Denver Business Journal articles from March 2000

Denver Business Journal archives from March 2000

HMO losses will hit employers hard.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... Colorado HMOs will be swimming in red ink when the Division of Insurance releases the health plans' year-end financial performance March 8 and steep rate hikes for employers and more health plan consolidation will follow, according to insurance...

Cleo's 30 years of dance.
March 3, 2000... Cleo Parker Robinson knows a thing or two about what it takes to keep a company limber and poised for action on the. unpredictable arts business stage. This year, the executive artistic director and CEO of Cleo Parker Robinson Dance is...

Colorado eye does see green.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... But competition may drive down the price Wall Street Investors in VISX Inc. and other laser technology companies watched high-flying stock prices plummet recently, but Colorado eye doctors are seeing green from what is expected to be a...

Tech giants consider Interlocken move.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... The Interlocken office park's last available piece of land is so desirable that potential occupants rank among the fast-growing technology industry's elite. Microsoft Corp. of the Seattle area and San Jose, Calif.-based Cisco Systems Inc....

Dining costs go down in Denver.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... Increased competition forces restaurateurs to keep prices lower than other cities Although a recent survey claims dining out in Denver is comparatively low thanks to cheap food prices, don't be surprised if you haven't seen the difference...

Sol Trujillo takes stock of his job.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... How bad would the boss have to be to walk away from $50 million in stock options? As bad as Joe Nacchio, apparently. According to financial documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, U S West boss sol Trujillo...

Making light of death.
March 3, 2000... Some T-shirt companies that sell their products at Colorado ski areas are attempting some damage control. They're designing shirts to allay people's fears about the relatively high number of deaths on this state's slopes the last few years. ...

The worldwide Webb.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... Denver Mayor Wellington Webb will open the city's new European Trade Office in London later this month. He'll lead a delegation of Denver business leaders trying to drum up business. Among the calls Webb will make is at Lufthansa Airlines...

Listening to the Police.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... "One Adam-12, One Adam-12. Stand by the no-knock drug raid, 3600 block of High Street. You're on the list for a long 10-7 at Cinnabon. Over." Denver has been added to APB.Com's list of U.S. cities where computers users can listen in on...

Lay gets a job.(John Lay)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... Ten months after he stepped down as president of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, John Lay is putting his impressive credentials to work again. Lay was named president and CEO and managing director of Inctools Communications, an intranet...

Success forum.
March 3, 2000... Pulitzer Prize-winning author Anna Quindlen, political columnist Molly Ivins and comedian and talk show host Dr. Bertice Berry will anchor a one-day platform of ideas for Colorado professional women during the 2000 Women's Success Forum May 11...

Norwegian sport builds speed.(skijoring or ski-driving)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... 'Skijoring' adds dogs to cross-country skiing Some people head for the slopes and leave their best friends behind. Skijoring offers a way to bring Rover along on your next skiing adventure. Skijoring, Norwegian for "ski-driving," is a...

Rules might bench Ascent's sale.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... Liberty Media may need to persuade the NBA and NHL to waive, at least temporarily, their multiple team ownership prohibitions, which could prevent the media company's acquisition of Ascent Entertainment Group. Neither the NBA nor the NHL...

Coldwell Banker unravels further.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... Top brokers leave in advance of sale The real estate company Bill Moore built into a dominant local force over several decades continues to unravel under new owner NRT Inc. NRT is selling Coldwell Banker Commercial Moore and Co., the...

Corrections and amplifications.(Correction Notice)
March 3, 2000... * In the Newsmakers column of the Feb. 18-24 issue, the name of a new shareholder at the law firm of Burns, Figa & Will was misspelled. His name is D. Sean Velarde. * The Feb. 4-10 Where To Meet Travel Directory incorrectly reported how...

Boulder Concepts gets Village location.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... Restaurant lands key spot at Winter Park The first day of Winter Park's 2000-2001 ski season will welcome a new bar at the ski area's base. But Denverites familiar with the South Gaylord Street mainstay Reivers will likely recognize its...

Trujillo to bow out before Qwest merger.(Solomon Trujillo)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... US West boss Solomon Trujillo will not be joining the new company formed through the merger/takeover of U S West and Qwest Communications International Inc. Trujillo made the announcement Tuesday while attending the Wireless 2000...

