The Business Journal - Serving Phoenix & the Valley of the Sun articles from August 2000

The Business Journal - Serving Phoenix & the Valley of the Sun archives from August 2000

Developers scurry to submit plans.(Sierra Club wants controls on growth in Arizona)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Sierra Club initiative prods homebuilders The stakes are building in a race between the Sierra Club, which Wants tighter controls on growth in Arizona, and the Valley's development community. Some builders are accelerating their...

That's the ticket.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Ticketmaster moves line from sidewalk to Net May be summer in Phoenix isn't the best time to dredge up nostalgia for flights spent drinking beer and camping in department store parking lots to score good tickets to, say, a Rolling Stones...

Valley touted as hot spot for business relocation.(Arizona)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 25, 2000... Arizona has more companies swooping in than slipping out, according to a recent national business migration study. In fact, the study says 69 percent more firms have relocated here since 1997 than have left -- which amounts to three times...

Phoenix firm lands $30M in venture capital.(Micro Photonix Integration Corp.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 25, 2000... Micro Photonix Integration Corp., a Phoenix manufacturer of fiber-optic components, has received $30 million from high-profile investors led, by JP Morgan Securities. This is MPI's third round of venture financing; they previously...

The ice (cream) man cometh.(Carl Pace)(Marble Slab Creamery Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Carl Pace isn't the type of guy to sit around and wait for people to come and eat his ice cream. Instead, he packs up a couple of flavors and loads of toppings and goes to the people. As more employers are looking for creative perks...

Just a few tidbits and recollections on things in general.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... SAN JOSE -- Things I've been wondering about as I count the days to my return to the home office and imagine what the pile of paperwork will look like after three months on the road: * IT DIDN'T SEEM too long ago when the jingle "Fly the...

Arizona Chamber selects its 2000 legislative stars.(Arizona Chamber of Commerce)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... More than half of the state's legislators consistently supported business lobbyists last year, according to the latest "Legislative Report Card," issued by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce. The chamber's review of the Arizona Senate and...

CORRECTION.(misinformation about Total Experience Productions L.L.C.)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... * A story in the Aug. 18 issue Included some misinformation bout Kim Dean's business, Total Experience Productions LLC. Her company had not won the Arizona State University fall contract at the time of publication.

Forever Living takes its product line to the web.(Forever Living Products International Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Arizona's largest privately held company, a 22-year-old distributorship, has just become an e-taller. Forever Living Products International, a multilevel distributor of aloe vera-based hygiene and beauty products, launched an e-commerce...

Sprint PCS offers voice-activated dialing for ease and safety in car.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Dialing a phone number while maneuvering around Valley freeways now is a little safer and simpler for Sprint PCS Customers. Sprint PCS is launching its voice-command system, a nationwide network-based voice-activated dialing and...

Pass the popcorn please: Unions thank members.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... For the past several Labor Days, union contractors have spent $20,000 on a full-page ad in the local daily newspaper to thank and honor union members. That was nice, but not tangible enough, said Carl Triphahn, executive director of...

Homebuilder, Cisneros launch project.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Los Angeles-based homebuilder Kaufman and Broad Home Corp. has formed a joint venture with Henry Cisneros, former, president of Univision Communications and former secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; that will...

Gretzky 'suits' up to pitch Coyotes in TV campaign.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Wayne Gretzky still is waiting to close the deal that will make him part owner and head of hockey operations of the Phoenix Coyotes, but The Great One isn't waiting to become the team's unofficial spokesman, appearing in two television...

Del Webb takes the high-tech road with Anthem Construction.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... A Valley homebuilder is taking high-tech to a new level in Anthem, its newest community, north of Phoenix. The Del Webb Corp. is wiring Anthem so thoroughly, everybody -- from con struction worker to homeowner -- lives and works with...

Pointe South Mountain focuses on 'originality'.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... The southeast metro area's largest and most upscale hotel, Pointe South Mountain, stepped out this week from the protective wing of Hilton Hotel Corp.'s management to become an independent property. Denver-based Destination Hotels &...

Interactive courses being taught.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Scottsdale-based KnowledgeNet.com Inc. is offering interactive courses for Microsoft Windows 2000. The new curriculum compliments KnowledgeNet's "live" courses and delivers Internet-based MCSE training just weeks after Microsoft issued...

