Colorado Springs Business Journal (CO) articles from December 2005

Colorado Springs Business Journal (CO) archives from December 2005

Shipping services get back on track.
December 2, 2005... Byline: Amy Gillentine Shipping woes that plagued retailers earlier in the year have eased somewhat, as gas prices have fallen and more drivers have been hired. Current USA, a Colorado Springs-based retailer that specializes in wrapping...

Challenger Learning Center of Colorado inviting small businesses on space-themed training mission.
December 2, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer The Challenger Learning Center of Colorado is inviting small businesses and nonprofit organizations to boldly go where they've never gone before on a space-themed corporate training mission.While many in Colorado...

Costco, Lowe's to open Colorado Springs branch.
December 2, 2005... Byline: Amy Gillentine Jeff Brotman, chairman of Costco, has received thousands of letters from Colorado Springs residents, asking for a branch of the upscale, members-only store in the city. In 2007, those residents will get their...

Quick family dinners without the fast food.
December 2, 2005... Byline: Amy Gillentine When Pati Nuce was an accountant in Denver, she used Westminster-based Supper Solutions to provide meals during the week that a busy working mother could not. When her family moved to Colorado Springs, she decided to...

Interview with Catherine Coulter Calvin, owner of Total Performance Solutions.
December 2, 2005... Byline: Colorado Springs Business Journal Staff Business owners know that a professional, objective, third-person critique about how they run their operation is priceless.But, that kind of service usually comes at a price a big...

Colorado Springs Financial Briefs: December 2, 2005.
December 2, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer The federal bank, thrift and credit union regulatory agencies have issued an amendment to the Fair Credit Reporting Act that allows inquiries into medical information to determine credit eligibility.The amendments,...

Colorado Springs Medical Briefs: December 2, 2005.
December 2, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman The Colorado Department of Health and Environment has appointed Rosemary Bakes-Martin, the director of the El Paso County Health Department, to a statewide, 16-member chronic disease committee. According to the...

Colorado Springs Real Estate Briefs: December 2, 2005.
December 2, 2005... Byline: Becky Hurley Informally, most brokers interviewed by the CSBJ say 2005 will be one of their best years ever. Some attribute the groundswell of activity to an improved national economy and to more than 2,300 jobs added locally....

Book highlights shops that line Colorado Springs's Tejon Street.
December 2, 2005... Byline: Amy Gillentine Tejon Street stores are getting credit for being on the cutting edge of a new wave of retailing small shops with easy parking near restaurants and entertainment venues, according to a new book on shopping in...

Time running out for at least two Colorado tax breaks.
December 2, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer When voters passed Referendum C in November, they made 2005 a last-chance year to take advantage of a few potentially large tax-breaks.Two credits that are especially important to consider, according to local...

Colorado Springs Health Partners' new home.
December 2, 2005... Byline: Becky Hurley Perched on 44 acres above Interstate 25, on the southwest corner of Fillmore Street and Centennial Boulevard, the 110,000-square-foot Colorado Springs Health Partners medical building will dominate the mesa overlooking...

Commentary: Portfolio rebalancing.
December 2, 2005... Byline: Allan Roth This article is about the most powerful market timing technique that has ever been developed. Now before you check the title to be sure you're actually reading Allan Roth's column, it's true, I'm going to tell you to...

Master impressionist appears at Penrose-St. Francis Foundation's Annual Legacy of Caring Dinner.
December 2, 2005... Byline: Colorado Springs Business Journal Staff Heads turned in disbelief as "President George W. Bush" walked to the podium to speak to the 350 guests attending the Penrose-St. Francis Foundation's Annual Legacy of Caring Dinner on Nov....

Commentary: Wal-Mart ahead of the global economy game.
December 2, 2005... Byline: Lon Matejczyk A long weekend with a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old allowed me time to watch both versions of "Shrek." Once the kids went to bed, I put a borrowed copy of "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price" into the DVD player.It...

Commentary: Holidays synonymous with decline at offices.
December 2, 2005... Byline: Mike Boyd This just in: your co-workers at the office are likely to be more distracted and less productive during the holiday season.Now I'm thinking that we really didn't need a formal survey to confirm this, but the folks at...

Take 7 hosts annual gallery exhibit.
December 2, 2005... Byline: Colorado Springs Business Journal Staff Take 7, a collective of Colorado Springs' foremost contemporary photographers, is displaying a gallery of fire art portraiture of local residents at the Antlers Hilton Hotel, 4 S. Cascade...

