Denver Business Journal articles from September 2001

Denver Business Journal archives from September 2001

Back-to-school sales sluggish.(employment forecast for Denver, Colorado)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... More job cuts likely The string of layoffs that have hit the Denver area over the last several months won't be winding up anytime soon, according to a survey that found twice as many employers expect to fire some of their staff in the...

Drugs missing at firm.(NeighborCare)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... A Sheridan company that provides prescription drugs to nursing homes and other skilled-care facilities in Colorado is investigating the disappearence of a significant quantity of prescription drugs that likely include narcotic painkillers. ...

The blues has companies seeing red.(mental health management strategies for businesses)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... Addressing mental illness could aid bottom line Business people might look on mental illness as another item driving up the cost of health insurance, but the payoff in dealing with the disease in the workplace may be increasing the...

The blues has companies seeing red.(mental disability claims rising in U.S.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... Federal law protects those with problems The Americans with Disabilities Act required employers to make all "reasonable" accommodations for disabilities, including mental health problems. But companies are struggling with what to do...

Newsman wins case.(Dave Minshall wins age discrimination suit against KMGH-TV)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... Whoops! Maybe Channel 7 ought to rethink one particular contract decision. A federal jury Thursday awarded former KMGH-TV reporter Dave Minshall $566,000 plus $150,000 in attorneys fees in a civil action he brought against his former...

Boulder: We do care.(Boulder, Colorado task force mulls necessity of marketing strategy)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Only in Boulder. After months of study, a city task force has concluded that the city of Boulder needs to do a few things to promote its economy. As reported in Boulder's Daily Camera, economic issues have renewed focus in the city by the...

Helping hands.
September 7, 2001... Congratulations and thanks are in order to the 600 volunteers from 20 Denver companies taking time off to participate in Hands on Denver 2001, a weeklong volunteer project Sept. 10-14. Hands On officially kicks off Mile High United Way's...

Mines enrollment climbs.
September 7, 2001... Undergraduate class second-largest in history of school The energy industry's recent strong performance appears to have energized enrollment at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden. The school expects to finalize this fall's total...

Service allows diners to serve up criticisms.(Janedoedining.com)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... A new dot-com is putting the "feed" into "feedback" and giving local restaurateurs a chance to find out what's really cooking in their eateries. Lakewood-based Janedoedining.com recruits "secret shoppers" to evaluate a restaurant's overall...

Group hunting for holes.(database management and personal privacy often at odds)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... Privacy Foundation points out problems If you think the private information about you that's stored in public records' databases is safe from opportunistic eyes and greedy fingers, think again. The Privacy Foundation at the University...

As lofts become more popular, hefty price keeps some away.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... Since for-sale lofts first became part of Denver's residential land-scape in the late 1980s, they've changed with the times. Lofts are no longer defined by walls of exposed brick and cavernous rooms. They aren't even confined to old buildings...

Xcel reduces pressure on natural-gas prices.(Xcel Energy Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Energy company says rates will go down Xcel Energy Inc. will lower its natural-gas rates soon, but the Denver-area utility isn't saying how much yet. "We're keeping it very close to the vest," Xcel spokesman Mark Stutz said this week,...

Corrections and amplifications.(Correction Notice)
September 7, 2001... * The correct value of the average project completed by Gerald H. Phipps Inc., ranked No. 6 on the list of general contractors printed on page 6B of this issue, is $2.5 million. * In the Colorado Money Directory special section published in...

Relera cuts 80 percent of workers: 198 in Colo.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Relera Inc., which is based in Denver and San Diego, will eliminate 380 of its 455 positions as a result of a corporate restructuring. Seventy-five employees will remain with the firm, which owns and operates 11 Internet-hosting centers...

Displaytech lays off 34.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Longmont-based Displaytech Inc. cut 24 percent of its staff and will relocate part of its business to Japan. The company, which develops and manufactures ferroelectric liquid crystal display chips for a wide variety of devices, eliminated...

Liberty makes $5.5B buy.(Liberty Media to acquire cable television firms from Deutsche Telekom AG)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Denver-based Liberty Media will acquire six regional cable television companies from Deutsche Telekom AG along with the company's Level 4 operator, DeTeKS, and Media Services GmbH, an Internet service provider and operator of a neutral digital...

