South Florida Business Journal articles from September 2001

South Florida Business Journal archives from September 2001

State looks at expanding business taxes.
September 28, 2001... The buffeting of state revenue coffers from the fallout of this month's terrorist attacks is spurring talk among some state lawmakers about taxing currently exempt goods and services. The drop in tourism and spending is likely to drive up...

There's no dressing up this disaster.
September 28, 2001... One monster will be missing this Halloween. Even though tastelessness is usually a plus for this holiday, we apparently will be spared the repeated sight of Osama bin Laden knocking on the door and shouting "trick or treat," Halloween...

Software makes the hard choices easier.
September 28, 2001... It has been a war of all casualties and no winners. Role model Silicon Valley is a www.deathvalley of brilliant ideas and empty wallets. The Internet Coast has become hurricane alley Worldwide, dot.coms and telecoms are under water,...

Board's vote spurs jump in land prices.
September 28, 2001... Asking prices for 17.5 raw acres near Codina Group's proposed Beacon Lakes industrial park increased by at least 50 percent within hours of a Sept. 13 variance from a Miami-Dade County environmental agency. "My money's on Codina," said...

Passenger traffic begins to pick up since attacks.
September 28, 2001... Despite a cruise line closing, some planes flying nearly empty and some hotels filling only 20 percent of their rooms, there are reasons for optimism about tourism. Some airlines are actually expanding. Shares of Carnival and Royal...

Retailers cautious, concerned about fourth quarter.
September 28, 2001... After airline and cruise travel was disrupted Sept. 11, sales slid at some South Florida shopping centers and malls that depend on tourism. Though September is notoriously sluggish as Labor Day ends and school begins, some general...

Passengers may be asked to pay for airport security.
September 28, 2001... Now that Congress has kicked in $15 billion to stabilize the precarious financial condition of the nation's airlines, it is preparing to spend billions more to restore public confidence in the safety of air travel. Bipartisan support is...

CORRECTION.(Correction Notice)
September 28, 2001... * In this week's "2001 Up & Comers Awards" supplement, Julie Silver Zobel, president of Boardroom Communications, should be listed as the winner of the Public Relations category.

Investor delays plan to open at Cleveland Clinic.
September 28, 2001... After signaling to state regulators it wanted to run a hospital on the site of the former Cleveland Clinic on Fort Lauderdale beach, a little known Clearwater-based group of physician investors has postponed its plans until next summer. The...

Competition keen for luxury shopping tenants.
September 28, 2001... For years, developer/owner Stanley Whitman rebuffed anxious suitors who pursued him to sell his luxury shopping center, Bal Harbour Shops. It is one of the most exclusive shopping centers in the country -- and known internationally as well --...

Renaissance ceases operations.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Renaissance Cruises, a Fort Lauderdale cruise line known for upscale cruises on smaller ships, has gone out of business. "Passengers currently onboard our vessels are being disembarked and travel arrangements are being made to get them...

Walton out at Applied Digital.(Mercedes Walton has resigned as CEO of Applied Digital Solutions)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Mercedes Walton has resigned as CEO of Palm Beach-based Applied Digital Solutions (Nasdaq: ADSX) and from her position as a company director, effective Sept. 5, according to a current filing with the SEC. The Applied Digital 8-K filing...

B/E Aerospace falls.(Credit Suisse First Boston cuts ratings)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... The stock of B/E Aerospace (Nasdaq: BEAV) fell 16 percent or 82 cents a share to $4.21 after Credit Suisse First Boston cut its ratings on the Wellington maker of airline cabin components to a "hold" rating from "strong buy." Customers have...

Carnival pre-attack earnings up.(Carnival Corp. 3rd-quarter earnings)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Carnival Corp. of Miami (NYSE: CCL) reported 25 percent higher earnings for its quarter ended Aug. 31, shortly before the terrorist attacks that have depressed cruise and airline stocks. Third-quarter earnings totaled $495 million or 84...

Hi-Rise Recycling reports loss.(quarterly earnings)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Hi-Rise Recycling Systems of Miami (Nasdaq: HIRI.OB) reported a net loss of $6.1 million or 36 cents a share for the quarter ended June 30 compared to net income of $21,000 or break-even a year earlier. Revenues for the quarter were $14.2...

