Albany Times Union (Albany, NY) articles from November 2000

Albany Times Union (Albany, NY) archives from November 2000

Schenectady, N.Y.-Based Bank Could Make Future Bid for Smaller Rivals.
November 30, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 30--While Cohoes Bancorp Inc.'s annual meeting today likely will not be the fireworks show most expected, this isn't the end, analysts say. Cohoes and Hudson River Bancorp Inc. announced last week that...

CEO Offers Await Chief of GE's Schenectady, N.Y.-Based Power Systems Unit.
November 29, 2000... Byline: Kenneth Aaron Nov. 29--When Dayton Ogden tried to woo Robert L. Nardelli from the loving arms of General Electric Co. in the past, he failed. Maybe this time's the charm for Ogden, chairman of executive recruitment firm...

Colonie, N.Y., Lawyer Owes $2.1 Million to State Fund for Client Protection.
November 29, 2000... Byline: Kim Martineau Nov. 29--The New York State Lawyers Fund for Client Protection has filed a judgment to collect a $10,500 fine from Andrew Capoccia, bringing the total amount of unpaid sanctions against the former Colonie lawyer to...

Holiday Season Begins on a Positive Note for Albany, N.Y.-Area Retailers.
November 29, 2000... Byline: Danielle T. Furfaro Nov. 29--Despite a strong start to the holiday shopping season, many area retailers remain anxious about how the rest of the season will pan out. Retailers across the state reported a 4 percent to 6...

Schenectady, N.Y.-Based Bank Withdraws Offer to Buy Two New York Banks.
November 28, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 28--TrustCo Bank Corp NY withdrew its offers to purchase Cohoes Bancorp Inc. and Hudson River Bancorp Inc. Monday, just days after those banks announced a definitive merger agreement. Schenectady-based...

General Electric Taps Chief of Medical Systems Arm to Be Next CEO.
November 28, 2000... Byline: Kenneth Aaron Nov. 28--When Jeffrey Immelt was awarded General Electric's shiniest brass ring Monday, it ended months of speculation about who would fill what may be the corporate world's biggest shoes -- and disappointed some...

Albany, N.Y., Newspaper's Business Survey Is in the Mail.
November 27, 2000... Byline: Betsy Feldstein Nov. 27--A Times Union -sponsored survey of local businesses, produced in conjunction with the annual Capitaland Report on the economy, has been mailed to more than 5,000 area business and government leaders. ...

Niskayuna, N.Y., Fluid Management Systems Firm Shifts Focus to Core Business.
November 27, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 27--Environment One Corp. has been quietly delving deeper into its market share. Since being acquired by a large public company two years ago, the Niskayuna-based manufacturer of fluid management systems...

A&P Files Objection to Sell-Off of Bankrupt Wayne, N.J.-Based Grocery Chain.
November 27, 2000... Byline: Danielle T. Furfaro Nov. 27--As third-party supermarkets begin negotiations with C&S Wholesale Grocers Inc. for the purchase of Grand Union stores, allegations have surfaced that the bankruptcy court auction of assets may not...

Albany, N.Y.-Area Cable, DSL Internet Access Rivalry Is Hot.
November 27, 2000... Byline: Kenneth Aaron Nov. 27--"Cavemanmoron" -- that's his America Online handle -- has high-speed Internet access running into his Rensselaer home today. Which makes him, perhaps, not so much a caveman, or a moron, to the 40 million...

Albany, N.Y.-Area Holiday Shoppers Arrive Early for 'Black Friday' Sales.
November 27, 2000... Byline: Danielle T. Furfaro Nov. 27--Consumers have been bombarded in recent months with reasons not to spend as much money this holiday season. From high gasoline prices to a fluctuating stock market to a seemingly never-ending...

Rensselaer County, N.Y., Train Parts Maker Rides Rails of Prosperity.
November 27, 2000... Byline: Kenneth Aaron Nov. 27--Should you ride on Amtrak's sleek new darling, the bullet-nosed Acela, you'll ride on Eagle Bridge Machine & Tool Inc. parts. If you've been on the rattle-trap Nos. 2, 3 or 7 subway trains in New York City,...

Cash Deal Set for Hudson, N.Y.-Based Bank to Purchase Cohoes, N.Y., Bank.
November 26, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 26--Hudson River Bancorp Inc. and Cohoes Bancorp Inc. announced Friday that they had reached a definitive agreement for Hudson River to acquire Cohoes in a merger valued at about $158 million. If...

