Business First-Columbus articles from March 2001

Business First-Columbus archives from March 2001

If the Columbus Symphony can make it there.(Columbus Symphony Orchestra's Carnegie Hall performance)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... How do you get to Carnegie Hall? For the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, it's 50 years of practice, practice, practice. The business community is lining up to largely pay the $1.6 million tab to send 270 Columbus artists -- including...

Nelson's cars more exotic.(Nelson Auto Group sells Saleen automobiles)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Dealer adds Saleen model with Lamborghini For six years Greg Nelson has been cultivating a reputation among well-heeled sports car enthusiasts who travel to his Marysville dealership to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for sleek,...

Business community praises Smith for building and repairing bridges.(school superintendent Rosa Smith)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... The bridges that Columbus Public Schools Superintendent Rosa Smith helped build between city schools and the business community may prove to be her legacy. That was the view of some executives and educators after they learned Smith, 57,...

3 executives in place at Dynacraft golf supplier.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Dynacraft Golf Products Inc. says Rob Altomonte has been named chief executive of Dynacraft Cos., while Jeff Jackson becomes president of Dynacraft Golf and Mark Hayden heads Pal Joey Golf as its president. Newark-based Dynacraft is a golf...

NGDA to raise profile with name change to Blue Diesel.(NGDA Interactive Communications)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... The interactive subsidiary of Columbus advertising agency Gerbig Snell/Weisheimer & Associates Inc. has changed its name in an effort to establish a brand internationally. NGDA Interactive Communications has been renamed Blue Diesel,...

Technical writing firm sues SubmitOrder over fee.(Technically Write Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... A local technical writing firm has sued SubmitOrder.com over an alleged overdue bill. Technically Write Inc. sued SubmitOrder in Franklin County Common Pleas Court over $22,800 in technical writing services from last year. The suit charges...

OSU multicultural center likely to need new facility.(Ohio State University)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... A campus committee may set its sights on a new building for a proposed multicultural center at Ohio State University. Such a recommendation is likely to be included in a report the committee will present to Ohio State's top administrators...

Team Rahal organization to expand its Hilliard HQ.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Growing team demands are prompting Champion Auto Racing Teams franchise owner Bobby Rahal to expand his racing organization's Hilliard headquarters. Team Rahal has begun construction on a 22,000-square-foot first phase of its second...

Restaurant owners prepare to comply with new Ohio food safety guidelines.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Randy Sokol plans to spend $10,000 this year just to buy his cooks plastic gloves to comply with the state's new food safety code. As president of the 10-restaurant Tee Jaye's Country Place in Columbus, Sokol also will invest to train more...

Neoprobe turns a profit, eyes new challenges in '01.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... It took 17 years, but Neoprobe Corp. has turned a profit. But product development expenses and the structure of Neo-probe's contract with its marketing partner will make a trip back to the black a tougher task for 2001. The Dublin...

3 OSU colleges facing bits with new budget process.(colleges of dentistry, pharmacy and nursing will take the hardest hits in a restructured budgeting process )(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 2, 2001... Ohio State University's colleges of dentistry, pharmacy and nursing will take the hardest hits in a restructured budgeting process scheduled to begin July 1. The three colleges top the list of those that need to reduce their dependence on...

Blackouts hit 20 percent of small companies in Calif.(survey)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 2, 2001... A survey of 523 small-business owners in California found 44 percent think electricity deregulation was a bad idea that never should have been tried. Another 33 percent say electricity deregulation was a good idea that was poorly...

ONN hopes to grab Cleveland via Adelphia.(Ohio News Network )(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 2, 2001... John Butte wants the Ohio News Network to be available to every one of the state's 2.9 million cable homes. Though the vice president and general manager of the all-news cable channel isn't quite there yet, an ongoing relationship with...

Blue Jackets look to score new season-ticket holders.(Columbus Blue Jackets)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Plan expected to boost number sold by 1,000 while reducing costs Columbus Blue Jackets officials hope to sell up to 1,000 additional season tickets for the NHL team's second season by launching a novel campaign that will effectively cut the...

Greater Columbus internationally owned companies.(Directory)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
March 2, 2001... Greater Columbus internationally owned companies RANKED BY GREATER COLUMBUS EMPLOYEES GREATER COMPANY NAME COLUMBUS ...

