Crain's Chicago Business articles from September 2004

Crain's Chicago Business archives from September 2004

Conventions.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
September 6, 2004... WEEK OF SEPT. 6 Sept. 7-9: Assn. of Fundraising Professionals, Hilton Chicago, estimated attendance 1,000. Sept. 8-9: NRS Corp., Sofitel Chicago O'Hare, estimated attendance 300. Sept. 8-12: Academy of Medical Surgical Nurses,...

Rx for the GOP; Long struggle ahead for bench strength, unity.(News)(Grand Old Party)(Column)
September 6, 2004... Byline: GREG HINZ and PAUL MERRION Keep the money rolling in, develop some bench strength and find a leader strong enough to end bickering between moderates and conservatives. At a minimum, that's what's required to put the GOP back...

Greyhound going after young riders; Bus line's new ads intend to counter lackluster image, travel slump.(News)
September 6, 2004... Byline: MATTHEW CREAMER Crain News Service Greyhound Lines Inc. is preparing a new marketing approach aimed at persuading young people that riding the bus is cool. Greyhound, a unit of Naperville-based Laidlaw International Inc., faces...

River residences; Once regarded as a commercial waterway, the Chicago River is increasingly seen as a desirable asset to homebuyers on the North and South branches, as well as downtown.(Real Estate)
September 6, 2004... Byline: ANNE MOORE Only in recent years have home buyers sought to live beside the North and South branches of the Chicago River, long an industrial waterway. Now they're paying a premium for boat access, skyline views or the simple...

Crain's Chicago Business collects top honors from journalism group.(News)(Brief Article)
September 6, 2004... Crain's Chicago Business took home more awards than any other publication at the Assn. of Area Business Publications 2004 awards ceremony in Chicago. Crain's won 10 awards for editorial excellence, with gold awards for best overall design and...

Tollway plan makes sense, as long as job is completed.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
September 6, 2004... There haven't been many tax increases, let alone a 67% hike, to gain public support in Illinois in recent years. But the Blagojevich administration's plan to boost Illinois State Toll Highway Authority receipts to about $646 million next year...

Daley should trim costs, not hike home-sales tax.(Opinion)(Real estate transaction tax )(Brief Article)
September 6, 2004... Mayor Richard M. Daley is thinking about raising the real estate transaction tax 53%. We think that's a great idea-if the mayor wants to price some homebuyers out of the market and slow the rise in property values across Chicago. The real...

New high school model counts on business input.(Opinion)
September 6, 2004... Byline: Dennis Littky Corporate America tells us we're not preparing young people for the business world today. It's no wonder, given that the education model we're using hasn't changed in 50 years. But there's a new model: Big Picture...

Park stokes condo sales; New East Side views, locale wow buyers.(News)(Condo projects)
September 6, 2004... Byline: ALBY GALLUN The buzz surrounding Millennium Park's July opening is stoking sales at nearby condo projects, with buyers standing in line for hours to put down deposits, and sales contracts being signed at a faster pace than any...

Int'l travel takes off at O'Hare; Passenger rebound translates into more revenue.(News)(Column)
September 6, 2004... Byline: JULIE JOHNSSON Overseas passengers are once again streaming through Chicago's O'Hare International Airport at pre-Sept. 11 levels, ending a three-year slide in international operations at the nation's busiest airport. From...

Cheap-chic shops at crossroads; Discovery knows its customer, but not its future.(News)(Discovery Clothing Co.)(Column)
September 6, 2004... Byline: JULIE JARGON Kenny and Jeff Goldman, using a quirky, fashion-conscious management model, have turned Discovery Clothing Co. into Chicago's biggest independent clothier, a cross between Forever 21 and TJ Maxx that attracts thousands...

Local jobs rise in July, first gain in three years.(News)(Brief Article)
September 6, 2004... Byline: SANDRA JONES There's a glimmer of improvement in the Chicago job market, fueled by an uptick in manufacturing hiring. The Chicago area added 10,900 jobs, or 0.3% of the workforce, in July, the first year-over-year monthly gain...

United: More job cuts ahead.(Briefs)(Brief Article)
September 6, 2004... United Airlines is poised to make more reductions in its workforce-already 40% smaller than it was before the 2001 terrorist attacks. The Elk Grove Township-based airline confirmed job cuts will be part of its plan to get out of bankruptcy. A...

