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

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

Growth campaign starting.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... Arizona's business leaders are preparing to launch a major campaign against the Sierra Club's growth boundary initiative. The effort, which will emphasize public education, is designed to take the steam out of the initiative, which is...

Buyers' market.
March 17, 2000... Schools get competitive for talent Arizona's school districts are getting-competitive in their bids to attract and retain hard-to-find qualified teachers. "Districts are doing incredible things to lure teachers," said Nedda Shafir,...

New economy, new meaning for shell mergers.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... Shell mergers have a special place in the financial world's hall of infamy, right next to illegal tax shelters and pump-and-dump schemes. But in the high-speed New Economy, established entrepreneurs are beginning to explore fast,...

County courts take lead role in technology.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... When Robert Myers, presiding judge of Maricopa County Superior Court, first practiced law in 1962, courtrooms were without technology. Court reporters didn't even have stenotype machines they relied on pen and paper. But before the...

Songs put a beat to learning.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... Patty Horn cares so much about the desert, she quit her 20-year nursing career to write and sing children's songs about saguaros, cucarachas and other desert dwellers. "We must take care of our saguaros, Horn tells a group of students...

COUNTING HEADS.(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
March 17, 2000... COUNTING HEADS 603 metro Phoenix residents were asked if they would participate in the U.S. Census. White Hispanic Other ...

Fresh perspective on Central Avenue after this week.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... And now over to Detour Don, 15 stories high atop Central Avenue, for a view of the afternoon rush hour: There's a two-light delay at Central and Thomas Road due to an injury accident just to the south. Avoid it at all costs, folks. ...

Next for Campana.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... We don't know yet who replaces Scottsdale Mayor Sam Campana, as a runoff, is needed in May. We do know that although she may be a mayoral lame duck, Campana's not ready to surrender her interest in public policy issues. She has...

A valuable lesson.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... You don't have to be a principal for a day to understand why Valley schools are scrambling to fill teaching positions. (See our Page 1 story.) But you can learn other valuable lessons spending time in the schools. Last week, more...

Familiar face departs.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... Steven Zylstra's friends and associates will say bon voyage to Simula Technologies' mainstay on May 5 at the Arizona Science Center. Zylstra has taken a job overseeing the Pittsburgh Technology Council and Southwestern Pennsylvania...

They were Wonged.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... Here's my least favorite quote of the week: "If the Cardinals don't like the deal they can move on." That's from Rep. Barry Wang, R-Phoenix, after the House essentially sacked the latest version of the stadium bill. If that stands,...

Wavo mixes old and new ideas to revamp company.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... Over the past few years, Wavo Corp. has been searching the airwaves for its own identity. But the Phoenix data broadcasting firm has adopted a new, leaner focus that company officials hope will put the wayward Wavo back on track. On...

Network of professionals line up to help technology entrepreneurs.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... The lineup of Valley businesses that help technology entreprenuers launch their ideas is adding a new player. Making its official web debut next Wednesday is Stealthmode.com -- a network of marketing, legal, finance, real estate and...

CORRECTION.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... The wrong phone number for Borrego Springs National Bank in Phoenix was published in the March 10 edition. The correct phone number for the 1 E. Camelback Road office is 602-636-0977.

Valley business leaders cheer transit victory.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... Business leaders and local politicians were pleased with the March 14 vote for Transit 2000, the proposition that will allow for citywide expansion of bus service and the start of electric light-rail trains. Voters approved the tax by a...

Park Central transforms shops from retail to office.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... The transformation of Park Central Mall into a major office center continues, as more tenants move in and retailers clear out. Three small retail operations will vacate to make room for co-location company Switch & Data, which will house...

Progressive chooses to introduce its homeowner insurance in Valley.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... Progressive Corp. has selected Arizona as the first state to receive its homeowners insurance product. The product will be introduced in other states as agents are trained and eventually will be available on the company's web site,...

Business owners reaping cost-segregation benefits.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... With tax season right around the corner, more business owners are reaping the benefits of cost-segregation studies -- a way to depreciate parts of a building in less time. Traditionally, it takes 39 years to write off the cost of a...

