Crain's Detroit Business articles from February 2004

Crain's Detroit Business archives from February 2004

Power lunch.(Special Report)
February 2, 2004... Some of the spots where the powerful meet and eat: * Detroit Athletic Club. * Small Plates-Detroit. * Congress Grill. * Andiamo Dearborn. * The Palm-Troy.

Crain's hosts Newsmaker Luncheon.(News)
February 2, 2004... Newsmaker of the Year Luncheon. See coupon below. Hosted by Crain's Detroit Business, the Women's Economic Club and the Detroit Economic Club. Noon. Feb. 25. Honoring Robert Thompson, chairman of the board, Thompson Foundation. Cobo Center,...

On the Web.(News)
February 2, 2004... To read our Jan. 27 report on Gov. Jennifer Granholm's State of the State speech, the complete text of the speech and the Republican response, visit www.crainsdetroit.com and click on the "Breaking News" label on the home page. Look for the...

Finding peace and tranquility.(Special Report)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Joanne Amicangelo Where I Live Arie Leibovitz was 22 years old when he arrived in the United States from Israel and began to build a life in Michigan with about $200 in his pocket. He sold lumber and men's clothing and...

Nonprofits gain from capacity grants; Money helps organizations learn how to grow effectively.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Sherri Begin Five years ago, a visit to the Detroit offices of Communities in Schools would have found Executive Director Charlie Anderson doing pretty much everything. He wrote grant proposals; met with school staff; developed...

On the docket; Five legal trends that could affect your business.(Special Report)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Robert Ankeny 1. Alternative dispute resolution Mediation takes cases out of courts As law firms large and small continue to skirmish for business while trying to satisfy changing client demands and expectations,...

Americans feel welcome again at trade forum.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky A first-timer and a veteran of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, said a change in tone at the annual conference helped them in their respective missions. Both Delphi Corp. Chairman and CEO J.T....

Tadian buys developer's home-building division.(Real Estate)(S.R. Jacobson Development Corp.'s home-building division)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Jennette Smith Troy-based Tadian Homes has acquired S.R. Jacobson Development Corp.'s home-building division, the companies announced last week. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. S.R. Jacobson will continue to pursue...

Briefly.(newsbriefs)
February 2, 2004... Downtown Transit Center plans scaled back Detroit is cutting in half the price tag and scope of its proposed Downtown Transit Center at Michigan and Cass avenues. The change will save Nick's Gaslight Lounge at Bagley Street and Grand...

Calendar.(meetings)(Calendar)
February 2, 2004... Wednesday Feb. 4 How to Work with the Press. Hosted by Commercial Real Estate Women-Detroit and L. Mason Capitani. A panel discussion with real estate reporters and public-relations specialists. 11 a.m. Panelists: Jennette Smith,...

Googling for dollars; Plymouth company's trademark lawsuit could change landscape of Web-search advertising.
February 2, 2004... Byline: Andrew Dietderich A Plymouth company's battle with Google Inc. and other Internet companies could redefine the law on Internet advertising and hurt business for those dependent on the Web for revenue. American Blind and...

Rumblings.
February 2, 2004... Kenneth Cockrel already looking at running for mayor It's not too early to think about taking on Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, even though the election isn't until next year, according to Detroit City Councilman Kenneth Cockrel. ...

Cranking up a new business; Reversing the usual path, caterer turns restaurateur.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Michael Strong A lunch meeting with a friend provided Jeff Crank with a chance to get back to his roots: cooking. Seven months and $850,000 later, Crank's 59th Street Pub was born. The restaurant, on Hall Road a mile west of...

Is there a market that's being ignored?(baby boomer generation in a doomed state)
February 2, 2004... Byline: KEITH CRAIN Perhaps as we all grow older, it becomes more noticeable that marketers across the country seem to be ignoring the huge bubble of baby boomers who are approaching retirement. Everyone seems to be trying to lower the...

ProQuest may consolidate at Domino's Farms.
February 2, 2004... Byline: Laura Bailey, Jennette Smith ProQuest Co. is considering consolidating its five Washtenaw County locations under one roof at Domino's Farms in Ann Arbor Township. But ProQuest (NYSE: PQE) also is evaluating other sites in...

Agencies merge to meet insurers' sales demands.(News)(Hartland Insurance Group )
February 2, 2004... Byline: Katie Merx The owner of Auburn Hills-based Hartland Insurance Group bought majority ownership of Detroit-based Bosquett & Co. this month in a cash-for-stock deal. Hartland owner and CEO Raymond Elliott said he closed on the...

