Dallas Business Journal articles from April 2001

Dallas Business Journal archives from April 2001

Race is on for rural projects.
April 6, 2001... Provident, Huffines snare big tracts for housing near tollway extension, U.S. 380 DENTON COUNTY -- Two Dallas-based developers are snapping up several thousand acres in rural eastern Denton County -- enough land to eventually provide the...

CompUSA insurer nixes ex-CEO claim.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... NORTH DALLAS -- An insurer for CompUSA is fighting the computer retailer's attempt to make it liable for $234 million in damages that were awarded by a Dallas jury in February against CompUSA's former CEO. In a lawsuit in federal district...

Investors: D-FW property in 'driver's seat'.
April 6, 2001... GREATER METROPLEX -- Last fall, when Jud Ireland sold his 13-story merchandise mart in downtown Los Angeles for $54 million, the Beverly Hills investor knew what he wanted to do with the proceeds -- buy commercial real estate in Dallas. In...

Chorum and Jasmine slash telecom jobs.
April 6, 2001... RICHARDSON -- Two well-funded startups, Chorum Technologies and Jasmine Networks, have fired several hundred workers at their local operations in yet another sign of the slowing telecom economy. Chorum laid off 250 people, or roughly 31% of...

Plans for call center discarded.(Software Spectrum Inc.)
April 6, 2001... Software Spectrum hopes to sublease space at Richland Pointe NORTH RICHLAND HILLS -- Garland-based Software Spectrum Inc. has scrapped plans for a 600-employee call center in North Richland Hills and is looking for a sublessor. ...

TCU on ESPN.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... FORT WORTH -- Texas Christian University's football and men's basketball broadcasts will move to an ESPN Radio station this fall. The deal calls for all TCU football and men's basketball games to be aired on KESN-FM, which ABC Radio bought...

Joining the crowd.(Jim Lob to join the office group of Grubb & Ellis)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... NORTH DALLAS -- Jim Lob has closed his Dallas real estate company, L&D Realty Partners, to join the office group of Grubb & Ellis Co. as senior vice president. Lob, who has worked for several national real estate firms over the past 17 years,...

Fighting money.(Dallas FightNight 2001 raises more than $1.2 million for Real Estate Council Foundation)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... DOWNTOWN DALLAS -- The event is several weeks away; but Dallas FightNight 2001 has already raised more than $1.2 million for The Real Estate Council Foundation. Over the past seven years, TRECF has provided. millions of dollars in aid to...

New home?(Fox and Hound interested in former theater space in Dallas)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... EAST DALLAS -- Operators of the Granada Movie Grill surprised customers by shuttering the popular Lower Greenville spot last month. Almost immediately, speculation began about a possible new tenant for the theater's space. One name to...

Mastering the class.(Southern Methodist University's School of Engineering to offer master's degree programs)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... UNIVERSITY PARK -- Southern Methodist University's School of Engineering will offer executive master's degree programs in several engineering specialties in August or as soon as enrollment reaches sufficient levels. Classes will meet one...

Correction.(Correction Notice)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... In a March 23-29 Insider, Ted Darby, a former executive vice president of American. Financial Title Co., was incorrectly identified as a former executive vice president of American Title Co. Until it moved to Republic Title last month, American...

Albertson's to anchor reborn Northlake center.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... EAST DALLAS -- An aging shopping center is getting new life with an $8 million renovation that includes the addition of a new grocery store anchor. An Albertson's Inc. grocery is part of a major redevelopment under way at Northlake...

DBJ garners honors in SABEW competition.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... NORTH DALLAS -- The Dallas Business Journal has been recognized in the seventh annual "Best in Business" competition sponsored by the Society of American Business Editors and Writers. The Business Journal received a certificate of merit for...

Arizona doctor to head Baylor heart center.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Hospital is expected to open in spring 2002 DOWNTOWN DALLAS -- Baylor University Medical Center said Michael Taylor, CEO of Tucson Heart Hospital in Tucson, Ariz., has been tapped to lead the yet-to-open $50 million Baylor-Jack and Jane...

Rick Perry.(Boeing executives plan to visit the Metroplex in Dallas)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Last week, Gov. Rick Perry told a group of Dallas-Fort Worth economic development officials that Boeing executives planned to visit the Metroplex April 25-26. But local real estate brokers say the company has already been in town, scouting for...

