Denver Business Journal articles from December 2000

Denver Business Journal archives from December 2000

Repairs to garage at DIA to come after holiday rush.
December 1, 2000... Damaged cars and a monotonous drip, drip, drip follows rain and snow showers at Denver International Airport's parking garages. The roofs are leaking due to shortcuts taken years ago in the rush to open the new airport. The result:...

Boulder biz lumps into e-comics.
December 1, 2000... Startup leads others in industry A Boulder startup is emerging as the early leader in the race to publish comic books on the Internet. With 16 titles already online, JamBooks Inc. stands out in the burgeoning electronic books industry,...

State reaps the rewards of high tech.
December 1, 2000... Colorado leads U.S. with richest counties Statistics are starting to verify what Coloradans have known from experience for a while -- that this state is one of the top high-technology areas in the country. Of the 45 counties in the...

Good times don't come cheap for '01.
December 1, 2000... Still searching for a New Year's Eve party? Have plenty of unearned income to blow? There's still time to get in on the Westin Tabor Center's "Across the Pond" package. For only $200,001, a couple will receive a cocktail reception...

Colorado's on a roll.
December 1, 2000... Colorado retained is "star status" in the monthly rankings of hot economies and Colorado Springs made the list of hot metro areas for the first time, according to Demographics Daily. Demographics Daily checks population, income and...

Who knew?
December 1, 2000... George Stephanopolous, former Clinton aide-turned-political analyst for ABC, is canceling a planned visit to Denver Dec. 4 when he was to participate in the Denver Distinguished Lecture Series. An aide said Stephanopolous has commitments to...

Movin' on up.
December 1, 2000... Michael E. Shanahan, head coach of the Denver Broncos and Peggy A. Shanahan, sold their home at 16 Cherry Hills Farm Drive, Englewood, to Stuart A. and Ellen V. Witkin for $2.6 million, according to real estate records published this week. ...

Hospital plans earlier move.
December 1, 2000... Inpatient facility at Fitzsimons way ahead of schedule Hoping to save as much as $50 million, the University of Colorado Hospital may build an inpatient facility at its new Fitzsimons campus in Aurora six to eight years ahead of schedule....

The place to go? Why, Antique Row.
December 1, 2000... For nearly 30 years, south Denver's six-block area known as Antique Row has established itself as the place to hunt, browse and shop for a variety of classic items. Antique Row's collection of eclectic shops and dealers has earned it a...

Check kiters beware.
December 1, 2000... D.A.s teamed up to combat problem With the winter holiday shopping season also comes the season for writing bad checks. But this year Colorado law enforcement groups have a new way of canceling bogus checks before they even get written and...

Key players gather for talks on growth.
December 1, 2000... With the 2001 legislative session just over a month away, it seems everyone is talking about growth and key players in Colorado's growth debate are beginning to reveal what new growth laws might -- and might not -- look like. Gov. Bill...

Chick-Fil-A makes move from the mall food court.
December 1, 2000... Once a shopping mall staple, Chick-Fil-A restaurants are getting out of the food court with an aggressive expansion campaign by adding several free-standing restaurants. The nation's third-largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain...

'Knowing your audience' pays off big at fundraiser.
December 1, 2000... According to the organizers of this year's Pink Tie Affair, the key to orchestrating a successful fund-raising auction lies in that familiar mantra from Speech 101: Know your audience. The third annual Pink Tie Affair, held Nov. 4, netted...

Denver's film industry nets a boost from Sie.
December 1, 2000... Denver will see its film industry get a lift. The $5 million boost is coming from cable television company Starz Encore Group and The Anna and John J. Sie Foundation. John Sie is the founder, chairman and CEO of Starz Encore. The money...

Dots to meet dots.
December 1, 2000... Forget the dot-coms. Here is where the dots will be. First Tuesday, a meet-and-greet opportunity for money-minded folks, is making its Denver debut Dec. 5. First Tuesday, so named because the meetings take place the first Tuesday of the...

Starz! expands offerings.
December 1, 2000... Englewood-based Starz Encore Group LLC is launching new two movie channels in 2002. The new channels are Starz! Comedy and Starz! Kids. Both will be part of the Starz Super Pak, which will be expanded to 14 channels. The channels will be...

