Business First of Buffalo articles from December 2000

Business First of Buffalo archives from December 2000

Passion for service.(building strong board of directors for nonprofit organizations)(Column)
December 25, 2000... Nonprofits assemble high-energy boards Jock Mitchell doesn't have time for boring meetings. That goes for nonprofit board meetings especially. Mitchell, a partner at Eric Mower and Associates, has served on numerous boards but only...

Christmas in Buffalo was 'Business first' for Mark Twain.(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... Although Mark Twain lived and worked in Buffalo for 18 months, stretching from 1869 to 1871, he spent only one Christmas here -- 1870. It proved to be a holiday of rare domestic tranquility for Twain. The lovely house at 472 Delaware Ave. was...

Rare Beemer creates Bond with sports car aficionado.(BMWZ-8 car from Bayerische Motoren Werke AG)(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... Pierce Brosnan, as Agent 007 in the movie, "The World is Not Enough," drove a BMWZ-8. But not many other folks will have the same chance. The German maker is producing only 1,600 to 1,700 of the hand-built James Bond cars and only 400...

Christmas spirit lives on.(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... It was the dreary day after Christmas and business was slow at Stephen's Beers-n-Bowl, so he and I keggled a few games while waiting for somebody to wander in off the street to bowl or to quaff a brew or two. Business had been good for...

Allsafe adds equipment for more business.(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... Allsafe Co. Inc., a manufacturer of custom printed cards and badges for the security industry, has invested more than $750,000 in capital expenditures to buy three new machines to expand its plastic card manufacturing business. Allsafe...

Moog wins contract for Army helicopters.(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... Moog Inc. of East Aurora said it has been awarded a contract with a long-term potential value of $27 million from the Army Aviation and Missile Command in Redstone, Ala. The contract is for pitch trim actuators used on Blackhawk...

Development agency boosts loan portfolio.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 25, 2000... New York Business Development Corp. increased its loan portfolio by 16 percent from last year, resulting in its ninth consecutive record year of lending to small businesses in the state. Statewide, the organization approved 232 loans...

Let us know about your building project.(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... If your company is expanding, building or renovating, we want to know about it for our Works in Progress that will run in the Structures special publication, to be published Jan. 29, 2001. For a copy of the Works in Progress form, please...

Iimak gains expansion incentive.(International Imaging Materials Inc. signs contract with Zaepfel Development Co.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 25, 2000... The Amherst Industrial Development Agency approved an incentive package for the latest expansion by International Imaging Materials Inc. Iimak, the producer of thermal transfer ribbons, has signed with Zaepfel Development Co. to have the...

Concert series packs punch for bars, restaurants.(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... Buffalo Place Inc. officials have found out what downtown bar and restaurant owners have been saying for years: The "Thursday at the Square" concert series is sweet music for cash registers. An economic impact analysis of the 15-week...

Former WNY residents targeted by Web site.(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... A Web site aimed at bringing people back to Buffalo will get a boost from Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. The utility's community development department will help generate awareness and objectives of www.comebacktobuffalo.com, the University...

Kaufman's poised to join Canadian conglomerate.(George Weston Ltd. acquires Kaufman's Bakery Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... Kaufman's Bakery Inc., one of the region's last family-owned commercial bakeries, is being sold to a Canadian conglomerate. Toronto-based George Weston Ltd., whose holdings include Loblaws Cos. and Stroehmann Bakeries, is acquiring...

BNE likes what it sees as WNY's profile rises.(Buffalo Niagara Enterprise, economic development and marketing initiative)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 25, 2000... One year ago, the Buffalo Niagara Enterprise was suffering through initial growing pains. Twelve months later, though, the region has a cohesive economic development and marketing initiative that is making inroads in areas that as late...

Ahold USA promotes Odland.(Stephen Odland, U.S. Food Service Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... For the second time in a year, Stephen Odland has been promoted by Ahold USA. Odland, the former Tops Markets Inc. president and CEO, has been named the point man to oversee the integration of U.S. Food Service Inc. into the Ahold...

Credit union seeks OK to expand membership.(Western Division Credit Union)(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... Western Division Credit Union has applied to the state Banking Department for authorization to open its membership to employees of two more Erie County businesses. The expanding credit union, which is at 6750 Main St., Williamsville,...

Butler's replacement faces critical decisions.(Buffalo Bills fire John Butler)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 25, 2000... Declare it over. Yes, there remain a few traces of the Buffalo Bills golden era lingering at One Bills Drive. A couple of players, notably Henry Jones and Phil Hansen, some training personnel and a few administrative employees. And, most...

