Baltimore Business Journal articles from March 2000

Baltimore Business Journal archives from March 2000

Angelos ponders Westin deal.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... Baltimore Orioles owner Peter G. Angelos is talking with Westin about the possibility of putting the high-end brand name on his planned hotel near Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc., owners of the Westin...

Dire need.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... Nursing shortage hits hospitals' bottom lines The winter flu outbreak that ravaged hospital emergency rooms also punctuated the severity of the state's nursing shortage. Nursing staffs, already stretched thin, were forced to work more...

Market takes toll on Grace.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... Columbia chemical maker hits new low Two days after chemical manufacturer W.R. Grace & Co. (www.grace.com) made national headlines when it was named in three asbestos-related lawsuits, the company's stock -- on a downward spiral since it...

Black district in the works.(Baltimore, Maryland's west side)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... State Sen. Clarence Mitchell would like to bring more African-American shoppers downtown and is pushing for the creation of a retail and entertainment district in the city's west side that he hopes will do just that. A crowd of about 300...

Biotech firm to bring 300 jobs to Md.(Qiagen)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... Qiagen N.V., a Netherlands-based biotechnology company, has acquired an 18-acre site in Montgomery County for a manufacturing, research and development headquarters. The company will build a 190,000-square-foot campus facility in Germantown to...

Mather Cos. sells some divisions.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... Dallas-based BenefitMall.com announced the acquisition of several businesses of the Mather Cos., a leading Mid-Atlantic provider of employee benefits programs. Dennis B. Mather, newly named general manager of the Mid-Atlantic for...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
March 3, 2000... In the article, "Border Crossing: Will suburban hotels edge into the downtown market?" [Vol. 17, Feb. 25-March 2, Page 11], Michael Grossman's title was incorrect. Grossman is the director of sales for the Hyatt Regency Baltimore. The List...

Insuring comebacks.(Special Risk Advisors)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... When Jennifer Capriati stunned the tennis world last month by reaching the Australian Open semifinals, the surprising success won her big bonus bucks from her clothing sponsor, Hunt Valleybased Fila USA. The bonus for reaching the semifinal...

Gainers & Losers.(stock prices)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... It's a good time to be in the telecom business. Can't say the same for the judiciary. [down arrow] Judge Martha F. Rasin Wake up, Judge. You're losing the PR battle with the Intemperate One. The people want reform, and they want it now....

Legislature considers ban on genetic bias.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... Unlocking the genetic code is better left to scientists and kept out of the hands of employers, according to supporters of a bill recently introduced in the Maryland General Assembly. The legislation, known as the Genetic Information --...

CMSI launches new e-commerce subsidiary.(Credit Management Solutions Inc.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... An Annapolis Junction-based financial services firm is moving into the ever-growing electronic commerce arena with a new subsidiary. Credit Management Solutions Inc. (www.cmsinc.com), a provider of credit automation and loan processing...

Tax credit would help commuters.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... Getting more people onto buses, trains and Metro cars is always a hassle, but a group of legislators are hoping tax breaks will provide enough of an incentive. Currently, state programs offer tax breaks to many employers who agree to pay...

Activist seeks changes at Adams Express Co.(Phillip Goldstein)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... An investment fund bulldog has arrived in Baltimore, and he's going after Adams Express Co., one of the country's oldest closed-end investment funds. Phillip Goldstein, a hedge fund manager and prominent shareholder activist from...

Americom acquired by California powerhouse.
March 3, 2000... Americom Wireless Services, a Lutherville-based company that refurbishes and services wireless phones, has agreed to sell to Solectron Corp., one of the world's largest contract electronics manufacturers, for an undisclosed sum. Both...

Trade group health plan exemption criticized.
March 3, 2000... A new Congressional Budget Office study concludes that only 330,000 additional people would gain health insurance coverage if more small businesses could buy insurance through trade or professional associations. The budget office estimate...

Mortgage firm moves on East Coast strategy.
March 3, 2000... A Timonium mortgage company has expanded its wholesale lending division into West Virginia and North Carolina -- the first of several new states the company is seeking to enter. American SkyCorp Inc., a company formed in October 1997, is...

