Business First of Buffalo articles from November 1997

Business First of Buffalo archives from November 1997

Growth spurt: Buffalo banks reach out. (First Empire State Corp.; Marine Midland Bank)
November 3, 1997... Buffalo is becoming upstate New York's preeminent consumer banking center. The headquarters city for First Empire State Corp. and Marine Midland Bank is regaining some of the luster that faded in the 1990 and 1991 failures Of nationally-ranked...

WNY colleges compete for new students. (Western New York colleges and universities)
November 3, 1997... He'll pay $12,390 for his senior year but Niagara University Student Government President Scott Montante says it's worth it. A Division I hockey program, upgraded computer facilities, smaller class sizes and strong programs in social work,...

Niagara County business groups combine offices. (Niagara Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, Niagara Business Alliance, Chamber of Commerce of the Tonawandas and Eastern Niagara Chamber of Commerce)
November 3, 1997... Four Niagara County business groups, including three chambers of commerce, are close to combining their back office operations. But merging the organizations is not part of the tentative agreement, sources said. The Niagara Falls Area...

Marketing plan takes wing as air traffic dips. (Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority)
November 3, 1997... Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority planners hope a new terminal and a comprehensive marketing plan will reverse a decline in air passenger traffic in and out of the new Buffalo Niagara International Airport. The NFTA continues efforts...

When summer turns to fall stocks go south. (Dow Jones Industrial Average)
November 3, 1997... Falling markets seem to be as traditional in autumn as falling leaves. Just what is it about October? The 20th century's three most notorious sell-offs came in the 10th month of the year: * Oct. 29, 1929, which eventually led to the...

Uniland unveils plans for airport-area development. (Uniland Development Co.)
November 3, 1997... Plans for a major development near the new Buffalo Niagara International Airport terminal have been unveiled. Uniland Development Co. has acquired six buildings and 54 acres of land from area developers Fred and Salvatore Calandra just off of...

Lockport Savings stock likely to sell out, analyst says. (Lockport Savings Bank)
November 3, 1997... Lockport Savings Bank is still weeks away from establishing the price for its initial stock offering. But if the IPO follows the usual pattern, the stock will be $10 a share and the bank will have no trouble selling it out, an analyst said....

Arnold Palmer adds Fox Valley, Tan Tara to holdings. (Arnold Palmer Golf Management Co.)
November 3, 1997... A golfing giant who has helped popularize the game worldwide is expanding his imprint in Western New York. Arnold Palmer Golf Management LLC, owner of Brierwood Country Club in Hamburg, is completing a deal to purchase Tan Tara Country Club in...

Health system appoints 8 in preparation for merger. (CGF Health System)
November 3, 1997... A second round of appointments to administrative positions has been made in the CGF Health System. The eight vice presidents were announced Oct. 28 as part of an evolving administrative team that will run Buffalo General Health System,...

Lackawanna seeing green in resurrected brownfield. (Lackawanna, New York; plans for industrial park)
November 3, 1997... Lackawanna officials have visions of a light industrial park at a cleaned-up hazardous waste site in the city. The state Department of Environmental Conservation has completed a $700,000 cleanup project at the Lehigh Industrial Park, the site...

WNY supply consortium targets industrial market. (Western New York local industrial supply firms)
November 3, 1997... Local industrial supply firms that joined forces two years ago for cooperative marketing have formalized the effort with the publication of a comprehensive brochure. Upstate Supply Associates (USA), comprised of 13 companies, including eight...

Powertrain restructuring will have little local impact. (General Motors Corp.'s global powertrain organization)
November 3, 1997... General Motors Corp.'s formation of a global GM powertrain organization will have no immediate effect on the Powertrain engine plant in the Town of Tonawanda, a company spokesman said. "These are only the first steps and they involve...

Carrying a load over the road; Crossroads Logistics books freight across the Northeast. (Crossroads Logistics Inc.)(Business First: Small Business Handbook)(Company Profile)
November 3, 1997... Crossroads Logistics Inc. 225 Akron Road Akron, NY 14001 542-3647 Fax: 542-3651 What's going on: In a way, Al Arnold is a travel agent. He doesn't book trips to Europe, though. What Arnold books is heavy machinery for over-the-road truck...

On the rocky road to ruin? Critics charge that New York's roads need to be fixed better and faster.(Special Report: Economic & Industrial Development)
November 3, 1997... You quickly munch your breakfast, grab your coat and head out the door. Into your car and down the road, onto the expressway and... traffic. Things are at a complete stop. Or you pull away from a fast-food drive-thru window with a cup of...

Shrinking paychecks. (Buffalo's employment status)
November 17, 1997... Job drain plagues WNY work force Changes in the national economy during the 1990s have not been kind to Western New York, according to a new Business First computer analysis of area payroll statistics. The study shows that the evolution from...

Bridge debate spans chasm of ideologies. (twinning of the Peace Bridge, Buffalo, New York)
November 17, 1997... Landmark vs. primary economic development tool. That is the essence of the dueling Peace Bridge proposals once all of the arguments, opinions and discussions have been stripped away. The private-sector driven SuperSpan Upper Niagara partnership...

