Colorado Springs Business Journal (CO) articles from September 2005

Colorado Springs Business Journal (CO) archives from September 2005

TCF Bank's newest Colorado Springs branch offers DVD player for new customers.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer Frank Serna heard on the radio that the first 150 people to open a checking account at TCF Bank's newest Colorado Springs branch would receive a portable DVD player. The lure of free electronics led him straight...

Colorado Springs Financial Briefs: September 2, 2005.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer Commercial banks and savings institutions insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. reported net income of $33.1 billion for the second quarter of 2005 - a total that is only $1.1 billion short of the record high...

Colorado Springs Real Estate Briefs: September 2, 2005.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Becky Hurley What a gripping week it's been. Other issues pale in comparison to the catastrophic news from our neighbors in the Gulf states. The National Association of Realtors says that the Realtor Relief Foundation is...

Flying Horse Ranch sales really flying.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Becky Hurley Classic Cos. is almost two years ahead of lot sale projections at Flying Horse Ranch. Media attention in mid-August focused on the opening of the Tom Weiskopf 18-hole golf course and on construction of a new...

Construction on El Paso County Judicial Building ahead of schedule.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Becky Hurley The new El Paso County Judicial Building is already taking shape - after just nine months of excavation, demolition, pipe-laying and ground-up pre-cast construction. The building's two-story main entrance, adjoined...

Wal-Mart considers building store in Falcon.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer In the latest chapter of the saga to advance its retail kingdom to the far stretches of the earth, Wal-Mart is looking to build in Falcon. The retail giant has considered a move into the fast-growing community for...

Colorado Springs Medical Briefs: September 2, 2005.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman The International Center at the Broadmoor Hotel will host the 16th American Cancer Society Hope Gala "The Cancer Grand Prix" on Oct. 1. Last year the gala raised about $90,000. This year the ACS is expecting...

Commentary: Too much bad news? Here's the 'Happy Talk'.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Mike Boyd Vectra Bank's corporate economist Jeff Thredgold has released his semi-annual update of "Happy Talk." If the name isn't enough, it's basically a listing of what's "good" economically - as opposed to the "bad" news...

Why did all the Professional Bull Riders riders leave Colorado Springs for Pueblo?
September 9, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer Colorado Springs economic development leaders know when to fold 'em. In the case of the Professional Bull Riders, it's the when to hold 'em that becomes a little more problematic. The PBR - and the...

Redesigning Colorado's economy.
September 9, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman Ten years after the U.S. Congress marked the Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Aurora for closure, a 20-year, $4.3 billion redevelopment of the 578-acre site could position Colorado as a major biotechnology hub....

Colorado Springs nonprofits coordinate hurricane relief effort.
September 9, 2005... Byline: Becky Hurley As more than 400 evacuees from Hurricane Katrina's aftermath made their way to Colorado Springs last weekend, local nonprofit officials were already huddling to plan for the health, human services and employment...

Colorado Springs Medical Briefs: September 9, 2005.
September 9, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman The president of Colorado College, former governor of Ohio and former ambassador to India, Dick Celeste, is apparently not afraid of being scrutinized by friends, colleagues and family members or of being the...

Commentary: Lowe's comes out on short end of survey.
September 9, 2005... Byline: Mike Boyd When it comes to shopping for home improvement supplies, Home Depot beats Lowe's in a landslide nationally, at least according to a Zogby Consumer Profile survey. Respondents were asked which home improvement store...

Educational institutions' programs target working adults.
September 9, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman Private universities and colleges are vying for a share of the professional adult student market through focused curricula, online programs and flexible schedules. Many of the adult learning programs were...

Colorado Springs tech firm working on security solutions.
September 9, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman Innerwall Inc. of Colorado Springs is working with the Chesapeake Innovation Center to develop technology applications for homeland security and national defense. Frank Ricotta, a U.S. Air Force Academy...

Colorado Springs Financial Briefs: September 9, 2005.
September 9, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, some financial institutions are stepping up to help victims. Efforts include forgiving late fees on mortgage and car loan payments and creating donation funds. Some banks, like...

Colorado Springs Real Estate Briefs: September 9, 2005.
September 9, 2005... Byline: Becky Hurley Long-term mortgage rates dropped for the third consecutive week, according to surveys done by Freddie Mac and Bankrate.com. Last week's 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.71 percent - down slightly from the...

Pikes Peak Workforce Center seminar focuses on what business needs.
September 9, 2005... Byline: Becky Hurley The Pikes Peak Workforce Center is hosting a Workforce Development Month Symposium from 8:30 a.m. to noon Sept. 13 at 2306 East Pikes Peak. A related communitywide job fair will be held Sept. 28 at the Sheraton...

