Baltimore Business Journal articles from June 2001

Baltimore Business Journal archives from June 2001

Costly medicine.(Maryland's hospital payment system)
June 29, 2001... Maryland's hospital system under fire Area hospital executives are acting as if Robert Murray is made of money. Facing another year of dwindling margins and possible cutbacks, hospital leaders are asking Murray, who heads the state...

Liquor dealers to merge.(Churchill Distributors L.L.C., Reliable Liquors Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Md. studies possible antitrust violations The Maryland Attorney General's Office is investigating if the proposed merger of two of the state's largest liquor distributors would violate antitrust laws. State law enforcement officials...

City will investigate Gr8 layoffs.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... The Baltimore City Wage Commission is investigating whether Gr8 LLC violated the law by not paying. its work force for several weeks. "We're trying to determine if 55 employees are owed back wages," said Jim Dietrich, a program compliance...

Aether to cut jobs, costs.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Warning investors that revenue growth will be "flat to modest" for the rest of the year, Aether Systems is enacting a series of cost-cutting measures -- including layoffs -- to save as much as $78 million. Officials provided few details on...

Taylor forms gambling committee.(Maryland House Speaker Casper R Taylor Jr. )(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Maryland House Speaker Casper R Taylor Jr. has appointed a special gambling committee, made up of 16 members of the state's house of delegates. According to a statement released by Taylor's office, the committee "will look at all forms of...

Sylvan Ventures invests $5 million.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Baltimore-based Sylvan Ventures LLC, the venture capital arm of Sylvan Learning Systems Inc., has committed $5 million to Ed Verify Inc. of Florida Sylvan Ventures will invest $2.5 million immediately and has the option to invest the other...

Lexington Street to reopen to cars.(Baltimore Development Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... The Baltimore Development Corp. announced plans to reopen the Lexington Street Mall from Eutaw to liberty Street Jay Brodie, president of the BDC, said the street was closed and used exclusively for pedestrian traffic since the 1970s. The...

BWI generates billions for economy.(Baltimore Washington International Airport)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 29, 2001... The Baltimore Washington International Airport now generates $6.5 billion in annual revenue statewide, according to a recent study of the local and regional impacts of the airport This number is up from $5.3 billion two years ago. The...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
June 29, 2001... In the List of Largest Bioscience Firms in the Baltimore Area, [Vol. 19, June 15-21, Page 19], the patent numbers for BD Diagnostic Systems were incorrect. The company has 362 patents, with 55 more pending.

Church sues developer.(Supreme Highlights Ministry Inc. files breach of contract claim against Equity Building Corporation Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Larry Rulison, Keith T. Reed and James Joyce III contributed to this report. A southwest Baltimore church says a local developer defrauded them in a plan to build a new church on Liberty Road. Supreme Highlights Ministry Inc. of...

Eisner break-in.(Eisner Communications Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Larry Rulison, Keith T. Reed and James Joyce III contributed to this report. Eisner Communications South Exeter Street offices were burglarized June 26, with six laptop computers valued at $10,900 stolen, according to a police report....

Shawe endows chair.(Earle K. Shawe donates to alma mater University of Virginia School of Law)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Larry Rulison, Keith T. Reed and James Joyce III contributed to this report. It's been a long time since Earle K. Shawe graduated from law school -- some 67 years. But he's never forgotten his alma mater. Shawe, a legendary...

Gainers & Losers.
June 29, 2001... Who needs Regis and Tony Soprano? We've got the Goose. [down arrow] Aether Systems Layoffs come to Baltimore County's pride and joy. [up arrow] Lexington Street Downtown's traditional shopping district hasn't seen cars since the...

Slowdown arrives as area office rents drop.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... At 250 W. Pratt St., one of downtown's premier office buildings, rents for some second-floor space have plunged from $29 to $20 per square foot. CB Richard Ellis, a Baltimore commercial real estate firm representing the building's...

Bank claims armored car company took funds.(Carrollton Bank sues Fujitsu Transaction Solutions Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Carrollton Bank says the company in charge of running its automated teller machine network lost nearly half a million dollars the bank wanted deposited into the machines earlier this year. The bank is suing Fujitsu Transaction Solutions...

Gardiner comes to town.(Robert M. Gardiner offers opinion about the dot.com industry)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Robert M. "Stretch" Gardiner, the former chairman and chief executive officer of Dean Witter Financial Services Group, was in town June 25 to talk with Morgan Stanley brokers over crab cakes at L'Hirondelle Club in Ruxton. Gardiner, who...

