Crain's Chicago Business articles from May 2005

Crain's Chicago Business archives from May 2005

All boating and fishing.(The Business of Life)(Michael Ferro)(Click Commerce Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Dan Weissmann Michael Ferro, 38, CEO of Click Commerce Inc., a provider of business-to-business Internet software Where: Lake Geneva, Wis., on a three-acre lakefront estate with a six-bedroom, early 20th-century house ...

Expert Opinion: What are some tips for finding a vacation rental in Michigan or Wisconsin?(The Business of Life)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Darci Smith "Use the travel bureaus of each state, and local convention and visitor bureaus. Local newspapers will normally have a little section regarding rentals, especially now,'' says Beverlee Rydel, co-author of "Michigan...

Spotlight: IBM veteran yanks Motorola's supply chain.(People)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Julie Johnsson Job: Senior vice-president for Motorola Inc.'s global supply chain organization, a newly created position. Vitals: 44 years old; bachelor's degree in materials and logistics management, Michigan State University,...

Big-city prices migrate; Nearby vacation areas not always a bargain.(The Business of Life)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Byline: DAN RAFTER Everyone knows the drill: Chicagoans drive across the Indiana state line to get cheaper gas and cut-rate cigarettes. But can they find similar bargains when they travel to the Midwest's most popular vacation spots? ...

On the Move.(People)(Merisant Worldwide Inc)
May 2, 2005... Consumer SERVICES Merisant Worldwide Inc., Chicago: Jonathan Cole, 40, to vice-president and general counsel, from counsel at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP in New York. Sara Lee Corp., Chicago: Garry S. Berryman, 52, to chief...

Excuse me, where is. . . ?(Focus: Tourism Economy)
May 2, 2005... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN We tested 10 Chicago residents on their navigational abilities and their kindness toward strangers. To our surprise, everyone we stopped was willing to direct us to the requested tourist destination, even when they...

Ryerson deals steel firm's groth plans.(News)
May 2, 2005... Byline: BOB TITA After ending a four-year streak of losses in 2004, Ryerson Tull Inc. wasted no time bulking up in hopes of avoiding future red ink. The Chicago-based steel distributor went on a shopping spree over the last year,...

Tellabs needs profit connection from fiber unit.(News)
May 2, 2005... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Profit-starved Tellabs Inc. is still searching for a fix to its bottom line. When the Naperville-based maker of telecommunications equipment paid $1.5 billion in December to acquire Advanced Fibre Communications...

Corus clicking with condos.(News)(CORUS Bankshares Inc)(condominiums)
May 2, 2005... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY The idiosyncratic Corus Bankshares Inc. formula brings stellar returns for shareholders, even if it flies in the face of what most banks do. Whereas competitor banks strain to diversify their loan portfolios...

Driven listener.(The Business of Life)(Spike O'Dell)(WGN radio)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Dan Weissmann WGN-AM morning host Spike O'Dell, 51, makes frequent on-air references to his family's weekend home in Galena. But current events are a mainstay of his show, and since taking over the morning time slot five years ago,...

Fortune's global cocktail; Bidding war awaits Allied's booze brands.(Markets)
May 2, 2005... Byline: JULIE JARGON Investors high on Fortune Brands' plan to double its liquor business with the acquisition of more than a dozen Allied Domecq brands now face the sobering prospect of a bidding war for the English liquor company. ...

Stock Report: Jones Lang plunges on first-quarter loss.(Markets)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Alby Gallun Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. stock plunged nearly 21% last Thursday after the Chicago-based real estate firm reported a bigger-than-expected first-quarter loss. Jones Lang has lumpy quarterly results, and red ink almost...

Stuck in park; Millennium Park facility could use more parkers.(Focus: Tourism Economy)
May 2, 2005... Byline: ERIC FERKENHOFF The first sign that the Millennium Park garage might not be all it was cracked up to be came in 2001, when reports surfaced that the garage was, literally, cracked. Cement pillars holding up the 2,186-slot garage,...

THE REAPPRAISAL OF EDWARD LIDDY; Allstate turnaround boosts CEO's stock, but growth issue still unresolved.(News)
May 2, 2005... Byline: STEVE DANIELS If a chorus of denunciation from angry agents at Allstate Corp.'s 2002 annual meeting bothered Edward M. Liddy, he didn't let it show. But the CEO was used to that kind of treatment in those days. Agents were...