Fans not buying Sabres' efforts to fill arena. (National Hockey League ticket policy)
November 17, 1997... No more two-for-one tickets. No more Canadian money at par. The days of discounted tickets to Sabres' games are over for this season. But, like many aspects of the National Hockey League franchise, controversy surrounds the early-season ticket...

Expanding banks eye Albany next? (next target of bank acquisition)
November 17, 1997... With so few upstate bank targets left for the taking, Albany could be the next and last battleground, for acquisition-minded banks such as M&T Bank or Charter One Financial Inc. Recent merger agreements have diminished the pool by 'removing...

Amherst firm sets standard for call service industry. (Amherst Co)
November 17, 1997... An Amherst company is an international leader in implementing quality standards for the call service industry. COPC, Customer Outsourcing Performance Center, in the Walker Business Center on Main Street; is moving forward to implement a...

Lawley expanding service to metropolitan New York. (Lawley Service Inc)
November 17, 1997... Lawley Service Inc. has crossed the state in a move to become a regional insurance broker with operations outside Western New York. The Buffalo-based firm has entered into a strategic alliance with the Richwood Brokerage Corp. of Westchester,...

Union's new health plan creates bargaining option. (LaborHealth plan)
November 17, 1997... Western New York labor unions anticipate having their own brand of health-care insurance ready for enrollees by Jan. 1. The effort, known as LaborHealth, is a collaboration of the 206 unions affiliated with the Central Labor Council of Buffalo...

Partnership forges WNY network to strengthen role of non-profits. (Western New York non-profit organizations)
November 17, 1997... Nonprofit organizations in Western New York have a new resource through which to share ideas and experiences. The Greater Buffalo Partnership has created a Not-for-Profit Council to connect the 1,800 not-for-profit organizations in Erie and...

Preservationists take option on Wright's derby complex. (Frank Lloyd Wright lakefront landmark)
November 17, 1997... A preservation group is about to take control of a Frank Lloyd Wright lakefront landmark. The Graycliff Conservancy Inc. has taken an option on the Graycliff property in Derby. The conservancy has nine months to raise $420,000 to buy the...

It's open season on HMOs as renewal scramble begins. (Health Maintenance Organization's peak season)
November 17, 1997... November is peak season for HMOs scrambling to attract enrollees and build membership in an increasingly competitive Western New York market. The health plans use the annual fall open enrollment period to renew or sign up members for a Jan. 1...

Chase-Pitkin real estate has location in its favor. (Chase-Pitkin Home Centers)
November 17, 1997... The two area Chase-Pitkin Home Centers will close in early January, but don't expect activity around the stores to cease. Real estate insiders' believe the two stores, each with about 100,000 square feet, won't be dark for long. Both fit real...

Freed Maxick makes list of nation's top CPA firms. (Freed Maxick Sachs & Murphy P.C.)
November 17, 1997... Freed Maxick Sachs & Murphy P.C., the largest locally owned accounting firm in Western New York, has been ranked 95th among the top firms in the country. The local firm is a newcomer to the list of 100 compiled by the Public Accounting Report,...

Buffalo packaging manufacturer avoids shutdown, retools plant. (Chesapeake Corp)
November 17, 1997... A Buffalo packaging manufacturer will reduce operations rather than shut down. Chesapeake Corp. had planned to close its Color Box Inc. plant, at 100 Bud Mil Drive, but will maintain operations through the transfer of manufacturing from a...

Laser printer. (Custom Laser Inc)
November 17, 1997... Duo engraves from the garage to a new plant What's going on: Business is expanding for this Town of Lockport Company specializing in custom laser cutting, welding and engraving. The company, which recently moved to a new plant with six laser...

Changing tastes. (John Hurley, VP of development and corporate counsel at Canusius College)
November 17, 1997... People are finding age no barrier to starting new careers When John Hurley announced he would leave his post as partner at the law firm of Phillips Lytle Hitchcock Blaine & Huber to join the staff of Canisius College, the first thing most of...

Trend says face of 'typical' transferee slowly changing. (labor force)
November 17, 1997... Although the profile of the "typical" transferee remains a 35- to 45-year-old married white man with two or more children, the number of women, ethnic minorities, and single parents asked to transfer by their company continues to grow, according...

State is adding an 'L' to the three R's. (improving instructional method)
November 17, 1997... Linda Bastedo stood at the podium, facing her room of fifth-grade students. There were two dozen 10- and 11-year-old students, some dressed in work clothes, others in business suits, one in kiddy knickers and another in a fur coat. Hanging...

Study suggests federal program quickens technology development.
November 17, 1997... The Commerce Department's Advanced Technology Program is having a significant impact in accelerating the pace of technology development, according to a new study of early ATP award winners. Most companies surveyed estimated that participation in...

