...

Branding in a chicken suit; The marketing game has changed-a lot.(Focus: Marketing)
January 15, 2007... Byline: STEVE HENDERSHOT In the old days, a good product and a reasonable price were enough to win over the American consumer. Maybe throw in a catchy jingle. Not anymore. "In the new economy, you have to have more,'' says Mark...

Guerrillas in our midst.(Focus: Marketing)
January 15, 2007... Byline: Steve Hendershot As a CTA Red Line train makes its way north through Lincoln Park, a passenger in one of the cars pulls a handful of stickers out of a gray canvas satchel and starts pasting them on the wall. Nobody says...

The power of the (Net-savvy) people; Beware: They can take control of your brand.(Tim Calkins, marketing professor at Kellogg School of Management)(Interview)
January 15, 2007... Byline: STEVE HENDERSHOT Brands are like reputations, and companies used to be able to buy those reputations, says branding expert Tim Calkins. "You'd develop a campaign with a lot of spending on network TV and print advertising, and just...

Bank CEO aims to compound marketshare.(Taylor Capital Group Inc)(Brief article)
January 15, 2007... Byline: Lorene Yue Job: Chairman and CEO, Taylor Capital Group Inc., since Nov. 22. Has been president since 1994, when the parent of Cole Taylor Bank was known as Cole Taylor Financial Group. Vitals: 51 years old; bachelor's degree in...

THIS WISE OWL SPURNS HOT TIPS; A conversation with money manager Eric T. McKissack.(Markets)(Interview)(Brief article)
January 15, 2007... Byline: Brett Chase CRAIN'S: What's your mantra? Mr. mckissack: As value-oriented investors, we're inspired by Warren Buffett, but in the mid- and small (company) space. Sometimes you're moving against the herd. The way we feel...

Spreading viruses can be a good thing.(Focus: Marketing)(Brief article)
January 15, 2007... Byline: Steve Hendershot Viral marketing sounds fantastic: Get people to spread your company's message by forwarding your e-mails to their friends or directing them to your Web site. It's cheap, personal and usually fun. But sometimes...

Who's talking behind your back?(Word of Mouth Marketing Association's Andy Sernovitz talks about word of mouth marketing)
January 15, 2007... Byline: Steve Hendershot Everybody's talking about Minnies restaurant. Sure, the food's good. But it's the tiny sandwiches that get the Lincoln Park restaurant in the news; the stroller parking that spreads the word among families, and the...

Many eggs, many baskets.(Focus: Marketing)
January 15, 2007... Byline: Steve Hendershot You've heard the dire reports: Newspapers are hemorrhaging readers, network television is losing viewers and Top-40 radio is on its last legs. Allstate Corp. has heard the news, too. But the Northbrook...

Dumped by Trump; At The Donald's tower, 'friends and family' buyers see deals nixed.(Donald Trump)
January 15, 2007... Byline: ALBY GALLUN The Donald wants it all. So say some buyers in Donald Trump's downtown condominium tower who are in a standoff with the celebrity developer over his plan to cancel their purchase contracts and take back their...