Water Way Tower.(possible Boeing site in Dallas Fort Worth)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Many brokers are mentioning Las Colinas as a potential landing site for Boeing if the company picks DallasFort Worth. One property that could accommodate the company is the 13-story Water Way Tower. The building is owned by Fidelity...

Five consent in SEC probe of insider trades.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... DOWNTOWN DALLAS -- Five Dallasites have consented to an action alleging they were involved in insider trading of a local energy company's stock just prior to its sale. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed an insider-trading...

Bankers ride out hard times with diversity.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Most shied away from technology startups now mired in trouble GREATER METROPLEX -- The first quarter was challenging for many of the country's large-cap banks, as the industry faced a deteriorating credit environment, a slowing economy and...

Signs point to growth in downtown eateries.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Restaurants could be leading sector for area's resurgence DOWNTOWN DALLAS -- Buoyed by a growing residential population, the pace of restaurant openings in downtown Dallas may be picking up. People who live in other areas, including...

Appetizing address for Metropolitan venue.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... New restaurant's stylish surroundings add up to urban atmosphere DOWNTOWN DALLAS -- Restaurant operator Joe Tillotson and his partners weren't planning to open another restaurant when they toured the historic buildings along Stone Place, a...

Jeweler adds art gallery at new site.(deBoulle Jewelers)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Preston Road construction won't hamper May opening, owner says UNIVERSITY PARK -- A local leader in high-end jewelry, diamond and watch sales is moving into the world of art. Twenty-year-old deBoulle Jewelers is branching out, adding a...

Links to Trinity Railway purpose of new grant.(employment opportunities in Tarrant County, Texas)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... BEDFORD -- Five Northeast Tarrant County cities hope a $1.5 million Access to Jobs grant will help them shuttle workers from the Trinity Railway Express to major employment centers. Grapevine, Bedford, Hurst, North Richland Hills and Haltom...

Trade center phase two gets first tenant.(Frankford Trade Center, Dallas, Texas)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Frankford Trade Center signs up Herman Miller Workplace Resource CARROLLTON -- Herman Miller Workplace Resource has signed on to be the first tenant in Argent Property Co.'s second phase at Frankford Trade Center, a 165-acre development at...

Chiropractor sues TV station over allegations.(Rodney Eugene Polk)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... DOWNTOWN DALLAS -- A Dallas County chiropractor is suing KDFW-TV (Channel 4) and reporter. Becky Oliver over, a clandestine tape he claims prompted the state to revoke his license. Dr. Rodney Eugene Polk has filed suit against the Fox...

Study: Metro may not be overbuilt, after all.(Report by Strategis Group on Dallas telecoms)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... In the world of telecommunications, it's known simply as "metro." That's the section of high-speed networks that moves phone calls and data through large metropolitan areas, connecting the last mile of equipment (where the end users are)...

Getting intellectual.
April 6, 2001... Success North Dallas will host a speech by former U.S. Attorney Paul Coggins on how companies can protect their intellectual property from cyber-criminals. The talk by Coggins, now principal at Fish & Richardson P.C., will take place from...

Networking on Tera firma.
April 6, 2001... The president of data-center operator TeraSpace Networks will speak at a lunch hosted by the Center for Applied Information Technology. James R. Trout will discuss online commerce and the development of communications networks. Fort...

Don't forget.
April 6, 2001... Research for our first-quarter venture-capital survey is under way. If your Metroplex-based company either received or injected private-equity funding between Jan. 1 and March 31, here's your chance to get some recognition. Our information...

And finally.(Vesta Broadband Services)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Vesta Broadband Services is raising $1.2 million in a private placement, according to the newsletter Private Equity Week. When it filed documents disclosing the transaction, the McKinney company had raised $800,000 from eight accredited...

Bradford Cos. names new leasing executive.(Jeff Boykin)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Bradford Cos. has seen its share of executive-level transition over the past several months. Four weeks ago, the company put its former vice president of client services, Catherine Murphy, in charge of leasing its northeast Dallas...

Building costs up.(report by The Turner Corp)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Construction costs for the first quarter of 2001 are expected to be up by more than 5% over figures for the same period in 2000, according to a new report by The Turner Corp., one of the country's largest builders. The Dallas-based company has...

On board.(Robert Chavez to Vintage Realty)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Robert Chavez has joined Vintage Realty in Flower Mound to handle commercial leasing and sales, both locally and in Mexico. Chavez was recently named liaison to Mexico by the commercial investment division of the Texas Association of Realtors....

