Business First-Columbus articles from December 2001

Business First-Columbus archives from December 2001

OSU Health System trims loss to $10M.(Ohio State University Health System reports $10 million in losses)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 7, 2001... Despite a $32 million turnaround in operating income from the previous year, Ohio State University Health System still suffered a $10 million operating loss for its fiscal 2001, ended June 30. Those results, which were presented to Ohio...

Haydocy, GM near accord over Olds.
December 7, 2001... Nearly a year after General Motors Corp. stunned dealers by saying it would stop making its Oldsmobile line, the Columbus dealership that likely stood to lose the most is nearing a settlement with the automaker. Chris Haydocy...

Key Turns to Future: Used car sales, service focus after Olds.
December 7, 2001... Key Oldsmobile sold two new Oldsmobiles in November. So when the General Motors factory representative commented sarcastically about the meager sales volume, Key President Howard Schnitz wasn't remorseful. "I told him we tried hard not...

Anti-terror measures cost $2M.
December 7, 2001... Ohio's state government has already racked up as much as $2 million in additional security costs since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and expects to spend at least $8 million more over the next 18 months, according to interviews and state...

Even Rudolph would collect under the ADA. (Shop Talk).
December 7, 2001... A seasonal message employers need to heed: Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Santa would be liable to his reindeer, even for perceived disabilities. Based on ADA rulings from the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers...

Metatec at a standstill: Looks to redo Huntington, Bank One loans.
December 7, 2001... Metatec International Inc. is not in compliance with the terms of $20 million in bank loans due Dec. 15. "As the economy worsened and our financial situation changed, we became in default of certain covenants in our current bank...

The Right Package: Worthington finds new markets for steel pallets.
December 7, 2001... Worthington Industries Inc. is expanding its upstart steel pallet division in an attempt to complement its core business as the manufacturing industry stays mired in a recession. Two-year-old Worthington Steelpac Systems has developed eight...

Fitch Inc. CEO Faust says he stepping out. (Briefs).
December 7, 2001... William Faust is stepping down as CEO of Fitch Inc.'s North American operations, a job he rose through the ranks to claim just as the Worthington firm was acquired last year by Cordiant Communications Group Plc. "I think Fitch needs a new...

2 state pension funds take hit on Enron stock. (Briefs).
December 7, 2001... The collapse of energy marketer Enron Corp. has made a mark at two large public pension funds in Columbus, but so has a run-up in other stock prices. The State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio said it has lost $65 million from Enron...

Enron gas sales office in Dublin shuttered. (Briefs).
December 7, 2001... Enron Energy Services, a division of ailing Enron Corp., has closed its Dublin office, eliminating the jobs of about 20 people. The natural gas contracting business of the office is now run out of the company's headquarters in Houston, said...

Huntington cuts 20 jobs, workers may be retained. (Briefs).
December 7, 2001... As insurance sales become streamlined into its banking business, Huntington Bancshares Inc. has cut the jobs of 20 insurance wholesale representatives. The employees were given "generous transition benefits" while Huntington tries to place...

Notable upcoming birthdays of Central Ohio executives. (Shop Talk).
December 7, 2001... * Richard Ayish, owner, Ohio Capitol Policy Group: Dec. 8 * Laralyn Sasaki, program manager, Ohio State Bar Foundation: Dec. 8 * Tim Whipkey, financial planner, Steinhaus Financial Group: Dec. 8 * Bob Roach, president, Columbus...

George Karl's father, as always, knew best. (Shop Talk).
December 7, 2001... Because he has substantial investments in a growing number of Columbus-area businesses, we found ourselves chatting with Milwaukee Bucks head coach George Karl recently when the subject of the coach's record $7 million annual salary contract...

Cable vendor to introduce high-speed ISP to market.
December 7, 2001... Central Ohio's broadband Internet service marketplace will get a new competitor now that WideOpenWest LLC has taken over Ameritech's Americast cable' system. The Castle Rock, Colo.-based company plans. to launch high-speed cable, modem...

