Crain's Chicago Business articles from June 2008

Crain's Chicago Business archives from June 2008

Jackpot! We have a winner; No. 39 WMS Industries Inc., Washington.(Focus: Fast Fifty)(Company overview)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Samantha Stainburn Five years ago, WMS Industries, a leading player in the $90-billion global casino gambling industry, was in trouble. Sales were slowing, and the company was losing money. Then WMS introduced the Bluebird, an...

Shhh! Calamos' net plunges 94%; Investment returns hurt secretive fund manager.(News)
June 2, 2008... Byline: STEVEN R. STRAHLER Calamos Asset Management Inc., a public company with a reputation for acting like a private one, reinforced that impression with its annual meeting on May 23. The Naperville-based mutual fund manager...

Ill. wind-power mandate an excuse to gouge.(Viewpoint essay)
June 2, 2008... Electricity is electricity. Unless, of course, the electricity in question was generated by a windmill in Illinois. Apparently, Illinois windmills produce electricity with special qualities that make it far more valuable than electricity...

Destination: Singer Island, Fla.(Business of Life)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Anne Ford GET AWAY: With white-sand beaches, plenty of water sports and easy access to the mainland, Singer Island, Fla., (yes, named for the sewing machine magnate) makes a great home base for a Father's Day getaway to Palm Beach...

Crain's Picks.(Business of Life)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Crystal Yednak Opening "Nelson Algren: For Keeps and a Single Day" 220 E. Chicago Ave. (312) 337-0655 www.lookingglasstheatre.org 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday Tickets: $25-$55 With grainy...

Veerasway riffs on Indian cuisine; Updated takes on street snacks, classic dishes.(Business of Life)
June 2, 2008... Byline: ALISON NEUMER LARA Small plates for sharing are nothing new to Indian cuisine. What's different at Veerasway is a fresh, modern approach that offers space, all on one menu, for street snacks, traditional dishes and contemporary...

Drilling and dialing for dollars in brazil, China; A Conversation with Money Manager Mark Kollar.(Markets)(Kollar Financial Strategies LLC)(Interview)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Bruce Blythe Mark Kollar, 44, president, Kollar Financial Strategies LLC, Rosemont Experience: 24 years Assets under management: $25 million CRAIN'S: You see further upside for commodity prices and more struggles for...

Crain's adds new copy editor, news editor for Web site.(News)(Douglas Backstrom)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Douglas Backstrom has joined Crain's as a copy editor. He comes from the Chicago Sun-Times, where he was a copy editor on the metro and nation/world news desk. Before that, he was deputy copy desk chief at the Miami Herald. Mr. Backstrom,...

Mergers alone aren't enough to save U.S. airline industry.(Opinion)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Matt Andersson Matt Andersson is president of Indigo Aerospace, an aviation investment and advisory company in Chicago. Just about every major airline in the United States has gone through a bankruptcy restructuring in the past...

Laughing all the way to the bank, in Prada.(Business of Life)(Executives Club Women's Leadership)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Shia Kapos You can tell a woman how to manage her finances. Just don't tell her to keep them in a cheap handbag. At the Executives Club Women's Leadership breakfast last week at the Fairmont Hotel, the theme was "Power of the...

Steep problems at Whitetail Ridge; Stingy management dings the experience.(Business of Life)
June 2, 2008... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY The opening of a new golf course is usually cause for celebration, but the applause is on hold for Whitetail Ridge Golf Club in Yorkville. Designed by architect Greg Martin of Batavia as the centerpiece of a...

THE SEVENTH CIRCLE OF SUMMER TRAVEL; Long lines, delays, chaos await business travelers over the next three months.(News)(services of American Airlines Inc.)
June 2, 2008... Byline: JOHN PLETZ Colin Kerr is the model of travel efficiency when he arrives at O'Hare International Airport. He uses the electronic kiosk for a boarding pass and heads for the security checkpoint with two properly sized carry-on bags,...

