Business First-Columbus articles from January 2001

Business First-Columbus archives from January 2001

Fronstep Inc.(new software for suppliers)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Fronstep Inc. released its Supplier Response Solution, a sell-side system that enables suppliers to integrate with and conduct business on Internet trading exchanges.

Paula Innis on Advisory Boards.(Advisory Board Exchange)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... As the President and CEO of Ohio Full Court Press, Paula Innis has been making decisions fo rthe company since 1995 and her leadership has earned the company much recognition, including multiple Business First Fast 50 awards. Innis was...

Glimcher asset sales total $44.3 million for 2000.(Glimcher Realty Trust)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Columbus-based Glimcher Realty Trust, a real estate investment trust, reported for the year 2000 that it sold $44.3 million of assets and realized a net gain of $4.3 million as part of its strategy to reduce debt through the sale of assets....

TRRAF organization system helps execs manage office clutter, heavy paper flow.
January 26, 2001... "I know it's here somewhere!" That is the often-heard refrain of the busy executives who thinks they are too busy with day-to-day responsibilities to maintain order. When the pressure of deadlines, appointments and everyday business...

Court's wetlands decision wins developers' approval.(Supreme Court rules Army Corps of Engineers does not have permit authority)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... The Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision Jan. 9, finding that the Army Corps of Engineers lacks the authority to require permits to fill isolated waters, such as ponds and wetlands. This decision allows developers to fill any...

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE.
January 26, 2001... ACCOUNTING Crowe Chizek and Co. LLP, in its financial institutions group, promoted Barbara Chairez to senior associate, Gary Lindsey to regulatory advisory specialist, Brian Hecker and Kevin Hundley to engagement manager and Chris...

M-E Cos. Inc.(Consulting Engineers Council of Ohio awards)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... The Consulting Engineers Council of Ohio presented the following awards in its 2001 Engineering Excellence Awards competition: to Burgess & Niple Ltd., an Outstanding Achievement Award for the Interstate 270/Sawmill Road interchange, an Honor...

Hopkins Printing.(awards from Printing Industries Association Inc.)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Hopkins Printing received nine awards in the 2000 Printing Industries of Northern Kentucky and Ohio Print Excellence Awards, sponsored by the Printing Industries Association Inc. The company received silver awards in the folders, newsletters...

Benjamin Blackmon.
January 26, 2001... Benjamin Blackmon of State Auto Insurance Cos. received the Distinguished Graduate Award in the associate in underwriting program from the Insurance Institute of America.

Groups working together to help reduce number of uninsured.(health insurance programs in the United States)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... An unlikely triumvirate is trying to stir debate on how to provide health insurance for the estimated 44 million Americans who lack such coverage. Calling themselves "strange bedfellows," the Health Insurance Association of America, the...

PROGNOSIS GOOD FOR GIFT SHOPS.
January 26, 2001... Stores rack up sales to help fund hospitals' CHARITABLE CAUSES The next time you're shopping for a prized collectible or a unique piece of apparel, consider patronizing a hospital gift shop. There, you're bound to find a tempting...

Super Bowl fund-raiser to benefit cancer fund.(Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... A fund-raising event held in conjunction with Super Bowl XXXV in Tampa will benefit the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research at Ohio State University's Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute. ...

Interpreters help patients follow doctor's orders.(Languages Unlimited Inc.)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Though a routine physical check-up and a medical emergency are worlds apart in severity, they can be equally problematic for patients whose native tongue is a world apart from English. "Mi nino ha estado lazando encima de." "J'ai le...

DISEASE CONTROL.
January 26, 2001... Employees with chronic illnesses can keep working with help from their employers Like many busy business professionals, Doug Langenfeld sometimes had 6 a.m. meetings. Or he faced a workload that kept him on the job until 11 p.m. And he...

Providers scramble to decode new patient privacy rules.
January 26, 2001... Lawyers in the health care sector aren't spending their post-holiday season wondering what they will work on next. Rather, the decision has been made for them: They are pouring over the recently released and final regulations of President...

Medical practice must be handled like a business.(management techniques for medical practices)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Medicine, one of the most time-honored professions, was originally described as an art. Later, it became known as a science. In today's ever-changing environment, it has become a business. How does your practice stack up? Is it able to...

Dentist gets creative to help patients keep appointments.
January 26, 2001... When patients cancel an appointment or don't appear at all, they can wreak havoc for their health care practitioner. Staffers are left with nothing to do; the daily momentum screeches to a halt. Time is basically lost, with no way to...

