Baltimore Business Journal articles from November 2000

Baltimore Business Journal archives from November 2000

Investors suing Prime Retail.(shareholders suing discount outlet mall operator)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Shareholders are suing Baltimore's Prime Retail Inc., claiming the operator of discount outlet malls misled them. Prime Retail has been mired in financial trouble, and its stock has been dropping since the beginning of the year. The...

Saving Savage.(Savage Mill textile mill)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Howard mill grows as tourist mecca Steven Adler had pretty much planned to retire. When the menswear chain he had built from one local shop into 23 stores was sold in 1993. Adler thought he would collect his loot and spend more time with...

Lawsuit accuses Geppi of stealing artwork.(Steve Geppi versus Sad Sack Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... The owner of a classic comic book line is suing comics king Steve Geppi for more than $5.2 million, claiming he stole vintage drawings from its collection more than a decade ago. The lawsuit, filed in New York State Supreme Court, claims...

Bone, joint center set for Sinai.(LifeBridge Health to improve Sinai Hospital)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 3, 2000... Hospital wants larger orthopedics share Searching for ways to best its fierce orthopedic surgery competitors, LifeBridge Health will spend $15 million over the next nine months in its attempt to make Sinai Hospital the hospital of choice...

Grace to buy silica business.(W.R. Grace and Co. to buy colloidal silicas business)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... W.R. Grace & Co. of Columbia announced that it plans to buy the colloidal silicas business of Kempro Italiana S.r.l. The business, which produces a silica product used in a variety of industrial and commercial products, will be based in...

Canada firm buys Baltimore biotech.(Cangene Corp. to buy Chesapeake Biological Laboratories Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Cangene Corp., a Canadian biopharmaceutical company, plans to acquire Baltimore-based Chesapeake Biological Laboratories Inc. for approximately $42 million that includes the company's outstanding debt of $7.2 million. Under the agreement,...

Legg Mason's Schmidt joins Grotech.(Dougas M. Schmidt joins Grotech Capital Group Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Legg Mason Inc.'s Douglas M. Schmidt, who is chair of the Greater Baltimore Technology Council, joined Grotech Capital Group Inc., a Baltimore-based venture capital firm. Schmidt, who was a managing director and head of the information...

Correction.
November 3, 2000... In the List of largest commercial property management firms in the Baltimore area [Vol. 18, Oct. 27-Nov. 2, Page 27], the chief executive officer of Continental Realty Corp. was identified incorrectly. William Holzman is the leasing manager,...

Coffee chain grounded.(Caribou Coffee)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Caribou Coffee -- in the midst of a deal to sell the company -- has left a number of area landlords and developers hanging in limbo. Executives at the Minneapolis-based company say they are still committed to opening stores in the...

Breeders' Cup blues.(Pimlico Race Course not used for Breeder's Cup, to undergo renovations)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... The Breeders' Cup is horse racing's richest day -- nine races worth a combined $14 million. This Saturday, the 17th annual Breeders' Cup will be held at Louisville's Churchill Downs, which also happens to be the home of the Kentucky Derby,...

Rockin' Baltimore.
November 3, 2000... Why doesn't Baltimore have a catchy rock 'n' roll anthem like the popular "Cleveland Rocks"? That is the question local band Fitehouse (www.fitehouse.com) is asking anyone who'll listen. The group released "Baltimore: The New Rock Anthem"...

Foes: Union-only deal hurts local contractors.(reconstruction of Woodrow Wilson Bridge)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Some are calling Gov. Parris N. Glendening's push for using a union-only project labor agreement for the reconstruction of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge "political payback." Some are calling it a disaster waiting to happen, while union officials...

Employers can avoid IRS in 401(k) mistakes.(Internal Revenue Service)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Employers beware. The 401(k) plan may be a staple of the typical benefits package these days, but it is not to be taken lightly. Local pension experts say companies aren't being diligent enough to ensure they are complying with federal...

Baltimore marathon may return in Fall 2001.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Baltimore City may be back in the marathon business this time next year. Earlier this week, the city's Board of Estimates pledged its support of Corrigan Sports Enterprises' plan to organize a downtown marathon that is scheduled to be run...

