Dallas Business Journal articles from March 1997

Dallas Business Journal archives from March 1997

Pru preps tower sale. (Prudential Insurance Co. of America)
March 7, 1997... Eighty-Eighty Central will go on block; NationsBank Plaza could be next NORTH DALLAS - One of the most prominent office towers in North Dallas will be marketed for sale this spring, real estate sources said. Eighty-Eighty Central, a 17-story...

Grinding teeth over managed care. (dental managed health care plans)
March 7, 1997... Dentists love the patient flow, but fees can leave a bad taste ADDISON - The growth of dental managed health care plans has some area dentists down in the mouth. Many practitioners fear that the increased influence of these dental plans will...

Manufacturing bigger than you think in Big D. (Dallas, TX)
March 7, 1997... Unfortunately, labor shortage is nothing to sneeze at, either The number of manufacturing jobs in North Texas is on the increase, putting added pressure on an already tight job market. According to a survey by American City Business Journals,...

SEC said to be looking at Belo officers' stock trades. (US Securities and Exchange Commission; A.H. Belo Corp.)
March 7, 1997... DOWNTOWN - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is looking into whether certain officers of A.H. Belo Corp. engaged in illegal insider trading prior to the announcement of Belo's acquisition of Providence Journal Co. Officials with the...

Rising rent lead firms to seek a new kind of space.
March 7, 1997... STEMMONS CORRIDOR - IKON Office Solutions Inc. isn't the first company in the Metroplex to battle high rents by combining its office and backroom operations in converted industrial space. But it is on the leading edge of a trend that real...

Internet access providers finding new ways to grow.
March 7, 1997... FAIR PARK - When OnRamp Technologies started in November 1993, it occupied a 144-square-foot space in the Infomart. Today, the Internet-service provider takes up about 100 times as much space, and is preparing to add another 8,000 square feet....

Here comes Mr. Jordan, with a vision for Dallas. (Darrel Jordan)
March 7, 1997... He says it's the most important economic development project since Dallas got the Texas Centennial Celebration in 1936. He says it can be financed essentially with private funds. He says it will go a long way toward healing our racial problems....

Family ties. (family-owned and operated Transportation Unlimited Inc.)(Growth Strategies)
March 7, 1997... Businesses built by closeness of kin SOUTH DALLAS - When Aubrey and Patrick Hemphill went into business with their cousin Mitchell Ward, it was understood the three would share all their business - and family - decisions. There would never be...

Tech startups need more than good ideas. (technology-related firms)(Technology Quarterly)
March 7, 1997... UPTOWN - About three years ago, J. Murray Smith looked at a Web page and saw the future. At the time, Smith was a software sales consultant, teaching software companies how to sell their own products. Then he attended a seminar on the...

License expected to spark high-tech firm's expansion. (PlasmaQuest Inc.)(Technology Quarterly)
March 7, 1997... RICHARDSON - PlasmaQuest Inc., a semiconductor equipment manufacturer, is planning a major expansion after licensing a new technology used to make hard-disk drives, optical data transmission devices and computer memory chips. The...

AIG picks Pepperland; insurer's 400 workers are Downtown's loss, Walnut Glen's gain. (American International Group Insurance Co.)
March 14, 1997... Downtown - American International Group Insurance Co. will vacate 165,000 square feet of prime central business district office space for new digs in North Dallas. AIG has chosen what's informally known as the "Dr Pepper building" on Walnut...

Hot as a Bristol. (Bristol Hotel Co.)
March 14, 1997... Hotel company hits rhythm of expansion and renovation, will reload with Holiday Inns Addison - "The most difficult growth spurt we ever had was when we went from one hotel to two hotels." That comment is telling only because of its source:...

Alliance development no longer in nowhereville; 1996 was banner year for Perot project, and many more predicted. (Alliance Airport; real estate developer Ross Perot Jr.)
March 14, 1997... Alliance Airport - A crisp Saturday night in December saw the gala Christmas event of the year,drawing a guest list that read like a Who's Who of Metroplex society and business. With a girl's harmony group in the background belting out hits...

Rooster crows over cost controls. (restaurant at 3521 Oak Grove Ave., Dallas, TX)(Growth Strategies)
March 14, 1997... "Anyone who thinks starting up a restaurant here and being successful is easy must be on speed." - Amanda Tracy Uptown - Here one month, gone the next - that scenario describes the Dallas restaurant market better than any other. In an...

Jet maker mulls Metroplex: Dallas, Fort Worth airports among five finalists for Galaxy Aerospace facility. (Galaxy Aerospace Corp.'s search for jet production site)
March 21, 1997... LOVE FIELD - Dallas and Fort Worth are two of five finalists in the competition to attract aircraft manufacturer Galaxy Aerospace Corp. of Princeton, N.J. Galaxy was formed in February as a joint venture between Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd....

Tandy Brands adds fashion names: company's turnaround stems from earlier 'miscalculation.' (Tandy Brands Accessories Inc.)
March 21, 1997... ARLINGTON - Beefing up its collection of well-known brand names with the likes of Greg Norman and Jones New York may help Tandy Brands Accessories Inc. hit $100 million in sales this year for the first time. The company, which manufactures and...