Snow cargo plane project would bring up to 59 jobs.
December 7, 2001... Snow Aviation International Inc.'s 15-year bid to reinvigorate Ohio's aerospace industry could begin early next year with plans to start a retrofitting program for the C-130 Hercules cargo plane. The C-130 project gained momentum Dec. 3...

UnitedHealthcare trims 19 workers at Polaris unit.
December 7, 2001... A new organizational structure at UnitedHealthcare has resulted in the dismissal of 19 employees at the health insurer's Polaris offices. The jobs were terminated Nov. 29, said Brett Baby, chief executive for the company's Central Ohio...

Weiss rates 3 HMOs 'weak' for 1st quarter.
December 7, 2001... Weiss Ratings Inc. gave very weak ratings to three health maintenance organizations in Central Ohio, but one of them has made public its intention to go out of business by year-end the second switched its members to another HMO and the third...

New BIA president vows to keep association a force.
December 7, 2001... The 2002 president of the Building Industry Association of Central Ohio expects the homebuilders trade group to campaign against a proposed ban on housing development at the western edge of Columbus as part of the group's renewed efforts to...

Pen West landowners and developers seek city TIFs to make site upgrades.
December 7, 2001... Developers and landowners in the Pen West District downtown have asked the city to approve two tax-incremental financing (TIF) areas for new streets and utility lines through the former industrial area West of the Arena District. ...

Marysville hospital plans $3M obstetrics expansion.
December 7, 2001... Encouraged by population growth in the Marysville area, Memorial Hospital of Union County will spend an estimated $3 million to expand and renovate its obstetrics department. The project will allow the hospital to deliver up to 1,000 babies...

Nationwide, physician face lawsuit that alleges RICO, ERISA violations.
December 7, 2001... A new federal lawsuit accuses Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. and a physician group of denying workers' disability benefits. The complaint, filed Nov. 19 in U.S. District Court in Columbus, accuses Nationwide, Dr. Gerald S. Steiman,...

ArcLight snares tax break, plans 50 jobs over 3 years.
December 7, 2001... A start-up company with ties to Cardinal Health Inc. is gearing up to expand its work force. Dublin-based ArcLight Systems LLC plans to create at least 50 jobs over the next three years, say documents filed with the Ohio Tax Credit...

The List: Greater Columbus SBA loan recipients.
December 7, 2001... THE LIST: Greater Columbus SBA loan recipients RANKED BY LOAN AMOUNT LOAN RECIPIENT LOAN ADDRESS AMOUNT (1) LENDER CITY, ZIP 1 Elsie K LLC ...

SBA's Hubzone program loses 2002 appropriation.
December 7, 2001... Congress has eliminated funding for the Hubzone program, which gives small businesses in low-income areas preferences for federal contracts. The $2 million Hubzone budget cut was part of an appropriations bill signed Nov. 28 by President...

Trane considers combining offices at CityGate park.
December 7, 2001... The growing operations of Trane Co. in Columbus are expected to anchor a proposed office-warehouse complex at the CityGate Business Park off Stelzer Road. The manufacturer and service provider of commercial furnaces and air conditioning...

Battelle maintains hold of Army services contract.
December 7, 2001... Battelle Memorial Institute has won a contract to administer $43.6 million in research contracts for the Army Research Office. It' the seventh time Battelle has been awarded the five-year contract, which was competitively bid by the...

Moody/Nolan Ltd. takes top NOMA design honors. (Real Estate).(National Organization of Minority Architects)(Brief Article)
December 7, 2001... Moody/Nolan Ltd. has brought home four of five design awards presented at the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) International Congress and Exposition in Las Vegas. The Columbus design firm captured a Special Merit Award...

Ruscilli developing warehouse in Iowa for McGraw-Hill. (Real Estate).(Ruscilli Development Co.; McGraw-Hill Cos.)(Brief Article)
December 7, 2001... Columbus-based Ruscilli Development Co. is stretching its geographic reach with a 330,000-square-foot distribution project in Dubuque, Iowa, for the educational publishing division of McGraw-Hill Cos. Ruscilli began construction in of the...

