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

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

AZ Stock Exchange getting new life.(Arizona Stock Exchange)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... After nine, hair-tearing years, Steve Wunsch thinks he has the formula right for the Arizona Stock Exchange with backing by four Wall Street heavyweights. Reuters subsidiary Instinet Corp. signed a deal this month to execute, clear and...

Boosters push sites for downtown stadium.(Phoenix, Arizona)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Two groups of business leaders are scrambling to locate the new $331 million football stadium for the Arizona Cardinals in downtown Phoenix. With the deadline for stadium offers looming, Phoenix business organizations and leaders have...

Marriott resort already booked before opening.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Still two years from opening, Marriott's Desert Ridge Resort and Spa already has hired a general manager and booked 45,000 rooms. And in a market where hotel financing is scarce, the northeast Phoenix luxury property is on track to...

Murders, she writes.
November 24, 2000... Marney Austin saw a ghost when she was producing a murder mystery for Copper Queen Hotel guests in Bisbee. It's not something, that usually comes with the job. Austin's Phoenix company, Murder Ink Productions, conducts murder...

Plentiful reasons to pause and say thanks this year.
November 24, 2000... Things to be thankful for: * People who say thank you. * The defeat of Proposition 202, the urban sprawl Pac Man, and the victory of Prop. 301, education's best friend. With it comes the satisfaction of knowing that Arizona voters...

Digital StoreFront builds strength in Valley gyms.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Exercise junkies who don't have time to stop off at the local health food store for their monthly supply of Met-Rx bars are in luck. Mesa-based Digital StoreFront has created an on-site e-commerce machine that enables fitness fans to...

Hallmark upgrades Web product.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... The online arm of Hallmark.com launched a customized holiday card service earlier this month and Phoenicians are among the first to hear about it. During Thanksgiving weekend, Hallmark.com begins a test marketing campaign in Phoenix and...

CORRECTIONS.(Business Journal's November 10 and 17 issues)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... * Consulting firm Mighty Interactive. Media LLC was misidentified by industry category in a Nov. 17 article. The company helps businesses develop Internet strategies, then out-sources site design. * Keith Hampe's title was listed...

Bankers on the move.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Welborn visits in new capacity Mike Welborn is back in Phoenix this week, and he has a smile on his face wider than the Camelback Corridor. He is here as part of a whirlwind tour of key markets to introduce himself as the new head of...

Coalition plans top 10 tally to tout Tempe tourism.(Tempe, Arizona)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Ten top attractions will be selected by a coalition of Tempe business leaders as part of a branding campaign to give the East Valley city a tourism boost. The strategy includes a Web site and kick-off celebration to launch by February....

Westin Kierland groundbreaking slated as financing is solidified.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Developers of The Westin Kierland Resort in Scottsdale will be breaking ground in the first half of December on the 750-room, $180 million project, according to a Westin official. As well, an announcement is expected within the next...

Busy execs turning to online concierge services.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Concierge assistance is not just for the hotel lobby anymore, according to Todd Zillweger of World Class Concierge Services, a Valley Internet-based company targeted to corporate and personal clients. And now Zillweger and his partner,...

Virtual office building gives construction industry Web hub.(Hard Dollar Corp.)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... After months in development, construction has been completed on a "virtual office building" where contractors can find new ways of doing the same job. Hard Dollar Corp., formerly Grantlun, launched its Web site for construction...

Confiscated stolen items now online.(Phoenix Police Department)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... The city of Phoenix Police Department now is auctioning confiscated property online, as well as at monthly live auctions. Thousands of items confiscated from thieves are auctioned by the police when the original owners do not know the...

Qwest seeks flexible pricing plan.(Qwest Communications International Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Qwest Communications International's attempt at deregulation through Proposition 108 failed earlier. this month, but the company may have another chance to achieve a similar outcome without a public vote. What's at issue is a 3-year-old...

Decoymail.com system aims to put a stop to 'spam'.(service information)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Rodney Joffe's latest endeavor didn't occur because he needed a business -- he already has eight. It developed out of frustration from e-mail marketers who send him upward of 200 "spam" messages each day. "I got sick and tired of...

E-marketing and direct-mail firms plan merger.(Whitehat.com and American Computer Group)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Whitehat.com and American Computer Group are merging to form a new venture by the end of the year. The company will be called Whitehat Inc., upon shareholder approval and other contingencies. American Computer Group is a traditional...

