Crain's Chicago Business articles from June 2005

Crain's Chicago Business archives from June 2005

Strange surge in United shares.(Markets)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Julie Johnsson Word that United Airlines is still on track to exit bankruptcy this fall sent shares of the Elk Grove Township-based carrier, which trades over the counter, soaring 48% last week to $1.72. That's odd, because...

Cahill named new editor of Crain's Chicago Business.(News)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Joseph B. Cahill, who has served as a reporter and in a variety of editing positions at Crain's Chicago Business over the past 10 years, has been named the paper's new editor, effective immediately. As Crain's top editorial executive, he will...

NAVISTAR'S HARD DRIVER; Wall St. wants CEO to stick to knitting. But Daniel Ustian doesn't knit.(News)
June 6, 2005... Byline: BOB TITA For a truck industry lifer, Daniel Ustian is full of surprises. Since taking the wheel as CEO of Navistar International Corp. two years ago, the 32-year company veteran has steered the truckmaker down unfamiliar paths...

For the Record.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... United Airlines and the union covering baggage handlers and ticket agents agreed on a tentative contract hours before a judge was expected to abrogate the union's contract. Such a ruling would have likely triggered a strike. Separately, United...

Mid-tier brokers feeling heat of government probe; Mesirow, Hub and Acordia now targets of insurance fee crackdown.(News)
June 6, 2005... Byline: STEVE DANIELS The state's insurance industry investigation is now focusing on a trio of Chicago-based commercial insurance brokers following last month's $27-million settlement with Itasca-based Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., the...

On the Move.(People)
June 6, 2005... ARCHITECTURE/ENGINEERING Gilfillan Callahan Architects Inc., Rolling Meadows: Patrick Callahan, 39, to managing principal in Batavia, from principal. Interior Space International, Chicago: Mark E. Bryant, 45, to vice-president and...

Giving men a little nudge; Life coaches reach execs with power on the job, but 'blocks' elsewhere.(The Business of Life)
June 6, 2005... Byline: MARK SCHEFFLER At the office, you're the boss-master of the universe. But in your personal life, you feel unfulfilled. When you bark out an order, the world doesn't simply snap-to like your middle managers do. Moving from the...

Tenneco looks abroad for expanding sales; Finding domestic auto companies tougher to work with on pricing.(Annual Meeting)
June 6, 2005... Byline: BOB TITA Tenneco Automotive Inc. is trying to steer around rising steel costs and dependence on struggling U.S. auto companies that have landed other auto parts makers in red ink. Tenneco has been able to offset weakening sales...

Directors looking closely at their coverage; Firms' D&O insurance getting more attention from board members.(Focus: Corporate Boards)
June 6, 2005... Byline: JOHN T. SLANIA In the old days, life seemed somehow simpler for corporate directors and officers. "Occasionally a director would even nod off during a board meeting,'' says Warren Batts, an adjunct professor at the University...

While the getting's good; How does a director know when it's time to head for the exit?(Focus: Corporate Boards)
June 6, 2005... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN Directors aren't supposed to bail out the first time a company misses earnings projections. But if they stick around too long, they could find themselves on the business end of a shareholder lawsuit-or worse. ...

How can you spot-check your cleaning service?(The Business of Life)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Sarah A. Klein For the white-glove test, look to see if out-of-the-way places are clean: Under the toaster and the bed and along the baseboards. If you don't like what you see, aim for a word-of-mouth recommendation or check the...

Open to the public; Abbott bill to keep board minutes secret dies a quiet death.(Focus: Corporate Boards)(Abbott Laboratories Inc. (Abbott Park, Illinois))
June 6, 2005... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN Do shareholders have the right to see the minutes of board meetings and company memos to board members? What about internal reports summarizing investigations of alleged employee wrongdoing? Abbott Laboratories...

You're fired; Ousting a CEO isn't easy, and boards are historically slow to do it.(Focus: Corporate Boards)(Chief executive officer)
June 6, 2005... Byline: DANIEL ROME LEVINE There are few tasks that corporate directors find more unpleasant than showing a chief executive the door. Among old-guard companies, pushing out the CEO can be especially awkward. It may mean firing someone...

Disney War History.(Focus: Corporate Boards)
June 6, 2005... Aug. '95 Disney announces it's hiring Hollywood agent Michael Ovitz as president under CEO Michael Eisner. Sept. '95 Disney board's compensation committee OKs final terms of Mr. Ovitz's contract after 10 minutes of discussion. Dec. '96...

