Fairfield County Business Journal articles from April 2001

Fairfield County Business Journal archives from April 2001

Roberts family business hits all the right notes.(Connecticut Music Inc. )(Statistical Data Included)
April 2, 2001... When it comes to harmony in the workplace, there are few sounds that match the synchronicity of a family working together. The unique personality of a family business, which is invariably created by the business family that owns it, can be the...

Danbury finds buyer for ice rink.(Triarc Companies Inc.)(Statistical Data Included)
April 2, 2001... Subcontractor liens yet to be resolved Danbury officials announced late last month that the city has found a white knight to rescue the troubled downtown ice rink project which local officials inherited from bankrupt ARC International Corp....

Colleges increase high-tech spending.(report from Market Data Retrieval)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 2, 2001... Colleges will spend a record $3.3 billion in the 2000-2001 school year on technology, up from $2.7 billion in 1999-2000, according to "The College Technology Review 2000- 2001" report from Market Data Retrieval (MDR) of Shelton, an education...

WWF eyes new match after pinning WCW.(World Wrestling Federation Entertainment Inc., World Championship Wrestling)(Statistical Data Included)
April 2, 2001... After sharpshooting its arch rival into submission, the World Wrestling Federation's parent company has taken on an even tougher challenge: Pondering how World Championship Wrestling (WCW) should operate within the much stronger WWF. ...

Service, flexibility key to surviving recession.(how small business can weather economic downturn)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2001... Jack Mitchell, chief executive officer of high-end clothiers Mitchells of Westport and Richards of Greenwich, knows how to please his clients. He personally knows his top 1,000 customers and pens a personal note to each of them every time...

Ailing industry needs doctor's prescription.(television news)(Brief Article)(Column)(Statistical Data Included)
April 2, 2001... That means getting away from the self-conscious agenda setting and entertaining of recent years. Imagine an industry that loses one-third or more of its customer base over a generation and still does business the same old way, without a...

Amplifications and corrections.(NIA Group L.L.C.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 2, 2001... The NIA Group was inadvertently omitted from the March 12 List of Insurance Agencies in Fairfield. The entry should read: NIA Group L.L.C. 2890 Main St., Stratford 06615-0289 339-6327 http://www.niagroup.com E-mail...

True leaders avoid quick-fix solutions.(managing in an anxious workplace)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2001... Our leaders are working under an increasing level of anxiety. They face difficult questions like: How can they motivate people? How can they do more with less? How can they better balance their lives? How can they create change? How can they...

'Dot corps' have unique employment needs.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2001... With the decline of dot-coms, companies need to adopt new strategies for addressing the recruiting, retention and compensation issues of "dot corp" employees. An "eCommerce Professionals Compensation Survey" by PricewaterhouseCoopers'...

Leasing activity may pick up in second half.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2001... Because of dwindling demand, commercial property leasing in Fairfield County will slow, although activity could rebound in the second half of 2001. Dean J. Shapiro, executive director for Connecticut and New York's Westchester County...

Making a statement.(commercial real estate development in Fairfax County)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 2, 2001... Developer Robert Scinto lines up tenants for ambitious Shelton project Developer Robert D. Scinto is prepared to begin construction on a 230,000- square-foot office building as part of an 11-acre complex at the intersection of Constitution...

Vineyards contribute open-space preservation.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2001... Protecting the nation's natural environment is a growing trend, and the country's wineries and vineyard owners are playing a leading role, according to the American Vintners Association (AVA) and the Land Trust of Napa County, Calif. Land...

Real estate markets slowing nationwide, United States. Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. survey finds.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2001... Conditions generally remained favorable in the nation's real estate markets during the second half of 2000, but there was some deterioration, especially involving single-family housing and local retail properties, according to the latest...

Nursing Homes.
April 2, 2001... Nursing Homes Ranked by number of licensed beds; alphabetically in event of tie Rank Name, address, telephone number and website Area code: 203 1 Bridgeport...

American Institute of Architects (AIA).(Brief Article)
April 2, 2001... John P. Franzen of South port, the principal of J.P. Franzen Associates Architects P.C., Southport, an architectural firm, was elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Washington, D.C. The honor is...

Olympus America Inc.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2001... d-store.com, Norwalk, an Internet supplier of digital photography equipment and solutions, received an Olympus Partnership Award from Olympus America Inc., Melville, N.Y., a camera manufacturer, for outstanding contributions to the sales growth...

Pitney Bowes Office Systems.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2001... Pitney Bowes Office Systems, Trumbull, a supplier of copier/printer and facsimile systems for the corporate market, announced that it has entered into a distribution agreement with Cypress Corp., Rochester Hills, Mich., for the Cypress...

Newsmakers.
April 2, 2001... U.S. Trust Company of Connecticut, Greenwich, an investment management company and a subsidiary of U.S. Trust Corp., announced the following appointments. Timothy H. Throckmorton of Redding joined the company's Stamford office as vice...