Health insurance provider leaves policyholders without coverage.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... Gem Insurance Co. is withdrawing from the Arizona individual health insurance market, leaving 250 policyholders wondering where they're going to find coverage. Local insurance brokers were upset that Gem's sister company, Intergroup of...

US West's Arizona chief accepts merger challenge.
March 17, 2000... US West Inc. has made the news almost daily over the past few weeks. From problems with its pending Qwest Communications International Inc. merger to delays in the company's own quest to earn independent rate-setting ability, there hasn't...

Scheduling appointments online becoming reality.
March 17, 2000... When Jeff Schadt spent more than 20 minutes on hold trying to schedule a Monday morning doctor's appointment for his daughter, he decided there had to be a better way. "There's got to be a way to schedule an appointment on Saturday or...

Internet auction-listing service moves to Phoenix.
March 17, 2000... Stuff2Gold, a web auction-listing service, recently moved its operations from Seattle to Phoenix. Most of the business's customers are retired so Phoenix was viewed as an ideal location for capitalizing market potential, as well as...

Sales projections.
March 17, 2000... Scottsdale-based CCS Presentation Systems has formed ProjectSuperStore, an e-commerce site for marketing audio-visual equipment, with $1 million in private funding investor capital. The site can be found at www.projectorsuperstore.com....

Learning the game.
March 17, 2000... It's almost a one-stop shop for anyone looking to learn e-business strategies. An Illinois-based publication, b3 magazine, will host a two-day conference, called "Build a Better Business Model Today," in Scottsdale featuring presenters...

New home.
March 17, 2000... Homestore.com, a network of real estate Internet sites, leased 62,000 square feet in the Ryan Airpark II building, 7499 E. Paradise Lane, Scottsdale. The company recently acquired the online marketing business NewList Corp., which had...

Learn from a founder.
March 17, 2000... Roger Falcione, founder of Phoenix-based Goracing.com, will be the speaker March 30 at the monthly meeting of the Arizona Internet and E-Commerce Association. Goracing.com is a web site for auto racing fans and motor sports...

Getting connected.
March 17, 2000... With the Internet becoming more prominent as a necessary business tool, small-business owners are feeling a need to be connected, but how? To help them make decisions between leasing and buying, Dell Computer Corp. has come up with five...

Ready to sell.
March 17, 2000... Retailers are piling in for space at downtown Phoenix's new Collier Center, a mixed-use commercial complex under development that will span two and one-half city blocks. Tenants will occupy 25,000 square feet in a two-story building that...

Arizona Heart Hospital buys bedside defibrillator.
March 17, 2000... The Arizona Heart Hospital is the first hospital to purchase Cardiac Science Inc.'s new heart-monitor defibrillator to monitor and treat patients at risk of life-threatening heart rhythms. The 59-bed facility purchased 20 Powerhearts....

Measuring anti oxidants.
March 17, 2000... Bionutrics Inc. has obtained exclusive rights in the consumer market to a patented, diagnostic technology for measuring oxidative stress levels in urine or blood. The technology is based on an evolving "gold standard" of oxidative stress...

Help for new moms.
March 17, 2000... Denice Jentlie and Leslie Goodrum have formed Arizona Birth Buddies in Chandler to provide nonmedical support for new mothers. "Many young mothers, especially here in Arizona with our fast-growing, transient population, do not have the...

No salt, please.
March 17, 2000... Chef Dujour, a Scottsdale niche foodservices firm that specializes in preparing food for cancer and immune-depressed patients, is launching [BioMeals.sup.TM] prepared foods. The meals were developed specifically to improve the appetite...

Safe angioplasty.
March 17, 2000... Studies conducted by Advanced Cardiac Specialists' Department of Cardiovascular Research of Phoenix have found that angioplasty is a safe and viable treatment for patients with coronary heart disease and severe left ventricular dysfunction....

War on E. coli.
March 17, 2000... Think you're doing everything you can to fight E. coli bacteria in the kitchen with proper food handling and thorough cooking? Think again. "Improper cooling is the No. 1 reported cause of food borne illness in the United States," said...

Cramer-Krasselt builds Beazer Homes radio show.
March 17, 2000... Advertisers are on the radio every day hawking their products and services in 30- or 60-second spots. That apparently isn't enough time for Beazer Homes Arizona in Tempe and its Phoenix advertising agency, Cramer-Krasselt. The companies...

