Crain's Chicago Business articles from October 2003

Crain's Chicago Business archives from October 2003

There's no compromising with weak-kneed directors.(Opinion)(corporate directors)
October 6, 2003... Byline: Marc J. Lane Headline-grabbing criminal prosecutors and civil litigators are gunning for high-profile executives of public companies who commit corporate fraud. But, until now, subservient directors who do nothing wrong but ignore...

Pactiv beefs up food-packaging unit; Acquiring two plants producing in-demand APET.(News)(amorphous polyethylene terephthalate)
October 6, 2003... Byline: JOSEPH PRYWELLER Crain News Service Pactiv Corp. is continuing its expansion campaign by agreeing to purchase the plastic packaging assets of Rock-Tenn Co. Rock-Tenn's two plastics manufacturing facilities-in northwest suburban...

End of an era; An enclosed mall hasn't been built in the Chicago area since the early '90s. Don't expect a new one anytime soon.(Real Estate)
October 6, 2003... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY The last few years weren't kind to the Brickyard Mall on Chicago's Northwest Side. In short order, anchor tenants Kmart, J. C. Penney and Montgomery Ward all went dark, with no comparable replacements standing in line...

Hospital exec promoted to fulfill growth strategy he designed.(People)(Roger Johnson)
October 6, 2003... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN Roger Johnson, the newly appointed president and CEO of Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village, can't blame the eggheads at corporate headquarters if a $200-million-plus plan to transform the community...

Rod positioning himself for vice-presidential stakes.(Opinion)(Rod R. Blagojevich)
October 6, 2003... Byline: James D. Nowlan Because first-term Gov. Rod Blagojevich spent so much time consciously dissing politicians of both parties during the recent legislative session, speculation caromed around the Capitol that the Chicago Democrat must...

Downtown eateries have a taste for change.(RL)(Ristorante We)(Restaurant Review)
October 6, 2003... Byline: ANNE SPISELMAN Two stylish little restaurants have changed their concepts while keeping their decor. RL, adjacent to the Polo Ralph Lauren store, gradually switched from Italian to American after being taken over by the owners of...

Conflict questions raised by Cat loan; Funds went to biz owned by wife of company exec.(News)(Caterpillar Inc.)
October 6, 2003... Byline: JAMES B. ARNDORFER A financing arm of Caterpillar Inc. agreed to lend $250,000 this year to a business owned in part by the wife of the Cat executive who oversees the finance unit. The loan expanded a 1998 credit facility...

Sayers' firm sacked in reseller downturn.(News)(Gale Sayers, Sayers 40 Inc.)
October 6, 2003... Byline: JULIE JOHNSSON It's fourth and long for former Chicago Bear Gale Sayers and the computer reseller he heads, Mount Prospect-based Sayers 40 Inc., after the prolonged market slump and a dispute with a creditor forced an earlier...

Exelon plots Springfield power ploy; Seeks SBC-style fast track on IP deal, rates.(News)(Illinois Power Co.)
October 6, 2003... Byline: STEVE DANIELS and GREG HINZ Exelon Corp. is pressing Gov. Rod Blagojevich and state lawmakers to lock in power rates three years down the road and expedite regulatory review of its proposed Illinois Power Co. acquisition. The...

Homeowners chip in for DuPage forest land.(News)
October 6, 2003... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY In an unusual twist, a private fund-raising group is pledging money toward the purchase of land eyed for a future forest preserve in DuPage County. The DuPage County Forest Preserve District has filed suit to...

An M&A lift spurs hopes for rebound; Attitudes, not economy, showing positive signs.(News)(mergers and acquisitions)
October 6, 2003... Byline: STEVEN R. STRAHLER Radio station acquirer Thomas Bookey hasn't completed a deal in more than a year. After Sept. 11, he says, "the whole industry slipped into an abyss, transaction-wise.'' But now, his Chicago-based Heartland...