Scott's picks chairman.(Scott's Liquid Gold, Mark Goldstein)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... Denver-based Scott's Liquid Gold has picked Mark Goldstein as the new chairman of the board. He replaces his father, company founder Jerome Goldstein, who died earlier this year. Scott's Liquid Gold makes household products.

Castle to be auctioned.(Redstone Castle)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... The Redstone Castle will be auctioned April 2 in Aspen. The estate, located in Redstone, Colo., was once the scene of visits by the likes of J.P. Morgan and President Theodore Roosevelt. The minimum bid for the property is $3 million. The...

Development sells out.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... The first phase of a new condominium development in Breckenridge sold out in a matter of hours this week. Developer East West Partners sold 82 units at Main Street Station, its redevelopment project at the former Bell Tower Mall site. The...

Music merger.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... A major entertainment merger has created some interesting bedfellows in Denver. The Texas-based Clear Channel Communications purchased the country's largest entertainment promoter, the New York-based SFX Entertainment. Clear Channel owns...

ICG goes national.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... ICG Communications Inc. received significant financing this week that will help the company launch a nationwide expansion. AT&T's Libery Media Corp. announced a $500 million investment in the Englewood-based ICG, while two other investors will...

CIBER breaks off e-unit.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... Englewood-based CIBER Inc. announced it will separate its fast-growing e-business solutions unit from its custom Internet and network offerings to form two companies. CIBER expects the move to increase shareholder value with higher growth...

Lucent plans spin-off.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... Lucent Technologies will spin off its PBX, SYSTIMAX cabling and LAN-based data businesses to shareholders. The New Jersey-based communications networking company said the spin-off will focus independently on the enterprise networking...

Crow deal leaves some partners in the cold.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... The partners in Venture Group Real Estate LLC of Aurora who aren't moving to the Trammell Crow Co. don't know what they will do. "Things are still up in the air," said Phil Yeddis, who bought into the Venture Group a few years ago after...

Neenan Co.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... The Neenan Co. of Denver breaks ground next week on its new InterQuest Park office campus off Interstate 25 in northern Colorado Springs. The 24-acre project should accommodate 540,000 square feet of space in a cluster of buildings when it's...

Mack Cali Realty Corp.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... New Jersey-based Mack Cali Realty Corp., purchaser of local Pacifica Holding Co.'s office portfolio a few years ago, had a good 1999 -- for a REIT. The publicly traded real estate investment trust reported funds from operations, a REIT's...

Cemex.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... Executives from Mexico's Cemex, the third-largest cement company in the world, visit Colorado next week. Because of its popularity as an investor market, Denver is the first stop on a U.S. roadshow to attract investors. Cemex was listed on the...

WL Homes LLC.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... California-based WL Homes LLC, which operates as John Laing Homes in Colorado, sold 26 percent more houses nationwide last year than in 1998, closing 2,245 home sales compared to 1,785. Revenue also jumped, to $515 million from $410 million....

Museum serenades with musical exhibit.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... "Have you ever been serenaded by a billboard?" The Denver Museum of Natural History would love to try. Trumpeting its latest exhibit, "What makes music?," the museum hopes this billboard tagline at Speer Boulevard and 8th Avenue will...

MGA wins national award.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... For the second year running, MGA Communications Inc. was named one of the country's best public relations agencies by Inside PR Magazine. The agency was recognized for its work environment, mentoring program and its ongoing professional...

Beware the endless boiler room pitches.(Brief Article)(Editorial)
March 3, 2000... Why people hand over their Why hard-earned money, some times their entire life savings, to a complete stranger who phones out of the blue has always puzzled me. I have interviewed fraud victims and find a mixture of naivete and greed. They...

Aldo says goodbye.(Column)
March 3, 2000... More than one of these columns has railed against the Internet bubble to no avail. If you can't beat them, join them. After nearly eight years, I am leaving The Denver Business Journal to work for an online news service affiliated with The...

Dining out will help nonprofit.
March 3, 2000... Need an excuse to go out to dinner on March 9? Dozens of Denver restaurants will participate in Dining Out For Life, a benefit for Project Angel Heart, a nonprofit organization that delivers fresh meals to the homes of people living with...

