Crain's Detroit Business articles from March 2004

Crain's Detroit Business archives from March 2004

Biltmore targets land in Saline; Developer amasses options for 1,000-acre project.(Real Estate)(Biltmore Properties Corp)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Laura Bailey Troy-based Biltmore Properties Corp. is attempting to buy options from the majority of owners on two square miles of property in northeast Saline Township for a massive residential development. Biltmore has secured...

Week in Review.(Review)
March 1, 2004... American Axle, UAW reach deal to end strike The United Auto Workers Local 235 and American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. reached a tentative four-year contract agreement Friday, Feb. 27. The company wouldn't disclose terms of the...

Rumblings.(Kmart Corp.,)(automotive toolmakers conference)
March 1, 2004... ... But that's not to say Kmart's not going to make it An investment fund that owns a significant amount of Kmart stock wants to make it clear that it's happy if Kmart keeps selling Joe Boxers in perpetuity. Michael Winer, portfolio...

Calendar.(Calendar)
March 1, 2004... Tuesday March 2 Young Professional Network Kickoff Event: Procurement Opportunities with Wayne County. Hosted by the American Arab Chamber of Commerce. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Speaker: Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano. Holiday Inn, 5801...

Macomb needn't fix what's not broken.(Opinion)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Nancy White I read with interest your Feb. 16 editorial regarding Macomb County's lack of an appointed administrator or elected executive ("Macomb government must change with times''). You try to make the case that Macomb...

Caraco may expand site.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Robert Ankeny Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories Ltd. is studying an expansion of its Detroit manufacturing site and considering paying off early a $6 million-plus debt to the Detroit Economic Development Corp. Caraco (AMEX:...

Eminem put his stamp on plant.(News)(New Center Stamping Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky New Center Stamping Inc. had a famous employee, once, but only for a couple of days. Eminem's film producers used the company's plant for scenes in the 2002 movie "8 Mile.'' In the movie, Eminem's...

Fund also helps other causes.(News)(Thompson Foundation grants )
March 1, 2004... Byline: Sherri Begin Robert Thompson is looking for a home for $200 million that he wants to use to build charter schools, but the foundation he has established in Plymouth gives to other educational and social causes. The Thompson...

Robertson Bros. projects.(Special Report)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... * Cressbrook, Franklin, 22 detached condominiums. Prices from mid-$800,000s to more than $1.5 million. * Wixom Village Center, 600 condominiums, 100,000 square feet of retail. Developing with Cohen Associates, West Bloomfield Township....

Bigger is less vital, but better is all the rage.(Special Report)(custom-designed luxury homes)
March 1, 2004... Byline: JoAnn Amicangelo One might say the executives and business owners buying million-dollar custom-designed luxury homes these days are getting selfish. Architects and designers say their clients want homes that fit their particular...

Dream, interrupted; Their ideal home overlooks the Pacific Ocean, but for now this Bloomfield couple has created a warm, inviting retreat that suits the realities of career and family.(Special Report)
March 1, 2004... Byline: JoAnn Amicangelo When Rick Chesbrough completed his medical degree at Wayne State University in 1984, he planned to be a surgeon. But after a year into an internship at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Oakland, Calif., and visits to...

Luxury, convenience drive motor-home sales; Condos on wheels appeal to young and old families.(Special Report)(Recreational vehicles)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Michelle Krebs Terry and Janice Cowart, Shelby Township residents who own Anderson Overhead Door Co. in Mt. Clemens, bought their fourth motor home only a year ago and already are in the process of trading it in for their fifth....

Robertson homes come in all prices; Downtown settings get new emphasis.(Special Report)(Robertson Bros.)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Jennette Smith In its latest round of new home projects, Robertson Bros. is building in more downtown settings and selling homes at a wider range of prices. Bloomfield Hills-based Robertson has nine projects under way. These...

