Crain's Detroit Business articles from January 2005

Crain's Detroit Business archives from January 2005

Tsunami gets attention of local companies; Deadly wave sends warning.(News)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Sheena Harrison, Brent Snavely The massive earthquake that caused last week's deadly tsunami also has sent a ripple or two through some local companies with offices and operations in Southeast Asia. As of Wednesday, Ann...

A conversation with George Jackson, Detroit Economic Growth Corp.(Focus)(Interview)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Robert Ankeny Crain's reporter Robert Ankeny spoke with George Jackson, president of the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., who is coordinating downtown preparations for Super Bowl XL and the 2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Game....

Court approves new contracts between Intermet, customers.(News)(Julie Armstrong)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Julie Armstrong Crain News Service A court last week approved amended contracts between Intermet Corp. and 10 of its major customers. In November, the castings supplier had asked the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Detroit for...

2004 Newsmakers of the Year.(News)(Obituary)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Robert Ankeny Kay Everett Member Detroit City Council Kay Everett died Nov. 25 as she had lived - battling. Noted for her flamboyant attitude in both dress and speech, she made headlines last year right up to her...

2004 Newsmakers of the year.(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... They've built championship teams and championship companies. They've survived sibling rivalries and corporate struggles. They've brought out the best in the city and region. And one is leading a retailing legend out of town. They made things...

2004: What we talked about.(News)
January 3, 2005... The watchword in metro Detroit in 2004 was "big." Some big companies opened new headquarters - American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. in Detroit and Visteon Corp. in Van Buren Township. And plans were announced for new digs for...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
January 3, 2005... * A column about restaurants that ran on Page 24 of the Dec. 6 issue incorrectly stated that construction of the new YMCA in downtown Detroit has complicated parking and access to restaurants on Broadway. In fact, the complications are due to a...

Borders to add first franchise store to aid Asian expansion.(News)(Borders Group Inc)
January 3, 2005... Byline: BRENT SNAVELY Borders Group Inc.'s international division will enter a new phase of expansion this year with the anticipated opening by April of the company's first store in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The store will be operated by...

People.
January 3, 2005... ARCHITECTURE Geraldine Drake to director, interior design group, Ann Arbor Architects Collaborative, Ann Arbor, from leader, interior design group, Ghafari Associates, Dearborn. BIOTECHNOLOGY Michael Nestor to CEO, NanoBio Corp.,...

JOY AND PAIN.(News)
January 3, 2005... The Detroit Pistons' year was bookended by two moments that kept people talking - and talking and talking. At left, the team hoisted the NBA Championship trophy for the first time since 1991. At right, the ugly brawl at The Palace of Auburn...

Squeezing suppliers can cost automakers, study says.(News)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Lindsay Chappell CRAIN NEWS SERVICE The Big Three pay a price for poor relations with their suppliers. A study by researcher John Henke Jr. concluded that supplying a component to the Big Three costs 8 percent more on average...

Big Three try to mend relations.(News)
January 3, 2005... The Big Three say they are working hard to build better relationships with their suppliers. To improve communications, General Motors this year invited CEOs from 250 suppliers to eight meetings. GM will hold six more meetings next ...

Bankruptcies.(Public Notice)
January 3, 2005... The following businesses filed for Chapter 7 or 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Detroit Dec. 17-30. Under Chapter 11, a company files a reorganization plan that the court must approve. Chapter 7 involves total liquidation. ...

88-year-old printing company in Ch. 11, hopes to rebound.(News)(bankruptcy)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Robert Ankeny One of Detroit's oldest black-owned businesses has hit hard times, but won't be counted out yet. Waterman and Sons Printing Co. Inc., founded in 1916, filed for protection from creditors during reorganization Dec....

Business Diary.(News)
January 3, 2005... Contracts Qualitech, Bingham Farms, was selected by Burton Katzman Co., a Bingham Farms property-management and development company, to upgrade its computer network. Stout Systems Development, an Ann Arbor-based software engineering,...