Survey ranks Denver No. 5.(for places where people want to live)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Denver and Las Vegas tied for fifth in cities where people would most like to live, according to a survey conducted by The Harris Poll. New York City ranked as No. 1, followed by San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle. The survey is...

Owens adds transportation.(Gov. Bill Owens)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Transportation funding will be addressed at the Legislature's special session, which begins Sept. 20. Gov. Bill Owens said he'll add the topic to the session, which was called to deal with growth problems. Congressional redistricting and...

Steamboat parent gets cash.(American Skiing Co.)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... American Skiing Co., which is trying to unload its Steamboat ski resort, said it has completed its financial restructuring, including obtaining an additional $30 million investment. The financially beleaguered Mainebased firm is trying to...

FT Energy sold.(Financial Times Energy)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Financial Times Energy has been sold by Pearson plc to Platts, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies. Terms weren't disclosed. FT Energy, based in Boulder, is a research, consulting and newsletter service with products that include...

McData buying Sanavigator.(from Western Digital Corp)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Broomfield-based McData Corp., a storage area network firm, said it will purchase Sanavigator of San Jose, Calif., from Western Digital Corp. for $29.75 million in cash. Sanavigator is a network management software provider. The deal is...

M.D.C. sales dip in August.(M.D.C. Holdings)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... National sales dipped at Denver-based M.D.C. Holdings from 697 home orders in August last year to 621 last month. In Colorado, the number of home orders dipped to 211 last month compared with 230 the same month last year. The firm said it...

New restaurant opens.(Atlanta Bread Company)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Suburban Denver is now home to the Atlanta Bread Company, an Atlanta-based restaurant chain. The restaurant is opening in Northglenn. That will mark the first Denver-area location for Atlanta Bread Company. Sheila and Joe Vessels, who...

GetGo buys Preface stake.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Denver-based GetGo Inc. signed a definitive agreement to buy 13 percent of Preface Systems Inc. of Castle Rock. Terms of the cash deal Weren't disclosed. GetGo officials said the purchase gives them a position in the health-care claims...

Wild Oats COO retires.(Jim Lee)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Jim Lee is retiring as chief operating officer of Boulder-based Wild Oats Markets Inc. Lee, who has been Wild Oats' COO since 1996, will be replaced by Bruce Bowman, who joined Wild Oats in May as senior vice president of technology and...

Qwest-GE to offer service.(high-speed data retrieval systems for hospitals)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Qwest Communications International Inc. signed a pact with General Electric Co.'s GE Medical Systems Information Technologies to provide hospitals with high-speed data retrieval systems. Health-care systems will store and transfer...

Group picks on sprawl.(Colorado Sprawl Action Group)
September 7, 2001... A group calling itself the Colorado Sprawl Action Group has looked around the state and doesn't like what it sees. Part of the Colorado Public Interest Research Group, for the fourth year the action group has identified 10 developments that...

Residential market is better for buyers.(in the Denver, Colorado region)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... Some Denver-area Realtors have declared that the residential market has become a "buyer's market." But while others agree that the market has changed significantly over the past year, they aren't, quite ready to go that far. "Houses have...

Site announces partnership.(USLots.com)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... USLots.com, a Fort Collins-based Web site showcasing vacant land for sale, recently partnered with commercial brokerage Fuller & Co. The Web site, which was founded in 1999 as ColoradoLots.com, now will include all of Fuller & Co.'s land...

Denver in good company.(commercial property rents)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... A report on the commercial office market issued by tenant representation firm Julien J. Studley Inc. says that commercial rents have begun to level off in nearly every market except Washington, D.C., where rents actually increased during the...

U.S. missing the 'wireless revolution'.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... We are behind the times here in the United States. The country that brought you TV the airplane, the electric light bulb and television can't seem to catch up with Europe and Asia when it comes to wireless phones. I am envious when I...

Employer-sponsored premiums increase.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance increased an average 11 percent in 2001, the largest increase since 1992, according to a recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research and Educational Trust. With...

Asthma study.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Asthma rates have more than doubled since 1980, and there is no known cure. But doctors at National Jewish Medical and Research Center think they may be able to prevent asthma from developing in certain children. By treating inflammation...

