LI Business News articles from February 2003

LI Business News archives from February 2003

Cinema paradiso.(Island 16 Cinema de Lux)
February 7, 2003... As they ambled out of "About Schmidt" recently, Louis and Kathy Cirotta were struck by how the movie starring Jack Nicholson and Kathy Bates had been gloomier than they'd expected. But the new theater won them over. The Island 16 Cinema de...

Israel, execs prep for defense push.
February 7, 2003... HAUPPAUGE -- The night of Jan. 29, two days before the official announcement, Rep. Steve Israel, D-Huntington, learned that he was to be the first Long Islander named to the House Armed Services Committee in nine years. At 11 a.m. the next...

Businesses backing Pataki, Bush plans.(tax policy, funding of programs)
February 7, 2003... ALBANY -- Business advocacy groups were pleased that Gov. George Pataki rejected "job-killing taxes" in his proposed fiscal 2004 budget, though he prescribed deep cuts in health care and education to get the state through its post-Sept. 11...

Businesses backing Pataki, Bush plans.
February 7, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Small businesses can expect an average annual tax cut of $2,042 and an increase in the tax-deductible business expenses under President George Bush's proposed fiscal 2004 budget. Those tax cut policies, particularly when...

Breslin rethinking his big box plans.
February 7, 2003... CENTER MORICHES -- Facing stiff community opposition for plans to possibly build big box retail stores, developer Wilbur Breslin has pulled an application to rezone two parcels of land that straddle Montauk Highway at the intersection with...

Pop-up ads spark legal fireworks.
February 7, 2003... PORT WASHINGTON -- "Trojan horse" advertisements that can lure Web-site customers of one company into the arms of its rivals have stirred two Long Island firms to mount legal counter-strikes. A unit of computer maker and retailer Systemax...

Stony Brook eyeing new $40m dorm: four-building complex to house 678 students.
February 7, 2003... STONY BROOK -- Faced with a 1,200-person waiting list for on-campus housing, the State University of New York at Stony Brook is proceeding with a plan to build a $40 million, 678-bed dormitory. Construction on the four-building project on...

KeySpan looks beyond Catell.
February 7, 2003... HICKSVILLE -- Grooming possible successors to 66-year-old chairman and CEO Robert Catell, KeySpan Corp. last week reassigned two promising younger executives to head the utility's natural gas and electric divisions. Robert J. Fani, 49, and...

Light of the roundtable.(Lewis Meltzer)
February 7, 2003... Lewis Meltzer always planned on having a lengthy to-do list. "I remember telling my wife if she thought I was going to be home early at night, then she was marrying the wrong guy," said Meltzer, 61, who has been happily married to Barbara...

Global Tissue Group opts for Symbol space.
February 7, 2003... BOHEMIA -- Needing manufacturing space after landing two new contracts, Global Tissue Group has signed a sublease from Symbol Technologies for the 90,000-square-foot facility at 1101 Lakeland Ave. Global is a privately held manufacturer of...

Suozzi's 'yes' means exactly that. (Follow Up).(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... You'd think that Republicans would be ecstatic over Nassau county Executive Torn Suozzi's decision to send planning corn- mission appointees beforethe Legislature for confirmation. Not quite. Michael Deegan, counsel to the Republicans, said...

KeySpan plant clears hurdle. (Follow Up).(natural gas power plant)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... Plans for a natural gas power plant on Spagnoli Road in Melville got an early boost this 'week when a panel of administrative law judges recommended that the state's Siting Board of Electric Generation and the Environment approve the project....

Jacobs panel would find revenue sources.(Judy Jacobs, Nassau County Legislature)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... MINEOLA -- Judy Jacobs, presiding officer of the Nassau County Legislature, said she plans to form an 18-member commission of business leaders to develop revenue-producing ideas for the county. The commission will issue a report on its findings...

