Crain's Detroit Business articles from January 2004

Crain's Detroit Business archives from January 2004

No bull: Supplier insiders selling off company shares.(News)(Automobile industry)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Robert Sherefkin Local auto supplier executives and their counterparts at the automakers do not appear to share investors' bullish outlook for the stock market. Despite a stronger economy and surging stock market, the...

Week In Review.(Review)
January 5, 2004... Covisint to sell auction business, focus on messaging Southfield-based Covisint L.L.C. announced that it has agreed to sell its auction business to FreeMarkets Inc. Neither company revealed the purchase price, although they plan to do so in...

2003 Newsmakers of the year.(miscellaniuos newsbriefs)
January 5, 2004... One of 2003's top newsmakers will be named Crain's Newsmaker of the year in the Jan. 19 issue and will be honored at a Feb. 25 luncheon meeting of the Women's Economic Club and the Detroit Economic Club. * Nasser Beydoun brought more than...

MEDC Rings in the new year by adding Washington veteran.(News)(Michigan Economic Development Corp.)(Sandy Ring)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Amy Lane Sandy Ring helped Michigan's tool, die and mold-building industries find a unified voice in Washington and Michigan. Starting today, he'll be a state government point person to help other Michigan businesses as well in...

Briefs.(micelaniuos)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Pfizer to acquire Esperion, its cholesterol drug for $1.3B Pfizer Inc. has agreed to pay $1.3 billion for Esperion Therapeutics Inc., an Ann Arbor-based biotechnology company whose prospects have skyrocketed with the announcement of a...

FGH: Thinking small may bring big rewards.(News)(FGH Capital L.L.C.)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Michael Strong Dan Fuhrman thinks there is money to be found in refurbished tire equipment as well as tubular reinforcements. Fuhrman is looking for a few good small acquisitions - and he's finding them. Fuhrman's FGH...

Deaths in 2003.(Obituary)(Obituary)
January 5, 2004... Sidney Alexander Jr., 81, co-founder of the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, Jan. 6. Robert Aranosian, 61, director of emergency services at POH Medical Center in Pontiac, Dec. 17. Ambrose Baidas, 83, founder of General RV,...

Tooling orders up, but prices falling.(Automotive parts industry)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky Local tool and factory equipment-makers are bidding on more business after months in the doldrums. But as with most things in the industry, there's a caveat. Automakers and tier-one suppliers are offering...

Another shortfall awaits Granholm in 2005 budget.(News)(Jennifer Granholm)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Amy Lane Fresh from patching the state's current-year budget deficit, the Granholm administration is tackling a new budget challenge that could top more than $900 million. Administration officials are scouring government for...

Biggest deals sought.(News)
January 5, 2004... Crain's Detroit Business will publish a list of the largest deals of 2003 in its Jan. 26 issue. Included will be mergers and acquisitions of at least $10 million, stock offerings, commercial-property sales and the largest office and industrial...

2003 Top newsmakers of the Year (part 1 of 2).(News)
January 5, 2004... Nasser Beydoun Executive director American Arab Chamber of Commerce Nasser Beydoun believed in 2001 that metro Detroit, with its large Arab-American and Chaldean communities, could be the U.S. hub for international trade and...

Delphi Corp.(Special Report)(satellite radio)
January 5, 2004... Roady show Troy-based Delphi Corp., a consistent innovator in satellite radio, did it again this year with the Roady, a complete satellite radio system that sells for less than $120. BusinessWeek magazine recently named Roady as one of...

Johnson Controls Automotive Systems Group; Cutting the clutter.(Special Report)(Overhead Rail System)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... With people spending increasing amounts of time in their cars and trucks, they want to carry more of their "stuff'' with them. But keeping things organized and readily available in the cramped quarters of a vehicle can be challenging. ...

TRW Automotive; Accident prediction.(Special Report)(Pre-Safe)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... It's inevitable. You know you are about to have an accident, and there's nothing you can do to stop it. But your car can. Livonia-based TRW Automotive has worked with Mercedes-Benz to develop Pre-Safe, a system that predicts an accident and...