Colorado Access expands.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Nonprofit health plan Colorado Access will expand to Larimer County, effective Sept. 1. Residents who qualify for Medicaid or Child Health Plan Plus, insurance coverage for children whose families meet certain income guidelines, will be...

More women uninsured.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Over the past five years, the number of uninsured women has growth three times faster than the number of uninsured men, according to a new study by The Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation in New York that supports independent research on...

Webb-Waring goes climbing.(fundraising effort by cancer institute)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... The Webb-Waring Institute for Cancer, Aging and Antioxidant Research expects to raise at least $150,000 through a climb that will send more than 20 novices to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. The project will be launched...

Survey finds attitude of workers worsening.(surveys from CareerBuilder and D. Hart Research)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... The economic downturn has taken its toll on workers' attitudes toward their employers, according to two recent surveys. A national survey of 1,792 adults conducted by Peter D. Hart Research found that 63 percent trust employers "just some"...

Health plan complaints.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Only 43 percent of workers are satisfied with their health plans, according to a recent Watson Wyatt survey of 10,000 employees at 18 companies. The survey also found that only 48 percent trust their employers to design a health plan that...

Wage hike bad move.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... No time is a good time to raise the minimum wage, business lobbyists argue, but now is a particularly bad time for an $1.50-an-hour increase, they say. The last time the minimum wage was increased (in 1997), the unemployment rate for...

Study quantifies cost.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Workplace regulations cost $91 billion a year, according to a new study by Joseph Johnson, a research fellow at George Mason University's Mercatus Center in Arlington, Va. Johnson's estimate was based on 25 major statutes and executive...

OSHA pushes program.(Occupational Safety and Health Administration)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... The Occupational Safety and Health Administration hopes to double the number of small businesses that participate in its Voluntary Protection Program over the next three years. Businesses in the program work with OSHA to establish safety...

The Peak piques interest in '80s format.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... A format called "the '80s and beyond" is paying off for Denver radio station KXPK (96.5 FM), better known as The Peak. And recent Arbitron radio ratings indicate that listeners like what they're hearing. The latest results from the early...

AIDS Walk sees corporate donations dwindle.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... When the 14th annual AIDS Walk Colorado hits the streets of Denver on Sunday, Sept. 9, the event will be backed by less cash support from local corporations than it's enjoyed in previous years. "No one's just cutting checks anymore," said...

Schools teach teens the rules of the road.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Driver's education used to be a popular elective in high school -- one students could take along with as band or drama. Not anymore. Today, businesses are teaching the youth of America how to drive. "It's so expensive for schools to...

Estate taxes to change each year for a decade.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Shooting moving targets at a carnival game is one thing. But when it comes to estate and tax planning, most folks don't think moving targets are much fun. But that will be the case over the next decade as sweeping changes in tax laws...

Coors Field vendors are a hit with fans.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Captain Earthman, red-aproned Nancy Fancy becoming legends of the ballpark The Colorado Rockies might not be racking up many wins this season, but that doesn't mean all is lost at Coors Field. Sure, the Rockies are in last place in the...

HMOs see rise in premiums, but leveling of members.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Large premium increases have improved the bottom lines of HMOs in Colorado, but enrollment growth has hit a plateau as employers consider other health benefit options. From 1998 to 2000, revenue from premiums increased 28 percent, with...

Wild Oats turns more to the Web.(Wild Oats Markets contract with Persona Inc. for website)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Boulder-based grocer Wild Oats Markets hopes to strengthen its tech-savvy customer base by embracing it through the Internet. The natural foods chain has signed an agreement with Persona Inc. in Broomfield to implement a new marketing...

Creditors lining up in Carik bankruptcy.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... After 19 years in the flower-ordering business, Denver-based Carik Services Inc. filed for bankruptcy this summer. On Aug. 29 the national flower delivery service FTD filed a lawsuit against Carik, demanding to be one of its first creditors and...

Denver firm looks at York.(Advanced Nutraceuticals Inc. plans to acquire portions of York Pharmaceuticals Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... A Denver-based company is looking to acquire some of the assets of York Pharmaceuticals Inc. in Kansas City, Kan. York CEO Kent Misemer declined to comment specifically on York's plans but said company officials are negotiating with a...