Popeye's franchisee earnings flat.(Interfoods of America quarterly earnings report)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Miami's Interfoods of America (Nasdaq: IFDA), a Popeye's Chicken & Biscuits franchisee, reported net income for the quarter ended June 30 of $308,267 or 6 cents a share compared to $299,917 or 6 cents a share a year earlier. Revenue for...

Lennar earnings higher.(Lennar Corp. quarterly earnings report)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Miami-based Lennar Corp. (NYSE: LEN) said net earnings increased 75 percent to $106.69 million or $1.53 a share in the quarter ended Aug. 31, up from $61 million or 90 cents a share a year earlier, exceeding First Call consensus estimates of...

Boca Resorts sees lower revenues.(for the next two quarters)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Boca Resorts of Boca Raton (NYSE: RST) said it sees lower than expected operating results for the quarters ending Sept. 30 and Dec. 31. The company said the reduced outlook was fallout from the terrorist attacks. Short-term group booking...

Visual Data, Microsoft in deal.(Visual Data's streaming media content, WindowsMedia.com site)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Pompano Beach-based Visual Data Corp. (Nasdaq: VDAT) said it has signed an agreement with Microsoft Corp. to add links to all of Visual Data's streaming media content from the Microsoft WindowsMedia.com site and the integrated Media Guide in...

Nabi buys back stock.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Nabi (Nasdaq: NABI) of Boca Raton announced Its board approved the buy back of up to $5 million in common stock. Nabi is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the prevention and treatment of infectious and autoimmune diseases.

NuWay announces stock buy back.(NuWay Energy)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... NuWay Energy of California and North Miami Beach (Nasdaq: NWAY) said its board authorized a stock buy-back program of up to 400,000 shares. The company said it has about 4.2 million shares outstanding. NuWay is a slot machine company that...

Sealant moves HQ to South Florida.(Sealant Solutions)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Middleboro, Mass.-based Sealant Solutions (Nasdaq: SSLU) said it has moved its corporate operations and will lease office space in South Florida. More details were not available. Sealant Solutions markets a roofing sealing paint, other...

Sense Holdings secures $1 million.(in investment funds)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Sense Holdings of Fort Lauderdale (Nasdaq: SEHO.OB) and its subsidiaries said it has secured $1.06 million to accelerate the development of biometric security and explosives detection products. VFinance Investments (Nasdaq: VFIN) of Boca...

Cruise line sees settlement.(1,900-passenger cruise ships deal)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... American Classic Voyages of Sunrise (Nasdaq: AMCV) and Northrop Grumman Corp. (NYSE: NOC) of Pascagoula, Miss., said they have reached an agreement that enables the continued construction of two 1,900-passenger cruise ships. Provisions...

Andrx wins drug suit.(Biovail Corp. loses patent case, generic hypertension drug Tiazac)(Legal Beat)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Biovail Corp. of Toronto, Canada, said the Southern District Court of Florida overruled the validity of a patent for a new version of the generic hypertension drug Tiazac, eliminating a 30-month period of exclusivity over a competing version...

Cyber-Care adds' to credit.
September 28, 2001... Cyber-Care of Boynton Beach (Nasdaq: CYBR) said it has obtained a $15 million equity line of credit through Strategic Investment Management of Luxembourg. The financing was arranged by London Court Limited, which represents CyberEuroCare, a...

SFBC in stock buy-back.(SFBC International)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Miami drug development and research firm SFBC International (Nasdaq: SFCC) said it will repurchase up to 500,000 shares of common stock. SFBC specializes in drugs for geriatrics; pediatrics; post -menopausal women; cardiac disease; diabetes;...

Biotech stocks are great buy, but choose with care.(Biotech industry exceeds analysts' expectations)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 28, 2001... Dear Mr. Berko: I'd like to take a gamble on the biotech industry. What do you think about the prospects for this sector, short- and long-term? Which stocks would you recommend? W.K. Dear W.K.: Biotech issues have been slaughtered...

