South Florida Business Journal articles from September 2001

South Florida Business Journal archives from September 2001

WCI rears back on lavish polo home plans.(Watermark Communities)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Palm Beach County gets another shot to preserve 800 acres Palm Beach County is again vying for 800 acres of coveted cow pastures straddling its border with Martin County after plans to transform the land into pricey polo fields and homes...

Noble Financial takes its lumps.(Company Profile)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... Technology exposure gives niche firm some challenges The excesses of the tech boom may have come back to haunt Boca Raton's Noble Financial, a brokerage and money management firm heavily laden with dot.com stocks and technology IPOs. A...

Love me, but love my car first.(Justin and Maria Berrios, Split Image Automotive)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... For a few dizzying moments 37 years ago, Justin Berrios found himself racing pheromones instead of his '70 Nova street-legal dragster. He was changing the timing chain. "I was looking at her [Maria, now his wife] walking down the...

Ring, ring. who's there? Intraco. Intraco who?(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... Boca Baton-based Intraco Systems (Nasdaq: INSY) has quietly twisted in the financial breezes in the past year. Depending on the source, the small firm is a fallout victim from the dot.com storm, the information technology meltdown, or its...

Mail fraud targets area business, too.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... They're back -- the messages from Nigeria seeking to defraud Americans. This time there's a twist Businesses as well as individuals are the targets. "I decided to contact you in confidence that I was able to move out the sum of US $35.4...

Miami's diverse business arena shows up in the data.(Demographics Daily study of business ownership )(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... Miami ranks second to Georgia's capital region as having the most diverse mix of entrepreneurs in any U.S. metropolitan area, according to a Demographics Daily study of business ownership in 181 metros. Miami's strength is its vibrant...

Florida PSC scrutinizes bc phone competition.(Public Service Commission investigates possible anti-competitive practices)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... An unprecedented inquiry by the Florida Public Service Commission has set the stage for a statewide showdown over local phone service. In early August, the agency opened investigations into charges of anti-competitive practices on the parts...

Beacon Lakes project faces explosive issue.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Developer downplays potential problem with methane gas, will handle issue after variance OK Coral Gables-based Codina Group's proposed 436-acre, 6.2 million-square-foot Beacon Lakes industrial park might be partially built on a methane...

Brooklyn's commercial art scene in-Lake Worth.(Palm Beach Institute of Contemporary Art to offer Brooklyn exhibit)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Art has come in all its vibrancy, seriousness and goofiness from the borough of Brooklyn to the Palm Beach Institute of Contemporary Art. Brooklyn has in recent years turned into an artists' Mecca, scrounged from abandoned industrial...

SBA to give big recognition to small businesses.
September 7, 2001... The Small Business Administration is looking for a small business person who contributes to the community and whose business demonstrates staying power, growth in employment, increased sales, innovation and an ability to respond to adversity....

New OSHA chief to 'stimulate' safety.(Occupational Safety and Health Administration, John Henshaw)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... New OSHA administrator John Henshaw wants to sell small businesses on the idea that safety programs will help their bottom line. He said he knows the value of safety programs because of his 26 years experience in the chemical industry. "I...

Bankruptcy filings hit record.(House and Senate work to revise bankruptcy law)
September 7, 2001... Bankruptcy filings jumped 25 percent in the second quarter of 2001 compared with the same period in 2000, breaking the 400,000 mark for the first time. At this rate, bankruptcy flings will surpass 1998's record of 1.44 million filings....

Owners work more in tight market.
September 7, 2001... The economic slowdown has only slightly eased the tight labor market for small employers, according to a new survey by the NFIB Education Foundation. The survey found that 71 percent of small businesses that have recently sought to hire...

PACs drop, soft money grows.(political action committees)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... The number of federally registered political action committees dropped from 3,907 on Jan. 1 to 3,877 by July 1, according to the Federal Election Commission. The National Federation of Independent Business' PAC has contributed $91,000 to...

Manufacturers push for weak dollar.(National Association of Manufacturers forms coalition with other trade groups)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... The National Association of Manufacturers and six other trade groups formed a new coalition that hopes to persuade the Bush administration to "slowly and gently deflate the speculative bubble that the dollar has become," said NAM President...

Florida's hourly wages among lowest in nation.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... A state labor report recently conducted by Florida International University shows Florida's wages are still among the lowest in the country. The median hourly wage for all workers in the state in 2000 was $9.11, a 2.4 percent gain over the...