A Web-based getaway guide.(The Business of Life)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Mark Scheffler WISCONSIN lakegenevawi.com The site for Geneva Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, weather and boating info, a calendar of events and, most important, a historical and photographic guide to area mansions. ...

NEED TO KNOW.(Focus: Tourism Economy)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Source: Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau 16.5 million U.S. tourists visited Chicago in 2003, up from 14.6 million the year before. 1914 - Year the term "jazz" was coined in Chicago. $110 million - Cost to the city to...

Late News.(Sears Holdings Corp.)(Gothic high-rise)(United Air Lines Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Sears to shut local Great Indoors store Sears Holdings will close its 2-year-old Great Indoors store in Deerfield, which employs about 100, by July 31, citing poor sales. A Sears rep says there are no plans to close the other 16 Great...

Pet Sitter.(The Business of Life)(Charles Hunter)(Pet and Plant Care Service)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Darci Smith Charles Hunter, 32, manager, Pet & Plant Care Service, Lincoln Park Salary: $40,000 Years on the job: Five Duties: Pet care while owners are away from home. Also waters plants, brings in mail and...

Desired but rare in nearby areas.(The Business of Life)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Dan Rafter Even outside Chicago, condominiums are increasingly a lure for second-home buyers. The maintenance is minimal, an important factor for owners who may live hundreds of miles away. They're easier to rent out. And...

Pope's challenge: Have courage, take the long worldview.(Opinion)(Pope Benedict XVI )
May 2, 2005... Byline: Sean K. Murphy As a public relations expert, I'd like to see the next pope worry less about public relations and more about getting something done. If he wants to be remembered as John Paul II ultimately might be, Pope Benedict...

A hotel-like estate.(The Business of Life)(Interview)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Dan Weissmann Tracey Boward, 32, manages Richard Driehaus' 36-acre Lake Geneva estate, overseeing a year-round, full-time staff of five, an annual team of five summer horticulture interns, "plus 10 high school kids to take care of...

Correction.(Corrections)(Correction Notice)
May 2, 2005... Real estate developer Michael W. Reschke plans a 30-story condo tower at the northeast corner of Delaware Place and State Street. The location was incorrectly reported in an April 25 Late News item.

Prepackaged Chicago.(Focus: Tourism Economy)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Irwin Speizer Travel agents say demand for vacation packages is higher than ever. Packages primarily consist of air and hotel, but themed ground packages are offered as well. Such packages are not just for bargain hunters,...

Crowns' big Maytag stake gets soaked; Appliance giant's stock hits 14-year low, costing family millions.(News)
May 2, 2005... Byline: KATE RYAN As the belts fly off at Maytag Corp., executives at the appliance maker's headquarters in Newton, Iowa, aren't the only ones enduring an unsettling spin cycle. Chicago's billionaire Crown family has also watched its 5.2%...

Chicago on $12 a day.(Focus: Tourism Economy)
May 2, 2005... Byline: SANDRA SWANSON Unless you ever visited Chicago as a young, indigent tourist who didn't mind sleeping in a room full of strangers and sharing a bathroom with backpackers, we bet you don't know where to find a youth hostel in the...

City condo for vacation? Suburban, out-of-state buyers enjoy Chicago, watch values climb.(The Business of Life)
May 2, 2005... Byline: DAN RAFTER The surging popularity of downtown condos has reached yet another market segment: the second-home buyer. Though single-family properties are the traditional second home of choice, buyers looking for a second home in...

For The Record.(Briefs)(Exelon named Tom Ridge to its board of director)(Air India and Air Canada awarded contracts to Boeing)(Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.'s earnings)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... U.S. Supreme Court justices criticized the way a jury was instructed before convicting Arthur Andersen of obstructing a government probe into the collapse of Enron. Chicago-based Andersen denied wrongdoing but agreed to pay $65 million to...

Non-profits bracing for new rules; Tax deductions for cars, other gifts under scrutiny.(News)
May 2, 2005... Byline: JEREMY MULLMAN Donations of cars, art and property-and the tax deductions you can take for them-are coming under scrutiny in a sweeping Capitol Hill review designed to craft Sarbanes-Oxley-style legislation for non-profit...