Morningstar aims at new indexes; Performance research for target-date funds.(News)(Morningstar Inc.)
June 2, 2008... Byline: MARK BRUNO One of the biggest players in mutual fund research is about to weigh in formally on one of the hottest topics in the 401(k) world: measuring the investment performance of target-date funds. Chicago-based Morningstar...

Apartment sales in decline; 'Weak start' to year after record-setting '07.(News)
June 2, 2008... Byline: EDDIE BAEB Chicago-area apartment sales plummeted in the first quarter as most sellers and buyers remained sidelined amid disruption in the credit markets and concerns about the slowing economy. Sales of large apartment...

The back-seat driver; No. 34 TravelClick Inc., Schaumburg.(Focus: Fast Fifty)(Company overview)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Alexis Jeffries Looking for a room? Forget the phone. From business travelers in Beijing to honeymooners in Hawaii, nearly half of all hotel reservations are now booked online. And the numbers are growing. That's good news for...

Local earnings strong; Agriculture sector a driving force.(News)
June 2, 2008... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY The booming agriculture sector-with farmers feasting on unprecedented prices for corn and soybeans-is driving profits sharply higher for Illinois manufacturers that make tractors, combines and fertilizer. In the...

Datebook.(Calendar/Datebook)(Brief article)(Calendar)
June 2, 2008... THIS WEEK JUNE 2: 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. JUNE 3:...

ITW not cooked yet in Enodis bidding battle; CEO Speer signals willingness to increase price for British firm.(News)(Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
June 2, 2008... Byline: BOB TITA Illinois Tool Works Inc. CEO David Speer will have to dig deeper into his pockets if he wants to pull off his company's biggest acquisition in almost a decade. Analysts expect ITW to top the latest bid for British...

Mega-malls stalled; Slowdown imperils Will County projects.(News)
June 2, 2008... Byline: EDDIE BAEB Four of five massive shopping centers proposed for Will County are delaying their openings as retailers halt expansion plans in a slowing economy. The malls, two in New Lenox and one each in Frankfort and...

Classic cocktails back on menu.(Business of Life)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Jennifer Olvera Mike Kuiken, owner of Schaumburg-based business and IT consulting company Uniek Development Inc., goes with the flow. Back in college, he ordered Jack and Coke with his buddies. When frou-frou martinis became the...

The world is their office; No. 42: Jones Lang LaSalle Inc., Chicago.(Focus: Fast Fifty)(Company overview)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Miriam Gottfried Jones Lang LaSalle Inc.'s growth strategy is to be everywhere. With 170 offices in 60 countries, "We don't see ourselves as an American company with international appendages,'' says Colin Dyer, CEO of the real...

A little self-promotion; No. 1: Zorch International Inc., Chicago.(Focus: Fast Fifty)(Company overview)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Samantha Stainburn Growth is built into the business model of Zorch International. The promotional products distributor targets big companies it hopes will make it their exclusive supplier of branded merchandise like mugs,...

Docs duel downtown; U of C invades Northwestern's turf with Streeterville move.(News)(University of Chicago Medical Center)
June 2, 2008... Byline: MIKE COLIAS The University of Chicago Medical Center is challenging arch-rival Northwestern Memorial Hospital on its own turf with plans for an office in Streeterville catering to downtown professionals. U of C, the city's No....

Seeking signs of growth at NEC Display Solutions.(People)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Byline: John Pletz Job: President and chief operating officer, Itasca-based NEC Display Solutions of America Inc., a division of Tokyo electronics giant NEC Corp., since Feb. 28 Vitals: 46 years old; attended University of Montreal,...

Providing options; No. 19: OptionsXpress Holdings Inc., Chicago.(Focus: Fast Fifty)(Company overview)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Miriam Gottfried OptionsXpress Holdings opened its doors in July 2000, about the worst possible time to enter the financial services market. With the dot-com boom going bust, venture capitalists were shying away from Internet...