Spotlight: Aims to run circles around software giants.(People)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Julie Johnsson Job: President and CEO, Intentia Americas in Schaumburg. It's a subsidiary of Sweden's Intentia, the world's sixth-largest purveyor of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, which connects everything from...

Late News.(Exelon's chief operating officer paid $11.9 million as pension)(Walton Street Capital to raise finance)(AG Adriano Goldschmied to open a store)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Exelon exec's pension payout: $11.9 million Oliver D. Kingsley Jr., who retired as COO of Exelon in November after seven years with the company, was paid a special lump-sum pension benefit of $11.9 million, according to Exelon's proxy...

Midway arrivals land on top.(Briefs)(Midway Airport)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Midway Airport ranked first out of 33 major airports for on-time flight arrivals in April, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Almost 90% of arrivals at the Southwest Side airport were on time in April, compared with 84.4% of...

A cliffhanger at 'Chicago Tonight'; WTTW news show is on a roll, but host Sirott's contract is set to expire.(News)(Column)
June 6, 2005... Byline: JEREMY MULLMAN More than two years after its launch, the revamped "Chicago Tonight'' has increased its share of the local TV audience 50%, and the non-profit station carrying it, WTTW-TV/Channel 11, has a balanced budget. All...

Bookish banker.(The Business of Life)(Steve Koch of Credit Suisse First Boston L.L.C.)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Dan Weissmann Steve Koch, 49, is vice-chairman of Credit Suisse First Boston and co-chair of the firm's global mergers and acquisitions group. He uses frequent plane trips to keep up with "just a huge hose of information coming at...

Conventions.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
June 6, 2005... THIS WEEK JUNE 6-7: Warrillow & Co., Swissotel Chicago, estimated attendance 200. JUNE 6-7: HostingCon, Hyatt Regency O'Hare, estimated attendance 700. JUNE 6-9: Sensors Expo, McCormick Place, estimated attendance 500. JUNE...

Home economics fills agent's waiting time.(The Business of Life)(Interview)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Gretchen Wahl Jayne Alofs, 40, began a new career as a residential real estate agent with Koenig & Strey GMAC Real Estate last year, leaving her position as vice-president of estate administration at Bank One. She soothes the...

Datebook.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
June 6, 2005... this Week JUNE 7: Small Business Development Center at Moraine Valley Community College presents Accounting and Bookkeeping Basics. 6:30 p.m. Moraine Valley Community College, 10900 S. 88th Ave., Palos Hills. Fee: $40. (708) 974-5468. ...

The price of enlightenment.(The Business of Life)(services of life coaches)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Mark Scheffler How much will a life coach cost you? Each practitioner has a different rate structure, depending on frequency and the nature of the issues being addressed. Coaches usually work on a hourly basis, either in person...

City of big connections; Chicago's boards are the nation's most interlocked-and shareholders are paying the price, a study shows.(Focus: Corporate Boards)
June 6, 2005... Byline: SANDRA JONES Shareholder pressure on corporate boards to unravel the threads connecting directors has had small effect on Chicago's public companies, where change is slow and loyalties run deep. A tight-knit group of...

Exclusive look at hidden tables; Top request: a room with a blocked view.(The Business of Life)
June 6, 2005... Byline: SHIA KAPOS Just west of the Loop are the see-and-be-seen restaurants of Randolph Street, where diners bask behind sun-baked windows and sidewalks bustle with outdoor seating. But at Vivo, the dimly lit table 70 on the second...

Culture, arts as made possible by:.(The Business of Life)(donations)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Mark Scheffler The Boeing Galleries, two new outdoor exhibition spaces, will open Friday at Millennium Park, funded by a $5-million grant from the aerospace giant-Chicago's largest company. Here's a look at other arts-related gifts...

Levitt: Humiliate bad boards.(Focus: Corporate Boards)(Interview)
June 6, 2005... Byline: SAMANTHA STAINBURN Shocked by the piles of money showered on executives at big companies like Illinois Tool Works? Rather than grousing about greedy CEOs, Arthur Levitt, former chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange...

Giant expansion for Old Orchard; Size would rival Woodfield as new vision for regional malls takes shape.(News)
June 6, 2005... Byline: SANDRA JONES The owner of Old Orchard shopping center has drawn up plans to bulldoze the Saks Fifth Avenue and Lord & Taylor spaces there to make way for a Main Street-style shopping promenade-an estimated $100-million expansion...