Week in Review.(Review)
February 2, 2004... State agency OKs Consumers deal - with conditions State regulators conditionally approved a major two-year contract allowing Consumers Energy Co. to be the sole electricity supplier to hundreds of state government buildings and three...

Michigan condemnation case could affect other states.(Special Report)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Robert Ankeny An appeal by property owners fighting Wayne County's creation of the Pinnacle Aeropark could affect eminent-domain cases across the state and the country if the Michigan Supreme Court reconsiders its landmark 1981...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
February 2, 2004... * A story on Page 20 of the Jan. 19 issue should have said that Joseph Epel joined the American Technion Society in 1947.

Lawsuit filed over Heartland, C&A deal with union.(News)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Brad Dawson Crain News Service A lawsuit against Heartland Industrial Partners L.P., Collins & Aikman Corp. and the United Steelworkers of America alleging their neutrality agreement violates federal law is ready to move to the...

Frank's Nursery hires veteran liquidator as financial adviser.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Brent Snavely Alan Cohen, the new strategic adviser for financially troubled Frank's Nursery & Crafts Inc., is best known for overseeing the liquidation of retail inventory, the sale of stores and lease renegotiations. Last...

He made his fortune in cable television here and owns gambling casinos in four other states, but Don Barden wants One more spin at Detroit.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Robert Ankeny Don Barden celebrated his 60th birthday just before Christmas but hasn't slowed his business pace. The Detroit businessman who made his first fortune in the cable-television business here now owns four casinos in...

Canadian takes 'a few thousand' DTE shares after bid for stock.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Amy Lane The owner of a Toronto investment company says he's secured a small but satisfying share of DTE Energy Co. stock in the wake of his unsolicited "minitender'' offer. Lorne Albaum, president of TRC Capital Corp., said he...

50 Fittest CEOs.(Special Report)
February 2, 2004... Detroit has been called a lot of things over the years. But "fat city''? That unkind label really hurts, but it's from a new ranking in Men's Health magazine naming metro Detroit residents the most overweight in the country. So here's a...

Business Diary.(Briefs)(miscellanious)
February 2, 2004... Acquisitions FGH Capital L.L.C., a private-equity buyout group in Rochester, has announced the acquisition of Soberay Machine & Equipment Inc. of Fairlawn, Ohio. Soberay provides new and rebuilt machinery and equipment for the tire and...

Digital video jukeboxes are Barden's next big venture.(News)(Barden Entertainment Inc)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Robert Ankeny Already operating four casinos and looking for more, Don Barden has quietly launched another entertainment venture in metro Detroit. It's Romulus-based Barden Entertainment Inc., which assembles and programs...

Granholm, hospitals ask for Medicaid help.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Amy Lane Faced with the June expiration of federal Medicaid dollars worth more than $168 million this year to Michigan, hospitals and the Granholm administration are pressing Washington for help. They want Congress to extend...

5 local buildings sold in deal; Detroit part estimated at up to $93M.(Real Estate)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Jennette Smith Prominent metro Detroit office buildings such as the Tri-Atria Office Building in Farmington Hills and 777 Eisenhower Plaza in Ann Arbor are to be sold as part of a large multistate real estate acquisition. ...

Steel prices hammer suppliers; Shortages, raw material costs erase gain from tariff repeal.
February 2, 2004... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky Auto suppliers encouraged by last year's repeal of steel tariffs are finding steel prices just as high as when the tariff went into effect. A coke shortage, higher raw material costs and high shipping costs...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
February 2, 2004... Schubiner doesn't get 'cool' Editor: I find it ironic that Craig Schubiner, developer of the planned Bloomfield Park, would pen an editorial ostensibly on the issue of Gov. Jennifer Granholm's "cool cities'' initiative (Other Voices:...

Some lunch, dinner spots pack a powerful punch.(Special Report)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Michael Strong The rich and powerful in Detroit must do many of the same things the less rich and powerful must do, including eating breakfast or lunch. If rubbing elbows or flatware is on the agenda, there are plenty of places...

New owner of Children's Orchard has plans for chain to grow up quickly.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Brent Snavely Ann Arbor-based Children's Orchard Inc., a retailer of "gently used'' children's clothes, has a new owner who plans to expand the company's 92 franchises quickly. Taylor Bond, former part-owner, CEO and president...

Ann Arbor tech park needs update to compete, council and owners say.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Laura Bailey One of the oldest research and technology parks in the state needs a facelift and an owners' association to compete with newer, neighboring parks when the economy turns around, according to the Washtenaw Development...