An economic development wish list.
December 25, 2000... Happy New Year! To quote the much overplayed John Lennon song, "Merry Xmas (War is Over)," "another year over, a new one just begun." With 2001 upon us, let's consider a few things that could maybe, just maybe, help turn this,...

Fledgling tech firm signs deal with Praxair.(Praxair Corp. awards contract to Inergex Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... New contracts with the state and a Fortune 500 company and an expansion of services are fueling growth at a local technology firm. Sherpa Technology Services Inc., which changes its name this week to Inergex Inc., signed a three-year...

Canada revamps customs policies.(PPG Global Logistics, seminars on Canadian customs regime)(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... A series of trade seminars held across North America during the new year will introduce a new Canadian customs plan to importers and exporters. "We are looking at a new customs regime in Canada that will alter the way goods are released...

Warm spots top list for holiday travelers.(American Automobile Association report)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 25, 2000... Whatever the season, Top 10 lists of Western New Yorkers' favorite big-trip destinations always include Disney World, Florida and Las Vegas. Part of the reason, Carolyn Harding, public affairs manager for Williamsville-based AAA Western...

Minors feel impact of big baseball contracts.(Bisons see increase in operational expenses)(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... Owners, players and agents pass the buck and pass the blame. Follow the never-ending, ever-increasing money trail in big league baseball and see the coconspirators. In Buffalo we can laugh. Again. Thank goodness this city isn't one of...

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE.(various appointments in Buffalo, New York)
December 25, 2000... Beverly Eiler was appointed manager of the Business and International Education program in Niagara University's College of Business Administration. She was an operations technician in the NU admissions office for the previous 10 years. The...

In age of lost innocence Santa is the big loser.
December 25, 2000... I've lost my innocence. We all have, at least those of us who believed that each vote was counted and that every election was scrupulously honest. The last time I felt this way was the day I first heard the news about Santa Claus. What a...

Nonprofits play a vital role.
December 25, 2000... For those on the outside looking in, the nonprofit sector be the most misunderstood component of the Western New York business community. These are agencies and organizations providing a broad range of important -- if not critical --...

Airline merger unlikely to fly.(United Air Lines Inc.'s purchase of US Airways Group Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... In late May, UAL Corp's United Airlines reached an agreement to purchase. US Airways Group Inc. for $4.3 billion in cash, and the assumption of $7.3 billion in debt and lease obligations. The merger awaits regulatory approvals. ...

Welcome to Jobsapalooza!(Buffalo's job market improves)(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... Come to Buffalo, the jobs are great Any discussion about "Buffalo's problems" invariably begins with a litany of stupid decisions (stadium, university, convention center) and then on to the stupid "near misses" build a zoo on toxic land,...

Jobsapalooza!(job fair held in Buffalo, New York)(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... Know what to do with prospective employer There has been much lamenting through out the community in the past decade or two about the "brain drain," particularly about the number of Western New Yorkers who graduate from college and who...

AN EARLY START.(high school students prepare for health careers)(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... High school students find ways to prepare for health careers Amy Gastle hopes to some day become, a pediatrician. During an internship at an area pediatrician's office, the Hamburg High School senior found herself dealing a lot with the...

MAKE A DIFFERENCE.(teenagers taking part in social service)(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... Teens show giving takes many forms For a while there, it seemed-like every day the news would report a story about a youth who was in trouble. Whether it was bringing a gun to school, committing a crime or, in the extreme, the tragedy at...

Williamsville gets $510,000 federal grant.(Williamsville Central School District)(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... The Williamsville Central School District has received a grant from the U.S. Department of Education to fund an assistive technology in schools project slated to begin in January 2001. The grant provides $510,000 during a three-year...

Web site now online that's by and for teens.(OP4.com is service for teens)(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... Whether it's a query about sex, coping with cancer or helping the homeless, teens are surfing for a place in cyberspace where they can share ideas, gather information and express opinions. That's the premise behind OP4.com, a Web site for...

MORTGAGE RATES.
December 25, 2000... [TABLE HAS BEEN CLIPPED]

NEW YORK METROS ECONOMIC RATINGS (DECEMBER).
December 25, 2000... [TABLE HAS BEEN CLIPPED]

MONEY MARKET AND CD RATES-YIELDS.
December 25, 2000... [TABLE HAS BEEN CLIPPED]

WNY's largest employers.
December 25, 2000... [TABLE HAS BEEN CLIPPED]

People Inc.(receives grant from Administration on Aging Family Friends Program)(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... People Inc. received a $40,450 grant from the Administration on Aging Family Friends Program, founded by the National Council on Aging. The funding will be used to provide speech and language assistance to two dozen children, ages two to five...