Call them fun, but phones also make practical gifts. (cellular telephone model)
November 17, 1997... Let me give you an idea of just how small and cool the Q phone is: * It doesn't pop out of your back pocket when you sit down. * If you carry it in a purse or bag, it's actually a little hard to find. * Best of all, people stare with...

Delaware North, Rich lead list. (Business' First's list of top private companies in 1997)(Top Private Companies 1997)
November 24, 1997... Buffalo companies continue to hold four of the top five positions on Business First's list of largest Western New York private companies. But a Warsaw-based bank holding company made one of the biggest leaps in the standings. Financial...

Bills infomercial seeks suite results. (Buffalo Bills)
November 24, 1997... An hour before a national television audience tuned in the Buffalo Bills-Miami Dolphins game Monday, local viewers saw a slick sales pitch on Channel 7 for suites and club seats at Rich Stadium. Like a lot of television programs, the half-hour...

Growth spurt for northern suburbs.
November 24, 1997... The Erie Canal served as Western New York's lifeline in the mid-1800s, floating a steady stream of newcomers and supplies into a sparsely settled region. More than a century has passed. The canal no longer carries much commercial traffic, but...

Office, warehouse expansion continues airport trend.
November 24, 1997... The grand opening of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport continues to serve as the area's hottest development magnet. The latest example comes from Ciminelli Development Co., already the largest private sector property owner around the...

Career training institute manufactures job skills. (The Skills Institute)
November 24, 1997... Sheldon Lewis knew there had to be a better way to support his family. Lewis, 37, left his job working for a security company and Dec. 5 will be among the first 16 graduates of The Skills Institute, a program designed to prepare him for a...

New UB pharmacy program adds sixth year of study. (University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy)(includes related article on the appointment of Wayne Anderson as dean of the UB School of Pharmacy)
November 24, 1997... The University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy is establishing a six-year doctorate program to prepare tomorrow's entry-level druggists. The program eventually will replace the school's long-standing five-year baccalaureate program, officials...

Growing firms find home in Lockport industrial park.
November 24, 1997... Commercial buildings are beginning to sprout in the Town of Lockport Industrial Park. A mixture of inexpensive acreage, enhanced marketing and generous tax exemptions have combined in the last year to foster construction of three buildings in...

Senior housing projects attracting attention of IDAs. (industrial development agencies)
November 24, 1997... Area industrial development agencies are seeing the first wave of inducement requests from developers targeting senior citizen-based housing opportunities. The Amherst Industrial Development Agency, at its Nov. 21 meeting, will consider two...

Women business owners push master plan concept.
November 24, 1997... Advocates for women business owners say development of a small business master plan with the federal government is an important step toward growing women's businesses. This recommendation was part of a report by The National Women's Business...

Green thumb: gardening company hits financial and landscaping heights.
November 24, 1997... What's going on: English-style gardens from design to installation to maintenance. That would include flower beds, stone paths, decks and stone patios, fences and raised walls, ponds and water gardens. They'll also do traditional American...

National entrepreneur group recruiting WNY business leaders. (TEC)
November 24, 1997... An international organization to help CEOs problem-solve and foster business growth is recruiting in Buffalo to increase area membership. TEC is looking for CEOs of diverse businesses to join its Emerging Entrepreneurs group. A recruiting...

Cost of shipping by rail remains key issue in talks.
November 24, 1997... The high cost of shipping by rail makes staying competitive in Buffalo difficult for General Mills Operations Inc. "It's the most expensive part of bringing our ingredients here," said Warren Patterson, transportation planner for the company's...

Developing the South towns.(Special Report: Business in the South Towns)
November 24, 1997... Residents, politicians worry about too much building Merchants in the Village of Orchard Park have begun an effort to spruce up storefronts with new facades and a renewed energy. The heart of the village is known as the Four Corners section,...

East Aurora wants to fight development.(Special Report: Business in the South Towns)
November 24, 1997... While many are happy about the commercial development that continues to spread to southern parts of the county, East Aurora residents are doing what they can to stop it before it reaches the village borders. "There are people in our community...

Hamburg restaurant offers customers a taste of travel. (Pasta Pronto)(Special Report: Business in the South Towns)
November 24, 1997... Take Italian food and add some French cooking. Sprinkle 'in some West Coast garnishes and toss it in a wood-burning brick oven. Then serve it up in a New York-style diner. Call it "Pasta Pronto." This 2-year-old restaurant in Hamburg's...

Southern Tier gets close up look at its new TV station.(Special Report: Business in the South Towns)
November 24, 1997... To Alan Hall, the idea is rather simple - where there is no market, create one. And that is what the Time Warner Company is doing through its cable outlet in the Jamestown and Fredonia areas with the start of two nightly local newscasts....

Small business loan program gets boost from Congress.
November 24, 1997... Congress has decided to increase funding for the Small Business Administration's popular 7(a) loan program. The 7(a) program will go up to $12 billion for fiscal 1998, $13 billion for fiscal 1999 and $14.5 billion for fiscal 2000. The House...