Columbus gets taste of new technologies.(new hospital technologies)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... LASSO CATHETER Devices perform robotic surgery, measure vision and track electrical signals Riverside Methodist Hospital Dr. Emile Daoud, cardiologist In use at Riverside since mid-October, only one in the state, probably no more...

HCFA policy on physician confidentiality updated.(Health Care Financing Administration)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... The AMA has released new information regarding the intent of the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) to change its disclosure policy on physician identity in the Medicare beneficiary complaint process. According to the AMA, HCFA has...

Port Columbus sets passenger traffic record.(2000 airport traffic)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 26, 2001... Nearly 6.9 million passengers hopped on or off airplanes at Port Columbus International in 2000, marking the eighth record traffic year set at the airport during the last nine years. The new passenger benchmark represents a 5 percent increase...

Team Mucho to purchase assets of Salt Lake City firm.(Team Mucho Inc., Professional Staff Management Inc.)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Worthington-based Team Mucho Inc. has entered into a letter of intent to purchase substantially all of the assets of Salt Lake City-based Professional Staff Management Inc., which has offices in Columbus, Cincinnati, Las Vegas and San Diego....

AEP, Dow finalize agreement to build La. power plant.(American Electric Power Company Inc., Dow Chemical Co. Louisiana power plant)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... American Electric Power and Dow Chemical Co. have executed a definitive agreement to build a new cogeneration plant at Dow's Plaquernine, La., chemical: complex. The 900-megawatt, natural gas-fired power plant, announced last June, will...

DCB Financial Corp.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 26, 2001... Year-end earnings dipped slightly for DCB Financial Corp., the parent company of the Delaware County Bank &Trust Co. Net income in 2000, which ended Dec. 31, was $4.75 million, compared to $4.78 million in 1999. Earnings per share were $1.14,...

Frontstep Inc.(posts financial results)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Frontstep Inc. reported total revenue of $34.1 million, a slight drop from the $34.3 million reported last year. The second-quarter loss of $957,000 compared to a $288,000 gain last year. The loss per share was $0.13 vs. a gain of $0.04 in...

GREATER COLUMBUS STOCKS.
January 26, 2001... GREATER COLUMBUS STOCKS Close From previous week Local stocks 1,654.78 +55.38 Doe Jones INDUSTRIALS 10,646.97 +62.63 S&P 500 1,364.3 +34.83...

Bank stocks are likely best bets.(stock recommendations)(Brief Article)(Column)
January 26, 2001... Dear Mr. Berko: My 31-year-old son has been a stockbroker with Merrill Lynch for nearly five years and frequently tries to give me investment advice. I love the lad, but, frankly, he's a greenhorn in the market and I'm very reluctant to take...

Mortgage rates.
January 26, 2001... Mortgage rates 30-YR FIXED 15-YR. FIXED FINANCIAL INSTITUTION % RATE POINTS % RATE POINTS Affinity Group Mortgage 6.625 ...

Venture capital drop-off on the way.(Michael J. Mandel discusses venture capital)(Brief Article)(Interview)
January 26, 2001... Michael J. Mandel, economics editor of Business Week magazine, thinks venture capital is "one of the great financial innovations of the 20th century." The New Economy, he said, is not just a technological revolution but a financial...

Notable upcoming birthdays of Central Ohio executives.
January 26, 2001... * Nancy Duncan Porter, project manager, North Market: Jan. 27 * Dennis Hoffer, president, Inside Outfitters Inc.: Jan.29 * Jay Darby, manager Functional Furnishings: Jan.30 * Myron Leff, president and owner, Leff & Associates:...

This year, all that jazz could be worth $100k.(contest for jazz musicians in Ohio)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... George and Janice Scantland, owners of smooth Jazz stations WZJZ 104.3 and WSWZ 103.5, are celebrating their 25th year in broadcasting with a statewide jazz contest to recognize local musicians. To compete in the Silver Cup, jazz groups...

Small businesses need regulatory, estate tax relief.
January 26, 2001... As George W. Bush wades into his new role as president of the United States, he inherits an economy that's not quite sure where it's going. Lackluster stock performances, failing e-commerce companies and large corporate layoffs have...

Getting by without high-tech gadgets.(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... More than 100 years ago, the head of the U.S. Patent Office, Charles H. Duell, proclaimed that "everything that can be invented has been invented." Ever since, anyone who wondered aloud about the actual utility of the latest invention...

Insurer success demands focus on member needs.(managed care plans)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Managed care is not a daring new concept, but rather an expansion and refinement of health care delivery principles that have been with us for decades. The purpose: to provide quality health care at an affordable price. Research shows...