Motorola.(sublease deal with Binswanger/CBB)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... * Motorola has tapped Binswanger/CBB to sublease 85,000 square feet of its Lewisville office/flex building at 1725 Lakepointe Drive in Waters Ridge business park.

Davidson Conine Realty Advisors Inc.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... * Davidson Conine Realty Advisors Inc. has been awarded the listing to sell Concorde on the Creek, a 75,000-square-foot office building at 6750 Hillcrest Plaza Drive in Dallas. The owner is Charter Concorde Partnership L.P.

MCI WorldCom Network Services Inc.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... * MCI WorldCom Network Services Inc. has purchased 2.7 acres at 907 113th St. in Grand Prairie. John Brewer of the Robert Lynn Co. represented the seller and Bryan Graham of CB Richard Ellis represented the buyer.

Richardson hotel gets new name, face-lift.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... The new name is up on the Radisson hotel in Richardson, although a top-to-bottom renovation continues through the third week in April. The hotel is officially called Radisson Hotel Dallas North at Richardson, to help folks from around the...

Project rewards.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Regency Centers Corp. has a new award to go along with its new corporate name. The company's Trophy Club Plaza in Southlake recently received the superior achievement in design and imaging award from Shopping Center World magazine. O'Brien...

Surveying venture capital.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Research has begun on the Dallas Business Journal's first-quarter venture capital survey. If your Metroplex-based company was involved in a private-equity investment between Jan. 1 and March 31, we want to hear from you. Here's the...

Shopping around.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... * Dallas-based luxury hotel operator Rosewood Hotels & Resorts has shuffled several key executives. Raymond Jacobi has been named chief operating officer for the company. He previously was vice president and managing director of Rosewood's...

Lesson from IRS sting: Don't mess with taxes.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... U.S. Attorney Richard H. Stephens has been cracking down on fraud. Stephens said last week that Robert Elder Dais of Piano, formerly a high-ranking executive for the IRS, pleaded guilty in federal court to obstructing or impeding the...

Elaine Agather.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... * Elaine Agather has been named head of JPMorgan Private Bank for the Southwest United States. She will retain her title of chairman and chief executive of JPMorgan Chase, Dallas Region. The combined Chase Manhattan Corp. and JPMorgan & Co....

Texas 100 Stock Index.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... * The Texas 100 Stock Index fell 8.8%, to 119.7, in February, a month that also brought a 9.2% drop in the S&P 500 and a 3.6% decline in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The Texas index, which tracks the monthly stock prices of Texas 100...

DBJ Venture Capital Survey.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... * First-quarter research for the DBJ Venture Capital Survey is gearing up. The survey measures private-equity capital invested in Metroplex companies as well as money funneled by local firms to outside entities. If a company fits the above...

For-profit hospital acquisitions on rise.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Triad Hospitals' $2.4 billion-and-still-pending acquistion of Quorum Health Group in Brent-wood, Tenn., was the largest hospital acquisition of the year nation wide and is indicative of the rise of for-profit hospital acquisitions, according to...

Cardiology gift.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Philanthropists Boone and Nelda Pickens have contributed $1 million to support cardiology research at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. The gift, given to Southwestern Medical Foundation, establishes the Endowment...

Backing the rules.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Medical trade groups may still squabble about the changes being too burdensome and unaffordable, but nearly 65% of health care managers and professionals support new Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act rules requiring patient...

In agreement.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Irving-based Novation and London-based Nycomed Amersham Imaging have agreed to continue to provide Nycomed's X-ray and MRI products to Novation's clients until March 31, 2005. Novation is the supply company of VHA Inc. and. the University...

Catalina Garcia.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... * Anesthesiologist Catalina Garcia recently joined a group of 39 Hispanic leaders from across the United States at a planning forum for the soon-to-be Paso al Node Immigration History Museum and Research Center in El Paso. Invited by the...

Margie Fulenchek.
April 6, 2001... * Margie Fulenchek has been named Volunteer of the Year by VITAS Healthcare Corp. The Pottsboro resident has worked as a VITAS volunteer since 1988. Fulenchek was honored by the nationally known hospice company at an awards banquet in Miami.

Alcatel cuts 1,100 workers.
April 6, 2001... Alcatel is laying off 590 people in PIano as part of a broader restructuring that will consume 1,100 jobs across the United States. The French telecom-equipment maker, whose U.S. headquarters are in PIano, has .been hit by slowing equipment...

