Business First of Buffalo articles from October 1998

Business First of Buffalo archives from October 1998

Tower Group looks at several sites. (office building search of Tower Group International Inc. in Buffalo, New York)
October 5, 1998... Tower Group International Inc., the area's largest customs brokerage firm, is considering a multi-million dollar project that will consolidate all area operations. McGraw-Hill Cos. Inc., Tower's parent company, set an Oct. 2 deadline for...

Kittinger rebuilds custom niche. (Kittinger Furniture Co. in Buffalo, New York)
October 5, 1998... Kevin Barrett could not forget craftsmanship learned during 11 years at Kittinger Furniture Co. So when the company was resurrected from bankruptcy two years ago, he jumped at the chance to return. "I left a supervisor job at another...

Wyoming County's Champion. (grants given by Harold Feinbloom for the displaced workers of Champion Products Inc. and distributed by the Wyoming County Community Action Inc.)
October 5, 1998... Some years ago, Harold Feinbloom twisted his father Abe,s arm to get him to record the story of his life. Not surprisingly, much of the story dealt with Abe's business life at Champion Products Inc., the sportswear manufacturing company he...

Growth of service sector continues WNY job trend. (Western New York)
October 5, 1998... When Charles LaMartina opened Bison Auto Glass Inc., the company had a staff of two and one truck for mobile glass replacement services. Today the company has eight shops in Western New York and 21 people on the payroll. Bison Auto Glass is...

Marine's Pa. acquisition targets Asian-Americans. (expansion of Marine Midland Bank's expansion in Pennsylvania)
October 5, 1998... Marine Midland Bank's last try at expanding into Pennsylvania fell victim in 1989 to the Buffalo bank's need to trim sails and ease away from more than $500 million in debt. But that was then, this is now. And nine years later, Marine is back....

Bills link marketing effort to a better public image. (Buffalo Bills football team)
October 5, 1998... Jeffrey Littmann, treasurer of the Buffalo Bills, says, "Yeah, I think we need to get better." Littman was not referring to the football team's win-loss record. Rather, he was discussing the Bills' marketing efforts. Like the team itself, the...

Building blocks. (architectural legacy of E.B. Green and Frank Lloyd Wright in Western New York)(Special Report: Luxury Living & Residential Real Estate)
October 5, 1998... A primer on why E.B. Green and Frank Lloyd Wright matter to Buffalo Ask the typical lay person about E.B. Green and you're likely to be directed to the restaurant in the downtown Hyatt Regency Hotel. Ask an architect or urban planner and...

Cellars cork up good taste for wines stored in them. (wine storage strategy of Prime Wines Corp. in Western New York)(Special Report: Luxury Living & Residential Real Estate)
October 5, 1998... Walk into almost any house and you'll likely see a few bottles of wine sitting in a rack. But walk into the house of a wine aficionado and you'll likely find a wine cellar. For some, wine cellars are a status symbol, but in practical reality...

Relocation specialist helps people relocating to WNY. (relocation services offered by Virginia Biggie and her firm, Hunt Real Estate Corp., in Western New York)(Special Report: Luxury Living & Residential Real Estate)
October 5, 1998... It figures. One of the area's best salesman wasn't even born. in Western New York. Virginia Biggie, originally from Colorado Springs, Col., sings the praises of Western New York because she loves the area. Biggie is the director of...

Battle over health care costs heats up. (Western New York)
October 12, 1998... One thing has been prominent in the maelstrom of activity in Western New York's health care industry: money. And money will continue to be an issue with insurers, hospitals; doctors and business community as they struggle with the effects of...

New bank prepares stock offering. (Greater Buffalo Savings Bank)
October 12, 1998... Organizers of a new savings bank in Buffalo hope to begin selling stock to the public by January to capitalize the endeavor. Greater Buffalo Savings Bank plans to open with headquarters at 2421 Main St., the current home of Braun Cadillac-Buick...