Sites turn Web browsers into Santa's little helpers.(management strategy)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Popular Outdoor Outfitters is gearing up for the "e-holiday" rush, right alongside Cold Stone Creamery and Warplanes.com. Popular Outdoor Outfitter's went live with its new Internet site, www.popularoutdooroutfitters.com, Oct. 23. ...

More financial bleeding for major hospital chain.(Catholic Healthcare West)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 24, 2000... Struggling hospital chain Catholic Healthcare West lost nearly $90 million more than expected in fiscal 2000, showing that the company remains in financial sick bay. Recently released audited figures for the year ended June 30 show the...

Investment group files lawsuit against Western Hockey League.(T-Rex 2000 Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... An Austin, Texas, investor will face off with Phoenix-based Western Professional Hockey League Inc. over about $500,000 in unreturned investments. William MacFarlane filed a lawsuit Oct. 25 claiming the WPHL, its former president Rick...

Selling the family-owned business not always bad.(book by Mike Cohn)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... A new book by Mike Cohn, a Phoenix consultant, challenges the traditional assumption that selling a family-owned business is an act of last resort. Keep or Sell Your Business... How to Make the Decision Every Private Company Faces,...

Motorola plans to create as many as 80 jobs at new technical center.(Motorola Computer Group in Phoenix, Arizona)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Motorola Computer Group, with the help of the Greater Phoenix Urban League, plans to create up to 80 jobs at a new Motorola Technical Operations Center in the south central Phoenix "Enterprise Zone." The 20,000-square-foot facility, at...

Action Performance sells Fantasy Snorts division.(Action Performance Companies Ltd. and Leisureplanet Holdings Ltd.)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Action Performance Cos. Inc., a Phoenix-based manufacturer of die-cast NASCAR collectibles and other motor-sports merchandise, has, sold its fantasy sports operation. Action Performance chief financial officer David Martin said the...

Microchip optimistic.(Microchip Technology Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Chandler-based computer chip maker Microchip Technology Inc. expects an increase of 9 percent in its third-quarter revenue and earnings per share as compared with the second quarter, company officials said. Analysts polled by First...

Motorola wins $29M deal.(Motorola Inc. in China)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Motorola Inc., which has five facilities in the Valley, and its Global Telecom Solutions Sector won a $29 million digital network expansion contract in China's Zhejiang Province. Motorola will include two new offerings under the contract:...

Honeywell merger vote set.(Honeywell International Inc. and General Electric Co.)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Honeywell International Inc., which has its aerospace and industrial controls divisions based in the Valley, has scheduled a special share-owner meeting Jan. 10 to approve its proposed merger with General Electric Co. The meeting will be...

Travel Dynamics buys firm.(Columbus Cos.)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Scottsdale-based Travel Dynamics Inc., which does business as Tru Dynamics Inc., its operating subsidiary, has completed the acquisition of privately held Columbus Cos. Columbus Cos., based in Bountiful, Utah, is a travel and incentive...

Firms sign $1B pact.(Avnet Inc. and Infineon Technologies AG)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Germany's Infineon Technologies AG has signed its first worldwide distribution agreement with Avnet Electronics Marketing: The three-year, $1 billion-plus agreement, authorizes Avnet to market Infineon's product portfolio of integrated...

Qwest, Eschelon sign pact.(Qwest Communications International Inc., Eschelon Telecom Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Qwest Communications International Inc., Arizona's largest local phone and Internet service provider, and Eschelon Telecom Inc., an integrated communications provider operating in Arizona, have reached an agreement for voice and data...

Hilo Hattie Arizona-bound.(Pomare Ltd. Hilo Hattie's Fashion Centers to open new store)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Hilo Hattie, which bills itself as "The Store of Hawaii," will open Nov. 22 in Tempe's Arizona Mills Mall, just in time for the holiday shopping season. Hilo Hattie's will feature aloha wear print fashions, chocolate macadamia nuts,...

Firm buys Quoters.com.(Universal Heights Inc.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 24, 2000... Universal Heights Inc. has acquired Quoters.com, a Phoenix-based insurance Web site. The Aventura, Fla.-based integrated insurance company also hired Quoters.com s principal to assist with the marketing strategy for the Web site....

Hypercom posts loss.(Hypercom Corp.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 24, 2000... Hypercom Corp., a Phoenix provider of electronic payment products, reported that third-quarter 2000 net revenue of $75.9 million vs. $73.3 million in the same period year ago. The net loss for the quarter was $21.6 million, including the...