BUILT TO LAST.(Chute Gerdeman Inc. remodels 1885 Ice Machines building in Brewery District)
January 26, 2001... 1885 Ice Machines building renovation heats up Brewery District office locations One of the hottest projects to stoke redevelopment in the Brewery District is the recent renovation of the old Hoster Ice Machines building by...

Proposed CEDA to include prime development land.
January 26, 2001... The village of Canal Winchester and Violet Township have broken new ground by forming Central Ohio's first Cooperative Economic Development Agreement. Each of the entities adopted letters of intent in mid-January to form the CEDA. ...

Walk away at the beginning.(companies should check out other companies before creating a relationship)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Before you sign a deal and create a relationship, make sure you've done your homework. Check references, Call the Better Business Bureau. If you are planning to deal with a publicly held company, check out its Securities and Exchange filings....

Customer Power: How to Grow Sales and Profits in a Customer-Driven Marketplace.
January 26, 2001... "Customer Power: How to Grow Sales and Profits in a Customer-Driven Marketplace," by David C. Swaddling and Charles Miller. In this 336-page book, the two local management consultants -- Swaddling is president and Miller is senior vice...

Web conferencing helps erase long trips to far-away clients.(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Now that 2000 has come and gone, "the future" has arrived. Here we are, trying to survive in a global economy, yet budget and time severely limit the amount of face-to-face contact we can have with long-distance clients and employees....

Remove the fear and anyone can be a great public speaker.(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Speaking in front of a group can be anywhere between the most terrifying and most rewarding experience of a lifetime. I deliver more, than 100 speeches per year and I'm never nervous. Oh, sometimes I get excited, and I'm full of energy...

Dave Thomas Center for Adoption Law.
January 26, 2001... The Dave Thomas Center for Adoption Law at Capital University Law School received a $230,000 grant from the U.S. Congress. The grant will fund a multiyear effort to research and develop a current, comprehensive, state-by-state adoption law...

Prevention Council of Central Ohio.(receives grant)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... The Prevention Council of Central Ohio received a $2,000 grant from the Columbus Young Leader's Group for use with the council's Teen Institute program and a S7,837 grant from the Harry C. Moores Foundation to use fur training drug-free youth...

Buckeye Bop Club.(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... The Buckeye Bop Club, a nonprofit organization dedicated to site promotion and preservation of swing, bop, jitterbug and shag dancing, dances from 8 to 11 p.m. each Monday evening at Bowties, Ramada Hotel, 4900 Sinclair Road. Members may...

Ohio Department of Insurance.
January 26, 2001... The Ohio Department of Insurance changed its Web address to www.ohioinsurance.gov. The site was redesigned in November.

BUILDING ON BASICS.(Interactive Ink Inc., Web site developer)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 26, 2001... Interactive media firm shows clients how to use Internet to expand current client business For Interactive Ink Inc., a media consultancy, business wasn't always about Web sites and database development. The company, founded in 1994...

WEB inSITE.(Volunteers of America of Central Ohio Inc. creates Web site)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Group: Volunteers of America of Central Ohio Inc., nonprofit human services organization URL: www.voacentralohio.org Contact: Marc Vincent, information services manager, at 614-224-8650 or mvincent@ voacentralohio.org Site...

Area B2B developer named to top e-provider list.
January 26, 2001... EC Outlook, a network platform provider and software developer with offices in Columbus and Houston, has been recognized by ISource Business magazine as one of the Top 100 Premier E-Procurement Providers for 2001. The magazine evaluated...

Web-based assessments yield instant evaluations.(MindLeaders offers Salsa skill assessment test)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... MindLeaders, a Columbus-based provider of Internet-based learning tools, has introduced Salsa, a skill assessment tool that provides an immediate evaluation of a person's technical skills during job interviews and reviews. More than 100...

Dayton sports dotcom hopes for gold.(HoopStuff.com, ultimate encyclopedia of college basketball)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... The Dayton area's newest dotcom may be just what basketball fans dream about during March Madness. HoopStuff.com is a joint venture among the University of Dayton, Dayton-area consulting firm Web Yoga Inc. and a sports information...

E-testing: New high-tech twist on hiring good people.
January 26, 2001... How does our Internet world impact finding the best employees? So far, job seekers can research companies on the Web, promote their skills and experience on Web-based resume boards and deal with e-recruiters. Employers now receive online...

Battelle Memorial licenses indexing software engine.(Thing Finder)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Battelle Memorial Institute has licensed a content indexing engine that identifies and extracts entities such as people, locations and numbers within unstructured text. The institute is licensing the product, called Thing Finder, from...