MACPA honors volunteers.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... The Maryland Association of Certified Public Accountants (www.macpa.org) awarded its best volunteers at its annual New CPA and Volunteer Recognition Dinner last week. Martin I. Yospa, a member of Gorfine, Schiller & Gardyn PA, and Tamara...

Aegon USA Inc.(buys J.C. Penney's Direct Marketing Services unit)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... * Aegon USA Inc. (www.aegon.com) of Baltimore has completed its acquisition of JC. Penney's Direct Marketing Services unit. Aegon USA is a subsidiary of Aegon, NV, a Dutch financial services company. The merger was initially...

Allfirst Financial Inc.(hopes to build a branch in Ashburn, VA)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... * Allfirst Financial Inc. (www.allfirst.com) has filed an application with the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond to build a new branch in Ashburn, Va.

Annapolis Banking and Trust Co.(received satisfactory rating)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... * The Annapolis Banking and Trust Co., a subsidiary of Mercantile Bankshares Corp. (www.mercantile.net), received a "satisfactory" rating on its Community Reinvestment Act exam in April. The results were made public this month. Banks...

State Employees Credit Union of Maryland Inc.(opens branch in Glen Burnie)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... * The State Employees Credit Union of Maryland Inc. (www.secumd.org) opened a new branch in Glen Burnie at Chesapeake Center Court.

Firm makes market in linking biotech to sales.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... A Mount Airy-based marketing firm is positioning itself as the link between development and the pharmacy shelf for bioscience and medical companies. Leaders of Trilogy Connections Inc. (www. trilogyconnection.com) say the 3-year-old...

HMO bleeding.(many of Maryland's HMOs are in financial trouble)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... A June managed care report says that losses for Maryland's health maintenance organizations tripled in one year -- from $2.47 per member per month in 1999 to $7.78 per member per month in 2000. In 1998, the state's HMOs reported profits...

State chooses Fidelity.(Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene signs contract with Fidelity Insurance Co. for uninsured children)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... The state Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has contracted with Hunt Valley-based Fidelity Insurance Co. to administer the expanded Children's Health Program. The program's expanded coverage, which goes into effect July 1 and will...

HealthWare tapped out.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... One of Baltimore's up-and-coming health care companies has run out of cash. An investor in HealthWare Solulion International, a health care software company, defaulted on a loan, leaving the company without enough money to continue...

Ritz-Carlton project delayed until autumn.(hotel and condominiums to be built at the inner harbor)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Legal wrangling over land closing is holding up construction on the Ritz-Carlton Inner Harbor -- both the hotel and the condominiums. Edward V. Giannasca II, president and chief executive officer of L.I. Square Corp., the project...

Ravens on the fly.(Ravens to move their business office into the PSINet Stadium, vacating their current location)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... After more than five years at 200 St. Paul St, the Baltimore Ravens, are moving their offices to PSINet Stadium this fall. The shift will affect about 30 employees -- mostly in the: sales and marketing arena -- who have occupied about...

Old Navy drops anchor.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Old Navy, a division of Gap Inc., plans to open a store in Severna Park in Anne Arundel County. The retailer, which offers casual clothes for men, women and children, recently signed a lease for 23,717 square feet at Severna Park...

Sears, Roebuck & Co.(leases retail space)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... * Sears, Roebuck & Co. leased 26,000 square feet of retail space in the York Place Shopping Center at 1924 York Road, Timonium. Sears will use the space for the sales, servicing and storage of merchandise normally sold or provided in its...

Village at Waugh Chapel.(new preschool and coffee house)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... * Two new tenants are coming to the Village at Waugh Chapel in the Crofton section of Anne Arundel County: the Young School and Caribou Coffee. The Young School, a independent early education program for children, is taking 12,000 square...

Byrnes & Associates Inc.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... * Kemp Byrnes of Byrnes & Associates Inc. was recently elected as president of the Historic Charles Street Association, a business organization formed in 1915. Other newly elected officers include Chris Coleman of Nelson Coleman & Sons...

Sun offers Rascovar buyout.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Barry Rascovar, one of the Baltimore Sun's most widely read and powerful editorial voices, is debating whether to take a contract buyout offer from the paper's parent, The Tribune Co. (www.tribune.com). The paper offered a total of 20...