Struggling IBM tower: 'Please buy our space'; Owner converting part of Mies landmark to office condominiums.(News)
June 6, 2005... Byline: ALBY GALLUN IBM Plaza, a highlight of architectural boat cruises on the Chicago River, is dipping a toe into the office condo market. It's a strategy that is starting to catch on in Chicago: selling office space rather than...

Checkout time; No accommodations, no winners in congress plaza Hotel's labor dispute.(News)(Congress Plaza Hotel)(Company Profile)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Greg hinz Stop by the Congress Plaza Hotel and you'll see images not of Grover Cleveland, Franklin Roosevelt or any of the other presidents who visited there, but a different sight-a union picket line that, as of later this month,...

lunchables UNCOOL? Lunch packs were a Kraft success story-now they struggle in fickle kids market.(News)
June 6, 2005... Byline: JULIE JARGON Lunchables, once a marketing success story for Kraft Foods Inc., have become stale. Health concerns, competition from other convenient meals-even a declining population of children-have conspired against the kiddie...

Bond woes for McPier expansion; Dedicated revenues fall short, driving need to tap into sales tax.(News)(Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority)
June 6, 2005... Byline: KRISTINA BUCHTHAL The state agency that operates McCormick Place will have to dip into state sales tax funds this summer to repay principal and interest on $1.1 billion in bonds issued to finance the convention center's expansion....

Are deals on Dade's menu? Diagnostics maker can play hunter or hunted after successful restructuring.(Markets)(Dade Behring Holdings Inc)
June 6, 2005... Byline: BRETT CHASE It's eat or be eaten for Dade Behring Holdings Inc., the Deerfield-based maker of medical tests and analyzing machines. After almost three years of restructuring since coming out of bankruptcy protection, and now...

Navigant offers Rx for ailing hospitals; Health care practice grows, but consultant draws criticism in L.A.(Markets)
June 6, 2005... Byline: SHRUTI DATE SINGH Navigant Consulting Inc. is making hay out of turmoil in the health care industry. Revenue in the Chicago-based consulting firm's health care practice is expected to surpass $150 million this year, up from...

Andersen isn't criminal, does brand have value? Damaged goods, yes, but some see name as a recyclable asset.(News)
June 6, 2005... Byline: SHRUTI DATE SINGH For nearly 90 years, Arthur Andersen had been the premier brand in public accounting. But for the last four, its name has been mud. Vaporized by a 2002 criminal conviction, one of the most venerable business...

REIT facing tough task; Trizec wants to buy big-city office buildings, but it's a seller's market.(Annual Meeting)(Real estate investment trusts)
June 6, 2005... Byline: ALBY GALLUN After cleaning up its portfolio and paying down debt, Trizec Properties Inc. faces the tough task of buying office buildings in a seller's market. Since taking over as Trizec's CEO in August 2002, Timothy H....

Aon mulls new strategy.(Annual Meeting)(Aon Corp)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Byline: STEVE DANIELS Aon Corp.'s new CEO is on the clock. Gregory Case, named chief executive in April of the Chicago commercial insurance brokerage giant, intends to outline a future course for Aon within the next 90 to 120 days, he...

CDW woos existing customers to grow; With PC sales spotty, direct marketer adding 100-125 jobs in sales.(Annual Meeting)(personal computers)
June 6, 2005... Byline: SANDRA JONES CDW Corp. has a plan for keeping sales and profits growing in 2005 even as the personal computer industry sputters: Get more business from existing customers. "This year we're focused on understanding our current...

Allstate weathers storm.(Annual Meeting)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Byline: STEVE DANIELS After two years of growth from rising insurance rates, Allstate Corp. is facing tougher conditions in the auto and homeowners insurance industry. The Northbrook-based insurance giant is drastically reducing its...

Tribune has a lengthy to-do list; Turning around poor ratings, circulation woes is a work in progress.(Annual Meeting)
June 6, 2005... Byline: JEREMY MULLMAN At Tribune Co.'s annual meeting, Chairman and CEO Dennis J. FitzSimons shared a checklist of items the company needs to resolve in order to boost its sagging results. During 2004, net income declined 38% to...

A shameful lack of progress on pension reform.(Opinion)
June 6, 2005... Key players in Springfield are calling it a pension "holiday"-their decision last month to divert more than $1 billion that should have been used to shore up the state's dangerously underfunded pension system to fill a gap in Illinois'...

