Crain's Chicago Business articles from July 2004

Crain's Chicago Business archives from July 2004

Sears sued over Zip saw secrets; Carpenter's invention changed drywall industry; store made own version.(News)(Roto Zip Tool Corp., Sears, Roebuck and Co.)
July 5, 2004... Byline: SANDRA JONES The Wisconsin company that invented the Roto Zip spiral saw, a tool that transformed the drywall industry, is suing Sears, Roebuck and Co., charging the retailer with stealing its trade secrets, undercutting its...

Suits filed over Bank One deal.(Briefs)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... As J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. completed its $58-billion purchase of Chicago-based Bank One Corp. last week, two shareholder lawsuits were filed alleging that Morgan executives failed to disclose information about the premium paid to get the deal...

Datebook.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
July 5, 2004... WEEK OF JULY 5 JULY 6: Gray Hair Management LLP presents Structured Networking for Information Technology Professionals. 7 to 10 a.m. Mission Hills Country Club, 1700 Mission Hills Drive, Northbrook. Fee: $23. (847) 940-2800. JULY 6:...

New museum will dive into river's history.(Special Report: Michigan Avenue)(Michigan Avenue Bridge Museum)(Friends of the Chicago River)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... Byline: MARK SCHEFFLER Chicago is a city of bridges and, starting next spring, the masses wandering down the Magnificent Mile will have a new place to contemplate that fact: the Michigan Avenue Bridge Museum. This homage to Chicago's...

Bulldog enforcer sent to SEC's Chicago office.(People)(Securities and Exchange Commission)
July 5, 2004... Byline: PAUL MERRION Mutual fund market-timers, would-be hedge fund manipulators and other corporate miscreants, take note: The Securities and Exchange Commission has installed one of its top enforcers in Chicago. As director of the...

More docs in Illinois; Numbers don't bear out idea of 'fleeing physicians'.(News)(American Board of Medical Specialists)(Illinois Hospital Association)
July 5, 2004... Byline: BOB TITA Tales of doctors fleeing Illinois to escape soaring malpractice insurance costs have captured media attention and fueled the push for limits on jury awards, but the numbers tell a different story. Overall, the number...

Visitors drawn to cultural icon; Art Institute steps: Best place in town to hear foreign languages.(Special Report: Michigan Avenue)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... Byline: LISA K. BENNETT Photos by ROARK JOHNSON Thirteen steps-guarded by the famous lion sculptures-lead from Michigan Avenue to the doors of the Art Institute of Chicago. More than 20% of the 1.4 million visitors to the museum every...

Late News.(Navteq Corp.)
July 5, 2004... ILLINOIS JOB MARKET LOOKING BRIGHTER Illinois workers' confidence in the job market soared in June, outpacing the nation for the first time this year, according to a survey by Hudson Highland Group Inc., a New York-based staffing services...

Executive Moves.(People)
July 5, 2004... ARCHITECTURE/ENGINEERING William J. Kosik, 43, to managing principal at EYP Mission Critical Facilities Inc., from director of engineering at OWP/P. FINANCIAL SERVICES Mike Davis, 43, to senior vice-president at Cain Brothers LLC,...

Facts, not spin, needed for malpractice debate.(Opinion)(medical malpractice)
July 5, 2004... Kenneth C. Robbins, president of the Illinois Hospital Assn., visited earlier this year to ask us to write an editorial in support of his position on medical malpractice legislation. Mr. Robbins and his group want a cap put on the amount...

Good clan's bad turn; Family feud at real estate auctioneer: Betrayal, or just a tough transition?(News)(Steven Good Partners International LLC)
July 5, 2004... Byline: ALBY GALLUN It's the picture of a family firm: 71-year-old Sheldon F. Good, chairman emeritus, at his desk and his son Steven L. Good, 47 and CEO of the company his dad built, down the hall. Nearby, some 70 employees making the...