Troy, N.Y., Collectibles Shop to Close Doors Forever.
November 24, 2000... Nov. 24--TROY, N.Y.--Owners of successful Troy card and collectibles shop say it's time to travel. Gold Crown Addie's, a Troy mainstay that was the last retailer to move out of the Troy Atrium in the early 1990s, is closing its doors...

Albany, N.Y., Concrete Firm Accuses Competitor of Monopolistic Practices.
November 24, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 24--ALBANY, N.Y.--Bonded Concrete says a competitor is trying to shut it out of Saratoga County A local concrete manufacturer is claiming a competitor is attempting to monopolize the market in Saratoga...

Hoosick, N.Y., Train Parts Firm Rides Rising Tide of Mass Transit.
November 24, 2000... Byline: Kenneth Aaron Nov. 24--HOOSICK, N.Y.--Should you ride on Amtrak's sleek new darling, the bullet-nosed Acela, you'll ride on Eagle Bridge Machine & Tool Inc. parts. If you've been on the rattle-trap Nos. 2, 3 or 7 subway trains in...

Troy, N.Y., Card, Collectibles Retailer to Close Doors.
November 24, 2000... Byline: Danielle T. Furfaro Nov. 24--Gold Crown Addie's, a Troy mainstay that was the last retailer to move out of the Troy Atrium in the early 1990s, is closing its doors forever. Addie and Rom Romano, owners of the greeting card...

Albany, N.Y.-Based Software Developer Acquired by Finance Holdings Group.
November 24, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 24--ALBANY, N.Y.--IA Systems, a software developer for the financial services market, has been acquired by Securian Financial Group Inc. IA Systems announced Wednesday that it will retain its name and...

Accusations Fly over Asset Auction of Bankrupt Wayne, N.J.-Based Grocery Firm.
November 23, 2000... Byline: Danielle T. Furfaro Nov. 23--As third-party supermarkets begin negotiations with C&S Wholesale Grocers Inc. for the purchase of Grand Union stores, allegations have surfaced that the bankruptcy court auction of assets may not...

Evaluator Criticized Management at Cohoes, N.Y.-Based Bank.
November 22, 2000... Byline: Kenneth Aaron Nov. 22--An independent evaluator recommended that shareholders of Cohoes Bancorp Inc. put an arch-rival's nominees on its board of directors, then slammed the Cohoes board for its conduct during the institution's...

Albany, N.Y., Hospitality Industry Promotes Career Options at Workshop.
November 22, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 22--The country's record economic boom is causing employment shortages all around, and the hospitality industry is no exception. To combat that, the Albany County Convention & Visitors Bureau kicked off...

Troy, N.Y., Professors Research, Write Primer to Help Old Firms with Start-ups.
November 21, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 21--A group of professors is teaching big companies how to do business start-up-style. Six professors from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy followed 12 top-secret research projects in 10...

North Greenbush, N.Y., Service Provider to Move Headquarters to Seattle.
November 21, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 21--NearMe Inc. will move its headquarters to Seattle as part of a deal struck with new investors. The company, a location-based service provider that spun off MapInfo Corp. last year, purchased...

Regional Software Groups Form New York State Lobbying Group.
November 21, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 21--Regional software alliances in New York are forming a new state association. The New York State Software Network, NYSSNET, will represent the interests of software companies statewide to the state...

Supermarket Supplier Buys Bulk of New Jersey-Based Grocery Chain's Units.
November 20, 2000... Byline: Danielle T. Furfaro Nov. 20--NEW YORK--C&S Wholesale Grocers Inc. did not have to budge from its initial cash offer to emerge victorious in a marathon auction where major industry players bid on portions of Grand Union Co.'s...

Albany, N.Y.-Area Retailers Compete for Seasonal Labor with Benefits, More Pay.
November 20, 2000... Byline: Danielle T. Furfaro Nov. 20--As Cristal Seibert walked from store to store in Crossgates Mall in Guilderland last month filling out employment applications, she got the feeling she would have no problem finding a second job that...

New Group to Lobby for New York's Software Industry.
November 20, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 20--Right on the heels of a report calling the software industry one of the fastest-growing sectors in the state, the newly formed New York State Software Network announced it is planning a lobbying agenda...

Medical Device Helps Troy, N.Y.-Area Patients with Home Care.
November 17, 2000... Byline: Kenneth Aaron Nov. 17--It was a "Watson-come-here-I-need-you" moment: 77-year-old Beverly Witkowski sat in front of a machine in her Troy home as her stuttering image -- and medical vital signs -- came to life on a computer a...

