Crain's Chicago Business articles from October 2008

Crain's Chicago Business archives from October 2008

Male bastions, transformed.(Focus: Enterprising Women)
October 6, 2008... Byline: Steven R. Strahler Federal Judge Ilana Rovner remembers stopping a civil proceeding in the late 1980s for a brief moment of celebration once she realized each of the four attorneys standing in front of her was a woman. It was...

For the Record.(Briefs)
October 6, 2008... Michael Reese Hospital filed for bankruptcy protection, saying in a Chapter 11 petition in federal court in Chicago that it has $50 million to $100 million in debt and assets of $10 million to $50 million. The hospital plans to close by yearend...

General counsels abound.(Focus: Enterprising Women)
October 6, 2008... The choices that sidetrack many women at law firms before they become partner often put them on the fast track inside corporate legal departments. Women hold the general counsel position at more than two dozen local companies-from old...

Innovation is key to growing beauty brands.(People)
October 6, 2008... Byline: David Sterrett Job: President U.S., Alberto-Culver Co., since Sept. 15. Vitals: 47 years old; bachelor's degree in economics and history, Cornell University, 1983; MBA, Harvard Graduate School of Business Management, 1989;...

COURTING MARKET WOES; Local attorneys gear up as financial crisis spurs wave of investor lawsuits.(Market in Crisis)
October 6, 2008... Byline: STEVEN R. STRAHLER First came the financial markets' meltdown. Now, get ready for the lawsuits. Disgruntled investors are taking aim at the likes of Charles Schwab & Co. and Northern Trust Corp., trying to recover losses...

United's outlook darkens; Air travel cutbacks may jeopardize recovery.(Market in Crisis)
October 6, 2008... Byline: JOHN PLETZ United Airlines, not long into a reprieve from record oil prices, faces an economy teetering toward recession. Rising joblessness, slower consumer spending and credit market upheaval bode poorly for travel demand as...

Citadel prowls the wreckage; Wall Street rubble holds opportunity for hedge fund.(Markets in Crisis)(Citadel Investment Group L.L.C.)
October 6, 2008... Byline: ANN SAPHIR Citadel Investment Group LLC is moving to capitalize on financial chaos even as the turmoil batters its main hedge fund business. Despite steep trading losses, Chicago's biggest hedge fund is hiring while rivals...

Correction.(Corrections)(Correction notice)
October 6, 2008... A Sept. 29 story on Westell Technologies should have listed the number of the company's shares controlled by Leaving It Better LLC as 0.6% of 50.4 million outstanding.

McDonald's can lead on responsible paper packaging.(Viewpoint essay)
October 6, 2008... Byline: Andrew Goldberg Andrew Goldberg is director of corporate engagement for the Dogwood Alliance in Asheville, N.C. The facts are staggering: Domestically, 300 pounds of packaging waste are generated per person annually. Containers...

Pay gap persists.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... In a 2006 report, the American College of Healthcare Executives found that female health care executives, on average, earned 18% less than men who had the same levels of education and experience. Women earned an average of $107,800 in 2005,...

Some new prescriptions.(Focus: Enterprising Women)
October 6, 2008... Byline: Barbara Kircheimer Ruth Rothstein, 85, has a picture in her home office of former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir. Underneath is the caption, "But can she type?'' It's a good reminder of how far Ms. Rothstein has come. When...

Knowing what to ask of the CFO of the house; Doing the marketing.(Focus: Enterprising Women)
October 6, 2008... Byline: Steven R. Strahler While working in financial positions for some of America's biggest consumer products companies, Alice Peterson saw firsthand the impact her female colleagues had on marketing and product innovations at PepsiCo...

Andersen ceiling-breaker: "You have to do the job before you get there".(Focus: Enterprising Women)(Arthur Andersen L.L.P's Susan Bulkeley Butler)
October 6, 2008... Arthur Andersen & Co. was set to mail invitations to a luncheon for new managers in 1971 when the firm spotted a problem: Susan Bulkeley Butler was on the list, and the Chicago Club at the time barred women. The lunch was moved to the Chicago...

Reschke going for casino license; Would build facility in Country Club Hills.(News)(Prime Group Inc's Michael Reschke)
October 6, 2008... Byline: BOB TITA With an Oct. 14 deadline approaching, a Chicago developer intends to pursue Illinois' long-dormant 10th casino license for south suburban Country Club Hills. Prime Group Inc. CEO Michael Reschke's application would pit...