Vallee wary on earnings.(Avent Inc., company outlook)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... During the annual Avnet Inc. shareholders' meeting in New York City, chairman and chief executive Roy Vallee commented on market conditions and the Phoenix-based company's outlook. "The cyclicality of the semiconductor industry is no...

EBIZ makes buy.(EBIZ Enterprises Inc. acquires Jones Business Systems Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Scottsdale-based EBIZ Enterprises Inc., a vendor-neutral Linux products and services provider, will acquire JBSi (Jones Business Systems Inc.) of Houston. EBIZ chief executive Dave Shaw and JBSi president - Bruce. Parsons announced the...

Jobless rate up slightly.(Arizona unemployment rate, October)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 24, 2000... Arizona's unemployment rate inched higher in October. The Arizona Department of Economic Security reported that October's jobless rate was 3.7 percent, up .02 percent from September. Nearly 21,000 new non-farm jobs were added last month,...

Costco opens in mall.(Chris-Town Mall, Phoenix)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Costco opened its new store in Chris-Town Mall, 19th Avenue and Bethany Home Road, Phoenix. The grand opening marked Costco's first location in an enclosed, mall. The store, along with its tire facility and gas station, are expected to...

Restaurants report loss.(Phoenix Restaurant Group Inc.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 24, 2000... Phoenix Restaurant Group Inc., the Phoenix-based owner and operator of the Black-eyed Pea restaurant chain and one of the largest franchisees of Denny's, reported a third quarter 2000 net loss of $10.1 million. That compares with a net...

Motorola sells platform.(negotiating systems agreements)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Motorola Inc. and several international companies are negotiating systems agreements to obtain a licnese to operate Motorola's e-Commerce Solution, produced by a Scottsdale-based Motorola division. According to Motorola, the "open"...

Arizona resorts rank high.(Miraval, Boulders, The Phoenician)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... NextHealth Inc. subsidiary Miraval, a health and leisure resort and spa located near Tucson, in Catalina, has been named as the Top Spa in Zagat Survey's 2001 edition of Top U.S. Hotels; Resorts & Spas. Also scoring a high 28 rating were...

IPVoice signs with EZ1.(EZ1Rate Inc., software for Internet protocol telephony)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... IPVoice.com Inc., a Scottsdale developer of software for Internet protocol telephony, has signed an agreement with EZ1Rate Inc., a Nebraska-based telecommunications provider. Using IPVoice network services, EZ1Rate will market its own IP...

Syntellect OKs buyback.(repurchase of 500,000 common shares)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 24, 2000... The board of directors of Phoenix-based software maker Syntellect Inc. has authorized the repurchase of 500,000 common shares. The company said that it already had repurchased 600,000 shares in the past two weeks, for a total of 2.9...

Motivating charm.
November 24, 2000... Smith sees sports as a preparation for one's real life The sky has been uncharacteristically cloudy all week and now it's Friday morning, the day before Arizona State University's homecoming football game. ASU's new athletic...

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE.(includes multiple appointments)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Accounting Bradley Preber relocated to Arthur Andersen's Arizona office, Phoenix, to be in charge of the Desert Southwest value solutions division; David Knopf also relocated and is a partner in the business consulting group. ...

Fennemore Craig adds father/daughter lawyer team.(Charlie Stevens, Susie Stevens-Matthews)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Phoenix law firm Fennemore Craig has two new members of its law firm family -- and they happen to be members of the same family. Charlie Stevens has joined the firm as "of counsel" in the legislative counsel, government affairs,...

CIS services formed.(Capital Title Group Inc. forms Capital Information Services LLC)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Capital Title Group Inc. has formed Capital Information Services LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary that also will be based in Phoenix. Its new program, which is being offered to mortgage lenders of all sizes, will allow them to form their...

Accenture media blitz.(new name for Andersen Consulting)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Andersen Consulting is planning to make a big media splash to let the world know it will be renamed Accenture as of Jan. 1. The name Accenture combines the words "accent" and "future." The company is putting $1.75 million into a...

Phelps elects new VP.(Phelps Dodge Corp., Kalidas V. Madhavpeddi)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Phelps Dodge Corp. has named Kalidas V. Madhavpeddi senior vice president, business development, and a member of the corporation's senior management team. In his new role, Madhavpeddi will continue to help identify, research, evaluate...