MARKET WATCH.(rating of top companies in Denver)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... MARKET WATCH GREEN MANNING & BUNCH INVESTMENT BANKING ABOUT OUR STOCK TABLES Each week, The Denver Business Journal ranks the performance of all publicly traded companies in Colorado that have a market capitalization equal to or greater...

MUTUAL FUNDS.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... MUTUAL FUNDS Our exclusive weekly report ranks some of Colorado's top-performing mutual funds by year-to-date total percent return. For the seven-day period ended Sept. 4, 2001. Colorado Sector Funds ...

HDNet makes debut; Denver company key.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Is the introduction of high-definition television broadcasting going to affect the TV industry as much as the introduction of color TV had on the industry 50 years ago? A Denver production company and the owner of the Dallas Mavericks...

Convergent employee buys St. Louis assets.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... At least part of Englewood-based Convergent Communications Inc. will live on. The failed company's St. Louis operation continues, thanks to a last-minute deal brokered by an employee there. Convergent Communications was days away from...

Taking charge of credit.(small businesses using credit cards during slow economic times)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... More small businesses rely on plastic as economy slows down One Denver-area accountant has a small-business client that's funding its operations largely with 12 credit cards. Every time a credit card company sends the company one of its...

'Curtain of sound' protects employees' privacy.(products for controling office noise)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... In trying to create efficient workplaces, some companies inadvertently introduced a whole new set of problems. For example, while many employers keep rent down by cramming more bodies into an "open-office" environment, the noise levels at...

Local author examines leadership traits.(Jana Matthews)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... If Boulder-based author Jana Matthews has her way, entrepreneurs will use her new book as a compass to guide them through the wilderness of decision making and growth management. Matthews, who co-authored "Leading at the Speed of Growth"...

Taking a chance abroad can indeed pay off.(FiberLok exports MouseRugs to Mexico)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Editor's note: This is a follow-up to an April column on the export activities of FiberLok, a Fort Collins manufacturer. If you're exporting a product like the MouseRug, a decorative alternative to the plastic mouse pads found on most desk...

Virtual assistants can be online lifesavers.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... One of the fastest growing home-based business opportunities can help other home-based businesses grow their business. Virtual assistants (VAs) function as online lifesavers for offices of all sizes. VAs are professional office assistants...

Civility policy takes aim at war of words.(National Labor Relations Board upholds civility rules)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... The National Labor Relations Board recently affirmed an employer's right to insist on civility in its workplace. The board oversees enforcement of the nation's federal labor laws, including the National Labor Relations Act. Section 7 of the...

Good Web sites need more than good design.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... When you hire a designer, find one who is interested in your business, your market Now, be honest, does your Web site work? Are you getting the sales or prospects or the increased customer satisfaction that you envisioned when you first...

Center is showcase of cable industry.(Cable Center on DU campus)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... At first glance, the new Cable Center that rests on the DU campus looks like it's ready to greet the public. However, the three-story, 74,000 square foot building is still awaiting the most crucial phase of its construction: a mind-boggling...

Riverfront Park to provide LoDo urban living.(Lower Downtown Denver)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... It's not every day a city's skyline changes, but this year Denver's did -- in dramatic fashion. And it wasn't the typical new skinny skyscraper packed with corner offices and cubicles. This project is mostly for homebuyers seeking an urban...

Urban redevelopment has pioneer in Tryba.(David Owen Tryba Architects)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Denver architect David Tryba is going nowhere fast. And that's exactly where he wants to be. "We're very happy serving the people of this community and having the opportunity to do as well as the people who came before us," Tryba said....

Largest Denver-Area General Contractors.(ranked by Colorado 2000 revenue)(Directory)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... Largest Denver-Area General Contractors (Ranked by Colorado 2000 revenue) Rank - Last Colorado year's Business name, address Phone/ revenue rank Web...

New hospital designs more patient-friendly.(Centura Health, HealthOne)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Health-care facilities planned for Parker, Lone Tree Scrapping the institutional trappings of older facilities, Centura Health's and HealthOne's new hospitals are being designed to heal. From lighting fixtures to seat fabrics to room...