Getting the gas to you; No. 8: Gas Depot Inc., Morton Grove.(Focus: Fast Fifty)(Company overview)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Kevin McKeough At 1:45 p.m. on a Friday, a receptionist walks into the conference room of Gas Depot's Morton Grove office and holds up three fingers, signaling that the price of gasoline will rise by 3 cents a gallon at 6 p.m. ...

Tapping Latino power; No. 12 Cardenas Marketing Network Inc., Chicago.(Focus: Fast Fifty)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Kevin McKeough Henry Cardenas knows how to put on a show. For 30 years, he's produced dances, concerts, soccer matches and musicals for Hispanic communities throughout the United States. Now he's helping others tap the Latin...

Stationery, not stationary; No. 28, Paper Source Inc., Chicago.(Focus: Fast Fifty)(Sue Lindstrom )(Company overview)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Samantha Stainburn Paper Source founder Sue Lindstrom admits she's no Martha Stewart. "Don't you just love watching me?'' she says into the camera, struggling to load a gocco, a Japanese screen-printing machine, in a how-to...

Good hands reaching for nest eggs; Allstate takes another run at getting clients to invest via their insurer.(News)
June 2, 2008... Byline: STEVE DANIELS Allstate Corp. CEO Thomas Wilson is taking a new stab at a longtime goal: positioning the insurance giant as the go-to provider of savings and investment advice to its legion of customers. For nearly a decade,...

Radio wavemaker; Former DJ Randy Michaels shakes up staid culture at Tribune Co.(News)(Occupation overview)
June 2, 2008... Byline: ANN SAPHIR Randy Michaels, the former shock jock charged with jolting Tribune Co. back to life, is grabbing the media giant by its Brooks Bros. lapels and shaking hard. He yanked the salaries of his ad sales reps and put them...

REHEATING COSI; Investors not yet warming up to sandwich chain's franchise-building efforts.(Markets)
June 2, 2008... Byline: DAVID STERRETT Cosi Inc. CEO James Hyatt, a former Burger King Corp. executive, has a whopper of a turnaround project on his hands. Hired in September, Mr. Hyatt's goal is to make the Deerfield-based restaurant chain profitable...

Fortune Brands tees up golf to save a rough 1Q.(News)
June 2, 2008... Byline: H. Lee Murphy Golf has helped take the edge off a downturn in two other key businesses at Fortune Brands Inc. In the first quarter, sales in Deerfield-based Fortune's home and hardware division plummeted 13% from the...

Coal can't power bigger returns for FreightCar.(News)(FreightCar America Inc.)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Byline: H. Lee Murphy With oil prices soaring, most energy analysts expect coal to grow in importance as a fuel for U.S. power plants. That has railroads that transport coal looking forward to a jump in demand. FreightCar America Inc.,...

'Green' parking planned; Friedman to develop structure in River North.(News)
June 2, 2008... Byline: SHIA KAPOS Chicago developer Al Friedman plans to spend $50 million building a 900-stall, environmentally friendly parking garage to accommodate his 530 restaurant and office tenants in the River North area. Construction of the...

Taxes take bite at U.S. Cellular; Phone company banks on third-generation service to drive growth.(News)
June 2, 2008... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY After two years of tests in Milwaukee, U.S. Cellular Corp. is preparing to roll out its version of so-called third-generation cell phone service this summer to subscribers in other markets hungry for wider bandwidth...

Dream weddings meet reality; Caution over big to-dos; saving money is one factor, but so is not appearing insensitive.(Business of Life)
June 2, 2008... Byline: DARCI SMITH Is the spare-no-expense fairytale wedding falling out of fashion? Weddings, as a pinnacle of emotional spending, are considered relatively immune to economic downturns. But with food and fuel costs high and housing...

Realtors settle Internet case.(Briefs)(National Association of Realtors)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... The National Assn. of Realtors settled a three-year Justice Department antitrust case over rules governing how homes are listed for sale on the Internet. The Chicago-based association of 1.3 million Realtors nationwide agreed to drop rules that...