Chamber: Minimum wage hike bad.(United States Senate to vote on raising minimum wage)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... No time is a good time to raise the minimum wage, business lobbyists argue, but now is a particularly bad time for an $1.50-an-hour increase, they say. The last time the minimum wage was increased (in 1997), the unemployment rate for...

Tourjets IPO delayed again.(initial public offering)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... Originally expected to go public Aug. 3, the initial public offering of Miami's Tourjets (TJET) was pushed back again to this week, according to a CNNFN's Deals and Debuts report. The Business Journal reported last week that the offering had...

Benihana to sell shares.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... Miami-based Benihana (Nasdaq: BNHN and BNHNA) plans to make 750,000 shares worth $9.75 million available in a public offering, according to a registration statement filed with the SEC. Shares of the Japanese restaurant chain dosed at $13...

Kos to sell $200 million in shares.(Kos Pharmaceuticals)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... Kos Pharmaceuticals in Miami (Nasdaq: KOSP) said it may sell shares of its common or preferred stock or warrants worth up to $200 million, according to a universal shelf registration statement filed with the SEC. The company said in a...

Royal Caribbean cuts commissions.(Royal Caribbean Cruises cuts travel agent commissions)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... Miami-based Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE: RCL) will cut the commission it pays travel agents from 10 percent to 5 percent for the air portion of booked cruises on Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises, effective Sept. 15. The new...

CEO shakeup at Viasource.(Colin McWay replaces Craig Russey as Viasource Communications president and CEO)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Colin McWay has been appointed president and CEO of Fort Lauderdale-based Viasource Communications (Nasdaq: VVVV) replacing Craig Russey, according to a company news release. McWay was formerly the firm's executive VP of business operations....

Raborn files for personal bankruptcy.(Douglas K. Raborn)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... Douglas K. Raborn, a Delray Beach-based money manager, has filed for personal bankruptcy under chapter 7 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. In a filing Aug. 24 in West Palm Beach, Raborn listed assets of $4,505 and liabilities of about $1.4 million....

SportsLine to acquire Sandbox.com.(SportsLine.com)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... SportsLine.com (Nasdaq: SPLN) of Fort Lauderdale, the Internet sports media company and publisher of CBS SportsLine.com, said it has executed a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Sandbox.com. Sandbox has built a database of more...

Photronics in deal with Conexant.(Photronics forms alliance with Conexant Systems, acquires PKL Co.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... Jupiter-based Photronics (Nasdaq: PLAB) and California-based Conexant Systems (Nasdaq: CNXT), a semiconductor system solutions company, created a technology alliance and multi-year supply agreement under which Photronics will become the primary...

Aviation Sales names COO.(Aviation Sales Co. appoints Gil West executive VP and COO)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Miramar-based Aviation Sales Co. (NYSE: AVS) appointed Gil West executive VP and COO. In his new role, West will oversee the company's maintenance and repair operations, according to a release. West has relocated to Greensboro, N.C., to the...

Turner wins Club Tower phase 2.(Turner Construction Co. wins contract to build high rise condominiums in Florida)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... Miami's Turner Construction Co. was awarded a contract to build the second phase of the Gables Club Tower condominium. Turner is a subsidiary of The Turner Corp. and is general contractor for the high-rise luxury condominium. Construction is...

Meridian signs deal with Velda.(Meridian USA Holdings, Velda Farms Dairies)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... Meridian USA Holdings (OTC BB: MUSD) of Boca Raton has signed an exclusive agreement to distribute its sugar-free sports drink ChampionLyte in Florida with Velda Farms Dairies. Under the agreement, Lakeland-based Velda Farms will market,...

Dreams acquires Greene Org.
September 7, 2001... Dreams (OTC BB: DBMS) has acquired Plantation-based The Greene Organization a 10-year-old, three-person corporate sports and marketing firm that provides all off-field activities for its clients through exclusive and non-exclusive...

Oxtails and More offers IPO.(AckeeOx Corp. announces initial public offering)
September 7, 2001... West Palm Beach-based AckeeOx Corp. has begun an initial public offering of 1 million units -- equal to one share of common stock and a warrant to purchase one share of common stock -- for $5.10 a unit. Jerold and Jayme Kritchman, a father...

Wackenhut vies for detention deal.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Palm Beach Gardens-based Wackenhut Corrections Corp. (NYSE: WHC) said its Australian arm, Australasian Correctional Management Pty Limited, is in negotiations with the Australian Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs for the...