Alcatel shedding Lisle office campus; Adding two buildings to already laboring market.(News)(Alcatel-Lucent)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... Byline: EDDIE BAEB Alcatel-Lucent S.A. is preparing to sell the 1.2-million-square-foot office campus in Lisle that it's vacating, likely worsening the beleaguered office market in the far west suburbs. The Paris-based...

Ratings slam for Fox? MLB postseason full of big-market teams likely to capture viewers, ads.(News)
October 6, 2008... Byline: JON LAFAYETTE With Major League Baseball's playoffs under way, Fox Sports is aiming for a deeper October run this year. As of last week, the network's advertising sales for the postseason were running about 5% ahead of last...

Consumer staples provide direction when economy heads south; A conversation with money manager Joshua Kadish.(Markets)(Retirement Planning Group)(Interview)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... Byline: Bruce Blythe Joshua Kadish, 38, wealth manager, Retirement Planning Group, Northbrook Experience: 14 years Assets under management: $100 million CRAIN'S: You expect U.S. interest rates to rise further. Why? MR....

Stress test; Mounting recession fears raise doubts that McDonald's can sustain sales growth.(Markets)
October 6, 2008... Byline: DAVID STERRETT Rising unemployment threatens the nation's appetite for Big Macs, a troubling sign for McDonald's Corp.'s reputation as a safe investment during tough economic times. McDonald's typically fares relatively well in...

On the Move.(People)
October 6, 2008... CONSUMER SERVICES MERISANT WORLDWIDE INC., Chicago: Jonathan Cole, 44, to vice-president of business development, from vice-president and general counsel. SOLO CUP CO., Highland Park: Bob LeBlanc, 48, to vice-president of food-service...

An Introduction.(Focus: Enterprising Women)
October 6, 2008... Women are climbing into positions of leadership in Chicago business. On the way up, they're changing how the game is played. Crain's this week aims to tell the story of how women are transforming the business landscape, bringing new...

On the bench, a voice for kids; Anne Burke.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(Interview)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... There are two sides to Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke. There is the independent woman who is a champion of children and a founder of the Chicago Special Olympics. Later, the lifelong Democrat was appointed by then-Gov. Jim Edgar as a...

`Recovering politician'.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(Carol Moseley Braun)(Interview)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... Carol Moseley Braun achieved a few milestones in her political career, most notably in 1993, when she became the first black woman elected to the U.S. Senate and the first female senator from Illinois. Serving a single term, she was then named...

Roadblocks to reaching the Governor's Mansion.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(Lisa Madigan)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... Could Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan become the state's first female governor? She's on a short list of Democrats being mentioned as potential candidates in 2010. But to make history, Ms. Madigan, 42, would have to overcome some...

Knowing the who's who.(Focus: Enterprising Women)
October 6, 2008... Lois Weisberg has never run for public office, but many consider her one of the most well- connected people in town. As commissioner of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, Ms. Weisberg, 83, has brought art and culture to the public. But...

A force at City Hall puts her clout behind Obama.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(Valerie Jarrett)
October 6, 2008... Valerie Jarrett had considerable clout long before she became Barack Obama's consigliere. In the public arena, the Chicago-born attorney was a deputy corporation counsel under Mayor Harold Washington and deputy chief of staff for Mayor...

Shopping Smarts.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(women in consumer goods' sector)
October 6, 2008... Byline: Meghan Streit No industry has been more dramatically transformed by the influx of women into the workforce than consumer products, which encompasses everything from hot dogs to dish soap. Over the past several decades, local...

Entrepreneur's Intuition.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(Marilyn Miglin L.P's Marilyn Miglin)(Vosges Haut-Chocolat's Katrina Markoff)
October 6, 2008... Gut decisions can sometimes yield success. At least that's the case for two local consumer products entrepreneurs who trusted their instincts. Cosmetics maven Marilyn Miglin launched her beauty products shop with $2,500 and 250 square feet...

Putting Mom's ideas on the menu; McDonald's.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... Much of McDonald's Corp.'s success hinges on its ability to appeal to children-and their mothers. "McDonald's does a phenomenal job reaching women,'' says Bridget Brennan, CEO of Female Factor Corp., a Chicago-based consultancy that...

Game-changer.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(Oprah Winfrey)
October 6, 2008... Byline: Robert Loerzel Oprah Winfrey is many things: talk-show host, actress, philanthropist, author, magazine publisher, Broadway producer, all-purpose guru. So, sometimes it's easy to overlook the fact that she's also an entrepreneur-a...

