Pittsburgh Business Times articles from November 1999

Pittsburgh Business Times archives from November 1999

Steelers close in on stadium naming rights deal.
November 26, 1999... NORTH SIDE -- The Pittsburgh Steelers expect to unveil a name for their new stadium by the end of the year, team president Dan Rooney said in an interview. "Talks are progressing," Mr. Rooney said. "We want to have something done by the...

Alliance hires ad ace in new post.
November 26, 1999... Development agency grows marketing staff DOWNTOWN -- The Pittsburgh Regional Alliance has hired a veteran advertising and marketing professional to shepherd its campaign to develop the region's economy. The appointment is aimed at...

Breaking into the B-school elite.
November 26, 1999... Pitt's Katz Graduate School of Business is one year into a five-year plan to become a star of the class OAKLAND -- The University of Pittsburgh's Katz Graduate School of Business has a plan to pull rank. Of the 850 business schools...

Gene Kelly statue plan takes shape.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... Bronze life-size sculpture slated for Cultural District DOWNTOWN -- A grassroots effort to erect a statue of the late Gene Kelly in his classic film, "Singin' in the Rain," is gaining momentum. A bronze, life-size sculpture of Mr....

But what if readers like it better?(Pittsburgh Post Go-Zefer)(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... DOWNTOWN -- A new tech firm's publicity effort did a good job catching people's attention. It also caught some flack from the city's largest daily newspaper. The Pittsburgh Post Go-Zefer debuted last week in the mailboxes of 2,000...

Artful dodging at the Frick.(Paris in the 1890s: Post-Impressionist Prints; Frick Art Museum)(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... POINT BREEZE -- "How you gonna keep 'em down on the farm, after they've seen Paree?" That question, written for World War I American doughboys in France, might need to be dusted off for educational staff at the Frick Art Museum's new "Paris...

AT&T promises jobs, investment.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 26, 1999... DOWNTOWN -- Crediting a proposed agreement between itself and the city, AT&T said it will hire 300 people and spend more than $40 million here and $300 million in the region to create a high-speed communications network, which includes local,...

WQED plans nightly television magazine.(On Q)(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... OAKLAND -- WQED 13 is launching a 30-minute weeknight television magazine. "ON Q" premieres Jan. 17 at 7:30 p.m. The live program, hosted by Chris Moore, Carol Lee Espy and Stacy Smith, will feature in-studio interviews, produced segments,...

Groups say safety nets are full of holes.
November 26, 1999... Bureaucracy misunderstanding costs kids health care coverage Keeping Pennsylvania's lower-income children insured in the aftermath of welfare reform has proven to be an uphill battle. While there has been a significant increase in the...

The e-commerce middleman.(SafeBuyer.com)(Statistical Data Included)
November 26, 1999... SafeBuyer.com provides Internet shoppers the chance to check out the merchandise before they fork over the cash McMURRAY -- After 25 years in social service work, Steve Shaner left his job in Washington County and took time off for his...

AHL Pens are packing in the fans.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... Minor league affiliate hot ticket with new arena While the Pittsburgh Penguins were in Bankruptcy Court, one part of the team's crumbling empire kept humming along. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the American Hockey League...

Pennsylvania's Internet retailers seek exemption from sales tax.
November 26, 1999... E-Freedom Coalition's e-mail campaign aims to sway lawmakers DOWNTOWN -- A Harrisburg-based lobbying group has launched a campaign to ban taxes on electronic commerce, and e-tailers and politicians are torn by the issue. Some...

Governors' Internet tax collection plan banks on retailers' compliance.
November 26, 1999... Sellers would contract third parties to collect e-commerce levies WASHINGTON -- The nation's governors think they have figured out a way for states to begin collecting sales taxes on purchases made over the Internet. The plan calls...

Investing on your values.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... Socially responsible investing, or SRI -- the practice of screening investments for social as well as investment criteria -- is enjoying a boom. According to Morningstar there are now 35 mutual funds engaged in SRI that have five-year or...

MONEY MATTERS.
November 26, 1999... Selling company turned Marco Cardamone into serious investor SOUTH SIDE -- "I'm a naive investor," admitted Marco Cardamone. The 44-year-old entrepreneur didn't get serious about stocks until 1997. That was the year Electronic...

