Crain's Cleveland Business articles from February 2006

Crain's Cleveland Business archives from February 2006

Pay off.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
February 6, 2006... No, not payoff. Pay off - as in the amount of pay U.S. chief executives make compared to the salaries of average workers. It's way out of whack relative to the ratios of CEO pay to average worker pay in other countries, which could explain why...

On the cover.(News)
February 6, 2006... The Myers University Club, located at 3813 Euclid Ave., is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The historic mansion was built in 1863. CAPTION(S): cover photo

What's New.(Ultra Electronics Audiopack teamed with Scott Health & Safety)(Brief Article)
February 6, 2006... COMPANY: Ultra Electronics Audiopack, Garfield Heights PRODUCT: Hazmat Radiocom II Ultra Electronics Audiopack teamed with Scott Health & Safety, part of Tyco International Ltd., to develop a "facepiece-integrated communications...

Parma mayor takes of counsel position with McDonald Hopkins.(Special Report)(Brief Article)
February 6, 2006... Parma Mayor Dean DePiero has joined McDonald Hopkins LPA as an of counsel member of the Business Law Department. Mayor DePiero, who also has a general law practice in Parma, will assist McDonald Hopkins' clients with municipal legal issues....

The Week in Quotes.(News)
February 6, 2006... "My goal... is to have nine different experiences in the same showroom.'' - Brian Kirkendall, vice president of marketing and design, Little Tikes. Page One "At the end of the day, it's important that the tax law is administered...

Mall to fashion $15M expansion Beachwood Place plans feature H&M, restaurant and retail space.
February 6, 2006... Byline: STAN BULLARD Beachwood Place plans to make a fashion statement that is likely to heighten the mall's competition for shoppers with the nearby Legacy Village lifestyle center. The mall is looking to excite east suburban...

Aurora lighting biz to power up $12M project; Technical Consumer Products' expansion plans include new distribution, office bldg.(Technology)
February 6, 2006... Byline: BRANDON GLENN Take that, Sacramento. Aurora has beaten out the California capital for an expansion project at fluorescent lighting distributor Technical Consumer Products Inc. that could cost as much as $12 million. The...

The Big Issue.(Opinion)
February 6, 2006... Do you agree with President Bush that the country is "addicted to oil,'' and if so, how should we address it? Frank Gaspar Parma We're certainly addicted to our cars. In most cities, the buses go to where people used to live, not...

Late News.
February 6, 2006... PORTER WRIGHT TAPPED AS PFIZER COUNSEL Pfizer Inc. has picked Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur LLP of Cleveland to represent the drug company in commercial and certain health care litigation. Pfizer during the past year has been working to...

Region lacks leadership for economic revival.(Opinion)
February 6, 2006... Byline: HERBERT S. KLEIMAN A football score of 41-0 offers little solace for the losing side. One might try to find the silver lining in the debris, but that requires a lot of faith. Unfortunately, Greater Cleveland confronts the same...

Alliance specializes in counsel for cost-conscious companies.(Special Report)
February 6, 2006... Byline: DAVID PRIZINSKY Three Northeast Ohio attorneys have formed what they say is a unique approach to marketing more affordable legal services to cost-conscious local companies. The attorneys formed BizHouseCounsel to sell their...

Foodservice dealer preps for $1M expansion project.(News)(Column)
February 6, 2006... Byline: DAVID BENNETT S.S. Kemp & Co., a wholesale distributor of foodservice supplies and equipment, is expanding its operation in Cuyahoga Heights. The company, which employs 90 in Cuyahoga Heights, expects to add 15 jobs as part of...

The Week: January 30-February 5.(The Insider)
February 6, 2006... South of the border: Steris Corp. (NYSE: STE) said it will move its Erie, Pa., manufacturing operations to Mexico. About 450 people make sterilization equipment at Steris' Erie plant. The Mexican operation "will allow us the flexibility to......

Crain's on the Web.(News)
February 6, 2006... Making the troops safer * Case Western Reserve University provost John Anderson is a member of a research commission that's exploring ways to reduce and eliminate attacks on U.S. military personnel by insurgents using handmade bombs. Read...