EDS names new executive.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... EDS Corp. has named Albert J. Edmonds president of government accounts for its information-solutions segment. The Plano-based data services giant said Edmonds replaces 30-year EDS employee Bill Dvoranchik, who is retiring. Edmonds currently...

EDS to acquire Systematics AG.
April 6, 2001... EDS will acquire Systematics AG, a 16-year-old German information technology service firm for about $570 million. Under the deal, EDS will pay approximately $430 million and issue $140 million in stock to acquire all outstanding Systematics...

Fleming to open new division.
April 6, 2001... Distribution giant Fleming will open a new division in Fort Wayne, Ind. The division, scheduled to open in July, will service Kmart and Kmart Supercenter stores in the Fort Wayne area, the company said. Fleming signed a 10-year, $4.5 billion...

Aviall wins Honeywell contract.
April 6, 2001... Aviall Inc. has won a 10-year contract to distribute aftermarket parts for the Engine Systems, and Accessories and Environmental Systems products marketed by Honeywell. Under the $300 million agreement, Aviall will distribute...

i2 Technologies cuts work force.
April 6, 2001... Citing a slowing economy, i2 Technologies will reassess it 2001 guidance and lay off as much as 10% of its 6,100 employees, the company said. "Although we continue to see healthy demand for our solutions, some of our customers are delaying...

First Mercantile names directors.
April 6, 2001... First Mercantile Bank announced the members of its board of directors for the Austin region. They are Robert B. Baldwin III, Paul J. Bury III, Fred Empright, Richard S. Hill, D. Kent Lance Jr., Steve Oden, Gary L. Pittman Sr. and Donnie J....

Amresco posts more losses.
April 6, 2001... Amresco Inc. which sold its commercial mortgage banking, asset management and real estate plat-forms in 2000, reported a net loss for the year of $217.9 million, or $22.39 per share. The Dallas-based lender for small-and middle-market business...

WebLink, Metrocall to merge.
April 6, 2001... Wireless data and messaging companies WebLink Wireless and Alexandria, Va.-based Metrocall will file concurrent Chapter 11 bankruptcy propceedings May. 15 as part of a merger plan. The combined entity will carry the name WebLink Wireless and...

Maynard doubles fourth-quarter income.
April 6, 2001... Maynard Oil Co. reported fourth-quarter earnings of $4.4 million, or 90 cents per share, on revenue of $16.1 million. The Dallas-based oil and natural gas company netted more than twice the income reported for the last three months of 1999,...

Carlyle buys Key Plastics.
April 6, 2001... A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge in Michigan approved Carlyle Management Group's purchase of Key Plastics L.L.C., which said it expected to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection by April 30. Key Plastics makes precision plastic components...

TI produces new amplifier chip.
April 6, 2001... Texas Instruments Inc. said it is "raising the bar" in the race to replace conventional stereo systems with digital sound through introduction of a digital amplifier chip it says sports a higher sampling rate and greater power efficiency than...

Pancho's approves merger.
April 6, 2001... Fort Worth-based Pancho's Mexican Buffet Inc. has signed a definitive agreement to merge with Pancho's Restaurants Inc., an affiliate of Austin investor Stephen Oyster. Pancho's Restaurants Inc. acquired the company for about $7 million. The...

Sabre acquires marketing company.
April 6, 2001... Fort Worth-based Sabre Holding Corp. purchased the Sabre Pacific travel distribution business from Travel Industries Automated Systems Pty. Limited, a travel distribution alliance among Quantas, Air New Zealand and Ansett Airlines. Under the...

Tandycrafts enters lenders' pact.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Fort Worth-based Tandycrafts Inc. has entered into an agreement with its lenders allowing the company to maintain its existing credit for a short period. Tandycrafts' current revolving credit expired March 31, but its lenders have agreed to...

Partnership buys Bank One Tower.
April 6, 2001... A group headed by Fort Worth financier Ed Bass has completed its purchase of Fort Worth's Bank One Tower, which it plans to demolish. Fort Worth-based Block 82 Partners L.P., an affiliate of Fine Line Diversified Realty Inc., bought the...

Park Plaza owners plan second tower.(Dallas, Texas)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Woodcrest Plaza 2001, the owner of Park Plaza, a six-story office building off Forest Park Boulevard and Interstate 30, has plans to build an adjacent tower. The new building will be similar in size and appearance to the existing...