Andersen decision shows: to protect staff, first protect company.(Opinion)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Harlan Teller As I read about the U.S. Supreme Court overturning the Arthur Andersen conviction-a decision that gives Platonic clarity to the term "moot point"-I thought about a meeting I had almost 20 years ago with the general...

Need to Know.(Focus: Corporate Boards)(compensation)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Source: Aon Consulting Forum 20% 2004 increase in director compensation at big companies ($5 billion or more in revenue). $1,000 Average per-meeting fee paid to directors for attending audit and compensation committee...

nominations wanted.(Focus: Corporate Boards)
June 6, 2005... Crain's seeks nominees for its annual 40 Under 40 feature. Anyone working in the Chicago area who will turn 40 after Nov. 21 is eligible. To make a nomination, e-mail a brief statement (250 to 300 words) to 40noms@crain.com. Please include a...

Restatement ramifications: fewer board seats; Research: Accounting problems make for less active directors.(Focus: Corporate Boards)
June 6, 2005... Byline: christina le beau Does a director's reputation suffer when a company restates earnings? It might, according to new research by a University of Chicago professor. In a paper published last month in the Journal of Accounting...

Cleaning the boardroom; When a company goes bad, sometimes it's best to start over.(Focus: Corporate Boards)(National Equipment Services Inc. files for bankruptcy)
June 6, 2005... Byline: h. lee murphy When National Equipment Services Inc. filed for bankruptcy protection in June 2003, angry debtholders wanted a thorough overhaul of the company's board. The company, renamed NES Rentals Holdings Inc. and relocated...

Nervous directors watching Disney; Ruling pending, but case already has had 'chilling effect' on directors.(Focus: Corporate Boards)
June 6, 2005... Byline: christina le beau It's a showy courtroom drama involving big money and bigger egos, but at its core, the landmark case of shareholders suing the Walt Disney Co. board of directors centers on a basic tenet of corporate law: How much...

Age of accountability?(Focus: Corporate Boards)(Interview)
June 6, 2005... Byline: shruti date singh Since the passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in 2002, corporate boards have been in a mad scramble to achieve compliance with the law's increased internal-control and auditing requirements. Executives and...

Who makes the grade?(Focus: Corporate Boards)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... The ratings of Chicago's best and worst boards were compiled for Crain's by the Corporate Library, an independent research firm based in Maine. Each company's rating is based on the Corporate Library's proprietary, quantitative formula,...

Sox speaker.(The Business of Life)(Matt Hidaka)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Greg Rolnick Matt Hidaka, 28, interpreter, Chicago White Sox Salary: $40,000 to $50,000 Years on the job: Spent 2004 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers; joined Sox for 2005. Duties: One of two Japanese interpreters who assist...

Box Lunch.(The Business of Life)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2005... In Japan, takeout food for lunch or dinner is packed in covered, compartmentalized bento boxes. They can be purchased in train stations, theaters, vending machines and shopping areas. Nicer wood or plastic boxes may be used to bring food to...

For the Record.(Briefs)
June 13, 2005... A federal district judge denied a bid by flight attendants at United Airlines to block the government from assuming control of the group's pension plan. The owner of the Crain Communications Building at 360 N. Michigan Ave., a partnership...

To raise morale, use a pink slip.(News)
June 13, 2005... Byline: Cynthia Hanson Mistake: Tolerating a bad attitude. Repercussion: Low morale. What happened: Several years ago, Anna Belyaev hired a top-notch computer programmer whose contributions came at a high price: his bad attitude....

Devine inspiration.(The Business of Life)
June 13, 2005... Byline: Sarah A. Klein Richard A. Devine, 61, was elected Cook County state's attorney in 1996. He's held the post for three terms, making a name prosecuting gang crime and introducing reforms, such as videotaping interrogations. When he's...

Please hang up and try again.(Focus: Small Business)
June 13, 2005... Byline: Sandra Swanson Mistake: Falling for a telecom scam. Repercussion: Lost $5,000. What happened: In November 2002, a NorVergence salesman called Bob Kastner claiming he could reduce his phone bills 30%. Although Mr. Kastner...

Payment due date a 'litmus test' for Salton; Ability to meet it this week will indicate if firm can refinance bonds.(Markets)
June 13, 2005... Byline: JULIE JARGON All eyes will be on Salton Inc. this week when a critical $6.7-million payment comes due on $125 million in debt. The Lake Forest-based home appliance company's ability to make the payment will signal whether it...

Need to Know.(Focus: Small Business)
June 13, 2005... Byline: Sources: National Federation of Independent Business/Illinois, American Express Co. 6% of Illinois small business owners consider the state's business climate supportive. 32% of Indiana's small business owners consider their...

