South Florida Business Journal articles from January 2000

South Florida Business Journal archives from January 2000

USDA fraud hits Florida growers.
January 7, 2000... Produce underpriced by inspectors after bribes paid, indictment says One of the largest cases of bribery ever uncovered among U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors has financially savaged a number of South Florida growers. Nat...

E-commerce company has a jump start.(Adjoined)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... A Miami e-commerce consulting firm, Adjoined, debuts today with venture capital backing and leadership from veterans of Andersen Consulting and Cambridge Technology Partners. Adjoined targets the rapidly growing number of Web-based...

FLYING ECONOMIC ENGINE.
January 7, 2000... Airport seen as 'jewel' to lure business to Boca Boca Raton Airport, sometimes a point of controversy, is emerging as a major draw behind the growth of Boca Raton and southern Palm Beach County, economic development officials say. "The...

Senator plans to sue Humana.
January 7, 2000... Physician client unhappy that HMO cut its payment A West Broward physician, saying he is frustrated that Humana Inc. pays him less than it is contracted to, has hired one of the biggest guns in health care litigation to sue the HMO giant....

Citrix plays guiding role in helping Venture Forum.
January 7, 2000... Investors and venture capitalists from across the nation will meet once again in South Florida for the ninth annual Florida Venture Capital Conference, hosted by the Florida Venture Forum. The conference, to be held Jan. 19-20 at the...

SCORE ONE FOR THE FANS.
January 7, 2000... Boca Raton national group takes on the leagues and teams Fan clubs are taking on a new meaning for a new century. Instead of worshiping the turf professional sports teams compete on, 21st century sports fans are critical thinkers with...

Fidelity Bankshares sets agenda for growth in 2000.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Fidelity Bankshares has a packed agenda for the first year of the new century. Fidelity, the parent of Fidelity Federal Savings, has a 2000 schedule that includes an across-the-street move of its headquarters in downtown West Palm Beach,...

CORRECTIONS.
January 7, 2000... Summit Global Partners of Florida, which operates Century Financial Services and Lon Worth Crow Insurance Group, was inadvertantly omitted from the Largest Insurance Agencies list in "The Millennium Edition Book of Lists." The company, which...

TotalBank helps Dade teachers turn dirt on new headquarters.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... After some financing delays, Miami-Dade County's teachers union marked winter break by beginning construction Dec. 27 of its new headquarters, part of an ongoing rejuvenation of the Omni area just north of downtown Miami. Funded by a $13...

Taking fishy out of caviar.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... 50-year-old New York retailer sets up shop in South Beach Caviarteria, a national retailer of caviar, was set to open a Miami Beach location on the eve of the company's 50th anniversary last month. But permitting delays have stalled...

Wachovia taking its time to grow in South Florida.
January 7, 2000... Wachovia Bank has opened a commercial banking office in downtown Fort Lauderdale, and it plans to add nine branches in South Florida and neighboring Martin County this year. At least five new branches will be in the Palm Beach and Broward...

In-person service critical to future of insurance business.
January 7, 2000... Insurance agents generally aren't candidates for the spotlight, but as the new century dawns, their industry will be at the center of the widespread change hitting the financial world. In South Florida and around the nation, many agents now...

High-definition TV clears path for more production businesses.
January 7, 2000... WHDT-TV in West Palm Beach, the state's largest high-definition television station, boosts its signal to one million watts this month. The technology could act as a catalyst to inspire more production companies to come to South Florida....

New York PR agency has growth plans for S. Florida.(Hill and Knowlton)
January 7, 2000... One of the world's largest public relations firms, Hill & Knowlton, is growing in South Florida after quietly entering the market two years ago. Space has doubled at the firm's East Broward Boulevard office in Fort Lauderdale, and a half...

Toddlerwatch appoints manager to boost growth.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Toddlerwatch.com, an Internet parenthood resource, has appointed Jose Jimenez national sales manager. Jimenez, a veteran computer sales and business development executive, will oversee the company's expanding child-care center recruitment....

Technisource selects new company president.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Joseph W. Collard, CEO of the Fort Lauderdale-based IT firm Technisource Inc., announced the appointment of Thomas Hoshko to the company's presidency. Hoshko, who joined Technisource effective Jan. 1, has 20 years of experience in the software...