Bankruptcy bill may push small businesses to close.(Boscov's Department Stores Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Last year Boscov's Department Stores had to write off about $3.5 million in sales because thousands of customers decided to wipe off their debts by filing for bankruptcy. Almost half of these customers were not "seriously delinquent" with...

Builders prepare for annual construction exposition.(The Builders Exchange of Central Ohio)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... The Builders Exchange of Central Ohio is again preparing for its annual construction exposition of commercial contractors, design professionals and vendors of equipment and services. The event features more than 185 exhibitors during its...

Area housing sales, prices both slipped in January.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 2, 2001... January closings on existing homes in Greater Columbus dipped 3.7 percent from the same month in 2000. The average selling price declined 8.3 percent, according to the Columbus Board of Realtors. The real estate organization reports 901...

Welsh marketing Shook Road land for investor twosome.(Welsh Cos.)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Tom Mechenbier, Welsh Cos. senior vice president, has gained the marketing duties for 150 acres of industrial ground adjacent to the Rickenbacker Air Industrial Park. The land north of Route 317 and west of Shook Road is owned by investors...

CB promotes Manofsky, O'Rourke to director posts.(CB Richard Ellis Inc.; Chuck Manofsky; Dan O'Rourke)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... CB Richard Ellis has promoted two of its veterans to directors of asset services. CB has named Chuck Manofsky, an 18-year commercial real estate veteran to serve as director of asset services while Dan O'Rourke, with more than 20 years...

NAIOP sets summer tour; CCIIR adds trio to membership.(Columbus Commercial and Industrial Investment Realtors ; National Association of Industrial and Office Properties)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... * The Columbus chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties has started planning for its annual mid-summer tour of regional properties. The 2001 bus tour is scheduled for July 11. NAIOP director DebbieLee...

Maryhaven readies $1.7M Engagement rehab center.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Jim agrees he doesn't fit the stereotype of a chronic alcoholic who would seek help from a public treatment facility such as Maryhaven on Columbus' east side. He wasn't homeless when he arrived at Maryhaven's Engagement Center for public...

Reorganizing LTV gets approval to sell Indiana Harbor tin mill.(U.S. Steel Group)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Cleveland-based LTV Corp., which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy late last year, said a judge has approved the sale of its tin mill products business to the U.S. Steel Group of USX Corp. The purchase agreement of LTV's tin mill operations...

Tristate pork producers forming business cooperative.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Farm groups and universities in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan hope to create a tristate cooperative of pork producers. The Wapakoneta Daily News reported the executive vice presidents of the Ohio Pork Producers Council, the Indiana Pork...

Cincy insurance agent gets jail term for $470,000 theft.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... A former agent for Equitable Life Assurance Society has been sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to repay $470,000 he stole from clients, federal authorities said. Greggory Petty, 37, of Cincinnati, also was sentenced to three...

State ponying up $7 million to keep Relizon in Dayton.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Downtown Dayton is getting a makeover and the state will pitch in with loans and grants of more than $7 million. The money is for a new headquarters for Relizon Co., a document management provider with 500 employees that has been in the...

Cincinnati Bell trims work force; Malta bank executive sentenced.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... * Cincinnati Bell will eliminate 110 jobs as part of a reorganization aimed at improving efficiency to benefit customers. The job cuts will affect about 3 percent of the company's 3,400 employees and will involve the finance, accounting,...

Leventhal to publish new High Street events guide.(Aaron Leventhal)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Aaron Leventhal, who helped shape the annual German Village Oktoberfest celebration, is launching another business -- this one a 32-page publication focused on High Street. Leventhal is pitching the High Street Neighborhood Guide and...

Value Vision Care opens in Columbus.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Columbus stores that formerly operated as part of Michigan-based Eyeglass Factory have reopened under a new name and ownership. The three retail stores -- at 893 S. Hamilton Road, 4611 Morse Center Drive and 4636 W. Broad St. -- are now...

Kroger Plus Card in its Ohio infancy.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... The customer loyalty card that Cincinnati-based Kroger Co. introduced Feb. 25 might be new to Columbus, but D. Nicholas Rees, director of consumer affairs, says Kroger's card has been in the making locally for two years. "Comparing cards...

Worthington author gets national exposure.(Jordana Y. Shakoor)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Worthington writer Jordana Y. Shakoor, whose book "Civil Rights Childhood" incorporates her father's experiences as a civil rights activist in Greenwood, Miss., gained some national exposure Feb. 28 when Abigail Van Buren mentioned it in her...