Lettuce teach you how to run a restaurant; Melman's disciples take away recipe for success.(News)(Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises Inc.)
May 2, 2005... Byline: KRISTINA BUCHTHAL Richard Melman's Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises Inc., widely known as a hothouse for new restaurant concepts, also is incubating a new generation of restaurant entrepreneurs. Lettuce alumni are opening...

Summer rentals: More to choose; Now better than 'funky'; big houses in demand.(The Business of Life)
May 2, 2005... Byline: VIRGINIA GERST The market for summer rentals in the greater Chicago area may not compare to that of the Eastern seaboard, where everyone has a summer rental, and houses in the Hamptons are the stuff of legend. But it is growing a...

Metal Mgmt. duo on a dot.com acquisition roll.(Markets)(Metal Management Inc.)
May 2, 2005... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Gerard M. Jacobs and T. Benjamin Jennings, who presided over the swift rise and sharp fall of scrap yard consolidator Metal Management Inc. in the 1990s, are replaying their roll-up strategy in the Internet marketing...

Dealers' hottest car? It's a hybrid; Sales soaring as gas prices rise; wait lists for the Lexus SUV.(News)
May 2, 2005... Byline: BOB TITA Chicago is revving up as a mid-continental outpost for hybrid car sales, which so far have mostly been a bicoastal phenomenon. At a time of unprecedented pump prices, the dual-powered gasoline and electric vehicles are...

R&D centers seek downtown talent; Major firms evoking dot.com era to attract young tech workers.(News)(research, design or product development centers)
May 2, 2005... Byline: JULIE JOHNSSON and GREG HINZ After losing thousands of white-collar jobs during the last recession, downtown Chicago is seeing a resurgence in brainpower as big companies open splashy offices designed to attract professionals in...

'You can see the stars'.(The Business of Life)(Pavalon Gifford Laatsch & Marino)(Eugene I. Pavalon)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Dan Weissmann Eugene I. Pavalon, 72, senior partner at Pavalon Gifford Laatsch & Marino; past president of the Assn. of Trial Lawyers of America. Where: A four-bedroom house in unincorporated New Buffalo, Mich. Since:...

Vacation homes as investments; Real estate even hotter in nearby getaways.(The Business of Life)
May 2, 2005... Byline: DAN RAFTER A second home seems like a great way to take vacations while making money at the same time. But will you? "It's like any other investment you make: You have to do your research,'' says Christine Hrib Karpinski,...

Battle for the family home; Children who inherit might disagree on plan; selling vs. sentiment.(The Business of Life)
May 2, 2005... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN As property values on vacation homes continue to rise, so too does the potential for feuds among family members who inherit them. After all, not everyone wants to hang onto a lakefront cottage where they spent...

Tops of the Town: Chicago's finest hotel rooms.(Focus: Tourism Economy)
May 2, 2005... Byline: David Bernstein Peninsula Suite- Peninsula Chicago 108 E. Superior St., (312) 337-2888 Room No. 1808 Size: 1 bedroom, 11/2 bathrooms; 3,000 square feet, plus a 2,000-square-foot private terrace; up to two adjoining...

Amli favors upscale renters; Rising interest rates shift focus to Class A apartment buildings.(News)(Amli Residential Properties Trust)
May 2, 2005... Byline: ALBY GALLUN Amli Residential Properties Trust is going upmarket as it rides out a down market. The Chicago-based real estate investment trust (REIT), which owns about 29,000 apartments in 79 developments nationwide, is buying...

Buyers push a little farther; Edging into new areas for more home, land; bargains in Galesburg.(The Business of Life)
May 2, 2005... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY In the big leagues of Midwest tourist destinations, million-dollar vacation homes have become the new reality. But there are bargains for those willing to drive a little farther or trade that prime lakeside location...

Ugly cocktail of money, politics and contracts.(Opinion)
May 2, 2005... An official report detailing contracting abuses at the state's main administrative agency belies Gov. Rod Blagojevich's vow to end business as usual in Springfield and underscores the need for true reform of government procurement in Illinois....

'Natural flow' to Wisconsin.(The Business of Life)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Dan Weissmann John "Jack'' Sandner, 63, board member and special policy adviser for the Chicago Mercantile Exchange; served as the Merc's chairman for 13 years in the 1980s and 1990s. Where: Lake Geneva, Wis., in a six-bedroom...

Datebook.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
May 2, 2005... this Week MAY 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. MAY 2: Merger...