High-tech draws Brits to Denver.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... Denver's fame as a high-tech hub is drawing the British here in greater numbers. Acknowledging that "Denver is an increasingly important place," Nick Westcott, minister-counselor for trade and transport, British Embassy, Washington, D.C., was...

High-speed trains lure Amtrak riders.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... Service could lead to self-sufficiency Ross Capon gives good reviews to Amtrak's first step toward providing high-speed rail service. "It actually arrived early," Capon said of his Acela Regional train, which whisked him from Boston to...

OSHA will keep inspectors out of homes.
March 3, 2000... It's official: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will not inspect home offices and doesn't expect employers to inspect them either, according to a directive sent Feb. 25 to all OSHA offices. The directive also explicitly...

Agency expands hearings.
March 3, 2000... OSHA added another week to the public hearing schedule for its proposed ergo-nomics standard. More than 300 individuals and organizations have requested to testify in Washington, D.C., about the controversial proposal, which would require...

Business 'strike' urged.
March 3, 2000... National Small Business United is calling for every small business owner in America to pledge they won't sell their businesses until Congress repeals a law that makes seller financing more difficult. A tax law change that went into effect...

Association wants $1M.
March 3, 2000... The American Electronics Association hopes to raise $1 million over the next two years to establish a national clearinghouse for data on educational projects sponsored by high-tech companies. The main purpose of the clearinghouse will be to...

McCain committee meets.
March 3, 2000... The work of the Senate Commerce Committee continues, even as Chairman John McCain stays out on the campaign trail. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, said McCain encouraged subcommittee chairs to hold hearings in his absence and "keep the...

U S West searching for 1,000 employees.
March 3, 2000... Hunt is on for workers in Phoenix area Denver-based Baby Bell U S West Inc. will hire as many as 1,000 workers in Phoenix over the next year or two. Company spokesman Jim Roof said U S West plans to create 400 new jobs and replace an...

High Speed Access boosts Ky. work force.
March 3, 2000... 500 more jobs on tap for telecom firm The shortage of high-tech workers that is plaguing metropolitan areas apparently doesn't concern officials at Denver-based High Speed Access Corp. They are proposing to add 500 jobs in a $10...

Denver falters in support of pro sports.
March 3, 2000... Denver's reputation as a sports town may be lagging reality. A new study by Street & Smith Sports-Business Journal shows Denver ranks among the most overextended markets for sports teams -- in the No. 3 position, in fact. That means...

WPA relics still worth perusing.
March 3, 2000... It was a dilemma -- what to do with the thousands of writers thrown out of work by the Great Depression? Fortunately, FDR had the answer. As part of his New Deal program, Roosevelt created the Works Progress Administration in 1935, from...

Disney tries Denver to test movie.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... When Walt Disney Pictures asked filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert where they wanted to open their newest production, they picked Denver. So "Whispers: An Elephant's Tale," after 18 months of shooting in southern Africa and three years of...

Challenging role of stroke patient pays off in 'Wings'.
March 3, 2000... What would it be like to be trapped inside a cage which itself is in a foreign country, a place where you don't know the language and can't make yourself understood to people who act like they are mad? Sounds scary, doesn't it? It's not...

Saab sets standard for all auto makers.
March 3, 2000... Tom: Every time I drive a Saab, I wonder why more automakers don't build 'em like the iconoclastic car nuts from Trollhattan, Sweden. A week behind the wheel of a Saab 9-3 SE five-door sedan did nothing to change my mind. Lu: Knowing I...

It's time for Sellout No. 5.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... No one believes Lou Bega is Sir Thomas More. But Bega, whose "Mambo No. 5" was an ubiquitous radio hit, has set anew standard for selling out. It's one thing when a pop star lip-synchs his song for Pepsi; that won't win any points on...

SBA criticized for past spending habits.(Small Business Administration.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... WASHINGTON -- The chairman of the Senate Small Business Committee says he has "serious reservations" about the SBA's ability to tackle new programs when offices supporting current programs are "underfunded and understaffed" despite past budget...

