Business First-Columbus articles from August 2000

Business First-Columbus archives from August 2000

Shot made for hoops tourney.(NCAA men's basketball may play at Ohio State)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... Nationwide Arena, OSU bid to host NCAA men's basketball round in 2004, '05 An acknowledged odd coupling of Ohio State University and Nationwide Arena officials is trying to bring March Madness to Columbus for the first time, an event the...

Drury Inn tax package nixed before council vote.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... A tax incentive deal for the proposed Drury Inn & Suites downtown has died before it could reach a full Columbus City Council vote, raising doubts whether the 186-room hotel gets built on Nationwide Boulevard. City Councilman Rich...

ROAD REPAIR WARRIORS.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... Concrete providers lost their grip on highway work and want it back from asphalt industry While motorists see orange as they navigate Central Ohio road construction projects, the concrete industry sees green. That's green for potential...

Columbus firms snare $106M in 1st-halt VC.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... Central Ohio is raising its venture capital profile. VC investors shelled out $106 million to locally based companies in the first half of this year. The activity puts the area on pace to easily surpass last year's investment total of...

It's a cursed time for ex-Bengals football players.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... It hasn't been good news lately for former Cincinnati Bengals with strong Central Ohio ties. First, former Ohio State University and ex-Bengals defensive lineman Dan Wilkinson was sued July 14 by his sister-in-law stemming from an incident...

Weather worries.(Columbus Symphony Orchestra performance)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... For most of the summer, Dan Hart was tracking the latest low-pressure systems moving through Central Ohio. As executive director of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Hart became glued to the Weather Channel to learn what the night air would...

Market Square moving to forefront in New Albany.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... The first phase of a 100,000-square-foot retail and office development is due to spring forth in the center of New Albany next month, marking the last major component of New Albany Co. Ltd.'s master plan for the northeast Franklin County...

Monica hopes Wine Shoppe can uncork growth via 'Net.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... Connoisseur Bob Monica says he takes his wines seriously, not his wine sales. But the marketing-savvy proprietor of the Wine Shoppe at Muirfield on Muirfield Drive launched an online storefront at www.thewineshoppe.com to build a community...

Longanbach Giusti firm adds partners, eyes growth.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... A downtown Columbus accounting firm has promoted two of its accountants to partners, marking the firm's first step toward a next generation of ownership that will ensure it remains locally owned. Certified public accountants Jay R. Meglich...

Huntington arm seeks $2.3M from former annuity partner.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... A Huntington National Bank subsidiary has sued its former partner in annuity sales for $2.36 million in past commissions. Huntington Investment Co. filed the complaint July 20 in Franklin County Common Pleas Court against Financial...

Rubbermaid Home Products taps Eichhorn as president.(Mark Eichhorn)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... An Ohio company well known for its durable home products has made a change at the top. Rubbermaid Home Products, based in Wooster, has named Mark Eichhorn, 45, president, effective Aug. 1. He replaces William Denton, who recently left to...

IRS slaps Wendt-Bristol Health Services Corp. with $1.32M bill.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Wendt-Bristol Health Services Corp. is facing a $1.32 million federal tax bill. The Internal Revenue Service filed two liens against the Columbus-based healthcare company and a former subsidiary July 18 for the unpaid taxes. The liens...

ToyTime reorganization puts hold on four local creditors' lawsuits.(Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization protection)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Two lawsuits against a short-lived Internet toy retailer have been thrown into limbo now that the company has been forced into Chapter 11 reorganization. Torrance, Calif.-based ToyTime Inc. was forced by creditors into Chapter 11 on July 3...

Record earnings, new course push Neoprobe Corp. ahead.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Neoprobe Corp. is on a roll. The company reported Aug. 2 a record quarterly profit on the heels of exclusive licensed commercial rights it obtained to a new cancer methodology patent issued to Ohio State University. In the company's...

Acree Daily, Integrated Systems Group merge, seek new growth.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... Two Columbus companies hope to secure more business by combining efforts. Acree Daily Corp., an electronic systems integrator, and Integrated Systems Group, a fire alarm systems provider, have merged and will operate under the Acree name....