New court home.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... The West Phoenix Justice Court has moved from 527 W. McDowell Road in Phoenix to a newly renovated space at 1 W. Madison St. It also is the location for the Central Phoenix and East Phoenix No. 1 justice courts. The West Phoenix...

EFunds award.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... EFunds Corp. of Phoenix, a provider of electronic payment, risk management and information technology services, has won a 2000 Visa Service Quality Performance Award. The award recognizes the company for having the lowest authorization...

Compass Bank honored.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Compass Bank won first place in the 2000 Microbanker, Inc. "Best in Microbanking Awards" for its new sales and service software system. The system, called CompassNavigator, reduces the time required to open new customer accounts. It also...

Show me the money.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... The Internal Revenue Service has more than 1.7 million in federal refund checks for more than 2,600 Arizonans that were returned as undeliverable. According to the IRS, checks typically are returned if there is an incorrect address when...

Health care marketing firm opens Scottsdale office.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... CPR Communications Inc., a national marketing firm with e-commerce clients such as TriZetto Group, is opening a Scottsdale office. The company focuses on health care and technology companies operating in the New Economy. Other local...

Got milk?(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Moooove over, beer and wine garden. The Moo Garden is coming to the Festival of Lights at Desert Foothills Parkway at its kickoff event Saturday. The Dairy Council of Arizona is hosting the Moo Garden adjacent to the beer and wine garden...

Internet crackdown.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... The Arizona Office of Attorney General has settled a consumer fraud lawsuit with an Arizona-based Internet company, a Virginia pharmacy and an Ohio physician who prescribed and sold medications online. The company, Tace LLC, sold...

Triad buying Quorum.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Triad Hospitals Inc., which operates Paradise Valley Hospital in Phoenix, plans to buy Quorum Health Group. Quorum is based in Tennessee and manages more than 200 hospitals nationwide, including Maricopa Integrated Health System and the...

Healthy gift-giving.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... As the fat-filled holidays approach, Weight Watchers of Arizona Inc. has some gift-giving tips to keep your business associates on track with their weight-loss goals. Some of those include a session with a personal trainer, a month's...

Throw it away.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... A new disposable hearing aid is being offered at Audiology and Hearing Aid Center Ltd. in Scottsdale. The Songbird costs about $40 and lasts a little more than a month. It is recommended for mild to moderate hearing losses, said Cathy...

Heart demos.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... The Arizona Heart Institute Foundation is hosting a free public health forum to showcase the latest nonsurgical cardiovascular treatments. Live satellite demonstrations will be broadcast from noon until 3:30 p.m. at Mesa Centennial Hall,...

Kudos to Symmetry.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... McKesson KBOC Inc.'s subsidiary, iMcKesson LLC, has introduced a system that lets health care payers nationwide compare their utilization and cost performance against industry accepted norms. The new benchmarking system uses Phoenix-based...

Desert Sam expands.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Desert Samaritan Medical Center, Mesa, is opening a fourth patient tower this week. The new tower has 84 new beds, which include a 12-bed pediatric intensive-care unit.

ACE campaign garners award for Cramer-Krasselt.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Cramer-Krasselt, Phoenix, has scored a key industry honor for its edgy Ace Asphalt outdoor campaign that debuted this year. The work will be featured in the "Exhibit" section in the January/February issue of Communications Arts. The...

E.B. Lane adds PR client.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... E.B. Lane Marketing has added Post Properties, developer of Post Roosevelt Square, to its client list. The Atlanta-based developer and operator of upscale apartment communities nationwide, has hired EBL to handle its public relations...

Cooley pro bono work.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Cooley Advertising and Public Relations has embarked on a new phase of its pro bono anti-methamphetamine campaign this month. The agency has been working with its client, the Arizona National Guard, to formulate new aspects of the...

HMI lands resort.
November 24, 2000... HMI Marketing & Advertising has added the Pointe South Mountain Resort to its list of clients. Agency president Elaine Ralls said the account win is a result of its director of agency services, Richard Cassey, and his "longstanding...

Laughter promoted.
November 24, 2000... Marc Lyncheski will talk about "The Art and Science of Humor" in ad and marketing campaigns at the next Phoenix American Marketing Association's holiday luncheon Dec. 20. Lyncheski, director of service marketing for Petsmart and stand-up...

Web site offers direct way to keep employees happy.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... If you're having trouble keeping employees, maybe you can bribe them to stay with a coupon. There's a new service called BenefitDirect.com -- pitched to employers as a way to keep staff happy. The free service gives employees access...