Dolan Media Co. announces two acquisitions.( Oklahoma Stateline and Daily Journal of Commerce)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... MINNEAPOLIS -- Dolan Media Co., owner of Long Island Business News, announced two acquisitions this week, adding to the media services and business newspapers the company currently operates in 17 U.S. markets. In Oklahoma City, Okla.,...

CBS names LI bureau chief.(WCBS-TV)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... HEMPSTEAD -- WCBS-TV has hired former News l2 Long Island and WNBC-TV staffer Mike Brook as Long Island Bureau chief to lead coverage out of its office at Hofstra University. Brook worked most recently for WNBC as an assignment editor after...

1961: what to do with an 1,168-acre gift? (LIBN at 50 1953-2003).(the former Mitchel Field)
February 7, 2003... Bank Boerner was driving along the west side of Mitchel Field when a black twin-engine bomber slashed through a fence, sailed over the road and crashed into a stand of tall trees. "There it settled in with the props going, chopping the...

Certilman Balin expands trust and estates practice. (Week in Review).(Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman merger)
February 7, 2003... EAST MEADOW -- Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, Long Island's second-largest law firm, has merged with the trust and estates and elder law firm of Silverberg & Hunter. Under the terms of the merger, which became effective Feb. 1, partners...

CA acquires storage software firm. (Week in Review).(Computer Associates International Inc. has acquired nearly all the assets of Netreon Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... ISLANDIA -- Computer Associates International Inc. acquired nearly all the assets of Netreon Inc., a closely held maker of data-storage software, the company announced. Terms of the all-cash deal were not released. CA will brand...

American Home Mortgage to acquire mortgage biz. (Week in Review).(American Home Mortgage Inc. to acquire the retail mortgage lending branches of Principal Residential Mortgage)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... MELVILLE -- American Home Mortgage Inc. reached a definitive agreement to acquire the retail mortgage lending branches of Principal Residential Mortgage, a unit of Principal Financial Group. American Home Mortgage did not release financial...

Intelli-Check board adds ex-Defense Dept. GIO. (Week in Review).(appointment)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... WOODBURY -- Intelli-Check Inc. appointed Arthur Money, a former assistant Secretary of Defense and chief information officer for the Defense Department, to its board of directors. Money served as assistant secretary of defense for command,...

Spitzer: leaders must 'restore core ethics'. (Week in Review).(Eliot Spitzer, Attorney General of New York )(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... WOODBURY -- New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer told an assembly of local business leaders that more needs to done to weed out bad governance policies in government, the private sector and among not-for-profit groups. Addressing a...

LI Economic Indicators.(Long Island)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
February 7, 2003... LI Economic Indicators Unemployment -- Nassau/Suffolk Dec 2002 3.9% Nov 2002 3.9 Oct 2002 3.7 Sept 2002 4.1 Aug 2002 4.3 July 2002 4.6 June 2002 4.2 May 2002 3.9 April 2002 3.9 Mar...

Valiant purchases unit of J Squared Software. (High Tech).(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... Valiant, the Woodbury-based maker of scheduling, billing, hosting and payroll software, has acquired the contract security-guard unit of J Squared Software, based in Stamford, Conn. Jeff DiDomenico, Valiant vice president, said the...

Super Bowl ads goose sister sites. (High Tech).(survey of messages on Internet by comScore Networks)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... The Raiders' turnovers weren't the only things extensively analyzed in the aftermath of Super Bowl XXXVII. A survey of post-game Internet behavior found that traffic soared at Web sites associated with commercials that ran during the...

Surfers say 'Net tops for information. (High Tech).(UCLA Internet Report)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... Experienced Internet users rank the new medium as their most important information source, outpacing books, radio, magazines, television and newspapers, according to anew study. The UCLA Internet Report, "Surveying the Digital Future,"...

NASA taps Web in shuttle probe. (High Tech).(Columbia accident investigation)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... As NASA seeks answers in the space shuttle tragedy, it is enlisting the aid of citizens via the Web. While searchers gather debris from Columbia across a wide swath of the Southwest, the space agency also is seeking visual clues that could...

