Business First of Buffalo articles from April 1996

Business First of Buffalo archives from April 1996

WNY's skilled workers in tug-of-war. (Western New York)
April 8, 1996... A problem that strikes at the heart of small business has hit a number of Western New York's small companies. Some call it "employee poaching" - the practice of larger companies' skimming the cream of their smaller brethrens' skilled...

WKBW, WIVB criticized for 'watch-and-win' tactics. (TV stations WKBW-TV, channel 7 and WIVB-TV, channel 4)
April 8, 1996... The practice of television stations artificially bolstering their ratings during "sweeps" periods has come under fire by an advertising industry group. The American Association of Advertising Agencies, a New York City-based trade group, has...

North Carolina market attracts local contractors. (Charlotte, North Carolina) (includes profiles of two major contractors)
April 8, 1996... The draw of a fast-growing Southern market is prompting two of this area's largest general contractors to open offices in Charlotte, N.C. The Frank L. Ciminelli Construction Co. Inc., the area's largest general contractor, recently opened a...

Aetna acquisition could bring new HMO to region. (Aetna Life and Casualty Co.'s plan of buying U.S. Healthcare)
April 15, 1996... Aetna Life and Casualty Co.'s plan to buy U.S. Healthcare is expected to put a for-profit, publicly traded HMO in Buffalo later rather than sooner. In the meantime, local HMOs are preparing for a competitor with a lot of resources and a...

Atto Technology's growth an emerging success story. (Atto Technology Inc.)
April 15, 1996... This is the story of the tenant who did so well that the landlord asked him to help run the apartment complex. Atto Technology Inc.'s rise from the Western New York Technology Development Center's incubator to having its CEO on the center's...

Probe of furniture maker has links to Kittinger Co. (furniture maker Michael Carlow)
April 15, 1996... The accountant who supervised Michael Carlow's checking accounts at Kittinger Co. is aiding a federal investigation of Carlow's other furniture manufacturing in Connecticut, according to federal officials. The investigation apparently focuses...

Errand services buy time for those with a 90's lifestyle (includes related article)
April 15, 1996... It's not unusual for Bob Conly to find himself at work until 7 p.m. or later. Conly, sales manager at Jim Culligan Auto Place in Williamsville, doesn't mind the hours. But working late makes it difficult to run errands such as picking up dry...

Citicorp expects WNY expansion to add 200 jobs. (Citicorp Services Inc.; Western New York)
April 22, 1996... Citicorp is moving ahead with plans to create more than 200 back-office jobs at its Amherst processing center. Citicorp Services Inc. has asked the Amherst Industrial Development Agency to consider a $2.35 million abatement package. The package...

GM faces questions on Delphi's future. (Delphi Harrison Thermal Systems General Manager Michael Burns)
April 22, 1996... High costs of benefits, production make division a candidate for spinoff Questions about the future of Lockport's Delphi Harrison Thermal Systems arose anew with the recent disclosure that General Motors Corp. is pulling out of five Delphi...

Again, Bon-Ton offering downtown store for court. (Bon-Ton Stores Inc.'s planned donation for Erie County courthouse)
April 22, 1996... The Bon-Ton department store wants to re-donate its vacant downtown Buffalo building to Erie County for courthouse space. Officials from the York, Pa., retailer confirmed that they have offered, for a second time, the former Adam Meldrum &...

Buffalo bids for NCAA hockey finals. (National Collegiate Athletic Association; Buffalo, New York)
April 22, 1996... Buffalo is one of several cities facing off in a bid to land the NCAA hockey "final four." If the bid is successful, the Marine Midland Arena will play host to the weekend-long tournament in either 2000, 2001 or 2002. The NCAA Ice Hockey...

NFTA facing negotiations with drivers, 5 other unions. (Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority)
April 22, 1996... As the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority prepares to negotiate a contract covering its 800 drivers, the authority remains at an impasse with five other bargaining units. Contract talks covering drivers in Amalgamated Transit Union Local...

Onbancorp shareholders seek sale, merger of bank. (Onbancorp Inc.)
April 22, 1996... Onbancorp shareholders are voting before their April 23 annual meeting on a proposal that asks directors to sell or merge the Syracuse-based banking company. The proposal was submitted by a major stockholder who cites First Empire State Corp.,...

3 major ownership groups dominate local radio market. (American Radio Systems, Mercury Radio Communications; River City Broadcasting)
April 22, 1996... The rapidly changing face of local radio ownership never seems to stop. The latest series of ownership roulette has left three groups owning or managing 15 area stations. A similar scenario is being played out in cities across the country...

UCA&L expands in Ohio, Nevada.
April 29, 1996... Fast-growing UCA&L is adding two more operations centers to its vast portfolio. UCA&L, the Buffalo-based computer and high-technology support services company, has cemented deals to build a distribution center outside of Columbus, Ohio, and a...

State's hospitals could be facing new competitors. (New York State)
April 29, 1996... Though Gov. Pataki has proposed creating an open market for hospitals beginning this summer, he has kept the door closed to highly competitive publicly traded facilities. It came as a surprise to many in the industry who thought, in keeping...

Service jobs soar, manufacturing slides. (New York State)
April 29, 1996... If you changed jobs last year, there is a high probability that it was in the service sector. New York's service sector saw a greater increase than the total net gain of jobs in the state last year, a result, some say, of the changing face of...

Transit construction has incentives to finish quicker.
April 29, 1996... As state transportation crews begin widening Transit Road and Millersport Highway outside Lockport, they are breaking ground in more than one way. The contract, a $13.2 million, 7-mile job, is one of the few to combine separate projects into a...