South Florida Business Journal articles from December 1996

South Florida Business Journal archives from December 1996

Pottery chain fires up S. Florida openings. (Color Me Mine)
December 6, 1996... But is there enough business to go around? Color Me Mine, the Los Angeles chain that helped spark the West Coast paint-your-own pottery craze, will arrive in South Florida this month with stores in Aventura, Coconut Grove and South Miami....

Health network plans expansion, public offering. (Metropolitan Health Networks Inc.)(includes related article)
December 6, 1996... BOCA RATON - Noel Guillama has spent several years helping others set up physician networks. Now he's doing it for himself. Guillama, 37, is chief executive of Metropolitan Health Networks Inc., a fledgling Boca Raton company that is buying...

Floridians' personal income beats inflation 2-1.
December 6, 1996... But state's $23,061 per capita rate still lags national average The state of Florida may be far from average in many ways, but when it comes to per capita income, we're pretty much stuck in the middle. Recently released figures from the U.S....

Merger creates largest leisure publisher in U.S. (merger of International Voyager Media and ABARTA Metro Publishing)
December 6, 1996... NORTH MIAMI - International Voyager Media and Pittsburgh-based ABARTA Metro Publishing have merged to become the country's largest producer of leisure travel-related books, magazines and guides. IVM, which will remain in South Florida, has $15...

Medical Industries' mission: focus. (Medical Industries of America Inc.)
December 13, 1996... The new president's goal: remain on the job BOYNTON BEACH - Michael Morrell can't be blamed if he doesn't feel very secure in his job. After all, he's the fourth president in 12 months for Medical Industries of America Inc. One of the...

Gems TV: not for Latin women only. (Gems Television)
December 13, 1996... Spanish network aims to attract men and children, too MIRAMAR - Gems Television is now strong enough for a man, but still made for a woman. The 24-hour, Spanish-language network, owned half by Empresas 1-BC, a Venezuelan broadcast company,...

Mezzanotte founder backpedals on new eateries. (Tom Billante)
December 13, 1996... Mario Andretti's Express stalls, Luna Cafe goes in for retooling Restaurateur Tom Billante has had better years. Mario Andretti's Express Pasta, his experiment in fast-food spaghetti, got the red flag. Luna Cafe, his longtime North Miami...

In the wake of bank mergers, start-ups are finding niche markets.
December 13, 1996... Six-month-old First Bank of Miami, the first commercial bank to open in South Florida since 1994, is growing so fast that even its founders are a little surprised. "With (bank) consolidation becoming such an item, we thought that the personal...

Televisa launching four new magazines for U.S. Hispanics. (Editorial Televisa)
December 13, 1996... Includes Spanish-language Men's Health, U.S. version of SOMOS MIAMI - Editorial Televisa, the world's largest publisher of Spanish-language magazines, has four new launches targeting U.S. Hispanics planned for next year. The company, which...

A sound first year for Coral Sky. (Coral Sky Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, FL)
December 13, 1996... WEST PALM BEACH - The Coral Sky Amphitheatre closed the books on its first season Dec. 8 as a financial, logistical and artistic success, with gross revenue hitting $11 million, its owners say. The venue - a partnership including PACE, Sony...

After buying spree, AmeriPath sets $73M IPO. (AmeriPath Inc.'s initial public offering)
December 13, 1996... RIVIERA BEACH - AmeriPath Inc. CEO James New is making good on his promise to buy up practices and take his company public. When the South Florida Business Journal first reported on New's venture in July, AmeriPath had purchased only four...

Foam sweet homes. (Foam Factory)
December 13, 1996... Packing foam firm finds a new market in faux flourishes for builders Architectural flourishes constructed of the same material as styrofoam coffee cups might conjure up images of pure kitsch. But polystyrene columns, building trim and other...

Our vanishing S&Ls: savings and loan industry still faces an uncertain future.(Finance Quarterly)
December 13, 1996... Take a close look at the South Florida Business Journal list of South Florida's 25 largest savings and loans (in this issue). Some year soon, perhaps as early as 1997, there may not be enough locally based S&Ls left to fill that list. It's a...

Corporate credit cards: charge ahead, but look out for pitfalls.(Finance Quarterly)
December 13, 1996... Like thousands of other South Florida business executives, Jeff Flick likes the detailed travel and expense records and the simplified accounting he gets by using a corporate credit card. "Besides getting a breakdown of expenses, we don't have...