Reporters' Notebook; Behind the news with Crain's writers.(The Insider)
February 6, 2006... Bar cautions, 'Be sharp' if you dealt with Sharp * The more than 3,000 people who bought estate planning help from Sharp Estate Services of Cleveland will be receiving a letter containing an unsettling message from the Cleveland Bar...

Quote in poor taste.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
February 6, 2006... This letter is in response to the Jan. 23 "Insight'' story regarding Alex Machaskee's planned retirement as publisher of The Plain Dealer. While it is true that many factors, including the Internet and balancing the bottom line, are...

POACHING PARTNERS; Firms scope out seasoned attorneys to hire away from the competition.(Special Report)
February 6, 2006... Byline: JUDY STRINGER Last year when a Frantz Ward LLP labor and employment attorney left the firm to take a position with a company, the firm's partners didn't hit the pavement to interview recent law school grads who eventually could...

Towering transactions; Region's commercial real estate sales rocket to $1.25B in 2005.(Insight)
February 6, 2006... Byline: STAN BULLARD Paced by sales of the Key Tower and 200 Public Square skyscrapers, the volume of big-ticket commercial real estate sales in Northeast Ohio reached an atmospheric height of $1.25 billion last year, according to a...

Going Places.(Kim Hatcher appointd as career counselor)
February 6, 2006... JOB CHANGES EDUCATION AUBURN CAREER CENTER: Kim Hatcher to career counselor CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE: Dennis Ulrich to dean of community continuing education. ENGINEERING ATWELL-HICKS: Lawrence J. Sobol to product...

Tax Liens.(News)
February 6, 2006... The Internal Revenue Service filed tax liens against the following businesses in the Cuyahoga County Recorder's Office. The IRS files a tax lien to protect the interests of the federal government. The lien is a public notice to creditors that...

Short Takes.(Briefs)
February 6, 2006... * STILL NO. 1: Jones Day ranked No. 1 worldwide for mergers and acquisitions, a position the firm has held for 21 consecutive quarters, according to Thomson Financial's league tables. The most recent ranking is based on the number of deals...

City preps Detroit Road site for razing; Trinity Building set as first demolition for industrial land bank.(News)
February 6, 2006... Byline: DAVID BENNETT The first piece of Cleveland's industrial land bank initiative soon will fall into place. Literally. City officials are preparing contracts to begin demolition of the Trinity Building, a former aluminum factory at...

Sarbanes-Oxley act applicable to all.(Special Report)
February 6, 2006... Byline: Jennifer Vergilii Since the passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, there has been an inundation of materials regarding the threshold standard of "best practices'' for private and nonprofit companies. The provisions of the...

The ugly legacy of 'legacy' costs.(Opinion)
February 6, 2006... Byline: Brian Tucker Americans are going to need to become accustomed to all this turmoil at Ford Motor Co., because we're probably going to be seeing this for some time at America's "legacy'' carmakers. That use of the word "legacy''...

Oil? Well ...(Opinion)(Brief Article)
February 6, 2006... It's easy to scoff at the oilman president who now tells us we're "addicted to oil'' and that the country needs to move more quickly to develop alternative fuels. But assuming President Bush is serious about weaning the country from its oil...

Places of note; A look at Northeast Ohio's interesting spaces.(Special Report)
February 6, 2006... Byline: Deanna Bottar Ulmer & Berne LLP The place: After 30 years in the Penton Media Building at East Ninth Street and St. Clair Avenue, Ulmer & Berne LLP moved to the top floors of the Skylight Office Tower at Tower City Center. ...

Hospital unveils Hitachi imaging center, showroom.(News)(Column)
February 6, 2006... Byline: SHANNON MORTLAND Robinson Memorial Hospital has opened a $5 million imaging center that doubles as a working showroom and testing ground for Twinsburg-based Hitachi Medical Systems America Inc. The Ravenna hospital last week...

Shaker's Whole Health plots move to One Cleveland Ctr.(Real Estate)(Column)
February 6, 2006... Byline: STAN BULLARD Whole Health Management plans to trade its 10th-floor offices at Tower East in Shaker Heights for the 25th floor of One Cleveland Center in downtown Cleveland, where its 50 employees will have Lake Erie and downtown...