Soup kitchen lures the homeless off Mag Mile.(Special Report: Michigan Avenue)(Greater North Michigan Avenue Association)
July 5, 2004... Byline: JOHN T. SLANIA When Jacqueline C. Hayes urged the Greater North Michigan Avenue Assn. three years ago to invite local charitable and civic organizations to discuss the increasing number of homeless people along Chicago's...

Tough-to-sell properties dot the avenue.(Special Report: Michigan Avenue)
July 5, 2004... Byline: MARY ELLEN PODMOLIK The Magnificent Mile. The Historic Michigan Boulevard District. Yet not all the addresses along Michigan Avenue benefit from the cachet of Chicago's best-known street, as a look at these properties...

Boul Mich views: See a lot, pay a little.(Dining/Restaurant Review)(Oak Tree; Bandera; )(Restaurant Review)
July 5, 2004... Byline: Anne Moore Stunning views of Michigan Avenue belong to multi-starred eateries like Spiaggia (980 N. Michigan Ave.) and NoMi (800 N. Michigan Ave.). Of course, along with a great meal, those places deliver a drop-dead bill. But...

Putting women in top jobs: smart move, but too rare.(Opinion)
July 5, 2004... Byline: Sandra van Trease Take a look at the faces in your corporate boardroom: What you see may affect your bottom line. A recent report from Catalyst, a non-profit research and advisory group that works to advance women in business,...

Hospital board scandal reflects poorly on Guv.(Opinion)(Govenor Rod Blagojevich reappoints Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board members)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... All you need to know about Gov. Rod Blagojevich's commitment to reform is on display in the scandal surrounding the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board. The obscure agency plays an important role, determining what hospitals get built...

Guv got air travel from GOP; Illinois politics makes strange jetfellows.(News)(Knight Infrastructure LLC)(Grand Old Party)
July 5, 2004... Byline: GREG HINZ In romance, send flowers and candy. In Illinois politics, send Gov. Rod Blagojevich an airplane. Mr. Blagojevich's campaign committee has reported receiving at least $250,000 in donated air travel expenses in the past...

Snapshots from local Walgreens.(Special Report: Michigan Avenue)
July 5, 2004... Byline: LISA K. BENNETT Deerfield-based Walgreen Co. has five drugstores on Michigan Avenue, from residential neighborhoods on the South Side to the very heart of Boul Mich on the north. While the stores are similar, each location has...

Conventions.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
July 5, 2004... WEEK OF JULY 5 July 7-11: Idexx Laboratories Inc., Westin River North, estimated attendance 200. July 8-10: American Health Information Management Assn., Hotel Inter-Continental, estimated attendance 150. July 8-10: United...

A row on Motel Row; Owners fight city's push to revamp Lincoln Ave. strip.(News)
July 5, 2004... Byline: KRISTINA BUCHTHAL Is there room on far North Lincoln Avenue for both yuppie-style condos and motels? People who want to remake the neighborhood with coffee shops, restaurants and condo developments say no. The neon-bedecked...

Sharing the street; Famous thoroughfare attracts a wide variety of people in the course of a day.(Special Report: Michigan Avenue)
July 5, 2004... Byline: ANNE MOORE Saffron-robed monks, construction workers, tourists, teens teens teens, skateboarders, panhandlers, office workers, doctors and nurses, locals, mimes, musicians, executives, parents pushing strollers, hawkers, heiresses....

Diversity inspires Ravinia donors.(News)(Ravinia Festival)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... Byline: JEREMY MULLMAN While many cultural groups in Chicago struggle to raise money, the Ravinia Festival has parlayed more diverse programming into fund-raising gains. The 100-year-old outdoor concert venue in Highland Park, known...

Things we'd change on Mag Mile; Add kicky boutiques, talented street players and more nightlife.(Special Report: Michigan Avenue)(Magnificent Mile)
July 5, 2004... Byline: VIRGINIA GERST What's to be done about Michigan Avenue? The broad boulevard is in fine shape south of the bridge, thanks to Frank Gehry's shiny new band shell and the entire $475-million Millennium Park project. Walk north...