Ocean-theme companies will combine: aquarium operator brings in restaurant firm to add 'underwater' enjoyment. (Tarlton Aquastar L.P. and Planet Ocean L.L.P.)
March 21, 1997... NORTH DALLAS - Riding the wave of popularity bringing success to theme restaurants, two Metroplex companies are merging to create a chain of entertainment complexes with an underwater theme. Mega-aquarium operator Tarlton Aquastar L.P. will...

Judge seals jury's split decision in DSC case: verdict fails to end three-year battle between tech firms. (US Ditrict Judge Joe Kendall's decision in DSC Communications Corp. versus DGI Technologies Inc. case)
March 21, 1997... DOWNTOWN - One side rifled through the other's trash. At another point the police were called in, and the district attorney's office got involved. And despite a recent jury verdict, the 3-year-old court battle still rages between DSC...

Battling for blood business: Red Cross readies for expansion, but merging banks downplay threat. (American Red Cross)
March 21, 1997... FARMERS BRANCH - In an aggressive move underscoring increased competition in the blood bank industry, the American Red Cross is pumping up its local presence with a new collection office and statewide headquarters planned to open by early summer....

Just-in-time's timely for air cargo firm: strong demand spurs growth at company founded by pilot. (Kitty Hawk Inc.)
March 21, 1997... D/FW INTERNATIONAL - In 1976, 29-year-old Tom Christopher was grinding through the sky in his twin-engine Cessna headed from Dallas to Fort Wayne, Ind. He was making the trip as a favor for a friend at Parker Hannifin Corp. who urgently needed...

Architects balk on design competitions: despite growing trend, unpaid 'try-out' work may not produce best designs.
March 21, 1997... DOWNTOWN - Resentment is building in Mark Seiley and other architects over unpaid design competitions. Architects are seeing more and more builders hold such competitions, once confined to high-profile projects like skyscrapers or...

Growing demand prompts bolder moves at Intelect.
March 21, 1997... RICHARDSON - Think what you will about Peter Ianace, but this much is certain: He's not lacking in intestinal fortitude. Ianace is president and chief executive of Richardson-based Intelect Network Technologies, which makes products that help...

Baylor eyes main role in telemedicine: dental school active in growing national trend. (Baylor College of Dentistry)
March 21, 1997... EAST DALLAS - The Baylor College of Dentistry has jumped a high hurdle in its effort to bring specialized dental care to residents of rural areas, without requiring travel by the patient or the dentist. On March 17, the college put theory into...

PCS phone providers ready to battle for cellular clients. (Personal Communications Services versus cellular phones)
March 21, 1997... DOWNTOWN - Personal Communications Services. For many consumers, the term means nothing. But for hundreds of companies, PCS represents a multibillion-dollar market in a new type of wireless phone service. Proponents say PCS phones could...

International traffic to spur D/FW growth. (Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport)(includes related article on D/FW's 1996 passenger volume)
March 21, 1997... D/FW INTERNATIONAL - Passenger traffic at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport will grow as much as 3.5% annually over the next 20 years - with some of that coming from increased international traffic, said Jeffrey Fegan, executive director at...

Bill eases regs on independent workers: proposal could help biz, but cost the Treasury. (Home-Based Business Fairness Act)
March 21, 1997... WASHINGTON - The battle over the definition of independent contractors has resurfaced. And this time, political heavy hitters are involved. The current process used to classify workers, the Internal Revenue Service's 20-factor test, is out of...

Keeping on: College Card marks grad's second try. (The College Card founder and president Mark Herbert)(Growth Strategies)
March 21, 1997... NORTH DALLAS - Not many people have heard of Oil on the Go. Not that they should. In dog years, it didn't even last half a year. About all Oil on the Go was a small Dallas business venture, run by a guy fresh out of college, that went...

Foot doctors vote for union. (Texas Podiatric Medical Association's membership in the First National Guild for Health Care Providers of the Lower Extremity)
March 28, 1997... 82% of Texas podiatrists favor alliance with AFL-CIO employer guild NORTH DALLAS - Texans and labor unions have traditionally mixed like oil and water. But members of the Texas Podiatric Medical Association have crossed that line, voting to...

Plotting 'Platinum Corridor.' (trademark name for the Dallas North Tollway)
March 28, 1997... DALLAS NORTH TOLLWAY - With the Metroplex real estate market experiencing its most robust growth in a decade, every submarket at times may seem like the region's "hottest." But two brokers are so confident that the superlative belongs to the...

Second runway proposed in McKinney plan. (McKinney Municipal Airport in McKinney, Texas)
March 28, 1997... McKINNEY - A proposed long-term plan for McKinney Municipal Airport calls for building a second runway capable of handling big corporate jets and commercial air carriers. While one expert says the idea of commercial air service from McKinney...