WHAT PRICE VICTORY? WAIT 'TIL NEXT YEAR; Winning season will send Cubs ticket prices soaring.(News)(Chicago Cubs)
October 6, 2003... Byline: JEREMY MULLMAN For Chicago Cubs fans, success comes at a price. The team's improbable run to the National League Central title and playoff appearance sparked a huge demand for tickets, which won't be lost on management when it...

Demand for apartments is still in the basement.(Real Estate)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Byline: ALBY GALLUN The local apartment market came close to hitting a bottom in the third quarter, but it's not there yet. The average vacancy rate rose to 7.4% in the quarter, up from 7.3% in the second quarter and 6.4% in...

Profile: City talk: Giving towns his two cents on growth issues.(Real Estate)(Rux Currin)
October 6, 2003... Byline: BOB TITA Rux Currin has some of the best development experts in the Chicago area at his fingertips. And he's eager to share their talents for free. As the new chairman of the Urban Land Institute's (ULI) Chicago District, Mr....

New look, new start at IIT; Forget the Koolhaas buzz: The real story's in the stats.(News)(Illinois Institute of Technology)(Rem Koolhaas)
October 6, 2003... Byline: GREG HINZ Enrollment and SAT scores are up. So are fund-raising and income from research grants. New joint programs have been established with top schools, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Purdue...

Datebook.(Calendar)
October 6, 2003... WEEK OF OCT. 6 OCT. 7: Executive Resources Network presents Future of the Midwest. 6 p.m. Midwest Conference Center, 401 W. Lake St., Northlake. Fee: $10. (630) 546-9430. OCT. 7: Lansky Career Consultants presents Resumes That Work. 1...

Yule cheer for retailers; After two dark sales seasons, 'uneven rebound' foreseen.(News)
October 6, 2003... Byline: SANDRA JONES Shopkeepers have some reason to be jolly this Christmas. After enduring the worst holiday season in more than a decade last year, retailers are preparing for a rebound in the crucial November-December selling...

O, what buzz for Rush clinic; Hospital gets a booster shot from its star patient - and a jolt in the 3-way race to open a women's heart center.(News)(Oprah Winfrey)(Rush University Medical Center)
October 6, 2003... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN Annabelle Volgman never expected to be the Dr. Phil of cardiology. But that changed two years ago, when her receptionist asked if she could squeeze a new patient into the schedule. Oprah Winfrey, was...

Rival takes shine to metal recycler; Metal Mgmt.'s recovery puts it in play.(News)(European Metal Recycling Ltd. seeks to acquire Metal Management Inc.)
October 6, 2003... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Rising scrap prices and a quick rinse in Bankruptcy Court have transformed metal recycler Metal Management Inc. from basket case to plump buyout target. Chicago-based Metal Management, considered the largest...

Motorola board sets pace other firms should follow.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Motorola Inc.'s board of directors did the right thing by ending the six-year stewardship of Christopher Galvin and pushing for more rapid financial improvement at the 75-year-old company. The question now is whether the move comes too late to...

Conventions.(Calendar)
October 6, 2003... WEEK OF OCT. 6 Oct. 6-8: Progress in Planning, Oak Brook Hills Hotel and Conference Center, estimated attendance 311. Oct. 6-9: International Conference on Conceptual Modeling, Omni Orrington, estimated attendance 200. Oct. 6-10:...

And now, please rise for an anthem from our sponsor.(Opinion)(corporate sponsorship)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... Corporate sponsorship is a fact of life in football and other pro sports. There's sponsorship of the opening lineups and the halftime scoreboard show and signage all over. But that racket reached a new low at the opening Chicago Bears game...

The Huskie hustle; Northern Illinois University hopes the surprising success of its football team will bring big financial gains.(News)
October 6, 2003... Byline: PATRICK Z. McGAVIN Rising out of DeKalb's unadorned landscape, Huskie Stadium appears modest and understated by the exaggerated standards of major college sports facilities. Nonetheless, the stadium in this quiet town of 40,000...