Lynk picks CTS.
March 17, 2000... Lynk Software Inc., a Scottsdale company that develops customer service and quality assurance software programs, has named CTS Advertising as its public relations agency of record. CTS duties include creating a strategic public relations...

MegaHertz gets Friendly.
March 17, 2000... Friendly House, a Valley social service agency, has hired MegaHertz Media LLC to coordinate marketing, public relations and special-events services. Friendly House offers parenting and youth programs and immigration, education, health,...

At the movies.
March 17, 2000... A 10-minute documentary film produced by Hummingbird Productions in Scottsdale is showing in various. cities, courtesy of the AngelCiti International Film & Music Festival. The festival, which promotes independent filmmakers and...

Home buyer pub debuts.
March 17, 2000... A new publication designed to help connect consumers with companies that provide home products and services is set to debut this summer. Brekan Publishing, Phoenix, has created New Home Handbook, an annual, magazine-size four-color...

Filmmaker wins award.
March 17, 2000... The Arizona Media Arts Center is honoring Charles Burnett with the Arizona Independent Film Award. The award is given to filmmakers who have produced a body of independent work. Past recipients include film director Robert Young and...

PR Week magazine.(Brodeur Worldwide named Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... PR Week magazine's Agency of the Year is Brodeur Worldwide, Boston, a global public relations network with an office in Phoenix. The Valley location's clients include DataChannel, Seattle; LSI Logic, San Jose, Calif.; Peregrine Technologies,...

Phoenix Home & Garden magazine.(presents home design show)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... Phoenix Home & Garden magazine is presenting At Home in Arizona, an event that spotlights Southwest home designs. More than 50 room vignettes will be displayed at the March 18 and 19 show at the Chaparral Suites Hotel Conference Center in...

Phoenix facility begins massive Census data project.(National Computer Systems)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... National Computer Systems needs to hire 2,000 people at its Phoenix data capture. center, now that the firm has begun processing Census 2000 data. NCS site manager Doug Divelbiss said the company has spent the past two years planning for...

More than graphics.(System Graphics changes name to AdvancedInfoSystems)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... A 19-year-old Arizona company is changing its name to reflect its evolution into a high-tech firm. System Graphics Inc., Phoenix, will henceforth operate under the name AdvancedInfoSystems. The company has provided business forms,...

E-qual Access.(US West commits funds to technology centers)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... US West Inc. is taking steps to help bridge the "digital divide." Though its charitable foundation, the telecommunications firm has committed $1.1 million to create community-based technology 'centers and training programs in areas that...

Dual-Deck deal.(Sensory Science licenses dual deck VCR's)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... A French electronics manufacturer will, begin selling Sensory Science Corp.'s "Dual-Deck" VCRs under the RCA moniker, thanks to a new agreement. Thomson Multimedia, which makes televisions, camcorders, telephones, audio products, DVD...

GST cutbacks.(GST Telecommunications eliminates jobs)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... GST Telecommunications Inc. will eliminate 100 jobs in its area of operations, which includes Arizona, California and other western states. The Vancouver, Wash., company also sold its Abilene, Texas-based network analysis-management...

Vallee on board.(Roy Vallee joines Teradyne Inc.'s board)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... Avnet chairman and chief executive Roy Vallee was named to the board of directors of Teradyne Inc., an automated testing company for the electronics, communications and software industries. Teradyne, based in Boston, had 1999 sales of...

Grand Canyon rafting named top adventure trip.(by National Geographic Adventure)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... White-water rafting on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon has been named the hottest adventure-travel trip by National Geographic Adventure in its March/April issue. The canyon also was in the list of "Top 10 Adrenaline Trips."...

Yazzie in residence.(Steven Yazzie at the Heard Museum)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... Navajo painter Steven Yazzie is in residence at the Heard Museum through April 30 to paint a monumental mural that depicts the forced relocation of several of Arizona! s native tribal groups. The 8-foot by 160-foot mural will encompass...

In-the-water show.(Arizona boat show)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... An unusual boat show is scheduled at the new Pleasant Harbor Marina at Lake Pleasant from March 30 to April 2. The show features boats actually in the water. Nearly 200 boats will be on display and demonstrated, including new and nearly...