Biz how-tos, modeled by O.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(Oprah Winfrey)
October 6, 2008... Everyone knows Oprah Winfrey is successful. But how did she do it? Here are five business lessons gleaned from observing the master at work. * Hold onto your rights. When "The Oprah Winfrey Show'' went national in 1985, WLS-TV owned the...

Thinking pink: Cause tackles breast cancer.(Business of Life)(Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation's Lili Ann Zisook)(Interview)
October 6, 2008... Byline: Mary Cameron Frey Following the death of Chicagoan Lynn Sage in 1984 at the age of 39, a group of 17 friends and family members formed the Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation to help others who were battling the disease. The...

Women of steel, tools, parts.(Focus: Enterprising Women)
October 6, 2008... You may think of Chicago's manufacturing industry as the last bastion of the old boys' network. And for the most part, you'd be right: Only 10% of Chicago's manufacturing jobs are held by women, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. But...

Steel-toed flip-flops?(Focus: Enterprising Women)(W.W. Grainger Inc's Bonnie McIntyre )
October 6, 2008... In 2006, when Bonnie McIntyre visited the construction site of W. W. Grainger Inc.'s new distribution center in China, she and her co-workers were shocked by the lack of safety standards. Carpenters operated power saws wearing flip-flops....

Last one standing.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(Hudson Precision Products Co's Joan Wrenn)
October 6, 2008... Some 166 machine shops nationwide died between 2002 and 2005, erasing 6% of the industry, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Most were small, family-owned businesses, some generations old, killed by outsourcing that sent orders for custom...

The lady who gave up lunch.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(J. C. Schultz Enterprises Inc's Janice Christiansen)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... Janice Christiansen was an unlikely candidate to save the family business, J. C. Schultz Enterprises Inc., from the brink of bankruptcy. "I was training to become a country club wife,'' she says of her life in the early 1980s. When her...

The wired women.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(411 Solutions International's Jane Morgan)(OnShore Technology Group Inc's Valerie King-Bailey)
October 6, 2008... Byline: Dee Gill The electricity went out in Edward Don & Co.'s 24-hour call center around 11 p.m., forcing employees in the North Riverside office to work by the glow of their generator-powered computers. Without air conditioning on...

With grandkids in tow, a visit to D.C. museum.(Business of Life)(Judd Malkin)(United States Holocaust Memorial Museum)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... Byline: Shia Kapos Real estate mogul Judd Malkin is back from Washington, D.C., after leading fellow grandparents and their grandchildren on a whirlwind trip to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Not included were the...

The new guy at school: Dad; As more fathers volunteer, some changes in culture; Mars and Venus on the PTA.(Business of Life)
October 6, 2008... Byline: SHIA KAPOS Charles Crotteau is a familiar face in a sea of lipstick during afternoon pickup at Sacred Heart Schools on the North Side. He's a talkative, friendly doctor with a wife and two daughters who has just taken on the...

New frontiers in investing.(Focus: Enterprising Women)
October 6, 2008... Byline: Steven R. Strahler Though their numbers at Chicago's banks and investment firms are still relatively small, women have brought new ideas to the business, lending money and investing in areas that had been underserved-and often...

Women of the Web.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(Sittercity Inc's Genevieve Thiers )
October 6, 2008... Growing up in Philadelphia, Genevieve Thiers and her twin sister, Katherine, divided up their neighborhood, landing 10 baby-sitting jobs apiece each week. So it's no surprise that Ms. Thiers invented a more-efficient way to dole out...

For one girl, father really did know best.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(OnShore Technology Group Inc's Valarie King-Bailey )
October 6, 2008... Most entrepreneurs figure out their business philosophy sometime between graduate school and their first million dollars. Valarie King-Bailey found hers in the third grade. Growing up in Stateway Gardens, a housing project near old Comiskey...

Big sister is watching.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(TeamWerks Inc's Alison Chung )
October 6, 2008... Alison Chung doesn't send chatty e-mails. She doesn't give out her age, company revenue or names of clients over the Internet. To her, all that information creates an unnecessary paper trail-fodder for identity thieves, competitors or opponents...

Taking the high road.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(Highroad Consulting Ltd's Sandra Dearden)(West Fuels Inc's Debora Stange)
October 6, 2008... Byline: Dee Gill No company that moves a lot of product likes today's fuel prices. But those that ship by rail can thank Sandra Dearden that costs aren't higher-a lot higher. In 2003, Ms. Dearden's Chicago firm, Highroad Consulting...