Electric City plugs into ComEd power; Hopes alliance will boost its equipment sales.(News)(Commonwealth Edison Co.)
October 6, 2003... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Since it went public in 1998, Electric City Corp. has struggled to persuade businesses to invest in its innovative energy-saving technologies. Now, the company has found a potent ally, Commonwealth Edison Co., to help...

Bush collects $3.6 mil. here.(Briefs)(George W. Bush)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... President George W. Bush pledged to build a "prosperity society'' at a Chicago event that raised more than $3.6 million for his re-election campaign. "So long as anyone in America is looking for a job, I will work to make the economic...

Merchants wooed for S. Loop site; Whole Foods, Best Buy courted.(News)
October 6, 2003... Byline: ALBY GALLUN The retail rush to Roosevelt Road in the South Loop has attracted another developer, who plans to build a 350,000-square-foot shopping center there potentially anchored by a Whole Foods Market. Chicago-based JPS...

Chicago Observer: Lobbyists try being awfully quiet when subject is their own status.(Briefs)(Biography)
October 6, 2003... Byline: steven r. strahler Whether clout-heavy lobbyist Al Ronan does or does not have a problem with the feds-he is said to be under investigation for alleged influence-peddling at the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority-he seems...

Joffrey stages fiscal revival; Surplus, upcoming film point way to more solid footing.(News)(Joffrey Ballet)
October 6, 2003... Byline: BRIAN McCORMICK Credit the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago with a flair for the dramatic rivaling anything in the upcoming Robert Altman film about a young dancer in the company. Two years ago, operating deficits had Joffrey on the...

Quote of the Week.(Quotes)(Oprah Winfrey raises heart disease awareness)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2003... She can relate to so many people that the medical profession isn't doing a good job of relating to. Cardiologist Eileen Kelly, on Oprah Winfrey's push to raise women's awareness of heart disease PAGE 1

Late News.
October 6, 2003... Trump's prices SPIRALING SKYWARD Donald Trump is raising prices on condominiums in his planned downtown high-rise as Chicagoans clamor for perches atop the 90-story tower Mr. Trump hopes to build on a riverfront site now occupied by the...

Impressions of the Far East in footwear, facts.(Commentary)
October 6, 2003... Byline: Joe Cappo I have just returned from a 9 1/2-slipper trip to Asia. Perhaps I had better explain. I spent almost a week traveling around Asia on a lecture tour, promoting my book, "The Future of Advertising.'' (Blatant plug...

Travel vet gets ticket to run luxury rail tour operation.(People)(Peter Boese )(president of American Orient Express)
October 13, 2003... Byline: SANDRA JONES Pittsburgh's billionaire industrialist Hillman family has tapped a Chicago travel executive to run its growing luxury, vintage-railroad tour business out of west suburban Downers Grove. Peter Boese, 40, has been...

Outsourcing flies UAL into uncharted skies.(News)(United Air Lines Inc.)
October 13, 2003... Byline: PAUL MERRION When United Airlines closed maintenance hubs this summer in Indianapolis and Oakland, Calif., triggering howls from thousands of mechanics whose jobs were outsourced, it was just getting started. Below the radar,...

Hot and bothered.(News)(Bikram yoga studios)
October 13, 2003... Byline: ANNE MOORE The hottest fitness craze these days is Bikram yoga, which has practitioners moving through a prescribed series of positions in a 90-minute class in a studio superheated to 105 degrees. But the phenomenon is causing...

Norm's next trick; Nearing retirement, Norm Bobins puts his legacy on the line with a plan to lift LaSalle Bank Corp. into the nation's the top 10.(News)(Norman Bobins)
October 13, 2003... Byline: STEVE DANIELS Norman Bobins is out to prove that he's more than Chicago's top business banker of his generation. Having made LaSalle Bank Corp. into Chicago's leading commercial lender over the past decade or so, Mr. Bobins...

Pitch men; If the Cubs can turn back decades of championship futility, endorsement deals may be in the cards for their aces.(News)(Chicago Cubs)
October 13, 2003... Byline: JEREMY MULLMAN Mark Prior and Kerry Wood, the star pitchers who have propelled the Chicago Cubs to their most successful playoff run in 95 years, are primed to join slugger Sammy Sosa on the national endorsement circuit next...