Shot at real civic reform depends on biz community.(Opinion)
June 13, 2005... With the Daley administration sinking in a mire of scandal, it's time for the business community to take control of the civic agenda in Chicago. Last week's charges of heroin dealing in the city Department of Water Management, coming on...

Cash flows in spite of Rod's woes; Guv's war chest likely to hit $14 mil. this week.(News)
June 13, 2005... Byline: GREG HINZ Despite nagging political woes that have pulled down his opinion poll rating, Gov. Rod Blagojevich expects to pull in at least $4 million for his campaign war chest at a fund-raiser here this week, putting him in...

BLOOD THICKER THAN IPO; Calamos now public, but family deals go on.(News)
June 13, 2005... Byline: KATE RYAN At Calamos Asset Management Inc., business is all in the family. Though the Naperville money manager went public in October, raising $360 million, it's still acting like its old privately held self. The company...

Weddings that Work.(The Business of Life)
June 13, 2005... TWO INCOMES, ZERO TIME The couple: Chicagoans Mary Flowers, 35, director of human resources at Accenture HR Services, and Jim Flowers, who's in the government practice at Accenture Ltd. They met at Accenture and were married Aug. 31, 2003,...

If partners come apart, the business will follow.(Focus: Small Business)(HealthIntell LLC)(Patricia Riskind )(Brief Article)
June 13, 2005... Byline: John T. Slania Mistake: Picking the wrong partner. Repercussion: Went out of business. what happened: In July 2002, Patricia Riskind joined forces with a partner to form a health care consulting firm targeting the growing...

Cantigny Golf & Tennis.(The Business of Life)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2005... 27W270 Mack Road, Wheaton (630) 668-3323 www.cantignygolf.com Head pro: Mike Jones Tee times granted 14 days in advance Green fee: $85 Length: 7,004 yards (Woodside and Lakeside courses) Rating: 73.9 Slope: 138...

Charity begins at City Hall; Proposed ordinance requires contractors to disclose contributions.(News)
June 13, 2005... Byline: JEREMY MULLMAN A City Council proposal to make city contractors disclose all of their charitable giving is proving controversial even before it's been heard. The proposed ordinance, written by Finance Committee Chairman Edward...

Spotlight: Exec seeks consultants with hospital expertise.(People)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2005... Byline: Shruti Date Singh Job: Managing director, Huron Consulting Group Inc.'s health care practice. Vitals: 60 years old; bachelor's degree in international relations, Brown University, 1967; MBA, Boston University, 1974. A hospital...

Cash, regional power base required for Blagojevich race.(Opinion)
June 13, 2005... Byline: Paul Green Big statewide political question for 2006: Can Gov. Rod Blagojevich be renominated and then re-elected? In a primary or general election challenge, any opponent better be well-organized and well-funded. Cliche-driven...

Inviting the office?(The Business of Life)(Column)
June 13, 2005... Byline: Lisa Bertagnoli Jill Bremer, an Oak Park-based etiquette expert, tells how to merge office politics with the invitation list: Whom to invite: "Only co-workers who have become close, personal friends of the bride or groom.''...

Take my wedding-please; They might not 'pay for themselves,' but a planner could save your sanity, your relationship-and your job.(The Business of Life)
June 13, 2005... Byline: LISA BERTAGNOLI Finding love isn't easy when you're busy working all the time. And once you find it, planning a wedding can be even harder. Two-income couples may have some idea of what kind of wedding they want-and the...

Overestimate yourself.(News)(Christine's Concepts in Design)(Christine Cmejrek )
June 13, 2005... Byline: Sarah A. Klein Mistake: Undercapitalizing from the start. Repercussion: Had to cash out her $16,000 individual retirement account. What happened: When Christine Cmejrek decided to start an interior decorating company five...

Old-school approach excels at Cantigny; Trees, streams confound the let-it-rip mentality.(The Business of Life)(Golf courses)
June 13, 2005... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Golfers have been known to give up private club memberships to become regulars at Cantigny Golf & Tennis in Wheaton, one of a generation of courses that opened in the late 1980s when waiting lists to join country...

Stick to what you do best.(News)(FurstPerson Inc.)(Jeff Furst )(Brief Article)
June 13, 2005... Byline: Sandra Swanson Mistake: Abandoning a core business. Repercussion: Lost revenue, layoffs. what happened: While running a temp-staffing agency for call centers, Jeff Furst noticed an intriguing phenomenon. Although many of...