Beacon tapped to do Discovery Channel PR.
March 3, 2000... Towson-based Beacon Group Inc., a marketing and communications firm, has been chosen by Discovery Communications to handle Discovery Channel's newest marketing effort, which involves launching a catalog of videos, CD-ROMs and other items. ...

Harford hospitals combining medical staffs.
March 3, 2000... The medical staffs at the Upper Chesapeake Health (www.uchs.org) hospitals, Fallston General and Havre de Grace's Harford Memorial, are combining. Dr. Sherif H. Osman, the new president of the newly combined medical staffs, is hoping that...

BDC official: Project deadline is nearing.
March 3, 2000... Time is running out for Duane Taylor, who secured a land lease agreement with the Baltimore Development Corp. last year for a piece of property across from Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The businessman is planning a 5,000-square-foot...

Lots eyed in Fells Point.
March 3, 2000... A change to the Fells Point Waterfront is in the works. Constellation Real Estate, a subsidiary of the Baltimore-based Constellation Energy Group, is negotiating about the development of two parking lots off Thames Street. Only one is on...

Sprucing up the Jones Falls.
March 3, 2000... The Baltimore Development Corp., the city's economic development arm, and the Greater Homewood Community Corp. have teamed up to give the Jones Falls Valley a boost. The organizations are spearheading an effort to create a master plan for...

City plaza getting facelift.
March 3, 2000... Renovations are underway to one of downtown's most popular lunch spots -- Hopkins Plaza off Charles Street -- and should be completed by the end of the year. The $7 million facelift includes waterproofing the garages under the plaza,...

Prime Retail seeks CEO.
March 3, 2000... Abraham Rosenthal, chief executive officer and director of Baltimore-based Prime Retail Inc., has voluntarily resigned from the outlet mall giant that he helped to build. The move followed a significant drop in Prime's shares, down roughly...

Common ground.
March 3, 2000... Alternative dispute resolution gaining acceptance In April 1998, Baltimore attorney Mark Scurti and another attorney decided to dissolve their eight-month-old legal practice and go their separate ways. It could have been an ugly breakup but...

Market Facts.
March 3, 2000... The court houses in Maryland are busy places. That's apparent when looking at the latest bankruptcy statistics for Maryland and the rest of the nation. According to the latest information from the American Bankruptcy Institute, there were...

Hon. Robert M. Bell.
March 3, 2000... Maryland Court of Appeals The Honorable Robert M. Bell has served on the bench since 1975. In 1996 he became chief judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals, and coincidentally, the first African American to head Maryland's highest court. ...

Largest office product retailers inthe Baltimore area.
March 3, 2000... Largest office product retailers in the Baltimore area (Ranked by 1999 office supply sales in the Baltimore area) Rank/ Name 1999 office last Address ...

Internet 'bill of rights' debated.
March 3, 2000... Small service providers say cable companies aren't playing fair The chief executive of a local Internet service provider told the Maryland House Commerce and Government Matters Committee this week that his company would be forced to move...

Council making changes.
March 3, 2000... The Greater Baltimore Technology Council has a new look, a new home and a new chairman. The agency -- formerly part of the Greater Baltimore Committee -- moved into its new offices in the Emerging Technology Center in Canton, unveiled its...

Most active office developers in the Baltimore area.
March 3, 2000... Most active office developers in the Baltimore area (ranked by Baltimore-metro area market share) Baltimore Building Name area Rank...

Drilling out a successful niche.
March 3, 2000... Black & Decker Corp. is best known as the company that introduced the world's first portable power drill -- a marvelous achievement. But, according to historians, the defining moment in the Towson-based manufacturer's transformation into a...

Brandon White.
March 3, 2000... WorldWideAngler.com Inc. Exactly what does your business do? WorldWideAngler.com is the leading source of recreational fishing information, services, and e-commerce on the World Wide Web. WorldWideAngler.com's network is a regional and...

When do you close the deal?
March 3, 2000... Most salespeople, however proficient they are at making presentations, are way too weak when it comes to saying, "Sign here." The typical sales person misses the prospect's blatant buy signals because they are too busy rattling on about...

Business or pleasure.
March 3, 2000... Photographer turns his passion into a business His mother told him he first picked up a camera at two years old. And after stints as a chef and a court reporter, Kevin Reppenhagen succumbed to the passion he felt for photography in 1986....