Robert Bosch AG; Quieter, cleaner diesel.(Special Report)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Diesel engines in cars have yet to catch on in the United States as they have in Europe, but automakers and their suppliers continue to develop the technology, optimistic that diesel power someday will be accepted here. Among the leaders...

BorgWarner Inc.(Special Report)(DualTronic)
January 5, 2004... Marrying the manual and automatic transmission Sometimes you feel like manually shifting, and sometimes you don't. Or you live in a household where one partner likes manual shifting and the other won't, or can't, use a standard...

Valeo; Headlights that turn with you.(Special Report)(ITT Automotive Inc.)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Seeing and being seen are critical elements to automotive safety, and technologies to aid in both are the focus of Valeo, a French automotive supplier with its North American headquarters in Auburn Hills. Valeo provides its "Bending...

Siemens VDO Automotive; `Top Gun' takes to the road.(Special Report)(BMW displays)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Keeping your eyes on the road is the first step toward driving safely. To that end, automakers have experimented with technology borrowed from fighter airplanes called head-up displays. Automotive electronics supplier Siemens VDO Automotive...

Best Friends Co. A seat for the dog.(Special Report)(NeatSeat and NeatSleep - dog accessories)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... When the family dog travels in the car, the owner can throw a towel or blanket over the back seat to try to catch dirt and shedding hair, or just vacuum after the trip. A new local company has come up with what it calls a better idea - a...

ASC Inc. Making the SSR.(Special Report, Chevrolet SSR )(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... At the North American International Auto Show a couple of years ago, General Motors Corp. unveiled a retro-styled concept vehicle, the Chevrolet SSR. The part-convertible sports car, part-pickup truck featured the large, flared fenders,...

Briefly.(Briefs)
January 5, 2004... Garden City Hospital names exec Garden City Hospital has announced that David Connett is its new executive vice president and chief medical officer. Connett, who began Dec. 1, replaces Calvin Kay, who died in October 2002. Connett most...

Continental Teves; Electronic stability control.(Special Report)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... You're driving and suddenly hit a patch of black ice. The car begins fishtailing. Unless you are an extremely skilled driver or your car has an electronic stability-control system, you easily could lose control. Continental Teves is a...

2003 Newsmakers of the year (part 2 of 2).(News)
January 5, 2004... Arthur Porter, M.D. Former President and CEO Detroit Medical Center President, University Radiation Oncology Physicians P.C. Griffon Cos. At the dawn of 2003, Arthur Porter, then president and CEO of The Detroit Medical...

Autoliv; A cushion for the knees.(Special Report)(Autoliv AB received award for performance excellence in 2002)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... When Chrysler Group was developing its new Pacifica family hauler, it wanted it to be as safe as possible. Indeed, it earned the federal government's top five-star rating for front and side crashes. The Pacifica has the standard driver and...

Year In Review; People to watch.(People)
January 5, 2004... Mike Carter President Farmer Jack Farmer Jack President Mike Carter spent 2003 attempting a turnaround of Farmer Jack, the area's largest grocery retailer, and will continue to have his hands full in 2004. Last summer Carter...

It's a week for the Motor City to shine.(Column)(Detroit, Michigan)(Column)
January 5, 2004... Byline: KEITH CRAIN There used to be a lot of excitement in Detroit during the week that the Formula One race was held in downtown and later on Belle Isle. Lots of journalists who followed the circuit arrived in Detroit and, for the most...

Kmart, Sears merger might help both.(News)(Kmart Holding Corp.)(Sears, Roebuck and Co.)
January 5, 2004... Sears, Roebuck & Co. and Kmart Holding Corp. have two things in common: They've been beaten by Wal-Mart, and they have the same top shareholder. Financier Edward S. "Eddie'' Lampert owns 45 percent of Kmart and 12 percent of Sears. The solution...

Our resolutions for you, our readers.(Opinion)
January 5, 2004... It's the time of year for making resolutions, and we at Crain's Detroit Business have a few to share. In 2004, we resolve: * To continue to find the stories and business news our readers can't find anywhere else. This has been our niche...