Playing for profits; NE Ohio toymakers to head east for giant industry trade show.
February 6, 2006... Byline: JOHN BOOTH It's almost perverse, really: Five-and-a-half football fields' worth of toys and one unbreakable rule: No Kids Allowed. At the 2006 American International Toy Fair, playtime is serious business. More than a dozen...

Trade officials tout universal CAT tax exemption; Proposed legislation would apply to all nine foreign trade zones.(News)
February 6, 2006... Byline: DAVID BENNETT Trade officials in Ohio are promoting legislation that would make all nine foreign trade zones in the state exempt from the new commercial activity tax. The effort, led by the Northeast Ohio Trade and Economic...

On the cover.(News)
February 13, 2006... The Myers University Club mansion sits on "Millionaire's Row," which originally comprised 40 houses. The Myers University Club is the only 19th century mansion still standing. CAPTION(S): photo

The Week in Quotes.(News)
February 13, 2006... "We're supporting a vision that goes toward creating the future of Akron. It's about starting businesses here and having (entrepreneurs) grow their businesses here.'' - Tom Barratt, investor and member of the ARCHAngel Network. Page 4 ...

CD business booms as interest rates rise; Deposits surge as bank clients pick higher-yielding savings options.(News)(Certificates of deposit)
February 13, 2006... Byline: SHAWN A. TURNER A year or so ago, the difference between the interest rates on checking accounts and certificates of deposit was so small that there was little incentive for bank customers to lock their money away in a CD. ...

Akron's ARCHAngels to link startups, financing sources.(Technology)
February 13, 2006... Byline: BRANDON GLENN Most members of Northeast Ohio's investment community agree that the region's startups are in need of more sources of early-stage financing, but exactly how to link investors with the entrepreneurs who need money is...

New Roth plans offer higher contribution caps.(Small Business)
February 13, 2006... Byline: Peter DeMarco The "Roth'' concept is giving business owners and employees a new option in planning for retirement. Roth is synonymous with paying taxes today to forgo future tax obligations. The concept emerged in the late...

CSU sets sights on work zone safety; Crashes, injuries force training to forefront.(News)(Cleveland State University)
February 13, 2006... Byline: SHANNON MORTLAND Orange barrels are abundant in Ohio, but a new center at Cleveland State University is aiming to cut down on the number of crashes, injuries and deaths they cause. Cleveland State has received a four-year, $2...

Proposed bill uncorks debate; Some sellers whine, others toast effort to ditch wholesale wine markup.(Wholesale Beer and Wine Association of Ohio)
February 13, 2006... Byline: JAY MILLER A state representative from Cincinnati is trying to loosen the state government's grip over the way wine is sold and priced in Ohio. But wine imbibers shouldn't toast the prospect of lower prices on their favorite...

Reporters' Notebook; Behind the news with Crain's writers.(The Insider)
February 13, 2006... Who are the chief chefs? Culinary competition will tell * A tasteful competition, perhaps the industry equivalent of the "Iron Chief'' broadcast weekly on the Food Network, is coming to town. Food equipment distributor S.S. Kemp & Co....

Austin Capital to finish investing first fund.(Finance)
February 13, 2006... Byline: SHAWN A. TURNER Austin Capital Partners expects to finish investing the money in its inaugural buyout fund this year, though it likely will be awhile before the private equity firm in Cleveland begins raising capital for a second...

Schools seek high-tech ways to tap new students.(Insight)
February 13, 2006... Byline: SHANNON MORTLAND When Susan Dileno wants to woo prospective students to Baldwin-Wallace College, she targets their cell phones. But instead of talking, she types. "Welcome to B-W. Register for the admitted student All Access...

Languid legacy.(Opinion)
February 13, 2006... With just one in four Ohioans saying the state is headed in the right direction, the political winds appear to be shifting in favor of out-of-power Democrats. So begins a press release issued last week by the Zogby International polling...

Advocacy groups unite political power of small biz.(Small Business)
February 13, 2006... Byline: Marsha Powers If seen as a voting bloc, small business can have significant leverage on elected officials because of strength in numbers and common concerns. The small business community's needs are different than big business...

