Houston Business Journal articles from June 2000

Houston Business Journal archives from June 2000

Greenspoint buyer adds two stores.(JC Penney, Mervyn's sites sell to West Coast developer)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 2, 2000... JC Penney, Mervyn's sites sell to West Coast developer Two critical pieces of the Greenspoint Mall puzzle have been assembled, bringing the troubled retail center closer to its ultimate goal of a mixed-use redevelopment. Greenspoint...

Pumping up power.(Competing firms spring up to store electricity in caverns underground)(Statistical Data Included)
June 2, 2000... Competing firms spring up to store electricity in caverns underground Dine Glasgow is taking on one of the power industry's most nagging problems -- with little more than hot air. Glasgow says his Houston company, Ridge Energy Storage,...

CFO shuffling shakes up local executive suites.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 2, 2000... At the recent Compaq Computer Corp, annual meeting, one peeved shareholder asked CEO Michael Capellas why the computer company took nearly 11 months to fill its vacant slot for a chief financial officer. Capellas acknowledged the lengthy...

The lawyers come, the lawyers go.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 2, 2000... Attorneys in Houston are playing musical chairs at some of the city's top law firms. Last week, two litigation attorneys and two associates left the Houston law firm of Bracewell and Patterson to join the Houston office of Jenkens &...

Suite debut draws all-star cast.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 2, 2000... An after-work business reception is rarely an earth-shaking event. But the unveiling party hosted by eCitySuites last month to show off the company's new West Loop digs was much more than just Swedish meatballs, domestic champagne and...

All opposed, raise your hand grenades.(Shareholders attend recent R&B Falcon Corp. annual meeting)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 2, 2000... Shareholders who attended the recent R&B Falcon Corp. annual meeting are glad it was a dud. "It" refers to a hand grenade wielded by a disruptive attendee. The grenade-toting man was later identified by the oil and gas drilling...

Rockets on fast break to sell season tickets.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 2, 2000... The Houston Rockets are going to come calling on season-ticket holders earlier this year than in years past. The organization hopes that by getting a jump on the traditional selling cycle, it will be able to increase season-ticket sales for...

No kids signed up for Larry Dierker's job.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 2, 2000... The Houston Astros are giving some of their youngest fans a chance to see what it would be like to work with the Major League ball club at Enron Field. The June 3 match-up between the Astros and Chicago White Sox will double as opening day...

As if air pollution wasn't bad enough.(Texas ranked number one in livestock waste production)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 2, 2000... Texas has earned yet another ranking of dubious distinction: No. 1 in Livestock Waste Production. So says a new report by the Sierra Club and Consumers Union Southwest Regional Office entitled "Animal Factories: Pollution and Health...

Spring break: Alternative pigskin league pulls plug on '00 to focus on next year.(Spring Football League)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 2, 2000... The Spring Football League pulled the plug on its inaugural season halfway through the four-game schedule, citing the need to concentrate on next year's efforts. The four-team league, which offered musical acts before, during and after...

Buckhead banks on absorption with trio of apartment projects.(Buckhead Investment Partners and AMLI Residential)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... Multifamily housing developer unveils plans for suburban complexes Matthew Morgan and Kevin Kirton are betting $35 million that Houston's apartment market hasn't been glutted yet. The two principals of Houston-based Buckhead Investment...

After 19-year losing streak, Oshman's turns first-quarter profit.(Oshman's Sporting Goods Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... Company executives credit superstore plan for bettered bottom line Houston-based Oshman's Sporting Goods Inc. is bouncing back. The company announced on May 31 that it turned its first first-quarter operating profit in 19 years, a move...

Big Board takes steps to delist Paracelsus.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... Trading suspended as stock price falls below required level The New York Stock Exchange has moved to delist Paracelsus Healthcare Corp. because the Houston-based company has fallen below certain criteria to continue trading on the exchange....

Charlotte agency wins review, gets major Metamor account.(Metamor Worldwide awards Price/McNabb advertising account)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... A Houston-based company has picked an out-of-state agency to handle a lucrative advertising account. Metamor Worldwide has awarded Charlotte, N.C.-based Price/McNabb its integrated marketing and advertising campaign, worth between $10...

Lone Star Indoor Advertising.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... Lone Star Indoor Advertising is bowling over new clients with uniquely placed advertising boards. The boards will soon be up in the 13 local AMF Bowling Centers. Lone Star puts the boards where it can almost guarantee a captive audience...

Texas Public Relations Association.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... * Some Silver Spurs have ridden into town. While several local agencies and in-house teams were named winners at the annual awards given by the Texas Public Relations Association, four Silver Spurs - the top honors - made their way back to...