Page to help Michaels.
December 1, 2000... Page, an Englewood company that develops e-commerce applications, has been hired by Michaels Stores Inc. to help the retailer with its online shopping operation. Michaels will use Page's suite of applications for its e-commerce site at...

SEC OKs Newmont merger.
December 1, 2000... The U.S Securities and Exchange Commission approved a registration statement regarding the merger transaction between Battle Mountain Gold Co. and Newmont Mining Corp. on Nov. 22 Under the merger agreement, announced June 21, each of Battle...

Merger produces soy milk.
December 1, 2000... Great Awakenings Soymilk is making its debut in stores, thanks to the purchase last year of Celestial Seasonings Inc. The soy product is made by Heinz North America, a part of the $9 billion H.J. Heinz Co. Heinz purchased Boulder-based...

Time Warner spreads out.
December 1, 2000... Littleton-based Time Warner Telecom Inc. has spread its communications network out to include Dayton, Ohio. Dayton marks the 23rd community where the telecommunications company is offering its services. Time Warner Telecom's broadband...

Toll road targets scofflaws.
December 1, 2000... The E-470 Public Highway Authority will implement an automated system to crack down on drivers who don't pay the tolls. The Automated Toll & Traffic Law Administration System, or ATTLAS, by TransCore Inc., will use video cameras to catch...

Vroom CEO resigns.
December 1, 2000... Rick Coleman has resigned as CEO of Vroom Technologies Inc. Coleman will remain chairman of Vroom, an Englewood-based company that produces software that helps telecommunications companies market and sell their services. Vic Abmed,...

Real estate market to stay strong, say experts.
December 1, 2000... Next year should be as healthy as this year This year's commercial real estate market has been very strong and next year will bring more of the same, said representatives from Cushman & Wakefield of Colorado Inc. during their annual...

Laptop-toting travelers targeted by DIA service.
December 1, 2000... Laptop-toting business travelers can fly the friendly skies with a lighter heart this holiday season, thanks to a new data-saving service available in DIA's main terminal. The service, offered in the airport's Aerzone Business Center...

Housing drives CPI hike in West.
December 1, 2000... 4 percent increase biggest since 1991 In the last year, the western part of the United States, including Colorado, had its biggest jump in consumer prices since 1991, largely. because of higher housing costs. From October 1999 to...

Permit-pulling process is positively puzzling.
December 1, 2000... If you've ever completed a home improvement project without obtaining a permit, you're not alone. Building department officials throughout the metro area find numerous projects every month that started with no valid permit in place. And there...

Insurance companies woo brokers' attention.
December 1, 2000... It's open-enrollment season, and if you don't like your health plan choices, don't just blame your boss blame your broker. To employees, insurance brokers can be a relatively silent player, but brokers -- at least good ones -- heavily...

New Global Telecom sees gold in Venezuela.
December 1, 2000... For most people, Nov. 27 was just another Monday after a long holiday weekend when workers had to drag themselves back to the office. But the date was significant in Venezuela and for Golden-based New Global Telecom. That was the day of...

StorageTek donates phones.
December 1, 2000... StorageTek, an information storage company based in Louisville, has donated more cell phones than any other corporation in Colorado to help victims of domestic violence, according to the Donate a Phone campaign launched by the Wireless...

Looking at joblessness, state by state, city by city.
December 1, 2000... Connecticut takes top spot Connecticut is closer than any other state to the ideal of full employment. Connecticut's jobless rate was a minuscule 2 percent in October, the lowest rate of any state, according to new figures from the...

Looking at joblessness, state by state, city by city.
December 1, 2000... Three communities tie for the lowest rate Columbia, Mo., finally has some company. The Columbia metropolitan area has had the nation's lowest jobless rate for 14 straight months. It kept the streak alive in October with a rate of 1.1...

Health appeals rule 'a step forward,' but costly.
December 1, 2000... Business groups say the Clinton administration addressed some of their concerns in the final version of new regulations that require employer-based health plans to offer an internal appeals process for people who want to challenge coverage...