Letters.(News)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... Don't forget Presbyterian Villages Editor: We were disappointed to find Presbyterian Villages of Michigan not listed among Crain's "Largest Nonprofits'' in your 2004 Book of Lists, though we had been included for a number of years....

Door still open; Philanthropist says public support needed to revive $200M offer.(News)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Laura Bailey Whether Detroit can resuscitate the $200 million offer from philanthropist Robert Thompson depends on how much public support the proposal gets in the coming months, Thompson said. But that support had better start...

Planning helps Mars hit ground running after fire; 'Project Phoenix' rises to challenge.(News)(Mars Advertising Company Inc.)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Jennette Smith Mars Advertising Co. Inc. lost office space, files and computers in a fire late last month, but its business operations barely skipped a beat because of good disaster planning, including data backup programs. A...

Ex-MMBDC chief adds New Center Stamping to stable; Seller cites contacts, certification.(News)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky Former Michigan Minority Business Development Council President Ron Hall has another auto supplier in his portfolio. Hall acquired a 51 percent interest in New Center Stamping Inc., a plant that bangs out...

Business Diary.(Briefs)(Integritas Business Systems Inc. released FormVision software package )
March 1, 2004... Contracts ProQuest Information and Learning, Ann Arbor, announced a long-term agreement to distribute content for Dow Jones & Co. It includes distributing electronic and microform versions of The Wall Street Journal, WSJ's Asian, European...

Year-end results paint prettier picture for local public companies.(News)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Katie Merx Year-end profit statements provided strong evidence that the economy turned a corner in 2003, and Southeast Michigan was included. As of Thursday, 45 local publicly traded companies besides the automakers had...

Buffalo bridge news pumps up pressure for local crossing.
March 1, 2004... Byline: Michael Strong Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano heard a starter's pistol fire last month in the form of an announcement that Buffalo, N.Y., and Fort Erie, Ontario, were forging ahead with plans for a new bridge. "We're in a...

Cutting waiting time is Duggan's prescription for DMC.(News)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Katie Merx Detroit Medical Center CEO Michael Duggan is attacking waiting times for emergency treatment, laboratory tests and surgery as a key strategy for attracting patients to the hospital system. Plans to cut the budget...

Briefly.(Briefs)(Dominic's Fine Jewelry Ltd)
March 1, 2004... Jeweler plans retail building Dominic Maratta, president of Dominic's Fine Jewelry Ltd. in Clinton Township, plans to break ground in April on a two-level, 18,000-square-foot retail development on the perimeter of Lakeside Mall in Sterling...

Let Thompson help Detroit students.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Detroit risks being a national laughingstock for its treatment of the offer last year by philanthropist Robert Thompson to build 15 charter high schools in Detroit. Any political or civic leader in Detroit who listened to Thompson deliver...

Semco shedding side businesses to fix financial problems.(News)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Amy Lane By several measures, 2003 was a difficult year for Semco Energy Inc. But in 2004, the Farmington Hills-based company stands to strengthen its financial footing as it sheds operations and reshapes itself around the...

The mouse that roars.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Web poll: What one issue should be the focus of regional cooperation? According to respondents to our "Tell Us What You Think'' poll, transportation is far and away the leading issue. Cast your vote by visiting www.crainsdetroit.com, view the...

This Just In.
March 1, 2004... Delphi starts TV campaign to boost nonauto business Delphi Corp. is using a television ad campaign that'll run throughout the year to promote its nonautomotive business. The ads, created by Delphi's ad agency McCann-Erickson Detroit,...

Collision course; Private repair shops want ban on insurer-owned shops.
March 1, 2004... Byline: Amy Lane Michael Auger has lost as much as 40 percent of his Clawson auto-repair shop's business in the past couple of years, and says he knows where the work has gone: to repair centers owned by The Allstate Corp. This week...

