Crain's Detroit Business articles from April 2005

Crain's Detroit Business archives from April 2005

Web of words.(Crain's Detroit Business Nonprofit Salary Survey)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Nonprofit lists available Data-system volunteer testers: Thanks to those of you who said you would be willing to try out our new online data system and give us some feedback on what works and what doesn't. Sorry to the rest of you, but I...

This Just In.
April 4, 2005... Group buys land for $80M Pittsfield plan A key land sale in Pittsfield Township has set the stage for an $80 million housing development, pending township approval of the project. A partnership of Ivanhoe-Huntley Cos., Crescendo Homes...

Latitude Consulting opens Howell office.(News)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Sheena Harrison Latitude Consulting Group Inc., a Saline-based technology-consulting firm, will open a 20-employee project center in Howell this week. The 2,600-square-foot project center is downtown in the Banker's Square...

Bankruptcies.
April 4, 2005... The following businesses filed for Chapter 7 or 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Detroit the week of March 25-31. Under Chapter 11, a company files a reorganization plan that the court must approve. Chapter 7 involves total...

Keno dispute stops tribal payments to state.
April 4, 2005... Byline: Amy Lane A dispute over the state lottery's keno game has cut off a multimillion-dollar revenue stream from American Indian tribes and put a crimp in state economic-development spending. Two tribes that had been sending casino...

State wants biz help with new child agency.(News)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Amy Lane The state is looking for business to play a central role in a new public corporation aimed at early childhood development. The Michigan Early Childhood Investment Corp., a nonprofit, will need private-sector...

The only color that matters is green.(Column)(Column)
April 4, 2005... Byline: KEITH CRAIN Editor's note: With Keith Crain away from his computer this week, and given that this is our 20th anniversary, we thought we'd go back 10 years and revisit one of his columns about an issue that, unfortunately, still...

Taubman's second act worth applause.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Martha Stewart emerged from prison saying her experience was both "life-altering and life-affirming.'' Al Taubman was more succinct: "It put me out of business,'' he told reporters and editors at Crain's last month, referring to being...

Corrections.(Correction)
April 4, 2005... A story about black mold on Page 26 of the March 7 issue erroneously stated that an infrared camera was reformatted to recognize hidden moisture in buildings. The camera recognizes temperature differences on surfaces, and colder readings can...

Home foreclosure listings rise 20% over past year.(News)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Jennette Smith Continued job losses combined with too many overextended borrowers contributed to a rise of more than 20 percent in local residential foreclosure listings during the past year. The number of pending listings in...

People.(Hobbs and Black Associates Inc.)(Trustinus Inc.)(Eastern Michigan University)(appointments)
April 4, 2005... Architecture Elizabeth Wagner to senior associate, Hobbs + Black Associates, Ann Arbor, remaining director of interior design. Also, Jonathan Botorowicz and Eric Wubbenhorst to associates, remaining as architects. Consulting Bryan...

Cybernet hopes ammo sorter hits the target; Machine eases military task.(News)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Andrew Dietderich Sitting in his office stacked with boxes and bags of ammunition and one day after a long flight home from Kuwait, Glenn Beach is thinking about peanuts. Beach, director of technology at Ann Arbor-based...

Covansys' controls draw SEC attention; Agency asks ex-auditors for financial data.(Securities and Exchange Commission)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Andrew Dietderich Lack of internal controls since at least 2001 has Covansys Corp. racing to change its accounting methods while the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has requested financial information from the company's...

Infection control saves hospital $1.2M.(quality management)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Katie Merx Henry Ford Hospital last year saved $1.2 million and improved patient care by concentrating on reducing treatment-related infections. The hospital is reaping the health and financial savings by focusing on programs...

Reporter's Notebook.(fire safety)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Jennette Smith The recent death of a prominent Birmingham interior designer brings a fresh reminder to the real estate community about blending good design with practical safety issues. Brian Killian died from smoke inhalation...

Briefly.(Briefs)
April 4, 2005... MicroMax owners win small-business award Michael McCormack and Rachel McCormack, the CEO and CFO of MicroMax Inc., have been named Michigan's Small Business People of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. MicroMax is a...

JWT makes quick work of Domino's ads.(Domino's Pizza Inc.)(J. Walter Thompson)(Michigan Business and Professional Association)
April 4, 2005... JWT makes quick work of Domino's ads Talk about fast delivery. Television ads featuring Donald Trump as pitchman for Domino's Pizza Inc. were shot and edited last week, only 48 hours before they were broadcast on NBC's hit show, "The...