Confessions of an executive penny pincher.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(National Van Lines Inc's Maureen Beal )(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... Many chief executives get their companies through tough times by scrutinizing every expense. Maureen Beal started doing that at National Van Lines Inc. 25 years ago. And never stopped. "I took control of the cash flow when I first got here...

You put your left foot in, you put your left foot out.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(New Age Transportation Distribution and Warehousing Inc's Carolyn Gable)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... The singers at New Age Transportation Distribution & Warehousing Inc. won't be mistaken for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, but they are just as passionate. Every time a customer has a birthday, six sales employees gather around a speaker phone...

A long way from secretary.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(Highroad Consulting Ltd's Sandra Dearden )(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... When Sandra Dearden took a job at Illinois Central Railroad Co. in 1969, women were relegated mostly to working as assistants. Despite her experience as a purchasing agent for an adhesive tape company, the railroad made her secretary to the...

More than just 'mad men'.(Focus: Enterprising Women)
October 6, 2008... Byline: Dee Gill It's been a long time since a major advertising agency could rise to greatness through television work alone. Sure, clients still want their award-winning TV ads, but they also want interactive Web sites, clever e-mail...

Finally, someone's listening.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(Dolores Kunda )(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... Dolores Kunda used to get upset when clients refused to believe they needed marketing campaigns tailored specifically to Latinos. Now, the chief executive of L piz Integrated Hispanic Marketing just whips out "the scary slides.'' Those are...

Rediscovering a competitive edge.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(Discover Card Services Inc's Margo Geogiadis)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... Giving cash back to credit card users was an effective marketing plan for the Discover Card 20 years ago, when no one else was doing it. But by 2004, most credit card companies had copied and expanded the gimmick, leaving Discover without a...

The cleanup campaign.(Focus: Enterprising Women)
October 6, 2008... It's been said that good advertising benefits everyone in a company. Still, it's rare to hear the folks in human resources singing a campaign's praises. But at Dow Chemical Co., the people who recruit 3,000 new hires a year say the company's...

Sisters Doin' It For Themselves.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(Clinical Resource Network Inc's Gail Adinamis)(Women's Business Development Center's Hedy Ratner)
October 6, 2008... Byline: Dee Gill Running a clinical trial for a new drug is a messy process, one that typically costs $1 billion and drags on for seven to 14 years. Most of these studies, required for Food and Drug Administration approval, are delayed...

The women helping women.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(Ceres Venture Fund L.P's Laura Pearl, Sona Wang and Donna Williamson )
October 6, 2008... In December, Ceres Venture Fund L.P. announced plans to invest an undisclosed amount in Brill Street & Co., a Chicago company that places college students in short-term business projects. It was an unusual deal for two reasons. First, the...

Selling conception to Chicago.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(Alternative Reproductive Resources' Robin Von Halle)
October 6, 2008... Eighteen years ago, Robin Von Halle worried her new business idea was so different from anything in the Midwest that customers would reject it. Then a little legislation helped smooth the way. Ms. Von Halle learned about using donor eggs to...

How to treat a stutter.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(Zorch International Inc's Mercedes Pickett and Nicole Loftus)
October 6, 2008... Nicole Loftus was so grateful for the city services that helped her build Zorch International Inc. into one of the fastest-growing companies in the country that she wrote Mayor Richard M. Daley a thank-you note. In the letter, she offered...

Credit freeze chills Chicago; Loans get pricier, scarcer for local consumers and firms.(Markets in Crisis)
October 6, 2008... Byline: STEVE DANIELS, PAUL MERRION AND H. LEE MURPHY The choking credit market is causing pain in just about every nook of Chicago's economy, squeezing businesses and consumers alike. From manufacturers to car dealers to big publicly...

Scandal endures, but giving rises; Archdiocese fundraiser aims to break a record.(News)(Archdiocese of Chicago)
October 6, 2008... Byline: ROBERT HERGUTH Despite the faltering economy and lingering bad publicity over the handling of sexual abuse by priests, the Archdiocese of Chicago is finding this a surprisingly bountiful time in the pews. The Annual Catholic...

The big con; WHY WOULD A NEW CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION FIX PROBLEMS THE LAST 'REFORM' DIDN'T?(News)
October 6, 2008... Byline: Greg Hinz In 1980, after Illinois legislators snuck through a fat pay hike for themselves, political "reformers'' took revenge. Rallying under a banner of throw-the-rascals-out, they persuaded voters to radically alter the way...

