St. Charles County Business Record, MO articles from January 2005

St. Charles County Business Record, MO archives from January 2005

St. Charles-based MetaStable Instruments Inc. granted new patent.
January 3, 2005... Byline: Kathleen T. Brady St. Charles-based MetaStable Instruments Inc. announced late December that it had been granted a U.S. patent for a faster laser-beam steering device. The company now must wait to see if it can land a...

Blogs hold opportunity for businesses.
January 3, 2005... Byline: Ken Schachter (This article originally ran in The Long Island Business News, Long Island, NY, another Dolan Media publication). Is someone blogging your company? Blogs - those Web logs that combine the intimacy of a diary...

Questions abound about dismissal of president of St. Charles Chamber of Commerce.
January 3, 2005... Byline: Mike Trask The executive committee of the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce surprised many chamber members and a few board members when the committee in December told chamber president Charlotte Sparks to hit the road. Shortly...

History for Whitney Harris of St. Louis offers contemporary insight.
January 4, 2005... Byline: Mike Nixon A lot of people read history. Some people research history. But Whitney Harris is among those who have lived history - and makes use of his experience so he and those around him might improve themselves for the future....

Mechanic's lien must present 'just and true' account, MO Court of Appeals says.
January 4, 2005... Byline: Stephanie Mitchum Murphy A mechanic's lien was not valid because a subcontractor did not present "a just and true account" of debts owed, the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, ruled in an affirmed in part, reversed in...

Interview with Pamela J. Fogarty Mayor of Dardenne Prairie.
January 4, 2005... Byline: Wm. Stage As a Republican candidate for mayor, Pam Fogarty's platform stressed commercial growth for Dardenne Prairie; she won by a solid majority in 2002 and is soon to face re-election. Pam is married to Ron Fogarty, an...

St. Charles County landowners, developers pressure officials to change master plan.
January 4, 2005... Byline: Linda Meyer As the lucrative housing market in St. Charles County shows no signs of slowing, both residential developers and landowners turn up the pressure on city officials to rezone land set aside for industrial purposes. ...

Nat'l Federation of Independent Business/Missouri appoints Schroeder to Leadership Council.
January 4, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff The National Federation of Independent Business/Missouri announced Jack Schroeder of Specialized Collision Center in O'Fallon has been appointed to the organization's Leadership Council. Schroeder...

MO-based Frontenac Bancshares announces year-end assets.
January 4, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff Chairman John W. Hammond and President and CEO Robert D. Roberson announced that Frontenac Bancshares Inc., parent company of Frontenac Bank, will finish the year-end 2004 with more than $300...

St. Charles Chamber of Commerce to hold business expo.
January 4, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff Primetime reality TV shows is the theme of the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce's Primetime Business Expo! The Primetime Expo is a great way to showcase. Join the chamber at the Heart of St. Charles...

Split panel upholds decision to deny disability benefits.
January 5, 2005... Byline: Erin Suess A decision to uphold the denial of disability benefits based on a one-time doctor visit split a panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday, leading to an accusation of "cherry-picking" by the dissent. ...

Circuit court erred in dismissing motion, MO Court of Appeals says.
January 5, 2005... Byline: Stephanie Mitchum Murphy A financial company complied with a rule requiring it to file suggestions in support of a motion even though the suggestions were not contained in a separate document, the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western...

Trivia night will benefit domestic violence victims.
January 5, 2005... Byline: St. Louis Daily Record Staff Looking for something fun and intellectually stimulating to fill another Saturday night? The Crestwood Municipal Court and the Municipal Court Advocacy Project of Legal Advocates for Abused Women...

St. Charles County Exec. Joe Ortwerth pulls recruitment director from EDC.
January 5, 2005... Byline: Mike Trask The feud between the Economic Development Center of St. Charles County and County Executive Joe Ortwerth continues. Ortwerth recently decided to move the office of his business recruitment director, David A. Leezer,...

Work Performance Center wins consulting contract.
January 5, 2005... Byline: Kathleen T. Brady There are many theories regarding the effectiveness of ergonomics in reducing workers' compensation claims, but the primary reason employees file claims is job satisfaction. There are a lot of "psychosocial...

FOCUS St. Louis looks for outstanding companies, individuals.
January 5, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff FOCUS St. Louis is asking metro area citizens to nominate outstanding individuals, companies, nonprofit organizations and initiatives for the "What's Right With The Region!" awards. Nominees will...