Sales pitch; Interest in All-Star Game, arrival of new talent spur sales for improving Tigers.(News)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky Like the team on the field, the Detroit Tigers' ticket sales are coming back to respectability. Fueled by the free agent signings of relief pitcher Troy Percival and outfielder Magglio Ordonez and the July 12...

Spotlight on: Summit Place Mall.(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Brent Snavely Summit Place's days as an enclosed regional mall are numbered, General Manager Joe Tyree said. Summit Place, which opened in 1963, is struggling to attract and retain stores. Its Marshall Field's wing, for...

Letters.
April 4, 2005... Let those who ride decide? Editor: While Keith Crain's observations about pending legislation to eliminate mandatory motorcycle helmet laws in Michigan are interesting ("It just might help the hospital business,'' March 21), I believe...

Other municipal courses.(Executive Life)(Directory)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Jason Deegan Other municipal courses Oakland County * Beech Woods Golf Club, 22202 Beech Road, Southfield, (248) 684-2200, owned by Southfield. This nine-hole, par-35 design is slightly shorter and newer than its sister...

Making things happen; Taubman speaks on his legacy in business, his time in prison and the future of retail.(Focus)(A. Alfred Taubman )
April 4, 2005... Byline: Brent Snavely, Jennette Smith On a recent visit to Virginia, A. Alfred Taubman was looking for the same signs of retail sales he's watched for decades: busy cash registers and full shopping bags. He found both at Fair Oaks...

He said it.(Focus)(A. Alfred Taubman)
April 4, 2005... A. Alfred Taubman, 81, on his achievements as a mall developer, his other varied business ventures and his mistakes: On "location, location, location'': "We make the location. Location is made by the person who builds the...

Week In Review.(briefs)
April 4, 2005... Delphi: No more changes in top management Delphi Corp.'s top executives may be off the hook in an accounting scandal that resulted in the departure of two top finance executives last month, according to Automotive News, a sister...

Kruse control; As competition rises, restaurateur looks to expand.(Bill Kruse)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Brent Snavely Longtime restaurateur Bill Kruse is turning up the heat at his four Kruse & Muer restaurants and the Rochester Chop House to cope with increasing competition in northern Oakland County. Kruse - an avid...

Plan now for your end-of-life issues.(Opinion)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Dorothy Deremo If there is a lesson to learn from the tragic story of Terri Schiavo, it may be the value of clearly stating our wishes for how we want to be cared for if we are incapacitated, assigning someone the authority to...

Airport unit lures new airlines; But Northwest is sensitive to competition.(News)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Michelle Martinez Jack Vogel doesn't tout his successes on the job. As senior vice president of business development and revenue management for the Wayne County Airport Authority, Vogel was charged 18 months ago with retaining...

Business Diary.(Briefs)
April 4, 2005... CALLS FOR NOMINATIONS The National Association of Women Business Owners Greater Detroit Chapter, Detroit, is seeking award nominations for its May 20 "Salute to Automotive Women.'' Nominations are being accepted for the Presidential...

Taco, doughnut chains unveil plans.(Executive Life)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Brent Snavely Get ready for more coffee, donuts and tacos, because Dunkin Brands Inc. and Moe's Southwest Grill have launched expansion programs in Southeast Michigan. Atlanta-based Moe's has signed deals with three franchisees...

In the spotlight.(People)(Maurice Aouate)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Brent Snavely Detroit native Maurice Aouate is back in his hometown and is the new special agent in charge of the Internal Revenue Service's regional criminal investigation office. Aouate graduated from Cody High School in...

Calendar.(Calendar)
April 4, 2005... Tuesday April 5 Breakfast of Champions: Emerging Sectors. Leadership Oakland Alumni Association. 7:30-9 a.m. Speaker: L. Brooks Patterson, Oakland County executive. MSU Management Education Center, 811 W. Square Lake Road, Troy. $20...

In hot pursuit of `cool'.(News)(Crain's Detroit Business)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Crain's Detroit Business is joining Southfield-based American Society of Employers and the state of Michigan in a statewide search for employers that have created work environments that attract and retain quality workers, especially younger...

May we look at your house?(Executive Life)
April 4, 2005... Do you or someone you know have a home that is fabulous or unique? If so, Where I Live writer JoAnn Amicangelo would like to take a look for possible inclusion in an upcoming issue of Crain's Executive Life. Give JoAnn a call at (313)...

Nonprofits pass on golf clubs, black ties for new fundraisers.(News)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Sherri Begin An increasing number of nonprofits are trading in their traditional black-tie events and golf outings for more unusual events aimed at helping them stand out from the crowd. Visiting Nurse Association of Southeast...