RenCen restaurants bank on GM, future.(Special Report)(Andiamo)(Seldom Blues)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Michael Strong The call for more restaurants inside Detroit is not going unheeded. In fact, two more restaurants recently announced they'll be settling into the Wintergarden at the Renaissance Center this year: Seldom Blues and...

Take heart this Valentine's Day.(Special Report)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Katie Merx With the new year under way and that dastardly Feb. 14 holiday quickly approaching, it seems the love lives of my single friends are in completely different places than they were just a year ago. Those who last year...

DMC blames lack of patients for 3Q loss.(News)(Detroit Medical Center)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Katie Merx The Detroit Medical Center continued to struggle financially in the third quarter of 2003 in large part because of low patient volumes, but several other local hospital companies reported improved operating results,...

Visteon lays off 80 employees.(News)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky Auto supplier Visteon Corp. laid off 80 salaried employees last week in a move to cut costs. Most of those cut were quality engineers and managers, according to a person familiar with the company who didn't want to...

Searching for answers.(google)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... How do Google's sponsored links work? Advertisers select certain search terms as keywords. When a Google user types in those keywords, links to the advertisers appear in the "Sponsored Links'' column along the right-hand side of the page...

This Just In.(newsbriefs)
February 2, 2004... NSF to test supplements for pro football Ann Arbor-based NSF International has been chosen by the National Football League and the NFL Players Association to test foods and dietary supplements to determine if they contain substances banned...

MEGA moves could target Federal-Mogul plan.(News)(Michigan Economic Growth Authority )
February 2, 2004... Byline: Amy Lane Measures to broaden Michigan's main business-incentive program are rising fast and heading through the Legislature, probably starting this week. The immediate beneficiary may be Southfield-based auto supplier...

It is time to dump single-business tax.(Opinion)
February 2, 2004... Gov. Jennifer Granholm earned high marks for her State of the State address last week. Facing yet another grueling budget shortfall and cuts approaching $1 billion, she was able to target specific initiatives to support key business issues. ...

Bankruptcies.(businesses filed for Chapter 7 or 11 protection )(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... The following businesses filed for Chapter 7 or 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Detroit the week of Jan. 23 - Jan. 29. Under Chapter 11, a company files a reorganization plan that the court must approve. Chapter 7 involves total...

Corporate downsizing; Executives finding weight-loss success by not trimming the fat.(Special Report)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Elizabeth Katz Don Tate, senior vice president and chief information officer of Meadowbrook Insurance Group in Southfield, hasn't eaten pasta in almost a year and has had substantial weight loss by cutting high-carbohydrate foods...

More beef.(Special Report)
February 2, 2004... Though Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution may be the most well-known low-carbohydrate diet, there are a variety of other diets and corresponding books that emphasize eliminating almost all carbohydrates and focusing on increased consumption of...

People.(executive moves)
February 2, 2004... Architecture Terry Frisch to vice president, SmithGroup Inc., Detroit, remaining as director of construction administration. David Zanley to partner, Wilkie & Zanley Architects AIA, Wyandotte, from associate, Yops & Wilkie Architects,...

Where I Live.( Arie and Karolyn Leibovitz like staying in Walnut Lake in West Boomfield,Michigan)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... * Who they are: Arie Leibovitz, president of Arie-El Enterprises Inc., Southfield; and Karolyn Leibovitz, artistic director, Karolyn School of Dance, Bloomfield Hills. * Where they live: A two-story contemporary style home designed by...

SBA loans for Michigan beat national average.(News)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Laura Bailey Michigan's small-business lending is up 64 percent in the quarter that ended Dec. 31 compared with the same period last year, much higher than the 32 percent increase nationally. The 7(a) loans are guaranteed by...

WSU pursues federal grant to speed completion of tech building.(Special Report)(Wayne State University)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Laura Bailey A grant from the federal government would put the TechOne building, the first in the Wayne State University TechTown development, on the fast track to completion. A grand opening for the building is set for April...

A dogged entrepreneur; Bloomfield Hills business turns prosaic task into six-figure enterprise, eyes national expansion.(Special Report)(PoopScoop King)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Laura Bailey ene Pritchard can endure the winks, giggles and jokes that come at the expense of his unusual business because he has taken it from a $4,000 startup to six-figure sales. Pritchard's business is Bloomfield...

Letters.
February 9, 2004... City should open bid process Editor: I totally agree with Keith Crain's assessment of Detroit's Super Bowl deadlines ("Super Bowl requires 2 kinds of discipline,'' Jan. 19). Detroit is running out of time. However, I believe this...

Getting the word out.(Special Report)
February 9, 2004... When Gene Pritchard started his business, PoopScoop King, he needed to reach as many people as possible through television advertising, but he didn't know how to do it. When three years later Pritchard finally executed a successful...