Ex-Orbitz star creates his own ticket system; G2 offers airlines cheaper route to agencies.(News)(Orbitz Inc.)(G2 Switchworks Corp.)(global distribution systems )(Column)
September 6, 2004... Byline: KRISTINA BUCHTHAL Alex Zoghlin and online travel agency Orbitz Inc. parted ways last year, but their paths are converging again. The 34-year-old tech wiz and his former employer both want a slice of a big opportunity in the air...

Kerry energy plan would challenge laws of nature.(Opinion)(Column)
September 6, 2004... Byline: Terrence Barnich The Kerry energy plan reads like a new-age feel-good tome. Its specifics are alternately self- contradictory or dependent on legislation to repeal the laws of economics, chemistry and thermodynamics. John...

No room to dream of a mall-like O'Hare; Revenue is needed, but space doesn't add up.(News)(O'Hare International Airport)
September 6, 2004... Byline: SHRUTI DATE SINGH The city wants to boost retail sales at O'Hare International Airport, lessening its dependence on financially strapped airlines, but the 49-year-old facility is poorly laid out for shopping and its limited space...

Can truckers flee toll roads? Rate hike plan bets they can't.(News)(Column)
September 6, 2004... Byline: BOB TITA The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority is betting truckers won't find enough alternative routes to avoid paying steep increases in tolls. The authority's $5.3-billion plan to rebuild and expand the 274-mile toll...

Executive Moves.(People)
September 6, 2004... MARKETING/MEDIA Barbara Allelujka, 52, to vice-president and director of customer learning at Slack Barshinger & Partners Inc., from director of corporate market intelligence at R. R. Donnelley & Sons Co. Also, Doug Davila, 40, to director...

Lunch that won't break the bank.(Dining/Restaurant Review)(Little Pompeii)(Pita Express)(Brians Juice Bar and Deli)(Restaurant Review)
September 6, 2004... Byline: Anne Moore A steady diet of multicourse, sit-down lunches in the Loop can leave you with too much around the middle and too little in the wallet. We sought out super-cheap, super-quick Loop lunches to see if we could buy a tasty...

LaSalle aims to trim gap in retail race; Biz bank giant pursues deposit leader Bank One.(News)(Column)
September 6, 2004... Byline: STEVE DANIELS Chicago's top business bank is overhauling its retail business and more aggressively wooing depositors after lagging its biggest rivals in deposit growth last year. LaSalle Bank N.A., second only to Bank One Corp....

Loop: Early Settlers on downtown shores.(Real Estate)(Brief Article)
September 6, 2004... There's been a boom in residential construction along the Chicago River. But some pioneers recognized the appeal of a river view earlier than the others: Marina City, 300 N. State St., 1964 Designed by Bertrand Goldberg. Also known as...

TigerDirect leaps into computer store fray; Web retailer sets sights on building 3 or 4 more stores in area.(News)(Column)
September 6, 2004... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY The local retail computer marketplace is gaining a new competitor with the arrival of TigerDirect Inc., a Miami company that sells hardware over the phone and the Internet. It's chosen the Chicago area as one of...

Late News.(The Hotel Orrington )
September 6, 2004... UNITED MULLING TICKETING CHARGES United Airlines is considering charging passengers a fee for booking tickets over the phone and at airport ticket counters, a spokeswoman said. Last week, AMR Corp.'s American Airlines said it would levy...

Bank branches keep coming; Citigroup, B of A plan Chicago expansions.(News)(Column)
September 6, 2004... Byline: STEVE DANIELS Citigroup Inc. and Bank of America Corp., the nation's Nos. 1 and 3 banks, plan major Chicago-area branch expansions, adding to the region's existing bank glut and promising consumers still more cash and merchandise...

Who drew? Who knew! Dr. Seuss had no hand in lithographs.(News)(Column)
September 6, 2004... Byline: JEREMY MULLMAN During his life, Dr. Seuss never made a single lithograph, neither here nor there. Yet a Chicago firm is selling Dr. Seuss lithographs everywhere. The Chase Group LLC has been hawking lithographs, serigraphs and...

Pension pain for United mechanics; Termination would undo recent gains.(News)(United Airlines)
September 6, 2004... Byline: JULIE JOHNSSON Many employees will lose benefits if United Airlines terminates its pension plans, but the pain will be particularly acute for the airline's mechanics. They gave up more than any other group of United workers to...

Kankakee's ambitious plan; Big retail-residential-office development planned with hopes of rejuvenating city.(News)(Column)
September 6, 2004... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY A major new development taking shape in Kankakee aims to reverse decades of corporate and retail flight from the city. River Stone of Kankakee is the brainchild of Precedent Cos. of Indianapolis, which intends to...