Pizzuti Cos., Exxcel leading tenants at Miranova tower.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... NOW that Pizzuti Cos. and its contractors have topped off the steel frame of the 12-story Miranova office building downtown, the full-court press is on to lease the 241,000-square-foot Class A property. No surprises were among the first...

More Exxcellence.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... Exxcel Contract Management once again ranks among the top design-build contractors in the nation. The Columbus-based builder of industrial projects was ranked the 77th-largest design-build company, based on its 1999 design-build contracts...

Duke adds lease, agent.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... Duke-Weeks Realty Corp. has secured a 51,620-square-foot lease for its Westbelt West Commerce Center project off Roberts Road, bringing its Building 32's occupancy to 95 percent. The lease provides casket manufacturer Batesville Logistics...

Entrepreneurship strangled by licensing regs, study says.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... Occupational licensing and regulations are strangling entrepreneurship, dampening competition and driving up consumer prices in Ohio, according to a new study by the Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions. Occupational industries...

Luxury suites an economic necessity in arena design.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... Get used to it sports fans: Suites are here to stay in modern arena and stadium designs. With construction costs rising and capacity seating increasingly limited, suites have become indispensable to getting sports facilities built, experts...

Drug Emporium growth tied to new acquisition strategy.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Powell-based Drug Emporium Inc., which had hoped to expand its business through its online store and pharmacy DrugEmporium.com, is looking forward to growing its bricks-and-mortar business instead. Tim Ziemke, Drug Emporium senior vice...

Half Price goes full out.(Half Price Books seeks more stores in Columbus, OH)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Half Price Books, the Texas-based chain of neighborhood used-books stores that sold $80 million worth of books in 1999, is looking for more retail sites in Columbus. Sharon Anderson Wright, president and CEO of the family-owned company,...

CyberXpo makes mark.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Texas-based CyberXpo.com has opened a cyber center at Northland Mall. The 30-month-old company offers the public free Internet access through 12 terminals at a kiosk. It generates revenue by selling advertising aired on four 42-inch...

Kay retools at Northland.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Kay Jewelers is expected to reopen at its former Northland Mall store this month after undergoing extensive remodeling. "We gutted the interior, so it will look like a brand new store," says Manager Jeff Cleveland. "It means new...

Petroleum Realty on target to reach its $300M objective.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... Columbus native David Glimcher and a Miami, Fla.-based partner launched a real estate investment firm in 1998 to develop a business among independent gasoline service station operators who would sell their land, lease it back and use the money...

Floyd Browne acquires Delaware engineering firm.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... A Delaware engineering and surveying firm has been acquired by a Marion-based engineering company. Stults and Associates Inc. will continue to operate separately under its name as a subsidiary of Floyd Browne Associates Inc. Financial...

CoreComm introduces DSL Internet service.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Cleveland-based CoreComm has launched its digital subscriber line, or DSL, service for residential and business customers in the Columbus area. DSL is a high-speed Internet technology known for faster speeds than traditional offerings like...

Elder-Beerman forms own bank to handle credit cards.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... Elder-Beerman Stores Corp. is launching its own national bank to handle its multimillion-dollar private credit-card business. The Moraine-based department store chain filed an application July 17 with the Comptroller of the Currency to...

New GAO audit finds flaws in SBA contracting program.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... Most minority-owned businesses that participate in the Small Business Administration's 8(a) program want federal contracts, not advice on how to run their companies. But these firms "are not getting the kind of contract assistance they...

House bill eases pension burden for small business.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... Small companies are at the heart of a debate over legislation that would simplify administrative rules for pension plans and raise the limits on IRA and 401(k) plan contributions. The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and...

Dana's Marion axle works going to Sypris in sale.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... Dana Corp. plans to sell its Marion heavy-truck parts factory to Sypris Solutions Inc., based in Louisville, Ky. The companies didn't disclose the sale price, but the 220-worker plant generated $55 million in sales in 1999. Toledo-based...

Updating of Americana likely to reach into 2001.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... The newest owner of Americana Amusement Park in Monroe will need until April to revamp the place and open it full time. Until then, Americana, which has been in operation since the 1920s, will be open only for picnics, concerts and special...

Symbol finally embraced in bid to acquire Telxon.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... Two years after its $925 million takeover bid was spurned as too low, Symbol Technologies Inc. has agreed to acquire Cincinnati-based Telxon Corp. for $545 million in stock and assumed debt. Telxon, a maker of hand-held computers and...