Hewlett-Packard HQ on sales block.
November 26, 1999... Restructuring prompts sale of property in RIDC Park O'HARA TOWNSHIP -- Hewlett-Packard Co. has put its longtime regional headquarters in RIDC Park on the block for $3.3 million. The sale is part of a restructuring at the Palo Alto,...

Friendship group fears new cancer center will create parking hassles.
November 26, 1999... UPMC scales back garage plan from 500 spaces to 149 OAKLAND -- Parking issues are fueling the Friendship Preservation Group's opposition to UPMC's $104 million Hillman Cancer Center in the nearby Center/Baum corridor. "We welcome the...

Center on Deafness, Aerial aid those with hearing loss.
November 26, 1999... EDGEWOOD -- The Center on Deafness at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf has partnered with Aerial Communications Inc. to launch a program that will enable those with hearing difficulties to use wireless phones. In the past,...

Biotech directory on Web.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... DOWNTOWN -- The World Trade Center Pittsburgh's International Biotechnology Initiative has placed its Pittsburgh Biotechnology and Life Sciences Directory online at www.wtcpa.org. The directory is intended to aid companies and research...

Region's export total suffers setback due to severe case of Asian flu.
November 26, 1999... Manufacturing sector takes the biggest hit DOWNTOWN -- The Asian flu cut into Pittsburgh's exports last year, slowing steady export growth the region had enjoyed the previous five years. Between 1993 and 1998, local exports jumped 36...

Alcoa considers acquisition of SMS building to house I.S. department.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... Engineering firm's headquarters located near Alcoa building NORTH SIDE -- Alcoa Inc. is negotiating to buy the SMS building on the North Side, real estate sources said. If the deal is consummated, the Sandusky Street building would...

CORRECTIONS & AMPLIFICATIONS.(Correction Notice)
November 26, 1999... First Commonwealth Bank of Indiana, Pa., is the fourth-largest bank in the region, with $3.1 billion in assets as of December 1998 and 82 branches. It is owned by First Commonwealth Financial Corp., also based in Indiana. It was incorrectly...

Pediatric care center can now be reimbursed.
November 26, 1999... SHADYSIDE -- Child's Way, the state's only pediatric extended care center, has won a long sought legislative victory. The state Legislature last week unanimously passed a bill that will license centers like Child's Way as health care...

Allegheny General nurses support union formation.
November 26, 1999... NORTH SIDE -- Allegheny General Hospital's registered nurses voted to organize a bargaining unit with the Service Employees International Union. Voting results were 731 for the union and 634 against. About 87 percent of the hospital's...

Former Sulcus HQ closed in consolidation.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... GREENSBURG -- The former Greensburg headquarters of Sulcus Hospitality Technologies Corp. is closing. Southfield, Mich.-based Eltrax Systems Inc. began its acquisition of Sulcus in November 1998. Eltrax completed the $66 million deal in...

CMU robot to search Antarctic for meteorites.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... OAKLAND -- Carnegie Mellon University researchers will ship a robot to Antarctica in January to search autonomously for meteorites. The robot, named Nomad, is to distinguish meteorites from terrestrial rocks and classify them on site during...

Board of governors approves faculty deal.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... HARRISBURG -- The State System of Higher Education's board of governors has ratified a new three-year contract with the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties, which represents the 5,5000 professors at the 14...

Benefits giving fits.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... Last week, the state Legislature stepped into the same-sex benefits fray that had been developing nicely at the University of Pittsburgh over the past several months. Pennsylvania lawmakers passed a law that exempts state-supported...

Ways to skin a Katz.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... Pitt's Katz Graduate School of Business is a school with a mission. It wants to leapfrog dozens of competing schools and land smack in the middle of Business Week's ranking of the 25 best B-schools. The clock is ticking, however. Last fall,...

Taking a cue.
November 26, 1999... Several associations representing professional golfers have banded together under the auspices of The First Tee to build a golf training facility for minority, handicapped and underprivileged children. First Tee won a $100,000 contribution...

Customer service heroes, horror.
November 26, 1999... Dear Mr. Miller: I write this to you with the sincere hope that you do an article about poor customer service. I am a sales professional who knows what good customer service is, but many companies do not have a clue: I just purchased...

While spotlight's on exec, county council wields clout.
November 26, 1999... In a few weeks Allegheny County will not only inaugurate its first chief executive, but it will also swear in its first county council. Nobody quite knows whether this region's first legislative general assembly will be a high point in...