Union Bank of Plantation adds two senior executives.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Union Bank of Plantation has appointed Marcus Faust executive vice president and chief financial officer and Raul Gonzalez executive vice president and chief lending officer. Gonzalez had been senior vice president for commercial lending at...

Hi-Rise Recycling Systems finishes buying AG Products.
January 7, 2000... Hi-Rise Recycling Systems Inc. in Miami (Nasdaq: HIRI) has completed the acquisition of AG Products, an Arizona-based manufacturer and distributor of high-quality waste-handling equipment. Hi-Rise acquired all the issued and outstanding common...

Brokerage firms required to reimburse investors.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Two Boca Raton arbitration panels hit Thos. K. Wasserman & Associates of Boynton Beach and Aragon Financial Services of California with arbitration awards totaling about $220,000. According to attorneys with Goodman & Nekvasil, who represented...

Applied Digital Solutions sells Canadian subsidiary.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Applied Digital Solutions Inc. (Nasdaq: ADSX) of Palm Beach completed the sale of its approximately 4.9 million shares in TigerTel Inc., its Toronto-based telecommunications subsidiary, to AT&T Canada, first announced Nov. 29. Under AT&T'S...

Center for Cosmetic Surgery gets national accreditation.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... The Florida Center for Cosmetic Surgery has received national accreditation from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care. AAAHC, based in Chicago, is a private, nongovernmental, nonprofit organization, with financial support...

Smart guys on Wall Street in for more nasty headlines?(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... You'd think the smart guys on Wall Street would get the message, but they haven't. After Smith Barney and Merrill Lynch got scalded publicly with sexual harassment lawsuits this year. you'd think the big boys of brokerage would stop winking and...

U.M. hosting big session for estate planners.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Attention all "sophisticated attorneys, trust officers, accountants, insurance and financial planners who, through years of experience and practice, are familiar with the principles of estate planning." For the 34th year, the University of...

HEARx Ltd.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Exchange: Amex Symbol: EAR Employees: 300 Profile: HEARx, the only hearing-related organization accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), provides hearing care to patients whose...

Humana to divest units, take a charge on books.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Humana Inc. is selling its PCA Property & Casualty Insurance Co., a workers' compensation subsidiary, for $125 million in cash to White Mountains Insurance Group Ltd. on Bermuda. Humana will use the funds to reduce debt. The deal is expected to...

Pediatrix Group acquires St. Louis neonatal practice.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Pediatrix Medical Group Inc., (Nasdaq: PDX), in Fort Lauderdale, a physician group specializing in neonatal and perinatal services, has expanded its presence in Missouri and Florida through acquisitions and internal growth. Pediatrix acquired a...

Sacre bleu! France tops list as export market.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Florida needs to keep diversifying international trade development. That's the consensus from the latest round of data from Florida International University's Center's for Banking and Financial Institutions and International Business and...

Bank and thrift stocks in 'Winter of Our Discontent'.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... A recent report by Advest Inc. calls the coming months "The Winter of Our Discontent" for bank and savings and loan stocks. Analysts at the New York brokerage firm noted that prices of the vast majority of bank and S&L stocks fell during...

Stay far, far away from Hong Kong's risky REITs.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Dear Mr. Berko: Hong Kong has been in an economic slump for several years, but a recovery appears to be on the way. Could you recommend a couple of Hong Kong REITs that you think have good appreciation potential? And in the United...

Michael Wolk.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Michael Wolk, principal at Michael Wolk Design Associates in Miami, received the Outstanding Interior Designer at the Year Award from the American Institute of Architecture, Miami Chapter.

Terry Lenman.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Terry Lenman, vice president of development for the Hanley-Hazelden Center at St. Mary's in West Palm Beach, was named Fund Raising Executive of the Year by the National Society of Fund Raising Executives of Palm Beach County.

Lindsey A. Payne.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Lindsey A. Payne, a law associate with Brinkley, McNerney, Morgan, Solomon, & Tatum in Fort Lauderdale, received the 1999 YMCA of Broward County President's Award for dedication and service to the YMCA.

International Television Network.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... International Television Network, a multimedia production company in Boca Raton, won the 1999 FREDDIE Award presented at the Time Inc. Health's International Health and Medical Film Competition for one segment of The Art of Women's Health, its...

Dan Mackey.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Dan Mackey, publisher and editor at Wildlife Rehabilitation Today magazine, and owner of D.J. Mackey & Associates Public Relations/Marketing in Pompano Beach, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Wildlife Rehabilitation...