Troubled Kroll-O'Gara fashions spin-off proposal.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Fairfield-based Kroll-O'Gara Co., wracked by management conflict, says it will reorganize itself by splitting its two main business lines into independent companies. Kroll-O'Gara tentatively plans to separate its Security Products and...

Convergys Corp.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... Cincinnati-based Convergys Corp. has won a five-year contract from Verizon Wireless to provide billing services for the mobile-phone operator. The contract could ultimately give Convergys billing responsibility for nearly a third of Verizon's...

Parker Hannifin Corp.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Parker Hannifin Corp. of Cleveland has acquired Chestnut Ridge, N.Y.-based Atlantic Tubing Co., a privately held maker of industrial tubes for semiconductor producers. Terms of the purchase weren't disclosed.

Tri-River Valley Healthcare Initiative.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Tri-River Valley Healthcare Initiative, an alliance of major Dayton-area employers opposed to traditional HMOs and PPOs, has landed partners to create an alternative health plan for employees in the region. The coalition of 30 employers,...

People On the move.
August 4, 2000... ADVERTISING MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS Joining Gerbig Snell/Weisheimer & Associates Inc. are Larry Meyer, account supervisor, public relations; Heather Miller, associate art director; Kathleen Watson, account executive, meeting and event...

A FOCUSED FOLLOWING.(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... Every entrepreneur looks for a niche; some just take it to the extreme Food, clothes and tools. There once was a time when businesses hawking these items satisfied just about all the needs a local populace had. Main Street was home to...

Small-biz owners losing out with Social Security.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... A new study shows the average married couple running a small business would have $461,190 more in retirement income if they could have invested self-employment taxes in personal accounts instead of Social Security. The study was conducted...

Safety engineers seek ergonomics rule change.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... The latest opposition to OSHA's proposed ergonomics regulation comes not from businesses, but from safety engineers. The American Society of Safety Engineers says the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's proposed ergonomics...

Long-winded messages won't do if using cell phones' Internet feature.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... With my cell phone, I can take advantage of idle time to check messages or return calls. Now, I can WAP my phone for even greater productivity. What is WAP? Short for Wireless Access Protocol, WAP is a standard that allows wireless devices...

Image documenting systems help firms win paper wars.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... As company leaders, we spend hours in developing ways to do business better and more cost-efficiently; as managers we take training courses, learning how to better manage time and employees; and as staff members we spend numerous hours on the...

Consultant vs. sales rep: it's a state of mind.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... What's the difference between a sales rep and a consultative approach to selling? Lots more sales for the consultant. The consultative approach to selling is the 21st century approach to helping customers and prospects buy. But...

'Have I got a car deal for you, little lady'.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... The whole thing started much the way I expected it would. The first call: my palms were sweaty, my heart was racing, I was afraid my voice would break. Mark picked up at the other end. "Mark," I said. "I want to buy a car. I've done...

State income tax an unneeded burden.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... Question: Who pays more taxes, a medieval peasant or an Ohio taxpayer? If you guessed a medieval peasant, you won't be joining us for the Million-Dollar Question. In 1998, the average Ohio taxpayer paid more than 35 percent of his or her...

Ohio court decision overstepped authority.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... The Ohio Supreme Court continued its attack on the doctrine of separation of powers and, ultimately, on Ohio's taxpayers with its recent decision, finding for the second time that the system for funding schools is inadequate. The court...

Developers ready to dig in on Hazelwood sites.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... PATASKALA -- Houses and condominiums could start rising this fall next to a new Pataskala shopping center anchored by a Kroger supermarket. Dominion Homes wants to build 340 houses in the new Hazelwood development, while Olympus Homes...

DISPLAY OF AFFECTION.("Eclectic Energy -- Variations within a Family" exhibition)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Artistic family members get together to show off their 'eclectic' styles LANCASTER -- "Eclectic Energy -- Variations within a Family" is an art exhibit as diverse as the talents of the family that created it. On exhibit at Studio B in...

Trustees looking at plans to revive Rt. 3/36 corridor.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... MOUNT VERNON -- An urban and town planner has come up with a list of ideas aimed at encouraging business development along a section of Routes 3 and 36 on the edge of this Knox County city. James Hartzler, whose consulting business is based...