For the Record.(Briefs)
June 2, 2008... The CEOs of United Airlines and US Airways formally shelved their effort to create the world's largest airline, telling employees that a combination wouldn't happen "at this time.'' Their separate messages came after a meeting of United's Glenn...

Smith & Gill wins Dubai deal; $7-bil. development a boost for young firm.(News)
June 2, 2008... Byline: ANDREW SCHROEDTER Prominent architect Adrian Smith has won a commission to design a $7-billion mixed-use development in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, a lucrative assignment likely to fuel rapid growth at his two-year-old firm. ...

Executives' Club will say more about pay; Board deems it 'wise' to step up compensation disclosure on tax form.(News)
June 2, 2008... Byline: PAUL MERRION The Executives' Club of Chicago this year will disclose more about how much it pays for management services provided by longtime CEO Kaarina Koskenalusta and a company she owns. Unlike other non-profit business...

Corrections.(Correction notice)
June 2, 2008... The May 26 My Take column incorrectly quoted Denise Seminetta of Premier Asset Management. Ms. Seminetta cited the infrastructure building boom in "developing'' countries like India, Brazil and Russia, coupled with crumbling infrastructure in...

Big frog in a big pond; No. 15, Leapfrog Online LLC, Evanston.(Focus: Fast Fifty)(Company overview)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Kevin McKeough If you're shopping on the Web for a credit card, cable service or a new car, Leapfrog Online wants your number. From its offices in a former Tinkertoy factory, the company runs online marketing campaigns aimed at...

Let there be light; No. 26: Rubicon Technology Inc., Franklin Park.(Focus: Fast Fifty)(Company overview)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Phuong Ly Nature takes about 50,000 years to make a sapphire. Rubicon Technology Inc. does it in 10 days. The stones, valued for their heat tolerance and hardness, aren't just pretty jewels. Cut into 2-inch wafers, they're...

New blood buys into OneChicago; Urbana has bet on sale, IPO at other exchanges.(News)
June 2, 2008... Byline: ANN SAPHIR An investment firm that's made hundreds of millions of dollars betting on the fortunes of global exchanges is backing OneChicago LLC, the single-stock futures market that's struggled to win clients since it opened six...

Methodology.(Focus: Fast Fifty)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... How did we find them? Mostly, they found us. Crain's began seeking applications for the Fast Fifty in January. We also scoured our annual lists of public and private companies-some 500 area firms-for likely candidates and mailed out more...

Could mingled freight cut costs for Mitsubishi, Cat?(News)
June 2, 2008... Byline: LINDSAY CHAPPELL Mitsubishi Motors Corp. is considering having parts shipped to its U.S. auto plant on trucks that also deliver components to its Illinois neighbor, heavy equipment maker Caterpillar Inc. Logistics officials at...

Rent outlook grows dimmer in suburbs; Apartment landlords focus on renovation.(News)
June 2, 2008... Byline: EDDIE BAEB Rents for suburban apartments barely crept higher in the first quarter, and the occupancy rate remained at its lowest level since at least 2003-meaning the outlook for landlords is getting less rosy as the economy...

On the Move.(People)(Rick DiMaio promoted to vice president in Sears Holdings Corp.)(Beth McConnell promoted to vice president in Mesirow Financial Inc.)(Vickie Lambert promoted to senior vice president in Rand Financial Services Inc.)
June 2, 2008... CONSUMER SERVICES SEARS HOLDINGS CORP., Hoffman Estates: Rick DiMaio, 39, to vice-president of logistics support, from division vice-president of logistics strategy. FINANCIAL SERVICES HOME STATE MORTGAGE GROUP INC., Crystal Lake:...

Block 37 captures Puma; Sportswear giant plans State Street flagship.(News)
June 2, 2008... Byline: EDDIE BAEB German sportswear giant Puma A.G. plans to open a flagship store at Block 37, sources say, while Apple Inc. and trendy clothier Zara are moving closer to signing leases at the Loop shopping center. Puma, the world's...