NFIB regulatory watchdog to head advocacy at SBA.(Small Business Administration's new chief counsel for advocacy)(Government Activity)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... For the past three years, Thomas M. Sullivan has challenged government regulations from the outside as regulatory policy counsel at the National Federation of Independent Business and then as executive director of the NFIB Legal Foundation....

SBA picks owners for posts.(New SBA deputy administrator, chief of Office of Entrepreneurial Development)(Government Activity)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... SBA Administrator Hector Barreto, who previously operated an insurance and financial services firm in Los Angeles, has turned to two other former small business owners to serve on his executive team. Melanie Sabelhaus, nominated as deputy...

Labor delays decision on ergonomics.(Department of Labor's ergonomics plan)(Government Activity)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... The Department of Labor has postponed its long-awaited announcement on how it will address ergonomics, the science of adapting work tasks to the human body. In March, Congress repealed a Clinton administration regulation requiring...

Tech transfer program gets money.(Small Business Technology Transfer program )(Government Activity)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Congress doubled funding for the Small Business Technology Transfer program and reauthorized the program for eight years. The STTR program funds cooperative research and development projects between small businesses and non-profit...

Changes afloat: Seabulk retools brands, Web site.(Seabulk International's marine support and transportation services)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... * Profile: Seabulk International's fleet of 206 vessels provide marine support and transportation services, primarily to the energy and chemical industries. Seabulk, formerly Hvide Marine, has three main businesses: offshore energy...

The cost of doing business.(Palm Beach County's airports' rent increases)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Traffic may be down at Palm Beach County's usually busy airports, but ground rents -- not airline terminal rents -- are going up for the fixed-base operators, aviation support and car rental companies. Those affected include tenants at...

Putting the back in backgammon.(Florida's state championship tournament)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... For players who treat every roll of the dice like it is life or death, backgammon can be an intense experience. Between a quick massage. can loosen shoulders and relieve tension. At last weekend's state championship tournament, held at...

A model anti-terrorism approach.(US Office of Homeland Security)(Government Activity)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... The U.S. government's new anti-terrorism office will probably be even more successful than its similar anti-drug office, according to Charles Patrick Garcia, chairman and CEO of Sterling Financial Investment Group in Boca Raton. Garcia...

The choice was valor.(World Trade Center viction, beloved lawyer)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Holland & Knight New York City lawyer Glenn Winuk, 40, threw himself into harm's way and is among the missing at the ruins of the World Trade Center. "Anybody who knows him, knows he would head down there working," his brother Jay, 43,...

Opposing attorneys make a motion.(Aircraft parts lease agreement case)(Legal Beat)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Lawyer Chris David has never been as far as Portland, Ore. But he found himself there Sept. 10 to take a deposition in a case about an aircraft parts lease agreement. David, a partner in the Miami firm Hall, David and Joseph, and his...

Reno stumps in Palm Beach Gardens.(Janet Reno's gubernatorial platform)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Janet Reno is making the rounds these days. But the stops are a long way from the lazy, cross-country tour in a red picknp truck the former U.S. attorney general pledged to make upon departing the White House. These days, it's all...

Lock and load.
September 28, 2001... There's been a run on Army/Navy and military surplus stores across South Florida as citizens load up on flags and other patriotic goods. But fear of more attacks has nervous customers buying survival gear, too. Several stores have...

Slam dunk.(Michael Jordan, Miami Heat ads)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... The drawn-out possible return of basketball star Michael Jordan to the NBA was a big story before Sept. 11. Then terrorists rearranged the headlines. But marketers at the Miami Heat decided not to waste any more time. A radio spot...

Richard B. Cormiter.(The Best Lawyers in America)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... West Palm Beach attorney Richard B. Cormiter was selected for Woodward & White's "The Best Lawyers in America" for the sixth consecutive year.

Greenberg Traurig.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Law firm Greenberg Traurig was named a top corporate/commercial law firm in the United States by the 2001 Chambers and Partners guide to the world's leading lawyers.

Ecclestone Signature Homes.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Ecclestone Signature Homes of Palm Beach was a five-time winner at the Gold Coast Builders Association 2001 Prism Awards.

C. Mann Associates.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Fort Lauderdale-based C. Mann Associates was a recipient of a national Clarion Award from the Association for Women in Communications.