Cold Spring Harbor's papers are most cited. (High Tech).(Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory )(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory may he walking around campus with their forefingers extended. The reason? They're number 1! In a survey of research impact by Thomson-ISI, CSH's molecular biology and genetics papers. were...

Bar panels propose alternative to NYS bar exam. (Law).(Public Service Alternative Bar Exam)
February 7, 2003... Imagine skipping the bar exam and stilt being admitted to practice law. It could happen in New York if a new pilot program, which allows law graduates to enter the legal profession by working full time for three months in the state's civil...

LI attorney writes book on winning in small claims court. (Law).(Richard Solomon pens "Winning in the New York Small Claims Courts")(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... Richard Solomon, a solo practitioner in Lawrence, has authored a new self-help book about succeeding in the state's small claims courts. The almost 300-page book entitled "Winning in the New York Small Claims Courts," outlines step-by-step...

Student Marketing agrees to destroy data. (Law).(case settled; sale of information about students)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... Lynbrook-based Student Marketing Group has settled charges brought by New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer by agreeing to disclose that it sells student information to marketers. "Our children's privacy should not be violated in...

Metropolitan signs new tenants at Woodlands. (Real Estate).(Metropolitan Realty Associates)
February 7, 2003... Cushman & Wakefield of Long Island has announced that Metropolitan Realty Associates, owner .of the Woodlands office complex in Hauppauge, has closed on seven new leases totaling 21,781 square feet. The leases bring occupancy to 95 percent at...

Stop & Shop to build new 'super' store in East Meadow. (Real Estate).(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... The Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. announced plans to replace the existing Stop & Shop supermarket located at 2425 Hempstead Turnpike in East Meadow with a new Super Stop & Shop. In 2000, Quincy, Mass.-based Stop & Shop returned to Long...

Top 10 LI residential sales.(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... (By sale price) 1. Hilltop Drive, Laurel Hollow -- $2,500,000. Agents: Yueh H. Lee, Daniel Gale Associates of East Norwich. Taxes: $20,106. 2. Glendale Drive, Oyster Bay Cove -- $2,175,000. Agents: Daniel Gale Associates of East...

Marks Paneth & Shron merges with Dlugash & Kevelson. (Finance).(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... The Manhattan merger medley continues. Marks Paneth & Shron this week said it merged with Dlugash & Kevelson, an accounting firm based in Manhattan, creating a company that employs 300 and generates $45 million in annual revenues. ...

Fleet grows in Sunshine State. (Finance).(Fleet Private Clients Group)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... Saying it's seeking to provide more service for Northeast private banking customers who head south for the summer, Fleet Bank's private banking operation last week opened its fifth Florida office. The Fleet Private Clients Group last week...

ATM, debit cards catch on for purchases. (Finance).(Analytica Inc. study)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... Consumers are using their ATM and debit cards for purchases more than twice as often as for cash withdrawals at ATMs, according to a recent study The study was done by Analytica Inc. in November and December of 1,000 debit and ATM card...

Tapping savings through energy conservation. (Growth Strategies).(MC Alliance Energy)
February 7, 2003... Energy conservation is a tough sell. "Energy is not an entrepreneur's highest priority," said Anthony Coppola, president of MC Alliance Energy, an energy consultant in Bohemia, "but it's an easy profit center." Most building owners...

My best business scenario.(preparation for television interviews)(Brief Article)(Column)
February 7, 2003... Austin & Williams I help new clients become comfortable talking to the media before I get them interviews. I start with print interviews because there are usually fewer questions. It's not live and mistakes can usually be corrected....

Accounting. (Newsmakers).(appointments in the industry)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... Holtz Rubenstein & Co. of Melville welcomed three new staff members to its firm. Jason Filipowicz, of Holtsville, joins the firm as a senior auditor. His experience includes audit work with not-for-profit, manufacturing, technology,...

Architecture. (Newsmakers).(William F. Collins Architects appoints Steven R. Saraniero )(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... William F. Collins Architects of Setauket added Steven R. Saraniero as a new partner. Since joining the firm in 1994, Saraniero has been a lead designer for a variety of corporate, commercial and telecommunications projects. In 1999, he...