Info Junkie.(Business of Life)(Pamela Jordan is launching the private high school's first capital campaign)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Byline: Christina Le Beau Pamela Jordan, 47, head of school at the Chicago Academy for the Arts, is launching the private high school's first capital campaign, aiming to raise $30 million to move from rented digs to its own building in...

Profiles.(Focus: Fast Fifty)(NextWave Media Group LLC)(Advanced Equities Venture Partners LP)(Medix Staffing )(Company overview)
June 2, 2008... 2 BlueStar Energy Services Inc., Chicago 2007 revenue: $171.1 million Four-year growth: 11,424% Profitable? Yes Local employees: 20 Worldwide employees: 61 What it does: Sells electricity to businesses and residents...

Focus: Small Business.(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Sarah A. Klein Suggest that someone go into business with his or her spouse, and you're likely to get one of two reactions: a look of horror or a wistful smile. The first reaction comes from people who go to work to get away...

CBOE is tardy for exchanges' party; CBOT court battle settled, but billions cut in potential value.(News)(Chicago Board Options Exchange)(Chicago Board of Trade)
June 9, 2008... Byline: ANN SAPHIR The Chicago Board Options Exchange's prolonged court battle with the Chicago Board of Trade may have cost both sides billions. A $1-billion settlement with the CBOT, reached last week, frees CBOE chief William...

In slow times, a quick sale is startling; Sellers caught up short when offers come fast; where do we go now?(Business of Life)(Christina Formentini )(Occupation overview)
June 9, 2008... Byline: LISA BERTAGNOLI Christina Formentini thought she had time on her side when she put her one-bedroom, bath-and-a-half soft loft on the market this spring. Ms. Formentini had her heart set on buying another loft just north of her...

STALKED BY STORE BRANDS; As gas prices soar, grocery shoppers load up on cheaper private-label brands, trimming Kraft's marketshare.(News)
June 9, 2008... Byline: DAVID STERRETT Sue Burgess says she prefers Kraft Foods Inc.'s cheese, but she opted for a store brand while shopping at a downtown Dominick's last week. A shaky economy and surging costs for gasoline and food have...

Block 37 bailout for CTA; Plan calls for city to pay $20 mil. more toward superstation overruns.(News)
June 9, 2008... Byline: GREG HINZ City Hall is planning another subsidy for Block 37-this time a three-phased bailout of an el station under construction there that's running more than $100 million over budget. Under plans that the Chicago Transit...

Cool-headed buyers stick to necessities; They keep emotions in check, focus on location, appreciation.(Business of Life)(Steve Wolf)
June 9, 2008... Byline: KEVIN DAVIS Steve Wolf, an attorney who commutes from Downers Grove to Chicago, had considered buying a condo downtown in the past. But only last fall did it make perfect sense to do so. His daughter, Alexandria, 19, had just...

Hospitals' cash crunch; Service, staff cuts loom as facilities await key D.C. funding stream.(News)
June 9, 2008... Byline: MIKE COLIAS Some of the city's most cash-starved hospitals are cutting services or stalling capital projects as they gird for the shutoff of a major federal funding stream. A three-year program that has funneled an additional...

Love the one you're with.(Focus: Small Business)(Rank Entertainment Inc.)(Company overview)
June 9, 2008... RANK ENTERTAINMENT INc. The couple: Charlene Milne, 50, and Richard Milne, 49 Incorporated: 1999 Employees: Two Revenue: "Mid-six figures,'' Mr. Milne says. The business: a Chicago-based entertainment agency that finds and books musical...

Working and growing together.(Focus: Small Business)(Company overview)
June 9, 2008... BOTANICAlS Inc. The couple: Casey Cooper, 40, and John Nicholson, 49 Incorporated: 1995 Employees: 13 full-time, up to 50 on contract Revenue: $1.7 million The business: a floral design and event-planning company in Chicago. Keeping...