Webcast training for veteran business owners.
December 2, 2005... Byline: Colorado Springs Business Journal Staff Veteran-owned businesses will be able to participate in a live interactive Webcast that will provide training and raise awareness of federal contract assistance for veteran- and...

Ent Federal Credit Union hosting several seminars.
December 2, 2005... Byline: Colorado Springs Business Journal Staff Ent Federal Credit Union is hosting the following seminars this month:Great Wheels, Smart Deals Buying and Financing the Car You Want, 6 to 7:30 p.m., Dec. 8, 4545 Galley Road. Register at...

Library offering business, investment, legal programs.
December 2, 2005... Byline: Colorado Springs Business Journal Staff The Pikes Peak Library district is offering the following programs in December:Minding Your Business: Learn about business resources available at the library by attending a free tour before...

Business owners urged to read the fine print.
December 2, 2005... Byline: Colorado Springs Business Journal Staff The Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado is warning small business owners to read the fine print if they receive a check from YP Corp.Although the check looks official, a paragraph on...

LTC Financial garners 60 national awards.
December 2, 2005... Byline: Colorado Springs Business Journal Staff Long-Term Care Sales Strategies magazine has awarded 60 national LTCi Sales Achievement Awards to LTC Financial Partners of Colorado Springs. The 60 awards accounted for 40 percent of all...

Real Time Shredding moves to Colorado Springs.
December 9, 2005... Byline: CSBJ Staff Report Real Time Shredding has moved its offices to 890 Dublin Blvd., Suite F in Colorado Springs.The company, which produces self-service shredding kiosks, previously leased space in Monument.

Massage therapist needed for Colorado Springs board.
December 9, 2005... Byline: CSBJ Staff Report The city of Colorado Springs needs a licensed massage therapist for the Colorado Springs Board of Massage Examiners. Members of the board meet twice quarterly and serve three-year terms.The board determines...

Colorado/Wyoming post offices ranked No. 1.
December 9, 2005... Byline: CSBJ Staff Report For the second straight year, Colorado and Wyoming post offices ranked No. 1 for providing the best overall mail service in the United States, according to IBM scores of on-time mail delivery and based on the...

Pikes Peak Workforce Center seeking computer, teaching skills.
December 9, 2005... Byline: CSBJ Staff Report The Pikes Peak Workforce Center is seeking volunteers who posses the following skills:*Computer and keyboarding skills*Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, Access, Excel*Database use*Windows experience*Internet...

Colorado Association of Internet elects board of directors.
December 9, 2005... Byline: CSBJ Staff Report The Colorado Association of Internet has elected a new board of directors.They are David Ashley, president; Ron Story, vice president; Paul Ryal, treasurer; Charles Sakai, secretary; Bill De Matte and Brandon...

Insight Analytical Labs earns ISO certification.
December 9, 2005... Byline: CSBJ Staff Report Insight Analytical Labs has received ISO 9001:2000 certification, which allows IAL to work with customers in the automotive and aerospace industries.The company specializes in failure analysis of electronic...

Pikes Peak Community Foundation launches Donor Central.
December 9, 2005... Byline: CSBJ Staff Report The Pikes Peak Community Foundation is offering a new Web-based tool for charitable giving.Donor Central allows users to receive one statement for year-end tax purposes and to view their history of gifts to their...

SBA hurricane loans reach $1 billion.
December 9, 2005... Byline: CSBJ Staff Report A billion dollars in U.S. Small Business Administration disaster assistance loans have been approved for more than 14,200 residents and business owners in the Gulf Coast region to repair or rebuild properties...

Rising energy prices don't dampen business owners' optimism about the future.
December 9, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer Rising energy prices may be the biggest threat to small business market conditions, but that hasn't appeared to dampen business owners' optimism about the future.Owners have continued to invest in their businesses with...

Australians establishing companies in United States; some are eyeing Colorado Springs.
December 9, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman President Bush signed the Australian Free Trade Agreement in January. Since then, the Aussies have concentrated their American business efforts in cities like Los Angeles, Miami and Boston. Today, they are eyeing...

Prices in western United States increased during last 12 months, says U.S. Consumer Price Index.
December 9, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer Prices in the western United States increased during the last 12 months for everything from energy and housing to food and health care, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Consumer Price Index.Not surprisingly,...

Colorado Springs firm aids in La. reconstruction.
December 9, 2005... Byline: Becky Hurley Upon arriving at the Louisiana National Guard's Jackson Barracks in New Orleans in October, members of the Nakata Planning Group were struck by the mingling odor of mold, chemicals and decay. Even more dramatic were...