Tempe Mission Palms shoots for 4 diamonds.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Tempe Mission Palms hotel is hoping to increase the number of diamonds in its portfolio. The AAA Arizona Diamond rating of hotel and resorts is one of the most well-known industry standards used to measure hotel quality. Currently, the...

Tech group seeks nominations for 'Innovator of the Year' awards.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... The Arizona High Technology Industry Cluster is seeking nominations f its annual "Arizona Innovator of if Year" awards. Each year the HTIC presents awards that recognize superior products an outstanding efforts of Arizona individuals and...

Momentum Equity jumps right into securing capital.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Dallas-based Momentum Equity Group, officially incorporated July 21, already is helping a Phoenix based e-tailer find $3 million for an anticipated initial public offering. Locally, Momentum Equity is working with StoreChoice, similar in...

Investors wanted.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... SalesRepCentral.com is looking to boost public awareness of its services. The company, led by Ralph Massetti, has hired Market Pathways Financial Relations Inc. to manage a national investor awareness campaign. A public relations team...

Handy help available.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... A national online service for home repair has localized pages for metropolitan Phoenix. HandymanOnline.com helps users find residential contractors, prequalified to handle specific repairs. Homeowners call or e-mail HandymanOnline with...

Partnership is 'On'.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Additionally, National Contractors.com has extended a partnership with onProject.com. OnProject is an ASP t specializing in construction project timeline management, tracking and finance. The partnership al lows National Contractors...

Xperts go online.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Laurie Bagley and Strategic Wealth Advisors in Scottsdale have created a site to help individuals, families, trusts and small businesses manage their money. The site, www.xpertadvice.com, is a portal for personal finance that lets...

Lawyers build site.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Attorneys Paul Burns and Robert Itri at Gallagher & Kennedy in Phoenix have developed a web site for their technology networking group, the Arizona Internet & E-Commerce Association. The site, found at www.aieca.com, details upcoming...

E-book library launched.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Scottsdale Public Library System is offering a collection of e-books, accessed via personal computers or library terminals at http://library.ci.scottsdale.az.us. Library director Judy Register said the service helps patrons who may have...

DePuy AcroMed to sell OrthoLogic spinal device.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... OrthoLogic Corp. of Tempe has entered into an exclusive worldwide sales representation agreement with DePuy AcroMed, Inc., a unit of Johnson & Johnson. Under the agreement, DePuy AcroMed gets exclusive worldwide rights to sell...

Health payroll analyzed.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Health care, along with manufacturing and retail, is one of Arizona's three largest employment sectors, according to an analysis conducted by the Center for Business Research at Arizona State University. Looking at payroll, the analysis...

Filled with Everfill.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Desert Health Products Inc. of Scottsdale has entered into an agreement in principal with Everfill Inc. to market and deliver Everfill's health products and custom formulations over the Internet. Everfill is an early-stage...

Architects tap PEO.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Employee Solutions Inc. of Phoenix has been selected by the Arizona chapter of the American Institute of Architects as its preferred provider for professional employer organization and human resource management for its membership. ...

PMH gives office space.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Phoenix Memorial Hospital now is home to the Heather Farr Foundation The foundation, dedicated to ensuring no woman need go untreated for breast cancer, recently moved to the hospital campus at Seventh Avenue and Buckeye Road. The...

Cancer video available.(Effort to prevent cancer among native American women)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... The Minority Cancer Prevention Program at the Arizona Cancer Center has developed an outreach video for American Indian women. The breast cancer awareness video was funded by grants from the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the...

Humana hires hospitalists.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Humana Health Plan in Phoenix has selected [PC, The Hospitalist Co. to provide inpatient, hospital coverage to its more than 30,000 Medicare and commercial health plan members in the Valley. The agreement encompasses 26 hospitals and 28...

Channel 12 lands new morning show co-anchor.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Kevin Kelly has been hired for KPNX-TV's morning show, 12 News Today, from 5 to 7 a.m. Kelly is the second new face at Channel 12 this summer, along with weather guy Joe Moreno. Kelly's post, left vacant after Royal Norman's exit, was...

E.B. Lane scores Olympian.(Advertising)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Olympian Labs, Scottsdale, has hired E.B. Lane Marketing Communications to launch its new rebranding campaign. EBL said the new client is a multimillion-dollar account for the agency. The agency's print campaign for Olympian, a...

