The Business Journal-Milwaukee articles from July 1999

The Business Journal-Milwaukee archives from July 1999

Rising costs drain health insurance buying pools.
July 30, 1999... Five years ago, Betty Pearson was an enthusiastic supporter of employer health care coalitions. As the executive director of the West Bend Area Chamber of Commerce, Pearson was instrumental in setting up The Business Benefit Alliance, a...

Weak ag market keeps Case closed.(farm equipment manufacturer Case Corp.)
July 30, 1999... Case Corp. has shut down almost all of its farm equipment production this summer, and prospects aren't bright that business will pick up for the remainder of the year. About 800 employees at the company's tractor and transmission plants...

Froedtert-Covenant shakes up health care.(Froedtert Hospital and Covenant Healthcare System Inc.)
July 30, 1999... Froedtert Hospital's decision to explore an affiliation with Covenant Healthcare System Inc. creates an uncertain future for Horizon Healthcare Inc., one of Milwaukee's three hospital systems. Froedtert and Covenant officials said July 27...

Kohl's Food scouts downtown.(Kohl's Food Stores Inc.)
July 30, 1999... Kohl's Food Stores Inc. plans to open several new grocery stores in downtown Milwaukee. The Wauwatosa-based company is about one month away from announcing the site for one grocery store on the city's south side and is looking at several...

Researchers fear law requiring disclosure of federal funds.
July 30, 1999... A little-noticed law that has caught the attention of the biotechnology and drug communities could find the nation's universities and hospitals forced to disclose how they are spending federal research dollars. Researchers fear...

Rebound: ventures in politics and public utilities lead Manthey back to Admirals.(Brian Manthey; hockey team Milwaukee Admirals)
July 30, 1999... Brian Manthey thinks he has done more than just go full circle in the last three years, but in 1996 he was working for the Milwaukee Admirals and now he is back again. In between, he led the Wisconsin Sports Authority, ran for office and...

Out of work: Miller Park tragedy leaves subcontractors in the lurch.(Small Business Strategies)(B and D Contractors)
July 30, 1999... When Brian Holmes' business, B&D Contractors, was flooded out by the Menomonee River in Wauwatosa in 1996, he chalked it up to the elements. After moving the business again in 1997 for the same reason, he started to think the gods were angry...

An older crowd: fitness clubs broaden marketing beyond 20-somethings.(Focus on Sports & Fitness)
July 30, 1999... "At fifty-three, Martha was the oldest woman in the class, perhaps the oldest customer in all of Definition America, and already the young woman on her right . . . was giving her a certain look, as if wondering how she could have had the bad...

Golf equipment sales land in the rough.(Focus on Sports & Fitness)
July 30, 1999... Milwaukee-area golfers bombarded with hundreds of new choices in golf merchandise are choosing not to buy. Area retail sales of premium golf equipment have been in the rough for the last couple of years, say local golf retailers and pro...

Mortgage lenders use home equity loans to compensate for drop in refinances.(Brief Article)
July 30, 1999... EQUITABLE SOLUTION As mortgage refinance applications fall, banks have turned to home equity loans for revenue. Loans Midyear '99 Midyear '98 Change Home equity $2.1 billion $1.6 billion ...

Stadium mishap throws a scare into investors.
July 23, 1999... Miller Park bonds still secure Tom Sancomb got a call from a Georgia bond trader the morning of July 15. The trader, who frequently sells bonds to Sancomb's West Bend mutual fund, had just purchased a couple million dollars of Miller...

Farmers sue Case.(Case Corp. of Racine, Wisconsin)
July 23, 1999... About 80 cotton farmers in the Southeast are suing Case Corp. after cotton-picking machines they bought from Case dealers caught fire while harvesting. The product-liability lawsuits blame Case for the fires, which caused an estimated...