I could take six more weeks of winter.(Column)
February 9, 2004... Byline: KEITH CRAIN They tell me that the groundhog saw his shadow last week and we're going to have six more weeks of winter. Six more weeks of winter wouldn't bother me much if I thought it was going to be only six weeks. We...

Bankruptcies.(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... The following businesses filed for Chapter 7 or 11 protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Detroit the week of Jan. 30-Feb. 5. Under Chapter 11, a company files a reorganization plan that the court must approve. Chapter 7 involves total...

Alternative supplier says Edison behind on switching service.(News)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Amy Lane As DTE Energy Co. ramps up efforts to change Michigan's electric-choice law, it's taking fire from an alternative supplier that says the utility isn't living up to its existing obligations. Subsidiary Detroit Edison...

Detroit becoming small-biz hot spot.(Special Report)(Merritt Insurance Group)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Laura Bailey When Jeff Merritt, president of the Merritt Insurance Group, moved his offices from Troy to Detroit in October, he began saving about 15 to 20 percent annually in lease costs for loft office space he describes as about...

High hopes; At 46, Detroit developer Bob Slattery is about to take on his riskiest project - experimental surgery that he hopes will let him walk again.(Midtown Development Group Inc)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Robert Ankeny Bob Slattery, president of Midtown Development Group Inc., has done nearly $20 million in redevelopment projects in the heart of Detroit over the past 20 years, working from a wheelchair. Now, he's preparing for...

Alix joins celebs in delegation to Saudi Arabia.(Rumblings)
February 9, 2004... Jay Alix apparently can step nimbly from the world of turning around companies to the world of turning heads. Alix was in Saudi Arabia recently with a delegation made up of former Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott, now president of...

Briefly.(Briefs)(Greenspring Co.)
February 9, 2004... Butzel Long hires labor attorney John Raudabaugh, a labor and employment attorney who served on the National Labor Relations Board from 1990 to 1993, has joined Butzel Long P.C. as a shareholder. Raudabaugh, 57, had been with the...

Ex-Butzel Long client sues over accounts.(News)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Robert Ankeny An Oakland County woman who sued her cardiac-surgeon husband for divorce in September 2000 claims her lawyers at Butzel Long P.C. failed to safeguard millions of dollars in her husband's retirement accounts during the...

EQ buys 3 waste plants, recycling fleet for $12M.(News)(Environmental Quality Co.)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Brent Snavely Wayne-based EQ - The Environmental Quality Co. has agreed to buy three waste-treatment plants, including one in Detroit, and a recycling operation formerly owned by Houston-based U.S. Liquids Inc. for $12.23 million....

Correction.(Correction Notice)
February 9, 2004... * The list of largest industrial leases published on Jan. 26 inadvertently omitted several leases for which Signature Associates- Oncor International was the broker. The corrected list is on Page 22; the new listings are Nos. 7, 12, 16, 19 and...

Bad loans hobble LoanGiant; Delinquencies, loss of loan buyer hit company.(News)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Katie Merx LoanGiant.com executives say the company is recovering from two speed bumps it hit in the last few months: a spate of delinquent loans and the loss of its largest loan buyer. LoanGiant CEO Jack Wolfe said the...

Karmanos: CareTech sets sights on IPO; Says company may go public within 2 years.
February 9, 2004... Byline: Andrew Dietderich Troy-based CareTech Solutions Inc. plans to go public within the next two years if the company continues its expected annual growth rate of 15 percent to 20 percent, said Peter Karmanos Jr., chairman and CEO of...

Faac owners sell for $14m.(News)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Andrew Dietderich New York City-based Arotech Corp. has acquired Ann Arbor-based Faac Inc. for $14 million. The deal closed Jan. 13. Arotech paid $12 million cash and $2 million in stock for Faac. McColl Partners L.L.C....

Raytheon loses $38M contract; Appeal puts 129 layoffs on hold.(News; Raytheon Systems Co. )
February 9, 2004... Byline: Michael Strong Raytheon Systems Co. lost a contract it held for 23 years and now is closing its offices at the Selfridge Air National Guard Base and may end up laying off its 129 employees as a result. The company provides site...

Lingering bankruptcy frustrates Venture's stakeholders.(News)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky After nearly one year in Chapter 11 with several unresolved issues, creditors and customers of auto supplier Venture Holdings Co. L.L.C. are getting impatient and worry about the company's health. New business...

Rehabilitation Institute building spinal cord center.(News)(Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Robert Ankeny The Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan is building a $3.5 million spinal-cord injury recovery center next to its Novi center. "It will be a graduate school for best practices from all over the world,'' said the...