Wall St. courts small biz.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... Firms hope to ride interest in stocks Fifteen percent of small businesses nationwide are likely to go public this year, according to a survey by an accounting software company, Sage Software's 2000 Small Business Outlook. While startling,...

A handy business to have around.(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... Handyman Express sees revenue soar and homeowners smile When Andy Bell decided to launch a home-repair service he did what every startup would be wise to do: He called a few hundred people to ask what they thought. The results proved...

Many borrowers using SBA loans as bridges.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... An increasing number of businesses that borrow money through the Small Business Administration's flagship 7(a) loan program are paying off their debts early. That's not because these businesses are succeeding more quickly than they...

BPW annual event scheduled for March 14.(Colorado Business and Professional Women's Foundation.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... The Colorado Business and Professional Women's Foundation will hold its annual "Women Mean Business" event Tuesday, March 14, at the new Westin Westminster. Registration begins at 7 a.m., breakfast at 8:15 a.m. and optional, free breakout...

Hospice event March 13.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... Author Lynn Kelly will be on hand at a free community grief-education program sponsored by the Hospice of Metro Denver March 13 from 7 to 9 p.m. at 425 S. Cherry St., Suite 700. Kelly is author of "Don't Ask for the Dead Man's Golf Clubs,"...

Galloway to be honored.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... The Five Points Media Center will honor Jean M. Galloway, founder and president of the Galloway Group, with its Lifetime Achievement Award at the center's fourth annual Tribute Dinner at the Denver Marriott City Center on April 26. ...

Lectures on architecture.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... The Denver Foundation for Architecture will present its architectural education program beginning March 4. The series of four lectures will be held each Saturday at 9:30 a.m. on the Iliff School of Theology campus in Skaggs Hall. Series...

Secrets to success.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... The secrets to success of some of the fastest growing companies in Colorado will be revealed at the March 14 Rockies Venture Club meeting. Topics will include: financing strategies, marketing strategies, management strategies, the impact of...

Littleton Stride fund raiser.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... The highlight of the fifth annual Littleton Stride on March 19 will be the USATF Colorado State Championship 10K Men's and Women's Race. Races will start at 7 a.m. at Ketring Park in Littleton. Races will also include a 5K run/walk and a 1K...

SBA, IRS offer free tax help for small biz.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... The U.S. Small Business Administration and the Internal Revenue Service have joined forces to offer free tax help to Colorado's small-business community. IRS tax experts will be in the SBA Colorado District office on March 15 and March 22...

Outlook for Castle Rock.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... Planning on expanding or starting a business in the Douglas County area? Meme Dunckel Martin, executive director of the Castle Rock Economic Development Council, will discuss demographics and the economic projections for Castle Rock at a March...

Women's Success Forum.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... Pulitzer Prize-winning author Anna Quindlen, political columnist Molly Ivins and comedian and talk show host Dr. Bertice Berry will lead the third annual Women's Success Forum oil May 11. The day-long event will take place at the Marriott City...

The culture of mergers.(Schenkein People Performance to hold a seminar)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... The People Performance division of Schenkein will present a seminar on the impact of workplace culture on company mergers. The seminar, which is for Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce members, is entitled, "The Business Side of the Brady Bunch"...

Jefferson County Economic Council.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... The Jefferson County Economic Council awarded the transportation engineering firm MK Centennial the Pioneer Award for its contributions to the economic vitality of Jefferson County. Larry Thomas, the company's president, accepted the award at...

Burt Automotive Network.(best web site)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... Automotive News and Ziff-Davis Publishing selected Burt.com, the Web site for Burt Automotive Network, as the top Web site in the country for "Best Interactivity." The site was chosen from hundreds of entries from automotive dealers across the...

American Public Works Association.(award)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... The Colorado Chapter of the American Public Works Association chose The Sear-Brown Group's engineering design for floodplain improvements in Westminster as "Project of the Year." The firm designed a paved waterway and improved inlet at I-25 to...

Public Service of Colorado's Technical Service Building.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... Public Service of Colorado's Technical Service Building, located at 15th Street and Glenarm, won the Energy Star Building Label award from the Environmental Protection Agency. The award was created to encourage commercial buildings to consume...