Health care. (Newsmakers).(appointments in the industry)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... St. Charles Hospital & Rehabilitation Center in Port Jefferson welcomes Gail Ann Donheiser as its new risk manager. Donheiser has been in health care for more than 20 years. Prior to joining St. Charles, she was vice, president of...

Law. (Newsmakers).(Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein promoted Kevin Schlosser to co-chair of its litigation department)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein promoted partner Kevin Schlosser to co-chair of its litigation department. Schlosser, of Searingtown, has over 18 years of experience as a general civil litigator in areas including complex commercial claims...

Media. (Newsmakers).(promotions at media companies)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... Cablevision Systems Corp. of Bethpage appointed James Maiella Jr. as vice president of communications for the New York metropolitan area. Maiella will be responsible for media relations activities pertaining to the company's...

Not-for-profit. (Newsmakers).(organizations announce appointments)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... Rhonda Samuel has succeeded Richard Goldenberg as president of Cancercare of Long Island's board of managers. Samuel, of Woodbury, is one of the founders of Cancercare's Prostate Cancer Awareness Walk and serves as its co-chair. She is...

Davison draws up plans as museum president. (LI Business People on the Move).
February 7, 2003... The board of trustees of the Nassau County Museum of Art in Roslyn Harbor elected Catherine "Katusha" C. Davison as president. As a board member, Davison, of Locust Valley, inaugurated the museum's docent program. As president, Davison...

Patent of the week: hand operated centrifugal dryer. (For the Record).(Patent No. 6,510,785; Mr. Bar-B-Q Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... Pat. No. 6,510,785 Long Island corporation Mr. Bar-B-Q Inc. of Old Bethpage has acquired a patent for a hand operated centrifugal dryer invented by Wayne Margolin. The invention relates generally to a food preparation device, more...

Producer exits news gig for production business. (Start Ups).(Brian and Leslie Kielanski; LNB Productions)
February 7, 2003... Brian Bielanski left a well-paying job as a television producer for WOES News to help his wife and former CourtTV producer, Leslie Bielanski, form Huntington Station-based LNB Productions. The company is simultaneously producing its first...

A 'rejuvenating' experience. (Start Ups).(Richmond Technology Solutions)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... Keshia Richmond developed her IT skills at Long Island software firms such as Computer Associates International Inc., Cheyenne Software and CES Computer Solution. Now she's utilizing her expertise at Richmond Technology Solutions, which opened...

Secret to my success: an unforgettable internship. (Paid Feature).
February 7, 2003... It seems that each time I pick up a newspaper, I read about more corporate layoffs and dim job prospects for college graduates. With only a few months before graduation, this should alarm me, but instead I am thankful that I already have a...

Biz calendar.
February 7, 2003... FRIDAY, Feb. 7 LIMBA, John Young, vice president of Northrop Grumman. Holiday Inn, Ronkonkoma, 8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m., $7 members, $11 non-members. Call (631) 757-1698 or (631) 757-6668. MONDAY, Feb. 10 Entrepreneurial Assistance...

The government wants your homeland security business. (On Small Biz).(Column)
February 7, 2003... A while back, I wrote about some of the government's programs to encourage small businesses to submit bids for federal procurement contracts, especially for Homeland Security projects. An initiative launched last week by the U.S. Small Business...

Cycles. (Read).(Book Review)
February 7, 2003... Free Press; $26. Maddy Kent Dychtwald explains how to sell to baby boomers and seniors.

The wisdom of teams: creating the high-performance organization.(Book Review)
February 7, 2003... HarperBusiness; $17.95 Jon R. Katzenbach, et. al, provide lessons in building strong departments and teams.

What should I do with my life? (Read).(Book Review)
February 7, 2003... Random House; $24.95 Po Bronson examines life choices.

www.knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu. (Surf).
February 7, 2003... Access the latest business insights and research.

www.bizspirit.com/bsj. (Surf).
February 7, 2003... Tap into spirituality in the workplace.