Concept Restaurants owners purchase Carlton Building in Colorado Springs.
December 9, 2005... Byline: Becky Hurley David Lux and Luke Travins, partners in DTLux-Carlton LLC, have purchased the Carlton Building at 13 S. Tejon St. for $2.79 million.The sale represents the first downtown building purchase for Travins and the second...

Interview with director of Agilent Global Financial Services in Colorado Springs.
December 9, 2005... Byline: CSBJ Staff Report In a growing age of globalism, it's becoming more common for corporations down the street from your house to oversee operations around the planet.Jerry Schaefer works for one of those corporations, Agilent...

Colorado Springs Financial Briefs: December 9, 2005.
December 9, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer Retirement planning information just established a new address on the information superhighway.As an alternative to the typical wealth building or retirement planning seminar during a dinner hosted at a local hotel,...

Colorado Springs Medical Briefs: December 9, 2005.
December 9, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman Dr. James Simerville is a board certified occupational medicine physician and pediatrician who retired in 2000 as the southern Colorado medical director for PacifiCare/Secure Horizons. Practice Net Solutions has...

Colorado Springs Real Estate Briefs: December 9, 2005.
December 9, 2005... Byline: Becky Hurley Interested in a prime piece of historic Colorado Springs real estate? Ted Link of Cascade Commercial Real Estate said the Old Alamo Hotel Building, home to tenants like MacKenzie's Chop House, several law firms and...

Colorado Springs Retail Briefs: December 9, 2005.
December 9, 2005... Byline: Amy Gillentine Jean-Marie Designs now has three times more space the floral company moved to a new location at 25 E. Cheyenne Road. "We were downtown for 18 years," owner Jean-Marie Handal said. "We were in a small space, an...

Skiers return en masse to Colo. snow slopes.
December 9, 2005... Byline: Amy Gillentine The slopes will be crowded this season at least at Colorado's destination ski resorts, where advance reservations have increased each month since August. According to the Mountain Travel Research Program, a resource...

Colorado Springs malls report dramatic increase in sales over Thanksgiving weekend.
December 9, 2005... Byline: Amy Gillentine While department stores and malls across the nation reported dismal holiday sales over the Thanksgiving weekend, local malls say their sales increased dramatically over their projected goals. At The Citadel Mall in...

2006 legislation takes aim at Colorado's health care issues.
December 9, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman Legislative members of the Colorado Health Care Task Force and the Interim Committee on Health Insurance met over the summer to exchange ideas and determine ways to ease the pain of increasing health care woes and...

Colorado Springs Business Briefs: December 9, 2005.
December 9, 2005... Byline: CSBJ Staff Report Library offering business, investment, legal programsThe Pikes Peak Library district is offering the following programs in December:*Investment Tools at Your Library: Learn how to research company information and...

Commentary: A young professional who made a difference.
December 9, 2005... Byline: Jon Severson While we often here the stories about why many of Colorado Springs' future leaders find themselves leading the exodus (hey that's a book in the Bible, isn't it?)to Denver, the unsung story of those who stay is often...

Altrusa International sponsors Luminating for Literacy auction at Colorado Springs hotel.
December 9, 2005... Byline: CSBJ Staff Report Crowds descended on the Antlers Hilton Hotel in downtown Colorado Springs on Dec. 2 to show their support for literacy by attending a dual live and silent auction event.Altrusa International sponsored the...

Commentary: Ikea comes to Denver, so I'm going shopping.
December 9, 2005... Byline: Lon Matejczyk The Denver Business Journal reports that Ikea, the store with the bright blue and yellow facade, has been talking to Lone Tree officials, and also is looking at other areas in metro Denver, including the Park Meadows...

Commentary: Spending in Colorado nearing a crossroads.
December 9, 2005... Byline: Mark Hillman With Referendum C now on the books, the Legislature has five years to budget without the fiscal guardrails that the Taxpayers Bill of Rights provided. Lawmakers now stand at a critical crossroads. One direction leads...

Economists say America's middle class slipping away.
December 16, 2005... Byline: Amy Gillentine The message from economic experts and business owners is clear: change business practices or be affected by the loss of middle-class incomes. Skyrocketing health care costs and disappearing jobs are contributing to...

Holiday dollars going to the dogs, cats, fish.
December 16, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman Americans will spend $2.6 billion this Christmas on their pets, averaging $17 per mammal, bird and reptile, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association. Fifty-five percent of dog lovers will...

Year-end bonus becoming a ghost of Christmas past.
December 16, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer As the Christmas holiday and the year's end roll closer, employees probably shouldn't expect a big bonus check, a frozen turkey or even a plump ham from their employers this year.And what about a bump in pay in 2006?...