The delicate state of joint ventures; Couples need to reflect before starting business.(Focus: Small Business)(Becky Stewart-Gross)(Interview)
June 9, 2008... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN Becky Stewart-Gross, 49, wrote the book "Sleeping With Your Business Partner: A Communication Toolkit for Couples in Business Together'' with her husband and business partner, Michael J. Gross. The couple understands...

Walling off the office.(Focus: Small Business)(2Rz Architecture LLC )(Company overview)
June 9, 2008... VESTA LLC, 2Rz Architecture LLC The couple: Colette Rodon Hornof, 45, and William Rodon Hornof, 44 Incorporated: 1996 Employees: Six Revenue: $2.3 million The business: Their offices at the intersection of North Elston Avenue and West...

U of C misguided in its refusal to divest from Sudan.(University of Chicago)(Viewpoint essay)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Marc J. Lane Marc J. Lane is a Chicago business and tax attorney and a financial adviser. Clinging to a simplistic, Vietnam-era policy, the University of Chicago's board of trustees is refusing to divest from companies doing...

PRESSURE POINT; Energy business downtick raises doubts for pump maker Gardner.(Markets)(Gardner Denver Inc.)
June 9, 2008... Byline: BOB TITA Gardner Denver Inc.'s blowout performance is about to meet the faltering economy head-on. Shares of Quincy-based Gardner, a maker of industrial pumps and compressors, hit a record last week and have soared 60% this...

Plotting for sensory stimulation.(Business of Life)(R. R. Donnelley & Sons Co.'s finance director, Linda Fournier)(Occupation overview)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Jennifer Olvera When Glen Ellyn resident Linda Fournier, finance director for Chicago-based printer R. R. Donnelley & Sons Co., had a son three years ago, she replaced her former hobby-adventure travel-with gardening. "It...

datebook.(Calendar/Datebook)(Brief article)(Calendar)
June 9, 2008... THIS WEEK JUNE 9: Illinois CPA Society presents Technical Workshop Series: Fair Value Accounting-A Critical New Skill for CPAs. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Illinois CPA Society Education Center, 550 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 900. Fee: $295...

For love and money; CAN YOU PARTNER WITH YOUR PARTNER?(Focus: Small Business)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Byline: thomas mucha Finding a business partner is a common theme in Crain's. So is managing relationships, a critical factor in the success of many ventures, whether they're two-person operations or sprawling multinational giants. ...

correction.(Corrections)
June 9, 2008... A news story in the June 2 issue about Adrian Smith & Gordon Gill Architecture should have indicated that the Chicago-based firm has three founders.

Brighter days for Chevy Chase; A long-derided course thrives after a remodel.(Business of Life)
June 9, 2008... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Chevy Chase Country Club dates to 1927, but golfers are still discovering the place. Through the 1980s and '90s, Chevy Chase was so poorly maintained and managed that even die-hard loyalists jumped ship. It was...

SLOT-MACHINE MAKER NO GAMBLE FOR INVESTORS; A conversation with money manager Jeff Rode.(Markets)(Interview)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Daniel Rome Levine Jeff Rode, 41, principal and portfolio manager, Segall Bryant & Hamill Investment Counsel, Chicago Experience: Eight years Assets under management: $4.9 billion CRAIN'S: You specialize in mid-cap...

Info Junkie.(Business of Life)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Laura Bianchi Reading has been a lifelong struggle for Stephen Baird, 55, president and CEO of Baird & Warner Inc. "I was tutored as a kid. (Now) I read one book a year, usually `Harry Potter,' '' he says. Instead of books: ...

Wrenched from a neighborhood; Guilt, nostalgia, uncertainty, fear: Couple uncover emotional baggage as they leave Lakeview home.(Business of Life)
June 9, 2008... Byline: LISA BERTAGNOLI During their seven years in Lakeview, Stephanie and Adam Grandy experienced the joys-and sorrows-of early married life. Ms. Grandy, 36, and Mr. Grandy, 33, celebrated their first anniversary in their...