Alan Strassler.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Alan Strassler, president at Alan Strassler Architects in West Palm Beach won the Best Industrial Project Award from the City of Miramar for his designs for the Aviation Sates Co. and Caribe Air buildings.

The Children's Coalition.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... The Children's Coalition, a provider of multimedia artistic workshops to at-risk youth in Palm Beach County, was presented with the 1999 Florida Arts Recognition Award for its invaluable programs and training.

Michael Carricarte.
January 7, 2000... Michael Carricarte, president of AMSEX Insurance Group; Victor M. Diaz, with the law firm of Podhurst, Orseck, Josefsberg, Eaton; Alex Anton, a filmmaker; Cesar Ruiz, owner of South Beach Macarena; and Josefina Goytisolo, executive producer at...

Ted Fine.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Ted Fine founder and owner of mine Decorators in Miami, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Decor an interior design magazine in South America launching a North American edition.

Successful Images.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Successful Images, a television, film and multimedia production studio in Fort Lauderdale, was named a National Finalist in the 1999 Vision Award competition for local and regional television commercials and video presentations.

Leighton McGinn Co.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Leighton McGinn Co., a general contractor in West Palm Beach, was selected by Holland & Knight to construct a 6,000-square-foot expansion of its West Palm Beach office.

Strategic Vision.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Strategic Vision, a marketing and public relations firm in Miami, was named regional public relations counsel by Mandarin Oriental ,in Miami and will manage its public relations during the hotel's pre-opening phase.

GSD Contracting.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... GSD Contracting in Fort Lauderdale was contracted by the Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Coral Springs to build a 14,000-square-foot community and administration building, a new 14,000-square-toot church and renovated its existing...

The Madfis Group.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... The Madfis Group, an architectural, interior design and land planning firm in Fort Lauderdale, was selected by Amerijet International, also in Fort Lauderdale, to provide interior architecture and space planning services for its corporate...

Daphne I. Gurri.
January 7, 2000... The architectural firm of Daphne I. Gurri, in Coral Gables, completed construction documents for the interior relocations at Concourse D of Miami International Airport for American Airlines.

P&H Interiors.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... P&H Interiors, in Coral Springs, was awarded an interior design contract by M. Miller & Co., in Jupiter, for two model homes at Locks Landing in Stuart.

Elcon Electric.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Elcon Electric in Pompano beach was awarded electrical contracts by Bluewater Builders, for its Spectrum Square in Boynton Beach, and by Dooley & Mack Constructors, for the Florida Atlantic University Humanities building in Boca Raton.

Business Interiors.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Business Interiors, in Coral Gables, designed several new facilities for St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Miami during its recent renovation project.

Peacock + Lewis Architects and Planners.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Peacock + Lewis Architects and Planners, in West Palm Beach, began construction on a 7,000-square-foot custom, single-family oceanfront name on Jupiter Island, was chosen to design renovations and a 12,000-square-foot addition to The...

Echeverria Design Group.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Echeverria Design Group, in Coral Gables, was selected to design a 1,900-square-foot store. front outlet site for Cake Designs by Edda in Coral Gables.

MAKING A LIVING -- MAYBE A FUTURE -- AT THE MALL.(NET Connections)
January 7, 2000... Young Palm Springs firm puts shoppers online in Kiosks Andy Bailen is betting that savvy mall shoppers will be willing to go online while their husband, wife or significant other tries on that fourth pair of shoes. His South Florida...

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE.(News Briefs)
January 7, 2000... ADVERTISING/PUBLIC RELATIONS Strategic Marketing in West Palm Beach hired Jon Miebch as an account manager, Alison M. Overton as an account manager, Tom Brodigan as public relations specialist, Kelley Plant as creative writer, Matt Shepard...

Networking not working? Try some smart-working!
January 7, 2000... Networking is fun. In fact, I remain astonished that more salespeople don't use it to replace the cold call (which ain't no fun). If you network intelligently, it's the easiest way to make sales contacts -- hot sales contacts. ...

JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED.(Product Announcement)
January 7, 2000... Palm-sized device tells which medicines patients can get and take Lewis Stone retells the story like a fairy tale, but he insists it's true. A little old lady sees her doctor on a Friday and is diagnosed with bronchitis. Her doctor...