People.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... 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 announcements...

Proxy Corner I A Weekly Analysis of Baltimore-Area Public Companies.(Brief Article)(Company Profile)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... 1ST MARINER BANCORP First Mariner Bancorp 1801 S. Clinton St. / Baltimore, 21224 / (410) 342-2600 Corporate profile Canton-based First Mariner Bancorp had healthy growth in its loan and deposit business in 1999. Last year, the...

Weekly Gainers & Losers.(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... Weekly Gainers & Losers Price Corporation 3/1/00 % Change 1. Ciena Corp. (CIEN) $178.62 50.58 2. U.S....

Monthly Gainers & Losers.(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... Monthly Gainers & Losers Price Corporation 3/1/00 % Change 1. Ciena Corp. (CIEN) $178.62 152.03 2. Diehl...

6 Month Gainers & Losers.(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... 6 Month Gainers & Losers Price Corporation 3/1/00 % Change 1. Ciena Corp. (CIEN) $178.62 409.45 2. Noise...

Becoming a force in business.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... State Sen. Clarence Mitchell IV reminded a room filled with African-American business people and community leaders this week that it wasn't too long ago that that they were not welcome to shop in downtown Baltimore. Though today the shop doors...

Air service a welcome idea.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... The Maryland General Assembly should strongly endorse a plan by House Speaker Casper R. Taylor Jr. and the Maryland Aviation Administration to bring regional air service to the state. The idea is to link Baltimore/Washington International...

Embarrassment of riches menaces state legislature.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... When the proposed ethics law changes to regulate business dealings between lobbyists and legislators came before a House of Delegates committee, one member offered a glimpse of how legislators see themselves. "It makes me a little upset...

Shop Talk I What kind of incentives do you offer employees?
March 3, 2000... David Blanchard "I offer my employees a variety of incentives. Sometimes a job well done warrants an Outback Steakhouse gift certificate, while other times it's an afternoon off early. For my sales employees, I have a tiered bonus...

Web Site of the Week.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... www.moneycentral.msn.com A bit more than the standard financial Web site, Microsoft Corp.'s MoneyCentral allows users to actually engage in certain transactions. Individuals can pay their bills and even their taxes by linking up with a...

Internet 'bill of rights' debated.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... Small service providers say cable companies aren't playing fair The chief executive of a local Internet service provider told the Maryland House Commerce and Government Matters Committee this week that his company would be forced to move...

Md. bank throws a punch.(Provident Bankshares Corp. fights against shareholder resolution forcing sale of the company)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... Provident board files opposition to sale Provident Bankshares Corp. directors are returning fire against a shareholder resolution that would force them to sell the company. In a Securities and Exchanges Commission document filed March...

City shops for retail attention.(Baltimore seeks big-name retailers to locate in its downtown area)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... The Downtown Partnership of Baltimore is forming a "working group" to aggressively market the city -- for the first time -- to big-name retailers. The quasi-public economic development organization is hoping to mold a marketing plan that...

Ad man sees 'Great Leap' for city industry.(Campbell Group creative director Andy Dumaine says Baltimore advertising agencies need to work together)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... A Baltimore advertising executive wants to breathe new life into the city's splintered ad industry through a campaign to promote cooperation among agencies. Andy Dumaine, creative director for The Campbell Group, has asked other local...

Full houses.(tight residential real estate market in the Baltimore region)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... Low inventory creates real estate crunch House hunters: Be prepared to act quickly. Residential real estate agents aren't pulling a fast one when they tell you a house could be sold in a matter of days. The residential real estate...

U.S. Foodservice to sell to Dutch firm.(Royal Ahold)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... U.S. Foodservice officials announced that its board approved a cash tender offer by Royal Ahold of $3.6 billion including debt The Dutch firm operates 4,000 stores on four continents and had 1999 sales of $35 billion. U.S. Foodservice is one of...

Mikulski introduces digital bill.(Sen. Barbara Mikulski seeks to improve education)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... Sen. Barbara Mikulski introduced legislation in the U.S. Senate that called for the government to spend $1.3 billion in programs designed to close the so-called "digital divide." Major highlights of the National Digital Empowerment Act include...

