South Florida Business Journal articles from November 2000

South Florida Business Journal archives from November 2000

Feds plan crackdown on interstate truck safety.
November 3, 2000... The federal government will launch a crackdown on trucking safety next week with aggressive fines against interstate carriers who repeatedly break rules, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater. His get-tough stance includes a...

Riviera Beach plans major facelift.
November 3, 2000... After two plans and many efforts that fell short during the past 10 years, Riviera Beach expects to seek development proposals for 700 acres in the first quarter of 2001. Three separate projects, costing an estimated $700 million, would...

Banking online replaces standing in line.
November 3, 2000... Almost every week, TransAtlantic Bank top executives receive a call from another South Florida bank asking for help with the Internet. TransAtlantic, which is based in Miami and has $290 million in assets, launched its Internet banking...

Woes persist for Wackenhut corporations.
November 3, 2000... Add Nevada and Tennessee to the states where Wackenhut Corp. is encountering problems. Concerns about Wackenhut prisons, security facilities and guards have previously resulted in lawsuits, jailed employees or lost business in Louisiana,...

E-Pawn.com and CeleXx settle dispute.
November 3, 2000... E-Pawn.com, Inc. (OTCPP:EPWN) headquartered in Coral Springs, will drop its suits against Boca Raton-headquartered CeleXx Corp. (OTCBB: CLXX) and its president, Doug Forde. A settlement to the dispute was reached last Friday. Doug Forde,...

Weight-loss device makes slim impression on some.
November 3, 2000... 'Tis the season for another weight-loss gadget. With Thanksgiving not far away, TV stations across South Florida are preparing program segments aimed at helping people lose the weight they gain during the holidays. One of the slim-down...

Spherion binge continues with dot-com purchase.
November 3, 2000... As his $3.8 billion HR firm explores cyberspace to electrify lagging profits, Spherion Corp. chairman and CEO Ray Marcy says "the sky's the limit" for generating revenues. Last month, Fort Lauderdale-based Spherion (NYSE:SFN), which...

CORRECTION.
November 3, 2000... An incorrect phone number for PriMed Technologies of Deerfield Beach was given in the Oct. 27 edition. The phone number is (954) 426-6056. A story in the Oct.20 edition gave an incorrect architectural firm for The Pointe condominium at...

$344 million deal for Republic Security should boost Wachovia.
November 3, 2000... Executives: Similar service models make for smooth transition Wachovia Corp. is gearing up to become a major player in South Florida banking, just as it is in most other markets in the southeast, after it completes its acquisition of...

BankAtlantic's 3Q earnings drop to $5.3 million.
November 3, 2000... BankAtlantic Bancorp (NYSE: BBX) of Fort Lauderdale reported net income of $5.3 million or 14 cents a share for this year's third quarter ended Sept. 30. The firm, whose principal subsidiary is BankAtlantic, had net income of $9.3 million or 18...

Loans drive BankUnited earnings.
November 3, 2000... BankUnited Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: BKUNA) of Coral Gables reported net income for the fourth quarter ended Sept. 30 of $3.5 million or 19 cents a share compared with net income of $3.4 million or 18 cents a share for the same quarter in 1999....

Pointe Financial declares dividend.
November 3, 2000... Pointe Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: PNTE) declared a quarterly dividend of 5 cents a share of its common stock for Dec. 1 for shareholders of record as of Nov. 15. The board of directors also authorized up to $3 million to be used to repurchase...

'Not profitable' Smith Agency.com closes its doors.
November 3, 2000... Fort Lauderdale-based SmithAgency.com will cease operations according to its parent company, QuikBiz Internet Group (OTC BB: QBIZ). "SmithAgency.com has not been profitable, due to several factors," said David Bawarsky, QuikBiz president and...

Reporter dies in hit-and-run.
November 3, 2000... SportsLine.com senior writer Steve Schoenfeld was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Tempe, Ariz., last week, the Fort Lauderdale company said. Schoenfeld had been attending a lecture by journalist Helen Thomas at Arizona State University. ...

Orange Bowl, Sunshine deal.
November 3, 2000... Executives of the Orange Bowl Committee and Sunshine Network announced a three-year agreement establishing Sunshine Network as the "exclusive regional sports network of the Orange Bowl Festival" and related shows. The agreement gives...

