The Business Journal - Serving Phoenix & the Valley of the Sun articles from January 1999

The Business Journal - Serving Phoenix & the Valley of the Sun archives from January 1999

Fred Meyer bags Valley's Smitty's stores.(reformatting of Smitty's Marketplace stores by Fred Meyer Inc. in Arizona)
January 1, 1999... The Valley's grocery store scene is poised to get even more complicated, with a powerhouse name jumping into the fray. Next month, Fred Meyer Inc. will replace Smitty's Marketplace stores with its Fred Meyer Marketplace format. The...

Links to success: women driving for more power.(golf as a business tool for women executives in Arizona)
January 1, 1999... There are plenty of professional women golfers, but professional women who golf are harder to find. Female business executives are not using the golf course enough in their business dealings, said Jan Ferraris, president of Outings on the...

Tax cuts on business wish list.(includes related articles)(reduction in Arizona's corporate taxes)
January 1, 1999... Another slash in corporate taxes is on the wish list of business groups when the Arizona Legislature convenes for its session this year. But with a tight budget and a $500 million surplus virtually eaten up by school construction financing,...

Earnings down for Arizona public firms.(third quarter of 1998)
January 1, 1999... Profits by Arizona's billion-dollar companies were off 20 percent in the third quarter, dragged down by double-digit earnings decreases at MicroAge, Phelps Dodge and Avnet. The drop exceeds the 4 percent slowdown of profits for the...

Big party for millennium needs to be planned now.(preparations of Arizona business establishments for the New Year's Eve of 1999)
January 1, 1999... The Ritz-Carlton has a package going for $100,000 that includes the premier suite, his-and-her 18-karat gold watches, a chauffeur-driven Jaguar for the weekend, a flight to the Grand Canyon and tickets to attend the New Year's Eve party. ...

Microsoft challenge: southwest chief turns focus to customers.(profile of Gary Willman, general manager of Microsoft Corp.'s southwest district office in Phoenix, Arizona)
January 1, 1999... If you see Gary Willman talking to himself some afternoon, rest assured that he's not going crazy. He's only "debriefing," a discipline he picked during his years in the Air Force and still practices after every big customer meeting, project...

People are key: homebuilder recruits seasoned veterans.(employee recruitment conducted by Engle Homes/Arizona Inc.)
January 1, 1999... The keys to the Survival of a new business, especially in a corporate word as competitive as homebuilding, are people and how well they communicate. "People are the key," said Mark Upton, who 20 months ago was the only employee of the new...

State shifting political image.(election of five women to Arizona's top five state offices)
January 1, 1999... The election of five women to top state offices has drawn favorable national attention to Arizona, a state some consider marred by recent political fiascos. Since the November vote, newspapers and television stations have lined up to...

How to make it: entrepreneurs tell how they were able to succeed.(advice given by women entrepreneurs from Arizona)
January 1, 1999... The Business Journal asked some of the Valley's leading businesswomen to share their best tips for business success. Here are their responses. Michele Luna Atlas Headwear Inc. "Never listen to anyone else's advice if it goes against...

Overcoming obstacles is big part of the game.(success of Allegra Print and Imaging owned by Eileen Rogers of Scottsdale, Arizona)
January 1, 1999... Fifteen years ago Eileen Rogers walked into a print shop in Scottsdale to have her resume printed. She never left. Today Rogers is the owner of Allegra Print and Imaging and the fact that she is a woman, she feels, has never been a...

Valley bank putting chips on Nevada.(Sun Community Bancorp's planned branches in Nevada)
January 8, 1999... While building on Sun Community Bancorp's Arizona presence with plan's for two new banks, chairman Joe Reid is quietly at work in Nevada. Reid confirmed that his Arizona company plans to roll out four banks in Nevada in the next 18 months....

Action can't keep stock in fast lane.(Action Performance Companies Inc)
January 8, 1999... Action Performance Cos. financial history reads like a winner: Sales nearly doubled to a record $250 million in 1998 and are expected to jump to $338 million this year. The Phoenix-based auto-racing-collectibles maker and merchandiser is...

Riester-Robb ad contract will promote KidsCare.(Phoenix, AZ, health insurance program)
January 8, 1999... Riester-Robb, famous for creating a smelly, puking anti-tobacco ad campaign for the Arizona health department, has snagged another state health contract. This time, the Phoenix advertising agency will figure out how to get parents to sign...

Zoo dinner gives bankers more than monkey business.(deal between Founders Bank and Imperial Bank)
January 8, 1999... One evening last October, Founders Bank chief Julian Fruhling and Imperial Bank boss Ed Zito were sitting at the Phoenix Zoo, enjoying fine music and food and talking about, what else, banking. One thing led to another, and before you could...

AutoNation USA making its mark: Republic Industries Inc. puts brand name out in front.
January 8, 1999... Republic Industries Inc., which owns several Valley auto dealerships, is looking to apply its AutoNation USA brand name and philosophy to its hundreds of new-vehicle stores nationwide. The Florida company has begun the process by branding...