Firm expands client base.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Gordon C. James Public Relations has added a mattress maker and a chiropractic educator to its account roster. The agency will launch a national campaign to roll out St. Paul, Minn.-based King Koil's brand identity. The mattress...

New radio voice.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Clear Channel Communications has signed on syndicated radio personality Rick Dees to replace Jackie West as host of KZZP-FM 104.7's morning drive show. Starting Aug. 28, the station will broadcast The Rick Dees in the Morning Show via...

Live a little.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Saks Fifth Avenue wants to keep up with these casual-attire times, so it's designed a national advertising and marketing campaign with the tag line "Live a Little" to send a new message: Saks is lightening up. "The direction is toward a...

Mall beefs up marketing.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Fiesta Mall, Mesa, extends its "Share the Mall" advertising campaign with a new radio and television commercial jingle, created by Cooley Advertising and PR, with the tag line "I got a reason to Fiesta!" The broadcast spots, along with print...

Graphic arts group news.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... The Arizona chapter at the American Institute of Graphic Arts, or AIGA, plans to distribute several hundred posters to outlets throughout the state urging voter participation. Created by top national graphic designers, the 23 different...

Stock price jumps in wake of $6.4M Amtech order.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Amtech Systems Inc., Tempe, is reporting that it has secured a $6.4 million order for semiconductor production equipment, marking its entry into the optical component telecomm market. News of the order caused Amtech's stock to skyrocket...

Telecom program slated.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... The executive education department at Thunderbird, The American Graduate School of International Management, has announced the dates of its fall 2000 Global Telecommunications Management Program. The two-week seminar is geared to the...

Golfers, phone home.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Sprint PCS and Book4golf.com Corp. have launched Book4golf.com services on the Sprint PCS Wireless Web. Using any Internet-ready Sprint IPCS Phone, golfers have instant access to a golf course database where they quickly can find...

New partners.(International FiberCom and Next Level Communications Inc. to provide turnkey services to both companies' clients)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... International FiberCom has joined forces with Next Level Communications Inc., of Rohnert Park, Calif., to offer turnkey, network development services to customers of both companies. Based on the terms of the partnership, International...

ImageTag expands.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Phoenix-based ImageTag acquired its sister company, Interimage Inc., in an undisclosed cash and stock deal. Interimage focused on delivering system consulting, installation, training and support for ImageTag solutions. "This...

AIECA meeting set.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... The Arizona Internet & Electronic Commerce Association will meet from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Aug. 31 at Leinenkugel's Ballyard Brewery, 201 s. Fourth St., Phoenix, in front of Bank One Ballpark. Tom Galanty, president and chief executive of...

Non-tip space saver.
August 25, 2000... Encore Products Inc., Chandler, a manufacturer of standard and customized equipment enclosures, has introduced a non-tip enclosure base that provides added stability without sacrificing Valuable floor space. The retractable base can be...

Goodrich vies for award.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... BFGoodrich Co.'s aerospace operation in Phoenix has been named one of the country's Top 25 manufacturing plants by Industry Week. The selection recognizes Charlotte, N.C.-based BFGoodrich for its manufacturing and process improvement at...

Travel agent receives a Grant for weeklong cruise.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Why not spend your next vacation cruising the Caribbean with KFYI radio talk show host and former Arizona attorney general Grant Woods? What? You never considered it? Scottsdale travel agency Travel At Hilton Village asked Woods if he...

Sugar and spice.(Candy store and Computer services company offer Internet access at airport)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Peppermint Bay, a candy store, and Laptop Lane, which offers travelers access to computers, are opening soon in Terminal 2 at Sky Harbor International Airport. Owned by Pam Del Duca's DelStar, Peppermint Bay will be the first candy store...

Incentives, indeed.(Pointe Hilton Resorts receives award)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... The Pointe Hilton Resorts in Phoenix were awarded the "Platinum Partner Award" by readers of Incentive Magazine. The readers voted Pointe Hilton Resorts a leading force in the incentive industry based on the properties' ability to...

All wet.(Doubletree Sedona Resort has new swimming pool)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Hilton also has announced it is opening a new pool at the Doubletree Sedona Resort. The Cascades Pool is a 5,000-square-foot structure with waterfalls, a "water mushroom" that shoots a spray, water jet bench seats and ample patio space. ...