Forbes in Lancaster video.(Steve Forbes)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Link with financial magazine is part of city's history LANCASTER -- Magazine magnate Malcolm Forbes called Lancaster home in the early 1940s. His son, Steve, reminisced about that time with Lou Varga and Kenny McCoy of Lancaster-based Varga...

Empowering points.(PowerPoint)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Software offers easy tools to improve business presentations You're sitting in a seminar meeting for the fourth lime this week. The presenter appears to have plenty of gizmos and gadgets and is showcasing great wizardry, sound effects and...

Does your company have a published policy on personal use of company e-mail?(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... NBBJ Connie Ricer, vice president Yes, the company has had an e-mail policy for more than two years. Portions of it were drafted by the company while other parts were pulled from outside sources such as the Internet. There has been no...

New connectivity selections present plenty of confusion.(Universal Serial Bus, IEEE-1394)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... Looking for digital camera, digital camcorder, scanner or some other gadget to hook up to your personal computer? If so, you have to be concerned about not only the unit's features, but also how the thing hooks up to your computer. Today, you...

Master builders.(Elford Inc. to remodel Fairfield Medical Center)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... Ancient strategy applied in Fairfield Medical Center $13 million expansion, renovation projects Lancaster's Fairfield Medical Center isn't an architectural marvel like the Parthenon in Athens or the Coliseum in Rome, but it does share a...

'50s roller rink transformed into ballroom.(George Yoakam)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Despite having recently completed a $2 million expansion of his banquet hail, George Yoakam says he's still not quite finished. As the owner and president of the Makoy Center in Hilliard, Yoakam prides his creation on its efforts to offer...

Arena project offers only local minority outreach option.(Nationwide Realty Investors)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... With Ohio's so-called set-aside law recently struck down as unconstitutional, the future of giving a leg up to minority-owned contracting firms may well lie in the private sector. But since Central Ohio's contractor trade associations say...

Reitter launches bilingual Web site recruiting effort.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 4, 2000... A Columbus stucco company is breaking the language barrier in an attempt to garner more exposure and employees. Reitter Stucco & Supply Co. Inc. unveiled July 31 a new design for its Web site (www.reitterstucco.com), which features a...

Northland streetscape plan promotes pedestrian traffic.(Columbus, Ohio)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Turning an asphalt jungle into a tree-lined boulevard can't be done with a snap of the fingers, but a local landscape architecture and planning firm believes it has the right formula to make such a transformation along Morse Road. Now it's...

Move from 1934 site opens sales options for supply firm.(Hamilton-Parker Co.)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... When street improvements near Nationwide Arena called for the city to break apart Hamilton-Parker Co.'s downtown complex of warehouses and showrooms, the Lewin family did not relish the thought of rebuilding their business of bricks, tile...

New Sterling portal targets building industry purchases.(Sterling Commerce)
August 4, 2000... Sterling Commerce officials say a new construction portal answers some problems facing the industry. In May, Sterling launched SterlingVantage.com, an Internet portal that will bring companies together. John Stelzer, senior manager of...

AIA plans group renovation with top-to-bottom change.(American Institute of Architects)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Architecture or the American Institute of Architects -- it's hard to tell which leads the other. They're inseparable; their goals affect our livability in ways we are not aware of, and they're both undergoing massive changes. It's just...

Annis Logsdon.(receives service award)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Receptionist Annis Logsdon received a five-year service award from Maryhaven.

Exel.(American Trucking Association contest)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Exel's motor carrier operations received first place in the general commodities, less than truckload, local, 10 to 50 million miles category of the American Trucking Association's 1999 National Truck Safety Contest.

Darlene Anderson.(and Jim David honored)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Darlene Anderson of Ohio Access to Justice and Jim David of OhioHealth-Northeast Health Center were the Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce Involved Members of the Month for July.

Dr. John Hinckley.(highest score on physician exam)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Dr. John Hinckley of Doctors Hospital received the highest score in the nation on the 2000 American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians resident in-service examination. Drs. Michael McFarlane and Donald Wood, both Ohio University...

ExhibitPro Inc.(receives award)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... ExhibitPro Inc. received first place and honorable mention awards in the Visual Competition 2000, sponsored by Visual Merchandising and Store Design, an industry publication. The company received first place in the signage in exhibitions...