Office Space Market Tightens in Albany, N.Y., Area.
November 17, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 17--A strong economy and high demand for office space has created a tight real estate market in the Capital Region. That was the assessment made Thursday by CB Richard Ellis/Robert Cohn Associates, the...

Wall, N.J.-Based Voice, Data Services Firm Eyes Cost Cuts.
November 16, 2000... Byline: Kenneth Aaron Nov. 16--BiznessOnline.com is seeking ways to cut costs and find more capital as it tries to stanch its losses. The Wall, N.J.-based voice-and-data services company, which has an operations center in Guilderland...

Albany, N.Y.-Based Customer Services Firm Is Ready to Launch E-Mail.
November 16, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 16--SFS Telogistics is happy with its invisible role in business -- so much so that it's ready to disappear even further into cyberspace. The company, a spinoff of the legal/collections firm Solomon and...

Nonprofit Albany, N.Y., Group Can Help Link Businesses with Colleges.
November 15, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 15--Businesses have another route to finding research being done at colleges and universities in the state. The Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, a nonprofit consortium of more than...

Springfield, Mass.-Based Medical Device Maker to Move to Schenectady, N.Y.
November 15, 2000... Byline: Kenneth Aaron Nov. 15--SCHENECTADY, N.Y.--CardioMag Imaging, run by Intermagnetics General Corp. founder and chairman Carl H. Rosner, is moving its operations into a building here. The company is based in Springfield, Mass....

Nurses at Glens Falls, N.Y., Hospital Are Poised to Vote on Union.
November 15, 2000... Byline: Kenneth Aaron Nov. 15--With a nurses union gearing up for an organizing vote at Glens Falls Hospital, local sympathizers are asking hospital officials for a "free and fair election." Labor officials have no complaints about...

CEO of Colonie, N.Y.-Based Superconductive Metals Firm Sees Future in Power.
November 15, 2000... Byline: Kenneth Aaron Nov. 15--The siren call of a nascent, $36 billion market in energy technology is sounding pretty good to Glenn H. Epstein, Intermagnetics General Corp. president and chief executive officer. At the company's annual...

Soccer Player Plans Athletic Facility for Colonie, N.Y.
November 14, 2000... Byline: Danielle T. Furfaro Nov. 14--The building on Albany Shaker Road that housed the former Colonie Athletic Club -- which has sat vacant for more than three years -- will become the newest home-away-from-home for thousands of Capital...

Brattleboro, N.Y.-Based Supplier to Buy 185 Stores of Bankrupt Grocery Chain.
November 14, 2000... Byline: Danielle T. Furfaro Nov. 14--The Grand Union Co. has entered into a definitive agreement with C&S Wholesale Grocers, under which the Vermont-based distributor will pay $301.8 million for most of Grand Union's assets and business....

Orange County, N.Y.-Based Mattress Firm, State Settle Ad Probe.
November 14, 2000... Byline: Danielle T. Furfaro Nov. 14--The state attorney general's office announced Monday that it has reached a settlement with Resnick's Mattress Outlet Inc., which had been under investigation for allegedly false advertising and...

Panel Says New York Universities Need to Invest in Research, Development.
November 14, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 14--New York needs to rev up its investments in research and development at universities statewide before it falls behind the efforts other states are making in their research facilities. That was the...

Venture Capital Passes Albany, N.Y.-Area by, Decreases Slightly Nationwide.
November 14, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 14--The Capital Region was ignored again as venture capital investments nationwide decreased slightly in the third quarter, marking the first time in seven quarters that investment did not hit record levels....

Schenectady County, N.Y., Business Center Helps Keep Jobs in Area.
November 13, 2000... Byline: Danielle T. Furfaro Nov. 13--The past few decades have seen businesses, funding and talent stream out of Schenectady County, and confidence in the area dropped precipitously as General Electric Co.'s Power Systems division cut...

New York-Based Entertainment Company to Choose New Brand Name.
November 13, 2000... Byline: Danielle T. Furfaro Nov. 13--Trans World Entertainment Corp. is still trying to find its perfect brand. Company officials announced in May that the music and video retailer, which operates 1,000 stores nationwide, would...

Albany, N.Y., Employers Absorb Insurance Premium Hikes.
November 13, 2000... Byline: Kenneth Aaron Nov. 13--This is the issue that almost has become a full-time job for Einhorn Yaffee Prescott's human-resources people around now: It's open enrollment time, premiums are soaring, and the company is hard-pressed to...