THEY'RE IN THE MONEY; Adding up fortunes created by options-based pay; the big-and not so big-names netting the most.(News)
May 2, 2005... Byline: STEVEN R. STRAHLER Stock options may be losing favor as a compensation tool for corporate executives, but on their way out of style they've been good for Chicago CEOs. In some cases, very good. A Crain's analysis of proxy...

Cottage industry? Kids' furniture stores are full of clever finds; right for smaller spaces.(The Business of Life)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Byline: GRETCHEN WAHL Scouting for furniture for the weekend home or condo in the city? Consider Pottery Barn Kids and PB Teen, Land of Nod (part of the Chicago-based Crate and Barrel empire) and Bombay Kids, all outposts of popular...

Now that's a real lakeshore drive.(The Business of Life)(Interview)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Laura Bianchi Jerry and Judy Adams own two Northern Possessions boutiques, one at the 900 North Michigan Shops and another in the resort town of Harbor Springs, Mich. Jerry, 53, and Judy, 49, live in Michigan, but maintain an...

The waterfront premium; Distance to lake sets the geometry of price.(The Business of Life)
May 2, 2005... Byline: GRETCHEN WAHL Certain natural attributes make an area attractive for vacation homes. Here, we have lakes. So, how dramatically does coveted waterfront proximity affect property prices? "There are not analytical, statistical,...

Bad Ladd; METRA BOSS LOVES TO STICK IT TO CTA BUT RAIL CHIEF HAS HIS OWN ISSUES.(News)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Greg Hinz It probably would be unfair to say that Jeff Ladd is as mean as a junkyard dog-unfair to the dog, that is. In two decades as chairman of Metra, Mr. Ladd has earned a reputation as a competent but unbending advocate...

Two-area shop owners see both sides of coin.(The Business of Life)
May 2, 2005... How does a Chicago frame of mind translate in nearby Indiana and Michigan? Chicago is only 90 minutes from these vacation destinations, but retailers with businesses in both locales say there's a world of difference, ranging from how much...

nominations wanted.(Focus: Tourism Economy)
May 2, 2005... Crain's seeks nominees for its annual 40 Under 40 feature. Anyone working in the Chicago area who will turn 40 after Nov. 1 is eligible. To make a nomination, e-mail a brief statement (250 to 300 words) to 40noms@crain.com. Please include...

A full-time move to the 2nd home; Some eventually choose to flip their lives, but docs, schools are issues.(The Business of Life)
May 2, 2005... Byline: LAURA BIANCHI What happens when your weekend getaway place becomes a more powerful lure than your actual home? Balancing their love of ethnic food and access to world-class hospitals against the desire for a slower-paced...

Sara Lee moving to burbs.(Briefs)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Sara Lee Corp. is consolidating its North American operations in Downers Grove, deciding on the western suburb after several weeks of scouting new locations. The consumer products company will move about 1,000 employees into the former Spiegel...

A Fair Housing Plan.(The Business of Life)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Sarah A. Klein Les Kotzer, an estate lawyer and co-author of "The Family Fight: Planning to Avoid It,'' says leaving a vacation home to your children can trigger a feud if it's not done carefully. Before you turn the beachfront...

New round of golf housing; Developers take swing in outlying areas; homes with built-in 'lifestyle'.(The Business of Life)
May 2, 2005... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY After a considerable lull, new golf course communities are beginning to crop up again on Chicago's suburban periphery. Developments marrying golf and houses are either under construction or planned in Elgin,...

Destinations Unknown.(Focus: Tourism Economy)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Sarah A. Klein Marty Cusack, communications manager at the Chicago Historical Society, can guide a visitor to almost any Chicago site worth seeing, as long as it exists. You'd be surprised, he says, how many calls he takes asking...

Off-track tourism; Far from the maddening crowds, obscure sites draw devoted pilgrims.(Focus: Tourism Economy)
May 2, 2005... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN While the masses pack Navy Pier and line up for Sears Tower elevators, small but devoted groups of tourists make pilgrimages to lesser-known Chicago area sites. A few attractions that the trolleys don't drive by: ...

Swank spots hit Harbor Country; Mesa Luna, Soe Cafeadd cosmopolitan touch.(The Business of Life)(Soe Cafe)
May 2, 2005... Byline: LAURA BIANCHI Fine-dining chefs are venturing into Michigan's Harbor Country, opening restaurants with culinary aspirations in towns dominated by mom-and-pop spots or, if they're lucky, a nicer bar and grill. These upscale venues...