Frank "Rocky" Morris Jr.(receives American Bar Association award)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Frank "Rocky" Morris Jr. of Porter Wright Morris & Arthur received the American Bar Association Business Law Section Chair's Award, which recognizes significant contributions to the business law section.

Trinity Lutheran Seminary.(Jewish Historical Society Organization of the Year)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Trinity Lutheran Seminary was named Organization of the Year by the Columbus Jewish Historical Society, recognizing leadership and involvement with the Jewish community and other interfaith organizations to create the Promise for Life memorial...

Harvey A. Schwartz.(named Leadership Fellow of the Advocacy Institute)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Harvey A. Schwartz of the American Cancer Society, Ohio division, was named a Leadership Fellow of the Advocacy institute, based in Washington, D.C. He was one of 15 fellows named this year.

Charles Penzone Inc.(receives Consumers' Choice Award)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Charles Penzone Inc. was one of 70 companies to receive the Consumers' Choice Award for business excellence. The awards are based on a random survey of Columbus residents and businesses.

Conrad Phillips & Vutech.(receives advertising awards)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Conrad Phillips & Vutech received six awards, including a Best of Show, in Healthcare Marketing Report's 17th annual Healthcare Advertising Awards.

Institute of Real Estate Management.(Columbus chapter receives award)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Institute of Real Estate Management, Columbus chapter 42, received the gold Community Outreach Award in its category, the bronze award for Chapter of the Year and a second place award for chapter Government Relations.

Gary Demos.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... The Central Ohio chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry granted certified remodeler status to Gary Demos and Robert Nygren of Dave Fox Remodeling Co. and Mark Troyer of Mark Troyer Builders Inc. Receiving certified lead...

American Electric Power Co.
August 4, 2000... American Electric Power Co. has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of 60 cents a share on the company's common stock. The dividend is payable Sept. 8, to shareholders of record Aug. 10.

American Electric Power Co.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... American Electric Power Co. reported a loss at $9 million, or 3 cents a share, on revenue of $3.1 billion for the second quarter, ended June 30. A write-off of deferred costs related to AEP's recently completed merger with Central and South...

Pinnacle Data Systems Inc.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Pinnacle Data Systems Inc. reported its unaudited second-quarter net income increased to $293,789, or 10 cents a share, on revenue of $6.7 million. A year earlier the company gained $109.920, or 4 cents a share, on revenue of $2.58 million....

Scotts Co.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Scotts Co. said its net income grew to $53 million, or $1.78 per share, on net sales of $598.3 million for the third quarter, ended July 1. In the same quarter last year, Scotts reported net income of $41.6 million, or $1.35 per share, on net...

Immune Response Inc.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Dublin-based Immune Response Inc. shareholders have approved the merger of the company with and into its wholly owned subsidiary Opticon Medical Inc. The merger became effective July 27. The common stock of the company will now trade on the OTC...

Denison International Plc.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Marysville-based Denison International Plc reported its net income increased to $3.8 million, or 35 cents a share, on net sales of just under $40 million for the quarter ended June 30. That compared with net income of $2.87 million, or 26 cents...

State Auto Financial Corp.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... State Auto Financial Corp. reported its second-quarter net earnings increased 20.5 percent to $12.5 million, or 32 cents a share, from $10.3 million, or 23 cents a share, a year earlier. Net premiums written rose slightly to $102.4 million....

Metatec International Inc.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Dublin-based Metatec International Inc. said its net income increased to $70,200 for the second quarter, ended June 30, on revenue of nearly $26.2 million. A year earlier, the company lost $556,200 on revenue of $29.4 million. Earnings a share...

Insilco Holding Co.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Insilco Holding Co. reported a profit of $700,000 for the quarter ended June 30, compared with a loss of $5.2 million for the same period a year earlier. The loss available to common shareholders for the quarter was 65 cents, an improvement...

Liqui-Box Corp.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2000... Liqui-Box Corp. reported net income for the second quarter ended July 1 slipped to $4.92 million, or $1.06 a share, on revenue of $43.2 million. That compared with net income of $5.9 million, or $1.24 a share, on revenue of $44.1 million for...