Covisint might succeed under Compuware.(Opinion)
February 9, 2004... Covisint L.L.C. was supposed to revolutionize the way auto suppliers bid on work and automakers managed their billion-dollar parts and supplier transactions. But in just three years, and with $500 million invested by automakers, a parade...

Week in review.(Review)
February 9, 2004... Porter to take control of health system in Montreal Arthur Porter, who resigned from his position as CEO and president of The Detroit Medical Center in August, has been named executive director of the McGill University Health Center in...

TI Automotive, union OK deal.(News)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky TI Automotive Ltd. and the union representing about 240 workers at its Warren plant have reached a contract settlement that will keep the tube factory open. The three-year contract with United Auto Workers Local...

Borders picks new design to redo stores.
February 9, 2004... Byline: Brent Snavely Ann Arbor-based Borders Group Inc. has settled on a new store design after two years of testing, and the bookstore chain intends to shift more of its spending this year to renovate rather than open stores. ...

Term limits open paths for businesspeople.(Column)
February 9, 2004... Byline: MARY KRAMER Term limits are either a triumphant return to participatory democracy or enforcement of "mandatory inexperience'' in Michigan's Legislature. The latter view belongs to former state lawmaker Lynn Jondahl, now...

Asset Acceptance, TRW Automotive make it a big week for local IPOs.(News)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Katie Merx Consumer-debt collector Asset Acceptance Capital Corp. began trading on the Nasdaq stock exchange last Thursday with an initial public offering of 7 million shares. The Warren-based company, trading under the symbol...

Ionia bank enters region with $43M acquisition; Buying Midwest Guaranty offers foothold.(News)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Katie Merx Independent Bank Corp. plans to enter Southeast Michigan by August with the $43 million purchase of Troy-based Midwest Guaranty Bancorp Inc. Robert Shuster, CFO of Ionia-based Independent Bank (Nasdaq: IBCP), said...

This Just In.(Late News)(University of Detroit Mercy)
February 9, 2004... UDM picks from its ranks for retiring president The University of Detroit Mercy has named Gerard Stockhausen to succeed Maureen Fay as president when she retires in June. Stockhausen has been the vice president for academic affairs and...

Consumers accepts state contract.(News)(Consumers Energy Co.)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Amy Lane Consumers Energy Co. didn't get the assurance it wanted that it would be held harmless in future rate cases for electricity discounts it's providing in a major two-year contract with the state and three universities. ...

Business Diary.(People)
February 9, 2004... contracts Gradepoint Inc., Detroit, has entered into a five-year contract to host and deliver an electronic shared-learning center for Ascension Health, a St. Louis-based Catholic nonprofit health system. Gradepoint also developed a series...

Slattery projects.(News)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Robert Slattery's projects in Midtown Detroit in the past 20 years have ranged from a two-family flat to an 85-unit condominium development now under way. Dollar value of the investments, including completed sales of some buildings, totals...

This Just In.
February 16, 2004... LDM acquisition valued at $250M-$290M Plastech Engineered Products Inc.'s closed on its acquisition of LDM Technologies Inc. last week in a deal estimated to be worth between $250 million and $290 million. LDM, which was based in...

Road of the past, road of the future; Contrasts between Groesbeck, M-59 corridors show where county has been, where it's going.(Special Report)(Nino Salvaggio International)
February 16, 2004... Byline: Jennette Smith, Brent Snavely When Re.Source Partners, a computer asset-management firm, was looking for office and warehouse space, company President Jeff Korona decided Macomb County's Groesbeck Highway was a natural fit. ...

BorgWarner seeks shareholder OK to split stock.(News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky BorgWarner Inc.'s success drove its stock price high - up to $98.51 on Jan. 26. But the auto supplier's stock price is too high for individual buyers and institutional investors who want to grab a large chunk of...

Competitive plans.(News)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... Fifth Third Bank is not the only bank in Southeast Michigan hoping to win customers and market share from its competitors. * Comerica Bank plans to remain No. 1 locally by remaining loyal to commercial and residential customers and...

Branching off.(News)(instructions for starting a new venture)(Brief Article)
February 16, 2004... * Starting a new venture can cut costs and feed the main business. * A separate entity gives a more precise reading of the success of a new product or service. * Decide how you want to market the new entity. * Develop a...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
February 16, 2004... Don't rush new border crossing Editor: Your Jan. 26 editorial, "10-year wait for bridge decision much too long,'' concludes with, "So let's figure out the best spot and how best to connect it to I-75. Period.'' As a person who has...