Tax parity top priority for small-business group.(National Small Business United)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Members of National Small Business United (NSBU) rank estate tax repeal as No. 4 on their list of top legislative priorities. Their No. 1 priority is tax parity -- changing the tax code so small companies and big businesses are treated...

New ergonomics standards would have adverse effects.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... The ballyhoo that was our presidential election has finally subsided - well, in most practical circles anyway. Further, despite what some doomsday prophets are screaming, having George W. Bush as president should not spawn extremes in the...

MBAs find job market ripe, despite downturn.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... A downturn in the economy doesn't seem to be hampering job prospects for MBA graduates from Ohio State University. With graduation four months away, 68 percent of the 145 master's of business administration students at the Fisher College...

Taking control of airline travel.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Businesses supporting federal regulations for flight industry Bill Rimel would not want Congress to - set customer service standards for his business, an 80-employee manufacturer of printing inks based in Valley Forge, Pa. But he...

Hispanic business owner selected as new SBA leader.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Seven months before President Bush selected him to head the Small Business Administration, Bush's campaign picked Hector Barreto to represent small business in a prime-time speech at the Republican National Convention. Barreto, president...

Bankruptcy filings decline for second year in a row.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 2, 2001... As Congress prepared to pass legislation reforming the nation's bankruptcy laws, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts reported the total number of bankruptcy filings dropped 5 percent last year. This marks the second consecutive...

Workshop to feature 'Famous Amos' founder.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Wally Amos, founder of the Famous Amos Cookie Co. in Hollywood, Calif., will speak at a March 7 workshop for entrepreneurs. Amos will share his views on entrepreneurship at the "Building Business Blocks" workshop, scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m....

American Express offers tax tips for small businesses.
March 2, 2001... From American Express Tax & Business Services come the following 10 tax tips for small-business owners: 1. The first-year expense limitation for equipment purchases has increased to $20,000. 2. The self-employed can deduct 60 percent...

HANDING DOWN THE REINS.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Planning, procedures can help children adjust to demands and rewards of the family business For Beth Trigg, having her daughter, Emilie, come into the family business was bittersweet. In 1995, Delaware County residents Beth Trigg and...

Legally speaking, business must never get personal.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... In the press of everyday busy-ness, shortcuts are taken and the line between a company and its owner can become fuzzy or disappear altogether. Unfortunately, the results can be disastrous for the small-business owner. Consider the general...

The best place for a sale is on common ground.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... To establish the ultimate long-term relationship, to be memorable in the actions and service you perform, you need personal information about your prospect or customer -- information that provides insight and, oh yes, lots of sales. How...

Census: Self-employed dominate ranks of business.(Government Activity)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 2, 2001... The Census Bureau reports that 70 percent of the nation's 22 million businesses have no paid employees. These nonemployers posted $586 billion in sales in 1997, 3.3 percent of the nation's total business receipts. Four sectors of the...

No mad rush is predicted in new quest for domains.(Internet/Web/Online Service Information)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Perhaps as early as April, the top-level domain names, or Internet address endings, available on the Web will expand from .com, .org, .net and .edu to include .aero, .biz, .coop, .info, .museum, .name and .pro. The domain names likely to be of...

VIRTUAL DESIGN.(DesignGroup Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Online architectural project management yields better products, more involved clients Area architectural firms are trying out a new form of online project management they say will be the wave of the future. "The main reason it helps is...

Q & A.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Is your company benefiting from utility deregulation? BREHMER GREENHOUSES Sharon Cherrington Owner "Somewhat. I would say on the electric company, not yet. We filled out paperwork, but it hasn't had time to take effect yet On the...

WEB inSITE.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... URL: www.womanowned.com Company: Woman0wned.com, a portal for women business owners Contact: Christina Blenk, site founder and owner of At First Site Inc., Web studio, Gahanna, 614-501-7550 or www.atfirstsite.net Site design: At...

GSW creates foundation to provide health care to needy seniors.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Gerbig, Snell/Weisheimer & Associates Inc. has created a charitable fund to provide medical services to senior citizens who cannot otherwise afford them. The Gerbig, Snell/Weisheimer Healthcare Initiative will help fund programs at...