Auto shop trying for new life.(Canby Motors Inc.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 3, 2000... The advertisements with the catchy jingle "Your car Canby new again" are back, and so is the company that made them popular in the mid-1990s. Canby Mot Motors Inc., a family-owned Baltimore auto repair business that ended up in bankruptcy...

Camden restaurant project ready to start.(Camden Yards development)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Construction on a restaurant and retail complex across from Oriole Park at Camden Yards is expected to begin by December, according to the developer, Duane Taylor & Co. In another signal that the "Washington Station" project is moving...

Space crunch in Howard.(demand for office space is up in Howard County)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 3, 2000... The Howard County office market continues to tighten, according to a third quarter report from commercial real estate firm, Trammell Crow Co. The county's office vacancy rate dropped from 8.39 percent in the second quarter to 5.44 percent...

Park breaks ground.(The Park School gets new athletic center)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... The Park School, a private school in Baltimore County, recently broke ground on a new 42,000-square-foot athletic center. The $4.3 million project, which is being handled by Kinsley Construction of Timonium, includes three basketball...

Baltimore County Council.(rezoning decisions)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... * The Baltimore County Council's recent rezoning decisions can be reviewed at www.co.ba.md.us. The governing body ruled on 619 zoning issues as part of the 2000 Comprehensive Zoning Map Process.

Bozzuto Management Co.(cotract with J.P. Morgan and Company Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... * Bozzuto Management Co. recently entered the New Jersey markeL J.P. Morgan Co. selected the Greenbelt firm to manage Hunters Chase Apartments in Marlton, N.J. Bozzuto Management Co. is a subsidiary of the Bozzuto Group (www.bozzuto.com), a...

Mercantile scores high for being 'strong' bank.(Mercantile Safe Deposit and Trust Co.)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... So who runs the strongest bank in Maryland? According to Weiss Ratings Inc. (www.weissratings.com) of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla, the strongest bank in Maryland is Mercantile Safe Deposit & Trust Co. The Weiss report, which studies a bank's...

MECU opens third branch.(Municipal Employees Credit Union of Baltimore Inc. )(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... The Municipal Employees Credit Union of Baltimore Inc. (www.mecu.com) celebrated Halloween with the opening of its third branch in 12 months. The new branch is located at 2337 E.Northern Parkway. The credit union also opened a branch on...

T. Rowe opens S.F. center.(T. Rowe Price Associates Inc., San Francisco)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... T. Rowe Price Associates Inc. (www.troweprice.com) opened its second California-based investor center on Oct. 30 in Walnut Creek, Calif., a suburb of San Francisco an Oakland. The Baltimore-ore-based money management firm also operates an...

T. Rowe Price.(T. Rowe Price Associates Inc. third quarter 2000 profits)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 3, 2000... * T. Rowe Price also reported net income of $69 million for the third quarter of 2000, an increase of 11 percent over net income of $62 million for the third quarter of 1999. Diluted earnings per share were 53 cents, an increase of 10...

Aether connection nets UM nursing donation.(University of Maryland School of Nursing gets contribution from Gilden Advertising for recruiting efforts)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Don't let anyone tell you it doesn't pay to have friends in high places. Just ask the University of Maryland School of Nursing, which last week received its second major donation as a result of its connection with Aether Systems Inc....

Spectera expanding.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Baltimore-based Spectera Inc., a vision care services company, is taking up space in Harford County. The company eventually plans to occupy 8,000 square feet of space and hire 20 people for its new office at the Forest Hill Industrial Airpark...

Howard awards project.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... With the planning phase of its $31.5 million capital improvement project winding down, Howard County General Hospital (www.hcgh.org) has awarded Atlantic Builders Group Inc. (www.atlanticbuildersgroup.com) the contract to construct the massive...

Department of Housing and Urban Development.(Government Activity)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... * The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded Health Care for the Homeless a $1.3 million grant over the next three years to fund a project that provides housing services to homeless or low-income people living with...

Senator accuses SBA of election-eve politics.(Government Activity)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... The chairman of the Senate Small Business Committee accused the U.S. Small Business Administration of promoting Vice President Al Gore's candidacy for president by conducting a "national public relations blitz" just before the Nov. 7 election....