Into the storm; Slow economy helps jumpstart new businesses.
January 5, 2004... Byline: Laura Bailey Fire-sale rental rates. A wealth of unemployed free-lance talent. Prime downtown retail spots open. Time for strategic business planning. Those are just a few of the advantages that small-business owners have...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
January 5, 2004... Artists happy to sell Detroit Editor: Bravo on key points you raised by your comments! (Mary Kramer: "Artists can help draw tourists to Detroit,'' Dec. 8.) Thanks for amplifying the role art organizations and artists serve in...

Year in review; Web polls.(News)
January 5, 2004... The top story: What do you think? What was the top business story of 2003? Visit our Web site and pick from among six choices or make your own. Visit www.crainsdetroit.com, look for the "Tell Us What You Think'' box on the lower left side...

Auto show events fuel budgets for many local children's charities.(News)(The North American International Auto Show Charity Preview)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Sherri Begin The North American International Auto Show Charity Preview on Friday is the biggest night of the year for the Children's Center in Detroit. Members of the Ford family are active in the Children's Center, with Lisa...

This Just In.(newsbriefs)
January 5, 2004... Airport authority studies future of Berry terminal The Wayne County Airport Authority is wrestling with whether to raze or renovate the underused Michael Berry International Terminal. Lester Robinson, CEO of the authority, said his...

DuPont Automotive; A simpler painting process.(Special Report)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... First impressions for vehicle buyers often are made by the paint job, from color to quality. Yet, in the assembly plant, painting vehicles is among the most expensive, time-consuming and quality-intensive tasks. The paint shop is notorious for...

Bankruptcies.(businesses filed for Chapter 7 or 11 protection )(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Ben Lefebvre The following businesses filed for Chapter 7 or 11 protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Detroit on Dec. 19-31. Under Chapter 11, a company files a reorganization plan that the court must approve. Chapter 7...

Eaton Automotive; Delivering a cleaner truck using low-emission hybrid technology.(Special Report)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Southfield-based Eaton Automotive has introduced a low-emission hybrid-electric delivery vehicle that could become a standard medium-duty delivery truck for FedEx Corp.'s delivery fleet. Eaton partnered with FedEx Corp. and Environmental...

Visteon Corp. Replacing the Corvette's pop-up headlamps.(Special Report)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... One of the toughest decisions to make in designing the 2005 Chevrolet Corvette being unveiled at the North American International Auto Show had to do with its headlamps. Should they continue to be the mechanical pop-up kind they had been...

ArvinMeritor Inc. Roofs that let the sun shine in.(Special Report)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... It seems like everyone wants open-top motoring these days, from the drivers of small, economical cars to owners of pickup trucks. Troy-based ArvinMeritor Inc. is providing many of the open-top options on the roads. The company supplied the...

Lear Corp. An interior that twists and turns.(Special Report)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... Watching people wrestle large objects into their vehicles at Home Depot can be a hoot. The designers at General Motors' GMC caught some of them on videotape, then attempted to create the Swiss army knife of vehicles - the Envoy XUV. The...

Accounting firms join forces; Parker, Wittus to merge with Rehmann Robson.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Katie Merx Michigan accounting firms Parker, Wittus & Co. plc and Rehmann Robson P.C. expected to merge their metro Detroit practices on Jan. 1 to become the 10th-largest accounting firm in the region. The noncash merging of...

More, more, more; Competitors team up to create bigger, better displays for Detroit's auto show.(News)
January 5, 2004... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky, Jennette Smith As cars get more complicated, so does the job of creating displays to showcase them. Gone are the days when auto-show patrons were dazzled by theatrics alone. They still want to be entertained,...

Malls scramble for tenants in wake of Sibleys shutdown.(Rumblings)
January 5, 2004... ibleys Shoes Inc. is apparently closed for good, giving local malls both a leasing challenge and an opportunity. "They cleaned the stores out and gave us the keys Monday or Tuesday (Dec. 29 and 30),'' said Douglas Mossman, managing partner...