Dot-com company playing Cupid with online games in public places.(Nettron.com Inc. and Fun e-Business Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... A Houston dot-com has inked a deal that will let the company play matchmaker to the lovelorn in airports, restaurants and nightclubs across the country. Nettron.com Inc. signed a marketing agreement last week with Fun e-Business Inc. for a...

ECOutlook.com.(ECOutlook.com and BASF Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... ECOutlook.com has landed a contract with $7.2 billion BASF Corp. that will increase the local firm's employment by 30 percent. ECOutlook, which develops Internet business solutions for its customers, was selected last week to implement an...

WANTads.com.(acquires CollectingNation.com)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... * Houston-based WANTads.com has acquired a top-rated collectibles auction site called CollectingNation.com. WANTads, which provides general purpose online classified advertising and auctions, is part of a worldwide network of similar Web...

Universal Computer Corp.(introduces encryption software)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... * Universal Computer Corp. has developed a new technology that will allow its car dealership clients to safely run their remote locations over the Internet. An encryption technique patented by the Houston-based software company will let...

Top 20 Houston Women in Technology.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... * An astronaut and several chief information officers have been recognized in this year's "Top 20 Houston Women in Technology," an awards program developed by the Houston Chapter of the Association for Women in Computing. The winners...

Parkside adds upscale estates to mix of patented properties.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... Parkside and new urbanism are back with a new brand of patented properties. Scheduled to open this summer, Houston-based Parkside Homes is launching a series of upscale residences this time, along with the backdrop of a 27-hole golf...

PM Realty Group.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... Houston-based PM Realty Group has been awarded the leasing assignment for three suburban Houston office buildings, expanding the firm's portfolio to 18.5 million square feet in the Houston area. Nancy Sarnoff Houston Business Journal real...

First American Title.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... * 1500 South Dairy Ashford. It is four stories totaling 132,785-square feet. First American Title is the anchor tenant. Nancy Sarnoff Houston Business Journal real estate repoter.

Park Green I.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... * Park Green I located at 8300 Bissonnet. It is six stories totaling 93,433 square feet. Howard Novick, M.D. is the anchor tenant. Nancy Sarnoff Houston Business Journal real estate repoter.

Personalized Business Services.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... * 9100 Southwest Freeway, which is two stories totaling 87,072 NRA square feet. Personalized Business Services is the anchor tenant. Locally, PM Realty manages and leases 1.3-million square feet for Koll Bren Schreiber Realty Advisors, the...

Enron Field.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... * At a ceremony at Enron Field last month, Houston-based Morris Architects received the 2000 Firm Award from the Houston arm of the American Institute of Architects. The award recognizes firms that have produced excellence in design and...

Compaq Computer pays stiff price for Internet investments.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... At the Compaq Computer Corp. annual meeting for analysts Jan. 28 and its annual shareholder meeting three months later, the Houston computer company trumpeted a mantra: "Everything to the Internet." This vision extends to the company's...

Universal Compression Holdings Inc.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... Natural gas prices recently reached record-high territory. Amid that rosy backdrop, Universal Compression Holdings Inc. raised more than $150 million in an initial public offering last week. The Houston company provides a wide range of...

Enron Corp.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... * Enron Corp. was recently mentioned in the same breath as one of the greatest companies in U.S. history. Merrill Lynch analysts have proclaimed that Enron "is uniquely positioned to be the GE of the New Economy." As the quasi-General...

Online auctions signal growing rivalry between energy exchanges.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 2, 2000... The Houston-based Oil & Gas Journal Exchange, an online trading exchange for the oil and gas industry, this week will host what it describes as the industry's first "fully Web-enabled Internet auction" of oil and gas properties. The...

Dissenter in Dallas.(Bob MeTeer)(Statistical Data Included)
June 2, 2000... Free-marketer and Dallas Fed chief Bob MeTeer says the new global economy calls for a new approach to inflation-fighting. So far, Alan Greenspan isn't listening. To explain the abstract-but-vital concept of a "shifting Paradigm," Bob...

House set to phase out death tax, but Senate could kill legislation.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 2, 2000... The House is poised to pass legislation that would phase out the estate tax over 10 years, but even supporters of the bill are not optimistic that the Senate will follow suit during this short election-year session. "It's very difficult on...

House panel strips OSHA's ergonomics budget.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 2, 2000... The House Appropriations Committee struck a blow against OSHA's proposed ergonomics standard by eliminating funding for enforcing the regulations from the agency's budget. Ergonomics opponent Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., calls the move a...