Builders criticize poll.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... The real estate industry is fighting back in the public relations war over sprawl. The National Association of Home Builders (www.nahb.org) said a recent poll released by Smart Growth America is "seriously flawed" because it relied on...

Unveiling business e-code.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... The Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org) released the BBB Code of Online Business Practices, a self-regulatory tool for Internet retailers that is designed to build consumer confidence in e-commerce. The code calls for online merchants to...

Getting patents online.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Anyone can now file patent applications over the Internet. The Patent and Trademark Office opened its electronic patent application filing system to all inventors Oct 27. Previously, the agency had offered electronic filing to a select...

Techies lean to the right.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Have you ever wondered whether the tech industry was Republican or Democrat? Moderate, liberal or conservative? You probably won't hear many heated political discussions if you walk the halls of most tech companies. But if a recent mock...

eOriginal raises bucks.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... eOriginal Inc. announced that it has raised $9 million in its latest round of funding with investments from eWhiteBread Partners 2000 LLP, Caroline Hunt Trust Estate and Renaissance Capital Growth & Income Fund III Inc. The investment will...

Splitting shares.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Monument Funds Group announced on Oct. 30 that it was providing shareholders of its Monument Telecommunications Fund with a two-for-one split The fund had a 12-month return of 48.47 percent through Sept 30 and 139.85 percent through its...

Butting heads over Net taxes.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Glendening leads effort to update retail sales levies Maryland retailers and electronic commerce companies aren't likely to give an instant seal of approval to an e-commerce tax initiative supported by Gov. Parris N. Glendening. ...

Web Site of the Week: div2000.com.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Promoting diversity Div2000 bills itself as the "nation's most powerful, up-to-date, real-time minority business enterprise database." The site attempts to link businesses owned by minorities or women with Fortune 1000 companies who need...

Bill Vollerthum.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Enabling Technologies Corp. BBJ: Where did you get the idea for your business? Vollethrum: I recognized the demanding need for if technical services as businesses demanded ROI on their investment in technology. Coupled with this need...

Market Facts.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... TOP 3 SOFT MONEY DONORS, 1999-2000 ELECTION CYCLE: 1. Law Offices of Peter Angelos/Baltimore Orioles -- $900,000 (all to Democrats) 2. Lockheed Martin -- $435,000. ($60,000 to Democrats, $375,000 to Republicans) 3....

Cold calling.(Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association)
November 3, 2000... Tourism officials making pitch for winter visitors Baltimore's tourism officials expect this winter to be long and cold. Not particularly because of the temperature -- Baltimore's generally a milder alternative to its competition for...

Martin Goldman.
November 3, 2000... Anne Arundel Community College Hospitality, restaurant and tourism businesses in Maryland generated a total of $6.54 billion in revenues and employed 94,100 people in 1997, the most recent year for which figures are available, according to...

Baltimore's arts community can draw tourists.
November 3, 2000... Dateline: Baltimore. The national media have been all over Baltimore this fall. Within the past month, coverage emanating from Charm City ran on CBS' "Sunday Morning" with Charles Osgood, ABC's "World News Tonight" with Peter Jennings and...

Hotels marketing to seniors.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... The combination of a robust economy and large numbers of baby boomers inching toward retirement means senior citizens are becoming an increasingly important market for the hotel industry. "What we are seeing is overall, in general, the...

Harford counting on stadium jobs, dollars.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Harford County may have more to look forward to than the crack of the bat now that Ripken Stadium is finally on its way. County tourism officials think the minor league baseball stadium and an accompanying youth baseball complex will mean a...

A pricey business.(A International Society of Hospitality Consultants study on capital upgrades and maintenance of hotels is discussed)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Hotels across the nation, including some in Baltimore, are spending on average more than a half-million dollars a year on capital upgrades and maintenance, according to a recent study. The CapEx 2000 study, released by the International...

Marriott reports increase.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 3, 2000... Bethesda-based Host Marriott reported third-quarter funds from operations -- the main financial measure of public real estate investment trusts -- rose 20 percent to 42 cents a share, compared with 35 cents a year ago. The company's...