Bundling effect questioned.
December 1, 2000... A study released by the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy found that federal agencies are bundling federal contracts into increasingly large packages, at the expense of small contractors. The average bundled contract...

Law firm to review EPA.
December 1, 2000... The Environmental Protection Agency, which has been accused of discriminating against minority employees, retained a law firm to review its "workplace fairness and diversity practices." The team from Holland and Knight is led by Weldon...

Company cuts bureaucratic red tape.
December 1, 2000... If you're expanding your warehouse, applying for a sales-tax license or buying a vacant lot for a future business site, one of the first places you'll likely find yourself is entangled in government paperwork. And that's where a new business...

MAKING THE LEAP INTO E-COMMERCE.
December 1, 2000... Doing business online not for the faint-hearted In the world of Internet commerce, some companies have been racing to keep up with the Joneses. But advisers for online merchants say adventurous entrepreneurs need to stand back and take...

Book stores not immune to capitalism.
December 1, 2000... At the risk of ticking off a handful of readers, I'd like to occupy this column space to debunk a popular small-business myth: That independent book stores are somehow morally superior to big chains like Barnes & Noble and Borders. My rant...

How to lease a car and drive away happy.
December 1, 2000... So, you want to drive a new, luxury model automobile, but don't want to -- or don't have the cash -- to own it outright. Leasing might make sense. I emphasize "might." The best candidates for leasing are people who drive fewer than 15,000...

Sky's the limit: Scientists discuss 'lunar economy'.
December 1, 2000... Moon trips, asteroid mining in the future? About 140 years ago, folks from all over the country came to Colorado to mine for gold. Two weeks ago, scientists from all over the world came to Colorado to talk about mining space. "Times they...

Old computers don't die; they live on.
December 1, 2000... One man's trash is another man's treasure. At least that's the basic logic behind local businesses that buy and refurbish old computers. "I think we're filling up our landfills with stuff that is usable, or probably usable," said Mike...

Getting teachers' attention is QED's homework.
December 1, 2000... Whether selling hardware, software or Internet connections, companies looking to break into the schoolyard turn to Denver-based Quality Education Data Inc. for the inside scoop on teaching styles, goals and methods. "We're industry...

No secret: State faces IT employee shortage.
December 1, 2000... Workers stay at high-tech firms about 18 months It's become a familiar refrain: Good information technology help is hard to find. In fact, in Colorado alone, the estimated deficit of high-tech workers currently falls within the range...

Choosing the right service provider for your business.
December 1, 2000... Colorado's continuously strong economy has afforded many new opportunities for small-business startups. More than 97 percent of new businesses in Colorado, in fact, are classified as "small business" with fewer than 100 employees. One of the...

Tips to optimize search engine placement.
December 1, 2000... One of the quickest methods of obtaining information these days is to log on to the Internet, pull up a reputable search engine site and type in a query. As we sort through the search results, we arrive at what we need. We notice the listings...

Know the risks when investing in venture capital.
December 1, 2000... Over the past several years, the media have written a lot about technology startups and the venture capital firms that finance them. Venture capital has been behind most of the technology companies that have become successful public companies...

Digital photos get online boost.
December 1, 2000... Automatic film-developing machines brought snapshots out of the darkroom, but consumers were still stuck looking at red eyes and unnatural colors. Now new technology is revolutionizing the $14 billion photo-finishing industry again -- by...

This season, e-tailers promise better service.
December 1, 2000... The gift that e-tailers are giving their online shoppers this holiday season is faster sites, better customer service and the convenience of returning merchandise bought online to the company's local brick-and-mortar location. With the...

How to stay safe online.
December 1, 2000... Analysts predict online holiday shopping will reach nearly $10 billion this year. To help shoppers protect their personal information online, Broomfield-based Persona offers the following tips: * Always review a Web site's privacy policy...

Online advertisers told to replace flimsy banner ads.
December 1, 2000... First: There are too many banner ads out there. Second: Advertisers will have to invest more heavily in "rich media" technology to steer an online consumer's increasingly jaded eyes their way. Rich media ads include those produced...