More hotels sign on.(America West Vacations partnerships)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... America West Vacations has established partnerships with five Las Vegas hotels bringing the total number it represents to 25. It now represents Circus Circus Hotel, Four Seasons Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Palace Station Hotel &...

Prickly body wrap.(Arizona Biltmore Spa spa treatment)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... Arizona Biltmore Spa has developed a new spa treatment that incorporates flowers from the Prickly Pear Cactus to soothe skin. Early sett1ers in the Southwest peeled the stems of the cactus and bound them to wounds as dressing. Some...

Caribbean opening.(Best Western International opens new hotel)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... Best Western International, Phoenix, has opened its second hotel in the Dominican Republic, bringing the company's total number of properties in the Caribbean to seven. The new hotel is the Best Western Metro Hotel Golf & Marina. The...

Internet increases sales.(for Best Western)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... Best Western, also reports that 5 percent of the company's total, bookings were made Via-the Internet in 1999. That number is projected-to rise to 10 percent in 2000, said Mary Beth Knight managing director of intermediary marketing. ...

More online.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... The Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau has established a program allowing for hotel rooms, conventions and meetings to be booked online. The CVB has partnered with Passkey.com Inc., a provider of Internet-based group hotel and...

What's up in Tempe.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... The Tempe Convention & Visitors Bureau has launched its new web site that includes more, than 50 pages of leisure traveler information. The site is at www.tempecvb.com. Also, Nancy Black has been named tourism sales manager for the...

Pet pal.(Petsmart's Philip Francis)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 17, 2000... Petsmart chief aims to rescue company, animals As an Illinois farmer's son, Philip Francis is used to being around animals, but not when they're inside corporate headquarters. At Petsmart Inc., Phoenix, the motto is "pets are family"...

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE.
March 17, 2000... Architecture Randy McManus was promoted to project manager at the Hospitality Studio of Comoyer-Hedrick Inc., Phoenix. Associations Cindie Hubiak, a Phoenix CPA, was hired as executive director of The Arizona Society of...

Phoenix tightens zoning laws in residential areas.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 17, 2000... Phoenix officials are adding more muscle to the city's ordinance banning prisons, halfway houses and recovery homes in residential areas. Their concern surfaced last summer when the U.S. Bureau of Prisons backed a proposal by Louisville,...

"Smart" homes.(from US Connects)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... An Arizona-based company is joining the networking giants Cisco Systems, Lucent Technologies and Nortel Networks in offering high-speed networks for homes. US Connects is offering structured wiring systems, which includes CAT5 and RG6...

California influence.(high house prices increase moves to Arizona)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... Analysts are saying Arizona's homebuilding industry this year will benefit from rising prices in California. Housing prices in the Golden State, after a roller-coaster series of ups and downs in the 1990s, experienced record sales and...

Hayden Ferry North project gets new partner, new name.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 17, 2000... The promoters of a major commercial and residential development in Tempe are recruiting one of the Valley's top developers as a partner. Benton-Robb Development and Bay State, backers of the original Hayden Ferry North project, are...

Hot Deals.(real estate)(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
March 17, 2000... COMMERCIAL $10.7 million Type: Office building Where: 14614 N. Kierland Blvd., Phoenix Buyer: Abart investment Corp., Bourbonnais, Ill. Seller: RBK Holdings LLC, 2405 W. University Drive, Tempe Listing and selling...

WHO'S WHO.(Patrick Hayes)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 17, 2000... Patrick Hayes President Patrick Hayes Architecture Inc. Years with organization: 9 months Previously a principal partner with Will-Hayes Architects Ltd. for 11 years. Company's current major projects: * Maxwell...

3 new communities open in Valley.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 17, 2000... Three home builders are opening new communities in north, northwest and south Phoenix. Hancock Communities' newest project is Bel Fleur, a gated neighborhood on Dysart Road north of Indian School Road. Hancock is offering five floor...

DWL Architects turns 50, maintains independence.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 17, 2000... When he has free time, which probably isn't often, Michael Haake enjoys watching engineers, carpenters and ironworkers turn his company's designs into reality. Haake is president of DWL Architects, a Valley firm celebrating its 50th...