Eller Media parent negotiating for office building.(Clear Channel Communications Inc's planned headquarters)
January 8, 1999... Clear Channel Communications Inc. plans to develop a new headquarters building in San Antonio to accommodate the company's rapid growth, which included the 1997 acquisition of Phoenix-based Eller Media Corp. Chad Dan, vice president of...

Public companies prepare for 2000.
January 8, 1999... Here is a list of Arizona companies' Y2K progress, as reported in their most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This list includes all Arizona-based public companies not considered a part of the technology industry....

Managing Medicaid: consultants find a healty road after few detours.(Schaller Anderson Inc)
January 8, 1999... After building a national model for Medicaid in Arizona in the early 1980s, Dr. Don Schaller and Joe Anderson started a consulting firm to help other states build similar programs. But other states didn't pay much attention to them. Not...

Internet, strong management key for public firms.(Arizona stocks)
January 8, 1999... Arizona's top-performing stocks for 1998 are in the early years of their Wall Street life. Many of the top 25 companies are youngsters - such as top-gainer SkyMall Inc., which is 2 years old as a public company; Insight Enterprises, 3; and...

Tourism cries foul over budget.(Arizona's tourism office faces budget cut)
January 15, 1999... Arizona's tourism industry, already losing market share, may be facing a rougher road ahead as the state tourism office is facing a $1 million budget cut. Gov. Jane Hull on Jan. 11 recommended virtually no increase in funding to the...

Wall Street wise: Valley struggles to come of age as investment banking player.(investment banking in Arizona)
January 15, 1999... Phoenix is registering as more than just a blip on the screen for investment bankers who bring deals to Wall Street. Now most Arizona companies go out of state for transactions that can lead to going public. That leaves a gap in services...

$35M retirement community on Scottsdale drawing board.(Stave Properties LLC interested in building retirement community in Arizona city)
January 15, 1999... Stave Properties LLC wants to build a $35 million project that would serve all levels of retirement care on one campus in Scottsdale. Plans call for a nursing home, an assisted-living facility and an independent-living center on a 20-acre...

Suns and Restaura Inc. swing back into action.(Phoenix Suns and its concessionaire hit hard by NBA lockout)
January 15, 1999... Cheers that resonated throughout the Valley of the Sun last week weren't because the NBA lockout ended and the Phoenix Suns soon would hit the hardwood. Most sports fans didn't really notice the lapse. They were caught in a Cardinals'...

Filmmakers find Arizona backdrop to their liking.
January 15, 1999... Arizona's film and television production industry has seen a flurry of activity lately, as a variety of projects and stars such as George Clooney wend their way through the state. It's adding up to an improved year for the industry, said...

Three of top 4 executives resign at Rossi Partners.
January 15, 1999... Three of the four partners at Rossi Partners Marketing Communications have opted out of the Phoenix company, including founder Barbara Rossi. Rossi, who started the public relations agency in 1986, has taken a job as director of marketing...

A winning menu: caterers find success in creative pleasures.(The Herb Box Catering Co)(Company Profile)
January 15, 1999... The main ingredient is creative freedom and the directions read: "Use your imagination." This recipe for success at The Herb Box Catering Co. in Scottsdale has allowed a three-year-old business to win praise of fellow Valley restaurateurs and...

High stakes: compulsive gambling gains attention as Arizona's gaming industry grows.
January 15, 1999... Michael Brubaker was in kindergarten when he started gambling. It was innocent enough when he started, seeing who could land pennies closest to the wall. Wanting more, he graduated to nickels and dimes. Gambling was acceptable in...

Samaritan debuts live heart surgery webcast.(Samaritan Health System)
January 15, 1999... Samaritan Hospitals are giving open-heart surgery a whole new look - and the public is invited to watch. Samaritan doctors will perform open-heart surgery, catheterization and diagnostic tests live Feb. 1, 8 and 15 on the Internet at...

CIGNA launches state's first health care Intranet.(Arizona)(Directory)
January 15, 1999... "Welcome, doctor, you have new e-mail." This message is seen by CIGNA physicians as they log on to CIBUR (CIGNA Intranet based Universal Resource), the first on-line health Intranet in the state. CIBUR was developed by CIGNA HealthCare...

Education firm laying off 320.(EMG Networks Inc.)
January 22, 1999... EMG Networks Inc. of Scottsdale is laying off its entire staff of 320 employees, most of whom work in Arizona. One hundred were let go Tuesday, with 75 of those in Arizona. The remaining employees will be phased out through June as the...

Fore, Phoenix.(tourism in Phoenix, Arizona)
January 22, 1999... Competition slicing into tourist season Winter in the Valley usually is a shoe-in for drawing tourists, but this season, officials are wringing their hands about how the season will shake out. Blizzard conditions in much of the country...