Year in Review; Top stories.(News)
January 5, 2004... Campus Martius gets rocking Hard Rock Cafe, Borders Group Inc. and Compuware Corp. are under one roof and drawing people to downtown Detroit. All three were in the news as Compuware (Nasdaq: CPWR) moved from Farmington Hills to...

Yazaki Corp. Instruments of the future.(Special Report)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2004... The 2004 Toyota Prius, a hybrid car that supplements its gasoline engine with an electric motor and batteries for energy storage, is racking up the awards for its innovative power train that produces impressive 60-mile-per-gallon fuel economy,...

Three ingredients for the new Cobo Center.(Column)(Column)
January 12, 2004... Byline: KEITH CRAIN Last Friday, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick spoke about his plans for Cobo Center. He was not able to be completely candid because, I'm sure, a lot of the plans are not yet formulated. I have no doubt they will be...

More convention space is needed, for all of us.(Opinion)(convention and exhibition center)
January 12, 2004... Without question, Detroit needs a larger convention and exhibition center. Where to put it and how to pay for it are the unanswered questions. Cobo Center has 700,000 square feet of contiguous exhibition space and 100,000 more in a...

New businesses.(News)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2004... New businesses that have come to Detroit since July 2002 under the Lower Woodward Improvement Program's plan to add 50 new businesses downtown by the 2006 Super Bowl: * City Warehouse (clothing and accessories) * Detroit Beer Co. ...

Detroit agency makes progress toward goal for small businesses downtown.(News)
January 12, 2004... Byline: Laura Bailey Ten down and 40 to go. Not yards, but 40 small businesses - hopefully neighborhood service-type companies - must come downtown to meet the goal of attracting 50 new businesses by the 2006 Super Bowl. Seven of the...

On the agenda.(News)
January 12, 2004... These are among the improvements and developments planned in time for the 2006 Super Bowl in Detroit: * Detroit's east riverfront is up for a $500-million-plus facelift as the RiverWalk path is completed along with a state park, new Port...

Streets get new face in $21M improvement plan.(News)
January 12, 2004... Byline: Jennette Smith As the red street-sculpture bars came down along Washington Boulevard in December, it marked the beginning of extensive streetscape upgrades on downtown streets planned in time for the Super Bowl. The red...

Plante & Moran may hit top 10 with merger.
January 12, 2004... Byline: Katie Merx Plante & Moran P.L.L.C. expects to move up a notch to the 10th-largest U.S. accounting firm when it adds 130 professionals from Chicago firm Gleeson, Sklar, Sawyers & Cumpata L.L.P. to its ranks this spring. ...

A fast drive; Ricardo gains spotlight for work on sports car.(News)(Ricardo Inc.)
January 12, 2004... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky Rarely does Ricardo Inc. get to talk about any of its projects. But the Van Buren Township-based engineering firm was able to be a public part of one of the biggest splashes at the North American International...

Land may be challenge; Mayor pitches Cobo replacement, but no word on where it will be.(News)
January 12, 2004... Byline: Jennette Smith, Robert Ankeny Property acquisition could be one of the city's biggest challenges and expenses as it seeks to build a new convention center. Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick announced Friday that the city plans to build a...

Amusement center wants old Kmart site in Canton Twp.(News)(Kmart Corp.)(Township)
January 12, 2004... Byline: Laura Bailey Canton Township may have found a new use for a vacant Kmart store and is looking at a plan to nearly double the size of another retail development. Hart-based Craig's Cruisers hopes to receive site-plan approval...

DMC's quality can help ensure its survival.(Column)(Detroit Medical Center)(Column)
January 12, 2004... If everything you knew about The Detroit Medical Center came from newspaper headlines in the past year, you might logically conclude that the behemoth in the heart of Detroit's Midtown is the hospital system of last resort for the poor,...

People.(News)
January 12, 2004... architecture Christopher Doozan and Sara Hodges to senior vice presidents, McKenna Associates Inc., Northville, from vice presidents. Also, Terry Croad to vice president from director of design and John Jackson to vice president from...