Chamber to survey Chaldeans.(News)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Michelle Martinez A planned study of Michigan's Chaldean, or Catholic Iraqi, population will provide the first in-depth look at the state's second-largest Middle Eastern population. The study, commissioned by the Farmington...

Taubman to be honored.(Focus)(A. Alfred Taubman)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... On May 10, A. Alfred Taubman will receive the first Lifetime Achievement Award from the Detroit chapter of the Urban Land Institute. Taubman is being honored for his work in the Detroit real estate community, as well as his role as a...

Municipals on the upswing; But private owners of public courses say their taxes are subsidizing their competition.(Executive Life)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Jason Deegan As more luxurious municipal golf courses have opened, private owners of public golf courses are crying foul, wondering why the money they pay in property taxes is used to build facilities that could put them out of...

Spotlight on: Johnson Controls Automotive Group.(News)(Johnson Controls Inc. Automotive Systems Group)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky Johnson Controls Automotive Group increased its revenue last year the old-fashioned way - by winning new business. The Plymouth-based division manufactures automotive interior systems and batteries. Its fiscal...

Automation Alley, business group sign deal to open doors to China.(News)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Andrew Dietderich China just got a little closer for Southeast Michigan businesses through a new agreement signed between the Automation Alley Export Center and the Detroit Chinese Business Association. The agreement guarantees...

Taubman timeline.(Focus)(A. Alfred Taubman)
April 4, 2005... 1924: A. Alfred Taubman born in Pontiac. 1940s: Attends University of Michigan, interrupted by service in the Army Air Corps during World War II. 1948-50: Attends what was then Lawrence Technological Institute without graduating. He...

Athena Group gives Taubman a real estate avenue.(Focus)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Jennette Smith Retailing is just one part of A. Alfred Taubman's investment portfolio. Taubman is a major investor in The Athena Group, a company that invests in and develops projects such as condominium conversions and new...

Filing for bankruptcy can be an expensive proposition.(News)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Richard Truett Automotive News Bill for preparing a legal brief: $1,625. Cost of a 21/2-hour phone call: $312. A one-day trip from Detroit to New York for a lawyer to attend a meeting: $4,160. Cost of reorganizing in Chapter 11...

Schostak joins REI in $200M project in Rochester Hills.(News)(Schostak Brothers and Company Inc.)(Real Estate Interests Group Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Anjali Fluker, Jennette Smith Schostak Bros. & Co. Inc. in Southfield has joined Bloomfield Hills-based Real Estate Interests Group Inc. as partner in a proposed $200 million office and retail development near M-59 and Adams Road in...

Crain's seeks 40 Under 40.(News)
April 4, 2005... Crain's Detroit Business is looking for successful executives for its annual 40 Under 40 feature. This special report, to be published Sept. 26, will honor the best and brightest in Southeast Michigan who have made their marks in business...

It's expensive to go broke.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... It's expensive to go broke Financial distress is rippling through the auto supplier sector. But can smaller suppliers actually afford to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization? Richard Truett, a reporter at Crain's sister...

Spotlight on: Residential brokers.(News)(Brief Article)
April 4, 2005... Highest sales per office Highest sales per office ($000,000), residential brokers: Hall and Hunter Realtors $391.2 Keller Williams Northville 311.4 Snyder, Kinney 294.0 Re/Max Suburban 277.4 Re/Max in the Hills 226.3...

Muni masters; These municipal courses have demanding holes and luxury facilities.(Executive Life)
April 4, 2005... Byline: Jason Deegan The phrase "municipal golf course" conjures an image among many golfers of an older course in poor condition used by beginners or by seniors on a budget. But that stereotype has changed in recent years as some...

View of Oakland Hills; a reflection of childhood.(Executive Life)
April 4, 2005... Byline: JoAnn Amicangelo David Cameron, 62, plays about 50 rounds of golf in his back yard each year. That's because his home is on the 18th fairway of Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills. "I like to say I have a 125-acre...

Crain's reporters Martinez, Harrison add new beats.(News)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Two Crain's reporters have been given new responsibilities. Michelle Martinez will take over health care coverage. She will continue to cover transportation and international business. Martinez joined Crain's in January from Modern...

A good start for better roads.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Business leaders in Oakland County should be applauded for their initiative in creating Businesses for Better Roads. (See story, Page 11). Taking a page from a business coalition in California's Silicon Valley, their approach makes a lot...

Spotlight on: Oakland County.(economy)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Oakland by the numbers 87%: % of workers who commuted alone $63,024: Median income $1,549: Median monthly housing cost, owners with mortgages 8%: Poverty rate 47,000: Oakland residents who work in Detroit 54,000:...