Deere out to mow down competition; Uses golf tourney tie-in to push greens equipment.(News)
July 5, 2004... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Deere & Co. is using its pro golf connection to boost sales of lawn mowers both on the course and off. The John Deere Classic golf tournament this week in Downstate Silvis is an opportunity to showcase the...

Housing not limited to high-rises; Real estate market flourishing on southern end of street.(Special Report: Michigan Avenue)
July 5, 2004... Byline: JOHN T. SLANIA Michigan Avenue is a sought-after address for Chicago businesses, but the street also boasts an array of housing options with a range of prices. These representative properties were available for immediate...

Blame insurers-not us lawyers-for med-mal mess.(Opinion)
July 5, 2004... Byline: Robert A. Clifford There is more to the so-called medical malpractice crisis in Illinois than meets the eye. The problem lies not with the civil justice system, where reform already has been instituted over the years: Punitive...

'Sleepy trucker' rule a boon; A hit on productivity offers industry a chance to raise rates.(News)
July 5, 2004... Byline: BOB TITA The trucking industry is getting an unexpected boost from new federal regulations designed to cut down on the number of sleepy truckers on the roads. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration mandated that...

A BITTER BREAKUP FOR CBT; Kirkland lawyer presses case longtime client wants settled.(News)
July 5, 2004... Byline: STEVEN R. STRAHLER In a bizarre legal standoff, Chicago law firm Kirkland & Ellis LLP has rebuffed one of its oldest clients, the Chicago Board of Trade, and continued to litigate a case the exchange wants to settle. The...

O'Hare expansion 'viable' without United; Shut-down would put cost burden on other carriers.(News)
July 5, 2004... Byline: JULIE JOHNSSON As anchor tenant United Airlines looks for a financial lifeline, city planners at O'Hare International Airport say their expansion plan can survive the worst-case scenario: the Elk Grove Township-based carrier's...

Once-vital line takes back seat at Material Sci.(News)
July 5, 2004... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY As sales and profit margins for its centerpiece product line, painted metal coils, continue to shrink, Material Sciences Corp. is staking its future on its so-called "quiet'' metal technology that promises to make...

Quote of the Week.(Quotes)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... "Anyone who comes to Chicago and doesn't see the Art Institute is like going on your honeymoon and not kissing the bride." Jesus R. Sainz of Mexico, visiting the museum with his wife and daughter PAGE SR2

FACES ON THE AVENUE; Reporter David Bernstein and photographer John R. Boehm asked pedestrians what they were doing on Tuesday, June 8.(Special Report: Michigan Avenue)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... 8:30 a.m. Tami Charles, 31, enjoying a stroll "I live in Dolton, but I start to walk down Michigan Avenue till I'm tired. Then, I take the Pace bus or the CTA to downtown. I've bypassed a couple of rides to get where I'm going, just...

Tech at the Top; Which local politicians can't live without the latest personal technology, and which ones are courting the Luddite vote?(Technology)
July 12, 2004... Byline: BRIAN LEAF Rep. Barack Obama, 42 State senator Candidate for U.S. Senate Democrat-and modernist Mr. Obama is a BlackBerry user. And abuser. "He is constantly dropping his BlackBerry and he is amazed that it...

Walgreen increases its East Coast presence; Expanding in New York market dominated by rivals.(News)
July 12, 2004... Byline: LOUISE KRAMER Crain News Service Walgreen Co. is expanding in New York, one of the few large U.S. markets where it doesn't already dominate or have a major presence. The nation's biggest drugstore chain with some 4,414...

City finances fitter than editorial would illustrate.(Opinion)
July 12, 2004... Byline: John F. Harris The city of Chicago's financial health will be an increasingly important issue in coming months, and the Daley administration will welcome the advice and consultation of the business leadership of Chicago. ...