AESP completes acquisition.(Advanced Electronic Support Products, Intelek spol S.R.O.)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Advanced Electronic Support Products (Nasdaq; AESP) of North Miami said it completed the acquisition of Intelek spol. s.r.o. Founded in 1993, Intelek had 2000 revenue of $4.1 million. Intelek is a distributor and manufacturer of networking...

AutoNation launches 'Courtesy' brand.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Automotive retailer AutoNation (NYSE: AN) of Fort Lauderdale said 11 of its Orlando-area franchised dealerships and eight of its stand-alone collision centers will adopt "Courtesy" as a local-market brand with a marketing campaign debuting Dec....

Comair to connect to Miami.(new services)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Delta Connection carrier Comair expanded service from its Cincinnati hub on Sept. 1 to Miami, Myrtle Beach, S.C., Nassau, Bahamas, and Providence, R.I. The additions bring the total number of cities that Comair serves to 95. Comair will...

Ask a professional for advice with retirement savings.(Column)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Dear Mr. Berko: I recently left a group practice to go solo, and I have rolled over the plan from my previous employer to an IRA. I need to set up a retirement plan for my new corporation, but prior to determining what type of plan I select,...

Even angels need some training.
September 7, 2001... In the venture capital world, a lot of today's talk is about helping early-stage companies find "angel" investors. Angels are wealthy individuals who help companies reach a stage where they can then seek money from venture funds. But angel...

It's a small galaxy, after all.
September 7, 2001... Journalists are trained to keep their ears open, but sometimes we hear cool things we can't pass along to readers. After perusing a book sale in the lobby of The Business Journal building, I rode the elevator up with a co-worker and a...

MEDIA & MARKETING.(Le Soleil de la Ploride acquired)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Even lawyers can be publishers The attorney representing mobile home park residents evicted by the Seminole Indian Tribe of Florida almost a year ago has emerged as co-publisher of a French language newspaper published in Hollywood. ...

Old school, new school.(Office Depot Inc.'s advertising campaign)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Ad campaigns are short-lived organisms. If successful, they give back profits but not much more. That hasn't been the case for Office Depot and its profit-boosting, issue-galvanizing TV spot. Its ad depicts a struggling teacher and her...

Home court advantage.(Mark A. Philippoussis buys ranch in Palm Beach Farms, Delray Beach)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Pro tennis player Mark A. Philippoussis, a finalist in the 1998 U.S. Open, sold his house in Miami and relocated to a "horse community" in Palm Beach Farms, Delray Beach. Philippoussis bought a ranch-style house at 10625 El Paraiso Place...

DORMtours takes an educated leap.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Moving in where dot.coms have failed, Shari Olefson, 38, president of Fort Lauderdale-based Virtual Media Networks, has developed DORMtours. The non-practicing attorney calls it a college freshman's biggest friend. Schools, as well as...

Eclipsys wins magazine recognition, new deals.(medical offfice software)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... * Profile: The firm's Sunrise software suites help health care organizations manage patient information access, prescription ordering, billing, reimbursement, and performance analysis. Sunrise also includes tools for application integration and...

Reinvesting in the community.
September 7, 2001... The law firm Holland & Knight and the organization UrbanAmerica used an evening event to educate locals on business opportunities that exist as part of the Community Reinvestment Act. Topics included new market tax credits and pending...

Wishful actions.(Bistro 17 debut raises funds for Make-A-Wish foundation of Southern Florida)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... It was the debut of Darrel & Oliver's Bistro 17, the signature restaurant at the new Renaissance Fort Lauderdale hotel. More than 400 guests were on hand for "Dinner by the Bite." The event raised $6,200 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of...

Enterprise Development Corp.(to consult for Marine Environmental Services and Wiznet)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Boca Raton-based Enterprise Development Corp. will provide consulting services to Marine Environmental Partners and Wiznet.

Feehan Communications.(contract with Nexus Multimedia)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Feehan Communications in Fort Lauderdale has been retained by Nexus Multimedia of Phoenix to develop and implement a PR program.

Swanke Hayden Connell Architects.(to build Bridgeport Landing in Bridgeport, Connecticut)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Miami-based Swanke Hayden Connell Architects has been selected by the city of Bridgeport, Conn. as architects for Bridgeport Landing.

Lotspeich Co. of Florida.(contracts with South Florida Water Management District, The Breakers, and Palm Beach Atlantic College)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Lotspeich Co. of Florida in Riviera Beach has been awarded contracts by the South Florida Water Management District, The Breakers and Palm Beach Atlantic College.

Cheryl Andrews Marketing.(chosen to represent the Negril Chamber of Commerce)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... The Negril Chamber of Commerce selected Cheryl Andrews Marketing of Coral Gables as its new agency of record.