Top drawer.(profile on Carson Pirie Scott and Co.'s CEO Mike MacDonald)
July 23, 1999... MacDonald intends to add to Carson Pirie Scott's clout Mike MacDonald is a cheerful man, confident and relaxed. And with good reason. As chairman and chief executive officer of Milwaukee-based Carson Pirie Scott & Co., MacDonald...

Landlord group to sue paint companies.(the Wisconsin Apartment Association's class action suit against paint makers for selling lead-based paint)
July 23, 1999... Lawsuit would force manufacturers to help correct lead-based paint problems Lawyers for the Wisconsin Apartment Association are preparing a class-action lawsuit aimed at paint manufacturers who sold lead-based paint prior to the national...

Stadium mishap leaves Brewers' marketing plans in disarray.(Milwaukee Brewers professional baseball team)
July 23, 1999... The Milwaukee Brewers 1999 marketing campaign came to an abrupt halt as the tragedy at Miller Park unfolded last week. The Brewers' print and electronic media advertisements have carried the tagline "Bringing Down the House" since the...

Large banks gobbling up more ag loans in Wisconsin.(agricultural lending)
July 23, 1999... [TABULAR DATA OMITTED] Acquisitions in the banking industry and the declining number of small banks in Wisconsin are placing a growing share of agricultural lending in the hands of large banks. Wisconsin's smallest banks have lost...

Shrock waves.(profile on Marquette University College of Business Administration Dean David Shrock)
July 23, 1999... New Marquette Business School dean acts quickly to address gender issues Just two weeks on the job, David Shrock is already making his mark on the College of Business Administration at Marquette University. Shrock has begun putting...

Delphi Automotive to begin labor talks in Oak Creek.(Delphi Automotive Systems Corp.'s Oak Creek, Wisconsin, facilities)
July 23, 1999... Within the next week or so, local representatives of the United Auto Workers union and Delphi Automotive Systems Corp. will begin negotiating new labor contracts covering about 2,300 workers at Delphi's two Oak Creek plants. Although...

Diminishing returns.(Third Millenium Design of Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
July 23, 1999... Mac-savvy consultant Third Millennium works to eliminate repeat service calls Not many companies have a business philosophy like Third Millennium Design, which focuses not on keeping clients and obtaining repeat business, but on working...

Behind-the-scenes guy.(Real Estate and Development)(profile on Mandel Group Inc. SVP Bob Monnat)
July 23, 1999... Monnat to lose some anonymity in new Mandel job Ever admired the restored tin ceiling at La Perla Mexican restaurant? Observed how the Milwaukee Ballet Company's headquarters fueled the redevelopment of Walker's Point? Or wondered at the...

Presbyterians plan $27 million senior housing projects.(Presbyterian Homes of Wisconsin)(Company Profile)
July 16, 1999... The development arm of the Presbyterian Church plans to build two elderly housing complexes with a combined value of $27 million in Waukesha County. The projects are Avalon square, a $12 million senior housing development that will...

Allen-Edmonds to build shoe factory.(Allen-Edmonds Shoe Corp.)
July 16, 1999... Allen-Edmonds Shoe Corp. wants to build a factory on 25 acres of farm land north of the city of Port Washington, but the company's plans have become ensnared in a dispute over industrial development in the area. The controversy revolves...

Firstar to merge bank mutual funds.
July 16, 1999... Firstar Corp. is planning to combine the three mutual fund families it has assembled through acquisitions over the last nine months, according to brokers and investment advisers close to the Milwaukee bank holding company. With the three...

Wisconsin Gas to build lateral pipeline.
July 16, 1999... Wisconsin Gas Co. is notifying landowners in northern Waukesha and Jefferson counties that it plans to build an underground natural-gas lateral pipeline through their properties that will connect to a new proposed interstate project called...

Getting connected.(Siegel-Gallagher Management Co. hires David Behnke)
July 16, 1999... Behnke hire signals the rise of real estate management With building management divisions playing an increasingly important role for companies in the real estate business, the principals at Siegel-Gallagher Oncor International knew they...