University Channel to launch.
November 3, 2000... StarMedia Network (Nasdaq: STRM), an Internet media company linking Spanish and Portuguese speakers, inaugurated its online University Channel with an offline university tour visit to Miami-Dade Community College during the school's Hispanic...

Corporate execs tired of soft money 'shakedown'.
November 3, 2000... Harry Freeman, a former executive vice president with American Express, said a new poll supports what he saw first-hand at the financial services giant: Corporations give campaign contributions because they fear politicians will punish them if...

Senator accuses SBA of electioneve politics.
November 3, 2000... The chairman of the Senate Small Business Committee accused the Small Business Administration of promoting Vice President Al Gore's candidacy for president by conducting a national public relations blitz" just before the Nov. 7 election. ...

BBB releases e-tailers code.
November 3, 2000... The Better Business Bureau released the BBB Code of Online Business Practices, a self-regulatory tool for Internet retailers that is designed to build consumer confidence in e-commerce. The code calls for online merchants to post privacy...

AutoNation income down, EPS up.
November 3, 2000... AutoNation of Fort Lauderdale (NYSE: AN), South Florida's largest public company, reported third quarter net profits fell to $93.1 million from $104.7 million in the same period a year earlier. Net earnings per share rose to 26 cents from 24...

Benihana earnings growth slows.
November 3, 2000... Miami-based Benihana (Nasdaq: BNHN and BNHNA), operator of the nation's largest chain of Asian restaurants, reported net income for the second quarter ended Oct. 8 of $1.6 million or 26 cents a share compared with $1.5 million or 25 cents a...

FFI Fragrances to buy Arden lines.
November 3, 2000... Miami-based FFI Fragrances (Nasdaq: FRAG) announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Elizabeth Arden and Elizabeth Taylor cosmetics and fragrances businesses from the Unilever Group (NYSE: UN) for about $190...

Quipp posts record 3Q.
November 3, 2000... Quipp in Miami (Nasdaq: QUIP) posted record earnings for the third quarter ended Sept. 30 of $1.16 million or 61 cents a share, an increase of $69,000 or 6.3 percent, compared to net income of $1.09 million or 58 cents a share for the same...

NetSpeak posts smaller 3Q loss.
November 3, 2000... NetSpeak of Boca Raton (Nasdaq: NSPK) announced a net loss for the third quarter of $612,000 or 4 cents a share, as compared to $2.5 million or 19 cents a share for the third quarter of 1999. NetSpeak is a provider of advanced telephony...

Inprimis cuts losses.
November 3, 2000... Inprimis (Nasdaq: INPM), formerly Boca Research, reported a third quarter loss of $411,000 or 4 cents a share on revenue of $4.2 million, compared to a loss of $4.8 million or 45 cents a share on revenues of $7.7 million in the previous year....

Applied Digital raises $20 million.
November 3, 2000... Ed Duggan Applied Digital Solutions (Nasdaq: ADSX) has completed a private placement of 26,000 shares of Series C convertible preferred stock and related warrants for a purchase price of $20 million. The Palm Beach-based company expects...

Bluegreen gets $90 mil. receivables.
November 3, 2000... Boca Raton-based Bluegreen Corp. (NYSE: BXG), a developer and marketer of timeshare resorts, golf communities and residential land, has secured a $90 million timeshare receivables facility with Heller Financial (NYSE: HF). In a somewhat...

Claire's to pay dividends.
November 3, 2000... Pembroke Pines-based Claire's Stores (NYSE: CLE) will pay a regular cash dividend of 4 cents a share on its common stock and 2 cents a share on its class A common stock on Nov. 15 to shareholders of record on Nov. 8. Claire's Stores is a...

MasTec has record profit.
November 3, 2000... Miami-based MasTec (NYSE: MTZ) had net income of $26.1 million or 53 cents a share on revenue of $382.3 million for the quarter ended Sept. 30 compared to net income of $17.2 million or 40 cents a share on revenue of $301.1 million for the same...

CeleXx gets $10 million credit line.
November 3, 2000... Boca Raton-based CeleXx Corp. (OTC BB: CLXX) has secured a $10 million revolving line of credit from CIT (NYSE: CIT). The credit line will be used to refinance debt, provide working capital and further strategic acquisitions, according to the...

Stock buyback for Shochet Holding.
November 3, 2000... Shochet Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: SHOC) announced that it will buy back up to $500,000 of its stock, using working capital for the repurchase, said Roger Gladstone, Shochet chairman and CEO. "With the stock trading at a significant discount to...