The Big Issue.(Opinion)
February 13, 2006... If you had to trim the U.S. budget, where would you make cuts? Kim Swanson Madison I'd cut the executive salaries - in Congress and the administration. Jules Koach Shaker Heights I'd cut the money for the war in...

Convention center plans on hold; CFA delays its work as developer examines medical mart sites.
February 13, 2006... Byline: JAY MILLER Planning for a new downtown convention center in Cleveland has been put on hold until a developer can determine whether a medical merchandise mart is feasible in the city. The three entities that appoint members to...

On the ballot; New Diebold CEO weighing company's involvement with e-voting biz.(News)(Brief Article)
February 13, 2006... Diebold Inc.'s new CEO is reviewing whether the Green-based maker of ATMs and bank security systems should continue investing in its embattled electronic voting business, according to an Associated Press interview last week. Even so, CEO...

Clarification.(Correction)(Correction Notice)
February 13, 2006... Incorrect information was provided to Crain's for a Feb. 6, page 3 story about Robinson Memorial Hospital and its new diagnostic imaging center in Kent. The hospital still offers outpatient diagnostic imaging services at its main campus in...

Measure could lessen snowbirds' time away.
February 13, 2006... Byline: JAY MILLER The swelling Ohio snowbird population is flexing its muscle in the state Legislature. Last Thursday, Feb. 9, the Ways and Means Committee of the Ohio House of Representatives sent to the House floor a bill that would...

Creativity reigns in new uses for 'cremains'.(News)
February 13, 2006... Byline: JOHN BOOTH Ashes to ashes, dust to... diamonds? With a rising number of Americans leaning toward cremation in their funeral planning, a growing number of options exist for disposition of their remains. And they go way beyond...

Trade secrets case to end with exec's guilty plea.(News)(Brief Article)
February 13, 2006... Byline: DAVID BENNETT A former employee of a Streetsboro-based pump manufacturer is expected to plead guilty to one federal count of theft of trade secrets stemming from allegations that he gave proprietary information to a competing South...

Molded for the job; Plastics run through the blood of CEO Brian Bishop as he takes the reins at Demag.(News)
February 13, 2006... Byline: DAVID BENNETT For Brian Bishop, the new president and CEO of Demag Plastics Group in Strongsville, the plastics business has been a family tradition. His father, Tom, was vice president of sales for the former HPM Corp., a...

Doctor's book gets to the heart of the Clinic, UH competition.(Health Care)
February 13, 2006... Byline: SHANNON MORTLAND Did you know that it was suggested in 1994 that the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals of Cleveland merge to become a medical and research powerhouse? Or that in 1993, 25 of the 27 chairmen of the Case...

Late News.(Michael Victor joins Lake Erie College)(Luis Maria Calingo joins John Carroll University)(Cutler/GMAC Real Estate changed its name)
February 13, 2006... CASE'S HALLE BLDG. MOVE IN LIMBO * Case Western Reserve University's planned relocation of 325 administrative employees to downtown Cleveland has been viewed as an encouraging sign for the city's languid office market. Now that move has...

Crain's on the Web.(News)
February 13, 2006... Toy Stories * Crain's reporter John Booth, along with many of the region's toy makers, is venturing to New York this week to attend the 2006 American International Toy Fair. Read John's daily dispatches from the trade show at...

Going Places.(WESTERN RESERVE PARTNERS LLC)(CBLH DESIGN INC)
February 13, 2006... Job Changes Architecture ARRAY HEALTHCARE FACILITIES SOLUTIONS: Susan Broadwater to interior designer; Megan Bielawski to administrative/marketing assistant. CBLH DESIGN INC.: William A. Weber to senior architect; Kevin Kantz to...

Riverside execs anticipate another big year; Microcap acquisitions fuel momentum.(Finance)
February 13, 2006... Byline: SHAWN A. TURNER A focus on Europe and on small deals is leading Riverside Co. to expect a big year ahead. After closing 17 acquisitions last year, the Cleveland-based leveraged buyout firm is eyeing up to 30 purchases in 2006,...