Commentary: Community 'wealth creation' summit on tap.
September 9, 2005... Byline: Lon Matejczyk Thomas VanBenschoten, who is one of the chairmen of the Economic Development Corp.'s media task force, sent material over the other day that caught my eye. Ed Barlow is coming to town October 12. Who is Ed Barlow?...

Intel to expand manufacturing plant in Colorado Springs.
September 16, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman After a $400 million expansion to its manufacturing plant in 2004, Intel is investing another $190 million this year to upgrade the upgrade. Last year Intel added an 80,000 square-foot module, or clean room,...

Policies for workplace sexual harassment should be in place to prevent costly lawsuits.
September 16, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer Legal experts agree that when it comes to sexual harassment in the workplace, it's important for employers and employees to abide by an established policy. For employers, it could be the difference between...

Colorado Springs Financial Briefs: September 16, 2005.
September 16, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer Rising consumer debt, housing prices, interest rates and oil prices all add up to one thing for Tucker Hart Adams - recession. Adams, U.S. Bank's chief economist for the Rocky Mountain region, this week released a...

Colorado Springs Real Estate Briefs: September 16, 2005.
September 16, 2005... Byline: Becky Hurley Companies formerly located in New Orleans have been moving to Baton Rouge and surrounding areas that were less affected by the Hurricane Katrina. Inman News reported last week that it's almost impossible to find...

Colorado Springs Technology Briefs: September 16, 2005.
September 16, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman According to the Colorado Office of International Development and International Trade, companies that are involved in biotechnology research and development are eligible to receive a refund of the state sales and...

Colorado Springs Financial Briefs: September 16, 2005.
September 16, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer Destructive effects of Hurricane Katrina could alter the Federal Reserve's recent monetary tightening trend, which could be to the benefit of U.S. small businesses. That's according to Vectra Bank's Corporate...

529 plans make saving for college tuition easier.
September 16, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer Faced with ever-increasing costs for a college education, more and more families are searching for ways to begin saving. Starting a college savings for her daughter is something Sandy Brown wishes she would have...

Venture capital market poised for rebound.
September 16, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer Pikes Peak region entrepreneurs could see a boost in the number of investors looking to lend financial support to business ideas. But how much potential Colorado Springs entrepreneurs have for claiming some of those...

Fort Carson's Mountain Post Historic Center closer to reality.
September 16, 2005... Byline: Lon Matejczyk Last week an important document was signed right here in the CSBJ conference room. The contract turns over responsibility of planning and designing the Mountain Post Historical Center to HB&A, a locally based...

Commentary: Getting a little body work for a good cause.
September 16, 2005... Byline: Mike Boyd The outpouring of donations and aid from the business community to the victims of Hurricane Katrina has been remarkable. Both nationally and locally, it seems that just about everyone is stepping up to the plate to...

Springs crisis looms as charity organizations contribute to hurricane relief.
September 16, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman As contributions pour in to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, nonprofit organizations in Colorado Springs are hoping that there will be enough supplies locally to meet the needs of the city's homeless and...

Denver-based DocuVault protects the paper trail.
September 16, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman Federal legislation mandates that businesses protect consumers against fraud and identity theft by properly storing and destroying client information. The same legislation also could protect businesses against...

Securing a security clearance may not be such a simple a task.
September 16, 2005... Byline: Becky Hurley For most people, the process of applying for and obtaining a Confidential, Secret or Top Secret security clearance is shrouded in mystery. But with the ramp-up by companies providing services to the U.S....

Colorado Medical Briefs: September 16, 2005.
September 16, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman The El Paso County Medical Society reported that 210 patients who took advantage of its prescription drug program - the Physician's RX Care Card - in July saved more than $7,250 on their prescribed drugs. The...

The dome home: energy efficient, disaster resistant.
September 23, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman When Hurricane Katrina whipped through Delisle, Miss., she was a Category 5 storm, hurling debris and trees and creating a 27-foot surge of water. No one in her path was safe - except for a DuPont hurricane crew...

Bankruptcy law encounters perfect storm.
September 23, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer Laws making it tougher to declare bankruptcy are set to go into effect Oct. 17 - just as the number of people who might need the financial lifeline is expected to surge. A troublesome mix of circumstances, including...

Lease-to-own programs a win for all.
September 23, 2005... Byline: Becky Hurley While not all renters are interested in buying a home, for those who are, lease-to-own programs are meeting broad acceptance by multifamily owners and managers across the country. And some of these pre-planned and...

Colorado Springs Financial Briefs: September 23, 2005.
September 23, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer The Independent Community Bankers of America this week asked the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Securities and Exchange Commission for relief from what it called "unnecessary burdens." In a letter,...

Celebrate Technology in Colorado Springs will have 'sunny' theme.
September 23, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman When T.J. Rodgers speaks at the upcoming Celebrate Technology awards dinner, he could address a myriad of subjects, from starting and growing a semiconductor business into a million-dollar company to venture...