Doctors thwarted in push for collective bargaining.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... Legislation to give doctors collective bargaining rights was pulled from the House floor on the eve of Congress' week-long Memorial Day recess. The American Medical Association calls the delay "an outrageous subversion of the American...

Code of ethics adopted for Internet health sites.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... The Internet Healthcare Coalition unveiled a code of ethics for the Web's 15,000-plus health care sites. The code calls for sites to provide accurate, up-to-date information and disclose any sponsorship relationships. It also requires...

IRS to aid small businesses, but tax code still problem.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 2, 2000... Small businesses spend an average of $7 in compliance costs for every $1 in federal income tax they owe, according to the National Federation of Independent Business. This ratio may fall slightly after the Internal Revenue Service ramps up...

Texas, taxes and political lessons.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 2, 2000... Since we have a Texan running for president this year, you can count on a summer filled with politically charged analysis of the Lone Star state, from economic to social, expansions to executions, infotech to immigration -- all intended to...

All sides claim victory in China trade vote.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 2, 2000... Minutes after winning the vote to grant permanent normal trading relations with China, House Speaker Dennis Hastert cracked open a giant fortune cookie. "New prosperity awaits you," the fortune read. An hour later, opponents of the...

'Smart growth' movement a matter of social justice.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 2, 2000... "Smart growth" is now a common catch-phrase for discussions about growth and development. The problem is that it suggests different things to different people. Housing advocates think it means increasing the availability of affordable...

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
June 2, 2000... Cone power I enjoyed the May 19 Bull Market column, "Putting the brakes on runaway bikers," and agree totally. I have another beef/comment that you might want to consider. A lot has been said and written about the traffic problems...

IPO closes.(Universal Compression Holdings Inc. )(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... Natural gas compression services company Universal Compression Holdings Inc. has closed its initial public offering of seven million shares of common stock at $22 per share to net $142.9 million in proceeds from the offering. The stock is...

Seismic venture deal.(Schlumberger Limited; Baker Hughes Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... Baker Hughes Inc. has inked an agreement with Schlumberger Limited to create a seismic venture called Western GECO. The transaction, expected to be completed before the end of the year, calls for Schlumberger and Baker Hughes to own the seismic...

Shares sold.(shares in Dynegy Inc.sold by Nova Chemicals Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... Nova Chemicals Corp., based in Calgary, Canada, has sold all of its remaining shares in Dynegy Inc. for about $45.8 million. As part of the divestiture of its interest in Dynegy, Nova Chemicals was left with about 640,000 Dynegy common shares....

Scholarship awards.(college scholarships: El Paso Energy Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... El Paso Energy Foundation, the philanthropic arm of El Paso Energy Corp., has awarded college scholarships to about 175 Jefferson Davis High School graduating seniors representing 58 percent of the estimated graduating class. These students are...

Merger complete.(Varco International Inc., Tuboscope Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... Tuboscope Inc. and Varco International Inc. have completed their merger deal. The shares of the combined company wilt be owned equally by the current stockholders of each company. In the merger, each share of Varco common stock has been...

Improvement projects.(Quanex. Corp)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... Quanex. Corp. has approved about $34 million in capital improvement projects. The bulk of the program, about $30 million, is projected to increase the value-added processing capabilities at Jackson, Mich.-based MACSTEEL, Quanex's engineered...

Pipeline project.(possible 774-mile natural gas pipeline)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... The Coastal Corp. 'says its Gnlfstream Natural gas System LLC affiliate has sent requests for quotation to 10 pre-qualified contractors for installation of the offshore portion of its proposed 744-mile natural gas pipeline from Alabama across...

Stock offering.(Trico Marine Services closes its securities offering)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... Marine support services company Trico Marine Services Inc. says it has closed its previously announced offering of common stock. The company sold 4.5 million, shares at $9 per share. The offering generated about $39 million in net proceeds for...

Biotech combo.(BioQuest Inc., Biokeys Inc.merger)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... BioQuest Inc. has inked a merger agreement with San Diego, Calif-based Biokeys Inc. The deal, as a merger of equals, is intended as a tax-free transaction. Bio Quest, which currently has 12,361,666 shares. outstanding, will, under the terms of...

Regulatory approval.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 2, 2000... The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has given Williams the green light to increase capacity on its Transco pipeline by 204,099 dekatherms per day to provide additional firm transportation capacity to serve markets in Alabama and Georgia....