Courting the dollars: Sponsorship, marketing activity heats up.(Focus)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Jennette Smith Sponsorship and marketing efforts are well under way for both the All-Star Game and Super Bowl, planners for the events report. * Last month, the Super Bowl XL Host Committee announced $6.3 million in support...

Exhibitors squeeze without scrimping.(trade shows)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky, Jennette Smith A permanent, two-story structure in the General Motors Corp. exhibit at the North American International Auto Show is an example of the cost-cutting at work this year. The structure, part of the...

This Just In.(Michigan Restaurant Association)
January 3, 2005... State restaurant sales expected to increase 4.4% The Michigan Restaurant Association said last week that sales in the state's food and beverage industry are expected to increase by 4.4 percent this year to $11.8 billion. The state...

2004 Newsmakers of the Year.(News)(Lampert, Edward)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Brent Snavely Edward Lampert Chairman, majority shareholder Kmart Holding Corp. Edward Lampert drove Kmart's stock beyond $100 a share last year - a mark that was unthinkable until recently - by whipping Kmart into a...

Motown Winter Blast.(Focus)
January 3, 2005... What it is: A winter festival centered at Campus Martius Park in downtown Detroit. When: Jan. 21-23. In 2006, the festival will take place Feb. 3-5 to coincide with Super Bowl XL festivities. Organizers consider this year's inaugural event...

Zalenko and Virchow Krause join; Firm wants 'critical mass' locally.(Zalenko & Associates P.C. mergers with Virchow Krause & Co. L.L.P.)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Katie Merx A merger with Southfield-based Zalenko & Associates P.C. is expected to make Madison, Wis.,-based Virchow Krause & Co. L.L.P. a more prominent contender on the Southeast Michigan accounting landscape beginning this year....

The mouse that roars.(News)
January 3, 2005... Visit www.crainsdetroit.com to read the latest daily business news. How do I get ahold of you? It's as simple as clicking on the "Contact us'' link in the gray bar at the top of the home page. What's the big deal? Crain's will publish...

Guardian of the past.(News)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Jennette Smith The Guardian Building's new keeper begins 2005 celebrating leasing success stories at the downtown architectural landmark. When Gary Torgow's Sterling Group purchased the Guardian Building in November 2003, it...

Big winners help state stocks top S&P; Housing, finance companies boost returns.(News)(Standard and Poor's Corp.)(results for Michigan stocks)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Katie Merx Led by big gains at companies that include Kmart Holding Corp., Somanetics Corp. and Superior Consultant Holdings Corp., Michigan stocks performed better on average than the Standard & Poor's 500 Index for both the...

Eye Magnet to give Cobo, People Mover makeovers.(News)(Cobo Arena)(Eye Magnet L.L.C.)(Brief Article)(Column)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Jennette Smith The exterior of Cobo Arena and People Mover trains will get a new look during the North American International Auto Show. Derek Gentile, president and CEO of Rochester Hills-based Exhibit Enterprises Inc., said...

Week in Review.(Briefs)
January 3, 2005... State has surplus of $155.4M for FY 2004 The state has closed the books on its 2004 fiscal year with a $155.4 million surplus, budget officials announced. Budget Director Mary Lannoye said the state general fund ended fiscal 2004 with...

2004 Newsmakers of the Year.(News)(Rajendra Vattikuti)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Andrew Dietderich Rajendra Vattikuti Founder, President and CEO Covansys Corp. Raj Vattikuti did a lot more than change the title on his business card in 2004. Vattikuti, founder of Farmington Hills-based Covansys...

2004 Newsmakers of the Year.(News)(Column)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Andrew Dietderich Bob Gigliotti General chairman 2004 Ryder Cup When Bob Gigliotti first volunteered as a scoreboard operator at Oakland Hills Country Club in 1985, he was a bit player in the band. But by 2004 he...

Bankruptcy Court streamlines rules - to drum up business.(News)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Brent Snavely A set of 17 new rules designed to streamline the administration of large bankruptcy cases and aimed at attracting more such cases to Detroit takes effect today in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Detroit and will be evaluated...