Kmart seeks $327M in refunds after landmark ruling.(News)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Brent Snavely Kmart Holding Corp. said last week that a 3-0 ruling by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals makes it clear that 2,330 companies should return about $327 million in payments Kmart distributed to vendors during the...

Panel tackles security.(News)
March 1, 2004... Business Security 101 is the subject of a March 10 Ideas Before Dawn panel discussion. Panelists include Tom Gasser, Detroit postal inspector; Jeff Recor, director of the Walsh College Information Assurance Center; and Ned Timmons,...

It doesn't take a Super Bowl to eat well.(Special Report)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Michael Strong The recent Super Bowl in Houston prompted all types of questions about Detroit as a host city in 2006. Media types wondered aloud: Will there be enough hotel rooms? What will we do? Are there enough restaurants and...

Company offers innovative way for buyers to get a home.(Special Report)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Jennette Smith Potential home buyers who don't qualify for traditional financing are the targets of a new local company that offers a different twist on the rental home. Beverly Hills-based Marketplace Homes L.L.C. goes after...

People.
March 1, 2004... Architecture James Meredith to principal, Gensler, Detroit, from senior associate. Peyman Ramin to principal, electrical engineering, HarleyEllis Corp., Southfield, from associate. Also, Arthur Smith to principal, architectural...

Blues double net income for 2003 to $368M; Insurer to use money to boost $1.5B reserves.
March 1, 2004... Byline: Katie Merx Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan more than doubled its net income in 2003 thanks to administrative cost cuts, lower-than-expected medical costs and improved earnings by the Blues' health maintenance organization. ...

Bankruptcies.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The following businesses filed for Chapter 7 or 11 protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Detroit the week of Feb. 20-26. Under Chapter 11, a company files a reorganization plan that the court must approve. Chapter 7 involves total...

There are three car shows at Cobo Center.(Column)
March 1, 2004... Byline: KEITH CRAIN Last week car enthusiasts from all over Southeast Michigan showed up at Cobo Center to celebrate hot rods and custom cars. It was the 52nd annual Autorama, and, once again, literally well over 100,000 spectators...

Creativity helps when traditional methods fail.(Special Report)
March 1, 2004... Byline: Katie Merx You've tried the bar scene, social clubs, online dating services, speed dating and gone on blind dates with every singleton your friends and family know. You have nearly given up. Don't. Instead, get creative....

Incentives for better health.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Michigan residents eat and smoke too much and exercise too little. At least 25 percent of Michigan residents are obese, the highest rate among 17 states included in a yet-to-be released study commissioned by the Michigan Economic Development...

On the Web.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... For the full text of Robert Thompson's speech and a list of Thompson Foundation grantees, visit the Breaking News section of www.crainsdetroit.com.

What did they do?(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... * Held a manager's meeting the next day at a coney island. * Retrieved 60 workstations it stored at a warehouse center. * Used cell phones to reassure clients about work.

Bidding on Iraq.
March 8, 2004... Who' interested: Many smaller local companies run by Iraqi expatriates or those who with other ties to the Middle East. Why join forces?: Working on Iraq is expensive because of high costs for travel and insurance. Also, the large companies...

State universities need to keep tech edge.(Column)(Column)
March 8, 2004... Byline: MARY KRAMER Within a week of Peter McPherson's return last October from his stint helping to create a financial structure for Iraq, he led an information briefing for influential opinion leaders about Michigan State University's...

Briefly.(Briefs)
March 8, 2004... From double cheese to changing the oil Former Little Caesar's franchisee Thomas Bayoff is switching from pizza to motor oil and spark plugs. Bayoff plans to use some of the money he gained last year from the sale of about 15 Little...

Mayor: No new taxes needed to rehab.(Review)
March 8, 2004... Michigan Depot uying and refurbishing the dilapidated and long-vacant Michigan Central Depot for a new police headquarters would cost the city between $100 million and $130 million and could be done without raising taxes, Detroit Mayor...