Largest Denver-Area Mechanical Contractors.(ranked by Colorado 2000 revenue)(Directory)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... Largest Denver-Area Mechanical Contractors (Ranked by Colorado 2000 revenue) Rank - Last Colorado year's Business name, address Phone/ revenue rank Web...

Largest Denver-Area Electrical Contractors.(ranked by Colorado 2000 revenue)(Directory)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... Largest Denver-Area Electrical Contractors (Ranked by Colorado 2000 revenue) Rank - Last Colorado year's Business name, address Phone/ Revenue rank...

New Denver jail houses only women prisoners.(Denver Women's Correctional Facility)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Capacity is 900; facility opening in September The first all-women's prison in Denver will be completed this fall with the final phase of construction of the $76.8 million Denver Women's Correctional Facility, located in northeast Denver....

Customer service takes center stage in industry.(construction)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Through new INITIATIVE like Chrysler's "Five Star" and Ford's "Blue Oval" service, car manufacturers are placing customer service front and center as the major priority in the consumer-focused business operations. These companies, as well as...

Building new stadium a partnering triumph.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Over 10 years into the introduction of partnering into the construction industry, seasoned partnering organizations are still implementing the process but are using hybrid approaches that focus either on specific activities, focus groups,...

Economy dictating changes in office space.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Not only has the economy demonstrated a marked shift, the state of the work environment has undergone change as well. What's new inside and how it relates to new business climate is noteworthy. Let's look at a few salient things. * Cost of...

U.S. needs engineers, but students are scarce.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... They often are perceived as geeks. But these "geeks" solve significant societal problems dealing with energy, pollution, the environment, transportation, health and urban sprawl, to name a few. They also are responsible for designing...

Take steps to prevent construction tool theft.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Tool theft is a significant issue for construction companies, and the advent of auction sites on the Internet has made the problem worse. "A person just has to advertise over the Net that he has construction equipment for sale, the person...

National architects' association slashes budget.(American Institute of Architects)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... Chapters of the American Institute of Architects are weathering a storm caused by a financial crisis at their parent organization. In a recent letter to its 65,000 members, the Washington, D.C.-based national organization detailed its weak...

Energy costs changing construction methods.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Increased utility costs and higher demand for energy are changing the way buildings are constructed and retrofitted. This should be a wake-up call for design professionals to return to the traditional design and planning principles of the past....

Largest Colorado Ski Areas.(ranked by skier days)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... Largest Colorado Ski Areas (Ranked by skier days) Rank - Last Skier days year's Business name, address Phone/ 2000-2001/ rank Web address Fax...

Valley Bank & Trust to celebrate 30th birthday.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Valley Bank & Trust is throwing itself a 30th birthday party Sept. 13, complete with a barbecue for the entire community of Brighton, where its corporate headquarters are located, and cash prizes for customers. The bank has grown from one...

CI seminar set in Golden.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... An all-day workshop for competitive intelligence workers is set for Oct. 5 at the Table Mountain Inn in Golden. The seminar is sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Society of Competitive intelligence Professionals, which is for...

Bank hosting awards dinner.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... The Bank of Cherry Creek is hosting the fifth annual Colorado Business Council's Gay and Lesbian Business Awards dinner on Oct. 18 in the Aspen Ballroom at the Red Lion Hotel in Denver. The 2001 honorees are Becky Brinkman of D.C.; David...

Multicultural summit.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... The Aurora Human Relations Commission is hosting its annual September Summit on Sept. 20-22 at the Holiday Inn Southeast at I-225 and Parker Road. The summit, "Multicultural Issues and Your Organization," will feature, workshops about issues...

Done deals.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Juice Communications of Denver was chosen by St. Anthony Hospitals to create positioning and product marketing for its hospital system, which includes St. Anthony North, St. Anthony Central, Summit Medical Center and Granby Medical Center. ...

Openings.(Designer Multimedia Memories L.L.C. opens business)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Designer Multimedia Memories LLC, a company that produces video scrapbooks, opened for business at 3879 E. 120th Ave., No. 116, in Thornton. Its video scrapbooks combine video, photographs, voice-overs and music into a multimedia presentation...

On the Web.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... The Denver Department of Environmental Health has a new Web site at www.denvergov.org/hp2010 that provides information about the Denver Healthy People 2010 Initiative and has hundreds of links to health data and information sites.