Postal Service bets on the check being in the e-mail.
December 1, 2000... More than 10,000 customers have signed up for a free six-month trial of eBiliPay, an Internet service that allows people to pay all of theirbills online. No big news there -- more than 3.5 million subscribers use the electronic billing...

What the high-tech fan wants for Christmas.
December 1, 2000... The economy's good and the holidays are around the corner so who isn't considering buying a $20,000 TV? OK, not all high-tech goodies will break your bank account. And if there's a gift-getter who only wants the latest gadget and gizmo under...

High-tech phones for the holidays.
December 1, 2000... Cellular telephone manufacturers and the companies that provide cellular service go to great lengths to try to one-up the competition. Good rate plans are one thing; cool gadgets are another. Take the Samsung Uproar, for example. This...

Potential of wireless data not yet tapped.
December 1, 2000... On a business trip to Singapore, David Lasier, CEO of Telecom Wireless Solutions Inc. (TWS), gets his e-mail on the spot and answers it on his phone keypad. "It's thumb-touch typing," Lasier said. "Cumbersome, but more convenient than finding...

Hiring extra help without extra costs.
December 1, 2000... It's 8 p.m. and you have just updated your accounting ledger and put the final touches on tomorrow's big client presentation. But you're still stuck behind your desk licking envelopes for the invitations to your client meet-and greet holiday...

Welfare-to-Work drive needs business clothes.
December 1, 2000... The Small Business Administration's Denver office is holding a Welfare-to-Work Clothing Drive on Dec. 19 and 21. Donations are needed of women's business casual and professional clothing and accessories, in all sizes. Clothing will be...

Stuffed animals wanted.
December 1, 2000... Donations of stuffed animals are now being accepted at four. Denny's restaurants in the Denver area. Donation boxes were set up recently by former Bronco Rich Karlis and members of the Colorado State Patrol to collect stuffed animals for the...

Need an intern for spring?
December 1, 2000... Arts Street, an art-based youth employment program formed by Denver last year, is looking for businesses to offer internships for 20 youth next spring. Approximately 80 percent of the interns' wages will be reimbursed.

Art show under way.
December 1, 2000... The Colorado Clay Project is hosting its fourth annual holiday show and sale Dec. 1-3 at the Roundtree Art Center at 2942 Welton St., which faces the 29th Street stop of the RTD light rail. The show features arts, crafts, pottery and glass...

Family-friendly stance wins honor for institute.
December 1, 2000... For the third straight year, the Colorado Neurological Institute was named the top small business in Colorado for working families. CNI was presented the 2000 Colorado's Best Companies for Working Families Award by Colorado Parent magazine...

Learn about biz plans.
December 1, 2000... The Small Business Development Center, based at Front Range Community College in Westminster, is offering a breakfast meeting Dec. 12 to explain proper business planning. Topics will include legal forms of organization, marketing strategies,...

Manufacturing advice.
December 1, 2000... The Mid-America Manufacturing Technology Center will present a seminar on "How to Achieve a Lean Work Flow With a Pull/Kanban Material System" on Dec. 18 at the Denver Small Business Development Center, 1445 Market St. The seminar, the...

Ffifth annual Presidential Early Career Awards.
December 1, 2000... Dr. Monica Kraft, a pulmonologist at National Jewish Medical and Research Center, was among 59 young researchers recently named by President Clinton to receive the fifth annual Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers. The...

Rahman Award.
December 1, 2000... Alex Zunger, a pnysicist and research fellow at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, was named the 2001 recipient of the Rahman Award by the American Physical Society. The award honors outstanding achievement in...

International Silver MAC Award 2000.
December 1, 2000... Karsh & Hagan Communications of Denver, in competition with advertising agencies from around the world, won the International Silver MAC Award 2000 presented by the Giant Screen Theater Association. Three Karsh & Hagan employees are credited...

Kids in Need of Dentistry.
December 1, 2000... Kids in Need of Dentistry (KIND) received a Silver Award from the Colorado Healthcare Communicators for its Miles for Smiles mobile dental van program. The award was in the "Hitting the Mark" category for a program that "hit the mark" and...