Kasich named to software company's board.(John Kasich ; Borland Software Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Borland Software Corp. has appointed former U.S. Rep. John Kasich of Ohio as a director of the Scotts Valley, Calif.-based maker of software tools. The addition of Kasich will increase Borland's board to seven members. Kasich also was appointed...

Consolidated Stores Corp.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Consolidated Stores Corp. reported income from continuing operations rose 6 percent to $98.3 million, or $0.87 per diluted share, from $92.7 million, $0.82 per diluted share, in the same period of 1999. Sales from continuing operations were...

Core Materials Corp.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Year-end earnings rose 907 percent for Core Materials Corp., a Columbus-based compounder and compression molder of sheet molding composites. For the period ended Dec. 31, net income was $715,000, compared no $71,000 last year. Earnings per...

Insilco Holding Co.(net loss)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Insilco Holding Co. reported sales rose more than 68 percent to $100.7 million from $59.8 million last year, benefiting in part from sales of the company's recently acquired custom assembly businesses. The net loss for the company's current...

State Auto Financial Corp.(net loss)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... State Auto Financial Corp. reported net earnings rose 4 percent to $13.5 million from $13.0 million. Net earnings per diluted share were $0.34 vs. $0.32 in 1999. Total revenue rose 7 percent to $116 million from $108.3 million. For the year,...

Cardinal Health Inc.(stock split)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Cardinal Health Inc. announced Feb. 27 a three-for-two stock split, payable April 20 to shareholders of record April 5. It is the 10th stock split or stock dividend distributed by the Dublin-based health services provider during the last 16...

Huntington Bancshares Inc.(dividend)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Huntington Bancshares Inc. declared a regular first-quarter cash dividend of $0.20 per common share, payable April 2 to shareholders of record March 16.

Cardinal Health Inc.(dividend)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Cardinal Health Inc. has declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.03 per share, payable April l5 no shareholders of record April 1. It is the 66th consecutive regular quarterly dividend for the Dublin-based health services provider.

M/I Schottenstein Homes Inc.(dividend)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... M/I Schottenstein Homes Inc. declared a cash dividend of $0.05 per share for the second quarter, payable April 20 to stockholders of record April 2.

GREATER COLUMBUS STOCKS.(Illustration)
March 2, 2001... GREATER COLUMBUS STOCKS FROM PRICE PREVIOUS 52-WEEK COMPANY SYMBOL 2/28 WEEK ...

Celtics' bonds lack promise of slam dunk.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Dear Mr. Berko: I've worked for 45 years -- 23 years at the same company -- and my wife has worked for 21 years and we have practically nothing to show for it. We put our four children through college, and it has made our retirement plans very...

BANK RATES.(Illustration)
March 2, 2001... BANK RATES Mortgage rates 30-YR FIXED/ 15-YR. FIXED/ FINANCIAL INSTITUTION % RATE POINTS % RATE POINTS ...

Affluence: cities with lots of zip.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... It would be a gross understatement to call Kenilworth, Ill., a prosperous place. Per capita income in this Chicago suburb is nearly five times the national average. The typical breadwinner is a corporate executive or independent...

Notable up coming birthdays of Central Ohio executives.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... * Jodelle M. Carder, president, Wallick Properties: March 4. * Robert Johnson III, associate, Columbus Financial Group: March 4. * Jeff Beeler, managing partner, Admedia Design+Communications: March 5. * Stephen Buzza, manager of...

There's a deep, deep freeze on at Nationwide Arena.(John H. McConnell)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... It hasn't been officially announced, but Shop Talk has learned it's official: On orders from team owner John H. McConnell, the Columbus Blue Jackets will not raise their season ticket prices for the team's second season beginning this fall. ...

Zone perks land product vendor.(Volk Enterprises Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Daimler snags Safety Today Aprovider of safety products for food processing operations and other industries plans to consolidate within nearly half of a 225,000-square-foot building Daimler Group Inc. has planned for the Rickenbacker Air...

PREMIER OPERATION.(Premier Printing of Central Ohio)
March 2, 2001... Newspaper plant eyes commercial work Five small Central Ohio daily newspapers that invested $7 million in a 52,000-square-foot Marysville printing plant and new printing press are fine tuning the new process with their own pages before...

Humana to pull its local HMO, push area PPO product.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Humana/ChoiceCare has become the newest addition to a growing list of health insurers that want to pull up their health maintenance organization stakes in Central Ohio. The Cincinnati-based subsidiary of Humana Inc. hopes to terminate its local...