Shopping made easier.(Biltmore Fashion Park)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Biltmore Fashion Park is launching a new web site Nov. 1 where suffers can find out what's going on at the Phoenix shopping mecca and in its stores. You'll be able to look up merchandise, indexed, by brand. There also will be gift lists,...

Looking for a partner.(Legacy Golf Resort)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... The Legacy Golf Resort is approaching its one-year anniversary in October. The resort spent its first year establishing itself, said director of public relations Carol Baetzel. Now, it's time to give back. To celebrate, resort staff...

Chefs galore.(Arizona Hotel and Motel Association)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... The Arizona Hotel & Motel Association is hosting, a reception featuring hors d'oeuvres created by the state's leading chefs, paired with wines from around the world, to raise money for its scholarship program. A silent auction and raffle...

Prosperity finally reaches masses, economist says.(Diane Swonk, Bank One's chief economist)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... The prosperity once enjoyed by a privileged few finally has reached the masses, according to Diane Swonk, Bank One's chief economist. She says the prosperity of today's economy has touched every corner of the country, including Arizona....

Finova making changes.(FINOVA Group Inc.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 25, 2000... Finova Group Inc., of Scottsdale, has agreed to sell its commercial services business line to GMAC Commercial Credit LLC, of Detroit. The Commercial Services Division, which operates out of offices in New York and Los Angeles, provides...

A Wells Fargo welcome.(New hire in asset management)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... J. Phillip Oelze Jr., a chartered financial analyst with more than 15 years of experience in the investments field, joined Wells Fargo's Private Asset Management, a division of Private Client Services, as the manager of the Scottsdale office....

FFCA lands big deal.(Citgo Petroleum Corp., of Tulsa, Okla., named Franchise Finance Corp. of America, in Scottsdale, as a preferred financing partner for more than 13,800 Citgo-branded retail outlets.)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Citgo Petroleum Corp., of Tulsa, Okla., named Franchise Finance Corp. of America, in Scottsdale, as a preferred financing partner for more than 13,800 Citgo-branded retail outlets. The designation positions FFCA as a preferred provider of...

Smooth transition.(Bank combination good for customers and employees)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Employees and customers of Founders Bank of Arizona have made a smooth transition since the completion of Compass Bank's acquisition of Founders last month, according to Julian Fruhling, former Founders CEO and now executive vice president of...

Leverage: Understanding and exercising it is key.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... You're the CEO of a company employing a quarter of the city's employees. Your company provides a significant portion of the city's tax revenue but- neither you nor your company is active in the community's political affairs. Recently,...

Courageous fare.(Phoenix restaurant)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Chef says she's really just another mon-and-pop cook From a table outside her acclaimed restaurant, executive chef RoxSand Scocos can scan the landscape and come eyeball-to-eyeball with the competition: Che Bella, the Bamboo Club,...

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE.(New hires)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Accounting David Mark was named managing director of the corporate recovery services practice at the Phoenix office of KPMG LLP. David Hurrell was appointed a tax senior manager to lead the state and local tax practice in Phoenix of...

Corporate logos make their mark in online market.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Online stores of corporate merchandise -- or e-catalogs -- are becoming a common offering among distributors of logo-bearing merchandise. Corp. Attire, a division of Corporate Apparel Inc. has renovated its web site at www.corpattire.com...

Feeding creativity.(nationwide poll by American Express Small Business Services)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... While business owners credit their employees for coming up with the best new ideas, only 24 percent make room on the calendar for creative brainstorming. According to a recent poll of nearly 300 small-business owners nationwide, American...

Focus: Volumes.(Volumes bookstore)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... A new Valley bookstore for design professionals already has won design awards of its own. Volumes, Phoenix, was honored by the Small Business Development Center for its unique stretched canvas interior. Floating display panels scattered among...

Geared for people.(Valley Commerce Bank)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Client service is Valley Commerce Bank's key niche Valley Commerce Bank According to a statement from its president, "Valley Commerce Bank was built on the philosophy that people are all that matter." The bank "strives to break away...

TIP.(selling)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... If customers say they can get a better price from your competitor, don't immediately come down in price. Instead, say "I can't argue with that. I'm sure they know what their product is worth." Then justify your price by describing quality,...

READERS RESPOND.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... What is the best business advice you ever received? Name: Philip Pangrazio Title: Executive director. Company: Arizona Bridge to Independent Living "A bit of advice I've picked up along the way: Experienced professionals need to...