U.S. Imaging Solutions.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Fort Lauderdale's U.S. Imaging Solutions and Miami Lakes-based Star Business Systems were named national elite dealers by Office Dealer magazine.

Gordon James III.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Fort Lauderdale attorney Gordon James III was honored by the Florida Defense Lawyers Association with its highest honor, the Joseph P. Metzger Outstanding Achievement Award.

Nancy Kondracki.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Nancy Kondracki, health information specialist with Fort Lauderdale-based Gail Becker Associates, was named Outstanding Dietetic Student of the Year by the American Dietetic Association.

Baker & McKenzie.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Miami-based Baker & McKenzie was named one of the top 20 corporate law firms in America by Corporate Board Member magazine.

Aces High-Impact Communications.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Margate-based Aces High-Impact Communications was awarded a one-year contract from Broward Meals on Wheels to provide media relations services, board development and special event planning and implementation. For information.

Shapiro & Zarikian.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Shapiro & Zarikian ot Miami was named an official public relations firm for the South Beach Wine & Food Festival.

New Venturez Business Solutions.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Plantation-based New Venturez Business Solutions was selected by the Minority E-Commerce Association to provide business development and management consulting services to its members.

Echeverria Design Group.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Federated Department Stores has commissioned the Echeverria Design Group of Coral Gables to provide architectural planning, interior design and documentation services for 'Juniors 2000' departments in two of the company's Burdines and two...

Retzsch Lanao Caycedo Architects.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Retzsch Lanao Caycedo Architects of Deerfield Beach has been named to design a new business park off Davie Road, south of 1-595.

Florida Public Utilities Co.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Florida Public Utilities Co. in West Palm Beach was tapped by Transeastern Properties to provide natural gas service to three new residential developments.

Lynn University.
September 28, 2001... Lynn University in Boca Raton established a joint pilot training program with Continental Express, the regional airline subsidiary of Continental Airlines.

Carnival Cruise Lines.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines offers infrared listening devices for hearing impaired guests on Carnival Spirit.

CD Interactive Corp.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
September 28, 2001... CD Interactive Corp. in Miami introduced the CDi Card, an interactive business card and marketing tool.

Nova Southeastern University's Shepard Broad Law Center.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Fort Lauderdale-based Nova Southeastern University's Shepard Broad Law Center offers an online master's degree program in health law.

Florida Atlantic University Small Business Development Center.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... The Florida Atlantic University Small Business Development Center offers a new online referral network.

Miami-Dade Community College.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Miami-Dade Community College offers a non-profit college credit certificate program for those working in hospitals, churches, social agencies, and other non-profit organizations.

Florida Medial Affiliates.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Miami-based Florida Medial Affiliates, publisher of Miami Metro City Guides, announced the premier of the South Florida Medical Guide.

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE.
September 28, 2001... ACCOUNTING Nancy Soderholm was promoted to manager in the litigation support services division and Judith A. Aranguren was named senior staff accountant at Berenfeld, Spritzer, Shechter & Sheer in Miami. Oscar Suarez was promoted to...

Part of the family.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... * Tips for becoming a better independent contractor: * Understand the business you work with. Do more than adequate research. * Be proactive, not reactive. Think like a strategic, invested business partner. * Embrace new...

One step beyond.
September 28, 2001... According to the U.S. Service Academies Business Leadership Institute, you can boost your image by adopting more of a military mindset Try: * Self-discipline * Commitment to something larger than oneself * Persistence and a...

NO TIME FOR PLAY.(Daniels and Roberts advertising agencies)(Company Profile)
September 28, 2001... D & R too busy with R & D for R & R The first creative act that Daniel Muggeo and Robert Amarillo did together was to name their company by using their first names. It was a distinctive, buttoned-down, upscale name, the pair thought, and...

Codina has first layoffs.(Codina Group reduces staff for the first time in its history)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... For the first time in its 21-year history, real estate developer Codina Group has instituted layoffs in an effort to brace for further deterioration of the economy On Sept. 20, the Coral Gables-based real estate company dismissed 16...

Who supervises the FAA?
September 28, 2001... One might think the Federal Aviation Administration would be humble after terrorists hijacked four jetliners and caused the deaths of more than 6,000 people, but apparently not. Broward County Sheriff Ken Jenne said he felt a moral duty...