Datebook.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
October 6, 2008... THIS WEEK OCT. 7: Score presents Going Into Business: Evaluate Yourself, Take First Steps. 8:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Score, 500 W. Madison St., Suite 1250. Fee: $50. (312) 353-4540. OCT. 7: Small Business Development Center at Jane...

BUCKSBAUM'S BURDEN; Debt puts General Growth in play.(Markets in Crisis)(Company overview)
October 6, 2008... Byline: ALBY GALLUN Four years after pulling off one of the biggest takeovers in the history of U.S. real estate investment trusts, John Bucksbaum has opened the door to the sale of his own company, General Growth Properties Inc. And not...

Crisis reveals real weakness: stagnant wages.(Viewpoint essay)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... We'll get a look at the real U.S. economy now. For the past decade or more, a thick layer of debt has covered up its weaknesses. But that protective coating dissolved in the credit meltdown of the past few weeks. As credit dries up,...

Walgreen's deja vu; CEO Rein walked away from Longs deal; now, he's back again.(News)(Jeffrey Rein's bid for Longs Drugs Stores Corp.)
October 6, 2008... Byline: MONEE FIELDS-WHITE Just six months ago, Walgreen Co. CEO Jeffrey Rein appeared to make his final bid to buy Longs Drugs Stores Corp., offering $70 a share to become the dominant pharmacy chain in California. The talks fell...

Setting a new agenda.(Focus: Enterprising Women)(women in politics)
October 6, 2008... Byline: John T. Slania Over the past three decades, women have shattered the glass ceiling in Chicago and statewide politics, occupying the offices of Chicago mayor, U.S. senator, state treasurer, comptroller, lieutenant governor and...

City strikes $2.5-bil. Midway deal.(Briefs)(Midway Airport )(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... Mayor Daley announced a landmark agreement to privatize Midway Airport for $2.52 billion. The deal would net the city more than $1 billion, after paying off airport debt, the mayor said. The bid was lower than initial estimates, but given...

LETTERS: Electronic fundraising can help struggling non-profits.(Opinion)
October 6, 2008... As troubling as the economic news is for investors, its impact on charitable contributions to non-profits will be catastrophic ("Giving wilts at charities,'' Sept. 15). Charities already are struggling in these challenging times, as...

Destination: Seattle.(Business of Life)(City overview)
October 6, 2008... Byline: Lisa Bertagnoli GO: Portland might well be "the next Seattle,'' but for a taste of Pacific Northwest urban life, nothing beats the original. The city's hilly downtown makes for vigorous, rewarding strolls; an especially pleasant...

Crain's Picks.(Business of Life)
October 6, 2008... Byline: Crystal Yednak Opening Hubbard Street Dance Chicago 205 E. Randolph St. (312) 850-9744 www.hubbardstreetdance.com 7:30 p.m. Thursday; 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday Tickets: $25-$86 The...

Hotels Court Weary Travelers.(Business of Life)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... Byline: Jennifer Olvera With the skies now chaotic, cramped and costly, business travelers are leaning on hotels to fill the friendliness gap. "With all the cutbacks, it's hard to get a continuous flight anywhere,'' says Alex McIntyre,...

Info Junkie.(Business of Life)
October 6, 2008... Byline: Christina Le Beau Patrick Ghielmetti, 47, the Four Seasons regional vice-president who oversees the Ritz-Carlton Chicago and Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, is a native of Switzerland and inveterate globe-trotter. His world view: ...

Regional Italian has Quartino hopping; A bustling atmosphere for small plates, pizzas.(Business of Life)
October 6, 2008... Byline: LAURA BIANCHI House-cured meats, slow-cooked sauces, from-scratch pizzas and bargain wines have built a strong following for the nearly three-year-old Quartino in River North. Yes, plenty of seats are filled with tourists, but...

CHICAGO'S BIG BAILOUT QUESTION: WHERE'S MINE?(Markets in Crisis)(CORUS Bankshares Inc.)
October 13, 2008... Byline: PAUL MERRION Like many Chicago execs, Robert Glickman is studying the fine print of the $700-billion federal financial rescue plan. "I don't think they'll buy a lot of commercial real estate loans,'' the CEO of Corus Bankshares...

The story behind an unusual dog-food idea.(Focus: Small Business)(Brad Kriser)(Company overview)
October 13, 2008... Byline: MONICA GINSBURG Two years ago, Brad Kriser opened his first pet food store in a strip mall on Clybourn Avenue with the backing of lots of customer know-how but no formal market research. He and his brother already were running...