Gas prices, unemployment blamed for slump in Colorado Springs summer tourist season.
September 23, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer Reports of a lackluster summer tourist season in Colorado Springs give little indication of how 2005 revenue could look by year's end. High gasoline prices and unemployment are to blame for the mediocre tourist...

In Ellicott, one man's castle is another man's dome.
September 23, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman Charles Brath's Colorado dream home was a concrete structure that would protect him from the prairie winds and anything else kicked up by Mother Nature. His dream became a reality when he discovered the...

Commentary: Tough to feel sorry for some Katrina victims.
September 23, 2005... Byline: Mike Boyd It appears that the adage that no good deed goes unpunished is true. The good deed I'm referring to is the federal government issuing $2,000 debit cards to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The punishment is that...

Pikes Peak Community College facing cuts in state funding.
September 23, 2005... Byline: Becky Hurley As one of the community's largest work force training and education centers, Pikes Peak Community College could lose as much as 68 percent of its state funding if the voters do not approve Referendum C and D in...

Colorado Springs Medical Briefs: September 23, 2005.
September 23, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman The American Heart Association's 2005 Go Red for Women Education Day is Oct. 14 at the Antlers Hilton Hotel. The keynote speaker will be author Eliz Greene, known as the "Red Dress Lady." Green, while...

Colorado Springs Real Estate Briefs: September 23, 2005.
September 23, 2005... Byline: Becky Hurley Just returned from a trip to merry old England and realized that as tough as it is to pay $3 a gallon for gas, facing a $150 to $200 cost to fill up the typical car overseas is much worse. The United Kingdom is...

Colorado Springs men create The Outdoor Bible.
September 23, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer When the heavens open and the floodwaters begin to pour down, it's normally no place for a book of any kind - even the Good Book. Those tissue paper pages just don't shed water very well. Being well aware of...

Customer service guru headlines Southern Colorado BBB event.
September 23, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer Ross Shafer professes to know a thing or two about customer service. He has written a book that compiles 11 years of customer response research and talks about the topic to about 150 business organizations a year....

Colorado small businesses deal with rising cost.
September 23, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer Despite rising costs for Colorado small businesses, many owners are opting not to pass along the increases to customers. Only 17 percent of business owners surveyed in the most recent National Federation of...

What if Pikes Peak turned into a volcano?
September 23, 2005... Byline: Lon Matejczyk New Orleans CityBusiness is a sister publication of the Colorado Springs Business Journal. Its publisher, Mark Singletary, is my group publisher. Mark got out of New Orleans on one of the last flights before...

Commentary: All this Springs business good news ... and some bad.
September 30, 2005... Byline: Lon Matejczyk Juniper Bank announced it is opening a call center creating 450 new jobs in the Springs. Intel's additional few hundred employees for their clean room upgrade are nothing to sneeze at. The Rocky Mountain News...

Charles Schwab Corp. nixing service fees.
September 30, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer In what's being called the final step of a financial turnaround, the Charles Schwab Corp. will eliminate all service fees on individual brokerage accounts starting Oct. 1. It also will eliminate its $3 handling fee...

Colorado Springs Financial Briefs: September 30, 2005.
September 30, 2005... Byline: Rob Larimer FDIC Chairman Donald E. Powell this week expressed concern about the future of the dual U.S. banking system and the future protection of consumers. Powell warned that banking activity conducted through...

Colorado Springs Technology Incubator takes lead.
September 30, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman The Colorado Business Incubator Association has unanimously endorsed the Colorado Springs Technology Incubator as the lead in advancing homeland security technologies in Colorado. This week's endorsement comes...

Getting realistic about REITs.
September 30, 2005... Byline: Becky Hurley Last week's Colorado Springs' Real Estate Update included insight from one of the state's leading money managers. Rick Pederson, principal of Denver-based Foundation Properties, which invests millions of dollars on...

Groups helping to steer Colorado Springs nonprofits.
September 30, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman The El Pomar Nonprofit Resource Center and the Center for Nonprofit Excellence have been steering Colorado Springs philanthropic organizations through high and low tides for years. Although they navigate in...

Colorado Springs Medical Briefs: September 30, 2005.
September 30, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman On Oct. 8, the largest dental group in Colorado is celebrating the opening of its newest location in Colorado - No. 40 - at 6078 Stetson Hills Blvd., near Powers Boulevard. Additionally, the company has brought...

Colorado Springs Real Estate Briefs: September 30, 2005.
September 30, 2005... Byline: Marylou Doehrman More than 80 brokers, bankers and community leaders attended the half-day Colorado Real Estate Update symposium sponsored by M.A. Mortenson and the Burns School of Real Estate and Construction Management at Denver...