Valley building permits.(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
March 17, 2000... Valley building permits COMMERCIAL City Value Sq.ft. Address Mesa $7,701,101 N/L 6218 E. Superstition Springs Blvd. Scottsdale 5,193,726 149,245...

Before joining family-run business: think.(The Family Business Advisor)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... According to The Family Business Advisor, a monthly guide presented in part by the Arthur Andersen Center for Family Business, there are a few things one should understand before accepting high-level employment at a family business: *...

Lights, please!(Hacienda Lighting, Scottsdale)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 17, 2000... Hacienda Lighting, Scottsdale, has moved into a new 19,000-square-foot showroom featuring a power control system that uses computerized touch pads on pedestals. "The customer doesn't need a salesperson to turn fixtures off and on," said...

Focus: MOMversations.(monthly guide)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... Frustrated with the way publications separated mothers as "single," "working" or "at-home," Judy Hacker decided most advice applied regardless of status, so she started her own newsletter -- MOMversations(r). The monthly guide encourages...

Made to order.(Synergy grows custom logo product business)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 17, 2000... Synergy grows custom logo product business Synergy: Manufacturer and distributor of custom logo sportswear and promotional products, such as T-shirts, baseball caps, coffee mugs and pens. The company started as J.R. Specialties...

TIP.(sector mutual fund)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... If you want to invest in a particular industry but are afraid of market volatility and not being properly diversified, consider a sector mutual fund that invests exclusively in those industries. It provides diversification, and you don't have...

READERS RESPOND.
March 17, 2000... If you ran the IRS, what would you do differently? Barbara Ralston President Camelback Community Bank, Phoenix The first thing I would do is re-evaluate the complexity that has evolved overtime. My No. 1 priority would be to...

Teaming agreements help small businesses.
March 17, 2000... In an effort to be efficient and cost effective, Valley businesses are finding more opportunities to take on bigger projects and stretch their buck thanks to arrangements known as teaming agreements between contracted parties. The...

Accounting tips to avoid tax headaches.
March 17, 2000... Bruce Klein plays it safe. As a small-business owner, he lets his accountant handle his taxes. If a problem arises, he lets the accountant worry about it. "I leave it to the experts," said Klein, the owner of Bernie's Photo Center in...

Pointers to get your direct mail noticed, opened.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2000... While many companies use direct mail to communicate with potential customers, the envelope may not get opened. To be effective, envelopes must grab people's attention, said Martin Baird, president of advisormarketing.com, a company that...

Productive meetings require well-thought-out plan.
March 17, 2000... How do I conduct productive meetings? We all want meetings that accomplish worthwhile objectives, do so in a minimum amount of time and help us get our jobs done well. The following guidelines should help us achieve that end: * State...

Town Hall to debate growth, other issues.
March 17, 2000... Scottsdale residents are invited to a March 30 Town Hall that will address growth issues. A panel will debate issues affecting Scottsdale and other cities as they move into the new millennium. Panelists are: * Reid Ewing, one of the...

Government grants some business sellers tax relief.
March 17, 2000... The Treasury Department plans to provide sole proprietorships and partnerships relief from a recent tax law change that makes it harder to sell a small business. Corporations, however, still will have to follow the new rules on...

Corporate identity-building grows business.
March 17, 2000... In order to thrive in today's market, companies must consistently bring in new prospects, convert current prospects into clients and grow the number of products or services used by current clients. They must become a recognizable brand in...

Junk e-mail fix: 'Throw spammers in the slammer'.
March 17, 2000... I recently received an e-mail message that began: "You want to make some money? We can put you in touch with over 50 million people at virtually no cost. Can you make one cent from each of these names? If you can, you have a profit of more...

How an old dog can teach you some new sales tricks.
March 17, 2000... A loyal customer is the true measure of your success. The question: "Why will they buy from you more than once?" provides an answer that leads to stability, growth and profit. Powerful question. Complex answer. I ate lunch recently with...

The List: GRAPHIC DESIGN FIRMS.
March 17, 2000... the List GRAPHIC DESIGN FIRMS Ranking: 1999 billings Rank Telephone 2000 Company name ...