Businesses bracing for area-code costs.(Arizona)
January 22, 1999... For Brian Pattison, the Valley's new area code means a lot more than remembering three extra phone digits or updating the contacts in his daily planner. The change will force his Tempe property alarm company, Guard-o-Matic Security...

Rocky Point is primed for Arizona developers.
January 22, 1999... Arizona and Mexico investors are preparing to open a new chapter in the development of Puerto Penasco, Sonora, on the Sea of Cortez. They plan to break ground in February for a master-planned retirement, resort and second-home development...

Shopper/coupon publisher goes on buying spree.(Marks-Ferber Communications LLC)
January 22, 1999... Marks-Ferber Communications LLC, which owns a growing list of shopping publications and community newspapers across the country, already has made three acquisitions this year. The Phoenix company that owns Arizona Pennysaver has bought Ad...

Everest Publishing's problems are giving clients some concern.
January 22, 1999... The virtual disappearance of a Scottsdale publishing company has left advertisers in its Southwest Creative Sourcebook worried about the money they've spent and the company's future. Everest Publishing Co. publishes five regional...

Cookin' hot.(profile on chef and restaurateur Victoria Chavez)
January 22, 1999... Restaurants are woman's biggest success Mexican-food lovers who enjoy salsa that makes their noses run, eyes water and tongues burn know Victoria Chavez. She's the owner and chef behind the spicy fare served up at the Valley's two Los...

Cards' surprise playoff trip could land stadium.(Arizona Cardinals football team)
January 22, 1999... Are fans changing tune on Rio Salado plans? The Arizona Cardinals hope their trip to the playoffs is worth $385 million. They won't know until May 18, when voters in three central Arizona cities decide whether a quarter-cent sales tax...

Disney finds demographics perfect fit for kids' concept.(Walt Disney Co.)
January 22, 1999... The Walt Disney Co. is jumping on the kids' entertainment train with two power play sites targeting the growing local market of children 10 years old and under. Club Disney is part of Disney Regional Entertainment, a division established...

Valley sees stable '99 economy.(Arizona)
January 29, 1999... Arizona small-business and economic experts expressed little concern over a national survey's findings that many small-business owners are worried about how the economy will fare this year. While 60 percent of respondents said their company...

MindSpring Internet plans to bring 400 jobs to town.(MindSpring Internet Services)
January 29, 1999... Its "No Soup for You" lunchroom is practically empty now, but MindSpring Internet Services plans to fill it with at least 200 additional employees over the next three months, plus 200 more later in the year. The publicly held company...

New venture for Teets.(former Dial Corp. chief John Teets' purchase of 50% stake in Integrity Systems)
January 29, 1999... The takeover tango often results in trampled toes and dancers moving to different beats. Now former Dial Corp chief John Teets wants to help Fortune 500 firms get in step with their new partners. "People think they can walk into a very...

Chancellor deal could tune-in Valley changes.(acquisition of Chancellor Media Corp. by Clean Channel Communications Inc.; Arizona)
January 29, 1999... The owner of six Valley radio stations is considering selling part or all of its operations, which could mean ownership changes for the Phoenix market. Chancellor Media Corp., which is in the process of acquiring two more Phoenix stations,...

Bank One Corp. merger cuts back-office positions.(merger with First Chicago NBD Corp.)
January 29, 1999... Bank One Corp.'s merger with First Chicago NBD will result in the elimination over the next two years of 250 to 300 back-office jobs in the Valley. But amid Phoenix's tight labor market, the bank currently is trying to fill 700 openings in...

Why some segments worry about America West's fate.(loss of American West Airlines and its economic impact on Arizona)
January 29, 1999... If America West Airlines were to fold into a larger airline, it would have a substantial financial impact on various segments of the Valley's economic infrastructure. Many say that speculation is premature. If Tempe loses the America West...

Sale common end result of turnarounds.(sale of America West Airlines)
January 29, 1999... Nobody should be surprised that America West Airlines is attracting suitors. Most companies emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization or in a turnaround situation put a sale at the top of their list. "Seventy-five percent of...

Loss of hometown airline could be tough for Tempe.(America West Airlines; Tempe, AZ)
January 29, 1999... From his Tempe City Hall office window, Mayor Neil Giuliano can see America West Airlines' new headquarters, a few blocks away. It's a daily reminder of America West's Jan. 20 official announcement that other airlines are interested in...

Plenty of reasons why America West deal won't fly.(sale or merger of America West Airlines to other airlines)
January 29, 1999... At first glance, America West seems an attractive purchase: the company is safely ensconced in the low-cost, short-flight market throughout the Southwest, posted record profits last year and appears ready for an ambitious expansion. At the...

Valley business leaders quiet this time around.(Arizona; loss of America West Airlines)
January 29, 1999... Business leaders in the Valley are concerned about losing the America West Airlines headquarters should a sale of the airline go through. But there is no sense of urgency, and many Valley executives, including some who helped bail the...