Saint Gobain Advanced Ceramics.(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... The Saint Gobain Advanced Ceramics, Boron Nitride Facility in Amherst has awarded a $1,000 grant to the Every-woman Opportunity Center Inc. to upgrade technology-related services.

Dr. Donald Hunkins.(received $14,000 software grant)(Brief Article)
December 25, 2000... Dr. Donald Hunkins, professor of computer science at St. Bonaventure University, has received a $14,000 software grant from Discreet, a subsidiary of Autodesk Inc.

Delphi ratchets up pressure.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 18, 2000... Western New York's largest manufacturer is feeling increased pressure as a result of a strategy unveiled Dec. 12 that could include possible plant closings or sales. The plan. was disclosed by J.T. Battenberg III, chairman, president and...

Common ground.(Anthony Masiello and Joel Giambra)
December 18, 2000... Masiello, Giambra share similar agendas A working relationship between Tony Masiello and Joel Giambra forged on Buffalo's West Side and cemented in City Hall is giving local leaders a sense of optimism the region has not seen in several...

Athletes at local colleges beat national grad rate.(scholarships)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 18, 2000... Colleges and universities annually allocate millions of dollars for athletic scholarships. And as interest grows in men's and women's college sports, graduation rates for those student-athletes are coming under increased scrutiny. Across...

Key analyst says investors have reason for optimism.(concerning US economy)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 18, 2000... The economy is slowing but not collapsing and good times for investors will continue in 2001. That, in a nutshell, is the view of Richard Nash, chief market strategist and managing director of Key Bank NA.'s Key Asset Management. ...

Area's oldest law firm changing name Jan. 1.(from Hodgson Russ Andrews Woods and Goodyear to Hodgson Russ LLP)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 18, 2000... Hodgson Russ Andrews Woods and Goodyear LLP will be known simply as Hodgson Russ LLP beginning Jan. 1. The decision to shorten the. name was in part because that's how the firm is popularly known and because it fits in with the strategic...

Child & Family names Main Street clinic.(in honor of Mary Talbert)(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... Child & Family Services has dedicated its Main Street clinic in honor of Mary Talbert, a turn-of-the-century pioneer for the rights of African-Americans and a longtime resident of Buffalo. Clinic provides a range of outpatient counseling...

Corporate Caring and Health Care Heroes.
December 18, 2000... If you've scheduled your event for 2001, Business First would like to publicize it in the annual Corporate Caring Calendar to be published Jan. 22. Business First announces the second annual Health Care Heroes awards. Deadline for...

'Olds' demise ends era for auto dealers.(Oldsmobile is discontinued)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 18, 2000... Tunmore Oldsmobile has sold Oldsmobiles since 1931. Owner Roger Tunmore thought he would be selling them at his Buffalo dealership for many more years. But that changed when out of the blue, Tunmore and other Olds dealers learned Dec. 12...

Blue Christmas awaits liquor stores.(Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve fall on Sundays, lower sales for liquor stores)(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve may be a little less cheery for local liquor stores because both fall on Sunday. For most retailers that isn't a problem, but for the liquor store industry, it is. State blue laws prevent liquor stores...

Kaleida labor contract sets national precedent.(Kaleida Health)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 18, 2000... The labor agreement struck between Kaleida Health and its unions is being recognized as unique in the industry and one likely to be used by other merging health care facilities and their organized work forces. What makes the contract...

Beer lands dot-com on cable show.(KegWorks.com)(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... A Getzville dot-com will get a major boost when it is featured alongside babes and beer on a national cable television show later this month. KegWorks.com, which sells beer related equipment and accessories via its Web site, will be...

Strong ticket sales boost BPO finances.(Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 18, 2000... The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra is seeing black and it has nothing to do with tuxedos and formal bow ties. For the third consecutive year, the orchestra ended its fiscal year with a net operating surplus. At the same time, the BPO...

HSBC Bank said to be considering $164 million upgrade of WNY sites.(bank branches in Western New York may see major improvements)(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... HSBC Bank USA is considering a $164.2 million upgrade at three of its Western New York centers including two in Buffalo. That deal, coupled with an earlier one announced for Amherst, means the bank could potentially be spending- more than...

Andalon.com awarded national designation.(top hundred application service providers as surveyed by Information Resource Group)(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... Andalon.com has been named, among the Top 100 ASPs in the industry by Information Resource Group, a database service for the technology industry. The Amherst application service provider focuses its software offerings in the legal,...