CRAIN'S seeks benefits vendors fr buyer's guide.(Special Report)
March 8, 2004... Crain's Detroit Business plans to publish a directory of vendors in its Employee Benefits Buyers Guide, which will appear in the May 3 issue. We need your help to make the directory comprehensive. We are seeking companies doing business in the...

Troy voters hold key to new convention center.(Special Report)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Andrew Dietderich The future of a new convention center in the city of Troy will be known in less than a month when Troy voters decide whether to sell 7 acres of city-owned land for the project. If voters approve the sale April...

Clever planning makes large meetings manageable.(Special Report)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Deanna Bottar We've all been there: trudging through a daylong conference from early morning croissant to after-dinner cocktail. There are lots of hellos, handshakes and chitchat, but with loads of people, a complicated...

Ergonomics rules wouldn't sit well with some.(News)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Amy Lane LANSING - The potential for a new Michigan ergonomics standard has stirred up a hornet's nest with business, even though state officials say Michigan is years from a standard and may not enact one at all. A state...

Calling buff bosses!(News)("50 Fittest CEOs'' contest)(Brief Article)
March 8, 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. So here's a chance for local top executives to set an example: Participate in...

Catuity to miss Target smart-card system.(News)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Andrew Dietderich Target Corp. plans to drop its smart-chip technology program, a year after its launch had begun to improve revenue and narrow losses for Detroit-based Catuity Inc. Catuity (Nasdaq: CTTY) developed the...

Gonzalez's activities.(News)
March 8, 2004... * Board member, Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Elected vice chairman of the executive board in January. * Founding member, General Motors Corp.'s supplier diversity council, formed in 2000. Served as a board member through 2003. ...

Cingular shakes up wireless market; Deal may dial up pursuit of business dollar.(News)(AT&T Wireless Services Inc., Cingular Wireless L.L.C.)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Amy Lane Cingular Wireless L.L.C. is gaining a strong business-customer base in its acquisition of AT&T Wireless, and that could ratchet up competition for the business wireless dollar in Southeast Michigan. Cingular plans to...

Detroit renews lease at Cadillac Tower; Occupies 170,000 square feet.(News)(Brief Article)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Jennette Smith Cadillac Tower, the 40-story Detroit office building housing several city departments, has renewed its lease with the city. Southfield-based Farbman Group is the property manager and leasing agent for the...

AmeriChoice acquires Great Lakes HMO; More insurer mergers expected.(News)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Katie Merx A national insurer has purchased Southfield-based Great Lakes Health Plan Inc. in a deal that could be a harbinger of consolidation among local Medicaid plans. Vienna, Va.-based Medicaid HMO AmeriChoice closed on the...

City, pension board squabble over who hires new executive.(Detroit's General Retirement System's pension fund board)(Kilpatrick administration)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Robert Ankeny A Wayne County Circuit Court order issued last month aimed to resolve travel and ethics disputes between Detroit's General Retirement System's pension fund board and the Kilpatrick administration. But while that...

JCI likely to stay in Plymouth Twp. Tax break key to local expansion.(Johnson Controls Inc.)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Jennette Smith, Terry Kosdrosky, Laura Bailey Johnson Controls Inc. is finalizing plans that would keep its automotive headquarters in Plymouth Township. The company is still scouting sites in Ohio and elsewhere in Michigan,...

People.(appointments)
March 8, 2004... architecture Mark Mardirosian to principal, Kraemer Design Group plc, Detroit, from senior project architect. engineering Tony Woodall to marketing team leader, Atwell-Hicks Inc., Ann Arbor, from director of business development,...

Bankruptcies.(companies filed for Chapter 7 or 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Detroit )(Brief Article)
March 8, 2004... The following businesses filed for Chapter 7 or 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Detroit the week of Feb. 27-Mar. 4. Under Chapter 11, a company files a reorganization plan that the court must approve. Chapter 7 involves total...