Ciminelli seeks zoning changes for Centerpointe. (Ciminelli Development Co.; Centerpointe Corporate Park)
October 12, 1998... Ciminelli Development Co. is talking with Amherst officials about rezoning for office use a five-acre parcel of the Centerpointe property originally designated for residential purposes. The rezoning issue will be included on the Amherst Planning...

Buffalo software company sees local, national growth. (Rights Exchange Inc.)
October 12, 1998... The expansion into New York City by an area high-tech solutions firm will mean continued growth in Buffalo. The Rights Exchange Inc., formerly Softbank Net Solutions, has committed to maintaining its corporate headquarters in Western New York...

NYSEG blames high rates on independent producers. (New York State Electric & Gas Corp.)
October 12, 1998... New York State Electric & Gas Corp. is fighting back against independent power producers it claims are causing higher rates for NYSEG customers, specifically targeting a Lockport cogeneration plant. In a series of radio and print ads across...

Fighter jet manufacturer hopes prototypes take off. (Stavatti Corp.)
October 12, 1998... NATO's next line of fighter jets could be manufactured from Niagara County if Stavatti Corp. of Minnesota relocates to the Wheatfield Business Park. The company hopes to be in operation in the former Bell Aerospace Textron plant by January and...

Partner of Olean company hit with class-action suits. (PhyCor Inc.)
October 12, 1998... The physician practice management company PhyCor Inc. of Nashville, Tenn., has been hit with three class-action lawsuits alleging financial fraud and insider trading among its officers and directors. A wholly owned subsidiary of PhyCor, called...

Talking up success: Talking Phone Book celebrates anniversary. (White Directory Publishers Inc.)(Special Report: Commercial Printing)
October 12, 1998... It's a banner year for White Directory Publishers Inc. The family-owned company, most recognized for The Talking Phone Book, is marking its 30th anniversary with a third Publisher of the Year award, a new building, an upgraded computer system,...

Perfectly molded: rubber company stretches for more growth in a new location. (Mold Tech Inc.)
October 12, 1998... Rubber company stretches for more growth in a new location What's going on: H. Wayne Gerhart, Mold Tech Inc. president, breaks into a proud smile when he talks about his alma mater, Purdue University, and his business. Of the two, it's his...

Bell tolls for 716 area code. (to run out of numbers by the year 2000)
October 19, 1998... The 716 area code may run out of numbers by mid-year 2000. Pushing demand for more phone numbers is the proliferation of faxes, computer modems, pagers, cell phones and second lines for homes. "Just go into any school and see the pagers on...

Goodbye Columbus: health center replaces hospital. (CGF Health System to build center at the vacant Columbus Hospital)
October 19, 1998... The CGF Health System has plans to build a $6 million diagnostic and treatment center at the location of the now-vacant Columbus Hospital. Plans are to raze the former hospital at 300 Niagara St. by year-end to make way for the new facility...

Small business scorecard sets succession priorities.
October 19, 1998... Every year family business owners complete succession plans as they follow stale plans created for the generic family business. Sometimes the businesses will fail because they skipped some of the most critical planning steps, said Scott...

Two Niagara hospitals still committed to merger. (Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center and Mount St. Mary's Hospital)
October 19, 1998... The merger of the facilities in the Health System of Niagara is on hold, but not abandoned, while the board of directors reviews the 10-month consolidation process. The second look at the pairing of Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center and...

Xcel uses reverse merger to take company public. (Xcel Communications Corp)
October 19, 1998... An area Internet communications products company has gone a different route in reaching public company status. Xcel Communications Corp., a privately held firm in Buffalo, entered into a reverse merger with San Paolo Explorations Inc., a public...

IDA incentives emerge as key to NationsBanc package. (Amherst Industrial Development Agency; NationsBanc Mortgage Corp)
October 19, 1998... NationsBanc Mortgage Corp. was expected to clear one of its final hurdles as it moves forward with plans for a mortgage servicing center in Amherst. The Amherst Industrial Development Agency, at its Oct. 16 meeting, will review a series of...

Alpha Bytes turns focus to health care. (eye care software development)
October 19, 1998... Tiny Alpha Bytes Inc., ranked 25th on Business First's Public Companies List, is taking aim on the international health care insurance industry. With the anticipated launch of its H-NET product, the 25-employee Niagara Falls vision care...