The Fearless Executive: Finding the Courage to Trust Your Talents and Be the Leader You Are Meant to Be.
June 2, 2000... Alan Downs There are no shortcuts to overcome fears that hold executives back from unleashing their talents that would lead to the success they deserve. Author Alan Downs has been down the same road himself. A psychologist and executive...

Paint by numbers.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 2, 2000... For Meredith McCord, opening The Mad Potter was far from a crazy idea When Meredith McCord dropped her plans to get an MBA, you might say her career went to pot. Indeed, the 1996 graduate of Vanderbilt University instead combined a...

The goals of growth: What I've learned about marketing and life.
June 2, 2000... My editor requested a column on personal growth and some observations on it. And at 54 years of age, 32 of those working in marketing and advertising, self-assessment and evaluation are beginning to get easier. Ironically, personal growth...

Story of public libraries took long time to write in Houston.
June 2, 2000... Houston's first public library opened on March 2, 1904. The Houston Daily Post reported the next day that the "handsome and commodious structure was thrown open to citizens of Houston [ldots] and that great crowds assembled to inspect the...

A new ball game: Agencies play for hits with dot-coms.
June 2, 2000... Just as fiber-optic lines rapidly bring a Web site up on a computer screen, thousands of Internet-based companies are rushing through the gates. They're bringing a boom in business to advertising, public relations and marketing agencies, and...

Old rules of PR still apply in today's 'new economy'.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 2, 2000... Bach time company leaders accept conventional wisdom without a challenge, they put their businesses at risk of becoming as obsolete as a 2,400-baud modem. Bill Reichert, president of venture capital firm Garage.com, challenged one bit of...

LARGEST AREA ADVERTISING AGENCIES.(Statistical Data Included)
June 2, 2000... LARGEST AREA ADVERTISING AGENCIES (Ranked by 1999 Actual Capitalized Billings) Name % Billings/ Last Address 1999...

Let others do the talking in telling company's story.(many organizations have stories that should be made public)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... Many companies and organizations have incredible stories to tell. Client testimonials are one way to make these stones come alive. If the Salvation Army were to conduct a nationwide search for a representative, it would be hard pressed to...

PR firms face dot-com daze: It's not for the faint of heart.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 2, 2000... In the past 18 months, the public relations function has earned a new place at the table as an important business tool for dot-com companies. While this has been a boon for PR practitioners around the globe, it also presents a host of new...

Capitalize on corporate report to tell company's story.(the importance of annual company reports)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... Spring is annual report season. Investor and analyst mailboxes are stuffed with annual reports from public companies. "Annuals are the most important report a company produces," according to the Wall Street Journal. Annual reports are tied...

Marketers need to keep up with aging Baby Boomers.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... There has been the tendency among marketing professionals to group all seniors, regardless of age, into one demographic category. But that standard has become outdated. By targeting all people over the age of 50 in' the same manner, marketers...

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE.(Nicole Ganucheau become sales managr of The Houstonian Golf Club; other people in the news are also discussed)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Nicole Ganucheau has joined The Houstonian Golf Club as sales manager. AWARDS & GRANTS Sue Burnett and Cheryl Thompson-Draper have been honored by Women's Enterprise as Women of Excellence. The...

St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital.(top-performance award)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital has been named the top performing hospital in the Texas Medical Center by the Houston Healthcare Purchasing Organization. The hospital scored as a top performer" in all four evaluative categories -- length of stay,...

New England Financial.(Houston, Texas affiliate receives customer relations award)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2000... The Houston affiliate of New England Financial has received the 1999 Heritage Award from New England Financial, a Boston-based financial services company. The Houston firm won the award for its successful focus on continuous improvement in...

Earnings.(corporate earnins)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
June 2, 2000... Earnings BALTIC INTERNATIONAL USA INC. 1st Qtr. ended March 31 2000 1999 revenue in 1,000s 137 64 net income (loss) in 1,000s (200) (434) per share ...

Isuzu Rodeo: Rough-and-tumble ride that's neither fish nor fowl.(Brief Article)(Evaluation)
June 2, 2000... Base price range: $18,080 to $31,265 Mpg: 20/23; V6, 16/20. Competitors: Ford Explorer, Honda Passport, Nissan Pathfinder, Chevrolet Blazer, GMC Jimmy, Toyota 4Runner. Tom: This sport-utility-vehicle thing is getting out of hand. It...

Doing more with less: Multi-functional devices roll all into one.(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
June 2, 2000... When you're running a business, you're expected to do six different things at once. But should your office printer do the same? Sure, why not? Working as a printer, copier, scanner and often a fax in one box, a multi-functional device (aka...