Lists on the Web.(News)
April 11, 2005... All Crain's lists are available on the Web at www.crainsdetroit.com. Click on "Crain's lists" in the gray navigation bar at the top of the page. Should your company be on this list? Contact our research department at...

In the spotlight.(appointment)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Jennette Smith Greg Dudkin has been named regional senior vice president for Comcast Cable, heading the Michigan region. In that role, He is overseeing nearly 3,300 employees serving the company's 1.4 million Michigan customers....

UM leads push to link innovators, investors; $3.9M funds nonprofit to help startups.(University of Michigan)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Sherri Begin The University of Michigan and public and private partners are going on a crash program to try to bring the region up to speed with other tech-friendly cities around the country. The university, along with the...

Harbour looks for new ports outside automotive.(News)(Harbour Consulting )
April 11, 2005... Byline: Michelle Martinez Automotive efficiency specialist Harbour Consulting wants to more than triple its business by 2009 by trimming the fat from nonautomotive industries. The Troy-based company plans to increase its sales from...

AAA revs up; Insurer uses NASCAR sponsorship to attract new, younger members.(News)(Auto Club Group Insurance Co.)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Brent Snavely Dearborn-based Auto Club Group has picked a winning ride in its first sponsorship of a NASCAR team. Auto Club Group, the parent company of AAA Michigan Inc., is the primary car sponsor for three races this year...

Mall developer presents cheaper idea for Green Oak Twp. road improvements.(News)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Sheena Harrison Quadrants Inc. has presented a new plan to the Livingston County Road Commission for road improvements needed for a $100 million lifestyle shopping center planned near the Lee Road interchange on U.S. 23 in Green...

Automotive-related companies lead 1Q decline in local stocks.(News)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Michelle Martinez Stocks for publicly traded companies struggled during the first quarter across the nation, but metro Detroit stocks felt more of the pain. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was down 2.6 percent for the quarter...

This Just In.
April 11, 2005... Potential buyers inquire about Farmer Jack stores Several local retailers and grocery store chains have been in contact with Farmer Jack over the past week seeking information about what stores the company is interested in selling. One...

Business Diary.(Briefs)(Vibracoustic North America acquires Gates AirSprings)(Delphi Corp. signs an agreement with Idalex Technologies)(Life Time Fitness Inc. opens a new fitness center)
April 11, 2005... Acquisitions Vibracoustic North America L.P., Plymouth, has acquired the assets of Gates AirSprings, a division of Denver-based Gates Corp. Terms were not disclosed. Calls for entries BDO Seidman, Troy, is seeking entries for the...

SBT plan poses hard questions; Some firms lose, but their customers win.
April 11, 2005... Byline: Amy Lane William Hermann, managing partner of accounting firm Plante & Moran P.L.L.C. in Southfield, has a conundrum. The business-tax restructuring plan proposed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm could increase his firm's taxes...

Agencies recruit outside talent.(News)(advertising agencies recruit )(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Jennette Smith Two local ad agencies recruited top creative talent from outside metro Detroit for new positions this month. Gary Pascoe was hired as creative director of BBDO Detroit in Troy. He was most recently a creative...

Speaking of Taubman...(News)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Bob Allen Taubman talks: It would have been hard to miss the package of stories about mall mogul A. Alfred Taubman in last week's issue. What you didn't see there was the 2003 speech he gave to the Urban Land Institute Real Estate...

Delayed interchanges keep businesses waiting.(Focus)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Michelle Martinez, Jennette Smith Bill Bowman Sr.'s livelihood hinges on the planned Wixom Road interchange off I-96. Bowman, president of Thompson-Brown Realtors in Farmington Hills, is a real estate broker, and one of his...

Co-author of government book to speak at deficit forum.(News)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Robert Ankeny With state and local government budgets facing mounting deficits, the Metropolitan Affairs Coalition has scheduled a half-day forum on April 26 to address "The Public Deficit Crisis'' and seek solutions for the...

Contractor moves into new headquarters.(News)(F.H. Martin Constructors)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Jennette Smith General contractor F.H. Martin Constructors has moved to a renovated $1.8 million headquarters in Warren. The company opted to gut and rebuild an office building on Mound Road just north of I-696 instead of...

Questor executives exit to form private fund.(News)(Centurion Capital Partners L.L.C formed)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Sheena Harrison Three executives at Southfield-based Questor Management Co. L.L.C. have left the firm to start their own private-equity fund, Centurion Capital Partners L.L.C. The new firm, formed last week, is headed up by...