Kathy Piper Johnson.
December 1, 2000... Businesswoman, philanthropist and community leader Kathy Piper Johnson received the Metropolitan Club's highest achievement award by being named Life-time Member of the Year. She had been honored as the club's Member of the Year for seven...

Outstanding Chief Business Officer.
December 1, 2000... Bob Rizzuto, vice president for finance and administration at Front Range Community College, was named the Outstanding Chief Business Officer for Region 3 of the Community College Business Officers Association. Region 3 includes Colorado,...

NEWSMAKERS.
December 1, 2000... Aviation Mayo Aviation appointed Daniel Alsum as chief pilot and Larry Hartley as manager of the maintenance department. Alsum manages Mayo's daily flight operations. He previously worked as director of operations and chief pilot for...

Before a crisis strikes, develop a PR strategy.
December 1, 2000... No matter how unlikely it may seem, all businesses have experienced some form of a public relations crisis. The manner in which you prepare for a crisis can make or break your company's reputation. You can prepare to handle company mishaps by...

Homage to comics a delight.
December 1, 2000... "Unbreakable" is a cinematic comic book, but not as cartoony as regular comics. Writer-director M. Night Shyamalan's follow-up to 1999's wildly successful "The Sixth Sense" pits the hero Sentryman, played by Bruce Willis, against a comic...

Eyebeam deserves new life.
December 1, 2000... Sam Hurt ranks among the funniest writers alive. But Hurt, who writes in the form of comic strips, is without a publisher these days. Over the years, he has produced seven books of his strip, Eyebeam. Six are completely sold out; they're...

We all should learn from DIA's problems.
December 1, 2000... A report by Denver Business Journal reporter Cathy Proctor, which appears on page one of this week's edition, should be required reading for state and local officials overseeing an ambitious roster of public works projects over the next few...

Sit back and watch the show.
December 1, 2000... In the interest of full disclosure, let me preface the following views about the 2000 presidential election and vote-counting melee in Florida with this admission: Like many journalists, I'm friends with a lot of lawyers. Call it bad...

We can all do more for community.
December 1, 2000... How generous are people in the Denver metro area? How does our charitable giving and volunteering compare to the rest of the county? What motivates us to give more? What prevents us from doing more? Is giving good for business? These were...

LETTERS.
December 1, 2000... Readers react to book on homebuying Erin Johansen's review of Barry Miller's book is indicative of the public's naive understanding of real estate transactions ("Broker's new book blasts usual real estate process," Nov. 17-23). ...

Largest Denver-Area Law Firms.
December 1, 2000... [TABLE HAS BEEN CLIPPED]

Largest Denver-Area Executive Suites.
December 1, 2000... [TABLE HAS BEEN CLIPPED]

DBJ STOCK REPORT.
December 1, 2000... [TABLE HAS BEEN CLIPPED]

DBJ FUNDWATCH.
December 1, 2000... [TABLE HAS BEEN CLIPPED]

Businesses balking.
December 8, 2000... Transportation project could drive some to bankruptcy Phil Herre worries that his 4-year-old health-care business, which brings doctors trained in Eastern and Western health-care regimes under one roof, will go bankrupt because of the...

Growth battle renewed.
December 8, 2000... Legislators may see 44 bills on sprawl So many organizations are working on growth management legislation following the defeat of Amendment 24 that some people are worried it could scuttle meaningful progress on the issue in the Colorado...

Welcome to Mexico, senor.
December 8, 2000... A growing number of American companies are setting up operations south of the border in Mexico. While finding workers is easy in a country where approximately half of the population is under 23, finding a place to put these workers after...

Biotech lagging in Colorado.
December 8, 2000... While biotech booms nationwide, Colorado companies are faltering, according to a recent report from Ernst & Young LLP. As of June 30, market capitalization of the biotech industry increased 156 percent nationwide compared with a year...

RTD mulls asking voters for tax hike.
December 8, 2000... Idea comes three years after funds for transportation package were rejected Plans for a citywide commuter rail system could become a reality a lot sooner if voters decide to pony up the cash for the Regional Transportation District. ...