Horse industry bets on sports-bar vibe; Can off-track sites woo youth? Some give long odds.(Inter-Track Partners )
July 12, 2004... Byline: KRISTINA BUCHTHAL Off-track horse betting parlors are embracing the sports-bar generation. Inter-Track Partners LLC, the state's largest operator of off-track betting parlors, plans two new locations-in River North and the far...

Strategic REIT lineup criticized; Most-valuable hotels kept private, analyst says.(News)(real estate investment trust, Strategic Hotel Capital Inc.)
July 12, 2004... Byline: ALBY GALLUN Laurence S. Geller dealt public investors into his luxury hotel empire last month, but one analyst thinks he cut them out of the best hotels. Strategic Hotel Capital LLC, the Chicago-based company Mr. Geller...

Late News.
July 12, 2004... CITY STUDIO PROJECT MOVING AHEAD AGAIN On-and-off plans for a major motion picture production facility on the West Side are on again-this time, apparently, for real. The city's Community Development Commission on Tuesday is scheduled to...

Smaller players learn from large customers; Friends and mentors become a valuable asset for many.(Small Business)(iTools USA LLC)
July 12, 2004... Byline: JOHN T. SLANIA On weekends, Stephen Potts, 42, is the drummer for the Usuals, a group best described as a middle-age garage band. When the group is playing classic rock at a suburban tavern or summer festival, John Sheaffer often...

Other states don't miss their hospital planners.(Opinion)(Health Facilities Planning Board.)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... Gov. Rod Blagojevich did the right thing in suspending the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board. But, instead of cleaning up the scandal-ridden agency that controls the hospital market in Illinois, he should kill it. A creature of a...

Obama lead brings bucks from biz PACs.(News)(Barack Obama, political action committees)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... Byline: PAUL MERRION As if Barack Obama needed more wind at his back, support from Chicago business is starting to blow his way. The Democratic nominee for a U.S. Senate seat from Illinois drew mainly on traditional liberal interest...

Worker retraining a must amid productivity boom.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... As early as this week, federal statistics will show that activity in the nation's manufacturing sector has reached an all-time high. Chicago's factories are humming, too. And we're poised to top the previous national output peak reached in June...

Assessing the benefits of the Web; Most-wired government agency: Cook County Assessor's Office.(Technology)
July 12, 2004... Byline: LEN STRAZEWSKI Drive down any street in Cook County and check out the real estate. View construction sites. Review and compare assessed values. Take an aerial view of the neighborhood. And never leave your personal computer....

Odd couples find success; Mismatched partners balance strengths, weaknesses.(Small Business)(DeAngelo/McDonough Construction Management Co)(Digital Bootcamp Inc)(Multimedia Network LLC)
July 12, 2004... Byline: KAREN J. BANNAN Mismatched pairings are the stuff of Broadway shows and television sitcoms. Yet, odd combinations in the business world can generate success. Here are three examples of diverse partnerships that have worked...

Embezzlers find stealing is easy; Poor business practices allow losses.(Small Business)
July 12, 2004... Byline: MARK HENRICKS While they rarely get headlines, embezzlement cases cost Chicago-area businesses millions every year. The Chicago Police Department financial crime section sees about 100 embezzlements annually, estimates Sgt....

Measuring success; When do entrepreneurs know they've made it? It's not always money or added sales that matter most.(Small Business)(Alternative Designs Inc)(Trud Insurance Agency)(Charles Hall Construction LLC)
July 12, 2004... Byline: CYNTHIA HANSON Is it an Aston Martin? Or maybe something more modest, like a weekend in Lake Geneva? Or paying off the credit card bills? The signs of having made it vary from one entrepreneur to another. We asked a group of...