Meet the Hearty Boys.(Focus: Small Business)(Company overview)
June 9, 2008... Hearty Boys Caterers Inc. The couple: Steve McDonagh, 43, and Dan Smith, 45 Incorporated: 1999 Employees: 15 full-time, 40 part-time Revenue: $2.0 million The business: a Chicago food and entertainment company that includes a catering...

Certain houses exert special pull on buyers; Craftsmanship, history evoke strong feelings- a search for 'hominess'.(Business of Life)
June 9, 2008... Byline: CRYSTAL YEDNAK When Bob Kressin sees a bungalow, he sees much more than a house. A few years ago, Mr. Kressin was driving around the West Ridge neighborhood after hearing about its blocks of bungalows. The stained glass, the...

Crain's Picks.(Business of Life)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Crystal Yednak Opening Chicago SummerDance 601 S. Michigan Ave. (312) 742-4007 www.chicagosummerdance.org 6-9:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; 4-7 p.m. Sunday Free If ever you've wanted to learn how to...

Destination: Beijing, China.(Business of Life)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Lisa Bertagnoli GET AWAY: Visit Beijing for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games (Aug. 8 to 24), then stick around to enjoy China's capital-before it becomes just like any other big city. That transformation is well under way, with the...

On the Move.(People)(Katie Allen, Paul Cohen and Erik Pampel joins Mesirow Financial Inc.)(Joni Malpede joins Rand Financial Services Inc.)(Jamie Anderson joins Cramer-Krasselt Co.)
June 9, 2008... EDUCATION DEVRY UNIVERSITY, Oakbrook Terrace: Gene Hallongren, 65, to president of the Tinley Park campus, from president of the Chicago campus. FINANCIAL SERVICES MESIROW FINANCIAL, Chicago: Katie Allen, 27, to vice-president in...

Stories reflect the best, worst of Chicago.(Viewpoint essay)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... When it comes to news, it's hard to recall a bigger week for Chicago than the one that just ended. In the space of a few days, Chicago made the short list of cities contending to host the 2016 Olympic Games, Barack Obama wrapped up the...

Parting Words.(Focus: Small Business)(Couple-owned business enterprises)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Looking to partner with your partner? A few things to ponder: In the name of love? Stop: Don't assume because you're in love you ought to be able to run a business, says Kathy J. Marshack, a psychologist and business consultant in Portland,...

Olympian quest: Buff city's image; Local executive aims to boost amateur sport.(News)
June 9, 2008... Byline: JOHN PLETZ Chicago's chances of winning the 2016 Olympics will depend to a large degree on the efforts of a Goldman Sachs executive and onetime Olympic medalist who's out to convince the world that the Windy City is wild for...

Balancing risk and structure: It's a lock.(Focus: Small Business)(Glavin Inc.)(Company overview)
June 9, 2008... GLAVIN INC. The couple: Pat Glavin, 49, and Tom Glavin, 51 Incorporated: 1979 Employees: 19 Revenue: $3.0 million The business: a Chicago company that sells and services locks and security systems. Tom Glavin bought his father's locksmith...

Banks' mortgage edge; Share of home-loan financings surges as biz shifts from brokers.(News)
June 9, 2008... Byline: STEVE DANIELS Everyone knows it's a terrible time for the mortgage industry. But one group of winners is emerging: traditional banks, which are seeing home-loan volumes surge as mortgage brokers' once-dominant role in the business...

Obama's age; THE SENATOR MUST DO BETTER WITH A KEY VOTER BLOC: OLDER AMERICANS.(News)
June 9, 2008... Byline: Greg Hinz The pundits have had lots to say about what the Chicagoan who would be president ought to do to actually become president now that he's the presumptive Democratic nominee. Go after disaffected women who are bummed out...

Meltdown at the closing table; They play tough, spitefully leave the house a mess-or go to war over minor issues.(Business of Life)(Occupation overview)
June 9, 2008... Byline: KEVIN DAVIS During her 25 years as a real estate agent, Collette Connelly has seen everything from horror to joy at the closing table. Last-minute surprises, uncomfortable negotiations and even unexpected acts of kindness can...