Crain's seeks big deals.
January 3, 2005... Crain's Detroit Business will publish a list of the largest deals of 2004 in its Jan. 31 issue. Included will be mergers and acquisitions of at least $10 million, stock offerings, commercial-property sales and the largest office and industrial...

Team approach; Planners for the All-Star Game and Super Bowl create a playbook to ensure a win for Detroit.(Focus)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Jennette Smith Local planners for the upcoming baseball All-Star Game and 2006 Super Bowl are working not only with top decision-makers at the National Football League and Major League Baseball, but also with each other. ...

Booked: The party planning already has begun.(Focus)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Jennette Smith Both the All-Star Game in July and the Super Bowl in 2006 will bring a wide range of public events, private VIP functions, and official and unofficial celebrations. Private parties * Several top restaurants...

2004 Newsmakers of the Year.(News)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky Julie Nguyen Brown Founder and CEO Plastech Engineered Products Inc. Julie Nguyen Brown, to use a sports analogy, had a breakout year in 2004. Her Plastech Engineered Products Inc., a...

NFL reaches out.(Focus)(National Football League)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... The Super Bowl XL Host Committee and National Football League are to announce details of an emerging-business program to encourage more minority- and women-owned businesses to participate in the Super Bowl. Part of the program includes the...

2004 Newsmakers of the Year.(News)(Ilitch Holdings Inc.)(Brief Article)(Column)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Brent Snavely Christopher Ilitch President and CEO Ilitch Holdings Inc. Sibling rivalries rarely rate as business news. But a power struggle between the co-presidents of Ilitch Holdings Inc. made front-page news...

Strategic thinker raises corporate funds.(Focus)(Tavi Fulkerson )
January 3, 2005... Byline: Jennette Smith Tavi Fulkerson raises the corporate dollars behind Detroit's leading sports and public events. Fulkerson, president of The Fulkerson Group, is under contract to the Super Bowl XL Host Committee for fund-raising...

Forum to take hard look at Detroit's fiscal crisis.(News)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Robert Ankeny An invitation-only economic forum Tuesday and Wednesday on Detroit's finance and budget problems is expected to draw more than 200 business, political, union and religious leaders, plus city, county and state...

2004 Newsmakers of the Year.(News)(Michael Duggan)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Katie Merx Michael Duggan President and CEO Detroit Medical Center Since he took the helm at The Detroit Medical Center a year ago this week, Michael Duggan has set a course to improve operations and draw paying...

2004 Newsmakers of the Year.(News)(William Davidson)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky William Davidson Owner, Pistons, Shock and Tampa Bay Lightning; CEO, Guardian Industries Corp. Two professional sports teams this summer, one in Michigan and one in Florida, defied the odds and became...

Cobo, center of the automotive world.(Cobo Hall)(Reprint)(Column)
January 3, 2005... Byline: KEITH CRAIN Keith Crain is recovering from surgery. His column will return. This column first appeared on Jan. 8, 1990, and comments on the North American International Auto Show's brand-new emergence as a show of international...

Calendar.(Calendar)
January 3, 2005... Wednesday Jan. 5 2005 Forecast of the Home Building Industry in Southeastern Michigan. Special meeting of the Building Industry Association of Southeastern Michigan. Noon-2 p.m. Speakers: David Seiders, chief economist, National...

20 years later, our beat is still business.(Opinion)
January 3, 2005... First of all, this is a business newsweekly. The emphasis is on news, and the delivery is weekly - every Monday, 52 weeks a year.'' With those words, the Opinion page for Crain's Detroit Business launched its first editorial on Feb. 4,...

Granholm criticized for HMO bill inaction.(News)(Jennifer Granholm)(health maintenance organizations)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Amy Lane A bill to give health maintenance organizations greater pricing flexibility died last week, amid concerns by Gov. Jennifer Granholm that it would increase patient's health care costs. Granholm took no action on Senate...