Conventions.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
May 2, 2005... THIS WEEK MAY 2-3: Society of Actuaries, Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers, estimated attendance 500. MAY 3-5: Consumer Specialty Products Assn., Chicago Marriott Downtown, estimated attendance 750. MAY 3-5: Centers for Disease...

Northern Trust casts wary eye on stocks.(News)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Byline: STEVE DANIELS Just as Northern Trust Corp. appears to be hitting its stride, the stock market is taking a spill. A continued market downturn could hamper the company's recovery, illustrated by a strong first-quarter earnings...

What you get at your getaway; On the market: a 'cabin' for $899,000; how many stairs to the water?(The Business of Life)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Gretchen Wahl After a winter of bundling, shoveling, skidding and shivering, we Chicagoans finally get our due: bright sunshine and cool lake breezes. We looked in three popular vacation spots for places to enjoy those fleeting...

Michigan 'a complete change of scene'.(The Business of Life)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Dan Weissmann Margaret McCurry, 62, principal architect, with husband Stanley Tigerman, in Tigerman McCurry Architects in Chicago. Where: Lakeside, Mich., in a 1,000-square-foot house she and Mr. Tigerman designed. Since:...

A town's culture of change.(The Business of Life)(Vickers Theatre)(Interview)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Dan Weissmann Jon Vickers, 41, came home to Three Oaks, Mich., after college to help run his family's manufacturing business, and in 1994 he bought a 100-year-old theater with his wife, Jennifer. After two years of rehabbing, the...

Managers put minds at ease; A necessary expense: someone on the scene.(The Business of Life)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Kevin Davis Since being hired to look after a Chicago family's vacation home in New Buffalo, Mich., 15 years ago, Jan Adamec has had to make two unpleasant late-night phone calls to the owner. The first time, pipes had burst in...

Which house this time? Residence clubs give vacationers a world of options for each trip.(The Business of Life)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Jennifer Olvera Lake Forest resident Ray Lombardi got tired of dishing out big bucks each year to rent luxury vacation properties for his immediate and extended family. "We like skiing, but renting a large place several times a...

VIP handler.(The Business of Life)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... Byline: Kevin Davis Linda Bruno, 41, premium service representative, American Airlines, O'Hare International Airport Salary: $40,000 to $50,000 Years on the job: 3 Duties: Meeting and greeting corporate clients, celebrities...

Correction.(Corrections)(Correction Notice)
May 9, 2005... The April 18 list of Chicago's largest private companies should have included Information Resources Inc., with $572.8 in 2004 revenues, and Nelson Steel Co. L.P., with $109 million in revenue.

Trib lags, but Cubs not in play.(Briefs)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... Despite a sharp drop in circulation, sluggish advertising and shares that are hovering near a 52-week low, Tribune Co. said it would not sell a marquee property to boost cash or its stock price. Speaking with analysts, the head of Tribune...

Slicing away at Fed Signal.(Annual Meetings)(Robert D. Welding)(Federal Signal Corp.)
May 9, 2005... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY A few years ago, management at Federal Signal Corp. figured acquisitions would help pull the company back onto a growth path. But under current President and CEO Robert D. Welding, the new mantra is "shrink to grow.''...

MAF wants diverse portfolio; Thrift began to broaden its lending strategy with mortgage rates rising.(Annual Meetings)(MAF Bancorporation Inc.)(Company Profile)
May 9, 2005... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY MAF Bancorp Inc. suffered its first earnings-per-share decline in 15 years as a public company in 2004, prompting the Clarendon Hills-based thrift to cut costs and push further into new businesses in search of growth...

As bank grows, mum on plans.(Annual Meetings)(Mitchell Feiger)(MB Financial Inc.)
May 9, 2005... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Mitchell Feiger, president and CEO of MB Financial Inc., is up to something. Something "revolutionary,'' he said. At the Chicago bank's recent annual meeting, he hinted about plans to "re-engineer'' services in 43...

The agony of defeat; Bankruptcy can put your company back together, if you manage it right.(Focus: Small Business: Finance)
May 9, 2005... Byline: LOUISE DALY As a director of the now-defunct Archibald Candy Corp., Shepherd G. Pryor IV watched the Chicago confectionery giant limp from one bankruptcy filing to another. When Mr. Pryor joined the board in November 2002,...