Public Relations Society of America.(Best in Maryland awards )(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... * The Public Relations Society of America's Maryland chapter doled out honors for the best public relations campaign work in 2000 at its annual Best in Maryland awards June 22. The biggest winner was Weber Shandwick Worldwide, which took...

Downtown Partnership of Baltimore and Baltimore Magazine.(holiday shopping guide)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... * The Downtown Partnership of Baltimore and Blatimore Magazine announced a partnership to publish a 20-page holiday shopping guide to be published later this year. The insert will feature information about shopping and activities downtown...

Arts industry more than enjoyment in Md.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 29, 2001... Maryland sure has some great art. It's not just an opinion -- the numbers show it too. More than 10 million people visit arts events annually in the state, generating $230 million. More than 17,330 jobs are in the arts industry in Maryland. A...

Area Web market holds firm.(Maryland Web design firms)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... The current economy isn't hurting a handful of Baltimore's smaller Web design firms -- especially when compared to some of their bigger competitors that have made staffing cuts or closed up shop for good. In fact, officials with some...

Ciena in Hong Kong.(new regional headquarters)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Linthicum-based Ciena Corp. (www.ciena.com), a developer of fiberoptics technology, opened its Asia Pacific regional headquarters in Hong Kong. The office provides sales, training, testing and support facilities to staff and customers...

After the corporate merger.(Sequoia Software Corp.and Citrix Systems)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Sequoia, Citrix work to bring company cultures together The deal is done, but the work has just started. Executives at Columbia--based Sequoia Software Corp., which was bought earlier this year by Ft. Lauderdale--based Citrix Systems...

Stock Snapshot: Carnegie International Corp.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 29, 2001... OTC: CGYC.OB Carnegie International has had its share of troubles. The telecommunications and Internet holding firm has been sued, has had a merger fall through, and has had its stock thrown off the stock exchange. And, most recently,...

BBJ Tech 25.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... BBJ Tech 25: A glance at Greater Baltimore's leading public technology companies This Last Week's Week's Net Company Name ...

Largest franchisors headquartered in Maryland.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Largest franchisors headquartered in Maryland (Ranked by total number of locations) Name No. franchise units/ Rank Address corporate-owned/ Phone/Fax/Internet...

Improving the bottom line.(advertising agencies and diversity)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Advertisers say attracting a diverse audience is key to agencies' success Debora Beverly believes she's doing a good thing. To Beverly, reaching out to minorities and women through advertising and hiring them in greater numbers is a...

Largest advertising agencies in the Baltimore area.(Ranked by verified 2000 gross profit)(Statistical Data Included)
June 29, 2001... Largest advertising agencies in the Baltimore area (Ranked by verified 2000 gross profit 1) Rank/ Name 2000 gross profit 1/ last Address capitalized billings 2/ year...

Corporate development goes beyond selling.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... How should a company go about 'corporate development? Many think of corporate development the same way they think of sales. Corporate development isn't like selling hamburgers. You don't come. across a sign out in front of a...

Ad firms must do more to promote diversity.(recruiting minorities to meet staffing needs)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... With unemployment at a record low -- and talented people at a premium -- is the advertising industry finally recruiting minorities to meet its staffing needs? Statistics paint a discouraging picture. According to the American Advertising...

Siquis to develop brand for Arlington wireless software firm.(Telispark Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Siquis Ltd., a Baltimore ad agency, recently signed a contract with Telispark Inc., an Arlington, Va., company that makes software applications for wireless devices. Billings from the account were not released. Siquis will be charged...

Crosby to design legal model for DuPont.(DuPont Legal, the corporate legal department of DuPont)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Crosby Marketing Communications in Annapolis has been tapped by DuPont Legal, the corporate legal department of chemical and pharmaceutical giant DuPont, to help the company market its model for handling internal legal matters to other...

Consumers Union taps Web firm for marketing.(WebAdvantage)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... WebAdvantage, an Aberdeen Web design and marketing company, was hired by Consumers Union to handle online marketing duties for Consumers Union's Web site (www.consumerreports.org). Consumers Union publishes Consumer Reports Magazine. ...

People.(management level hirings and promotions of area businesspeople)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... The People section publicizes management level hirings and promotions of area businesspeople. We also publicize elections. to nonprofit and charitable organizations. We do not run professional certifications or designations. Send...

RWD Technologies Inc.(Corporate profile)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 29, 2001... RWD Technologies Inc. 10480 Little Patuxent Parkway / Columbia, MD 21044 /(410) 730-4377/ www.rwd.com Corporate profile Columbia-based RWD Technologies Inc. provides a range of technology solutions for business problems facing...