S&P to watch Engle Homes.
November 3, 2000... Standard & Poor's said this week it placed its ratings on Engle Homes of Boca Raton (Nasdaq: ENGL) on credit watch following Engle's announcement that it has entered into a merger agreement under which the unrated Technical Olympic USA will...

New GM at Adelphia Business.
November 3, 2000... Arun Tarneja has been appointed the new GM for Adelphia Business Solutions (Nasdaq: ABIZ), which has its regional headquarters in Weston. He replaces Brian Sedella who resigned to join Telseon, an ethernet gigabit company.

Falic out as Perfumania CEO.
November 3, 2000... Jerome Falic, a director at Perfumania Marketing since 1994, is out as CEO. The Miami-based perfume chain is a subsidiary of E Com Ventures (Nasdaq: ECMV). Ilia Lekach, CEO of E Com Ventures, will absorb the Perfumania CEO duties and title,...

Recreation USA buys dealership.
November 3, 2000... Fort Lauderdale's Holiday RV Superstores (Nasdaq: RVEE), operating under the trade name Recreation USA, announced the acquisition of Village RV, one of the largest independent, full-service recreational vehicle dealerships in California. With...

Tidalwave acquires two more.
November 3, 2000... Tidalwave Holdings (OTC BB: TDWV) announced it has amended and expanded the MobileHomeTrader.com acquisition to include the acquisition of two mobile home loan Web sites. Under the original transaction, First American Mortgage Securities was to...

Dineronet.com, Punto-com partner.
November 3, 2000... Miami-based Dineronet.com, a Spanish and Portuguese-language personal finance portal, has formed a content partnership with Miami-headquartered Punto-com, which provides pan-regional intelligence on the Latin American "New Economy." ...

US Diagnostic sells centers.
November 3, 2000... West Palm Beach-based US Diagnostic (OTC BB: USDL) has sold three imaging centers to an entity controlled by Joseph A. Paul, the firm's president. Paul will step down as president Jan. 5 and will continue as a consultant, primarily related to...

NetSpeak rebounds with hot alliances, record earnings.
November 3, 2000... * Profile: NetSpeak develops communications software that enables real-time voice, video and data transmissions to take place between PCs and telephones. NetSpeak's call management software accounts for 65 percent of sales. The company's...

Earth to high-tech investors: buy at P/E ratios below 30.
November 3, 2000... Dear Mr. Berko: I know the high-tech sector is where the money will be in the future and I'd like to board the bandwagon as a long-term investor. But I don't want to pay 500 or 250 or 100 times earnings and make the same dumb mistakes my...

Anachronisms.
November 3, 2000... Cartier, the international jeweler and Mayors, are presenting an exhibit of fifteen vintage time pieces representing various eras from 1912 to 1942. The collection will be on view at the Mayor's location on Lincoln Road in Miami Beach starting...

Rolling Web.
November 3, 2000... Mercedes-Benz is now offering Web-based information in its 2001 vehicles. According to a release, the system uses the "same telematics" technology that made its Tele Aid emergency assistance system possible. The Web-based services are being...

CEOs cast shadow of economic doubt.
November 3, 2000... CEOs from around the country gathered at the annual Business Council meeting in Boca Raton last week to deliver a grim economic forecast for next year. With so many highly paid top executives on hand at the Boca Raton Resort & Spa, there...

South Florida stocks among those less counted.
November 3, 2000... While the number of delistings is down from previous years, there are fewer South Florida companies trading on U.S. stock exchanges - particularly from Miami-Dade County. That's because buy-outs and bankruptcies ruled the first half of...

The doctor is still the patient.
November 3, 2000... Eleven Health Maintenance Organizations from around the country have failed to meet the guidelines recently adopted by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners for the minimum capital level needed to maintain financial stability,...

No qratuitous sub plots here.
November 3, 2000... Residents of Palm Beach County, brace yourselves. Mike Kirton and Greg Hauptner are bringing another car-crashing, boat-wrecking movie to town. The fun starts Nov. 27 and should create as much local excitement as the two independent...

Riding the crest.
November 3, 2000... Elegance in high-seas travel ratcheted one step higher for South Florida vacationers last week when Silversea Cruises' new luxury liner Silver Shadow slipped for the first time alongside pier 25 at Port Everglades. The sleek, 610-foot...