Inaccurate credit reports can harm chances for a loan.(Finance Quarterly)
December 13, 1996... You've dreamed of starting your own business after working hard for others all these years. You've paid your dues, researched a new market niche, found the perfect location for your new business venture and negotiated great terms with several...

Married couples face major setback in shielding assets from creditors.(Finance Quarterly)
December 13, 1996... Juan E. Planas, in a recent Florida bankruptcy case, changed the rules of the game for married individuals hoping to save their assets if one spouse declared bankruptcy. Before that case was decided, if you owned properties with your mate in...

Jackson interns, residents vote to join union. (Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, FL)
December 13, 1996... It used to be that truck drivers, factory workers and teachers were the mainstay of unions. No more. As managed care tightens its grip on the health care profession, doctors and other providers are recognizing that unionization may be the way...

Foam sweet homes: packing foam firm finds a new market in faux flourishes for builders. (Foam Factory)(Small Business Strategies)
December 13, 1996... Architectural flourishes constructed of the same material as styrofoam coffee cups might conjure up images of pure kitsch. But polystyrene columns, building trim and other design features are attracting a growing following from South Florida...

The power of Coca-Cola's image.
December 13, 1996... During a recent car trip, my daughter demonstrated a cultural sophistication that left my wife and me in shock. We had stopped at an intersection at which a Coca-Cola Co. advertisement is painted on the side of a building. Our 2-year-old, Jill,...

Issues drove small firms to the polls.
December 13, 1996... Political experts continue to shed light on the '96 vote and what this means about where our national leaders should take the country. Soccer moms, Christian conservatives, single women, the elderly and other voter groups all seemed to play big...

Brokers' French connection nets millions. (boutique brokerage Immo Group)
December 20, 1996... Latest deal: Today's $41 million closing on Ocean Drive condo project In November 1995, Fort Lauderdale real estate broker Camilo Aguirre was sitting in an interminable Parisian traffic jam with a French business associate. The pair had...

Back from Planet Hollywood: Tu Tu Tango founder buys back his restaurant. (Brad Weiser)
December 20, 1996... COCONUT GROVE - When Brad Weiser sold 50 percent of his Care Tu Tu Tango Corp. to a firm controlled by Planet Hollywood chief Robert Earl, he expected to see locations in London, New York, Boston and Washington, D.C., in no time. Instead,...

Wometco, Coral Gables firm plan 'eco-camps.' (Wometco Enterprises; Eco-Camps of America)
December 20, 1996... Coral Gables-based Eco-Camps of America plans to open the first of several eco-camps in Central Florida by the beginning of 1998. Wometco Enterprises, the Coral Gables firm that owns the Miami Seaquarium, will be a major partner in Eco-Camps,...

New Medicare rules putting labs under the microscope. (Florida medical laboratories)
December 20, 1996... Labs - and patients - could get stuck for fees after crackdown on Florida doctors Already struggling under managed care discounts, medical labs in Florida now have another worry: Medicare policy changes that apply only to Florida have slashed...

Traffic service jams into Florida; Shadow Broadcast starts its Sunshine State strategy in S. Fla. (Shadow Broadcast Services)
December 20, 1996... HOLLYWOOD - Radio programming powerhouse Westwood One wants to invade the Sunshine State with its Shadow Broadcast Services company - and it wants to start in South Florida. Shadow provides traffic, news, sports and other reports to more than...

Workers' comp pilot project remains grounded; but private sector initiates its own plans.
December 20, 1996... Last September, the Florida Department of Insurance announced plans for development of a new type of medical insurance that would combine workers' compensation with health insurance. Dubbed "24-hour coverage," the pilot project was created by...

New defense contracting rules aid small business.
December 20, 1996... WASHINGTON - The Department of Defense is expected to significantly reduce consolidation of contracts, a scenario that until now has hurt hundreds of small businesses across the nation. Senior officials at the Defense department have issued a...

She's big in women's wear. (Lisa Shapiro, owner of Lisa Todd stores)
December 20, 1996... Lisa Shapiro wears a size 6, but she finds service is what really fits at her plus-size fashion stores Amid racks of trendy sporstwear, glittering gowns and designer labels, a slender Lisa Shapiro explains why her store is so popular with...

Banking on success in Latin America. (Inter-City Tire Export Co.)(International Trade)
December 20, 1996... World Trade Center Miami honors big and small firms with awards When Stanley Ginsberg hears that a business person is entering the international marketplace, one of his first pieces of advice is short and sweet: Treat prospective foreign...