Hotel finds possible buyer.(The Hilton Garden Inn)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... The Hilton Garden Inn at Franklin Square in Washington D.C., finally may have a buyer. Real estate sources said Portsmouth, N.H-based Ocean Properties will buy the 300-room hotel at 815 14th St N.W. for $48 million -- or about $160,000 a...

Marketing partnerships help win conventions.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Businesses and non-profit leaders are learn-ing the value of partner-ship in the rapidly emerging world of event marketing. Baltimore is a primary beneficiary of several of these partnerships. In January, the American Bus Association is...

Industry: Travel not hit by video conferencing meetings.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Technology is cuffing down barriers and making distances surmountable. The Internet has made it so people half a world apart can communicate with each other in seconds through e-mail. Video conferencing, too, promises to eliminate...

Become a speaker, boost sales.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... My friend Tony was excited about a great new way to find prospects. He was hitting the speaker circuit. Being a speaker at trade shows, monthly meetings and afternoon teas where potential clients were gathered would put him directly in...

Bridging the gap.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Computer company otters payment plans, training Curtis Collins envisions all school-age children learning and working on a computer in the comforts of their own home. His Randallstown-based business, Access 1 Computers, is working to...

Shop Talk.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... How did you secure financing for your company? Deepak Jain "We never really needed early-stage financing. Once we became a mature company the bank became really friendly and gave us everything we needed. Originally it was out of...

Sibling rivalry could stand in way of profits.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... How many times have you threatened to leave the family business? Ever wonder why you haven't tried to make things better? Maybe you are stumped on how to improve the situation. Spouses, siblings, parents, children and other family members...

People.(Brief Article)
November 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...

Micros Systems Inc.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... 7031 Gateway Drive / Columbia, 21046 / (443) 285-6000 / www.micros.com Corporate profile Micros produces information technology products and e-commerce systems for companies in the hospitality industry. In 1999, the company introduced...

State must fix its trust fund.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... When it was created in 1971, Maryland's Transportation Trust Fund was hailed as an innovative approach to financing the state's transportation infrastructure. Projects such as new highways would pay for themselves under this system through...

Risky wait for space.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... It's becoming increasingly difficult to keep track of all the office towers planned for downtown Baltimore. At last count, there were at least five supposedly in the works. These sites languish as the city's largest companies scramble for...

Bored with Gore and Bush? Vote in Maryland.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Maryland may be the exception to the rule. Numerologists and political hobbyists are forecasting historic bottom-fisher election-day voter turnouts, lower than the 1996 national low-show of 49 percent. But here in Maryland, a...

From the publisher.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Dear Readers: It used to be that a dozen large employers in the Baltimore region provided the lion's share of support for charities, schools and the arts. That is changing but needs to change faster. Every time an out-of-town company...

From the sponsors.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... For more than 60 years, The Rouse Company has been committed to meeting its responsibilities as a good corporate citizen. So committed, in fact, that this philosophy has always been incorporated as one of the Company's corporate goals -- "to...

Searching the Web.
November 3, 2000... Charities look for ways to connect with dot-coms Despite recent setbacks in the stock market, the "new economy" of high-tech machines, sophisticated software and fast-moving dot-coms has generated a considerable amount of wealth....

Little of new wealth working its way to charity.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Philanthropy and the "new economy" haven't met yet, but that is to be expected. It has been extremely interesting to watch the existing institutions and practices of our society struggle to catch up with the shock waves caused by the Internet...

Small companies, big givers.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Corporate philanthropy often is associated with big, well-heeled, long-established companies. But small emerging companies that have yet to accumulate massive amounts of wealth also can make significant contributions. Here are five examples of...

Barcoding.com.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... The new high-tech companies, in general, have been "laggards" when it comes to community work, said Jay Steinmetz, president of Barcoding.com. "The high-tech industry is too busy dealing with the changing environment," he said....

E.magination.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Baltimore's e.magination network does not have the financial and staff resources of a big corporation to offer local charities. But it does have technical expertise, and the company -- which provides Web site design, marketing, hosting and...