InvestMidwest early registration deadline soon.
January 5, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum officials want to remind high-growth companies that the early admission deadline is Friday, Jan . 7. Before the April 20-21 Kansas City-based forum, InvestMidwest...

Home-Based Women Entrepreneurs to hold monthly meeting.
January 5, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff Association of Home-Based Women Entrepreneurs will hold its monthly dinner meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 11, at Spazios Westport. The topic of the meeting will be "Speak Out to Increase Your...

Entrepreneurial courses offered at Lindenwood University.
January 6, 2005... Byline: James Monahan An entrepreneur, by Webster's definition, is a person who organizes, manages and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise. But how does an enterprising individual go about becoming an entrepreneur? ...

Fraud, outsourcing expected to take center stage for accounting firms.
January 6, 2005... Byline: David Reich-Hale (This article originally ran in The Long Island Business News, Long Island, NY, another Dolan Media publication). The accounting world's crystal ball might as well be a mirror. That's because the issues...

O'Fallon-based Jones Air & Water relocates.
January 6, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff After six years of business, Jones Air & Water is moving from 514 Cool Springs Road in O'Fallon to 1730 Second Street in Portage Des Sioux. This is the original location of the business from 1995 to...

St. Charles-based K&M Investors wins refinancing deal.
January 6, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff K&M Investors Inc. was the successful underwriter to offer a lower-interest refinancing agreement for Fountain Lakes Property's tax-increment financing notes. According to the St. Charles City...

S. Richards Bruno named president of Home Builders Assn. of Missouri.
January 7, 2005... Byline: Cathy Kingsley S. Richards Bruno has been named president of the Home Builders Association of Missouri for the second time. He previously served as president of the organization in 1999-2000. His term will run through spring 2006....

U.S. Green Building Council issues draft report on the use of PVC.
January 7, 2005... Byline: Justin Stranz (This article originally ran in The Daily Journal of Commerce, Portland, OR, another Dolan Media publication). The U.S. Green Building Council has issued a draft report on the use of polyvinyl chloride in...

Midwest BankCentre found St. Charles businesses optimistic about new year.
January 7, 2005... Byline: St. Louis Daily Record Staff The health of companies doing business in St. Charles County appears to be very good, buoyed by prospects of greater spending and expanding operations in 2005. That is the outcome of a survey completed...

Steak-Out Char-Broiled arrives in South County.
January 7, 2005... Byline: St. Louis Daily Record Staff Steak-Out Char-Broiled Delivery[R], the nation's largest full-meal delivery system, has arrived in South County. This is the second store opened by the Missouri Franchise Development Group. The company...

Nat'l Assn. of Realtors chief economist predicts demand for commercial space will increase.
January 7, 2005... Byline: Dolan Media Staff Writer Growth in the U.S. economy and a rise in exports will raise demand for commercial real estate space over the next two years, with increases in various commercial sectors already seen this year, according to...

O'Fallon works with residents looking spruce up their homes.
January 7, 2005... Byline: St. Louis Daily Record Staff Loans of up to $5,000 at zero percent interest are available on a first-come-first-served basis to O'Fallon households who qualify for O'Fallon's Home Improvement Loan Program. The one-time loans are...

HUD raises lending limits.
January 7, 2005... Byline: St. Louis Daily Record Staff Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson announced that the Federal Housing Administration has increased its single-family home mortgage limits by more than 7 percent. Effective Jan....

American Institute of Architects releases its 2005 congressional agenda.
January 7, 2005... Byline: Justin Stranz (This article originally ran in The Daily Journal of Commerce, Portland, OR, another Dolan Media publication). The American Institute of Architects unveiled its 2005 congressional issue agenda Monday, with an...

St. Louis-based Tarlton Corp. names new project engineer.
January 7, 2005... Byline: St. Louis Daily Record Staff Tarlton Corp., a St. Louis-based general contracting and construction management firm, promoted Matthew Pfund to project director. Pfund joined Tarlton in 1996 as a project engineer and was promoted to...

St. Louis-based Boldt Brothers Building Maintenance selects Ascent Corp. for tech. support.
January 7, 2005... Byline: St. Louis Daily Record Staff Boldt Brothers Building Maintenance has selected Ascent Corp. to provide technical support to its information technology systems at its headquarters at 1219 S. Vandeventer Ave. in St. Louis. "Ascent...

Kwame Building Group to manage S. Illinois University Edwardsville project.
January 7, 2005... Byline: St. Louis Daily Record Staff Kwame Building Group will serve as construction manager and owner's representative for the new $3.26 million School of Pharmacy at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The 15,000-square-foot...