Cheap and easy market research.(Focus: Small Business)
October 13, 2008... Byline: Monica Ginsburg Talk to your customers. That's the No. 1 piece of advice small-business experts and research professionals give entrepreneurs. Here are more tips for doing market research right: Don't limit research to the...

Instant Gratification, anyone?(Focus: Small Business)(Physician-patient relations)
October 13, 2008... Byline: MONICA GINSBURG In May, Concentra Inc. started e-mailing a customer satisfaction survey to people who had visited one of its 300 outpatient medical centers. In four months, 35,000 responded, rating everything from their doctors'...

Credit mess mires Nuveen's funds; Ill-timed purchases pressure Madison Dearborn's returns.(Markets in Crisis)
October 13, 2008... Byline: STEVEN R. STRAHLER A deal that once looked shrewdly timed for Madison Dearborn Partners LLC, last year's $6.3-billion acquisition of Nuveen Investments Inc., is turning out to be just the opposite. Chicago's biggest...

Crain's Picks.(Business of Life)(Film festivals)
October 13, 2008... Byline: Crystal Yednak Opening Chicago International Film Festival 205 E. Randolph St. (312) 902-1500 www.chicagofilmfestival.com 7 p.m. Thursday Tickets: $30-$100 Actress Rachel Weisz and director Rian...

Destination: Madrid.(Business of Life)
October 13, 2008... Byline: Anne Ford GET AWAY: Pleasant autumn weather makes October a lovely time to visit Madrid, one of the Iberian Peninsula's cultural hot spots. Get your bearings with a guided walking tour, perhaps of the city's parks and gardens or,...

Library fundraiser to honor Tom Wolfe.(Business of Life)(Interview)
October 13, 2008... Byline: Mary Cameron Frey The Chicago Public Library Foundation, an independent non-profit organization that raises funds to support technology, programming and collections, will celebrate its 22nd anniversary with the Carl Sandburg...

Jacky Pluton's hand in two suburban spots; Brasserie impresses, but namesake loses his touch.(Business of Life)(Jacky's Bistro)
October 13, 2008... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Restless chef Jacky Pluton has left a mixed legacy over the past decade. His Jacky's Bistro in Evanston was a modest success, but he sold out four years ago to his general manager. Two subsequent efforts, Pluton on...

Info Junkie.(Business of Life)(Brief article)
October 13, 2008... Byline: Laura Bianchi AMC's "Mad Men,'' about a fictional, 1960s ad agency, is must-watch TV for Ron Culp, 59, partner and managing director for Chicago-based Ketchum Midwest, a public relations firm. "It is so authentic to that period.''...

FEELING LOST? FIND YOUR WAY WITH BIG OIL, PHARMA; A conversation with money manager Jack Ablin.(Markets)(Interview)(Brief article)
October 13, 2008... Byline: Daniel Rome Levine Jack Ablin, 49, chief investment officer, Harris Private Bank, Chicago Experience: 26 years Assets under management: $55 billion CRAIN'S: How bad are things for the financial markets? Mr. Ablin:...

Chicago dodged a bean ball with Cubs, Sox losses.(Viewpoint essay)
October 13, 2008... Byline: Bill Savage Bill Savage is a senior lecturer in the English department at Northwestern University and a member of the Society for American Baseball Research. At last, the crisis is over. From 119th to LaSalle to Howard...

Downtown rents take a downturn; For high-end, a 2.2% fall as job losses, supply rise.(News)
October 13, 2008... Byline: ALBY GALLUN After enjoying strong rent hikes for three years, Chicago's downtown apartment landlords are finding life a bit tougher in 2008. Effective rents at high-end downtown buildings fell 2.2% to $2.26 per square foot in...

On the Move.(Boxport have appointed some people)(Perkins & Will Group Ltd. have appointed Frank Pettinati)(Calumet Photographic Inc. have appointed Brendan Sullivan)
October 13, 2008... ARCHITECTURE/ENGINEERING GETTYS, Chicago: Maureen O'Grady, 40, to vice-president and principal, from vice-president of client relations at Boxport. Also, Duk Kim, 36, to vice-president, from senior project designer; Russell Mann, 33, to...

Boeing's bailout blues; Market woes, election could knock Pentagon gravy train off the rails.(Markets in Crisis)(Boeing Co.)
October 13, 2008... Byline: JOHN PLETZ Its commercial-aircraft business hobbled by a machinists' strike, Boeing Co. faces another quandary: a $700-billion financial bailout plan that threatens to siphon federal dollars away from the Pentagon. ...