LETTERS.
November 26, 1999... Plenty of anthems from which to choose Editor: In response to "Wanted: A Pittsburgh Melody," Nov. 5, you only have to go as far as... Pittsburgh. Lost Marbles, a Pittsburgh folk'n'roll band, has a Pittsburgh melody. The Marbles...

Trumbull Corp. opens satellite office in Charleston.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... West Virginia work represents growing portion of firm's portfolio WEST MIFFLIN -- Trumbull Corp., the heavy highway sister company of contractor P.J. Dick Corp., has opened an office in Charleston, W.Va. "West Virginia has become an...

Offers fail to excite; Galleria temporarily pulled off market.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... MOUNT LEBANON -- The Galleria, the upscale shopping center complex in Mount Lebanon known for its ritzy shops, frequent ownership changes and low occupancy levels, has been pulled off the sales block after no satisfactory offers were...

Earl Evens.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... WEXFORD -- Earl Evens heads an organization whose goal is to "brand" the mission of its 11 members, all of which are faith-based nonprofit providers of long-term care. Mr. Evens is the new president and chief executive officer of the...

David Lohr.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... DOWNTOWN -- David Lohr began his career with U.S. Steel in 1974 as a turn foreman, responsible for a single shift. Now, as vice president of sheet operations, he's responsible for three-quarters of the company's production. Mr. Lohr was...

Cut to the chase.
November 26, 1999... Carpenters union head Jack Brooks deals directly with the issues, like it or not When it comes time to negotiate, Jack Brooks doesn't pound his chest or try to prove he can hold his breath longer than the guys on the other side of the...

Don't be left speechless.
November 26, 1999... Find a qualified speaker who fits your audience and your budget Choosing the right speaker for your corporate event takes lots planning, a sense of purpose and, if you are determined to lure a speaker who is in high demand, plenty of...

Should you be paranoid about spies on the Internet?
November 26, 1999... Companies collect and analyze info from Net consumers My Extremely Paranoid Friend was all upset over-the RealJukeBox privacy scandal. This is how our liberty is lost, one brick at a time:" he said. "This episode can best serve as an...

To retain a good worker, temper new-job euphoria with a dose of reality.
November 26, 1999... Within 8 or 9 months, employee knows the position, good and bad A new employee will experience three jobs during the first year with a company. The job responsibilities don't change; it is the perception and reality of the firm that will...

Disease management focuses on lifestyles.
November 26, 1999... Programs are medical, marketing tools At 67 years old, Pat Stein is part of an ongoing experiment in the era of managed care. The squirrel Hill resident said he has always lived an active lifestyle, but the ability to ski, hike and...

HEART BREAK.
November 26, 1999... O'Hara Township firm working on heart assist device is boosted by Swiss venture fund's $2 million investment A recent cash infusion should benefit the efforts of a local firm on a life-saving technology. While most artificial hearts are...

Laughter can serve as best medicine, improve life in elder care facilities.
November 26, 1999... Jump-starts the immune system and supports healing Not surprisingly, many senior citizens have developed a life perspective that is abundant with wit and wisdom. Once, during a staff presentation at a nursing home, an administrator...

Allegheny Energy Inc. subsidiary wins N.J. Project.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... GREENSBURG -- Allegheny Energy Supply, an Allegheny Energy Inc. subsidiary that generates and markets electric power, won a bid to provide 200 megawatts of power to a group of New Jersey chemical companies. The aggregation project is believed...

Medicare reimbursement switch puts squeeze on skilled nursing facilities.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 26, 1999... Effort to reel in Medicare costs prompts closures; consolidations Like hospitals across the nation, UPMC St. Margaret jumped on the skilled nursing care bandwagon a few years ago, opening a skilled nursing wing in October 1996. The...

More companies include portable defibrillators in their first aid kits.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... Device can make life/death difference for heart attack victims The use of portable automatic external defibrillators has grown this decade and more local companies deem them necessary to have on hand as potential life savers. ...

Some say national health plan needed: no groundswell here.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 26, 1999... Health care leaders seek to revive the debate Rarely has a peep been heard about national health care reform since President Clinton's initiative went down in flames six years ago. Until now. Faced with a growing number of...