St. Louis-based Government e-Management Solutions names new biz analyst.
January 7, 2005... Byline: St. Louis Daily Record Staff Laura Mathis has been appointed a business analyst for the human resource management software team at Government e-Management Solutions Inc. GEMS provides financial, human resource and property...

St. Louis office of Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum adds to staff.
January 7, 2005... Byline: St. Louis Daily Record Staff Andrew Schwabe has joined the St. Louis office of Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum Inc. as a senior architectural technician in the firm's health care group. In his new position, he is working on the...

St. Louis construction industry honors Joseph W. Rinke.
January 7, 2005... Byline: St. Louis Daily Record Staff Joseph W. Rinke, the first owner co-chair of PRIDE of St. Louis Inc., has been honored for his service to the labor-management organization. Rinke recently completed more than nine years of volunteer...

Eighth Circuit reverses itself in inmate's constitutional rights case.
January 7, 2005... Byline: Erin Suess Round and round a claim goes, as the federal courts sort out whether an inmate timely, and appropriately, filed suit against the city of Branson, Taney County and their officials alleging a violation of his...

Judge Edward W. Sweeney Jr. named circuit judge for 22nd Circuit.
January 7, 2005... Byline: St. Louis Daily Record Staff Gov. Bob Holden announced the appointment of Judge Edward W. Sweeney Jr. as circuit judge for the 22nd Circuit Court in St. Louis City. Sweeney earned his bachelor's degree and law degrees from the...

MEMC Electronics Materials redeems senior notes early.
January 7, 2005... Byline: Mike Trask MEMC Electronics Materials Inc. announced Thursday that it has redeemed in full its outstanding senior subordinated secured notes for approximately $67.7 million. The cash payment was made on Dec. 30 and...

St. Charles, Lincoln, Warren among fastest-growing regional counties.
January 7, 2005... Byline: Mike Trask St. Charles, Lincoln and Warren counties are among the top 30 performing counties among neighboring states, according to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center, the research division of the state's...

General Motors plant in Wentzville increases deliveries.
January 7, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff The General Motors Corp. reported on Tuesday that deliveries of its Express and Savana truck lines, which are manufactured at its assembly plant in Wentzville, increased in the month of December and...

U of MO Extension program offers small-business workshop.
January 7, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff The University of Missouri Extension in St. Charles will offer a three-hour workshop that provides an overview of the critical first steps associated with starting a business from 9 a.m. to noon on...

St. Joseph Health Center appoints director of radiology services.
January 7, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff Administrators at SSM St. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles have appointed Margie Swope, RT, (R)(M), BHS, MBA, as director of radiology services effective Dec. 19. Swope has worked at SSM St....

St. Louis-based SBP Image Solutions expands professional staff.
January 7, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff Christina Middleton and Constantine "Gus" Trakus have joined SBP Image Solutions as the solution specialist and technical/software sales specialist, respectively. In addition to evaluating the...

MO's Marketing Direct Inc. adds database administrator.
January 7, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff Jay Gee has joined Marketing Direct Inc. as the lead database administrator. He is responsible for maintaining data integrity, monitoring server performance and managing security. He also creates...

MPP&W P.C. chairman shares expertise at national conference.
January 7, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff Nationally recognized tax authority Douglas M. Mueller, CPA and chairman of the Executive Committee of MPP&W P.C., and Theresa M. Samples, CPA and principal of MPP&W, recently spoke at the National...

Gastroenterologist joins SSM St. Charles Clinic.
January 7, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff The SSM St. Charles Clinic Medical Group is pleased to announce the addition of Qaiser Jawaid, M.D., to their gastroenterology department. Jawaid joins the Medical Group at the Lake Saint Louis...

St. Charles-based Community Living wins three-year accreditation.
January 7, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff Community Living Inc., a nonprofit agency that has served people with developmental disabilities in St. Charles County for 26 years, has been awarded the three-year Commission on Accreditation of...

Commentary: Five tips on how to keep spam from infecting your computer.
January 7, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff New computer equipment was once again a hot gift item this Christmas season, and these fresh computer users now have their equipment up and running. However, along with the new equipment comes a...

Commentary: Tort reform symptoms need more inclusive prescription.
January 7, 2005... Byline: Mike Nixon The one certainty going into Wednesday's scheduled presentation by President George W. Bush was that in the St. Louis region, as well as other parts of the nation, medical malpractice litigation and tort reform would...