Putting the pieces back together.
November 3, 2000... You can suffer more than a banged-up car and perhaps physical injury in an automobile accident. Just ask anyone who believes they got ripped off by their insurance company or a repair shop. Darla Burgess of Deerfield Beach has lost plenty...

State's tech future depends on continued cooperation.
November 3, 2000... The microcosm of cooperation this publication represents makes a strong case for Florida's role in the future of e-commerce. Just as the four newspapers involved - the South Florida Business Journal, Orlando Business Journal, Jacksonville...

South Florida tech alive and well.
November 3, 2000... This is a good news/bad news story. The tri-county area of South Florida -- Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties -- hosts a number of high-tech companies, ranging from dot.coms and Internet to software, hardware, electronic,...

Jacksonville tech growth changed by mergers, AOL.
November 3, 2000... For the past five years, the technology sector in Jacksonville has seen phenomenal growth that doesn't appear to be slowing down. The landscape is scattered with a growing number of software companies, ranging from two- to five-person shops...

ANC sets pace for online car rentals.
November 3, 2000... Tired of being placed on terminal hold when booking a car rental reservation? With all due respect to Avis and Hertz slogans from the '60s, ANC Rental is trying harder to put you in the driver's seat via its one-click Internet booking engine....

Momentum continues for Florida High-Tech Corridor.
November 3, 2000... Is it enough for Florida to merely survive in the high tech marketplace? Those who live along Florida's High-Tech Corridor don't think so. Since the inception of the Florida High-Tech Corridor Council in 1996, dozens of companies have...

Legislative issues facing Florida's manufacturers.
November 3, 2000... While there are nearly 20,000 manufacturers in Florida employing nearly a half-million people, the legislative issues facing this industry sector have been overlooked due to primary social issues such as education and health care. Due to...

Central Florida has blueprint for tech.
November 3, 2000... In Central Florida, where tech offshoots from such industry giants as Lockheed Martin and Harris Corp. are common, it's not unusual to find an entrepreneur with a vision. But Darrell Kelley, an engineer-turned-executive director of the...

Tampa area looks beyond short-term challenges.
November 3, 2000... While Florida wrestles with its high-tech image, the technology market sector shows no signs of cooling off in Tampa Bay. A falling stock market, mergers of major corporations and legal threats by investors in a major company do not appear...

Seminole building dispute still brews.
November 3, 2000... Residents of Candlelight Park, the Hollywood mobile home park on which the Seminole Indian tribe plans to begin building a Hard Rock Cafe hotel and casino in January, reacted angrily to an eviction notice last Friday, staging a protest at the...

Prime ribs to dance at new SoBe steak house.
November 3, 2000... A new upscale South Beach steak house set to open in February plans to provide a fresh look to its strip steaks. The Diamond Cabaret and Steakhouse at the Albion Hotel, 301 Lincoln Road, will offer partial nudity to accompany its high-end...

Win an island ... for a week, anyway.
November 3, 2000... Some lucky winner and 11 of their closest personal friends can win the use of an idyllic island getaway for eight days and seven nights. It's part of the "Your Own Private Island Sweepstakes" sponsored by vacation provider ByeByeNow.com of...

Bad boys beware.
November 3, 2000... During the week of June 22-27, you better watch out. Broward County Sheriff Ken Jenne will play host to more than 600 of his fellow elected sheriffs and their families from around the country. In addition to the top cops from the National...

Joel K. Gustafson.
November 3, 2000... Holland & Knight zoning and land use partner Joel K. Gustafson was recognized by the Cooperative Feeding Program of Broward County as the 2000 recipient of the Harvest for the Hungry Award for his legal work in getting the zoning changed to...

The Collection.
November 3, 2000... The Collection, a luxury automotive dealership in Coral Gables, was named a Porsche Premier Dealer for 2000 by Porsche Cars North America.

Harper Partners.
November 3, 2000... Harper Partners, an architecture and engineering firm in Coral Gables, was given the Best Awards from Associated Builders and Contractors, Florida Gold Coast Chapter, for its design work at Florida International University in Miami and Broward...

Palm RV Centers.
November 3, 2000... Palm RV Centers in Fort Lauderdale was recognized as a 2000 Circle of Excellence winner by Winnebago Industries for excelling in motor home sales, marketing and customer service.