Advertising execs launch LoBo & Petrocine in Melville. (Marketing).
February 7, 2003... Russ Petrocine, Rick Bodamer and Lou LoPriore, like many people in advertising, had toyed with the idea of starting a firm for years. But the talk got serious last year when Bodamer and Petrocine ran into each other at a Bayport High School...

Scott Cooper signs Inter-Tel. (Marketing).(Scott Cooper Associates hired for public relations services)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... Phoenix-based Inter-Tel, a maker of phone and data systems and services for businesses, has hired Scott Cooper Associates to do public relations. Inter-Tel, which bills itself as "your connection to the future," specializes in phone and...

Group creates V-day campaign. (Marketing).(singing valentines)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2003... Many ad agencies at some point have had to prepare an advertising campaign for a song. Chris Klepeis has given that expression a whole new meaning. Klepeis, director of marketing for the Island Hills Chorus of Sweet Adeline's...

Stocks Report.
February 7, 2003... Advancers A federal judge ordered the Point Blank Body Armor subsidiary of DHB Industries Inc. (AMEX: DHB) to rehire about 150 striking workers. The ruling came after the National Labor Relations Board filed a lawsuit against Point...

Events calendar.
February 7, 2003... FRIDAY, Feb. 7 Tilles Center far the Performing Arts, Russian State Opera performs Puccini's "Tosca." Tilles Center, C.W. Post, Brookville, 8 p.m., fee. Call (516) 299-3100. Feb. 7-9 New York Marine Trades Associations, Long...

SUNY prof wins NASA award. (Not-for-Profits).
February 7, 2003... Stefan Judex, assistant professor in the department of biomedical engineering at SUNY Stony Brook, received a 3-year award totaling $764,073 from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Judex's award is for his research project...

Teddy bear auction. (Not-for-Profits).
February 7, 2003... Fifty teddy bears will go home with the highest bidders when they are auctioned off for charity Feb. 8 at the Walt Whitman Mall in Huntington Station. This is the 10th annual Bear Couture auction--the last nine events raised over $34,000 for...

Lifeline volunteers needed. (Not-for-Profits).
February 7, 2003... Lifeline Program at John T. Mather Memorial Hospital in Port Jefferson is seeking volunteers east of Port Jefferson for several hours a week to install and teach residents how to use potentially lifesaving equipment. Lifeline is a personal...

Bartenders' Ball benefits Fortunato Center. (Not-for-Profits).
February 7, 2003... Long Island restaurant and bar owners and employees are invited to the 21st annual Long Island Bartenders' Ball March 31 at 7:30 p.m. The black tie affair, hosted by the Long Island hospitality industry, raises about $75,000 each year for...

Madonna Heights reinterprets its mission. (Not-for-Profits).
February 7, 2003... The Sisters of the Good Shepherd have historically been committed to the needs of women and girls. In 1963, they brought this mission to Long Island and founded Madonna Heights Services. For more than 40 years, Madonna Heights has worked...

Hotline elected to beard of NBCCF. (Not-for-Profits).
February 7, 2003... The Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline and Support Program, located at the Adelphi University School of Social Work in Garden City, was elected to a 3-year term to the board of directors of the National Breast Cancer Coalition/Fund. ...

Daffodil Days returns. (Not-for-Profits).
February 7, 2003... The American Cancer Society's Daffodil Days returns to Long Island, bringing gifts of hope and support to Long Islanders with cancer. Volunteers are needed to sell daffodils, the spring flower of hope, in their place of work, school, church,...

Deep Sea Blues Bash at Atlantis Marine World. (Not-for-Profits).
February 7, 2003... The third annual "Deep Sea Blues Bash" is taking place March 22 at Atlantis Marine World Aquarium in Riverhead. The Blues Bash is the primary fundraiser for The Riverhead Free Blues Festival July 18-20. The Blues Bash benefit will feature...