Architecture & Engineering.(Who's Who in Chicago Business 2004)
September 6, 2004... Carol Ross Barney President Ross Barney & Jankowski Inc., Chicago Age: 55 Business: Architecture firm Revenues (millions): $5 Professional: American Institute of Architects; Chicago Women in Architecture Civic:...

Business Organizations.(Who's Who in Chicago Business 2004)
September 6, 2004... Gregory W. Baise President, CEO Illinois Manufacturers' Assn., Oak Brook Age: 52 Business: Non-profit service corporation Revenues (millions): $3.5 Professional: Economic Club; Lincoln Foundation for Performance...

Business Services.(Who's Who in Chicago Business 2004)
September 6, 2004... Gary D. Ahlquist Senior vice-president, managing partner Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. Chicago Age: 51 Business: Management consulting Revenues (millions): $2,700 (worldwide) Professional: Economic Club Civic:...

Chemicals & Agribusiness.(Who's Who in Chicago Business 2004)
September 6, 2004... Dwayne O. Andreas Chairman emeritus Archer Daniels Midland Co. Decatur Age: 86 Business: Agricultural processor Revenues (millions): $30,708 Civic: Children's Museum of Illinois; Junior Achievement of East...

Construction Services.(Who's Who in Chicago Business 2004)
September 6, 2004... Jeffrey L. Arfsten Executive vice-president, director of operations Bovis Lend Lease Inc. Age: 50 Business: Construction Revenues (millions): $430 (Chicago area) Civic: Boy Scouts of America; Chicago Central Area...

Consumer Products & Services.(Who's Who in Chicago Business 2004)
September 6, 2004... Carol L. Bernick President Alberto-Culver Consumer Products Worldwide Vice-chairman Alberto-Culver Co. Melrose Park Age: 52 Business: Personal and household care products Revenues (millions): $2,890 ...

Cultural Institutions.(Who's Who in Chicago Business 2004)
September 6, 2004... Ted A. Beattie President, CEO John G. Shedd Aquarium Chicago Age: 59 Business: Aquarium Revenues (millions): $68.7 Professional: Economic Club Civic: Commercial Club; Arts Club; Ohio State University; U.S....

Education.(Who's Who in Chicago Business 2004)
September 6, 2004... Johns S. Ayers Executive director Leadership for Quality Education, Chicago Age: 50 Business: School reform Budget (millions): $1.2 Civic: Consortium on Chicago School Research Henry S. Bienen President ...

Financial Services.(Who's Who in Chicago Business 2004)(Directory)
September 6, 2004... John C. Adams Managing director Head of Chicago office Lazard Frres & Co. LLC Chicago Age: 41 Business: Investment banking Assets under management (millions): Not available Civic: Barrington United Methodist...

Food.(Who's Who in Chicago Business 2004)(Directory)
September 6, 2004... Rick Bayless Chef, owner Frontera Grill, Topolobampo Partner Frontera Foods, Frontera Media Productions, Chicago Age: 50 Business: Restaurants, prepared foods, television production, cookbooks Revenues...

Government.(Who's Who in Chicago Business 2004)(Directory)
September 6, 2004... Rod R. Blagojevich Governor State of Illinois Age: 47 Business: Government Budget (millions): $45,500 Carole L. Brown Chairman Chicago Transit Authority Chicago Age: 40 Business:...

Health Care.(Who's Who in Chicago Business 2004)(Directory)
September 6, 2004... Julius G. Alberico CEO Humana Chicago, Chicago Age: 56 Business: Health care Revenues (millions): $1,100 Professional: Mercantile Exchange Club; Union League Club; Illinois Chamber of Commerce Civic: Mercy Home...

Insurance.(Who's Who in Chicago Business 2004)(Directory)
September 6, 2004... John J. Amore Global leader General insurance business division Zurich Financial Services CEO* Corporate business division Zurich North America, Schaumburg Age: 55 Business: Commercial property and casualty...

Law.(Who's Who in Chicago Business 2004)(Directory)
September 6, 2004... Laurel G. Bellows Principal Bellows & Bellows P.C. Chicago Age: 56 Business: Law firm Revenues (millions): Not available Professional: American Bar Assn.; National Conference of Bar Presidents; Executives' Club;...

Manufacturing.(Who's Who in Chicago Business 2004)(Directory)
September 6, 2004... Thomas M. Begel Chairman TMB Industries, Chicago Age: 61 Business: Manufacturing Revenues (millions): $800 Professional: Metalforming Technologies Inc.; Fuel Systems LLC; Transportation Technologies Industries Inc....