National Association of Women Business Owners to hold workshop.
January 10, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff The National Association of Women Business Owners will hold a workshop called "Women Business Entity Certification: How, Who, Why" beginning at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 12. The program will offer...

8th Circuit reduces punitive damages by $10 million in tobacco lawsuit.
January 10, 2005... Byline: Donna Walter Punitive damages awarded in a tobacco case were reduced Friday by a federal appeals court from $15 million to $5 million. This puts the total amount Brown & Williamson Tobacco Co. must pay widower Henry W. Boerner...

Public service becoming more viable for law school graduates.
January 10, 2005... Byline: Dolan Media Staff Writer Higher numbers of law school graduates are able to pursue public service jobs than previously because of the increasing availability of loan repayment assistance programs and public interest scholarship...

MO Court of Appeals rules horse-drawn buggy not a motor vehicle.
January 10, 2005... Byline: Stephanie Mitchum Murphy When a horse-drawn buggy hit a car, resulting in the death of a passenger, her survivors could not claim uninsured motorist benefits, the Missouri Court of Appeals for the Western District ruled, affirming...

Santa Monica, Calif.-based Oldcastle Glass chooses Wright City for new fabrication plant.
January 10, 2005... Byline: Mike Trask Oldcastle Glass plans to build a $7.5 million advanced glass fabrication plant in Wright City. More than 100 employees will work at the plant after it's completed. "What we have been told is that they are all new...

Wentzville officials to penalize O'Fallon developer for clear cutting.
January 10, 2005... Byline: Linda Meyer Wentzville officials plan to penalize a developer to the fullest extent possible for clear cutting 20 acres of grassy and forested land for a housing development for which there was an agreement to keep nearly half in...

St. Charles Chamber of Commerce recognizes citizens.
January 10, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff The St. Charles Chamber of Commerce plans to hold its 2004 Citizen of the Years and Lifetime Distinguished Service awards ceremony on Friday, Jan. 21, at The Columns Banquet and Conference Center....

Missouri Press Association offers news writing booklet.
January 10, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff The Missouri Press Association and the Missouri Press Foundation have published a booklet "Newswriting Short Course" by the late Jim Sawyer as a benefit to public relations and communications...

St. Louis couple shares experience of international adoption.
January 11, 2005... Byline: Mike Nixon For some attorneys, any working morning might begin with a leisurely viewing of the sunrise from wall-sized windows in a 41st floor office adorned with mahogany and brass. From there, they slowly and deliberately...

Newspapers to publish seven days a week, Legal Communications launches Web site.
January 11, 2005... Byline: St. Louis Daily Record Staff Beginning on Monday, Jan. 31, the St. Louis Daily Record, The Countian and the St. Charles County Business Record will be published seven days a week, 365 days a year. The change will provide our...

New development keeps St. Charles County planning officials busy.
January 11, 2005... Byline: James Monahan New development, whether commercial or residential, requires vision, planning, financing, know-how, materials and manpower. In addition, about 30 times a year in St. Charles County it requires the rezoning of land....

Sierra Land Co. tries again to get Wentzville development approved.
January 11, 2005... Byline: Linda Meyer Sierra Land Co. proposes to build a mix of commercial, single-family and multifamily housing on 72 acres in western Wentzville, but an absent alderman at the Dec. 22 board meeting and controversy surrounding the...

Hibbett Sports opens St. Peters store.
January 11, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff Hibbett Sports has opened a store at 1362 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in St. Peters. The company has been in business since 1945 and now has 500 locations in 23 states. "Hibbett has a large selection...

MO Dept. of Economic Development official to lead training event.
January 11, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff The director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development's community development division will lead a national training event on the community development block grant program, administered...

Kevin Kast retires from SSM Health Care and SSM St. Joseph.
January 12, 2005... Byline: Mike Trask In a surprise announcement Tuesday, SSM Health Care and SSM St. Joseph said Kevin F. Kast is taking early retirement as president of its St. Charles County facilities. The health care provider said his resignation is...

St. Charles County continues to create jobs.
January 12, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff Among the 318 largest U.S. counties, St. Charles County ranked 17th in percentage job growth from June 2003 to June 2004, according to the latest statistics released by the federal Bureau of Labor...

Westfield Group donates $1M to victims of tsunami.
January 12, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff Westfield Group Chairman Frank Lowy recently announced that Westfield would donate $1 million to help the victims of the tsunami disaster in south Asia. In addition, more than 60 Westfield...