Frontstep CEO Sasser named to Aelita Software board.(Stephen A. Sasser)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Columbus-based Aelita Software announced that the chief executive of Frontstep Inc. has been named to its board of directors. Stephen A. Sasser is president and CEO of Frontstep, formerly called Symix Software. The company is a...

Metatec software products deployed to 500,000 end users.(Metatec International )(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Dublin-based Metatec International announced that its Internet-based software distribution management products and services have been deployed to more than 500,000 customers worldwide. Available as both an outsourced service (Metatec...

Hartville losing Longaberger operation to Springfield Twp.(basket-maker Longaberger Co.)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Longaberger Co. plans to move its Hartville basket-making business and 300 employees to just outside Akron. The Newark-based producer has operated in Hartville since 1983 and is the village's largest employer. It will move to an...

Lamar Cos.(is selling Cross Pointe Centre)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Lamar Cos. of Morristown, N.J., is selling Cross Pointe Centre, a 100,000-square foot retail complex in Centerville, outside of Dayton. Lamar, which bought Cross Pointe 18 months ago for $18 million, has the strip center on the block for...

Cooper Cameron Corp.(to close plant in Springfield)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Cooper Cameron Corp. will close its plant in Springfield, where 300 people work putting together natural gas-powered engines. Cooper, based in Houston, said it would shutter the factory because of declining demand and high overhead.

Robert Gillespie.
January 26, 2001... Robert Gillespie will retire this year as chairman and CEO of KeyCorp and be succeeded by Henry Meyer III, 51, the company's president and chief operating officer. Gillespie, 56, was instrumental in the 1994 merger of KeyCorp, then based in...

Phar-Mor Inc.(trims headquarters operation by 22 employees)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Youngstown-based Phar-Mor Inc. has trimmed its 250-worker headquarters operation by 22 employees under a restructuring. Most of those dismissed were computer systems and merchandising staff.

Cargill Inc.(Penford Corp., corn starches)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Cargill Inc., the nation's largest closely held company, will stop turning out industrial starches at a Dayton plant under a venture with Penford Corp. to create corn starches for use in paper production. The companies will operate plants in...

Small-business chairman draws on his family's past.
January 26, 2001... Small-business issues became a part of Rep. Donald Manzullo's life when he was 4 years old and his father bought a grocery store in Rockford, Ill. Then, when Manzullo was 10, his father opened one of the first drive-in restaurants in...

The Human Genome Project -- The race is on.
January 26, 2001... You've heard about it on television, you've read about it in newspapers, and literally hundreds of articles are written every month by online magazines and research centers. What is it? The Human Genome Project. Conceived in the late...

Agreement could hasten understanding, manipulation of Human Genome.(Ohio State University, Ohio Supercomputer Center, LabBook Inc.)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... The discoveries of how the individual components of the human genome affect human health should be accelerated due to a partnership between Ohio State University researchers, the Ohio Supercomputer Center (www.osc.edu) and the makers of a...

Advancing community health.
January 26, 2001... In this issue of On Call, Columbus Medical Association (CMA) brings you news on the Human Genome Project. Many in our field are already aware of this enormous project and some of the potential implications. However, it is often difficult to...

Clearing the air about second-hand smoke in restaurants.(Environmental Tobacco Smoke survey)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Despite all the information about the effects of secondhand smoke (also known as Environmental Tobacco Smoke) the Tobacco Free Collaborative (TFC) says that there is not enough conversation about the issue. "It's a widely accepted fact...

A Special Message for Smokers.
January 26, 2001... This is a difficult time to be a smoker. As the public becomes more aware that smoking is not only a hazard to you but also to others, nonsmokers are becoming more outspoken, and smokers are finding themselves a beleaguered group. If you...

Architect strives for sense of community in projects.
January 26, 2001... Even before she read "Our Town," Kelaine "Kelly" Fitzpatrick Mitchell knew it was a special book, just from how excited her high school English teacher was for the class to tackle it. "It's a profound message presented in a simple way --...

The NAME game.(trademarks)(Brief Article)(Column)
January 26, 2001... Research and protect your business' name, or you may end up losing... Jessica Billings made the costly mistake of not knowing the difference between a trade name and a trademark when she established her natural lip balm business two...

CONNECTIONS.(Digital Sculpture Ltd., computer animation services)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Peter J. Scott President Digital Sculpture Inc. 614-224-8070 E-mail: mail@dsanimations.com How long have you been in this position or career? Eight years. What are your main responsibilities? Manage daily...

Gordon Biersch set to open Arena District restaurant.
January 26, 2001... While the Arena District is getting its fill of new watering holes, how many of them adhere to the 1516 German Purity Law? Brewery-restaurant Gordon Biersch will when it opens Jan. 29 at 401 N. Front St. The purity law, called...