S&P lowers ratings for 2 regional HMOs.(Standard and Poor's Corp. rates Independent Health, Univera Healthcare)(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... Two HMOs serving the Buffalo region have received low ratings for financial strength by Standard & Poor's. The weak ratings for Independent Health and Univera Healthcare reflect financial performance in 1999. Specifically: *...

Adelphia selling Puerto Rico system.(Adelphia Communications Corp.)(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... After more than a year's worth of expansion, Adelphia Communications Corp. is preparing to sell off a small portion of its cable television empire, which serves 5.5 million subscribers. Adelphia CEO Timothy Rigas, addressing cable TV...

Hospitals talk merger in Lake Shore, Gowanda.(Tri-County Memorial Hosptial, Lake Shore Health Care Center)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 18, 2000... Lake Shore Health Care Center and Tri-County Memorial Hospital have come closer to merging their facilities serving Western New York's southern communities. The facilities' boards of directors approved a definitive plan of merger the...

Sportservice cuts vendors at Boston arena.(Sportservice Corp., FleetCenter)(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... A decision by Sportservice Corp. to drop aisle vendors at Boston's FleetCenter will have virtually no impact on its other arena operations, including HSBC Arena. Late last month Sportservice, the stadium and arena concession arm of...

Reservation businesses targeted by state lobby.(New York State Association of Service Stations and Repair Shops)(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... In the wake of the defeat of the $3.8 billion Transportation Bond Act, a statewide association is urging its members to pressure legislators to collect tax revenues from Native American reservations. The New York State Association of...

Gioia elected president of Nichols School board.(Robert Gioia)(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... Robert Gioia, Cliffstar Corp. chairman, has been elected president of the Nichols School Board of Trustees. Gioia succeeds, Jock Mitchell. Gioia has been a Nichols trustee for the past nine years. Besides serving as Cliffstar's...

Kossoff leaves Pyramid to form real estate firm.(Steve Kossoff forms Meridian Commercial Real Estate L.L.C.)(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... In what is becoming a growing trend in commercial real estate circles, another major player has gone off on his own. Steve Kossoff, former director of Industrial Real Estate Services with Pyramid Brokerage Co. of Buffalo Inc., has left...

Ciminelli lands ISO 9002 mark.(Louis P. Ciminelli Construction Cos.)(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... Kudos to the Louis P. Ciminelli Construction Co. Inc. for landing ISO 9002 certification. Ciminelli gained the certification after its performance standards were reviewed by ABS Quality Evaluations Inc. of Houston, Texas. The review was...

Bricks and mortar.(US construction projects statistics)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 18, 2000... If those in the construction industry seem to be a little bit busier than usual these days, it is understandable. According to a recent survey from McGraw-Hill Construction Information Group's Engineering News-Record, worldwide the...

Home on the range.(McKinley High School vocational students build house)(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... The first home constructed by McKinley High School vocational students, under the tutelage of the Construction Industry Education Foundation, M&T Bank and the Construction Exchange of Buffalo and Western New York made its debut last week. ...

Righteous Babe spares Delaware Ave. landmark.(saves and restores historical church)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 18, 2000... After months of discussions, Buffalo officials are ready to move ahead with a deal that will save a Delaware Avenue landmark. The Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency, at its Dec. 14 meeting, is expected to designate Righteous Babe Records, a...

Expectations were too high for stumbling Bills.(Buffalo Bills)(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... With little doubt, Bills' coach Wade Phillips and most of his staff of assistants have not had a good month, let alone a good year. Lucky for Phillips, however, his boss, Ralph Wilson, isn't petulant or irrational, when it comes to...

Auto dealers launch drive to train technicians.(in New York)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 18, 2000... The Niagara Frontier Automobile Dealers Association Inc. is spearheading an initiative with area schools and others aimed at training automotive technicians. The effort seeks to formalize a program which for the most part now is...

NU upgrades network to boost Internet speed.(Niagara University)(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... Niagara University has upgraded its computer network to provide faster Internet service on campus. The university worked with Applied Theory and Verizon to triple the computer network's bandwidth for the. 1,300 computers in the NU...

Bills, Wilson stadium cited as 'fan friendly'.(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... Those marketing maneuvers the Buffalo Bills have mounted to make attending a game at Ralph Wilson Stadium an enjoyable experience have gained notice as the Bills continue to enforce increased stadium security. A national advocacy group...