UPMC emerges as dominant force in region's elder care marketplace.(UPMC Health System)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 26, 1999... A three-year acquisition strategy results in a power shift OAKLAND -- Aided by an aggressive mergers and acquisition strategy over the past few years, a UPMC Health System subsidiary tops this year's list of the region's largest elder...

25 LARGEST PITTSBURGH - AREA ELDER CARE FACILITIES.(Directory)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
November 26, 1999... 25 LARGEST PITTSBURGH - AREA ELDER CARE FACILITIES (Ranked by number of beds) Total units or beds by Name ...

ECONOWATCH.(Pittsburgh International Airport passenger information)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 26, 1999... The total number of passengers traveling through Pittsburgh International Airport, decreased 12.8 percent to 1.46 million in September, compared to 1.68 million in August. The number of passengers was also down 16.2 percent from September a...

PEOPLE.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... ACCOUNTING Markovitz Dugan & Associates, Green Tree, hired Eric Jahn as an accountant in the tax department and Janet Rothrauff joined the firm as an administrative assistant. ARCHITECTURE WTW Architects, North Side, named...

Airline Fares.(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
November 26, 1999... Airline Fares From the tariff department of Mon Valley Travel Inc., individual airlines 255-8747 (TRIP) Restrictive Non-restrictive Suitable for business From...

Exico establishes fund to aid Plan B contractors.
November 26, 1999... Plan designed to help minority-owned firms get some funds early DOWNTOWN -- Exico Inc., a local minority-owned firm that offers entrepreneurial development services, is looking to help open the door for minorities looking to share in the...

'Minority owned' status questioned, debated.
November 26, 1999... Struggle to define standard causes community rift DOWNTOWN -- In an effort to increase growth for some minority firms, the National Minority Supplier Development Council Inc. is attempting to relax its definition of a minority-owned...

Business man.
November 26, 1999... Jerome Bettis carries the ball in local ads, but plans for his own post-football end zone Jerome Bettis grabbed a quick shovel pass from Kordell Stewart and rumbled 17 yards to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 23- 17 in overtime. It was...

Irvis papers archived at new Pitt library display.(R. Leroy Irvis)(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... State grant helps create new collection of historical info OAKLAND -- As a legislator, K. Leroy Irvis was a groundbreaker. He spent 30 years in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and in 1977 became the first African American to...

Hispanic Chamber serves fast-growing populace.
November 26, 1999... Q: What is the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Western Pa.? A: The HCC is a nonprofit organization with membership representing a growing base of business entrepreneurs and professionals. Its purpose is to provide opportunities for its...

'99 PBMF Vann awards recognize MBT efforts.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... The Pittsburgh Business Times publication Minority Business Times won two awards at the 17th annual Robert L. Vann Media Awards and Scholarship Dinner, held Nov. 6 at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, North Side. In the under 80,000...

First African American Leadership Directory released.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... A plan to increase the number of African Americans who serve in leadership positions on boards and commissions throughout the region was launched by representatives of the Working Together Consortium, the Urban League of Pittsburgh, NAACP...

Expo offers free career development seminars.(Pittsburgh Career Conference 7 Expo)(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... A full day of free seminars designed to enhance your career development skills has been scheduled during the Pittsburgh Career Conference & Expo at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Seminar topics wilt cover a broad spectrum of...

Exploring their options.(Pittsburgh Career Conference & Expo)
November 26, 1999... Career fairs allow job seekers, recruiters to make the most informed decision Brent Gary is running out of time to perfect his resume and press his best suit before, the B Pittsburgh Career Conference and Expo. "I have a list of...

Luring workers via air and Net.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 26, 1999... Finding good workers in a tight labor market is tough. So, Pittsburgh-area employers are beginning to follow the national trend toward using both radio and the Internet to better target and boost the effectiveness of their recruitment...

Bayer Corp.(recognized by Wildlife Habitat Council)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 26, 1999... Bayer Corp., Robinson Township, has been recognized for environmental stewardship by the Wildlife Habitat Council. Bayer was certified as having preserved wildlife habitat at its 300-acre headquarters complex bordering Settlers' Cabin Park...

Black Box Corp.(receives Best All-Around Catalogue Business award)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 26, 1999... Lawrence-based Black Box Corp. was voted the Best All-Round Catalogue Business by the European Catalogue and Mail Order Days organization in the 10 million to 25 million Pounds Sterling business-to-business category.