Ruth LeBlanc-Jones.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2001... Ruth LeBlanc-Jones of New Canaan was named by Coldwell Banker Connecticut/New York as its top sales associate in Connecticut for 2000. This marks the seventh consecutive year that LeBlanc-Jones has earned the honor. She is based in the...

Finding the right office space for your business.(Brief Article)(Interview)
April 2, 2001... WBDC has worked with hundreds of clients who have expanded their businesses from their basement to office buildings; warehouses and store fronts. We have learned that the leasing process can be intimidating, full of surprises and can disrupt...

Soaring rents take bigger bite of paychecks.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... "Location, location and high cost of living?" Perhaps that would be a more appropriate slogan when it comes to real estate in Fairfield County. After all, high rental fees and escalating property values make it hard on the wallet to live in...

Bankruptcy reform may cheat creditors.
April 9, 2001... Pundits predict the proposed changes in the U.S. Bankruptcy Code will have a dire effect on debtors. Many bankruptcy experts also predict that debtors will not be the only ones to suffer. Although Bridgeport bankruptcy attorney Roberta...

Downtown Stamford on Target?(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... Residential-retail project appears back on track The possibility of a Target department store filling Stamford's downtown retail vacuum did not die when plans for a residential-retail development fell through last year. A spokesman for...

XFL talks expansion as NBC talks pullout.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... The XFL is mulling expansion plans despite uncertainty over the future of its largest TV partner and the league's record-low ratings on network television. The football league co-owned by Stamford-based World Wrestling Federation...

When business loses its moral balance.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... All this talk about reform. Campaign reform, bankruptcy reform, education reform, health care reform. You name it, somebody somewhere wants to change the way we're doing things. Americans, it seems, have developed a vague sense of unease, as if...

Are you running a business, or is the business running you?(Professional Employer Organizations)(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... As you already know, owning a business requires countless hours of personal time, which could otherwise be spent with family, friends or favorite pastimes. However, what most business owners may not know before becoming an employer is a...

Modem Media's new CEO focuses on future.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... With the initial Internet frenzy long gone, most wise investors are looking for survivors of Wall Street's version of tribal council to find tomorrow's industry leaders. One local executive says the firms that will weather the storm will...

Cyber veterans consider making money on the web.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... Did you hear the one about the dot-com company that made money? The bills printed upside down and the site went belly up. But seriously folks, no one was joking at a recent panel discussion held by the Connecticut Technology Council titled...

Good listeners make the best conversationalists.
April 9, 2001... A gossip is one who talks to you about others; a bore is one who talks to you about himself, and a brilliant conversationalist is one who talks to you about yourself. This clever comment from musical-comedy entertainer Lisa Kirk could not...

Conflicting images concern area attorneys.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... Attorneys do not always see eye to eye. In European countries, the loser of a lawsuit or court case pays both sets of fees. There are no contingencies. The types of cases that require a court resolution are reviewed very carefully. For hundreds...

Leaders who care too much just don't get it.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... 9 to 5 Cartoons, magazine articles and popular books about uncaring leaders abound. Ziggy has even made it to TV. Uncaring bosses are difficult to live with and work for. These "villains" also provide a convenient dumping site for many...

How well do you know your credit score?(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... Because debt begins with credit, understanding your credit score -- the numerical representation of your credit standing -- is essential to managing your debt. But like many people, a mixture of fear, confusion and resentment may color...

Entrepreneur and professional manager.
April 9, 2001... Getting the best of both worlds Business is a subject close to my heart. In 1951, I was an expectant mother with $2,000 of wedding gift money to gamble on a new idea. Who would have thought 50 years later Lillian Vernon's annual revenues...

Highest-Paid Elected Officials.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 9, 2001... Highest-Paid Elected Officials Fairfield County Ranked by salary greater than $45,000; alphabetically in event of tie Rank Name, address and phone...

Protecting your firm's reputation.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... * Your company or firm has been in business a number of years and customers have come to realize and appreciate the high quality of its products or services. * Your company started as a local business, but it is expanding into other states...

Lawyers see ripples of slowdown.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... When the economy is good, the business of lawyering is good. When the economy is bad lawyering is, well, good. "Some areas of the law will benefit from a slowdown, like bankruptcies and creditors' rights law," said Mare Oxman of Oxman,...

ABA questions decision to end review process.(American Bar Association)(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... For a half century, the American Bar Association has been asked by every administration, Republican and Democratic alike, to evaluate the professional qualification of virtually every potential nominee to the federal bench. President...

Hispanic impact.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... The growing Hispanic population is a welcome and much-needed addition to the county's work force. A diverse group, whose members trace their roots back to Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America, they bring skills and a willingness...

Building an international business on bilingual websites.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... Eddie Bini has found a lucrative and growing niche in the vast Internet marketplace: companies that want to reach Hispanics. If his business instincts are accurate, his dream of building a national and international base of clients for...

Bysiewicz proposes amnesty for illegal out-of-state firms.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... Out-of-state businesses operating, but not registered, in Connecticut will have an opportunity to come forth amnesty from penalty fees, if the General Assembly approves a proposal by Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz. Bysiewicz'...