Lake George, N.Y., Trade Show Center May Depend on Special Vote.
November 13, 2000... Byline: Kenneth Aaron Nov. 13--The fate of a $6.5 million trade-show center may hinge on a special vote today. While officials passed a law this summer giving them the power to draw up business-improvement districts, a group of...

Water Firm Halts Plans for Lake George, N.Y., Bottling Plant over Agency Role.
November 13, 2000... Byline: Danielle T. Furfaro Nov. 13--Because of concerns over Adirondack Park Agency restrictions, Long Island-based Adirondack Pure Springs Mountain Water Co. Inc. will not submit proposals for a long-anticipated bottling plant near the...

Guilderland, N.Y.-Based Entertainment Firm Closes Third Quarter with Loss.
November 9, 2000... Byline: Danielle T. Furfaro Nov. 9--Trans World Entertainment Corp. suffered a loss of $15.6 million, or 32 cents a share, in its fiscal third quarter, marking its first quarterly loss in more than three years. Total sales for the...

Stock of Colonie, N.Y., Fuel Cell Maker Rises on News of 2002 Prototype.
November 9, 2000... Byline: Kenneth Aaron Nov. 9--Plug Power Inc. soon will make the first prototypes of the fuel cell it hopes to market in 2002, company officials announced Wednesday as they released third-quarter earnings. The news gave a charge to...

Rexford, N.Y., Firm Links Real World to Classroom, Education.
November 8, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 8--Hundreds of cars pass the house on Route 146 each day, but few would realize its owners have well-known international reputations. The International Center for Leadership in Education Inc.,...

Albany, N.Y.-Area Economic Development Group Mines for Computer-Chip Plant.
November 7, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 7--Representatives from a local economic development group returned this week from a three-day trip out West to contact semiconductor industry executives. The Center for Economic Growth Inc., which is...

Fashion Designer Opens Second Regional Shop in Latham, N.Y.
November 7, 2000... Byline: Danielle T. Furfaro Nov. 7--True fashionistas have long found pickings slim in the Capital Region. But Slingerlands native John Patrick, an internationally known clothing designer whose separates grace the racks at many...

Small Accounting Firms Are Wary of Plan to Split Auditing, Consulting Services.
November 6, 2000... Byline: Kenneth Aaron Nov. 6--It's not the Big 5 that have small accounting firms shaking right now. It's big government. A proposed U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission regulation may force accounting firms to stop doing...

Albany, N.Y.-Based Firm Succeeds at Combining Architecture, Engineering, Tech.
November 6, 2000... Byline: Danielle T. Furfaro Nov. 6--Every business needs a niche, but how about a niche within a niche within a niche? Einhorn Yaffee Prescott, an Albany-based architecture, engineering and technology firm, il,24p,8p10 has grown over...

Albany, N.Y., Genome Institute Touts Using Biotech to Develop Custom Medicines.
November 6, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 6--Imagine having a map of each gene in the body, designed to provide details about an individual's health -- right down to discovering the potential for developing life-threatening diseases. Some...

New York Professional Licensing Office Utilizes Tech for Faster Service.
November 6, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGuranian Nov. 6--New technology and information are making the state Office of the Professions retool the way it reaches professionals and consumers. The office, under the control of the state Education Department, is...

Engineering Students at Schenectady, N.Y., College Get 'Real World' Training.
November 6, 2000... Byline: Alan Wechsler Nov. 6--Students in Ronald Bucinell's mechanical engineering class at Union College face a difficult assignment this semester. They have to build, practically from scratch, a battery-operated robot that not only...

Albany, N.Y.-Area Law Firms Find New Riches in Niche Marketing.
November 6, 2000... Byline: Keri P. Mattox Nov. 6--Niche marketing -- long seen as the road to success in other professions and industries -- is sweeping through the legal world, with firms specializing in everything from patent law to biotechnology and...

Albany, N.Y.-Area Mall Gets a Big Lift from New Department Store.
November 6, 2000... Byline: Danielle T. Furfaro Nov. 6--So far, not too much has changed at Clifton Country Mall, aside from the color of its facade. But change is slow, says the mall's manager, and it is coming. The new Boscov's Department Store at the...

Los Angeles-Based Owner of Colonie, N.Y., Software Firm Cuts 45 Jobs.
November 6, 2000... Byline: Kenneth Aaron Nov. 6--COLONIE, N.Y.--The other shoe dropped for Aptis Software earlier this week, after its new Los Angeles owner cut almost half its staff. Aptis was bought by Platinum Equity Holdings as part of a $52.5...