Some execs cannot work for anyone; From insubordination to corner office.(Small Business)(Rising Medical Solutions Inc)(Ashton Partners)
July 12, 2004... Byline: MARY ELLEN PODMOLIK and CYNTHIA HANSON Budding business owners call it entrepreneurial spirit. Employers who deal with it from underlings call it insubordination. Why do good entrepreneurs make bad employees in the eyes of their...

Law and order? Still a way to go; Least-wired government agency: Cook County state's attorney's office.(Technology)
July 12, 2004... Byline: LEN STRAZEWSKI Police in Chicago and suburban Cook County make more than 60,000 arrests a year and track them on a comprehensive, interactive criminal database. But after each arrest, they need to print out a paper report for...

Production boom-but not in jobs; Better machines; 17% fewer workers.(News)
July 12, 2004... Byline: KATE RYAN Chicago-area factories, and those around the nation, are boosting productivity so aggressively that the manufacturing sector is poised this summer to eclipse its record June 2000 output with 17% fewer workers. In...

Post-50 crowd likes startups; Late-bloomers have time and money.(self employment)
July 12, 2004... Byline: MARK HENRICKS If planning to start a business isn't part of your retirement preparation, maybe it should be. People older than 50 are significantly more likely than younger workers to be self-employed, according to a study...

Using glamour as a tool; Independents try to make a name vs. national rivals.(Small Business)
July 12, 2004... Byline: JOHN T. SLANIA Faced with an array of well-funded competitors with national reach, a growing number of entrepreneurs are taking a flashier approach to marketing. They're looking for ways to build name and brand recognition to...

Put it in park; Spaces aren't cheap, but discounts can be found downtown.(News)
July 12, 2004... Byline: MARK SCHEFFLER There's an adage that the best piece of real estate is the parking spot you just missed getting. And on the likely chance that you won't find street parking (particularly in the Loop, where it's mostly banned),...

Sam's puts NY plan on ice, expands locally.(News)(Sam's Wines & Spirits Inc.)
July 12, 2004... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Sam's Wines & Spirits Inc. has pulled back from plans to build a big store in New York, opting to expand closer to home instead. Sam's, which reaped nearly $60 million in revenues in 2003 from its single...

Motorola slow on phones; Delivery delays leave it behind as consumers embrace new technology.(News)
July 12, 2004... Byline: JULIE JOHNSSON Motorola Inc. is still struggling to get some cell phones to market on time, despite efforts to solve delivery woes under new CEO Edward Zander. The latest miscue leaves Motorola without a camera phone to offer...

TV torment: No sweeps! No `homeless' anchors, no high heels from hell as Nielsen changes methods.(News)(Nielsen Media Research Inc.)
July 12, 2004... Byline: JEREMY MULLMAN Sweeps-the exposes, stunts and network tie-ins that erupt thrice annually on local newscasts-could be swept aside by a change in the way television audiences are measured. Nielsen Media Research, whose ratings...

New president sees DeVry's future growth coming online.(People)(Sheldon Good Brokerage LLC)
July 12, 2004... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY With its online distance-learning division growing quickly, DeVry Inc. has recruited an Internet commerce expert as its new president. Daniel Hamburger, 40, took over July 1 as the new president and chief...

No hospital plan board? No problem.(Illinois stops using hospital boards)
July 12, 2004... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN If Illinois stops using a board of political appointees to approve new hospital projects, there's encouraging news out there: Twenty states do without these panels, and still manage to control costs and prevent...

'American' cuisine: It's definitely a melting pot.(Dining/Restaurant Review)(Pluton)(Chicago Firehouse)(Restaurant Review)
July 12, 2004... Byline: Jonathan Black What is American cuisine? Beats me. Once it was steaks and chops, then weird root vegetables, then "seasonal'' stuff that came from farms you never heard of. Here's a trio of restaurants all with some claim to being...

Startups aren't a good fit for all.(Small Business)
July 12, 2004... Byline: KAREN J. BANNAN Jim Liu had what he thought was an innovative idea: developing educational programs about e-mail and online marketing targeted at small businesses. Mr. Liu took his idea to the Michael P. Polsky Center for...