Rolling along.(motorcycle Web site)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Riderworld.com, an e-commerce and editorial site for motorcyclists, has gained two important partnerships -- one with Custom Chrome Inc. and another with Kelley Blue Book. Custom Chrome will make its entire catalog of motorcycle parts and...

Back it up.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Environ.com, a portal for environmental compliance, and Driveway Corp have developed an online storage service for environmental compliance records. The service stores the information on a new "sub-portal," eRecordsVault.com, created by...

Internet by voice.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Integrated Information Systems, Tempe, and Washington-based Conversay have jointly developed a mobile-commerce application that lets users conduct Internet transactions entirely by voice. The service will be offered to clients who want...

Pepper picked a place.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Ad Pepper Media LLC, an international Internet advertising agency, picked-tony new digs near Scottsdale Fashion Square for its first Arizona office. The company helps Web sites by acting as a liaison between ad agencies and advertisers,...

GPEC online.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... The Greater Phoenix Economic Council launched a new Web site with links to other state business development groups and services, plus leader ship-related news written by long-time Valley journalist Naaman Nickell. Users of Microsoft's...

Bundled integration.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... JDA Software Group Inc. and SPS Commerce have formed a two-year marketing alliance. The SPSConnect software application, which helps the user connect with suppliers online, will be integrated into JDA's Merchandise Management System. ...

IBiz future includes expansion, additional staffers.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... IBiz Technology Corp., a Phoenix-based provider of Web hosting and co-location services, plans to expand into 11 new markets within the next year and possibly double or triple its 60-person staff, said Ken Schilling, president and chief...

No time for bell-ringing.(earnings down for Avnet Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Roy Vallee, chairman and president of Phoenix-based Avnet Inc., was supposed to ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange Nov. 20 in honor of his company's 40th anniversary on Wall Street But Avnet's stock dropped 4.75 points...

Stack honored.
November 24, 2000... Bill Stack recently received the Franklin-Jefferson Award for Science, Technology & Innovation for his support of the Small Business Innovation Research program. Stack, the former vice president and general manager of US West Arizona,...

New directory assistance.(Spanish directory assistance)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Arizonans with Alltel mobile phone service now have access to Spanish directory assistance. Alltel's Directory Plus is the first fully integrated, Spanish-speaking wireless directory assistance to be offered in the state. By dialing...

Innovator named.
November 24, 2000... The Governor's Strategic Partnership for Economic Development's High Technology Industry Cluster will host its 11th annual Innovator of the Year awards dinner. It will beheld from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Nov. 30 at the Arizona Science Center in...

Power plant proposed.(natural gas fired power plant)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... SouthWestern Power Group II, a Phoenix-based energy resource development company, plans to develop a 2,000-megawatt, natural-gas-fired power plant in southern Pinal County. Preliminary environmental studies have begun for the proposed...

Stability rules.(job stability preferred over stock options)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Anew study developed by RHI Consulting indicates the lure of the initial public offering may be waning for information technology professionals. Thirty-nine percent of respondents said that, other than salary and traditional benefits,...

La Quinta may introduce new hotel concept in Valley.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... La Quinta Inns Inc. is debuting a new hotel concept and there's a chance the Valley will be among the markets getting at least one. Alan Tallis, executive vice president and chief development officer for the Dallas-based company,...

Sweet inspiration.(Scottsdale Culinary Institute)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... There was a time when team building had to be extreme to be cool. People needed to be out of their element and mostly frightened in order to bond. The trend has softened a bit. New exercises are seeming more palatable. In fact,...

Born to be wild.(outside ice skating rink in Tempe, Arizona)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... OK, the more rugged individuals still can get outside to bond. Every year the city of Tempe builds an outdoor ice skating rink just off Mill Avenue in the Centerpoint plaza. For the first time, it's renting it put to private parties. ...

Different point of contact.(Convivo Restaurant)(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... Former Different Pointe of view executive chef Jeffrey Beeson denied that he was purchasing restaurant Convivo from Mark and Pat Bloom. But the rumor proves true. "The Blooms were selling; it just all worked out," Beeson said. The...

The Maricopa County Tourism and Sports Authority.(Brief Article)
November 24, 2000... The Maricopa County Tourism and Sports Authority is seeking an executive director to oversee the implementation of Proposition 302, said chairman Jim Grogan. The TSA was guided by a volunteer board of directors led by Grogan until after...