Charles Burke.
November 26, 1999... The Western Pennsylvania chapter of the National Society of Fund Raising Executives honored the following at its National Philanthropy Day for outslanding commitment to philanthropy: Charles Burke, outstanding philanthropist; Foster McCarl...

Compunetix Inc.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... Compunetix Inc. received an award for its CONTEXWeb Toolkit in the control software category from TeleCon West. The TeleCon Awards are the industry's annual salute to the best products, applications and services for conferencing and...

Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, a Downtown law firm, received the Law Firm Achievement Award from Allegheny County Bar Association's Public Service Committee for providing tree legal services to people and organizations who might not...

Fitting Kolbrener Creative.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... Fitting Kolbrener Creative, a Downtown marketing firm, had two projects chosen to appear in Creativity 29, an annual publication that honors creative advertising and public relations work worldwide. The projects were Adams Capital Management...

Marcia Grimes.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... Marcia Grimes an attorney with Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott received the Individual Achievement Award from the Allegheny County Bar Association for her pro bono work through the Executive Service Corps of Western Pennsylvania. Ms. Grimes...

Pittsburgh International Airport.(Conde Nast Traveler survey)
November 26, 1999... Pittsburgh International Airport, Findlay Township, was rated No. 1 in the nation by readers of Conde Naste Traveler magazine in the Top Airport category. The magazine surveyed readers on comfort/ambience, customs/baggage claim, ease of...

Ray Hough Co. Inc.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... Ray Hough Co. Inc. was recognized as one of the nation's top 10 independent forms distributors serving finance markets by the Document Management Industries Association. DMIA is a national trade association of independent business forms...

Civil & Environmental Consultants Inc.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... Robinson Township-based Civil & Environmental Consultants Inc., an engineering and consulting firm, has added surveying capabilities to its list of services.

Mastech Corp.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... Mastech Corp., based in Oakdale, has established an office in Dublin, Ireland, Mastech outsources information technology personnel.

Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership.
November 26, 1999... The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership moved to Ewart Building, 1st Floor, 925 Liberty Ave., Downtown.

R.L. Polk Co.
November 26, 1999... R.L. Polk Co. opened a regional sales office at 425 N. Craig St., Oakland, R.L. Polk is a consumer marketing information company.

Whittman-Hart Inc.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... Chicago-based Whittman-Hart Inc. opened a Pittsburgh branch office temporarily located at 651 Holiday Drive, Suite 300, Green Tree. Whittman-Hart is an information technology consulting firm.

PDG Environmental Inc.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... PDG Environmental Inc. Monroeville, has been awarded two contracts. One is a $200,000 addition to an existing three-year contract to do asbestos abatement at a Pittsburgh medical center, bringing that contract to $700,000 in value. The second...

Power Parts Co.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... Power Parts Co., a subsidiary of Downtown-based MotivePower Industries Inc., has entered into a five-year, $3 million materials supply agreement with The Belt Railway Co., Chicago. Power Parts will supply and manage inventory for a fleet of...

DIVIDENDS.(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
November 26, 1999... DIVIDENDS Company Amount Pay date Record 1st Summit Bancorp $0.02 12/01 11/01 Iron and Glass $0.18 12/10 11/10

Ansoft Corp.(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
November 26, 1999... Ansoft Corp. (ANST) QTR: 2, 10/31 1999 1998 Sales (000) $7,836 $5,501 Income (000) ($26) ($686) Per Share ($0.00) ($0.06) YTD Sales (000)...

Michael Baker Corp.(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
November 26, 1999... Michael Baker Corp. (BRK) QTR: 3, 9/30 1999 1998 Sales (000) $129,790 $135,803 Income (000) ($4,017) $2,093 Per Share ($0.49) $0.25 YTD Sales (000)...

Carbide/Graphite Group Inc. (CGGI).(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
November 26, 1999... Carbide/Graphite Group Inc. (CGGI) QTR: 1, 10/31 1999 1998 Sales (000) $51,123 $69,352 Income (000) $892 ($1,993) Per Share $0.11 ($0.23) Last year's...

UBICS Inc.(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
November 26, 1999... UBICS Inc. (UBIX) QTR: 3, 9/30 1999 1998 Sales (000) $9,603 $8,451 Income (000) $336 $620 Per Share $0.05 $0.10 YTD Sales (000) $28,320...