MetroNorth Chamber of Commerce.(Denver)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... The MetroNorth Chamber of Commerce named the recipients of its 1999 business awards. Debbie Woodward, vice president-of Adams County Economic Development, was named Business Woman of the Year. The Business Man of the Year award was presented to...

Colorado Ethics in Business.(awards given)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... Recipients of the 1999/2000 Colorado Ethics in Business Awards include Alpine Banks of Colorado, Colorado Springs; McStain Enterprises Inc. and Wild Oats Community Market, both of Boulder. The Colorado Children's Campaign of Denver received the...

ISM Telecom Inc.(changes name to Expanets of Oklahoma Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... ISM Telecom Inc., a provider of telecommunications products and services, changed its name to Expanets of Oklahoma Inc. The company merged with Expanets, a provider of networked communications solutions and services throughout the U.S.

NEWSMAKERS.(News Briefs)
March 3, 2000... Banking & finance Brian Burke, national SBA manger at Bank One, was re-elected to a second term with the National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders Inc. Burke chairs NAGGL's Large Bank Committee, serves as secretary for the...

E-commerce battles privacy-abuse charges.(DoubleClick and Yahoo!)
March 3, 2000... The Constitution does not mention the word "privacy." As every law student knows, present-day doctrines of privacy owe their legal existence to an article written in 1890 by two Harvard law students, Louis D. Brandeis and Samuel D. Warren....

Surviving an IRS audit without panicking.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... During the last year or so, I have had a few clients get letters from the IRS and one or two get audited for previously filed tax returns. It made me do some research on taxpayer rights with regard to audits and to discuss being audited with...

How to reduce the costs of focus groups.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... You've got an idea for a new product or a new tool for your Web site, or a new twist to your customer service, but you're not sure how it will fly. How to avoid wasting money and resources? One way is with a focus group. Composed of about...

Largest Denver-Area Computer Retailers/Resellers.
March 3, 2000... Largest Denver-Area Computer Retailers/Resellers Patrick Sweeney (Ranked by local sales volume) Rank/ last year's Phone/...

Customer service is really common sense.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... It amazes me how stupid people are and how we get treated as customers. It's almost like seeing those buttons certain companies provide for their employees with the slogan, "Yes I Can," and then everything you ask them ends with a "no" or "I...

Taking charge can mean making changes.(case study of Pipeline Development Co.)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... The Pipeline Development Co. in Cleveland just completed its 50th year, which is the best year ever in the history of the company. One of the reasons for this recent success is that its CEO has brought about a culture of change with the company...

Opening cable lines opens Pandora's box.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... What's worse: Letting cable giants like AT&T monopolize high-speed Internet access lines or letting the government force those companies to keep the systems open to competitors? Ultimately, it's a question that Colorado legislators -- and...

Some things should be against the law.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... Common sense should be common, but isn't Hopefully, the Legislature will step in and address the problem, and soon. The news that a motorcycle-riding man could skate on a charge of putting his 9-month-old child in danger came as a...

When egos collide.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... I had a feeling this would happen. They managed to muffle the big bang. It exploded underground, out of view and mostly out of earshot. Sol Trujillo will not be sharing joint custody of U S West and Qwest with Joe Nacchio. Like a civil...

Big money vs. Colorado voters.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... It appears that our state legislators, in their rush to destroy the campaign finance laws passed by the citizens of Colorado have forgotten a few things about democracy, and for that matter, civility. The story goes like this. Throughout...

LETTERS.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... U S West Women voice merger concerns Dear Phil: You are going to make some very important decisions in the next few days. You are going to select the Board of Directors and the top officers for the new Qwest. We, the 27,000...

DBJ STOCK REPORT.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2000... DBJ STOCK REPORT DBJ Index 1.57% 2175.48 NASDAQ 4.05% 4590.50 S&P 500 0.95% 1333.36 Dow Jones Industrial -3.5% 9862.12 Top 10 Weekly Gainers...

DBJ FUNDWATCH.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 3, 2000... DBJ FUNDWATCH General equity funds 1 Wk. 4 Wk. YTD 3 yrs. Fund Name 02/24/00 01/27/00 12/31/99 02/27/97 Westcore:Small-Cap Gro...