Emergency links? We're working on it.(Technology)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... Byline: LEN STRAZEWSKI The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks underscored the need to make city, state and national emergency agencies capable of communicating with one another-in fact, "interoperable emergency communications'' is a major goal of...

How to run elections right? Corporate leaders can help.(Opinion)
July 12, 2004... Byline: David Orr If we can put a man on the moon, why can't we get elections right? As Cook County's chief election authority, I hear that a lot. In reality, neither rocket scientists nor my staff runs the show on Election Day. The...

Franchising can drive fast growth; But costs can be high, while success isn't guaranteed.(Small Business)
July 12, 2004... Byline: JOHN T. SLANIA When neighborhood kids started taking drawing lessons at Bette Fetter's kitchen table in 1988, she had no idea her art tutoring would evolve into a business, much less a franchise. She discovered a market niche...

Quote of the Week.(Quotes)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... We're contributing to Barack Obama because he's going to win. Rodney Smith, PAC director for SBC Communications Inc., which gave $5,000 after the primary to the Senate candidate's campaign PAGE 3

Guv suspends health board.(Briefs)(Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... Gov. Rod Blagojevich effectively shut down the scandal-plagued Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board, prohibiting it from meeting or taking any official actions until he and lawmakers have a chance to remake the state agency. The executive...

With menswear in slump, Hartmarx bets on women; Adds luxury knitwear to its women's lines.(News)
July 12, 2004... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Tired of waiting for men to suit up again, Hartmarx Corp. is expanding in womenswear. Chicago-based Hartmarx agreed last month to pay $30 million in cash for a New York designer of luxury knitwear for women,...

Key steps to franchising a business.(Small Business)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... Byline: Sources: iFranchise Group Inc., HayesWorldWide.com, Edward Lowe Foundation 1 Determine if the business can be franchised. Begin with a prototype, an original business with a proven record of success. Then, the owner must...

Conventions.(Calendar/Datebook)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
July 12, 2004... WEEK OF JULY 12 July 12-15: Trade Show Exhibitors Assn., Lakeside Center, estimated attendance 4,500. July 12-18: American Osteopathic Assn., Fairmont Hotel, estimated attendance 600. July 13-15: ASI Show Inc., McCormick Place...

TIF FUNDS BULGING WITH CASH; A fortune for development; is there a plan to spend it?(News)(tax-increment financing)(City Hall )
July 12, 2004... Byline: GREG HINZ Profiting from the city's real-estate boom, City Hall has amassed hundreds of millions of dollars in little-noticed special accounts designated for economic development. According to a just-released report, as of Dec....

Datebook.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
July 12, 2004... WEEK OF JULY 12 JULY 12: 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. JULY...

Low-carb not taking bite out of Turano; Bakery unfazed by those who say diet is here to stay.(News)
July 12, 2004... Byline: RITA CHANG While its competitors churned out reduced-carbohydrate loaves to feed the country's low-carb frenzy last year, Berwyn-based Turano Baking Co. spent $10 million ramping up production of its full-carb bread. Turano's...

Millennium Park aligns city with consumption economy.(Opinion)
July 19, 2004... Byline: Costas Spirou City Hall has promoted Millennium Park not only to tout another jewel on the lakefront, but also to rationalize and fend off criticism about its substantive cost overruns and delays. Certainly the $475-million...

United fights to win at Dulles; Offers fare cuts, perks to top Independence Air.(News)
July 19, 2004... Byline: JULIE JOHNSSON United Airlines is slashing fares and showering passengers with freebies as it battles former partner Independence Air for dominance of Washington Dulles International Airport, United's East Coast hub. Elk Grove...

$300 million record for Chicagoan who heads trial lawyers.(News)
July 19, 2004... Byline: PAUL MERRION Democratic vice-presidential contender John Edwards' $152-million haul as a plaintiff's attorney has jaws dropping around the country. But it's nothing compared to the pile amassed by Todd A. Smith, the Chicagoan...