Rockheads shatter window of grace.(Column)
September 28, 2001... The telemarketer who interrupted my evening was just doing her job. "Hi, this is Faceless Drone from Capital One, your credit card company We'd like to offer you a free three-month trial for our accidental death insurance." This was...

Small business is vital to a disrupted economy.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... The American way of life was attacked on Sept. 11 and the world as we know it has changed. Although our sense of security has been compromised, the state of our economy remains relatively strong. The recent terrorist attack has tested the...

Tragedy shows American heart.
September 28, 2001... Dear Editor, So many of us have been chasing after "The American Dream" by over working, over achieving and over striving that we have lost sight of what America was built on: Family. Trust. Honesty. Teamwork. Belief. Experiencing a...

Tears shed for broken hearts, not bodies.
September 28, 2001... I woke up Sept. 14 and turned on the news, as I had done every day that week. President Bush had called for a national day of mourning and encouraged everyone to wear red, white and blue. I went to my closet and stared at pinks and blacks...

NAWBO president plans new growth strategies.
September 28, 2001... When Brenda Hill-Riggins hired a plumber to fix her faucet 10 years ago, getting remarried and starting a multi-million dollar company was the furthest thing from her mind. But it wouldn't be long before she would marry that plumber and help...

Realtor harvests career with condo specialty.
September 28, 2001... Farming is real estate "speak" for specializing in an area or region. Christine Kinzer is an associate real estate broker for Arvida Realty Services in Fort Lauderdale. Kinzer, who has 30 years experience in real estate, became so...

SBA offers small business big recognition.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... The U.S. 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...

ISSI TO MARKET MAMMOREADER.(Imaging technology for mammography deal)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Boca Raton-based Intelligent Systems Software, developer of imaging technology for mammography, announced it has an agreement with Instrumentarium Imaging to exclusively distribute the new ISSI MammoReader in the United States, upon its...

A PHONE FOR STRESS.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Statistics show that physical abuse increases substantially in times of stress. Several mass e-mails have circulated suggesting that the country as a whole, and New York City in particular, is experiencing great stress. To assist women...

REALIZE THE POWER, OF DREAM.(Help for children, families and individuals facing serious illness)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... A dream that I have held close to my heart is on its way to coming true for families facing serious illness or crisis. Almost everyone will face the stress of coping with a serious illness in our lifetimes -- whether it is our own illness...

FAIR $ HARE.
September 28, 2001... WOMEN COMPETE FOR GOVERNMENT ATTENTION-AND DOLLARS Although architect Tamara Peacock knew nothing about marketing, a downturn in the economy in the 1980s forced her get new business. The former professional ballerina worked for a national...

Tragedy steals innocence, offers room for leadership.(Terrorist attacks' impact on working Americans)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Before Sept 11, blissfully naive, working Americans worried about our paychecks, our job satisfaction and our credit card debt. Now, many of us think about the possibility of never coming home from work at all. We are no longer naive....

The '10 darndest things' about getting breast cancer.(American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk )
September 28, 2001... Shelly Turetzky is a breast cancer survivor and gave a speech Aug. 1 to more than 300 at a breakfast for the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in Broward County. Her comments had the audience laughing out...

Avoid the cancer risk of mammography X-rays.(X-rays and other ionizing radiation proven cause mutations)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... According to the research by Dr. John Gofman, the population is at risk for developing cancer and heart disease stemming from the presences of a proven co-actor, ionizing radiation. X-rays and other ionizing radiation have been, for...

Local doctors offer new way to determine cancer risk.(breast cancer research)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... One thing medical experts know about cancer is that the earlier it's caught, the better the chances of survival. Now there s ductal lavage, a new weapon that might help physicians determine women at the highest risk for breast cancer,...

Internet Coast Quarterly.(BellSouth Multimedia Internet Exchange)
September 28, 2001... INTERNETCOAST ALIVE & WELL AND LIVING IN SOUTH FLORIDA Welcome to this quarter's installment of the InternetCoast Quarterly. As usual, we have worked to provide an overview of the various committees and their activities. Lately...