Florida's Detroit seminar gives reasons for hope.(Rumblings)(Richard Florida)
March 8, 2004... Optimism reigned last Thursday at an economic development seminar led by Carnegie Mellon University Professor Richard Florida, despite metro Detroit's manufacturing job losses and the national stigma of crime that still sometimes sticks to...

NSF International adds organic-certification biz.(News)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Sherri Begin Ann Arbor-based NSF International has acquired Quality Assurance International Inc., a San Diego-based for-profit company that certifies organic food and consumer goods. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed....

Calendar.(Calendar)
March 8, 2004... Tuesday march 9 Restructuring our Region's Safety Net: Laying the Foundation for Solutions. Sponsored by the Greater Detroit Area Health Council Inc. 7:30-9:30 a.m. Speakers: Gail Warden, chair, Detroit/Wayne County Health Authority...

Guidepoint Systems uses car dealers to push telematics service.(News)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky Rand Mueller is using the car-dealer contacts he developed at the former Code-Alarm Inc. to run his latest venture. When Audiovox Corp. bought Code-Alarm for $7.1 million two years ago, the two companies agreed...

Homeland insecurity; Local small businesses join forces to win Iraq rebuilding contracts.
March 8, 2004... Byline: Michael Strong Sal Hassanien sees vast business potential for his small engineering company in the rebuilding of Iraq. But like many small-business owners in Detroit with a similar vision, he's having a hard time tapping into...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
March 8, 2004... Sound argument for term limits Editor: I must note that the point Mary Kramer made in her Feb. 9 column, "Term limits open paths for businesspeople,'' that it is "comforting that business owners who have met a payroll or paid the...

Jobless rate in 2003 just as bad as 2002, state says.(News)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Amy Lane Southeast Michigan ended 2003 much as it began: with a lackluster employment picture. The region was unable to shake high unemployment that dogged it throughout the year, closing 2003 with jobless rates well above...

Detroit Thermal works to improve, but prices steam some customers.(News)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Amy Lane A year into owning Detroit's century-old district steam system, Detroit Thermal L.L.C. is moving forward with plans to turn the downtown business into a modernized, efficient and profitable part of the city's resurgence....

WSU investigates e-mail with false claims about Crain's, others.(News)(Wayne State University)(Crain's Detroit Business )(Brief Article)
March 8, 2004... Wayne State University said late Friday it was investigating an e-mail campaign to discredit several businesses that apparently originated in the campus e-mail system. The e-mail that circulated last week falsely claimed the author was...

This Just In.
March 8, 2004... Ficano pushes for new tri-county lockup Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano said Friday that he would name former Michigan Treasurer Doug Roberts to head a commission to study creation of a regional jail. Roberts, now interim director...

Triad closes after steep revenue decline.(News)(Triad Performance Technologies Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 8, 2004... A 15-year-old training company in Farmington Hills will close its doors this month after its owners saw revenue decline by at least 50 percent in the past three years. Ted Apking, president of Triad Performance Technologies Inc., said he...

Huddle Up; With cooperation and a long-term game plan, Detroit could reap benefits for years to come from upcoming sporting events. Leaders agree, it's time to:.(Special Report)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Jennette Smith Metro Detroit already has a lineup of major sporting events coming to town during the next several years, but its potential to attract more depends on rigorous pregame training. The Ryder Cup, the Major League...

Better space, more of it; Planners and exhibit companies have convention center wish-list.(Special Report)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Jennette Smith Meeting planners and exhibit companies have definite opinions about what features a new convention center in Detroit should include. More contiguous exhibit space, more meeting rooms, better technology and ample...

Economic impact of sporting events.(Special Report)(Brief Article)
March 8, 2004... 2004 Ryder Cup (September) $150.0 million A.A.U. Folkstyle Wrestling Championships (April) $1.4 million U.S.S.S.A. Girls 12 and Under Fastpitch World Series (July) $2.1 million Tournament of Roller Hockey Series (July) $2.5...