Brownfield of dreams: although officials say WNY has done a lot to make the environment sparkle, more work needs to be done. (Western New York)(includes related article on the Community Foundation of Greater Buffalo)(Special Report: Energy & the Environment)
October 19, 1998... Although officials say WNY has done a lot to make the environment sparkle, more work needs to be done Each quarter the state Department of Environmental Conservation releases information about inactive hazardous waste sites in and around the...

Hotels may change their ways, but not necessarily the sheets.(Special Report: Energy & the Environment)
October 19, 1998... Hotels across the country are beginning to see green, and it has nothing to do with dollars. An environment-friendly attitude is gripping an industry that many admitted probably wasn't the kindest to Mother Nature in years past. The change...

Beer distributor scores big with stadium deal. (Try-It Distributing)
October 26, 1998... Buffalo Bills fans likely noticed several changes at the Orchard Park stadium. Besides the name change (or lack of name), thirsty fans could buy Labatt beer at concessions stands. Ditto for Budweiser. Try-It Distributing, the No. 1 distributor...

Businesses taxed 2 tiers. (New York state)
October 26, 1998... Brothers Jay and Peter Soemann hate taxes more than most people. As business owners in North Tonawanda, they typically are assessed twice the amount of property tax paid by homeowners. "If they want to maintain the businesses which are in...

Reverse mortgages have arrived in Western New York. (HomeChex)
October 26, 1998... A newly formed Rochester company has started offering reverse mortgages in the Buffalo market. Community Home Equity Conversion Corp., doing business as HomeChex, recently received necessary state approval to begin providing home-equity...

State makes entrepreneur pay for wife's free work. (New York; Leonard Roberto)
October 26, 1998... Almost every entrepreneur has called on a spouse at one time or another to help get some work done, be it answering the phone, filing, typing or making a delivery. More often than not, the spouse doing the work does it as a favor and doesn't...

Flutie Flakes disappear as QB's popularity soars. (Buffalo Bills quarterback Doug Flutie)
October 26, 1998... Amazing what a 1-yard touchdown run can do for the sale of cereal. Observe the bare store shelves allotted for "Flutie Flakes" and you would think someone forecast a blizzard of flakes of another kind, leading shoppers to stock up. Same goes for...

Despite anticipated sell-off Sinclair project on target. (Sinclair Broadcast Group)
October 26, 1998... Sinclair Broadcast Group, parent of seven area electronic media outlets, may be selling off some of its holdings, but officials don't expect to see any of its Western New York properties in the mix. Furthermore, the station sell-off shouldn't...

Traffic, passenger numbers up at new airport terminal. (Buffalo Niagara International Airport)
October 26, 1998... Passengers, revenues and air service have increased at Buffalo Niagara International Airport since a $55 million terminal opened last November. Officials say expanded facilities, more convenient passenger service and cheaper flights - to some...

Golf industry is on course for an exceptional season.
October 26, 1998... Exceptional. That term best describes the area weather and, as far as the majority of those who work in the golf industry are concerned, sums up the season that is coming to a close. For a change, courses opened early and carried on late....

WNY hospital officials promote health-care policy. (Western New York)
October 26, 1998... Do you have a health-care proxy? A group of health officials hope you have taken advantage of a 1991 New York state law and appointed a family member or friend to speak for you if you become incapacitated. Because many people haven't, the...

Business owners hope road paves the way to success. (New York's Niagara Falls Blvd.)
October 26, 1998... My assignment was to determine the impact on businesses of the widening of a two-mile stretch of Niagara Falls Boulevard in North Tonawanda, leading into Wheatfield. I had traveled this stretch many times as a youth; sped my Plymouth Valiant...

Open the work valves. (Flow Safe Inc.)(Small Business Handbook)
October 26, 1998... Father-son team grab opportunity to become manufacturers after successful years in the sales field Who's Who: Warner "Buck" Martin, founder and chairman of the board Kevin Martin, president Michael Cognevich, vice president of...