Goodman Design.
November 3, 2000... Goodman Design in Boca Raton received the 2000 Gold Coast Builder's Association Gold Prism Award for their design and execution of a model residence in Aragon on the Ocean.

Mark Taveneau.
November 3, 2000... Mark Taveneau, manager of Winn Dixie grocery store in Tamarac, was named Location Manager of the Year for Winn-Dixie Stores' Miami Division.

Careers USA.
November 3, 2000... Careers USA, a staffing service in Boca Raton that specializes in temporary, temp-to-hire and permanent employment, was named by the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce as Business of the Year.

The Madfis Group.
November 3, 2000... The Madfis Group, an architectural, interior design and land planning firm in Fort Lauderdale, was selected by The Phillips Co. to provide interior design services.

Raider Corp.
November 3, 2000... Raider Corp., a demolition contracting firm in Fort Lauderdale, was chosen by Miller Construction to renovate the 700,000-square-foot Omni Mali in Miami.

John J. Doyle Builder & Co.
November 3, 2000... John J. Doyle Builder & Co. in Fort Lauderdale was selected to build The Spa at Sandestin Hilton Hotel and to build the 12,000-square-foot addition to the Durham Hilton Hotel in North Carolina.

Slattery & Associates Architects.
November 3, 2000... Slattery & Associates Architects, was chosen to complete the addition to Carl's Furniture showroom at 2090 N. Federal Hwy. in Stuart.

Proby & Associates.
November 3, 2000... Proby & Associates, a public relations firm in Miami, was selected to provide public relations services for The Weather Channel, Browning Ferris Industries, Hector & Harke law firm, Broadcast quality and Mobile Chiropratic.

L & L Communications.
November 3, 2000... L & L Communications, a corporate communications and public relations agency in Deerfield Beach, was chosen to provide a branding and marketing campaign for Horowitz & Company, an investment advisory firm specializing in asset management.

The Echeverria Design Group.
November 3, 2000... Greyhound Leisure Services commissioned The Echeverria Design Group in Coral Gables to provide space planning and interior design services for two duty-free stores opening at Miami International Airport.

Qode.
November 3, 2000... Qode, an infrastructure company in Fort Lauderdale, partnered with MerchantOnline.com, an e-commerce transaction company, to deliver a personalized, secure shopping system which links on-land and on line shopping behaviors.

The WAPD.
November 3, 2000... The WAPD, a Boca Raton organization that represents over 8.4 million disabled Americans, joined with Disabled2Work.com to assist the disabled in seeking employment.

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE.
November 3, 2000... ACCOUNTING RSM McGradley, an accounting, tax and consultanting firm in Fort Lauderdale, named Michael Andrew Baiter managing director. Sharon McEnroe was promoted to senior recruiter at MSI Consulting, a company in Fort Lauderdale that...

Brickell's five-star gem.
November 3, 2000... The grand opening of the JW Marriott Hotel Miami brought out 300 guests, local political figures and the hotel chain patriarch, chairman and CEO J.W. Marriott Jr. The event was held in the hotel's grand ballroom. The 21-story project, completed...

Women executives unite.
November 3, 2000... The National Association for Female Executives is one of the largest professional businesswomen's associations in the country, with a membership of 150,000 in a national network. Members of the new Miami chapter braved terrible rains to show up...

OPEN THE WINDOW.
November 3, 2000... Internet start-ups with a niche can still land funding Brett Rosen left a secure job in February with what he calls "a compelling business idea" on how to make his way in the Internet world. Giving a financial gift was "convoluted, and...

All in favor.
November 3, 2000... Allow your audience to gain from attending your presentations: * Tell listeners in advance what they can expect; * Explain the benefits such as saving time, saving money, reducing effort, assisting in success, reducing stress, or...

Think ahead.
November 3, 2000... Taking time to preplan your Web site will help tremendously with its development. Have a clear idea of why you want to be on the World Wide Web. * Detail three to five primary goals (reasons for having the site); * Bullet three to five...

Do the hard work and prepare to make the sale.
November 3, 2000... Most salespeople are half prepared. They know everything about their company and their product. They know nothing about their prospect. The secret to sales is to always be triple prepared. 1. Know stuff about you (a given). 2....

BankAtlantic uses Internet to expand appeal.
November 3, 2000... At BankAtlantic's Internet division, the computers need to be fast just to keep track of the products and services being added. Pending products at BankAtlantic.com include online approval of credit card applications, cash management for...