Keep pay complaints in check.(Brief Article)(Column)
August 25, 2000... How should managers handle employee dissatisfaction over pay? Pay dissatisfaction is becoming an increasingly significant and prominent challenge facing managers and business owners in today's peculiar employment marketplace. This...

Workplace ills require different skills.(Brief Article)(Column)
August 25, 2000... Much like a house remodeling exposes termites, organization-wide undertakings such as team building, reinventing and downsizing can flush out dysfunctional behavior. But something as innocent as a new phone system or a computer upgrade...

Web site offers newsletter help.(www.iMakeNews.com)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Some say newsletters are one of the best ways to keep communication open with customers and employees, but creating them can be a costly hassle. A pair of entrepreneurs in Massachusetts have created a "one-stop" web site at...

Watch your step when dancing with the competition.(Brief Article)(Column)
August 25, 2000... How do you feel about your competitors? You say, "I have a great relationship with my competitors." Right. If you needed $50,000 or your business would fold, I guarantee your friend the competitor would send you a bon voyage...

Search engine traffic: the missing link to success.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Due to the influence of the Internet, many of the rules of business have changed and marketing your company's products and services is no exception. From simple contact information to elaborate online order taking, a web site quickly is...

Hidden ethics tell the tale in tough marketing world.(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... It's time again for our quarterly business ethics brush-up. Time to do a little soul searching and kneeling at the business confessional. As always we're not concerned with the easy business choices, e.g., envy, greed, sloth, coveting...

Most-effective budgeting starts from ground zero.(schools should use zero-based programmatic budgeting)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Only 36 percent of U.S. adults had a great deal of confidence in America's public schools in 1999 and 26 percent had very little confidence or none at all, according to Public Agenda. Some of that lack of confidence stems from a belief...

150 scholarships offered to Native Americans.(Fulton Family Foundation)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Fulton Homes is offering to pay $75,000 to help send 150 Native American students to college this fall. In a program with American Indian Services, students are required, to match the scholarship monies from the Fulton Family Foundation,...

Communities' financial clout packs a punch.(Robson Communities)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 25, 2000... The financial ripple effect of a new community can resemble a tidal wave. For example, Robson Communities recently hired the Arizona State University Center for Business Research to evaluate the fiancial impact of Robson's SaddleBrooke...

DMB in Utah.(DMB Associates, Park City Mines plan resort community)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Scottsdale-based DMB Associates and United Park City Mines Co. in Park City, Utah, are planning to develop a resort-style community in Deer Valley, Utah. It will be on 4,200 acres next to the Park City Mountain Resort, 25 miles east of Salt...

Grayhawk Plaza.(Pederson Group begins new shopping center)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... The Pederson Group is starting a new retail center in Grayhawk in north Scottsdale. Grayhawk Plaza at the southeast corner of Scottsdale Road and Grayhawk Drive will be anchored by a Bashas' supermarket and a Walgreens Drug Store. Opening...

Durrant merger.(Durrant Group, Kenneth Balk and Associates)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... An agreement has been finalized for a merger of Kenneth Balk & Associates, St. Louis, with The Durrant Group, an architectural, engineering, construction management and interior design company based in Phoenix.

Desert Mountain reaches final stage of luxury ride.(Arizona housing development)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... The book on Desert Mountain is nearing its final chapter and developer Lyle Anderson has saved some of his best for the ending. Sure, there are places where construction detracts from the overall beauty, but be patient. Excellence takes...

Hot Deals.(Phoenix area real estate sales)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... COMMERCIAL $8.8 million Address: La Serena Apartments, 6507 S. Hardy Drive, Tempe Buyer: The Frost Family Trust, Scottsdale Seller: La Serena Partners I, Scottsdale Brokers: Peter Katz and Darrell Moffitt, Marcus &...

WHO'S WHO.(Patty Miller of The Hewson Co.)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Name: Patty Miller Title: Development coordinator Company: The Hewson Co. Age: 40 Years with the company: 6 Company's current major projects: Perimeter Center in Scottsdale; GH Tech in Gilbert; a four-story, office...

Use of state's prompt payment law not so prompt.(Arizona law for prompt payment to contractors)(Brief Article)
August 25, 2000... Arizona received national praise for legislation that's supposed to ensure contractors receive prompt payment for their services -- but so far it seems the new law is being ignored in the state. Prompt pay provisions were signed into law...