New credit line helps importers expand their business. (Capital Bank and Manufacturers Equity and Export Group's back-to-back letter of credit program)(International Trade)
December 20, 1996... Like dozens of other South Florida companies, Performance Machine Systems USA Inc. of Lighthouse Point is mounting impressive gains through international trade, but it often finds itself short of the collateral it needs to fill customers' orders....

HMO's secret weapon for growth: the competition. (health maintenance organization; Physicians Healthcare Plans Inc.)
December 27, 1996... Problems at other HMOs send 'exodus' of members - and employees - to Physicians Healthcare Plans CORAL GABLES - When Michael Fernandez left his job as marketing vice president at CAC-Ramsay three years ago to start his own managed care...

Medical IPOs: Rx for headaches. (initial public offerings)
December 27, 1996... Going public has its ups and downs for South Florida's new medical stocks Executives who took health care companies public this year likely would give this advice to others planning to do the same: Stock up on Excedrin. While 1996 has been...

Breakfast battle. (taxes imposed on complimentary breakfasts offered by hotels)
December 27, 1996... Hoteliers fighting double taxes on meals with rooms - again Complimentary breakfasts, a freebie that many Florida tourists take for granted, have become a point of contention between state tax officials and the Florida Hotel & Motel...

Codina drops Port 95 project. (Codina Group)
December 27, 1996... Polluted ground water puts developer off 51-acre park Low levels of ground water contamination near Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport have led Coral Gables developer Codina Group to abandon plans for an 825,000-square-foot...

Videos nudge brokers toward technology. (real estate brokers)
December 27, 1996... Realty Channel may be 'a Model T' of high-tech real estate cyber-sales Residential real estate brokers have gained a reputation for reacting slowly to new technology, but the industry has begun to clamor for ways to use computers to rake in...

New REIT from Maynard/Rich targeting Canadian investors. (real estate investment trust)
December 27, 1996... Seeing a market for Canadian investors who want to put money in American properties, Maynard/Rich Cos. of Miami Lakes is launching a real estate investment trust that will own community and neighborhood shopping centers. Basic U.S. REIT is...

A mostly sunny '96 makes way for a bright New Year, brokers say. (real estate brokers)
December 27, 1996... The darkest days of the real estate recession in the early '90s produced the industry mantra 'Stay alive until '95." The sunnier picture that emerged in 1996 proved that advice correct. This year brought record sales for South Florida office...

Rose business blooms - despite thorns. (cut flowers)
December 27, 1996... A perishable product means U.S. Floral strives for consistent winners - not home runs MIAMI - Taking time to smell the roses has paid off steadily for Dan Shypula, president and founder of U.S. Floral Corp. His company, headquartered near...

Electronic filing helps put paper in its place.
December 27, 1996... No doubt, every company would like to think of itself as a model of organization where papers are fried promptly and calls are swiftly returned. Reality dictates that most of us will fall short Of this ideal. As a result, one problem that many...

Recovery fund boosts contractors' credibility. (Construction Industries Recovery Fund)
December 27, 1996... New rules double builders' exposure to $100,000 for consumer complaints Memorandum: Licensed contractors, you're being duly alerted. The Construction Industries Recovery Fund, quietly enacted in October 1993, has recently increased your...

Tips from a top salesman: cards, notes and overseas marketing.
December 27, 1996... The life of a salesman is hardly glamorous. Hours of tedious research, endless socializing with strangers and nights and weekends away from family don't always yield the hoped-for results. But some people are successful year after year. Dan...

How can you turn renovations of commercial properties into more profits.
December 27, 1996... Many companies are capitalizing on opportunities in distressed properties. Their philosophy has always been that you cannot build something for less than the cost of acquiring and renovating an older property. Also, usually what you can build...

Watch out for these traps when buying commercial property.
December 27, 1996... When businesses acquire commercial properties, they often focus on the price and location. However, after signing a contract and in some cases, even before, several other important matters should be reviewed. Many of these are referred to as...

A home for the holidays. (David and Katharine Dickenson's home in Boca Raton, FL)
December 27, 1996... Katharine and David Dickenson's old-Boca estate home is a festive delight In Boca Raton, where houses are considered old if they were built before 1990, the Dickenson home is 'ancient'. Its owners - David and Katharine Dickenson - couldn't be...

Immigration rules bring more red tape.
December 27, 1996... While some aspects of recent immigration reforms were covered by the press, little was said about the effects on the business community in South Florida. The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, passed by...