Buyback doesn't address the bigger issue at Sears.(Opinion)(Sears, Roebuck and Co.)(credit card business to Citigroup Inc.)
October 13, 2003... Sears, Roebuck and Co. has answered the question of what it will do with $3 billion in proceeds from the sale of its credit card business. It will once again buy back stock, which is bound to please investors. But CEO Alan Lacy has yet to...

Vendor issue rolls toward compromise; Kitchen co-ops could end `elote war'.(Small Business)(Hispanic street vendors)
October 13, 2003... Byline: BILL CLEMENTS A long-running battle over the largely unregulated street vendors in Chicago's Hispanic neighborhoods is edging toward a truce. The persistent controversy-dubbed "the elote wars,'' after the Spanish word for corn,...

Chicago Observer: Empty mezzanine seats at Blair as show closes for capital group.(Briefs)(William Blair & Co. LLC.)
October 13, 2003... Byline: Steven R. Strahler The defections keep mounting at William Blair & Co. LLC. Its mezzanine capital partners group is bolting, according to Blair sources, dealing a blow to the LaSalle Street institution's effort to retain proven...

Trash haulers end walkout.(Briefs)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2003... The Chicago Area Refuse Haulers Assn. and the union representing trash haulers agreed to a new contract Thursday, ending a strike that left most of the area without garbage pickup for eight days. A federal mediator was called in to help the two...

Applied science; Local scientists- turned-entrepreneurs are experimenting with their own formula for success: corporate management experience, venture capital-and big ambitions.(Technology)
October 13, 2003... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN Local scientists left jobless in a succession of technology and pharmaceutical industry mergers, spinoffs and acquisitions have turned into entrepreneurs to stay in Chicago and ply their trades. The Chicago...

Profitably pampering pets; Entrepreneurs tap demanding owners with luxury goods, high-end services.(Small Business)
October 13, 2003... Byline: JENNIFER MARTIN It was a birthday celebration no one wanted to flea. On a sunny day at a North Side park, nine dogs sat among bright tablecloths, balloons and streamers, sharing an apple birthday cake. Later, the 1-year-old...

Block 37 hits bump Viacom, CTA complicating a deal.(News)(Viacom Inc. planned television studio)(Chicago Transit Authority)
October 13, 2003... Byline: ALBY GALLUN and GREG HINZ The latest project planned for the long-jinxed Block 37 has reached a critical point, as a key prospective tenant sharply pares its space needs and officials scramble to find more than $200 million to fund...

Safeway hopes veteran produces at Dominick's.(News)(R. Randall Onstead Jr.)(Dominick's Finer Foods Inc.)
October 13, 2003... Byline: JAMES B. ARNDORFER Unable to sell Dominick's Finer Foods after nearly a year on the block, Safeway Inc. is bringing in a Texas grocery veteran to fix up the stores, according to sources familiar with the situation. Safeway has...

Stocks rise as Ill. firms see growth; Hold the party: Recovery skips several sectors.(News)
October 13, 2003... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY No one's breaking out the party hats or uncorking the champagne just yet, but after two dismal years, it looks like 2003 will give local stock-watchers something to celebrate. For the first nine months of this...

Quote of the Week.(Quotes)
October 13, 2003... Mark and Kerry-there's no question these guys are an advertiser's dream. Sports marketer Nova Lanktree, on endorsement prospects for Cubs pitchers Mark Prior and Kerry Wood PAGE 3

Late News.
October 13, 2003... LIPINSKI ON TRACK FOR TRANSIT POST U.S. Rep. William O. Lipinski is slated to chair a high-powered new state task force that will consider mergers and other steps to get the state's numerous transportation and planning agencies to work...