Gardner's departure leaves a void among women executives.(Ameritech of Wisconsin President Ellen Gardner)
July 16, 1999... Ameritech-Wisconsin, one of only a few Milwaukee-area companies with women in its four highest-ranking positions, is losing its top female executive. Ellen Gardner, president of Ameritech-Wisconsin since December 1997, is retiring after...

Steelworkers still pursuing complaint of unfair labor practices at J&L Fiber.(United Steelworkers of America)
July 16, 1999... The United Steelworkers of America has dropped its organizing drive at J&L Fiber Services Inc. but is still pursuing an unfair labor practices allegation against the Waukesha manufacturer. The Steelworkers last month withdrew a petition...

Industrial space still valuable commodity in southeastern Wisconsin.
July 16, 1999... A strong manufacturing sector continued to boost southeastern Wisconsin's industrial property tax base last year, though a new tax break on computers will limit tax collections for most local governments. Manufacturing real estate...

Milwaukee area tops Midwest in per-capita gains.
July 16, 1999... Unexpected tax surpluses, like Wisconsin's $568 million windfall reported earlier this week, come as no surprise to economists who follow personal income levels for the state. During a two-year period from the middle of 1995 through the...

Still processing: Fiserv's Muma takes a low-profile approach.(President Les Muma)(Company Profile)
July 16, 1999... George Dalton collects everything, He has dozens of cars - sports cars, vintage cars, classic cars - tons era trinkets and a passion for sculpture, including two life-size polar bears that adorn the lobby of Fiserv Inc. in Brookfield. ...

Rock bottom.(dealing with substance abuse)
July 16, 1999... Companies need well-defined policies to deal with employee substance abuse James Schreier was in the military in the 1960s when he first became interested in the topic that would dominate his entire career - drug abuse in the workplace....

Falling lake level raises harbor havoc.(Lake Michigan)
July 9, 1999... The sounds of summer along Lake Michigan beaches are changing. Waves sloshing, children playing, birds singing and boomboxes blaring are joined by propellers smashing and keels ripping. A combination of lower precipitation in the...

Recruiting workers, not businesses.(Waukesha County Economic Development Corp)
July 9, 1999... For many years, the Waukesha County Economic Development Corp.'s primary objective was to attract new businesses to the county. But in today's tight labor market, the organization's top goal has shifted to helping businesses already in...

Wicor deal to set off executive scramble.(Wisconsin Energy Corp)
July 9, 1999... Blending the executive talent of Wicor Inc. into a single corporate team at Wisconsin Energy Corp. once its blockbuster acquisition is complete looks easy on paper, but may not yield the expected results. "In these kinds of deals, there...

Realitists, bankers build case.(Milwaukee Realtist Assn charge Milwaukee banks with racial discrimination)
July 9, 1999... Loretta Brace has heard from lots of consumers who say they have been victims of discrimination from banks since the Milwaukee Realtist Association filed a discrimination complaint with federal regulators against 60 banks doing business in...

Foundations reap market's windfall.(Wisconsin nonprofit foundations)
July 9, 1999... A booming stock market and major business consolidations have fueled a 19 percent growth in the assets of Wisconsin foundations. With the growth has come a sharper eye on accountability. "There is more money than ever in Wisconsin's...

Hard sell: biggest hurdle Software Configuration faces is convincing developers they need its services.
July 9, 1999... Biggest hurdle Software Configuration faces is convincing developers they need its services When they first started the company in 1996, the owners of Software Configuration Solutions faced an unusual challenge: Software developers, its...

Development group helps David find Goliath.(Northwest Side Community Development Corp)
July 9, 1999... Big corporations like Eaton Corp. and Tower Automotive Inc. inject millions of dollars into Milwaukee's economy every year. A new program run by the Northwest Side Community Development Corp. aims to make that impact even greater. The...

Capital impact: MU, UWM have different needs for capital campaigns.(Marquette University and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee)
July 9, 1999... MU, UWM have different needs for capital campaigns When the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee launches its capital campaign in the next year or so, its impact is likely to be much less apparent than the results of Marquette University's...