Mount Sinai CEO has a tough task.
January 7, 2000... Bruce Perry's bayfront office is devoid of personal effects, save photographs of his family and a one-third life-size bronze sculpture of the second flag raising on Iwo Jima. "I don't do doodads," he said, seriously turning the...

Bills filed to prohibit weapons.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2000... Two bills have been filed in the Legislature that would outlaw concealed weapons in health care facilities or on their grounds. State Sen. Ron Silver (D-North Miami) filed Senate Bill 712 and Rep. Elaine Bloom, (D-Miami Beach) filed House Bill...

Hospital district donating medical supplies.
January 7, 2000... Memorial Healthcare System, the public nonprofit system serving southern Broward County, donated $25,000 in medical supplies to the relief effort to benefit flood victims in Venezuela. At the suggestion of South Broward Hospital District...

Medical conference rings in the year 2000.
January 7, 2000... Primary Medicine Today will host the Pri-Med South Conference in Fort Lauderdale Jan.11 through Jan. 17. Attendees will have an opportunity to choose from 54 clinical lectures, earn continuing education credits and view hundreds of new products...

Health Care Heroes Award applications being accepted.
January 7, 2000... The Health Industry Group of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce is accepting applications for its Health Care Heroes Award. This award recognizes an individual, institution or program that has made an impact in the South Florida health care...

LARGEST PREFERRED PROVIDER ORGANIZATIONS.
January 7, 2000... LARGEST PREFERRED PROVIDER ORGANIZATIONS Aubri Benjamin Ranked by 1999 South Florida [*] members Rank PPO Phone 2000...

Most 'patients' are stable on list of the largest PPOs.
January 7, 2000... AnciCare, Oral Health Services and Physical Therapy Provider Network did little to expand their ranks of South Florida members, yet they still managed to garner the top three spots on the Business Journal's list of largest preferred provider...

Paradise lost.
January 7, 2000... After getting black eyes from a cruise ship fire and underreporting sexual assaults, one might think Carnival Cruise Lines would develop a better sense of public relations. Well, that doesn't seem to be the case. Last week, 200 passengers...

LETTER TO THE EDITOR.
January 7, 2000... Dear Editor: Your publication recently printed an article that addressed the issue of union efforts to organize hospital staff nurses for collective bargaining. As part of that analysis, I was quoted as stating that the Florida Nurses...

Intellectual capital's Value exceeds cash.
January 7, 2000... This will be the year of the start-up and the incubator. Actually it will be the best of times, as the experience gained from a frenzied 1999 will start to be of value. The Internet and the massive influx of innovative ideas and business...

U.S. Fair Credit Reporting Act hurts workplace investigations.
January 7, 2000... Few employers realize that investigations they may conduct in regard to their employees are governed by the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act and the amendments that were enacted in 1996. They unwittingly may be violating federal law when...

Kislak Skylake merger complete, new president steps in.(Kislak National Bank, Skylake State Bank; new president Richard Kuci)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 14, 2000... Kislak National Bank has completed its merger with The Skylake State Bank, and it plans to open a factoring division and expand its trade finance operation this year under new President and CEO Richard Kuci. Kislak, based in Miami Lakes,...

Readers drive 'The Journal's' revised look.
January 14, 2000... The Business Journal is celebrating its 20th year with an improved presentation for readers that debuts this issue. The changes provide more contact information-about businesses in our stories, a better synopsis of key news of the week, 40...

Money manager values his theory.(interview with Michael B. O'Higgins)(Interview)(Statistical Data Included)
January 14, 2000... Michael B. O'Higgins' first book gained some measure of fame for his "Dogs of the Dow" theory, but the debut of his second book hasn't put readers on the gravy train, yet. The formula in the book called for investing in long-term...

CLARIFICATION.(Spillis Candela DMJM includes Peter Spillis)(Brief Article)(Correction Notice)
January 14, 2000... Because of an inadvertent oversight from the source, the "Book of Lists" left out Peter Spillis as a managing principal at the architectural firm Spillis Candela DMJM.

State turns blind eye to law-flouting insurers.(insurance companies cutting commissions for small-time brokers)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 14, 2000... Despite a written warning from the state insurance commissioner 18 months ago, health insurance companies in Florida continue to break the law, and the state says it will do nothing to stop them. At issue are commissions paid to insurance...