Board of North Greenbush, N.Y.-Based Software Developer Dismisses CEO.
November 6, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 6--The board of directors of GlobalSpec.com has dismissed Chief Executive Officer Barbara Chilson and has created a co-CEO office instead. John Schneiter, founder of the North Greenbush-based software...

Albany, N.Y., Firm Looks to Develop New Energy Technologies.
November 3, 2000... Byline: Kenneth Aaron Nov. 3--Mechanical Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MKTY) has announced several new hires aimed at developing new energy technologies and companies. Named to the management team were Michael Adler, vice president of...

GE Sues Rotterdam, N.Y., over Assessment Increase.
November 3, 2000... Nov. 3--The tax skirmish between General Electric Co.'s Power Systems division and the town of Rotterdam is threatening to choke off future growth there, but union leaders aren't worried yet -- they have plenty of work to do as it is. ...

Kmart Eyes Montgomery County, N.Y., Site for Main Distribution Plant.
November 3, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 3--Montgomery County might become home to a new regional distribution center planned by Kmart Corp. The retailer took a purchase option on up to 350 acres along Route 5S in the town of Florida Business...

North Greenbush, N.Y., Mapping Software Developer Beats Quarter Projections.
November 3, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 3--MapInfo Corp. announced earnings Thursday that beat projections for its fourth quarter and fiscal 2000. Despite the record results, the North Greenbush mapping software developer fell short of its...

Major Creditors Agree to Chapter 11 for Failed Halfmoon, N.Y., Mortgage Lender.
November 3, 2000... Byline: Danielle T. Furfaro Nov. 3--National Finance Corp. has compromised with a set of creditors that tried to push it into Chapter 7 liquidating bankruptcy, agreeing instead to go into Chapter 11 reorganization. The agreement was...

State-Sponsored Trade Mission Opens New Markets for New York Manufacturer.
November 3, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 3--Bill Ross came back from a trip to South America with a tan and a list of potential foreign agents. The tan was the result of the 80 degree weather; the contacts came after dozens of meetings set up...

Clifton Park, N.Y., Business Accelerator Help Emerging Firms with Goals, Plans.
November 2, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 2--To listen to Rami Hyary talk about the potential of young companies, anything seems possible with the right attitude. Which is exactly what Hyary tells start-ups when he works for them. Hyary is...

Pharmaceutical Distributor Plans Facility in Guilderland, N.Y.
November 2, 2000... Byline: Mike Fricano Nov. 2--A pharmaceutical distribution company announced Wednesday that it will open in the Capital Region, bringing 65 new jobs. Darby Fulfillment Services of New York LLC, which distributes medical and dental...

Closed Halfmoon, N.Y., Mortgage Lender's Foe Says Disputed Software Is Public.
November 2, 2000... Byline: Danielle T. Furfaro Nov. 2--The defendants in a lawsuit filed by National Finance Corp. say software NFC claims is proprietary is available in the public domain. The principals of Applied Cognetics LLC, a company made up of...

Malta, N.Y., Luxury Car Floor Mat Maker Hires New President, Targets Europe.
November 1, 2000... Byline: Danielle T. Furfaro Nov. 1--Racemark International Inc., which is hoping to expand its market share and update its operations, has brought on board a new president with a wealth of experience in the car-accessories industry. ...

Colonie, N.Y., Waste Gas to Be Used as Energy Source for Area Paper Plant.
November 1, 2000... Byline: Mike Fricano Nov. 1--Plans to use waste methane at the town landfill as a source of electricity moved ahead Tuesday when the New York Power Authority agreed to invest $3.6 million in the project. The money will be used to...

Albany, N.Y., Gourmet Food Supplier Closes after Filing for Bankruptcy.
November 1, 2000... Byline: Douglas Blackburn Nov. 1--A local supplier of high-end international foods has closed, leaving area chefs wondering where they will get those hard-to-find items. Daleah's Specialty Foods Co., which also had operated a retail...

Speculation Surrounds Wholesaler's Deal to Buy Wayne, N.J.-Based Grocery Chain.
November 1, 2000... Byline: Danielle T. Furfaro Nov. 1--While The Grand Union Co. has received a letter of intent from its largest distributor, the tentative deal probably will not mean adoption for the chain's grocery stores -- just a temporary foster...

Environmental Group Fights Plans for New Road to Albany, N.Y.-Area Airport.
November 1, 2000... Byline: Jean DerGurahian Nov. 1--A grass-roots environmental group in Orange County filed suit Tuesday against several federal and state agencies claiming they violated environmental regulations in plans to construct a new road to...