Tell us how we've helped - and how we can.(News)(Crain Communications Inc. celebrating it's 20th anniversary)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Mary Kramer January is a time of great promise, of making commitments to improve in the coming year. Since 2005 is the 20th anniversary year for Crain's Detroit Business, we thought we'd start the year with the people who...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
January 3, 2005... Mass transit is a 'real benefit' Editor: So Canton Township supervisor Tom Yack is opposed to public transit because "limited public tax resources should be reserved for projects that will deliver real benefits.'' (Letters, "Don't...

2004 Newsmakers of the Year.(News)(Edsel Ford II)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Jennette Smith Edsel Ford II Chairman Detroit 300 Conservancy Edsel Ford was the critical point man for Detroit's new town square. Campus Martius Park opened Nov. 19 in front of Compuware Corp. headquarters, off...

For one, new year holds promise.(News)(Bob Slattery)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... "It's pretty amazing,'' says developer Bob Slattery of the progress he's made to recover use of his legs after being in a wheelchair for almost three decades following a bicycle accident as a teen. "There are muscles in my legs. My quads...

Deal will help suppliers speed pay; Hennessey plans to step in as automakers end programs.(News)(Hennessey Capital Solutions)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky, Katie Merx Hennessey Capital Solutions has closed a $50 million deal with GE Commercial Finance to give auto suppliers accelerated payments on receivables. Huntington Woods-based Hennessey Capital Solutions...

Visteon looks for new home for contractors.(News)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Jennette Smith, Terry Kosdrosky Visteon Corp. is considering a downtown location for about 500 outside information-technology contractors, but it's not yet clear if a proposed office building by a Southfield-based developer is among...

In Memoriam.(News)(Obituary)(Obituary)
January 3, 2005... * Roger Albertie, 64, CEO, RKA Petroleum Cos., died June 21. * Mark "Doc'' Andrews, 51, longtime Detroit broadcaster, Feb 21. * Marc Avery, 74, Detroit radio personality, Feb 8. * Edward Baker, 70, publisher of The Italian Tribune...

2004 Newsmakers of the Year.(News)(Frank Taylor)
January 3, 2005... Byline: Brent Snavely Frank Taylor President and CEO Frank Taylor Management Group Frank Taylor's restaurants in Detroit, Seldom Blues, Sweet Georgia Brown and Magnolia, had the food critics talking in 2004. Taylor's...

Revolving door: CEO comings and goings.(News)(appointments, retirements, resignations...)
January 3, 2005... Kmart Holding Corp. Julian Day, a Sears, Roebuck and Co. veteran who helped lead Kmart out of bankruptcy, resigned to be replaced by longtime fast-food executive Aylwin Lewis just weeks before Kmart announced it would acquire Sears. Lewis...

Rumblings.
January 3, 2005... Semco adds lawmaker to its board The newest member of Semco Energy Inc.'s board is raising some eyebrows, not for his business experience, but for his political post. Semco last month named Alaska Senate Majority Leader Ben Stevens to its...

A Better Ride: Part 2 of 2; New products promise enhanced driving experience.(Focus)(Automotives )
January 10, 2005... Byline: Michelle Krebs Lear Corp.: Headrests for Mercedes roadster keep heads warm when top is down in chilly weather Products: AirScarf and seat frames, both for the Mercedes-Benz SLK350 One of the hottest features - literally -...

33 tool-and-die firms get state tax breaks in 'recovery' zones.(News)(tooling companies)
January 10, 2005... Byline: Amy lane The state has designated eight tax-free zones for tool-and-die companies throughout Michigan. The Michigan Economic Development Corp. last month said 33 companies will benefit from tax-free status through the...

Toll Bros. plans $313M luxury push in Oakland Twp.(Oakland Township)
January 10, 2005... Byline: Andrew Dietderich Home developer Toll Bros. Inc. plans to build 634 houses on more than 900 acres as part of two projects worth about $313 million in Oakland Township. The Oakland Township Board of Trustees will hold a public...