Alarms sound as workers' health insurance costs rise.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 14, 2000... Large employers in South Florida and across the country will pay aboutl2 percent more for health insurance for their employees this year, the highest increase since 1993, according to a survey by Towers Perrin, one of the world's largest human...

Physicians' self-insurance fund insolvent, faces deficit.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 14, 2000... Caduceus Self Insurance Fund, once the state's largest malpractice self insurer has been placed in receivership with the Florida Department of Insurance. The fund, which has been winding down business since 1998, has an estimated $7...

Employers still feel 'at risk' in telecommuting.(Brief Article)
January 14, 2000... Steve Tolbert, CEO of Global Systems Strategies, found the perfect software engineer for his Vienna, Va.-based computer networking company. There was only one hitch: The woman, a single mother, wanted to work out of her home three days a...

Bill would repeal seller-financing tax change.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 14, 2000... Rep John E. Sweeney, R-N Y, will introduce a bill to repeal anew tax law change that forces most sellers of small business to pay all of the taxes due on their gains upfront rather than in installments. To offset the cost of extending various...

Comment period extended for paid family leave plan.(Brief Article)
January 14, 2000... The Department of Labor extended to Feb. 2 the public comment period for its proposal to allow states to pay unemploymeat insurance to new parents who take time off from work. This 15-day extension "is hardly adequate," said Rep. Bill...

A star is born -- maybe -- if Latin consumers applaud.(KAR Printing works on marketing Pepito)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 14, 2000... Miami printer learns the hard way that indigenous images don't always translate Father and son printers Sid and Scott Levy were first introduced to the Hispanic kid character Pepito in the early 1990s. Their brainstorm: Why not use the...

Newsmax.com finds niche, quickly lands $6.1M financing.(Brief Article)
January 14, 2000... Going from investigative reporter at The New York Post to president, CEO and editor of an online site in West Palm Beach is quite a journey -- but Christopher Ruddy likes being an entrepreneur. "I started with $100,000 from friends and...

Competition grows for online news.(Brief Article)
January 14, 2000... NewsMax.com approaches the news with a core concept: The Internet is an alternative medium -- with individuals turning to the Internet because they want a "contrarian," distinctive take on the news. After surfing some competitors' sites...

Robert L. McGrath is new FPL Group Treasurer.(Brief Article)
January 14, 2000... Robert L. McGrath has been appointed treasurer of Juno Beach-based FPL Group Inc. (NYSE: FPL). He will report to Lew Hay, chief financial officer. McGrath has been, since 1997, FPL Group's director of trust fund investments, a function that...

Delta completes buy of Comair Holdings Inc.(Brief Article)
January 14, 2000... Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) in Atlanta has completed its acquisition of Comair Holdings Inc. which owns all of the outstanding shares of COMAIR Inc., a Delta Connection carrier. Comair Holdings is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta, and...

Celebrity Cruises to sail waters of South America.(Brief Article)
January 14, 2000... Celebrity Cruises in Miami will transport its guests to some of the most vibrant and exotic locations in South America with the introduction of "Celebrity Voyages." Celebrity's latest offering is its first to feature a full South American land...

5th Avenue Channel hires new TV programming team.(Brief Article)
January 14, 2000... 5th Avenue Channel Corp. (Nasdaq: FAVE) in North Miami has hired a team of experienced television and Internet personnel to launch its new television channel. It is led by Ron Wishna, executive vice president of television, a four-time national...

Alliance to offer full e-business solutions.(Brief Article)
January 14, 2000... AnswerThink Consulting Group Inc. in Miami (Nasdaq: ANSR), a provider of end-to end e-business services, says SAP America Inc. has made it a member of the mySAP.com Partner Network AnswerThink will assist SAP with the delivery of mySAP.com...

Mortgage.com to raise $30 million from firms.(Brief Article)
January 14, 2000... Mortgage.com (Nasdaq: MDCM) in Plantation has agreed to independently finance its Openclose.com business and to sell a 49 percent interest in the new subsidiary to three investment firms for $30 million. The firms are Canaan Partners, Dominion...

MODCOMP wins contract for work in West Virginia.(Brief Article)
January 14, 2000... Fort Lauderdale-based MODCOMP Inc., a subsidiary of CSP Inc. (Nasdaq: CSPI), has won a contract from UCAR International to upgrade its industrial process-control computer system at its graphite specialties manufacturing plant in Clarksburg,...