People: Former Andersen executives moving up at Deloitte & Touche.(People)
July 19, 2004... Byline: SHRUTI DATE SINGH Arthur Andersen refugees are moving into top jobs at the local office of Deloitte & Touche LLP. The New York-based firm in June appointed ex-Arthur Andersen partners Deborah DeHaas as regional managing partner...

'Ren 10' schools plan won't be a no-brainer; $50 million from business needed for startups; after that, it really gets tough.(News)
July 19, 2004... Byline: GREG HINZ On paper, business got its whole wish list from the Chicago Public Schools: privatization, competition and choice-all with minimal union involvement. But though schools CEO Arne Duncan is promising exactly the kind of...

Lacy's bind: Sears needs a top talent; A solution that threatens his job.(News)
July 19, 2004... Byline: Sandra Jones Sears, Roebuck and Co. needs a merchant to fix its stores, but is unlikely to find an executive who's up to the job unless Chairman and CEO Alan Lacy steps out of the way. Mr. Lacy-who is searching for a new...

City rues the roost; Pigeons are up, down, all around-and not going away.(News)
July 19, 2004... Byline: KATE RYAN After 20 years of generally good pigeon news in Chicago-fewer and fewer of them-two inconclusive but noteworthy bird counts spotted an alarming trend: more of the fat little feathered freeloaders. Blame it on a warm...

McDonald's lounge? Fast-food giant encourages a new user: the lingerer.(News)
July 19, 2004... Byline: JULIE JARGON In a vast remodeling, McDonald's Corp. aims to borrow some of Starbucks Corp.'s urban cool-and some of the young hipsters who prefer double lattes to double cheeseburgers. The fast-food chain wants customers to...

A dimmer side to Private earnings; Growth story faces a twist: concerns at revenue source Federal Home.(News)
July 19, 2004... Byline: Steve Daniels PrivateBancorp Inc. is a rarity among banks-a growth story-and its rich stock price reflects that. Shares of the Chicago-based holding company for PrivateBank & Trust Co., founded in 1989, have climbed 15% this...

Harrah's expected to sell East Chicago casino.(News)(Harrah's Entertainment Inc.)
July 19, 2004... Byline: KRISTINA BUCHTHAL Harrah's Entertainment Inc.'s $5.2-billion purchase of Caesars Entertainment Inc. likely puts another casino license up for sale in the lucrative Chicago market. Las Vegas-based Harrah's is expected to sell...

The dish on celebrity photos.(Dining/Restaurant Review)(Pump Room)(N. Dearborn St)(Restaurant Review)
July 19, 2004... Byline: Jonathan Black The framed celebrity portrait is a standard for a certain type of restaurant. Call it fusion: The celebrity's vanity is stroked; the restaurant looks glamorous. We're not talking low-level TV news anchors whose...

The new CFO; Beyond `bean-counting' to operations and governance: Execs now wear many hats, often on their way to a CEO role.(Finance)(chief financial officers)(chief executive officer)
July 19, 2004... Byline: ROBERT JOHNSON Long dismissed by some as mere "bean counters,'' chief financial officers are broadening their roles, showing unexpected eclecticism and increasingly being promoted to run big public companies. Delegating the...

Ones to watch; They're Chicago-area executives whose current positions as chief financial officers have put them on the short list of recruiters scouting for candidates to run public companies.(Finance)
July 19, 2004... Byline: ROBERT JOHNSON David P. Bolger Executive vice-president, chief administrative officer and CFO, Aon Corp. Educated at Marquette University and Northwestern University, this 46-year-old has early line-operating experience...

Quote of the Week.(Quotes)
July 19, 2004... Ahhhh! There are tons of them. Cari DeVille of Chicago, on the city's growing pigeon population PAGE 1