Taking Stock.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 29, 2001... The BBJ Index [*] of 90 stocks closed at 1240.97 on June 27,2001. Weekly Gainers & Losers Price Corporation 6/27/01 % Change 1. Tessco Technologies Inc....

Small business owner helps HMOs fight reform.(small business owner Wanda Robin in TV ad against Patient's Bill of Rights)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... San Antonio printing company owner Wanda Robin is getting her 30 seconds of fame thanks to the battle over the Patient's Bill of Rights. Rohm stars in a television commercial produced by the American Association of Health Plans...

Bill exempts 'inside sales' from restrictions.(minimum wage and overtime laws)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Rep. Patrick Tiberi, R-Ohio, introduced legislation to exempt "inside sales" employees from minimum wage and overtime laws. The bill applies to employees with specialized, or technical knowledge -- not telemarketers -- who use technology...

Large businesses win many small contracts.(federal contracts)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... More than $1 billion of the $3.4 billion in federal contracts valued under $100,000 were awarded to large businesses or foreign contractors in fiscal 2000, according to an analysis by Eagle Eye Publishers (www.eagleeyeinc.com). Contracts...

Heading in wrong direction.(how for-hire transportation firm Freedom Services got back on track)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)(Interview)
June 29, 2001... For transportation company, finding niche is bumpy ride First rule of business: Find your niche and stick to it Or, if you are Mark Thistel, find your niche and stick to it for a while. Then bag it and find a better niche -- one that...

Shop Talk: How do you build relationships with your clients?(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Allen Hatton Principal, Executive Development Group / Columbia "We build trust, because that's the basis of lasting relationships. To build trust, certain ingredients are necessary: accountability, demonstrated care, truthfulness,...

Strength in adversity.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... My friend Janet is confident and accomplished. She also happens to have been divorced at 25, with two small children. Jim is a colleague who was knocked flat 10 years ago when he lost his job. Today, he has a great job and is an avid net...

Moving toward slots.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Maryland House Speaker Casper R Taylor Jr.'s appointment of a "special committee on gaming" this week is the first step toward slot machines at Maryland horse racing tracks. After more than five years of slot machine gambling in...

Giant's news is good news.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... If you have doubts about Baltimore City's comeback, a story in last week's Business Journal should help put your mind at ease. The article, "Giant hunts for space in city neighborhoods" [Vol. 19, June 22-28, Page 5], details the efforts...

Viagra meets Gilligan and other useless knowledge.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Sometimes I'm frightened by the inane information that is stored in my brain. The other day someone asked me what Celebrex is. I paused only for a second before delivering the news that it's a drug for arthritis. No, I don't have...

Mass. hospitals findings deregulation painful.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Marylanders eager to scrap the state's regulated hospital payment system can look to Massachusetts for what could go wrong in a deregulated market. Since state legislation deregulated Massachusetts' payment system in 1991, its hospital...

From the Editor.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... You've read all about those young upstarts who turned the business world upside down. For a brief stretch, the 20- and 30-somethings ruled Wall Street with their revolutionary ideas and crazy Internet ways. They set out to change the way...

40 Under 40.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Robert A. Altieri CEO, Carrollton Bancorp Age: 39 Five-year career goal: "To have this institution being compared to the upper echelon of these' institutions that are in our peer group." While most banks in Baltimore are...

Venture Corner.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... A weekly look at business funding deals in the Mid-Atlantic region. * In-Q-Tel, the CIA's unclassified venture capital fund, announced a $1.4 million investment in Intelliseek, a Cincinnati company that offers products and services to...

Care in crisis.(community hospitals)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Community hospitals ailing amid cuts A trip to a community hospital isn't what it used to be. A routine visit to the emergency room can take four hours. Nurses, bogged down with perhaps five other patients, may miss a scheduled...

Ex-Amos partners get axed.(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... The new owner of C.W. Amos & Co. -- one of Baltimore's oldest and largest accounting firms -- fired four partners in a major housecleaning that is still rare in the accounting industry. RSM McGladrey Inc. asked the four partners to leave...

Bank sues Gr8 over bad loans.(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... A local bank that was sanctioned by regulators because of alleged risky lending practices has won a judgment against Baltimore-based Gr8 for more than $900,000 in loans it made to the struggling tech company, according to Baltimore City...