Lock-box facility to open in Baltimore.(Bank One Corp. to build corporate check processing facility)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... Bank One Corp., the fourth-largest bank holding company in the nation, announced that it will build a 40,000-square-foot lockbox facility on East Fayette Street in Baltimore. The facility, expected to open in October and employ 500, will be...

Crown could go private.(Crown Central Petroleum buy out plan announced)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... Baltimore-based Crown Central Petroleum announced plans to buy out shareholders and go private. Shareholders will be offered $8.35 per Class B share.

Correction.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... In the article, "Business or Pleasure: Photographer turns his passion into a business" [Vol. 17, March 3-9, Page 231 Kevin Reppenhagen's partner was incorrectly named. His name is John Dove. The Business Journal regrets the error.

State firms get shut out.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... The state's effort to improve the way it does business with Private companies left three Maryland firms out of a potentially lucrative e-commerce deal. The Board of Public Works approved a three-year contract with San Diego-based Science...

Gainers & Losers.(local business news)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... The Baltimore area lost another headquarters this week. But cheer up! Bank One is bringing new life to the log-dreary Shot Tower neighborhood. [up arrow] Jim Miller The U.S. Foodservice CEO made all the right moves over the last couple...

Liability bill comes under business fire.(Lead-Based Paint Damages -- Reimbursement by Manufacturer -- Market Share Liability bill goes to Maryland General Assembly)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... Lead-based paint could cause serious damage to the state's business climate, according to the Maryland Chamber of Commerce. Legislation, being introduced in the General Assembly this session, that would make manufacturers of lead-based...

Annapolis Pepsi-Cola factory gets a facelift.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... Ronald E. Council drove by an abandoned Pepsi-Cola bottling plant in Annapolis countless times wondering why the site still lay dormant. In a city where vacant office space is tough to come by, he expected the property at 1804 West St. --...

UB law school dean steps down for ABA job.(University of Baltimore; John A. Sebert to join American Bar Association)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... University of Baltimore School of Law Dean John A. Sebert is leaving the school to assume a high-ranking position with the American Bar Association. Sebert will become the ABA's (www.abanet.org) consultant on legal education, a position...

Tax change deals blow to business.(taxation of accrued earnings hurts small businesses' ability to sell business)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... Until late last year, David Crosby, co-owner of Jeremiah's Tavern in Rochester, N.Y., had his retirement plans all figured out: In four or five years, he would sell the 90-seat neighborhood restaurant and live off the proceeds. His dreams...

Competitors clash over downtown account.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 10, 2000... MGH sues The Reeves Agency over account with clothing store chain Advertising and public relations firm MGH Advertising Inc., which filed suit against downtown firm The Reeves Agency Inc. (TRA) over an account it lost last week, has now...

Mutual fund legislation gets axed by group.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 10, 2000... Support for legislation strengthening the independence of mutual fund directors has evaporated as quickly as it was introduced in the Maryland General Assembly. Bills introduced in February by Del. Kumar Barve, D-Montgomery County and...

Commercial debit card.(Provident Bank)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 10, 2000... Provident Bank of Maryland's strength has always been its retail business. But it believes that its new business debit card will help boost its commercial banking business. "This is something that the banks in the area don't offer," said...

SkyCorp case dismissed.(American SkyCorp Inc.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 10, 2000... A case alleging fraud against mortgage banker American SkyCorp Inc. of Timonium was dismissed in Baltimore City Circuit Court. Last month, Margaret Johnson of Baltimore dropped her compliant brought against American SkyCorp and its...

Everyone wants a piece of the city.(York, Pennsylvania)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 10, 2000... Representatives from Anne Arundel, Harford and Howard counties are constantly trying to lure Baltimore companies away with promises of vast space and free parking. But York, Pa.? The Pennsylvania city is blitzing the Baltimore region with a...

Might be a Giant.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 10, 2000... Construction could be underway on a proposed Giant in the 700 block of Kenilworth Drive by the fall with a possible 2001 opening, according to Vanguard Equities. But, not so fast, says Fred Berman, CEO of That's Amore restaurant group. ...