NFL honors lineman with 'Extra Effort'.(Ted Washington)(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... The NFL has awarded Bills' defensive tackle Ted Washington with its "Extra Effort" honor for November. The award is given to a Player for community work. Washington was cited for his involvement with the Multiple Sclerosis Society, an...

Marathon effort receives state aid.(in Buffalo, New York)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 18, 2000... Assemblyman Robin Schimminger has secured $50,000 in state funding to revive a spring marathon over local streets. The former Buffalo Marathon folded two years ago but organizers, led by coordinator John Beishline, have been working to...

Destroyers do divisional shuffle.(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... When they take to their truncated gridiron next year the Arena Football League Buffalo Destroyers will find themselves in a realigned Eastern Division. The Destroyers join the Toronto Phantoms, New Jersey Red Dogs, New York Dragons and...

Neese leads contenders for top SBA position.(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... Capitol Hill insiders say Terry Neese, public policy adviser and former president of the National Association of Women Business Owners, would likely head the Small Business Administration if Republican George W. Bush becomes president. ...

SBA raises size standards for health care providers.(small business administration)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 18, 2000... An estimated 5,000 health care providers can qualify as "small" for government programs and services after the Small Business Administration increased its size thresholds. Previously, health care businesses with annual revenues of $5...

Small business perks up, but December is cloudy.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 18, 2000... Small business owners were a wee bit more optimistic in November than they were a month earlier, according to a survey conducted by the NFIB Education Foundation. The two-tenths of a point increase in the Small Business Optimism Index,...

Many small corporations don't use AMT exemption.(alternative minimum tax)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 18, 2000... A new study finds that many small businesses could qualify for an exemption from the alternative minimum tax but instead are overpaying their taxes by an average of $11,638. The study by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax...

SBA gets $674M in bids in its third sale of loans.(small business administration)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 18, 2000... The Small Business Administration's third sale of loans from its small business and disaster loan portfolio brought in winning bids totaling $674 million, bringing the total revenue raised by these loan sales to $1.4 billion. The U.S....

UB hosting mock trial competition.(University at Buffalo)(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... A mock trial competition hosted by the University at Buffalo Law School this winter will give participating law students the opportunity to test their mettle as litigators. The event, one of 12 regional contests that are part of the...

Lumsden & McCormick expands Buffalo offices.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 18, 2000... Lumsden & McCormick LLP has completed a remodeling arid expansion project of its Brisbane Building offices. Founded in 1952, Lumsden is one of the largest locally owned certified public accounting, tax and business advisory firms in...

Greater Buffalo savings opens newest branch.
December 18, 2000... Greater Buffalo Savings Bank officially opened its newest branch office at 410 Kenmore Ave., near Englewood Ave., in Buffalo on Dec. 11. The startup bank, which now has three branches, opened in November 1999.

New food partnership serves moveable feast.(Food Arts Concession LLC to provide food stand operations and concessions)(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
December 18, 2000... Two longtime friends and food industry veterans have teamed up to form a new company that has already landed one lucrative contract. Michael Militello, owner of the Bijou Grille, has joined Vincent Carriere, formerly Sport-service Corp.'s...

Literacy Volunteers receives library grant.(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... Literacy Volunteers of America/Buffalo and Erie County Inc. has received a $17,500 award from the East Hill Foundation of Williamsville to refurbish and update its free lending library. The grant will allow the organization to purchase...

Tax cuts and reform on Coalition's agenda.(Americans for Tax Reform)(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... What Mae West said about sex also goes for tax cuts, says Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform. "All tax cuts are good tax cuts," he says, even bad ones. But as the 106th Congress was giving up on a $240 billion tax...

Alfred State offering 4-year technology degree.(Alfred State College of Technology)(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... Alfred State College of Technology will introduce a bachelor's degree in information technology this spring. The four-year bachelor's degree in information technology was recently approved by the State University of New York and the state...

Hays named director of Lewiston association.(Sandra Hays appointed executive director of the Greater Lewiston Business and Professional Association)(Brief Article)
December 18, 2000... Sandra Hays has been appointed executive director of the Greater Lewiston Business and Professional Association effective Jan. 2, 2001. Hays will step down from her post as account supervisor in the public relations department of Eric...

Expanding Remarketing Services plans to create 120 jobs in WNY.(Remarketing Services of America Inc. moving to new headquarters in Amherst, New York)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 18, 2000... Remarketing Services of America Inc., a subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler, will expand its work force 32 percent by creating more than 120 jobs at its Amherst facility in the first quarter of 2001. Company officials said expansion, which will...