New telcom law should nurture new technologies.(Opinion)
May 9, 2005... SBC Communications Inc. is pressing for an overhaul of state telecommunications regulation, arguing that technological advances make the current regulatory framework obsolete. The company says regulation of its rates, based on its control...

Late News.(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... A new office, hotel tower on LaSalle? A developer that bought two century-old buildings at 29 and 39 S. LaSalle last year aims to build a boutique hotel and office tower there. Hamilton Partners of Itasca has been courting tenants for a...

On the Move.(appointments, promotions etc.,)
May 9, 2005... Education National-Louis University, Chicago: Richard J. Pappas, 53, to president, from president at Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor, Mich. Financial Services LaSalle Bank Corp., Chicago: Gregory J. Spevok, 45, to managing...

Beef: It's what's for lunch, too; Morton's elevates scene with Loop-area location.(The Business of Life)(Restaurant Review)
May 9, 2005... Byline: ANNE MOORE Steak and Chicago are synonymous, and invitations to join me at these spots were snapped up faster than you can say "make mine rare.'' It's not just the beef; steakhouses typically offer luxury and sophistication, making...

INTRODUCING THE NEW BAXTER; CEO Parkinson is fixing the medical products maker. But can he grow it?(News)(Robert L. Parkinson Jr.)
May 9, 2005... Byline: Brett Chase At Baxter International Inc. these days, executives worry a little more about making their numbers and a little less about making it home in time for dinner. Known for pleasing work-life advocates and disappointing...

Moving On Up.(tips for getting front row tickets)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2005... Byline: Mark Scheffler Some tips for getting front row: * At some of the more highbrow cultural institutions, becoming a subscriber is really the only way to begin the process of getting the seats you want, as preference is always...

Journey to the front row; How to snag the best season tickets? Combine lots of money with years of devotion.(The Business of Life)
May 9, 2005... Byline: MARK SCHEFFLER Front-row seats-the ultimate event-going prize-are home to VIPs, deep-pocketed donors and groupies. Landing these coveted spots usually requires some combination of perseverance, luck, timing and a long commitment to...

Let your cash flow.(Focus: Small Business: Finance)
May 9, 2005... Byline: REBECCA JARVIS There's no more important challenge for business owners than getting customers to pay before the rent is due. We asked five entrepreneurs how they achieve financial homeostasis-where the money coming in is enough to...

Owner, pay thyself.(Focus: Small Business: Finance)
May 9, 2005... Byline: louise daly Most entrepreneurs will swear they're not doing it for the money. But no matter how much you love your small business, you've got to eat. The hard part is knowing how much of your company's precious capital to expend on...

Clark targets more growth; CEO wants to make acquisitions to cut reliance on big contracts.(Annual Meetings)
May 9, 2005... Byline: SHRUTI DATE SINGH Clark Inc. is looking to grow its way out of problems that have hammered the employee benefit consulting firm's stock in recent weeks. Chairman and CEO Tom Wamberg said he wants to ramp up acquisitions and...

CFOs: Who needs them? Is your firm at a point where a strategic thinker for finances is important?(Focus: Small Business: Finance)
May 9, 2005... Byline: JOHN T. SLANIA One way to tell what stage a company is at is to see who's managing the books. Tiny one-trick companies do fine with only a bookkeeper, who balances the ledgers, handles payroll and pays the bills. Small and...

The sales tax puzzle; How to avoid learning tax laws the hard way.(Focus: Small Business: Finance)
May 9, 2005... Byline: MARY KANE Small business owners who don't understand sales tax may get a tutorial in the form of a state tax audit. Caterer Kevin Kelly learned that lesson last year, when the Illinois Department of Revenue informed him that he...

Merc foresees more growth.(Annual Meetings)(Mercantile Exchange Holdings Inc. )
May 9, 2005... Byline: KATE RYAN Chicago's largest futures market continues to get a jolt from electronic trading. Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings Inc. reported record 2004 results and said it expects strong growth to continue this year as the...

Datebook.(Calendar/Datebook)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
May 9, 2005... this Week MAY 10: Women's Leadership Exchange presents Break or Exceed the $1-Million Barrier. 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. McCormick Place, Grand Ballroom, 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive. Fee: $250. (888) 937-5800. MAY 10: Small Business...