Marketing & Media.(Who's Who in Chicago Business 2004)(Directory)
September 6, 2004... Joseph J. Ahern President, general manager WBBM-TV/Channel 2 Chicago Age: 59 Business: Television Revenues (millions): Not available Professional: Economic Club; Executives' Club; Chicagoland Chamber of...

Non-profits.(Who's Who in Chicago Business 2004)
September 6, 2004... Ellen S. Alberding President Joyce Foundation, Chicago Age: 46 Business: Charitable foundation Assets (millions): $753 Professional: Economic Club Civic: Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago; Chicago...

Real Estate.(Who's Who in Chicago Business 2004)(Directory)
September 6, 2004... Lawrence S. Adelson CEO Heartland Technology Inc., Heartland Partners L.P. Chicago Age: 54 Business: Contract manufacturing, real estate development Revenues (millions): $1 (Heartland Technology); $32.5 (Heartland...

Retail.(Who's Who in Chicago Business 2004)
September 6, 2004... Brandon K. Barnholt President, CEO White Hen Pantry Inc. Oak Brook Age: 46 Business: Convenience stores Revenues (millions): $275 Professional: National Assn. of Convenience Stores David W. Bernauer ...

Technology & Telecom.(Who's Who in Chicago Business 2004)
September 6, 2004... Michael J. Birck Chairman Tellabs Inc., Naperville Age: 66 Business: Telecommunications equipment manufacturer Revenues (millions): $980 Professional: Economic Club; Illinois Tool Works Inc.; Molex Inc.; Chicago...

Transportation.(Who's Who in Chicago Business 2004)
September 6, 2004... Edward Brennan Lead director AMR Corp., Chicago Age: 70 Business: Holding company for American Airlines Revenues (millions): $17,440 Professional: Morgan Stanley; Allstate Corp.; 3M Corp.; Exelon Corp.; McDonald's...

Utilities & Energy.(Who's Who in Chicago Business 2004)
September 6, 2004... Gary L. Neale Chairman, president, CEO NiSource Inc., Merrillville, Ind. Age: 64 Business: Electricity, natural gas Revenues (millions): $6,246.3 Professional: National Petroleum Council; American Gas Assn.;...

Alphabetical index.(Who's Who in Chicago Business 2004)
September 6, 2004... John C. Adams WW14 Lawrence S. Adelson WW38 Joseph J. Ahern WW32 Gary D. Ahlquist WW3 Ellen S. Alberding WW36 Julius G. Alberico WW26 William F. Aldinger III WW14 Michael J. Alter WW38 John J. Amore WW28 ...

Quote of the week.(Quotes)
September 6, 2004... "We don't have a 10-year plan, we don't have a five-year plan, we don't have any plan. We just know what's good for today." Kenny Goldman of Discovery Clothing Co., page 3

City leaders join push for casino.(Quotes)(Brief Article)
September 13, 2004... Chicago's top business and labor leaders are preparing to put major muscle behind Mayor Richard M. Daley's drive to bring casino gambling to the city. A coalition headed by the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, the Chicago Federation of Labor...

One Who's Already Taken; Judith Sprieser.(News)(Brief Article)
September 13, 2004... Byline: SANDRA JONES Judith A. Sprieser landed her first board seat in 1994 at USG Corp. when she was working her way up the executive ranks of Chicago's Sara Lee Corp. Now, she's on four outside boards. "I'm very busy, but it seems to...

A workday taste of the trendy life.(Dining/Restaurant Review)(De Cero (Chicago, Illinois))(Restaurant Review)
September 13, 2004... Byline: Anne Moore Just west of the Loop, Randolph Street's restaurant row offers some of the city's finest and most innovative dining, and many establishments are open for lunch on weekdays. Also known as the Market District-meat and...

Are you ready for turnover? Workers looking for greener pastures.(Small Business)
September 13, 2004... Byline: DEE GILL While employers view the recovering economy with relief, workers are looking at it as an opportunity: the chance to jump ship. A startling number of workers are ready and eager to change jobs, according to several...

Litigation leads firms to riches, risk; Ventures driven by the legal industry should branch out.(Small Business)
September 13, 2004... Byline: CHRISTINA LE BEAU Some entrepreneurs think they can make a good living by capitalizing on areas where lawsuits are rampant. But those who have done it say they can't get too comfortable. While any industry can be cyclical,...