CANstruction scheduled for January charity expo. (Real Estate).
December 7, 2001... The Columbus chapters of the American Institute of Architects and the Society of Design Administration will launch the region's annual Operation Feed food drive in conjunction with the Builder Exchange of Central Ohio's annual construction...

Duke taps McDonald for area operations. (Real Estate).
December 7, 2001... Duke Realty Corp. has named a former Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. corporate services manager to head property management operations in Columbus. Jeffrey McDonald will serve as Duke senior property manager, overseeing the office and industrial...

Local AIA chapter presents honors. (Real Estate).
December 7, 2001... University projects dominated the awards announced Dec. 5 by the Columbus chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Honor Awards were presented to NBBJ for the World Peace Bell in Newport. Ky. and to Lincoln Street Studio for the...

Lach takes presidency of Women's Council. (Real Estate).
December 7, 2001... Barbara B. Lach, a top producer for Coldwell Banker King Thompson, has been selected as 2002 president of the Women's Council of Realtors. Lach, the 2001 president of the Columbus Board of Realtors, took the reins of the 14,000-member...

The List: Greater Columbus air carriers.
December 7, 2001... THE LIST: Greater Columbus air carriers RANKED BY NUMBER OF GREATER COLUMBUS EMPLOYEES GREATER- COMPANY NAME EMPLOYEES: COLUMBUS ADDRESS ...

Huntington-SunTrust deal for Fla. unit clears hurdle. (On Finance).
December 7, 2001... The deal between Huntington National Bank and SunTrust Bank for the Columbus bank's Florida branch offices cleared a hurdle Dec. 3 when the banks agreed to sell seven branches in Florida to resolve antitrust concerns. Under the agreement...

PERS pays its adviser with small-cap stocks. (On Finance).
December 7, 2001... PERS is paying its latest consultant with a stake in the portfolio it will manage. The Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio has selected Barclays Global Investors to manage a $1.2 billion Russell 3000 passive portfolio of...

CNBC getting more of Newton's expertise. (On Finance).(Commerce National Bank expands duties of chief economic advisor Jim Newton)(Brief Article)
December 7, 2001... Commerce National Bank and economist Jim Newton are getting along fine. So fine, in fact, that Worthington-based Commerce is expanding its relationship with Newton, the bank's chief economic adviser. In addition to his economic...

HR wants more benefits than owners, survey finds. (On Finance).
December 7, 2001... Small-business owners listen to their human resources managers but don't always agree with them on what's important. That's what Nationwide Financial discovered in a recent survey of 730 business owners and benefits representatives at firms...

Thor fights sales downturn by purchasing RV maker.(Thor Industries Inc. acquires Keystone RV Co.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 7, 2001... Jackson Center-based Thor Industries Inc. has paid $166 million to acquire Keystone RV Co., a deal that makes it the largest maker of motor homes and travel trailers. The cash-and-stock purchase adds the Outback, Springdale, Montana,...

Old rail tunnel examined for Cincy-Dayton rail link. (Ohio Inc.).(Cincinnati-Dayton, Ohio rail line planned)(Brief Article)
December 7, 2001... Though some consider the proposal a long shot, transportation planners are looking closely at an abandoned, 80-year-old subway tunnel that could be reborn as part of a Cincinnati-to-Hamilton light rail line. The 2-mile-long tunnel was...

Ohio nuke power plant topic of NRC repair consideration. (Ohio Inc.).(Davis-Besse nuclear power plant; Nuclear Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 7, 2001... The Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the operator of the Davis-Besse nuclear power plant in Oak Harbor are discussing a possible early shutdown of the plant to inspect a vital safety feature. "There is no immediate safety concern," NRC...

Amway, P&G remain locked in fight over Satan ism rumor. (Ohio Inc.).(Procter & Gamble)(Brief Article)
December 7, 2001... After failing to convince a federal judge that Procter & Gamble Co. tried to run it out of business, Amway Corp. has appealed a lawsuit ruling. A Michigan judge dismissed the case in September, but Amway, based in Ada, Mich., has appealed...