Police officer not protected by qualified immunity in suit over mistaken shooting.
January 12, 2005... Byline: Donna Walter A St. Paul, Minn., police officer who shot at two men wrestling over a gun, killing the intended victim and wounding the gunman, is not protected by qualified immunity from the federal or state law claims of the...

Liability release was properly rescinded, MO Court of Appeals says.
January 12, 2005... Byline: Donna Walter A release from liability, which failed to exclude one defendant from the release, was properly rescinded by the two parties before the personal injury lawsuit went to trial, and the Washington County Circuit Court...

Drunken driving not included in violent offense category of sentencing guidelines.
January 12, 2005... Byline: Erin Suess Including drunken driving in the category of violent offenses stretches the law further than the legislation covers, ruled the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, reversing one man's designation as a violent "career"...

MO's Polsinelli Shalton Welte Suelthaus P.C. hires new associates.
January 12, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff Polsinelli Shalton Welte Suelthaus P.C. has added Zachary A. Abeles, John M. Challis, Michelle L. Clardy and Julie Gabel Schultz to its law firm as associates. Abeles earned his law degree from...

Brown Smith Wallace hires staff accountants.
January 12, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff Kelly Siadek and Keith Rauch join Brown Smith Wallace as staff accountants in the tax and accounting services group. They will prepare compiled financial statements and business and individual...

MO's Evans & Dixon L.L.C. names new partners.
January 12, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff Evans & Dixon L.L.C. has promoted Marylou Calzaretta, Jeffrey M. Proske and David J. Reynolds Jr. to partners in the firm's workers' compensation practice. Calzaretta has been with Evans &...

MO's Lathrop & Gage L.C. names new partner.
January 12, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff Peter Maginot has been promoted to member (partner) in the firm of Lathrop & Gage L.C. He practices toxic tort litigation, primarily asbestos and benzene litigation, and has trial experience in...

Alana Gilmore joins MO's Benefit Plans Plus L.L.C.
January 12, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff Alana Gilmore has joined Benefit Plans Plus L.L.C. as a retirement plan administrator. She is responsible for administering the installation process of new retirement plans and managing the Small...

Longtime St. Charles banker relates his success story.
January 13, 2005... Byline: Mike Trask Darrell Roegner, long a fixture in the St. Charles County banking community, knows a little about what it takes to be successful, having been an instrumental part of the county's economic growth during the past several...

Wentzville Bread Co. will be first with drive-thru service.
January 13, 2005... Byline: Linda Meyer Panera L.L.C., owner of St. Louis Bread Co. restaurants, wants to operate the company's first restaurant with drive-thru service in Wentzville. Wentzville officials are considering a site plan for the new...

St. Charles-based New Frontier Bank receives $3M in common stock offering.
January 13, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff New Frontier Bank has sold 12,000 shares of common stock valued at $3 million. New Frontier, headquartered in St. Charles, intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to acquire additional...

Vision St. Charles County Leadership seeks applicants for leadership program.
January 13, 2005... Byline: St. Charles Business Record Staff Vision St. Charles County Leadership is accepting applications for its 2005-06 program. Applications must be submitted with tuition payment of $450 by March 31. The program is designed to...

Chief Justice White delivers MO's 2005 State of the Judiciary.
January 13, 2005... Byline: St. Louis Daily Record Staff Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronnie L. White delivered the following State of the Judiciary address on Wednesday during a joint session of the General Assembly in Jefferson City, Mo. When I...

U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals says Arkansas agency exec. can't file 1st Amendment claim after firing.
January 13, 2005... Byline: Emily Umbright An Arkansas agency executive cannot claim his plan to publicly criticize the governor's administration led to immediate termination in violation of the First Amendment, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held...

SBA mistake costs small businesses contracts.
January 14, 2005... Byline: James Monahan In fiscal year 2002, $2 billion in federal contracts intended for small businesses actually went to large businesses, resulting in skewed procurement statistics for the year. The mistake, attributed to miscoding...

Plan calls for beltway around Wentzville.
January 14, 2005... Byline: Linda Meyer Servicing a steadily growing population in western St. Charles County with plenty of transportation facilities is the worry of every government official in the area. Even when a municipality has long-range plans for...

Laclede Gas Co. to service two St. Paul residential developments.
January 14, 2005... Byline: Mike Trask Laclede Gas Co. will be providing natural gas service to two proposed residential developments in St. Paul. The subdivisions, Matteson Ridge Estates and Riverdale, will be located adjacent to the company's current...