Issues and Answers.(News)
January 10, 2005... Faced with dwindling revenue and climbing expenditures, the city of Detroit faces a projected $214 million deficit for fiscal 2005. Experts who spoke Jan 4-5 at Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's Detroit Economic Forum at Wayne State University...

Are you the buffest boss?(News)(fitness tests)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... Last year, Men's Health magazine ranked Detroit as the nation's fattest city. It really hurt. The magazine's just-released list has Detroit dropping to No. 3 on the fat list, behind Houston and Philadelphia. But that is hardly a reason to...

Crain's seeks big deals.
January 10, 2005... Crain's Detroit Business will publish a list of the largest deals of 2004 in its Jan. 31 issue. Included will be mergers and acquisitions of at least $10 million, stock offerings, commercial-property sales and the largest office and industrial...

Biz owner to chair commerce panel.(News)(House Commerce Committee appoints Bill Huizenga )
January 10, 2005... Byline: Amy Lane State Rep. Bill Huizenga says he has a passion for business and entrepreneurialism. So it's perhaps fitting that the Zeeland Republican, co-owner of the third-generation Huizenga Gravel Co. in Jenison, will chair the...

Another shot; Group hopes to bring Major League Soccer, new stadium to Detroit area; still needs $40M.(News)
January 10, 2005... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky A local group of soccer veterans with a new business plan is courting investors for $40 million to bring a Major League Soccer team and a new 18,000-seat stadium to the Detroit area. Jim Duggan, former CEO of...

Analysts: Pricing, material costs to spur supplier mergers.(News)
January 10, 2005... Byline: Julie Armstrong Automotive News High raw-material prices and pricing pressures from automakers will trigger more consolidation among North American suppliers in 2005, analysts say. The number of North American-based suppliers...

Corrections.(Correction)
January 10, 2005... * A story on Page 18 of the Jan. 3 issue incorrectly reported that U.S. Bankruptcy Court has approved a motion to amend contracts between Intermet Corp. and its largest customers. The court has not made a decision and will hold hearings on the...

A Better Ride: Part 1 of 2; New products promise enhanced driving experience.(Focus)(Automotives)
January 10, 2005... Byline: Michelle Krebs ArvinMeritor Inc.: Keeping Grand Cherokee on and off track Products: Cradle, coil-over-shock and wheel-end modules and cold-end exhaust system, all for the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee. As Chrysler Group...

People.(industry news)
January 10, 2005... Architecture Richard Konik and Todd Rankine to associates, Siegal/Tuomaala Associates Architects & Planners Inc., Southfield, continuing as project architects. Construction Bill Mellanby to senior project estimator, commercial...

New law reduces liability for architects, engineers.(News)
January 10, 2005... Byline: Amy Lane Architects, engineers and others have secured a small bill that they say is a major victory in reducing the liability they face on state construction projects. Signed last month by Gov. Jennifer Granholm, Public Act...

A radical overhaul for city government.(Opinion)
January 10, 2005... Population has dropped; so, too, the number of children in public schools. Taxes are high, collections low; downtown employment dips and office vacancy rates rise. The city's budget remains stubbornly higher than the revenue coming in. The...

Crain's hires reporter to cover Macomb, Oakland.(News)(Crain's Detroit Business appoints Anjali Fluker)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... Anjali Fluker has joined the Crain's Detroit Business staff as a reporter covering Macomb and Oakland counties as well as the environment. Fluker, 29, will cover county and local governments in Macomb County as they relate to business and...

Letters.
January 10, 2005... Offshoring doesn't always pay Editor: I read Rick Hecker's Dec. 20 Other Voices, "Weigh costs, barriers for offshore moves,'' with interest. His letter, on offshore outsourcing, parallels many of the realities encountered in my...

Calendar.(Calendar)
January 10, 2005... Tuesday Jan. 11 Exporting to Germany, Sweden, Poland and Hungary. Automation Alley Export Center and the U.S. Commercial Service, Pontiac U.S. Export Center. 1-3 p.m. Automation Alley, Troy. Free. Register by Jan. 10. Contact: Daiga...