FACE TIME.
April 6, 2001... A look at movers and shakers of the Metroplex -- and what makes them tick. Tschetter, 31 is founder and president of The Pour House, a downtown Fort Worth sports grill. Tschetter was elected president of the Fort Worth Restaurant...

Rolling up the competition.(Crossmark Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Crossmark rolled up 55 smaller companies in 5 years, resulting in a bigger market share for the Metroplex business service company PLANO -- With a little creative financing and a lot of merger activity, Crossmark Inc. developed a business...

My BEST business decision.
April 6, 2001... "My best decision was to add a new business service, outplacement services, to our well-established retained executive search practice. The new service, assisting employees who are laid off by one firm to find new positions at other firms,...

Ad-Libs founder gets last laugh.(Phil Larsson)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... DOWNTOWN DALLAS--As his improvisational comedy troupe cracks wise onstage, Phil Larsson is laughing all the way to the bank. The 36-year-old entrepreneur started Ad-Libs, a downtown Dallas comedy club, a little more than 10 years ago and...

EEOC.(Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... * THE EEOC in December issued new enforcement guidance to employers clarifying how the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 applies to workers placed in job assignments made by staffing firms, temp agencies and lease back/contract firms,...

A RECENT SURVEY.(California National Federation of Independent Business )(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... * A RECENT SURVEY of California National Federation of Independent Business members found that 61% support temporary re-regulation of the state's electricity market. A slight majority also favored federal or state limitations on how much an...

THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION.(Hubzone program)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... * THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION has streamlined its electronic application for the Hubzone program. The upgrade features pop-up menus that direct applicants to an online guide and the regulations for the program, which provide contracting...

'The New Venture Adventure'.(By Ueli Looser, Bruno Schlapfer)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... By Ueli Looser, Bruno Schlapfer The go-go days of the dot-coms are, over. As the economy Constricts, so, too, have venture capitalists drawn their purse strings, making a solid business plan critical when trying to attract funding. This...

'New Sales Speak'.(By Terri L. Sjodin)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... By Terri L. Sjodin Identifies the most common mistakes individuals make when giving presentations and explains how to avoid them to create successful presentations. John Wiley & Sons, $18.95

'Spooked: Espionage in Corporate America'.(By Adam L. Penenberg, Marc Barry)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... By Adam L. Penenberg, Marc Barry Real-life narrative accounts of corporate spies scheming to pilfer secrets from companies like General Electric. Imagine your main business competitor building a satellite-equipped war room to secretly...

SAdvancing Women.
April 6, 2001... International business and career community for women in the workplace: news, networking, career strategy, employment recruiting and resume posting. www.advancingwomen.com

Asset Alternatives.
April 6, 2001... Find news and resources covering venture capital and other alternative investments. www.assetnews.com

EntrePlanet.
April 6, 2001... Ten Keys to Success for American Entrepreneurs: A brief overview of 10 factors that can have a major impact on the success of a pre-launch, start-up or growing business. www.entrepress.com

Museum memorables.(Amon Carter Museum)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... When browsing historical collectibles at the Amon Carter Museum, don't forget to peek into the museum's store for a treat. Grab one of Amon Carter's specialty navy blue tote bags, ideal for shopping, commuting, and traveling. The Amon Carter...

Cadillac Escalade: High, wide and spiffy.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Cadillac's long-awaited new Escalade sport-utility vehicle is built at GM's plant in Arlington on the same platform as the GMC Yukon and Chevrolet's Tahoe. The redesigned, 8-passenger 2002 model is somewhat shorter and lower than the...

Dallas decors.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Visit some of Swiss Avenues' most elegant homes during the 28th Annual Mother's Day Tour of Homes. Featured hot spots include homes on La Vista, Bryan Parkway, Gaston and Swiss avenues. Guests can also survey spots like historical Woodrow...

Mother's Day.(Ciao Bella Hair Salons and Day Spa)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Drop mom off at the spa for a day, or go with her. Ciao Bella's "Best Friends" package is perfect for mothers and daughters or for best friends needing a real-world break. The "Best Friends" set is complete with any two treatments--massage,...

Tiff n' sniff.(new scent from Tiffany and Co.)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2001... Tiffany & Co. premiers its limited edition Tiffany Parfum. Encased in a crystal flacon, a rare blend of Damascena Rose, Indian Jasmine, Ylang Ylang and Iris awaits to perforate the air with its seductive scent. Atop Tiffany's ornate crystal...