LeadScope secures state incentives to add 68 jobs.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... LeadScope Inc. will receive state incentives to assist its expansion from the city's high-tech incubator to the Science and Technology Campus at Ohio State University. As part of the tax credit deal, LeadScope will create 68 jobs, retain...

Supreme Court deals a blow to minority firms.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... When it comes to awarding government building contracts in Ohio, business as usual likely will no longer be business as usual. For some minority-owned contracting firms, it might mean no business at all. That's because the U.S. Supreme...

Quizzical approach to marital wisdom.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Of all the differences between the sexes, I used to think this one was most telling: Men will wear jeans that clearly state their waist size on an outer label for all to see. I now realize there's something even greater that separates us:...

Road to European Union proves to be a rocky one.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... The European Union was conceived in a burst of rare political idealism. Some 50 years later it is closer to reality. But it has been a bumpy ride and victory is far from assured. On the face of it, the idea of forming a political unity out...

BACK FROM THE BRINK.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Local developer takes on challenge of saving west side community The mere mention of Lincoln Park West elicits clear opinions from most longtime Columbus residents. Trouble is, the massive apartment complex has changed hands -- and public...

Mr. Fix-It's ideas please Lincoln Park West fans.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... It's not a stretch to describe Tom Fortin as a man used to overcoming adversity. Fortin, who runs his own development firm, Tom Fortin & Co., created profit largely from a portfolio of bargain buys he turned around. Now, Fortin admits,...

Parking pricing depends on downtown perspective.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Despite cries from workers in downtown Columbus that they have trouble finding a reasonable place to park, the head of the company that owns 53 parking properties in Columbus said he doesn't think there's a parking problem. "I'm not sure...

Columbus developers still following north migration.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... There is an old adage among people working in real estate that cities tend to grow up-river. And Central Ohio seems to be following the rule with commercial development catching up with residential building in Delaware County. In the past...

Conservation easements block sprawl, may cut taxes.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Owning land has its rewards. But when the land is a ranch, farm or other undeveloped property, those rewards are often measured more in satisfaction than in cash flow. This can create a huge tax problem for family members who inherit valuable...

Brownfields bill on track, small biz hoping for ride.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... The Senate appears ready to pass legislation as early as March to speed redevelopment of contaminated urban sites known as brownfields. The bill increases funding for brownfield cleanups and provides liability relief from lawsuits by the...

MANAGING GROWTH.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Northwest suburbs to be guided by new long-term master plans City leaders in Hilliard and Upper Arlington want to better manage residential and commercial development in their communities for a long time to come. "The plan is to be...

Justice hires Realtor for luxury house hunt, 'mosque' design sale.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... One of Cincinnati's more famous sons, David Justice with the World Champion New York Yankees, has recently launched a site search for a new home in the greater Cincinnati area, hiring the same Realtor who sold him a $1.8 million home in...

Real estate transaction paper trail getting shorter yet.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... The paper trail for real estate deals is get ting much shorter. Larry Metzger, CEO of the Columbus Board of Realtors, said e-transactions are the next wave, now that the listing and shopping processes have gone online. "The real estate...

State grant to fund Franklinton land buy.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Columbus Urban Growth Corp. has received a state development department loan to buy 42 acres of land in Franklinton. The loan, worth $950,000, will also go toward developing a light industrial park to replace the old Sullivant Gardens...

Becoming landlord takes more than buying property.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Bob Spence, 52, became a landlord so he could retire - someday. Seven years ago, he was a cost accountant for BellSouth Corp. with 19 years of service and facing a transfer from Louisville, Ky., to Atlanta, Ga. "In 19 years you don't...

Council leads the way against substance abuse.
March 2, 2001... Two philosophies drive the Prevention Council of Central Ohio: Life is too precious to waste on substance abuse, and children are never too young to learn about philosophy number one. Founded in 1958 by a group of Franklin County judges,...

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE.
March 2, 2001... ADVERTISING, MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS Gerbig Snell/Weisheimer & Associates Inc. hired Tasha Castor as editor/proofreader, Jason Dean as graphic designer, Autumn Haggerty as account coordinator, Trish Heinfeldt as art director, Gail...

Riverside Methodist Hospital.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2001... Riverside Methodist Hospital received the 2000 Consumer Choice Award as the preferred hospital for health care services, based on a survey of consumers and businesses.