Solipsys Corp.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... On board the USS Constellation last month David Buscher once again showed just how much his company cares about the Lightstreet Housing Foundation. The executive vice president of Laurel-based Solipsys Corp., which develops advanced...

Systems Alliance.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... With 115 employees and seven years in business, Systems Alliance, a Sparks firm that specializes in e-business and systems integration, is no longer a startup company. That makes a significant difference in the kind and quality of community...

Center for Applied Information Technology at Towson University.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... The Center for Applied Information Technology at Towson University, which offers graduate studies and professional certificates in information technology, has been busy this past year using its expertise in a variety of community projects. ...

Venture capital mindset comes to philanthropy.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... The entrepreneurs and business leaders of the "new economy" may be taking a new approach to philanthropy and community service. Recent reports note that some new-economy business leaders are trying to import venture capitalist practices...

Giving back helps communities move ahead.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Over the years, the marketplace has changed dramatically. The Internet and e-business have reshaped the corporate world. But even in this changing corporate environment, one thing has remained clear: Corporate giving is not only good for...

A conversation with.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... Jack Novak Jay Steinmetz Thomas J. Sullivan Larry E. Walton Americans are giving people. It's part of our culture. And it's reflected in the way we do business. Corporations throughout Baltimore have made a commitment to...

About the speakers.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2000... The Baltimore Business Journal is hosting a corporate citizenship forum Nov. 3 at the Sheraton Inner Harbor to explore the impact emerging technology companies are having on charitable contributions. The breakfast forum features three area...

Largest hotels in the Baltimore area.
November 3, 2000... [TABLE HAS BEEN CLIPPED]

Largest corporate philanthropists in the Baltimore area.
November 3, 2000... [TABLE HAS BEEN CLIPPED]

Gainers & Losers.
November 3, 2000... Wonder who Peter Angelos will vote for next Tuesday? * Peter Angelos Depending on who wins, the Orioles owner's big cash donations to the Democrats could give him a stay in the Lincoln bedroom or banishment to political Siberia. *...

Taking Stock.
November 3, 2000... [TABLE HAS BEEN CLIPPED]

Ciena stock dives on rumor.
November 10, 2000... Mystery seller may have sparked slide Talk about cashing out. Stock in Linthicum high-flier Ciena Corp. plunged 10 percent in the last 15 minutes of trading Nov. 6 after rumors swirled that Goldman Sachs wanted to sell more than a...

Hopkins suing over broccoli.
November 10, 2000... Getting a seed to sprout isn't exactly rocket science. Put it on a paper towel, keep it moist and expose it to light. But Baltimore's Johns Hopkins University claims it has patented the process for sprouting cancer-fighting broccoli seeds...

Biotech firm chooses city business park.
November 10, 2000... Baltimore County's loss is Baltimore City's gain. After incubating for three years at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County Technology Center, Cell Works Inc., a growing biotechnology company, has packed up its beakers and test tubes...

New world.
November 10, 2000... Foreign techies find jobs, a life here Alexandre Starykh built computers from scratch and wrote software programs that would make most folks dizzy. Still, the lowly air conditioner baffled him. Quite understandable, since not too long...

CareFirst makes acquisition.
November 10, 2000... In a move that will increase enrollment to 3 million members, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield announced it has purchased Preferred Health Network of Maryland Inc., a health maintenance organization with 85,000 members in the...

IRE changes name to SafeNet.
November 10, 2000... Information Resource Engineering Inc., whose shares rose more than 30 percent last week on high volume, is changing its name to SafeNet Inc. The company, which specializes in Internet security, will continue to be traded on the Nasdaq, but its...

Engineering firm plan gets city OK.
November 10, 2000... Whitman Requardt and Associates LLP received approval from the Baltimore City Board of Estimates for its new headquarters on South Caroline Street in Fells Point. The Baltimore engineering and architecture firm's approval included a $1 million...

Sellinger school dean stepping down.
November 10, 2000... Peter Lorenzi, who has been dean of the Sellinger School of Business and Management at Loyola College in Maryland the past six years, will step down at the end of this academic year and return to teaching. Loyola's president, the Rev. Harold...