Bartco fills PAL with premium donation. (Not-for-Profits).
February 7, 2003... Bartco Corp., a multi-brand gasoline distributor in Yaphank, donated $1,000 to The Suffolk Police Athletic League. The funds were raised during a recent weekend at Bartco's Metro Service Station in Oakdale, where 10 cents for every dollar...

Change of heart. (Opinion).
February 7, 2003... In a wise reversal of policy, Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi has promised to seek confirmations from the county Legislature for his appointees to the county planning board. Suozzi's announcement comes nearly three months alter Long...

Bush tax plan could slam pensions. (Opinion).
February 7, 2003... For the past 25 years, the elimination of the double taxation of corporations--often referred to as "integration"--has been high on the list of reforms under consideration by the Treasury Department and the tax bar. Integration has been largely...

'Takes three to tango' on state budget. (Commentary).
February 7, 2003... When Gov. George Pataki unveiled his proposed state budget for fiscal 2004 last week, it was not good news for many groups. The cuts and revenue proposals were widespread and would affect education aid, health care, hospitals, tuition at...

NY Legislature will have to raise taxes. (Commentary).
February 7, 2003... There are all kinds of dirty words in politics: deficits, fundraising, conflicts of interest, scandals, investigative reporters. All of them will raise the hair on the back of any politician's neck. Up in Albany, this year's dirty word is...

Developers shy away from brownfields. (Industry).
February 7, 2003... Since the issue of brownfield remediation emerged at the forefront of regional consciousness in the late 1990s, little has been done to reclaim and redevelop these tarnished lands, environmental lawyers and remediation organizations said. ...

Toxic mold lawsuits raise liability concerns.
February 7, 2003... Ever since a landmark $32 million verdict was handed down in a 2001 lawsuit, toxic mold has become the biggest buzz-word in environmental liability and insurance, sending building owners and employers scrambling to cover their legal tails. ...

Students get a course in environmental law.
February 7, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Kevin Roberson tugs his dark suit pants up and unleashes his booming voice. "She betrayed his trust, she's a liar," the 17-year-old bellows to the jury in a mock trial in which he is defending a man accused of letting an...

Conference addresses tough, costly environmental issues.
February 7, 2003... Brownfields, product greenwashing, environmental regulation, stormwater management and indoor air quality are just some of the environmental issues engineers, designers, contractors and other companies must face daily. Regulations and...

Environmental Consultants.
February 7, 2003... ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS RANKED BY NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES Firm Leader, Phone & Fax Address Web address & E-Mail 1. LiRo Group, James Ahrens,...

LI's Finest Hotels.
February 7, 2003... LI's FINEST HOTELS Sponsored By Pam Rent-A-Car Queens No. Hotel Name/Address Contact/Phone Rooms Sheraton JFK Airport ...

The new name in auto financing. (Captus Financial Group).
February 7, 2003... The Captus Group is a finance organization specializing in the leasing of new and pre-owned automobiles to businesses and individuals. Located in Hauppauge, New York, the Captus Group is in the heart of the Long Island business world. Financing...

The Next Generation. (Gurney's Inn Resort, SPA & Conference Center).
February 7, 2003... Gurney's Inn: The Next Generation. Paul Montemarano, General Manager of Gurney's Inn, Resort, Spa & Conference Center joined the family business rather recently, in 1989. His uncle Nick had bought the Inn in February 1956, joined a few years...

Forty years of providing HR & labor: solutions for the business community. (Portnoy Messinger Pearl & Associates, Inc.).
February 7, 2003... Murray W. Portnoy Founder How old are you? Certainly not a question found on an employment application nor one generally asked in polite society, but Murray Portnoy, has no hang-ups about answering. He smilingly replied, "I've just turned...

Meeting in style at a Long Island landmark. (Harrison Conference Center at Glen Cove).
February 7, 2003... Approaching this gracious Georgian mansion, visitors may feel they are entering the world of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby. Instead, they are about to experience one of the New York region's finest conference centers. ...