2 new area restaurants being prepared by Bob Evans.(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Bob Evans Farms Inc., in the midst of opening 30 restaurants in various markets in fiscal 2001, will begin service Jan.22 at its newest area store, on Georgesville Road. The Columbus-based chain also has a new restaurant under...

Mueller Tire set to drive 4 new stores into Columbus.
January 26, 2001... SHOWALTER, KATHY Mueller Tire & Brake LLC, a Cleveland-based auto parts and services retailer, is planning four additional Columbus stores. On Jan. 16, Mueller opened its first Columbus store at the former General Tire store location...

Parent asks court to secure school music records.(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... A Columbus parent's efforts to see how much religious music is being used in the Columbus Public Schools has landed in court after the school system failed to hand over relevant records. Michael D. Vander Does on Jan. 18 petitioned the...

Columbus to be pilot site for state health program.(Healthy Ohioans program)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Plagued by some of Ohio's grimmest disease rates, Columbus will become a pilot site for a new state program aimed at making Ohioans healthier. Healthy Ohioans, Healthy Columbus will be a collaborative effort between the Columbus and Ohio...

Greater Columbus computer consulting firms.
January 26, 2001... Greater Columbus computer consulting firms RANKED BY GREATER COLUMBUS FULL-TIME COMPUTER CONSULTANTS FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES: ...

Motivo jazzes up online PBS with Ken Burns' project.(Public Broadcasting Service)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... What does Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum have to do with www.pbs.org/jazz? Answer: Motivo, the interactive technology and design arm of Columbus-based HMS Partners. The 27-employee Motivo, which generated about $8 million...

New name, new building new press at Hopkins Printing.
January 26, 2001... The name is new and so is a lot else at Hopkins Printing. Hopkins, formerly J.F. Hopkins & Associates Commercial Printers, which operated from plants on Stimmel Road and at Southpark in Grove City, has consolidated into a...

Terri Purcell reorganizes, trims Hazelbaker Purcell.
January 26, 2001... Columbus-based ad agency Hazelbaker Purcell Group Inc. has reorganized following the March 2000 death of co-founder James L. Hazelbaker. President Terri Purcell, who was married to Hazelbaker for six years, has downsized the agency,...

Pittsburgh's Giant Eagle shops for new ad agency.
January 26, 2001... Pittsburgh grocery chain Giant Eagle Inc. has hired Roth Associates of Chappaqua, N.Y., to review its advertising agency account, estimated to be worth $7 million to $10 million. New York-based Ferrell Calvillo, which has held the account for...

Small Biz Community LLC.(develops Web sites)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... * Small Biz Community LLC, a 7-monthold Web-development firm in Columbus, developed Web sites for AdWriter Inc., based in Sandusky, and the Sandusky-based chapter of the National Association of Real Estate Publishers. President Susan Scheid...

Donn Ditzhazy.
January 26, 2001... * Donn Ditzhazy, managing partner and executive creative director at New Albanybased RMD Advertising Inc., judged the regional St. Louis Addy awards Jan. 12-14. The competition, sponsored by the Advertising Club of Greater St. Louis, included...

Nurses' group applauds passage of whistleblower law.(Ohio Nurses Association)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... The Ohio Nurses Association is celebrating the recent passage of a state law that extends whistleblower protection to nurses who report unsafe patient-care conditions in their health care facilities. But representatives of the long-term...

Ohio Wesleyan tops its $100M fund-raising goal.(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware has surpassed its $100 million capital campaign goal with more than six months remaining in the fund-raising effort. Pledges total stood at $100.3 million on Dec. 8, said Audry Carter, vice president...

Florida retail center developer has designs on Butler County site.(to build $10 million shopping center)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 26, 2001... Construction is due to begin this spring on a $10 million, 415,000-square-foot shopping center, the Market at Indian Springs, near the new 11-mile-long Butler County Regional Highway. Regency Realty Corp., a Florida real estate investment...

New coal mine bringing work to job-strapped southeast Ohio.
January 26, 2001... For the first time in nearly 30 years, a new coal mine will open in Ohio, employing at least 500 people in one of the state's poorest regions hit hard by a declining coal industry. American Energy Corp. plans to open the Century mine...

Contractors paying $30 million to settle fraud accusations.(Cortech Construction Products Inc., Ispat Inland Inc.)(Brief Article)
January 26, 2001... Middletown-based Cortech Construction Products Inc. and Ispat Inland Inc. a major U.S. steel maker, each will pay $15 million to settle fraud allegations by federal investigators. Companies acquired by Cortech and Ispat Inland, based in...