Motown Center looks to open by bowl.(News)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2004... Byline: Robert Ankeny Motown Center Project Manager Tanya Heidelberg-Yopp said work toward the $28 million music museum is on an "aggressive schedule.'' "We've always looked at the Super Bowl as a key date for us, and we're doing...

Calendar.(Calendar)
January 12, 2004... Tuesday Jan. 13 Economic Outlook 2004. Meeting of the Association for Corporate Growth Southeast Michigan Chapter. 7:30 a.m. Speaker: William Natcher, economist, National City Corp. Altair Engineering, 1820 E. Big Beaver Road, Troy....

Kmart says its holiday profit exceeded $200M.(Review)
January 12, 2004... Troy-based Kmart Holding Corp. said it made a profit of more than $200 million from retail sales in November and December even though sales at stores open at least a year dropped by 13.5 percent. Kmart (Nasdaq: KMRT) said in a statement that it...

Briefly.(Briefs)(MichBio)
January 12, 2004... Hill renovation complete Hill Auditorium on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor reopened Thursday after being closed for a $38.6 million renovation. It's the first major renovation for the 90-year old structure since 1949. The...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
January 12, 2004... Airport eminent domain justified Editor: I am writing to address claims made in the Dec. 1 editorial, "Second look merited for Poletown precedent.'' When discussing the condemnation proceeding in Wayne County's Pinnacle Aeropark...

Printing plant moves with Lear's help.(News)
January 12, 2004... Byline: Michael Strong When executives at Grand River Printing & Imaging Inc. decided it was time to think about moving to a bigger headquarters, they had no idea the move would happen so quickly. The Southfield-based printing company...

Tale of two retailers.(News)(Pecar Electronics Inc.)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2004... Company: Adray Appliance Photo and Sound Inc. Founded: 1955 by Mike and Louise Adray. Today: Owned by daughter Debbie Adray, president. Estimated 2003 revenue: $17 million. Company: Pecar Electronics Inc. Founded: 1946 by...

Game plan takes shape; Detroit gains significant yardage in its drive to upgrade city in time for Super Bowl XL.(News)
January 12, 2004... Byline: Jennette Smith, Robert Ankeny Downtown Detroit will look drastically different a year from now as preparations for Super Bowl XL give the city a new game face in time for the 2006 event. With the end zone in sight, planners...

Domestic auto dealerships' value rising, UnitedAuto's chairman says.(News)(UnitedAuto Group Inc.)
January 12, 2004... Byline: Brent Snavely Domestic auto dealerships are high on Roger Penske's acquisition list because of quality improvements and new products unveiled last week at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Penske, chairman...

State power contract attacked; Consumers deal would raise rates for others, opponents say.(Consumers Energy Co.)
January 12, 2004... Byline: Amy Lane A fast-moving contract allowing Consumers Energy Co. to be the sole electricity supplier to hundreds of state government buildings and three universities for the next two years is under fire from large businesses and...

State tightens rules for brownfield credits.(News)
January 12, 2004... Byline: Amy Lane The state has sharpened the focus of its brownfield-redevelopment program and attached new strings to the millions of dollars in tax credits it gives out. All authority for granting the single-business-tax credits,...

Different tunes; Electronics retailers specialize to survive.(Pecar Electronics Inc. )
January 12, 2004... Byline: Brent Snavely As a wave of last-minute Christmas shoppers flooded national electronics retailers in December, two small local retailers were vying for sales with two completely different strategies put in place in 1998. Five...

Ryder Cup may bring in $150M-$200M.(News)
January 12, 2004... Byline: Katie Merx Between polite applause, precise putts and solid swings, local economists and PGA organizers expect the 35th Ryder Cup Matches to infuse metro Detroit with at least $150 million to $200 million this year. The...

This just in.
January 12, 2004... Lear puts together land for $40M HQ expansion Lear Corp. has assembled land for a $40 million-plus headquarters expansion in Southfield, but the company says the plans still are preliminary. Nicholas Banda, director of planning and...

C&A stock rebounds despite investor's sale.(News)(Collins & Aikman Corp.)
January 12, 2004... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky The stock price of Collins & Aikman Corp. has been rebounding, despite the sale by a large shareholder of 1.83 million shares in past two months. The struggling auto supplier's stock hit a six-month high of...