OPF buys Clover.(O'Conor, Piper & Flynn ERA; ERA Clover Realty Inc.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 10, 2000... O'Conor, Piper & Flynn ERA (www.opf.com) has acquired ERA Clover Realty Inc., a Hagerstown real estate firm with 18 sales associates. The merger allows O'Conor to increase its presence in Western Maryland, a growing area with heightened...

Largest automobile dealers in the Baltimore area.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 10, 2000... Largest automobile dealers in the Baltimore area (Ranked by number of new car sales in the Baltimore area in 1999) Name New cars sold in Rank Address ...

Radio One gives Wall Street a strong signal.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 10, 2000... Lanham-based Radio One Inc. recently completed two big moves that are expected to give its shareholders increased confidence. Last week, the owner Of three top-ten stations the Baltimore market announced that it had completed a second...

And the winner is ...(WBAL-TV)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 10, 2000... The ratings are in, and WBAL-TV (www.baltv.com) is the big winner in the February 2000 ratings sweep for Baltimore television. The 11 News telecast won the ratings rat-race at 5 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. during the most recent Neils4n...

Imre & Associates.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... Towson-based public relations agency Imre & Associates (www.iapr.com) has been named the agency of record for the cooking Web site NextDayGourmet.com. The Columbia, Maryland-based e-commerce concern sells equipment and supplies to the...

Mullin/Ashley Associates Inc.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... Mullin/Ashley Associates Inc. (www.mullinashley.com), a Worton B-to-B communications company, recently announced three new client relationships. Mullin has acquired contracts to handle marketing communications for ARINC's Dominium Mobil...

Going global.
March 10, 2000... What businesses should know when entering the international marketplace Mitch Franklin got a dose of culture shock during his January fact-finding visit to Poland. Despite his expectations, the executive vice president and chief operating...

Market Facts.(Statistical Data Included)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... Education in Maryland shows a marked improvement this year as we look at the rise in public school enrollment and the decline in high school dropouts. According to the Maryland State Department of Education (www.msp.msde.state.md.us),...

Learning environment increases effectiveness.(Brief Article)(Column)
March 10, 2000... What challenges do leaders regularly struggle with in the workplace? Do managing people and diversity, obtaining bottom-line, and fostering an ethical climate ring a bell? If so, your leaders -- like many in this economy -- might wonder, "how...

Christine Nielsen.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... University of Baltimore Merrick School of Business Christine Nielsen grew up with a passion for all things international. As the director of international programs for the University of Baltimore's Merrick School of Business, Nielsen...

Voice of the persecuted.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... Baltimorean John Henry Murphy Sr., a former slave, bought a newspaper press in 1892 for $200 from a group that was publishing feed prices and church news. It was a rather low-key beginning for a newspaper that would become the voice of a...

MicroProse's odd couple.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... Sid Meier and John W. "Wild Bill" Stealey didn't have much in common when they met in the early 1980s. Meier was a computer-oriented Baltimore kid with an aptitude for all things digital. Wild Bill was a former military pilot with an...

Largest day care centers in the Baltimore area.(Statistical Data Included)
March 10, 2000... Largest day care centers in the Baltimore area (Ranked by total 1999 enrollment) Rank/ Name 1999/1998 Cost last Address ...

Dave Palmer.(oneLeaf.com )(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... oneLeaf.com Where did you get the idea for your business? The idea for oneLeaf.com came out of frustration really: not wanting to do the "corporate" thing and the idea of knowing we could do it on our own. I had worked almost a year in...

Changing course.(Regal Bank and Trust)
March 10, 2000... Regal adapts to shifts in the financial world Four years ago Regal Bank and Trust, formerly Regal Savings Bank FSB, saw industry shifts endangering its bread and butter. Embarking on a new course, the 53-year-old institution underwent...

How do you fight negative publicity?(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... Bonnie K. Heneson President, Bonnie Heneson Communications Inc./Owings Mills "First, never say 'no comment.' Have the president of the company speak to the media for maximum credibility. He/she should have a prepared statement that was...

People.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2000... 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 announcements...

INTEGARTED HEALTH SERVICES INC.(Statistical Data Included)
March 10, 2000... Corporate Profile The numbers tell much of the story for Integrated Health Services Inc. The once high-flying nursing-home services company reported a whopping $1.8 billion net loss in the quarter ended Sept. 30, 1999. In February, IHS...