Supplier Eifel diversifies by contracting out its expertise.(News)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Sheena Harrison Eifel Inc., a Fraser-based automotive supplier, is breaking out of its mold of product design and development through a new contracting services unit. Eifel says Eifel Design Services L.L.C. has been successful...

Bills would allow mail-order prescriptions.(News)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Amy Lane Michigan pharmacies are heading for new flexibility in how they fill and dispense prescriptions. House Bill 4405 would lift a long-standing prohibition and allow pharmacies to receive and dispense prescriptions by...

County looks for firms in new sectors.(Focus)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Anjali Fluker Incat International Ltd. is part of an industry that has slowly been finding its way into the spotlight as a new leader in Oakland County. London-based Incat, a provider of consulting, design, engineering and...

Bankruptcies.(comanies filed for bankruptcy )(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... The following businesses filed for Chapter 7 or 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Detroit the week of April 1-7. Under Chapter 11, a company files a reorganization plan that the court must approve. Chapter 7 involves total liquidation....

Ex-exec sues Kelly over separation deal.(News)(Kelly Services Inc. sued by George Reardon)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Brent Snavely Troy-based Kelly Services Inc. (Nasdaq: KELYA) is being sued by its former top-ranking attorney, George Reardon. Reardon, who served as Kelly's senior vice president and general counsel from 1998 through June 9,...

Traffic self-help; Business leaders study ways to pay for road improvements, relieve congestion.(Focus)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Anjali Fluker Representatives from Oakland County businesses, government and educational institutions are using a successful initiative from Santa Clara County, Calif., as a model to try to improve local road congestion. The...

Stop the fight over business-tax reform.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Manufacturers did the heavy lifting in Michigan's economy for most of the 20th century. But this is the 21st. Manufacturing jobs are disappearing, and manufacturing is staggering under the weight of a outmoded tax model (as well as legacy...

Reporter's Notebook.(Focus)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Andrew Dietderich It's hard to question the enthusiasm Alan Kiriluk and the other members of Oakland County Business Roundtable Transportation Committee share about their plan to fix the county's growing road problems. (See story,...

Annual Meetings.(News)
April 11, 2005... Republic Bancorp, 9 a.m. April 27, Henry Center, 3535 Forest Road, Lansing. DTE Energy Co., 10 a.m. April 28, 660 Plaza Drive, Detroit American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc., 3 p.m. April 28, American Axle headquarters, 1 Dauch...

Nursing home sold in resolution of 16-year-old bankruptcy.(News)(Brief Article)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Robert Ankeny The Detroit Economic Development Corp. has approved sale of Medicos Health Care Center at 22355 Eight Mile Road as part of the settlement of a 16-year-old bankruptcy of First Humanics Corp. of Kansas City, Mo. The...

Money Smart Week trains workers on personal finance.
April 11, 2005... Byline: Anjali Fluker Budco in Highland Park has had many employees who may not have been planning for retirement or even had bank accounts when they first joined the marketing and communications company. But company officials said...

Week in Review.(Briefs)
April 11, 2005... Suits filed against Collins & Aikman Two law firms have filed suits seeking class-action status for shareholders of Collins & Aikman Corp. in U.S. District Court. Troy-based Collins & Aikman (NYSE: CKC) said last month that it likely...

Corrections.(Correction)
April 11, 2005... * A Page 38 story about fundraisers in the April 4 issue omitted the first name and title of Gloria Brooks, vice president of development for Visiting Nurse Association of Southeast Michigan in Oak Park. * On the list of largest real estate...

People.
April 11, 2005... Consulting Victor Lloyd to director of health care productivity services, PMC, Dearborn, from senior operations engineer and senior management engineer, William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak. Education Susan Cathcart to chief...

Calendar.(Calendar)
April 11, 2005... Tuesday April 12 Process Perks. Employee Involvement Association. 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Speaker: Bill Emerson, CEO, Quicken Loans/Rock Financial. Quicken Loans, 20555 Victor Parkway, Livonia. $20. Contact: George Mason, (734) 481-6133....

Pfizer expanding site despite $4B cutback; $140M project adds lab space, building.(News)
April 11, 2005... Byline: Andrew Dietderich Pfizer Inc. plans to complete a $140 million expansion project at its Ann Arbor campus by the end of the year, despite the company's plans to slash annual costs by $4 billion. The Ann Arbor project began late...

Rumblings.
April 11, 2005... Whoops... wrong Durant in airport mural Portrayed among automotive legends such as Henry Ford and Walter P. Chrysler in a mural at Detroit Metropolitan Airport is an image of the founder of General Motors Corp. labeled James Durant. ...