Post-Galvin Motorola ripe for more paring; Even without chips, units have scant synergy.(News)(Motorola Inc.)(Chris Galvin)
October 13, 2003... Byline: JULIE JOHNSSON As newly energized directors start slimming down Motorola Inc. with a plan to shed its struggling semiconductor business, the question is where they will stop. When the $27-billion-revenues Schaumburg-based...

Credit union aims at low-end niche; A South Side alternative to payday lenders.(News)(South Side Community Federal Credit Union)
October 13, 2003... Byline: STEVE DANIELS A new credit union designed to serve low-income South Siders has attracted nearly $2 million in capital from banks, foundations and other groups. South Side Community Federal Credit Union, slated to open next...

Designer duds find showcase; New fashionistas find frugal locale to display wares.(Small Business)
October 13, 2003... Byline: LISA BERTAGNOLI Just 25 and a fashion designer for a mere six months, Kay McNally can't afford to open a boutique in Bucktown or Lincoln Park. That's not stopping Ms. McNally and her business partner, Annie Bangs, from...

Datebook.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
October 13, 2003... WEEK OF OCT. 13 OCT. 14: Adventist Health Systems Midwest Region presents Hospital Reimbursements: Our Economy and You. 7 p.m. La Grange Memorial Hospital, 5101 S. Willow Springs Road, La Grange. Free. (630) 856-7525. OCT. 14: Career...

Showing the way; Mentoring programs help Latino entrepreneurs make the often-difficult transition from employee to owner by sharing knowledge and experience.(Small Business)
October 13, 2003... Byline: BILL CLEMENTS When Raul and Mercedes Gomez were laid off from their factory jobs in August 2002, they were at a loss about how to make money. Mr. Gomez was 59; Ms. Gomez was 54. After working for 28 and 24 years, respectively, for...

Digging to the bottom: Why garbage is a mess.(Commentary)
October 13, 2003... Byline: Joe Cappo When I was a kid, a strike of garbage workers in Chicago would have been serious, but not as critical as it has been this year. Here is why. In those days: * There were no disposable diapers. * Most milk,...

Ispat Inland eyes early contract talks.(News)(steel company's union contract)
October 13, 2003... Byline: JAMES B. ARNDORFER Ispat Inland Inc. will try to forge a new contract with the United Steelworkers of America ahead of schedule to keep up with productivity-boosting agreements recently reached by other steel mills. While East...

Those inebriated Cub fans bring nothing to the party.(Opinion)
October 13, 2003... Byline: Joel Weisman What will you remember most about the Cubs' incredible post-season run? Will it be the pitching, the tension, the wily manager, the suddenly good front office or the national attention? What you won't remember-and...

Cubs fever infects local advertisers.(News)(winning season for Chicago Cubs)
October 13, 2003... Byline: KATE MacARTHUR Crain News Service Chicago-area marketers are attaching themselves to the Chicago Cubs' unexpected push for post-season glory. "It's amazing what a winning Cubs season does to the morale of not only our...

Rockford touting its airport; Entrepreneurs seek more flights, more development.(Small Business)(Rockford airport renamed Northwest Chicagoland Regional Airport)
October 13, 2003... Byline: LORNA COLLIER Shawn Barbagallo gave a hand to the Rockford airport recently. A purple chair in the shape of a giant hand, to be precise. The chair artist is one of hundreds of Rockford-area business people lending support to...

Real Estate Review: Build-to-suit market's the weakest in years.(Real Estate)
October 13, 2003... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY The build-to-suit market continues to decline around Chicago, with new construction in the first half of this year sinking to the lowest levels since 1997. According to a survey by Skokie-based developer Alter...

Callahan getting Trizec back on track; But he's eyeing more sales, in a depressed market.(News)(Timothy H. Callahan)(Trizec Properties Inc.)
October 13, 2003... Byline: ALBY GALLUN After dumping the Sears Tower and beating analysts' expectations in the last two quarters, Trizec Properties Inc. is emerging from Wall Street's doghouse. Fourteen months after taking over as president and CEO of...