Old El Mercado lands carrier hotel.(Brief Article)
June 9, 2000... New Morgan Stanley subsidiary signs contract to acquire tower in The Americas After three years of struggling to make his east-side investment flourish, Alan Atkinson of the TransAmerica Group has signed a deal to sell one of the main...

Tony says it with Flowers.(Brief Article)
June 9, 2000... Catering firms combine forces to create turnkey party animal Houston restaurateur and caterer Tony Vallone and event planner Richard Flowers have been partying together on and off for several years. Now they'll do it a little more often....

Houston HQ for e-group.(Brief Article)
June 9, 2000... A consortium of 21 North American energy and utility companies that banded together to create a business-to-business. Internet marketplace have chosen Houston as headquarters for the new business entity. The consortium, which includes...

Financial stocks outstrip high-tech in rally.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 9, 2000... Memorial Day kicked off a record one-week gain for the Nasdaq stock exchange, fueled by a furious rebound in dot-coms. But even after Internet plays sparked a 19 percent Nasdaq jump last week, big high-tech stocks in Houston have been upstaged...

Dropping the 'dot-com': an e-merging trend?(Brief Article)
June 9, 2000... One Houston company apparently has decided that the "dot-com" craze has become too dot-common. Emerging.com, founded last November, has officially dropped the dot-com from its name. At a time when technology-related start-ups are sprinting...

Onward Christian soldier, but no 'Monkey Business'.(Brief Article)
June 9, 2000... Oliver North -- a combat-decorated Marine who was a central figure in the Iran-Contra hearings of the late 1980s -- has joined forces with a publicly traded Houston outfit. Houston-based iExalt Inc. in late May said its...

All's fair in love and rodeo, say show planners.(Brief Article)
June 9, 2000... The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo plans to introduce a new summer festival in 2003 when it moves into its new stadium being built next to the Astrodome. Leroy Shafer, assistant general manager of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo,...

Seven-year-old splinter firm joins Dallas lawyers.(Brief Article)
June 9, 2000... The seven-member law firm of Snell & Smith has joined Thompson Knight Brown Parker & Leahy, which is the Houston office of Dallas-based Thompson & Knight. The Snell & Smith attorneys formed their firm in 1993 after departing Butler &...

Complex finally sports retail Marq*E attractions.(Brief Article)
June 9, 2000... The new 350,000 Marq*E entertainment retail center will soon be experiencing a domino effect with store openings. The 22-screen Edwards Theater, IMAX Theater and other anchors Surfer's Paradise and Y'AIIs Texas Store have been open for...

News from the food and drink front.(Brief Article)
June 9, 2000... St. Arnold Brewing Co. isn't just rolling out the barrel anymore, the Houston-based microbrewery is also rolling out the sausage. So its best idea very well may be its wurst. The company began delivering its first batch of Bratwurst sausage...

Boudreaux's Cajun Kitchen.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 9, 2000... * Leave it to the Cajuns to be where things are heating up. Boudreaux's Cajun Kitchen will be among the first tenants to open in the renovated Gulfgate Mall when it finally opens early this fall. Boudreaux's partner Mike O'Neal says...

My Table.(Brief Article)
June 9, 2000... * My Table magazine's fifth annual awards for Houston's top 10 restaurant wine lists took place last week, and Galleria hot spot Cafe Annie took top honors for the fourth year in a row. "It's the only big list full of truly appropriate and...

Morton's of Chicago.(Brief Article)
June 9, 2000... * High-end eatery Morton's of Chicago probably isn't used to rowdy diners, but the restaurant was treated to some very well-mannered patrons last month. Morton's, located at Post Oak Boulevard and Westheimer near The Gallena, played host...

CORRECTION.(Brief Article)(Correction Notice)
June 9, 2000... In the May 26-June 1 Focus Section, "Houston's Heavy Hitters," the photo of Charles Gordon, principal and co-chairman of Trione and Gordon/ONCOR International, was inadvertently repeated for Gerard W. Trione, principal and co-chairman of the...

Goodbye, Columbia: Hospital system in name-changing game.(Brief Article)
June 9, 2000... Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp., Houston's largest hospital system, is going through a local identity crisis of sorts. The Nashville, Tenn.-based company, which operates about 220 hospitals nationwide, announced on May 25 that it was changing...

Energy majors pay $300 million to settle whistleblower suits.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 9, 2000... Whistleblower lawsuits filed in the last two years against more than a dozen major U.S. oil and gas producers have so far resulted in $300 million in settlements with the U.S. Department of Justice, and more litigation is pending that could...