Kroger, Meijer throw fuel on old-time gas price war. (Ohio Inc.).
December 7, 2001... Supermarket merchants Kroger and Meijer took each other on in a short but sweet-for-motorists gasoline war, pushing prices down as low as 10 cents a gallon. The price fight broke out Nov. 29 when Kroger opened a grocery store near a Meijer...

Procter canning tortilla chips; 'Ribs King' Gregory dies at 78. (Ohio Inc.).(Procter & Gamble Co.; founder of Montgomery Inns, Ted Gregory, dies)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
December 7, 2001... * Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble Co. plans to sell curved tortilla chips in canisters as it tries to reverse its declining food sales. P&G will package Torengos chips in triangular canisters, similar to the tubular cans in which it sells its...

Amid slowdown, factories still lack skilled staff. (Washington Watch).
December 7, 2001... Manufacturing has been in a recession for a year, but this battered sector of the economy still faces a skilled-worker shortage despite widespread layoffs. Eighty percent of manufacturers surveyed by the National Association of...

Poll finds employers, workers satisfied with OSHA dealings. (Washington Watch).
December 7, 2001... A new Gallup Poll commissioned by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found a majority of employers and workers are satisfied in their dealings with the agency. The poll found 84 percent of employers subjected to OSHA...

Women-owned companies grow at twice the rate for all firms. (Washington Watch).
December 7, 2001... A new study estimates the number of women-owned businesses in the nation will grow to 6.2 million in 2002, an expansion rate of 14 percent since 1997 - double the rate for businesses in general. More than 100,000 women-owned businesses will...

SBA grants help organizations train low-income entrepreneurs. (Washington Watch).
December 7, 2001... The Small Business Administration has awarded grants to 69 organizations that will provide training and technical assistance to low-income entrepreneurs. The grants are part of the SBA's new Program for Investment in Microentrepreneurs,...

New Web site offers gateway to small business regulations. (Washington Watch).
December 7, 2001... A new Web site, www.BusinessLaw.gov, offers small-business owners a gateway for finding, understanding and complying with federal, state and local regulations. The Small Business Administration (SBA) launched the site as part of the Bush...

Get ready for first meeting with your debtor attorney. (Bankruptcy Law).
December 7, 2001... Facing the reality that you are in significant financial distress, you have made an appointment with an attorney who does debtor work. You need to prepare for that first meeting. What should you put in your briefcase and what should you...

Executives must lead assault on status quo. (Managing Growth).
December 7, 2001... What would it be like if your current and former employees testified to a U.S. Senate committee about the working environment and culture of your organization? FBI employees did just that recently. In this testimony, numerous problems were...

Balancing Act: Juggling family and a growing business is a careful.
December 7, 2001... If John and Sheila Wallace were to adopt a motto for their family and business, it might read something like "Ad astra per aspera." That's Latin for "To the stars through hardship." Their trek began one night in February 1998 when...

IntellEquip Inc.. (New Contracts).
December 7, 2001... IntellEquip Inc, supplier of Internet-based sales automation software for the fluid-handling industry, has entered into agreements with PACO and Johnston Pump, Brookshire, Texas; Wier Floway, Fresno, Calif.; and KSB Aktiengesellschaft,...

XO Communications. (New Contracts).
December 7, 2001... XO Communications has a new account with Children's Hospital and expanded services with Giant Eagle to include local and long-distance services to 58 locations throughout the state. For information, call 614-629-3200.

Audipac Logistics Management. (New Contracts).
December 7, 2001... Audipac Logistics Management formed an agreement with Honda of America Manufacturing Inc. to process Honda's OEM parts invoices. For information, call 614-875-2787.

Speaking Of.
December 7, 2001... Mya E. Bronson of the Columbus Legal Aid Society was accepted to the Barrister Leader program of the Columbus Bar Association. Kathy Kittredge, Advest Inc., participated in the 529 Boat Camp held by Savingforcollege.com in Rochester, N.Y....

Sincerity is the hallmark of a successful marketer. (Marketing).
December 7, 2001... I've been a direct response copywriter for more than 15 years and every time I sit down to compose a letter, print ad or direct mail package, I challenge myself to write in a tone that the reader will find honest, genuine, sincere. In other...