A mess of their own.(Focus: Small Business)(Aftermath Inc.)(Chris Wilson)(Tim Reifstock)
June 13, 2005... Byline: Stuart Luman Mistake: Inadequate due diligence. Repercussion: Lost $2,000. What happened: For Aftermath Inc., which specializes in mopping up the scenes of homicides and suicides, a business mistake is bound to be messy....

BARILLA MARKETING; How Italy's No. 1 pasta took over America-and did it from Bannockburn.(News)
June 13, 2005... Byline: JULIE JARGON No one will confuse the leafy suburb of Bannockburn with Parma, Italy-the culinary center of a country that loves food, especially pasta. But from a nondescript office building north of Chicago, Italy's largest...

Who's in charge here?(News)(Universal Health Institute )(Amelia Case )
June 13, 2005... Byline: Sandra Swanson Mistake: Delegating too much. Repercussion: Business fell 70% after top manager quit. What happened: For 14 years, Amelia Case left the day-to-day running of her massage and physical therapy center to a...

Good news: Foreclosures on homes fall for 2nd year; Bad news: 'Prime' loans are biggest trouble spot.(News)
June 13, 2005... Byline: STEVE DANIELS Foreclosures in Chicago declined for the second straight year in 2004 as a 2-year-old predatory-lending crackdown appears to be benefiting homebuyers with modest means or tarnished credit. But the past year also...

Co-ops to sell off fertilizer firm; CF owners look to take in $700 million in IPO; analysts expect proceeds to be lower.(Markets)(CF Industries Holdings Inc)
June 13, 2005... Byline: BOB TITA A mutually beneficial relationship between fertilizer maker CF Industries Holdings Inc. and the co-ops that own it-and, until recently, have been its primary customers-is coming apart. The players plan to part company...

Fenced in: rise, fall of Jim Levin; Tru-Link scion had it all-but wanted more.(News)
June 13, 2005... Byline: STEVEN R. STRAHLER Jim Levin celebrated the turn of the millennium at the pinnacle of power, partying on New Year's Eve at the White House. He now wants to avoid being a longer-term guest of the federal government-this time, as a...

Clout zone; RAY FRIAS WASN'T DEVELOPER-FRIENDLY. WHEN HE GOT PUSHED OUT, DEGNAN AND REYES GAINED.(News)
June 13, 2005... Byline: Greg Hinz No one offered much of an explanation when Alderman Ray Frias (12th) abruptly pleaded "no mas'' a couple years ago, walking away from his re-election race just days after winning a slot in the ward's runoff election. ...

For equity, make them pay.(Focus: Small Business)(Hammy Inc. )
June 13, 2005... Byline: Christina Le Beau Mistake: Giving up too much equity too soon. Repercussion: Difficulty raising additional capital. What happened: C. J. Orrico and Jim Alvarez just wanted to improve their golf game. They'd invented a...

Recipe for disaster: Taking selling for granted.(News)
June 13, 2005... Byline: Christina Le Beau Mistake: Neglecting to set up a sales process. Repercussion: Millions in lost sales. What happened: When you hit $1 million in sales your first year in business, you figure you're doing something right....

Broke Fixer.(The Business of Life)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2005... Byline: Kevin Davis Richard K. Gustafson II, 36, bankruptcy lawyer, partner, Legal Helpers P.C., Chicago Salary: $75,000 to $100,000 Duties: Manages 60 lawyers in 17 states, handles calls from clients, researches legal issues. The...

Lighter fare shines at Asian restaurants; Shanghai Terrace offers nearly all-new menu; a delectable bento tray.(The Business of Life)
June 13, 2005... Byline: LAURA BIANCHI Asian restaurants provide great variety with plenty of lighter fare-so you can skip the double espresso to get you through the afternoon. Vegetables often abound, and even desserts veer from dense cheesecake and rich...

Wrong guy for the job.(Focus: Small Business)
June 13, 2005... Byline: Cynthia Hanson Mistake: Bad hire. Repercussion: Lost $250,000. What happened: Five years ago, Tim Flood's temporary employment agency was booming, with gross annual revenues of $3 million. In need of a new sales manager,...

Careful who you work for.(Focus: Small Business)
June 13, 2005... Byline: Cynthia Hanson Mistake: Taking on a bad client. Repercussion: Lost $100,000. What happened: Early on, Russ Klitchman had misgivings about a medical marketing startup that was offering him $200,000 to create an educational...