Caliber files for Chapter 11.(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Caliber Learning Network filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection from its creditors June 15, as a number of its key board members resigned. Douglas Becker, Chris Hoen-Saric, Robert Burr and Chris Nguyen, the company's former CEO, will all...

Impressions of downtown favorable.(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... The results of a survey released by the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore show that city residents and business owners are comfortable doing business downtown. According to the survey, 77 percent of downtown property owners and tenants have a...

McCormick reports jump in earnings.(financial reporting information)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 22, 2001... Sparks-based McCormick& Co. Inc. reported a 9 percent increase in net earnings for the second quarter. Company officials said the increase was driven by strong sales. The company reported net income of $26.6 million, or 38 cents a share, for...

Jos. A. Bank earnings halved.(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Menswear retailer Jos. A. Bank Clothiers Inc. reported that its earnings declined by more than half in the quarter ended May 5, compared to the same quarter last year. The had earnings of $506,000, or 8 cents per share, during the quarter,...

Mercantile's earnings hurt by rates.(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Mercantile Bankshares Corp., one of the strongest banks in Baltimore and the region, announced that second quarter earnings would be flat due to the reduction in short-term interest rates. The bank said it expects earnings of 62 cents per...

Ad plan still smoky.(Maryland Department of Health anti smoking marketing)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Local advertising agencies have been salivating for months while the state wrestles with the details of its huge anti-smoking advertising campaign. And according to state officials, they'll have to wait just a little bit longer. Bid...

Towson vs. Conte.(court cases information)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Towson University suffered a blow last month in its legal battle with Michael Conte, the former high-profile director of the university's Regional Economic Studies Institute who claims he was unjustly fired. Baltimore County Circuit...

Making up online.(www.bridalbabe.com)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... With so many variables involved in planning a wedding, it's enough to stress out any would-be bride. But one local entrepreneur is trying to make planning the big day just a little easier -- at least one part of it. Makeup artist and...

Gainers & Losers.
June 22, 2001... Cal comes through in the clutch. The Orioles are a hot ticket once again. [up arrow] Cal Ripken Jr. Looking forward to covering your next business venture. [up arrow] Kelly and kids Think about those summer night barbecues. ...

Boxer Property forms electricity company.(AC Boxer Power)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Boxer Property, a Houston-based commercial real estate firm that owns nine office buildings in Baltimore, is launching an electricity resale subsidiary. Called AC Boxer Power, the company has already submitted the necessary paperwork to...

Giant hunts for space in city neighborhoods.(Giant Food Inc)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Giant Food Inc., the Landover-based grocery chain, is interested, in expanding its Baltimore City presence and is already investigating neighborhoods it believes are underserved. "Were doing research in whole bunches of areas," said...

Port seeks advertising agency.(Maryland Port Administration)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... The Maryland Port Administration's $2.1 million annual advertising contract is in review, as the agency's three-year relationship with incumbent GKV Communications Inc. comes to a close. GKY's contract with the port ends in September,...

Ferris CEO fends off talk about BBT as suitor.(Ferris, Baker Watts Inc. and BB and T Corp)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Ferris, Baker Watts Inc. Chief Executive Officer Louis J. Akers Jr. said his company (www.fbw.com) is not talking with BB&T Corp. (www.bbandt.com) about a possible merger. Akers made the unsolicited remark to the Baltimore Business...

CFO departs Ferris.(Ferris, Baker Watts, Stephanie Beran)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... More news about Ferris, Baker Watts. The firm just lost its chief financial officer to Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown (www.alexbrown.db.com). Stephanie Beran, who had joined Ferris, Baker Watts two years ago from DB Alex. Brown to become its...

Advance starts HQ work.(Advance Bank)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Advance Bank, a minority-owned bank, started construction on its new 8,000-square-foot headquarters at the Seton Business Park in Northwest Baltimore. The new offices, which will be located on Seton Drive at the city-owned office park,...

Mercantile Bankshares Corp.(helps to buy Columbia National Real estate out of fund)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Mercantile Bankshares Corp.'s mortgage subsidiary is an investor in Columbia National Real Estate Finance LLC. The commercial mortgage firm is a spin-off from Columbia National Inc., a Columbia-based mortgage lender formerly owned by a...

Farmers & Mechanics Bank.(contracts with Mary Ellen Marsalek)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Farmers & Mechanics Bank (www.fmbn.com) of Frederick is seeking to expand more into Howard County and has enlisted a longtime Howard County commercial lender to focus exclusively on small-business lending. The bank hired Mary Ellen Marsalek...