Overcome competition -- inside the family business. (Family Business).
December 7, 2001... After the sudden death of the founder, a highly respected family business almost had to be sold -- not because of poor estate planning, but because family successors did not have a clear sense of direction for the business, which resulted in...

Acme Art Co.. (Business Notes).
December 7, 2001... Acme Art Co. is accepting proposals from artists working in all media, including performance, dance and installation art for its June 2002-July 2003 exhibition season. Artists should send a self-addressed, stamped business-size envelope to Acme...

ExhibitPro Inc.. (Business Notes).
December 7, 2001... ExhibitPro Inc has opened ExpoMall, an e-commerce site at www.expomal.com specializing in trade show displays and accessories. It is also selling directly to clients promotional items such as low-cost giveaways, corporate gifts and sportswear....

Hope's Boutique. (Business Notes).
December 7, 2001... Hope's Boutique, specializing in hats, wigs, jewelry and other accessories for the cancer patient, has started new service called Hope's Boutique Too at the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital, where the company will staff an in-house boutique and...

Lutheran Village of Columbus. (Business Notes).
December 7, 2001... Lutheran Village of Columbus is exhibiting watercolor paintings by Mary F.P. Wade from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Chapel of Bradow Place through Dec. 28. For of information call 614-252-5276.

The Ohio Art League. (Business Notes).
December 7, 2001... The Ohio Art League is hosting its December Member Curated Exhibition, After France, curated by Anne Hubler. The exhibit will feature works by Jean Koeller of Dayton. A reception was held Dec. 1 at the gallery at 954 N. High St. For...

Ohio State University Hospitals East. (Business Notes).
December 7, 2001... Ohio State University Hospitals East acquired a new computerized tomography unit that will provide high-quality images in less time than other scanners and with reduced exposure to radiation.

Franklin County Treasurer. (Business Notes).(direct debit program for taxpayers)(Brief Article)
December 7, 2001... Franklin County Treasurer's office has instituted a monthly direct debit program for taxpayers interested in having their real estate tan payments debited directly from their checking or savings accounts on an annual or semi-annual basis. For...

Mailers Equipment Co. of Columbus. (Business Notes).(acquires Kewill's Columbus Evcor Mailing Division)(Brief Article)
December 7, 2001... Mailers Equipment Co. of Columbus purchased Kewill's Columbus Evcor Mailing Division. For information, call 614-299-6211.

Intranets cut costs, share office information. (Communication).(Brief Article)
December 7, 2001... Most companies today handle communications with internal e-mail systems. But as your company grows, you may find that e-mail alone is an inadequate way to disseminate the information vital to executive staff, employees and associates. An...

The View From Every Where: Web-based operations software gives franchise owner ability to see store, employee status at anytime.(Brief Article)
December 7, 2001... Big Brother franchisee would be watching more, if only he weren't so busy with other things technology allows him to do. Columbus-based Escape Enterprises Inc., franchiser of Steak Escape restaurants, and IBeam Solutions in Canal Winchester...

Web in Site.(Franklin Park Conservatory web site)(Brief Article)
December 7, 2001... URL: www.fpconservatory.org Group: Franklin Park Conservatory, Columbus Contact: Kevin Gowins, director of marketing, 614-645-5586 or kgowins@fpconservatory.org Site design: Franklin Park, using freelance assistance Launch...

Secure Interiors strikes sales partnerships. (Briefs).(Brief Article)
December 7, 2001... Secure Interiors Inc. of Columbus will sell its Internet-security services through partner firms in Cleveland and Columbus. The firms that will market the Secure Interiors services to their clients in Columbus are Percipia Inc., Revolution...

CAS develops global toxicology database. (Briefs).(Chemical Abstracts Service)(Brief Article)
December 7, 2001... Chemical Abstracts Service has developed a new database of toxicology information from pharmacological, biomedical and chemical literature from around the World. The Toxcenter database has more than 5 million records, including patents and...