Public must stand up for higher ed.(Opinion)
February 13, 2006... Byline: Brian Tucker Just when I think that our state and federal lawmakers could not possibly do more to hurt the cause of higher education in America, they prove me wrong. Again. This time, our federal lawmakers, in narrowly passing...

Twinsburg, state luring plastic company's services with hefty tax credits.(News)
February 13, 2006... Byline: SHAWN A. TURNER Twinsburg and state officials hope $186,000 in tax credits and incentives will be enough to persuade an Indian plastics company to open its first U.S. manufacturing operation in the Summit County city. The Ohio...

Grand Openings.(Small Business)(Brief Article)
February 13, 2006... Central Lift & Installation Co. 243 Richmond Road, Richmond Heights 44143 www.linerdrop.com Provides an aerial lift device to aid the heating and air conditioning industry. The device provides for the safe and efficient...

Establish blogging boundaries with a permissive policy.(Small Business)
February 13, 2006... Byline: Mark Valponi Your employees show you a blog written by another employee. In it, the blogger rants about his ignorant co-workers and his egomaniacal boss - you. How can your company protect itself from damaging statements like...

Cuyahoga leaders take aim at grassroots growth; County sets aside $1.5 million to encourage economic expansion.(News)
February 13, 2006... Byline: JAY MILLER Cuyahoga County commissioners are committing $1.5 million toward spurring economic development in a new way. The money is meant to pay for various initiatives recommended by the Cuyahoga County Blue Ribbon Task...

Insurance biz caters to Hispanic clientele.(Small Business)
February 13, 2006... Byline: Terri Mrosko Nationwide Insurance agent/owner Gregg Monin recently opened an insurance office on Cleveland's West Side to target Hispanic customers. The office, at 4642 W. 130th St., offers bilingual sales agents and is...

The Week: February 6 - 12.(The Insider)
February 13, 2006... The big story: Dr. Eric Topol is leaving his cardiology position at the Cleveland Clinic to teach and do research at Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Topol will become a professor in the Department of Genetics. However, Dr. Topol will not...

Short Takes.(Briefs)
February 13, 2006... * LUBE STOP HOT SPOTS: All 37 Lube Stop Inc. locations in Northeast Ohio now are equipped with wireless Internet access thanks to a partnership with Imagine Net Inc., an Internet service provider in Brunswick. Berea-based Lube Stop said free...

What's New.(The Insider)(Brief Article)
February 13, 2006... COMPANY: IT Savings Inc., Avon PRODUCT: Bird Deturder Boating season isn't all that far off, and entrepreneur Joe Kurtzweil has come up with a product to fend off one of boaters' worst enemies: birds. The indelicately named Bird...

Art students bring biz world new ideas with profitable partnerships.(Technology)
February 13, 2006... Byline: SHANNON PETTYPIECE Designing virtual reality programs for a local business or making a nonprofit organization's audio files interactive are not your typical art school projects. But the Cleveland Institute of Art's digital...

Banking biz recruiter to ramp up staff.(Atlanta bank)(Brief Article)
February 13, 2006... Byline: SHAWN A. TURNER Socius Search LLC's deal to help an Atlanta bank find people as it expands is enabling the Cleveland-based recruiter of banking talent to grow, too. The work for publicly traded SunTrust Banks Inc. is expected...

Kosher climate change; Local restaurants drawing un-Orthodox employees, clientele.(Small Business)
February 13, 2006... Byline: HARRIET TRAMER If you call Yacov's Restaurant, a kosher establishment, you might be taken aback when the person who answers the phone speaks with a heavy Hispanic accent. But what at first seems surprising actually has become...

Civilizations.(Small Business)(Brief Article)
February 13, 2006... Byline: John H. Tidyman When Bay Village native Cheryl Roetzer was making her way through Ohio University, she often heard, "What are you going to do with an arts degree? With a major in painting and a minor in art history?'' Four...

Bummer bow out.(Brief Article)
February 20, 2006... We consider it a bummer that state Sen. Eric Fingerhut last week bowed out of the race for governor. The Democratic from Shaker Heights is one of the few bright lights of state government, which makes it doubly disappointing that he also...