Week In Review.(Briefs)
January 10, 2005... Former SES COO pleads guilty to tax fraud Ronald Bray, a former owner and COO of Simplified Employment Services Inc., pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court of conspiring to defraud the federal government of more than $51.7 million in...

Michigan Quality Council merges with Cleary University.(News)
January 10, 2005... Byline: Sherri Begin Cleary University has absorbed the Michigan Quality Council, a nonprofit that promotes improvement of organizations through quality management. The merger, effective Jan. 1, was a matter of survival for the...

Washtenaw charges up $6.1M energy-saving plan.(News)(Washtenaw County)
January 10, 2005... Byline: Sheena Harrison Washtenaw County is embarking on a $6.1 million energy conservation project that will allow it to make improvements while reducing some of its energy costs. The 18-month project includes energy-saving...

BorgWarner gains technology with German supplier purchase.(News)(Beru AG)
January 10, 2005... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky Auto supplier BorgWarner Inc. added key components and systems to its diesel business with its $490 million stock purchase of German electronics supplier Beru AG. The acquisition also takes BorgWarner into the...

This Just In.(Appoinments in Delphi Corporation)
January 10, 2005... Delphi promotes O'Neal to president, COO Delphi Corp. has named Rodney O'Neal president and COO, marking the first time in the company's five-year history that an executive other than Chairman and CEO J.T. Battenberg III has responsibility...

RBS takes stake in home developer.(News)(RBS Companies Incorporation)
January 10, 2005... Byline: Sheena Harrison Brighton-based RBS Cos. Inc. hopes to gain residential market share in Washtenaw County through its newest subsidiary - Harris Homes Development Corp. and Bayberry Construction in Ann Arbor. Harris and Bayberry,...

Detroit looks to stop bleeding; Forum addresses Detroit's $214M shortfall.(News)(Economic conditions)
January 10, 2005... Byline: Robert Ankeny A two-day economic forum held last week in Detroit to focus attention on the city's fiscal plight and growing deficit was a sobering session for city officials, business leaders and labor union officials as well. ...

Reporter's Notebook.(Focus)(Automotive industry)
January 10, 2005... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky The North American International Auto Show is coming none too soon because the Detroit auto industry needs something to feel good about. Last year at this time, suppliers were looking at new production cars from...

Fiscal thoughts.(News)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... Here's what some panelists said at the Detroit Economic Forum. David Osborne, author, Reinventing Government: Be careful about using quick fixes such as borrowing from tomorrow for today's costs; stealing from other funds to balance the...

Rumblings.
January 10, 2005... Detroiter comes home to help area Iraqis vote John Gattorn is back in Detroit and on a fast track to aid Iraqi citizens in the area who want to vote in their homeland's historic election scheduled at the end of the month. "This is very...

The Mouse That Roars.(News)
January 10, 2005... Visit www.crainsdetroit.com to read the latest daily business news. * How do I get ahold of you? Click the "Contact us'' link in the gray bar at the top of our home page. * Auto show: Look for stories coming out of the North American...

Court asks for information in casino lawsuit.(News)(Lac Vieux Desert Band )(Brief Article)
January 10, 2005... Byline: Robert Ankeny The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati has requested briefs from parties involved in the long-running lawsuit challenging Detroit's casino licenses. The schedule is now likely to push a final decision...

Business Diary.(Briefs)
January 10, 2005... Calls For Nominations The Detroit Regional Chamber is calling for applications for the first Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility, which will honor organizations in the public and private sectors. Applications are...

Diving in; New owner plans to use PPOM as platform for national network, fast growth.(Preferred Provider Organization of Michigan Inc.)
January 10, 2005... Byline: Katie Merx In two to three years, PPOM President and CEO Jeffrey Connolly plans to double his company's Michigan market share, more than triple the health care provider network's membership and increase the number of states it...