End of the road for Kane chairman; Pro-growth views overtake McCoy.(News)(Kane County's Michael McCoy)(attempt to limit suburban sprawl)
October 13, 2003... Byline: BOB TITA The bully pulpit is no match for the bulldozer in Kane County. As a key architect of a sweeping plan to limit suburban-style sprawl in the historically agricultural parts of the county, Kane County Board Chairman...

Voters can go Hollywood or demand better answers.(Opinion)(running for Senate)
October 13, 2003... Byline: Paul Merrion Note to Hollywood has-beens, former astronauts and other political wanna-bes aiming to start their second careers at the top: You can be the next U.S. senator from Illinois. If a vaguely scripted, ideologically...

Loop workers rush to relax; Lunchtime is for yoga, massage, etc.(Small Business)
October 13, 2003... Byline: KEVIN DAVIS On Monday afternoons during his lunch break, Jorge Sanchez ducks out of his downtown law office, walks down the street and enters a sanctuary where he can relax and forget his troubles for an hour. He changes into...

Conventions.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
October 13, 2003... WEEK OF OCT. 13 Oct. 13-15: Family Office Exchange LLC, Renaissance Chicago Hotel, estimated attendance 400. Oct. 13-18: American Society of Appraisers, Hyatt Regency Chicago, estimated attendance 500. Oct. 14-17: International...

ChicagoBusiness.com.(News)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2003... Women in business www.chicagobusiness.com/women An online resource for women doing business in Chicago offers statistics on female-owned firms and links to top networking groups.

Don't broker utility deal on backs of ratepayers.(Opinion)(proposed Exelon Corp. acquisition of Illinois Power Co.)
October 13, 2003... Exelon Corp. is trying to sell the General Assembly on the idea of locking in power rates-three years from now-as a prerequisite for acquiring Downstate utility Illinois Power Co. from its financially troubled Texas parent. State legislators...

Selling cows, corn to Disneyland crowd; Farmers hope agritourism will appeal to vacationing families.(News)
October 13, 2003... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN Illinois farmers hard hit by fluctuating commodity prices and global competition are eyeing a new cash crop: tourists. Berry farmers, vintners and vegetable growers from the Mississippi River to Joliet are...

Profile: Tech consultants keeping it together.(Technology)(Eric Wasowicz, Howard Blietz)
October 13, 2003... Byline: JULIE JOHNSSON Resilient planning and a Monday morning ritual have helped the three fraternity buddies who founded Schaumburg consulting firm Greenbrier & Russel Inc. keep their business-and friendship-intact across two decades and...

Streamlining saves cash; But too much outsourcing can hurt customer relations.(Small Business)
October 13, 2003... Byline: BRIAN LEAF Lobster Gram International Inc. will ship 50,000 packages of live lobsters and frozen steaks to customers this year. But come busy December-when Lobster Gram generates 45% of its annual business-the Chicago-based...

Fusion spot a blend of sizzle and fizzle.(Dining/Restaurant Review)(SushiSamba Rio )(Restaurant Review)
October 13, 2003... Byline: ANNE SPISELMAN The hottest restaurant to open in Chicago this summer is a cinch to get into at lunch. New York/Miami import SushiSamba Rio sizzles at night, with a scene worthy of "Sex and the City,'' but on my noontime visits,...

Enron crash shines light on Northern; Suit says bank failed to guard pension funds.(News)
October 13, 2003... Byline: STEVEN R. STRAHLER It used to be said that Northern Trust Co. was so conservative, the bank wouldn't make the same mistake once. That was before Houston's Enron Corp. went bust and Northern was caught in its web, accused in...

Ratings cuts dog Motorola; Strategy, balance sheet draw skepticism.(News)
October 20, 2003... Byline: JULIE JOHNSSON As Wall Street cheers the rosy results recently posted by Motorola Inc., flaws in the electronics giant's finances and business model continue to cloud its future. When Schaumburg-based Motorola pushed up an...

Anti-establishment.(News)(Marge's denied liquor license)
October 20, 2003... Byline: ALBY GALLUN After bringing Old Town residents together since the 19th century, a shuttered bar named Marge's is dividing them in the 21st. Its taps stopped flowing more than two years ago, after the death of longtime proprietor...