Quote of the week.(Brief Article)
September 13, 2004... "Many boards are still as chauvinistic as the devil. A generation is going to have to die off before that changes." Veteran corporate director Warren Batts, on female representation in boardrooms. Page 1

ATSB failed United, but carrier shouldn't fail workers.(Opinion)(Air Transportation Stabilization Board)(United Air Lines Inc.,)
September 13, 2004... Byline: Richard Durbin By year's end, three of the nation's largest airlines may be operating under bankruptcy protection. United Airlines is in bankruptcy; US Airways has signaled it may file for bankruptcy this fall, and Delta Airlines...

Firm touts germ-fighting linens; Product aimed at hospitals, but disease expert has doubts.(News)
September 13, 2004... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN Medline Industries Inc., the Mundelein-based medical products maker that prides itself on developing cost-saving clinical supplies, has come up with a hospital bed sheet that cleans itself. Like odor-reducing...

Small tenants, big bargains; Discounts come with better locations.(Small Business)
September 13, 2004... Byline: KATE BEEM A soft real estate market, fueled by dot.com busts, buyouts and corporate downsizing, poses a quandary for Chicago small businesses: Should they stay, or should they go? With office rents dropping the last several...

Put your best foot forward; Lessons for entrepreneurs from Thoma Cressey co-founder.(Small Business)
September 13, 2004... Byline: CYNTHIA HANSON Bryan Cressey, 54, a co-founder and partner of private equity investment firm Thoma Cressey Equity Partners Inc., spends most of his time interviewing potential CEOs and other top executives. The Chicago-based...

Supply issues squeeze firms; Owners coping with suppliers' pricing power.(Small Business)
September 13, 2004... Byline: SAMANTHA STAINBURN When suppliers consolidate and wield more pricing power, small business owners have to adapt. Dry cleaners are among the latest owners hit. In January, Illinois increased the tax on perchloroethylene, or...

Still no numbers from Lottery, Revenue Dept.(News)
September 13, 2004... Byline: KRISTINA BUCHTHAL The Illinois Lottery and the Illinois Department of Revenue still haven't published 2003 annual reports, more than 14 months after the end of their fiscal 2003. Both agencies say they're compiling the...

''Flying White House' due for tech upgrade.(News)
September 13, 2004... Byline: PAUL MERRION WASHINGTON-Air Force One may be the most cherished presidential perk, a highly retrofitted 747 aircraft that essentially is a flying White House, capable of worldwide communications, staying aloft for days and...

Tech tools speed law biz; But is more productive firm more profitable? Jury's still out.(Technology)
September 13, 2004... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Technology is helping law firms improve productivity, as new legal software brings legal precedents to a lawyer's fingertips instantly, teleconferencing reduces the need to travel for client meetings and handheld...

Conventions.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
September 13, 2004... WEEK OF SEPT. 13 Sept. 13-14: QED Group LLC, Hyatt Regency Chicago, estimated attendance 500. Sept. 13-15: Frontline Solution Conference and Expo, Navy Pier, estimated attendance 6,000. Sept. 14-16: Labelexpo Americas, Donald E....

Firms morph from simple to complex; Demand leads to expanded services.(Small Business)(Safety Depot)(Company Profile)
September 13, 2004... Byline: KAREN J. BANNAN Successful small businesses, the ones that eventually become larger companies, often take on more complexity as owners learn from customers and their own trial and error. Safety Depot is one such business. Owner...

Datebook.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
September 13, 2004... WEEK OF SEPT. 13 SEPT. 13: 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. ...

Touch screen, mail deep-dish; Chicago firm expands kiosks that hawk local food finds.(News)(Insight 360 Degrees Inc.,)
September 13, 2004... Byline: JULIE JARGON Insight 360 Degrees Inc., a privately held Chicago software development company, is taking the mail-order food business to public spaces. Next month, the company will start installing touch-screen kiosks enabling...

A check on bank branches? That's what one alderman is pushing for trendy areas.(News)
September 13, 2004... Byline: SHRUTI DATE SINGH A desire for uninterrupted trendiness along Chicago's upscale neighborhood shopping avenues is colliding with bankers' plans to plop down new branches anywhere a few well-off consumers can be found. Alderman...

$2-million kickoff for cable station; But Comcast SportsNet still in talks with providers.(News)(Brief Article)
September 13, 2004... Byline: JEREMY MULLMAN Comcast SportsNet Chicago, a new cable channel owned by four of Chicago's major professional sports teams, is readying a $2-million advertising blitz to support its Oct. 1 launch. "You only launch once, and we're...