Skull project puts Cyberform in new role. (Cyberform International services)
March 28, 1997... RICHARDSON - The end, most likely, was not pretty. He was hiding in the cargo hold of the Belle, a ship stuck on a sandbar in Matagorda Bay, located near the mouth of the Colorado River in the Gulf of Mexico. He couldn't go ashore. A group...

Dallas manufacturer pushes stainless-steel alternative. (Stelax Industries Ltd.'s Nuovinox steel product)
March 28, 1997... NORTH DALLAS - A Dallas entrepreneur hopes his steel mill's new patented steel product will capture a big chunk of the world's $15 billion stainless-steel market. Stelax Industries Ltd. of Dallas is taking a gamble with its patented Nuovinox...

Tech firm buying downtown landmark. (Davis Software Engineering Inc.'s acquisition of the old Hart Furniture building in Dallas, TX)
March 28, 1997... Old Hart Furniture building near Deep Ellum will be new company headquarters DOWNTOWN - Bucking the trend of high-tech companies moving to Richardson or Plano, Davis Software Engineering Inc. has purchased the second-oldest building in...

How gamemaker 7th Level aims to get back on track. (7th Level Inc.)
March 28, 1997... Struggling company nabs turnaround specialist, new pact with Microsoft RICHARDSON - For a company that specializes in games and entertainment, 7th Level Inc. hasn't been having much fun lately. There was the $24.3 million loss in the 1996...

Low-cost haircutting chain aims to clip the competition. (Great Clips Inc.)
March 28, 1997... NORTH DALLAS - In hopes of snipping away at the competition, more than 100 Great Clips Inc. franchises may be taking root in the Metroplex over the next five years. The low-cost hair salon chain opened its first Dallas-area location in early...

Acquisition gives 'breadth' to computer network company. (Olicom's acquisition of CrossComm Corp.)
March 28, 1997... PLANO - On one level, it's about token rings and Asynchronous Transfer Mode and switches and network interface cards. But really, last week's agreement by Olicom (NASDAQ: OLCMF) to purchase CrossComm Corp. (NASDAQ: XCOM) is about competing...

More changes ahead for Orthofix Inc.
March 28, 1997... RICHARDSON - Orthofix Inc. has largely completed a restructuring of its manufacturing operations here, but more changes are ahead for the medical device company. Orthofix now employs about 215 at its headquarters and manufacturing site in...

Internet 'scalpers' battle for domain names.
March 28, 1997... Companies may soon have to spend big bucks to match their trademark names WASHINGTON - The potential for reaching throngs of new customers via the Internet has spawned a new generation of electronic brokers - domain name sellers. Companies...

IRS chasing a 'gold mine' of uncollected U.S. taxes.
March 28, 1997... WASHINGTON - The Internal Revenue Service will be asked to beef up its monitoring system to recover billions of dollars in delinquent taxes from individuals and businesses. The federal agency recovered more than $30 billion in delinquent taxes...

CenterAmerica starts Dallas office. (CenterAmerica Property Trust)
March 28, 1997... NORTHWEST DALLAS - Raymond Poche faces a daunting challenge. His mission: To do for CenterAmerica Property Trust in Dallas what already has been done in Houston. He is taking over management of the real estate investment trust's portfolio of...

Earning trust. (top office property brokers in Dallas, TX)
March 28, 1997... 1 In their quest for bigger market share, commercial real estate brokerages will hire big-name brokers, add high-tech research equipment and even buy out competitors. What they really need to get - but can't go out and buy - are clients. Those...

Leading the teams. (top retail property brokers in Dallas, TX)
March 28, 1997... 1 Herb Weitzman likes to lead by example. And, if his enthusiasm or expertise rub off, those following his lead will be in the real estate game longer than most. Weitzman is president and CEO of his eight-year-old brokerage firm, The Weitzman...

Joining forces. (top industrial property brokers in Dallas, TX)
March 28, 1997... 1 TIE Jack Fraker and Todd Platt are running out of ways to answer the question, "How's business?" Since the brokers teamed up at Cushman & Wakefield of Texas Inc. in 1992, they have sold or leased 45 million square feet of industrial real...

Topping himself. (top leasing agents in Dallas, TX)
March 28, 1997... 1 When John Zogg Jr. emerged as the Number One Metroplex leasing agent in last year's edition of Heavy Hitters, he was coming off a monster year. Zogg negotiated nearly 1 million square feet in office leases in 1995, a feat that required...

Educating buyers. (top real estate investment brokers in Dallas, TX)
March 28, 1997... 1 Even in our hot real estate market, not many brokers can say they moved nearly 2 million square feet of real estate last year in just a handful of deals. But Cushman & Wakefield of Texas Inc.'s Jeffrey Stone, who specializes in investments,...

Top 10 brokers: Metroplex deals only. (top real estate brokers in Dallas, TX)
March 28, 1997... 1 John Zogg Jr. Crescent Real Estate Equities College: University of Texas, University of Dallas Age: 34 Years in real estate: 13 Notable clients or properties: PaineWebber, New York Life, BMC Software, Martin Marietta, Hicks Muse &...