Builders betting on spec office space.
December 16, 2005... Byline: Becky Hurley After more than four years of few new construction projects in the commercial office sector, developers and brokers are starting to break ground on a number of spec facilities.The general attitude among some of the...

National Association for Blind Merchants offers networking opportunities to blind business people.
December 16, 2005... Byline: Amy Gillentine After graduating from college, Kevan Worley found doors shut in his face time after time. As a blind man, he had trouble finding a job. Then, he found a solution."I heard about the Randolph Sheppard Act," he said....

Bart Givens and the Pikes Peak Community Action Agency helping to work a 'miracle' this holiday.
December 16, 2005... Byline: Staff Report Higher energy prices are just one of the factors likely to make this year's Christmas spending a little tighter for the average El Paso County resident.For the county's low-income families, it'll be tighter still....

Colorado Springs Financial Briefs: December 16, 2005.
December 16, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer Accountants at Biggs Kofford did a double take last week when they saw that tax planning information on the Colorado Department of Revenue Web site had changed.Relying on information they had initially received from the...

Colorado Springs Medical Briefs: December 16, 2005.
December 16, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman The National Research Corp., which measures health care performances, has named Memorial Hospital a Consumer Choice Award winner for the second consecutive year. The NRC selects hospitals that have high consumer...

Colorado Springs Real Estate Briefs: December 16, 2005.
December 16, 2005... Byline: Becky Hurley Brokers at area real estate companies expect a holiday slowdown in home sales. But closings should pick up again next year, say the mortgage experts, who are predicting that 2006 may bring a slight dip in sales, but...

Colorado Springs Retail Briefs: December 16, 2005.
December 16, 2005... Byline: Amy Gillentine Rock Bottom Restaurants Inc., the company that owns Old Chicago, opened its first Rock Bottom restaurant and brewery in Colorado Springs this week. Located at Powers and South Carefree in the Main Street shopping...

Colorado Springs Economic Briefs: December 16, 2005.
December 16, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade awarded training grants up to $800 per employee to two Colorado Springs companies: the Harloff Co. Inc., a supplier of fabricated steel and...

Effects of tort reform continue to be unclear.
December 16, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer Colorado has been recognized as a leader in tort reform legislation, but analysts say preserving that status demands vigilance.Even under a watchful eye, some say that status is already slipping. Others argue that...

17th Annual Awards for Excellence held at the Colorado Springs World Arena.
December 16, 2005... Byline: Diane Wengler Nearly 1,000 civic, community and nonprofit leaders gathered at the Colorado Springs World Arena for the 17th Annual Awards for Excellence hosted by El Pomar Foundation Chairman and CEO William J. Hybl. The Assistance...

Commentary: Think safety, security when cybershopping.
December 16, 2005... Byline: Mike Boyd If you're one of those people who dread battling the holiday crowds at the mall, you've probably considered doing at least some of your seasonal shopping online.And while pointing and clicking your way to the bottom of...

Commentary: My favorite electronics store: CompBestMax.
December 16, 2005... Byline: Lon Matejczyk One business segment I am not buying any stock in is the packed arena of electronics. I am talking about Comp USA, Best Buy, Ultimate Electronics, Office Max, Wal-Mart, Staples and Circuit City. No niche business here...

SBA increases small business size standards.
December 16, 2005... Byline: Colorado Springs Business Journal Staff The U.S. Small Business Administration has increased its small business size standards to account for inflation, restoring small business eligibility to those firms that may have lost their...

Colorado Springs showcased at National League of Cities.
December 16, 2005... Byline: Colorado Springs Business Journal Staff Colorado Springs has been awarded the James C. Howland Gold Award from the National League of Cities.The award is given to communities that have preserved and/or enriched a high quality of...

Magazine cites U of Colorado at Colorado Springs for Hispanic education.
December 16, 2005... Byline: Colorado Springs Business Journal Staff The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs is one of the nation's top universities in the education of people of Hispanic descent, according to the editors of Hispanic Outlook in Higher...

Pease Consulting Group earns Microsoft certification.
December 16, 2005... Byline: Colorado Springs Business Journal Staff Pease Consulting Group has earned the designation of Microsoft Certified Partner for Small Business Financials.To receive the certification, a company must pass a test designed for the...

SBA, Operation Hope helping Gulf Coast businesses.
December 16, 2005... Byline: Colorado Springs Business Journal Staff In an effort to provide financial counseling and assistance to small and minority businesses affected by the hurricanes that ravaged the Gulf Coast, the U.S. Small Business Administration and...