Rush St. rising; Neighborhood groups worry that a high-rise boom is turning the Gold Coast into a densely packed chasm.(News)
October 20, 2003... Byline: GREG HINZ Call it the Rush Street rush. An unprecedented wave of high-rise residential development is about to hit the Near North Side thoroughfare known more for its nightlife than condo towers, and neighborhood opposition to...

Sara Lee's pay policy: Let Steve eat cake; As shareholders diet, CEO McMillan chows down.(News)(C. Steven McMillan)
October 20, 2003... Byline: JAMES B. ARNDORFER Sara Lee Corp. CEO C. Steven McMillan and his board of directors haven't gotten the word. At a time when excessive executive compensation has become a kind of corporate scarlet letter-bringing down the likes...

Conventions.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
October 20, 2003... WEEK OF OCT. 20 Oct. 21: Camp Conferences Inc., Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, estimated attendance 1,500. Oct. 21: Special Olympics, Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, public. Oct. 22-25: National Assn. for the Dually...

Growing too far poses problems; Being all things to all clients isn't always advisable.(Special Report: Law Firns)
October 20, 2003... Byline: KEVIN DAVIS Partners at mid-sized firms who worry that the only way to survive is to grow ought to think again. While many consultants have been recommending that small and mid-sized firms consider merging or being acquired to...

Conflicts heating referral business for niche players; Boutiques ramp up to meet the growing demand.(Special Report: Law Firns)
October 20, 2003... Byline: JUDITH NEMES Stephen Novack has a problem, of sorts: His specialty litigation firm, Novack & Macey LLP, is getting more referrals than it can manage from full-service firms that handle corporate lawsuits. Mergers of the biggest...

Dem nominee needs bucks to counter Bush advantage.(Opinion)(Wesley Clark, George W. Bush)
October 20, 2003... Byline: Paul M. Green It's autumn in Chicago, and all our fancies should turn to politics. On the national stage, the fight for the Democratic presidential nomination is wide open. Money is the key: Since the 1984 election, the...

Chicago Observer: TB or not TB: Civic Fed renews debate over sanitarium district.(Briefs)(Suburban Cook County Tuberculosis Sanitarium District)
October 20, 2003... Byline: steven r. strahler The Suburban Cook County Tuberculosis Sanitarium District, which has proved more resilient than the disease itself, is coming under fresh assault from Cook County Board members who say they will seek General...

Long-distance nod for SBC.(Briefs)(approval to provide long-distance service)(Brief Article)
October 20, 2003... SBC Communications Inc., the Texas-based parent of the local phone company, won federal approval of its plan to provide long-distance service in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin. The move means SBC, which now provides local phone service...

Lateral candidates face tougher screening; Formal vetting process gives a better picture of fit.(Special Report: Law Firns)
October 20, 2003... Byline: MARY ELLEN PODMOLIK Six months ago, Hinshaw & Culbertson decided to take its own advice. After years of informally screening lateral partner candidates, the Chicago law firm changed its hiring process to reflect the same risk...

Tribune looks eastward in quest for young eyes; Helps launch tabloid amNewYork.(News)
October 20, 2003... Byline: VALERIE BLOCK Crain News Service Tribune Co. is out to prove that young New Yorkers aren't any different from their counterparts in big cities across the country: They will read a newspaper as long as it's free, short and easy to...

Deere's health cost pain eased by pact.(News)
October 20, 2003... Byline: JAMES B. ARNDORFER Deere & Co. won concessions under its new pact with the United Auto Workers that should slow the rise in health care costs at the Moline-based maker of agricultural machinery. Starting July 1, the six-year...

Wal-Mart should counsel advertisers on what works.(Opinion)
October 20, 2003... Byline: Rance Crain The statement from an extensive report on Wal-Mart in Crain's sister publication Advertising Age earlier this month jumped out: " `One thing I've never seen from Wal-Mart,' said one marketer, `was (for managers) to...