GSD Contracting.(contracts with Bennett Auto Supply and Washington Mutual Bank for new buildings)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... GSD Contracting of Fort Lauderdale was awarded a contracts with Bennett Auto Supply for its new Oakland Park facility and Washington Mutual Bank for a new Bird Road branch in Miami.

Business Wire.(part of the InternetCoast initiative)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Business Wire was named Official Wire Service of the InternetCoast initiative.

Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.
September 7, 2001... The readers of Successful Meetings magazine awarded the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau its 2001 Pinnacle Award. The GFLCVB also received the Top Destination Award from Facilities and Destinations magazine and Association...

Tamarac.
September 7, 2001... The city of Tamarac won two awards at the Florida Economic Development Council's Promotional Materials Awards for "The City of Tamarac Economic Development Strategy: 2000-2005 Five Year Plan."

L'Escalier.
September 7, 2001... L'Escalier restaurant at The Breakers in Palm Beach received a 2001 Grand A ward from The Wine Spectator.

Coastal Homes.
September 7, 2001... Coastal Homes of Miami won a Grand Aurora Award for best in the "One-of-a-Kind Custom Homes from $1.5 to $2 Million" category at the Aurora Awards.

Retzscb Lanao Caycedo Architects.
September 7, 2001... Retzscb Lanao Caycedo Architects in Boca Raton received a Special Recognition Award for Commercial Building Design from the Community Appearance Board of the city of Boca Raton.

The Crescent.
September 7, 2001... The Crescent hotel on South Beach received the city of Miami Beach's 2001 Barbara Baer Capitman Art Deco Restoration Award.

Pamela Sanders-White.(Patrick Francis Daly Memorial Award for Excellence in Educational Leadership)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Pamela Sanders-White, principal of Orchard Villa Elementary School in Miami-Dade County, was awarded the Patrick Francis Daly Memorial Award for Excellence in Educational Leadership.

The Pharmed Group.(acquires PBA/PAL Laboratories)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... The Pharmed Group in Miami acquired PBA/PAL Laboratories, also in Miami.

Edward D. Stone and Associates (EDSA).(forms EDSA/Cloward with Cloward and Associates)(Abstract)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Fort Lauderdale-based Edward D. Stone and Associates (EDSA) joined with Cloward and Associates of Provo, Utah, to form EDSA/Cloward, specializing in the design of water features, resorts and theme parks.

Cybear.(license agreement with ReadyScript)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Cybear, a member of Boca Raton-based Andrx Corp., entered into a license agreement with ReadyScript.

Noble Financial Group.(forms strategic alliance with Noble Financial Group)(Abstract)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... The law firm of Howard L. Schwartz in Boca Raton formed a strategic alliance with Noble Financial Group, also in Boca Raton.

Burt & Pucillo merged with Berman DeValerio & Pease.(to form Berman DeValerio Pease Tabacco Burt and Pucillo)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... West Palm Beach law firm Burt & Pucillo merged with Berman DeValerio & Pease of Boston and Berman DeValerio Pease & Tabacco of San Francisco to form Berman DeValerio Pease Tabacco Burt & Pucillo. The firm represents investors in shareholder...

Miami-Dade Community College.(transfer agreements with Miami-Dade County Public School System)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Miami-Dade Community College (M-DCC) and the Miami-Dade County Public School System entered into 10 transfer agreements that enable high school tech prep students to move on to M-DCC with college credit toward an associate in science degree.

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE.(includes multiple appointments)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... ACCOUNTING Arthur Andersen promoted Kevin Collver, Janet Kredi, Daniel Hawn and Tony Kunkle to managers. BANKING/FINANCE Brown Brothers Harriman in Palm Beach promoted Jessica Wang to portfolio manager and hired Robert J. O'Brien...

Women hurt more.(workplace violence)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2001... Sixteen percent of women report being bullied on the job. They are twice as likely to call in sick. "It's dangerous out there in the workplace, especially for women with jobs in health care, education and social welfare," according to a...

Grabbing a slice.(funding of economic development programs)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 7, 2001... Effective July 1, the following economic development programs were funded in the Florida Legislature's budget: * Enterprise Florida: $10.97 million * Qualified Target Industries: $24 million * Quick Action Closing Fund: $1.5...

SENSIBLE OBSESSION.(filmmaker George Jiha's life story)
September 7, 2001... Filmmaker George Jiha directs (and writes and produces) his career George Jiha remembers growing up mesmerized by what he calls the "big screen," picking up scraps of film from flicks his father showed in one of the family's three theaters...