Experience Colorado Springs presents awards.
December 16, 2005... Byline: Colorado Springs Business Journal Staff Experience Colorado Springs at Pikes Peak, formerly the Colorado Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau, has selected its 2005 Tourism Industry Employee of the Year award winners.Scott Marble...

Retailers not seeing boost in Internet sales.
December 23, 2005... Byline: Amy Gillentine From books to electronics, Santa's sack will be filled with goodies this year, but only a small percentage will be purchased via the Internet. According to a Deloitte & Touche study, the appeal of the Internet is...

Sierra Commercial Real Estate developing underserved retail market in Monument.
December 23, 2005... Byline: Amy Gillentine Sierra Commercial Real Estate is tapping into an underserved retail market in Monument and creating one of the largest retail developments in El Paso County.Located just off Jackson Creek Parkway, between Highway 105...

Public relations makes its fortune from other's problems.
December 23, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman Corporate scandals and today's highly competitive business environment are spurring a demand for public relations professionals, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Disaster mitigation is another boon to an...

Colorado Springs-based Sunbelt Business Advisors seals business-to-business transactions.
December 23, 2005... Byline: Colorado Springs Staff Report Years of managing millions of dollars in corporate America left Barb Horst looking for a new challenge. Horst wanted to start or purchase her own business, and what she found helped her fulfill her...

Colorado Springs Financial Briefs: December 23, 2005.
December 23, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer With business loans of about $200 million and a single downtown location, First Community Bank is poised to extend its lending reach with a second location in 2006.The bank received approval this month to open a branch...

Colorado Springs Medical Briefs: December 23, 2005.
December 23, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman The American Society for Bariatric Surgery has recognized the Penrose-St. Francis Center for Bariatric Surgery as a surgery center of excellence. The ASBS designation is awarded to surgical programs that have...

Colorado Springs Real Estate Briefs: December 23, 2005.
December 23, 2005... Byline: Becky Hurley Last week's presentation by Sierra Commercial Real Estate about the commercial real estate market was crisp, informative and packed with statistical analyses. Steve Bach covered emerging niches within the industrial...

Colorado Springs Retail Briefs: December 23, 2005.
December 23, 2005... Byline: Amy Gillentine Last minute shoppers do not have to despair. Several Internet sites are still offering shipping sometimes at no additional charge for gifts purchased as late as 4 p.m. Dec. 23.Luxury stores, such as Brookstone,...

Emergency Management Solutions opens office in Colorado Springs.
December 23, 2005... Byline: Colorado Springs Staff Report Emergency Management Solutions opens officeEmergency Management Solutions LLC has opened an office in Colorado Springs.The company provides emergency management and homeland security solutions for...

Retirement ceremony held in Colorado Springs for U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Robert Orwig Jr.
December 23, 2005... Byline: Lon Matejczyk My co-commander at Peterson Air Force base had his retirement ceremony last week. Lt. Col. Robert Orwig Jr. spent 22 years serving our country in the Air Force.Bob's first assignment was deputy missile combat crew...

Commentary: I'm probably going to be let down on Xmas.
December 23, 2005... Byline: Mike Boyd All I want for Christmas is public relations professionals who "get it."I've devoted several columns this year to offering my cousins in the PR field a bit of friendly advice. I've also received my share of e-mails from...

Colorado Springs to house new Air Services Museum.
December 23, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer Colorado Springs and the aviation industry share a history as deep and rich as the blue sky itself.From the establishment of the U.S. Air Force Academy in the 1950s and the boom in aviation businesses it brought to the...

2005: Health care sees rising costs, uninsured.
December 30, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman Health care remained a hot topic of discussion in 2005 both nationally and locally as costs continued to rise and the number of uninsured in America soared to 48 million. Fifty percent of all bankruptcy filings...

2005: New names, locations in banking.
December 30, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer 2005 was a year of re-branding and expanding for Colorado Springs banks. Growing competition for an influx of residents drove the opening of new branches, and attempts to become more consumer friendly drove...

2005: Tech advances statewide.
December 30, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman Colorado Springs continues to acknowledge its high-tech history and establish itself nationwide as a high-tech hub through many diverse companies that started right here. The Springs manufacturing community rallied...

2005: Gas prices take toll on tourism.
December 30, 2005... Byline: Amy Gillentine High gas prices and unemployment kept travelers at home during the summer tourism season, but the city is now armed with new traveler research and additional tax money for local attractions. Colorado Springs...