Business Diary.(News)
January 12, 2004... contracts Budco, Highland Park, has signed an agreement with Pareto Corp. of Toronto to form a company in Canada. The new company, Pareto Dialogue Inc., will provide warehousing and fulfillment in Canada. Pareto Dialogue will begin...

Golf course owner buys Bloomfield Twp. links; New owner takes Wabeek from club to for-profit operation.(News)
January 12, 2004... Byline: Andrew Dietderich Bloomfield Township-based Wabeek Country Club is the latest metro Detroit golf course to change hands, after being sold to a businessman who plans to operate the course and clubhouse as a for-profit business. ...

Farmer Jack's fate uncertain in Toledo.(News)(Farmer Jack Supermarkets)
January 12, 2004... Byline: Brent Snavely Farmer Jack, which over the past two weeks has announced plans to close 13 Detroit area stores and two stores in Lansing, may close some or all of its six stores in Toledo - a market the retailer entered in 2000 when...

Bankruptcies.(Brief Article)
January 12, 2004... The following businesses filed for Chapter 7 or 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Detroit the week of Jan. 2-Jan. 8. Under Chapter 11, a company files a reorganization plan that the court must approve. Chapter 7 involves total...

Citizens Bank beefs up for Oakland push; Flint-based bank to localize decisions, triple staffing.(News)(Citizens Banking Corp.)
January 12, 2004... Byline: Katie Merx As part of a push to increase its share of the Oakland County market, Flint-based Citizens Banking Corp. has reorganized its corporate structure and launched a hiring campaign to more than triple its Southeast Michigan...

Farmer Jack store closings.(News)(Farmer Jack Supermarkets)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2004... * Brighton, on West Grand River Avenue. * Detroit, on Rosa Parks Boulevard; Telegraph and Seven Mile roads; and West Outer Drive at the Southfield Freeway. * Hamtramck, on Jos. Campau. * Harper Woods, on Harper at Moross. *...

Best practices for small business to be topic of training program.(News)(Michigan Business and Professional Association )(Management Impact Institute)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2004... Byline: Laura Bailey In February, the Warren-based Michigan Business and Professional Association will launch a nine-month Management Impact Institute on the best practices for small business - a program that's been four years in the...

Troy toner-cartridge biz hopes $2.4M deal leads to even more growth.(News)(More Computer Supplies L.L.C.)
January 12, 2004... Byline: Brent Snavely Three years ago Jim Williams, owner of a small automotive supplier, established a toner-cartridge remanufacturing business called More Computer Supplies L.L.C. because he wanted to get involved in a different...

Cleaning up blight laws.(News)
January 12, 2004... Byline: Robert Ankeny Detroit's bid to clean up for Super Bowl XL got a boost from Lansing late last month with legislative approval of six bills allowing creation of administrative hearing boards to enforce anti-blight ordinances. ...

Corrections.(Correction)(Correction Notice)
January 12, 2004... * A photo of Jeffrey Sloan appeared on Page 21 of the Jan. 5 issue. The photo should have been of Richard Sloan. * A Page 26 story in the Dec. 15 issue should have said that the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit is continuing a capital...

Automakers ready to get rid of their stakes in Covisint.(Rumblings)
January 12, 2004... Covisint L.L.C., the online data exchange that was supposed to transform the auto industry, is being disassembled. The company already has sold its online auction service and has shut down its electronic parts catalog. The remaining...

About Wabeek.(News)(Brief Article)
January 12, 2004... Size: 180 acres, including an 18-hole golf course and a 43,000-square-foot clubhouse. Market value: About $2.8 million, based on state equalized value. History: Built in 1972. Co-designed by champion golfer Jack Nicklaus. The club sits...

$200M offer spurred debate on schools.(Opinion)
January 19, 2004... For 40 years, Robert Thompson operated in the business world in a largely conventional way. It was a great Horatio Alger story: A couple of partners started with nothing and created one of the largest paving companies in the country. But when...