Bush Brothers lack cents.(George W. and Jeb Bush)(Brief Article)(Column)
September 7, 2001... We'll say this for the brothers Bush: They sure do know how to squeeze the political play out of a penny. The recent appearance of back-to-back headlines only bolsters our case that the Bushes are part-time mathemagicians. This, by the...

Jaws 'n' paws rattle the food chain.(shark attacks reduce tourism)(Brief Article)(Column)
September 7, 2001... According to the Bible, there is a time to be born, and a time to die. According to me, there are maybe two peaceful ways to die, and 16 billion unpleasant ways. Dying in one's sleep with all of one's affairs in order, good. Being crushed...

It's the money, stupid; Design, manage, get out.(Enterprise Development Corp., management techniques)(Brief Article)(Column)
September 7, 2001... At the Enterprise Development Corp., we see hundreds of companies each year and we work hard to help them grow. Almost all of them come to us thinking that money will solve all of their problems. Are they right? Well, not exactly. In...

2001 technology awards.(Florida area companies)
September 7, 2001... judges Jeanne Becker is President of Becker Consulting Services and is Executive Director of the Florida Venture Forum. She was the 93/94 Chairperson of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce and the 95/96 President of the UM School of...

Honoring the driving forces of our economy.
September 7, 2001... One of the toughest challenges surrounding our Technology Awards 2001 is selecting the winners and finalists among all of the nominees. Even with the recent changes in the market, the applications we received were a clear indication that...

Deloitte & Touche.
September 7, 2001... Dear Business Colleagues: What company comes to mid when someone asks you to nake a South Florida technology leader? In the near future, we believe that most people will mention one or more of the proud winners of the 2001 Technology...

Terrorism alters future of business: Companies eye security after attacks.(security companies more vigilant due to World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks)(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... When American Airlines flight 11 crashed into the World Trade Center's 110-story South Tower, the Boeing 767 set off security alarms that are still ringing in the ears of a stunned America. "America changed at 8:39 this morning and it will...

Terrorism alters future of business: Workplaces come to a standstill.
September 14, 2001... Business slowly started to rebound after terrorist incidents in New York, Washington, D.C. and Pittsburgh brought the nation to a standstill Tuesday. The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center towers will be the most costly man-made...

Symbols of success become targets.(World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks may have economic consequences for real estate industry)(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... Flashy office towers that pierce skylines nationwide are often chased by institutional and wealthy individual investors like prize trophies. But attacks targeting two of the nation's most recognized structures raise questions about whether...

Terror fails to break human connection.(World Trade Center and Pentagon Attacks)(Brief Article)(Column)
September 14, 2001... My apartment building is less than 15 minutes from an international airport. The view of the night sky over the ocean usually has as many planes as it does stars. The night of Sept. 11. I walked along the beach well after midnight, sorting...

Deal for Gulfstream sign of a boutique hotel trend.(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... Imagine dining with the ghosts of Al "Scarface" Capone and his lieutenants at the GulfStream Hotel along the Intracoastal in Lake Worth. Or vacationing in an historic Mediterranean getaway that has hosted Paul Newman, Willie Nelson and...

CORRECTION.
September 14, 2001... Article on Noble Financial contained inaccurate information An article on Noble Financial in last week's edition contained inaccuracies about the Boca Raton company, which offers investment banking and money management services. * A...

New York damage doesn't insure rates won't rise here.(insurance may rise in Florida as a result of terrorist attacks)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 14, 2001... Tuesday's terrorist attacks in New York and Washington could prompt insurance companies to charge higher rates for some property owners and renters of space in high-rise buildings in South Florida. Owners of theme parks and other...

CORRECTION.
September 14, 2001... A fax number, instead of a voice number, was provided with a profile of LifeFiles.com in last week's Technology Awards section. The firm's voice number is (954) 739-5422. An outdated address was printed in the section for OmniCluster...

Phone companies react to load, interference.(in wake of terrorist attacks)(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... Michael Gallick was one of the lucky ones. He was working as an advertising supervisor in a building directly across from the World Trade Center in Manhattan on Tuesday. Not only did Gallick escape death or injury, but he joined the few...

Holland & Knight's New York office averts disaster.(Brief Article)
September 14, 2001... There's good news for one of South Florida's premier law firms, Holland & Knight. "None of our people got harmed in New York City," said Skip Smith, managing partner of the firm's West Palm Beach offices. "A lot of debris fell around our...