Business Diary.(News; briefs)
March 8, 2004... contracts Sachse Construction of Farmington Hills is building stores for The Industry Source, a retail division of Farmington Hills-based Nailco Group, in Canton Township at 42009 Ford Road; in Holland; in Madison Heights at 27635 John R...

Maybe it's time to change our thinking.(Column)(laws for capital punishment)(Column)
March 8, 2004... I'm probably going to take a lot of heat for saying it, but it's time for Michigan to take a look at its laws on capital punishment. A couple of weeks ago, two Detroit police officers were killed during a routine traffic stop. A young man...

State needs warranties for road performance.(opinion)(Michigan)
March 8, 2004... Orange-barrel season is upon us. In Michigan, the road construction is a sure sign of spring. It's already a given that Michigan doesn't get its fair share of federal highway dollars, based on the gasoline-tax dollars sent to Washington....

Bell Co.'s restructuring attempt fails to keep doors open.(News)(Brief Article)
March 8, 2004... Fraser-based Bell Co., a general contractor founded in 1984, is no longer in business. The company closed in early October after a drop in local construction business led to declining sales and increased debts, founder Henry Bell said last...

Spilled milk; When Davis & Sons left fold, Dean Foods played hardball.(Tom Davis & Sons Dairy Inc.)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Michael Strong Gary Davis and his four siblings wanted to quietly sell their family dairy business, Tom Davis & Sons Dairy Inc. They did everything they could to ensure the sale wouldn't disrupt their customers or Davis' 100...

Startup generates heat with deal from GM for wiper-fluid warmer.(News)(General Motors Corp.)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Gail Kachadourian For fledgling auto supplier Microheat Inc., business is starting to simmer. The Farmington Hills startup is preparing to fulfill its first contract with an automaker for its only product: HotShot, a device...

The mouse that roars.(Rumblings)
March 8, 2004... Web poll: When we asked, "What one issue should be the focus of regional cooperation?'' 89 respondents - about 64 percent - said transportation; about 17 percent or 24 respondents said image-building and tourism; about 15 percent or 21...

Gonzalez Design moves on after death of CEO.(News)(Gonzalez Design and Engineering Inc.)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Brent Snavely Ric Gonzalez, CEO and chairman of Gonzalez Design Group, often would dress up as the Energizer Bunny for Halloween parties while his wife, Ricca, would dress as the bunny's battery and push him around in his...

Upcoming meetings and conventions.(Special Report)(Calendar)
March 8, 2004... * Michigan High School Athletic Association, Individual Wrestling Finals March 7-10 Main hotel: Troy Marriott Attendance: 5,000 * Society of Automotive Engineers March 8-11 Location: Cobo Center Main hotel:...

HDTV is the medium of the moment for trade shows.(Special Report)(High definition television)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Jeremy Quittner At the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis., late last year, Pfizer Inc. blew the socks off its competitors. While rivals talked about their products, the New York City-based pharmaceutical giant demonstrated its...

HDTV bonus.(Special Report)(High definition television)(Brief Article)
March 8, 2004... According to Allen Konopacki of the Incomm Center for Trade Show Research, high-definition displays provide: * Five times greater visual reach. * Longer conversations with booth visitors. * Better message retention. * The...

Corrections.(Correction)(Correction Notice)
March 8, 2004... * On the list of Largest Accounting Firms on Page 14 of the Feb. 9 issue, Jefferson Wells International should have been listed as having 83 employees engaged in audit/accounting, three in taxes and three in other.

Wolfe pack; Siblings plan to expand Moosejaw Mountaineering as outdoor retailers navigate rocky landscape.(News)
March 8, 2004... Byline: Laura Bailey, Brent Snavely When Robert Wolfe started Moosejaw Mountaineering in 1992, he was armed with a degree from UM and a love of nature, but no actual business knowledge. Still, Wolfe and his siblings Julie, 31, and...