On The Cover.(News)
February 20, 2006... The University Club was formed in 1896 as an invitational social club limited to men having a college degree. The club moved to the 3813 Euclid Ave. location in December 1913. CAPTION(S): photo

Risky Business.(Brief Article)
February 20, 2006... Small and medium businesses are more vulnerable to Internet threats than larger companies are. Many say they don't have enough money to operate more securely. 80% use antivirus software 50% use anti-spyware programs 25-50% rely on...

New systems put web work in hands of nontechies.(Technology)
February 20, 2006... Byline: Alex Yakubovich It used to be that business leaders who wanted to use their web site as more than just an interactive brochure had to hire a web site administrator, pay hefty fees to their web development company, or obtain a...

Training day; NFL draft prospects flock to duo's Euclid complex to prep for the league combine.(Speed Strength Systems Inc)
February 20, 2006... Byline: JOHN BOOTH In the back section of a mammoth Euclid industrial complex, past a landscape of rusting storage tanks, crumbling loading docks and hollow buildings peppered with shattered windows, NFL hopefuls such as former Ohio State...

Rift in relations between Case, big alumni group; Some graduates confused, unhappy about calls from donations from two sources.
February 20, 2006... Byline: SHANNON MORTLAND Some graduates confused, unhappy about calls from donations from two sources Some graduates of Case Western Reserve University are being pulled in two directions when it comes to giving money to their alma...

Reporters' Notebook; Behind the news with Crain's writers.
February 20, 2006... Family matters matter in shying away from Shaker * Sometimes a deal can hit too close to home. Take the plan by the city of Shaker Heights to find a developer to reinvigorate the office and retail center around the intersection of...

NASA Glenn to make big pitch; Brook Park center's future could lie with service module project.
February 20, 2006... Byline: BRANDON GLENN Hundreds of jobs at struggling NASA Glenn Research Center could hang in the balance as the center in Brook Park tries to land desperately needed work on the vehicle that is slated to replace the space shuttle. ...

The Big Issue.(Brief Article)
February 20, 2006... Do you think the federal government is doing all it should to rebuild New Orleans? Robin Gamble Cleveland From what little I know about it from TV, I say they could do a little bit more. Marcus Brown Cleveland No....

Two NE Ohio franchises in the works for West Coast burger biz.(News)
February 20, 2006... Byline: STAN BULLARD When Mark Holz lived three years in Los Angeles, he confesses he was often a "heavy user'' of his local Fatburger and thought, "If they ever franchise, I'd love to bring Fatburger to Cleveland.'' That's what Mr....

Licensing lends name recognition to new toys.
February 20, 2006... Byline: JOHN BOOTH You just don't mold a reputation out of plastic in the toy business. However, thanks to licensing agreements, there is a way to gain instant name recognition for a company's products, whether they're dolls or cooking...

What's New.(Brief Article)
February 20, 2006... COMPANY: Giant Eagle Inc. PRODUCT: Grace's Kitchen take-home gourmet meals The supermarket company is using eight stores in Northeast Ohio to test a line of frozen prepared foods aimed at time-pressed consumers who want a swanky meal...

OneCleveland adopts a new name.(Technology)
February 20, 2006... Byline: BRANDON GLENN Goodbye, OneCleveland. Hello, OneCommunity. The nonprofit provider of a so-called "ultra-broadband'' network that connects local nonprofits announced its name change at the annual meeting of the Northeast Ohio...

Consistent network protection key; Invaders becoming more sophisticated.
February 20, 2006... Byline: HARRIET TRAMER Even very small companies now can transfer information instantaneously among networked computers, enjoying the benefits that such shared systems make possible, and more will join the pack as wireless systems continue...

Speeding up sales; Real estate auctions aren't just for foreclosures anymore.
February 20, 2006... Byline: STAN BULLARD Using eBay, Steve Paskan found buyers in Peru and Norway for, respectively, an air compressor and a metal finishing machine he no longer needed at the Painesville Township shop that has been home to his company, Atfab....

Shaias' Flats plan may put crimp in Wolstein's.
February 20, 2006... Byline: STAN BULLARD A duel between developers looms over a parking lot that adjoins Scott Wolstein's proposed Flats East Bank Neighborhood on the north end of Old River Road. The Shaia family, owners and operators of parking lots in...