CIO survey predicts more tech hiring for early 2002. (Technow).(chief information officer)(Brief Article)
December 7, 2001... Companies in Columbus will continue to hire highly skilled technology talent, though more judiciously in the current business environment. That's according to RHI Consulting's Information Technology Hiring Index for the first quarter 2002....

Better cable modem marketing projected to increase user base. (Technow).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 7, 2001... This much is certain: The hype about the proliferation of broadband access was overblown. No, we're not all going to be sitting on 100 megabits of access at our homes (well, at least most of us won't anytime in the near future). And many...

Savvy Web designers know rules to get increases in visitor traffic. (On Computers).
December 7, 2001... You say nobody looks at your Web page? Perhaps all you need to do is add a little life to your Web site. How about some snappy graphics? Or maybe you need a better design. There are some basic rules you can follow to improve the look of your...

Profile. (Technow).(George Oswalt of ECR Computers and Internet Services)(Brief Article)
December 7, 2001... Name: George Oswalt Title: Vice president, Web development and training, ECR Computers and Internet Services, Mount Vernon Time in current position: Seven years Where did you begin your tech career? Developing Web sites in my...

Tech Talk. (Technow).
December 7, 2001... DigitalEve Columbus, a nonprofit networking and educational organization for women in the digital community, is having a holiday party and white elephant gift exchange. When: 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 17 Where: Cozymel's, 6100 Park Center...

New job board targets teens, college students. (Technow).
December 7, 2001... A Columbus firm has launched a Web site designed to connect high school and college students to jobs in retail, food and other youth-oriented service industries. Groovejob.com offers resources such as resume builders, interview tips and...

Jacobs sells 4 Ohio malls; Eastland is excluded. (Digest).(Richard E.Jacobs Group)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 7, 2001... The Richard E.Jacobs Group, owner of Columbus' Eastland Mall, has agreed to sell four of its Ohio malls to Los Angeles-based Westfield America Trust. Eastland, however, isn't in the group and. remains Jacobs' sole local holding after the...

Scotts agrees to pay $275K fine to EPA. (Digest).(Scotts Co. agrees to $275 thousand fine from Ohio Environmental Protection Agency)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 7, 2001... Scotts Co. has agreed to pay a $275,000 fine to settle an environmental complaint filed against the Marysville-based lawn-and-garden products maker by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. The consent order also calls for Scotts to...

OSBA creates committee to respond to political attacks. (Digest).(Ohio State Bar Association)(Brief Article)
December 7, 2001... The Ohio State Bar Association has formed a Committee on the Independent Judiciary and the Unjust Criticism of Judges, charged with responding on behalf of judges who are attacked in political campaigns. "Our purpose is not to stop...

Port Columbus starts recycling program. (Digest).(Port Columbus International Airport, Columbus, Ohio)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 7, 2001... A new recycling program at Port Columbus International Airport will divert nearly 200 tons of trash from going to the local dump each year, officials said. The Columbus Airport Authority and the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio...

Markets: Greater Columbus Stocks. (Databank).(Columbus, Ohio-based businesses)(Statistical Data Included)(Illustration)
December 7, 2001... Close From previous Week Local stocks 1361.77 +36.83 [up arrow] Dow Jones INDUSTRIALS 10114.29 +402.24 [up arrow] S&P 500 ...

Bob Evans Farms Inc.. (Earnings & Stock News).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 7, 2001... Bob Evans Farms Inc.'s same-store sales at its restaurants were up 2.6 percent in November over the same month last year. The sales total was for the 400 restaurants open the past two years. The Columbus-based family-dining chain now has 473...

Scotts Co.. (Earnings & Stock News).(earnings, forecast)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 7, 2001... Scotts Co. is predicting sales of its lawn and garden products will grow between 4 percent and 6 percent in its fiscal year ending next September.Scotts had 2001 sales of $1.69 billion, a slightly lower number than first reported because the...

Worthington Industries Inc.. (Earnings & Stock News).(announces quarterly dividend)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 7, 2001... Worthington Industries Inc.'s board of directors has declared a regular quarterly dividend of 16 cents a share, payable Dec. 29 to shareholders of record on Dec. 15. The dividend is the steel processor's 136th consecutive quarterly payout to...