Stritch offers practical road to 'leadership doctors'.
July 9, 1999... Jodi Goldberg wants to be a leader in Milwaukee's school reform movement. She decided education was the best way to get there. Goldberg is among the first class of students to enroll in the doctoral leadership program at Cardinal Stritch...

A path for PAVE: high court win refocuses group on improving private schools.(Partners for the Advancement of Values in Education)
July 9, 1999... PAVE's Dan McKinley feared his organization would have to fold up shop after a U.S. Supreme Court decision let stand his goal of expanded school choice. Only by shifting its mission can his Milwaukee nonprofit group continue its work....

Firstar continues to be jewel of bank stocks.(Firstar Corp.)(Brief Article)
July 9, 1999... EARNING ATTENTION Although area banks are expected to post little change in earnings for the second quarter, analysts believe some are on the upswing. Second quarter Fiscal year 1999(est.) 1998 1999(est.) 1998...

Heartland Funds to flex muscles as activist investor.
July 2, 1999... ShoLodge Inc., the Tennessee company that owns Shoney's Inns, can expect a demanding letter from the Heartland Funds soon about how to spend its excess cash. ShoLodge came into some money in late June when it sold six of its hotels. The...

Utility deal poses short-term risks.(Wisconsin Energy Corp.'s acquisition of Wicor Inc.)
July 2, 1999... Wisconsin Energy Corp.'s acquisition of Wicor Inc. may be a logical step toward stability for two Milwaukee companies seeking strength in a deregulated energy marketplace, but the transaction will pose short-term challenges for executives...

Stock option millions.(five Wicor Inc. executives to be handsomely rewarded when the firm is acquired by Wisconsin Energy Corp.)
July 2, 1999... Five Wicor Inc. executives, four of whom bought a combined 17,200 shares of the company's stock in February, stand to be handsomely rewarded when the firm is acquired by Wisconsin Energy Corp. Combined, the five top executives at Wicor...

Restructuring pays off for Brady Corp.
July 2, 1999... For Brady Corp., last year's pain is a big reason for this year's gain. The Milwaukee maker of labels and other identification products, which relies on overseas markets for about 44 percent of its business, slashed its payroll last year...

HMOs slow to join BadgerCare bandwagon.(health maintenance organizations and Wisconsin's insurance program for working families)
July 2, 1999... At least for now, seven Wisconsin HMOs, including three in the Milwaukee area, have opted not to participate in BadgerCare, the state's new health insurance program for working families. Family Health Plan Cooperative of West Allis,...

Associated directors bought more stock before takeover talk fueled rise.(Associated BancCorp.)
July 2, 1999... About one month before Associated BancCorp, Green Bay, became the topic of heated merger speculation, four members of the bank holding company's board of directors purchased additional shares of Associated stock. Each of the directors...

Buyout proposal raises questions about Guardian Pipeline's future.(planned consolidation of Wisconsin Energy Corp. and Wicor Inc. and its impact on the completion of the natural gas pipeline)
July 2, 1999... The big question from consumer advocates and large manufacturers about the planned consolidation of Wisconsin Energy Corp. and Wicor Inc. centers on the future of the Guardian Pipeline. The state Public Service Commission could make a...

Resuscitating Ben Franklin: Racine's Promotions Unlimited rekindles chain of independent variety, craft stores.
July 2, 1999... Racine's Promotions Unlimited rekindles chain of independent variety, craft stores The name Ben Franklin evokes images of thriftiness, honesty and ingenuity. But the founding father's name, after being dragged through Bankruptcy Court,...

Community banking goes global.(Johnson Bank of Wisconsin and Banque Franck of Switzerland)
July 2, 1999... In the mid-1970s, a consultant told Sam Johnson that his Sturtevant household products company needed to be diversified. The company needed a global focus. Johnson's company, S.C. Johnson & Son Inc., decided to buy a Swiss bank. The bank...