Turnaround firms hit; Fewer clients in better times.(News)
September 13, 2004... Byline: SANDRA SWANSON When the economy reveals a few rays of sunshine, gloom is usually in the forecast for turnaround management firms. Business woes drive revenue at turnaround firms. As the name suggests, they help declining...

Casino's no answer; try hard work, tough choices.(Opinion)
September 13, 2004... A coalition of business and labor officials is putting together a $250,000 lobbying effort to persuade Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the General Assembly to allow our city to build a big, land-based casino to help plug Chicago's $200-million-plus...

Praise spurs a wild ride at Lifeway; Kefir maker's shares shoot up, then slip.(News)
September 13, 2004... Byline: JULIE JARGON A spate of favorable press lifted Lifeway Foods Inc. shares to new heights earlier this year, and short-sellers jumped aboard for the ride down. A sleepy Nasdaq stock with average daily trading volume of 4,315 in...

Automation hasn't solved old-school problem: billing; Paper chase: Law firms still wrestle with in-house records, deadbeat clients.(Technology)
September 13, 2004... Byline: CHRISTINA LE BEAU The marketing expert was hired because the law firm's income stream had slowed to a trickle. Surely lack of business was to blame. But a month later, the expert told the partners their caseload was plenty big, so...

SOUR NOTES AT HARD ROCK HOTEL.(News)(Hard Rock Cafe International Inc.,)
September 13, 2004... Byline: KRISTINA BUCHTHAL The Chicago real estate developer behind the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago on Michigan Avenue says his partners are trying to squeeze him out of his investment. John Marks alleges that Hard Rock Cafe International...

TROUBLE-SHOOTING; Small business owners say there are ways to minimize supplier problems:.(Small Business)
September 13, 2004... Byline: SAMANTHA STAINBURN Get friendly with your suppliers. "If you have a good relationship with your supplier, you will have a good indication if things are going to take a turn for the worse or become different,'' says Jason...

Executive Moves.(People)
September 13, 2004... ARTS Jim Hirsch, 51, to executive director at Chicago Sinfonietta, from vice-president at the Chicago Assn. for the Performing Arts and executive director at the Chicago Theatre. EDUCATION Vincent W. Brandys, 41, to director of...

Lawyers' unexpected partner: the CIO; Even small firms making the case for one.(Technology)(chief information officer)(Burke Warren MacKay & Serritella P. C.,)
September 13, 2004... Byline: SAMANTHA STAINBURN In the mid-1990s, the lawyers at Burke Warren MacKay & Serritella P. C., a mid-sized law firm in Chicago, were more wired than most-they had computers with e-mail access on every desk and were early adopters...

Internet broker thwarted in bid to woo Realtors; A national battle over control of real estate listings spills over here, as an online upstart and the area's biggest listing service square off.(News)(Internet brokerage Amerihall Realtors)
September 13, 2004... Byline: ALBY GALLUN The clash between online residential real estate brokerages and the real estate establishment has come to Chicago. On one side is David J. Hall, who founded Internet brokerage Amerihall Realtors about four years...

Apartment owner Equity going condo; Should REIT convert rental units itself or sell to developers?(News)(real estate investment trust)
September 13, 2004... Byline: ALBY GALLUN Equity Residential, the nation's third-largest apartment landlord, is joining the condo craze. The low interest rates of recent years turned many of Equity's tenants into condominium buyers, pushing vacancies up and...

To sort out best O'Hare result, turn to game theory.(Opinion)(O'Hare International Air-port)
September 13, 2004... Byline: Tom Mitchell The expansion of O'Hare International Air-port is one of the most important infrastructure development projects in Chicago's history. Billions of dollars are involved, key stakeholders have competing interests and the...

Local interest; Thoma Cressey Equity Partners Inc. has investments in three area companies.(Small Business)(Brief Article)
September 13, 2004... Byline: CYNTHIA HANSON * Assistive Technology Group Inc. in Naperville provides customized wheelchairs and mobility products to disabled individuals. Its revenues were $80 million last year. Thoma Cressey formed the company in April 1999....

BLAGO'S $1.25-BIL. BOTTLENECK; Health board delay puts 80-plus projects on hold.(News)
September 13, 2004... Byline: SARAH A. KLEIN The governor's reluctance to replace members of the scandal-ridden Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board-or disband it altogether-leaves more than $1.25 billion of hospital construction projects and health care...