State hopes to diversify commission membership.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... In 2000, Connecticut's Office of the Secretary of the State published a report that exposed the state's potent smattering of racial groups: 80.7 percent of the population is white; 8.8 percent is black; 8.5 percent is Hispanic; and 1.9 percent...

Congressional actions causing Problems for area immigrants.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... Most Americans are born in this country and so have little knowledge of the red tape an immigrant must go through just to keep a job and a residence here. Robin Bikkal, who with her husband, Donald Silverman, 53, operates the White Plains...

Population growth fuels interest in Hispanic businesses.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... In the 1990s, the Hispanic population grew faster than the total population as a whole. One in 10 residents in Connecticut reported they are Hispanic. Last year, Len Sherman, managing partner at Tamayo, Mireya and Sherman Multicultural...

Master builder.(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... Taleen's Jose France follows dream of building luxury homes While most real estate developers -- eyeing the sag of the Dow Jones and the ups and downs of mortgage rates -- express concern for the future, luxury homebuilding is the one area...

Against all odds.(El Aguila)(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... El Aguila founder Norma Maximo and son Miguel Blanco pursue a vision El Aguila editor-in-chief Norma Maximo has a startling knack for driving right to the heart of a matter. "Hello," she said when we met last Thursday. "Nice to meet you."...

Credits, Clients and Awards.(brief notes)(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... Fairfield University Fair-field presented its 2001 awards to the following individuals. Ann Curry, news anchor on NBC's "Today Show," received the Distinguished Leadership Award. Curry was the speaker at the university's recent annual...

Newsmakers.
April 9, 2001... Mott's Inc., Stamford, a food and beverage producer, announced the following promotions. Salvatore DePrima of Ridgefield was promoted to senior vice president. North American sales. Since 1998, DePrima was vice president. U.S. sales. Prior...

Country Living Associates.(sales associate Lynda Fisher is given recognition)(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... Lynda Fisher of Westport was named by Country Living Associates, Norwalk, as the company's "Producer of the Year" for 2000 by generating the greatest sales volume earned from all sources for the year. Fisher is a sales associate in the...

Dunlap-Hibbs Real Estate.(agent Nancy Thorne is named top producer of the year)(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... Nancy Thorne of Fairfield was named by Dunlap-Hibbs Real Estate, Fairfield, as the company's "Top Producer" for 2000. This marks the 16th consecutive year that Thorne has won the honor. In 2000, Thorne achieved a gross sales volume of more than...

Desmond Virgulak Brown Commercial Realty Inc.(real estate transactions)(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... Desmond Virgulak Brown Commercial Realty Inc., Norwalk, announced the following transactions. W.H. Hunting Transfer L.L.C. leased 6,000 square feet of space at 46 Chestnut St., Norwalk. The company will relocate to the site from another...

Chieco Properties L.L.C.(purchasing of building in Norwalk, Connecticut)(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... Chieco Properties L.L.C. purchased a building at 64 Fort Point St., Norwalk. Chieco plans to renovate the property for use as an auto body shop. John D. Hastings Inc., Westport, represented the buyer and Desmond Virgulak Brown Commercial Realty...

Robert Burns.(acquisition of commercial building by insurance broker)(Brief Article)
April 9, 2001... Robert Burns of Westport, an insurance broker, acquired a 4,000-square foot commercial house at 266 Post Road East, Westport, from the estate of the late Dr. David Ellrich for $700,000. Burns will relocate his business to the building from...

Author Tom Culley hopes to 'unmess' minds.(of small business owners)(Brief Article)
April 16, 2001... Syndicated columnist and small-business author Tom Culley wants small businesses in Fairfield County and across the country to get back to the basics. But that's not the news. The news is how he's going about letting them know how to do it. ...

Ergonomic debate may spark suits.(Brief Article)
April 16, 2001... Standoff over OSHA rule leaves companies vulnerable Businesses can expect the debate surrounding the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration's ergonomics standard to intensify now that Congress and President George W. Bush have...

Prudential and Davis. Cos. sell Shelton building for $22.4 million.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 16, 2001... A Joint venture between affiliates of Prudential Real Estate Investors and The Davis .Cos. recently announced that it has sold one of Fairfield County's newest office buildings for $22.4 million. Reservoir Corporate Group L.L.C., a...

Above and beyond the call.(taking photographs from the top of the Tappan Zee Bridge)(Brief Article)(Column)
April 16, 2001... Journals reporter-photographer takes daring heights for photo I couldn't let them see. They didn't nave to know. If they saw it in my face, I wouldn't get the shots. I wouldn't be able to tell everyone -- my friends, my family, the world --...

Letter.(Letter to the Editor)
April 16, 2001... Attorney offers his take on use and care of trademarks To the editor, This letter is a response to the incomplete and inaccurate advice given to business owners in connection with trademarks by attorney Karl F. Milde Jr. in an article...

Global economic fixes won't be easy or quick.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 16, 2001... The world's economies have two pressing problems: the short term and the long term. The short-term challenge is to prevent the first worldwide recession in more than 25 years. Ironing out long-term problems might be more difficult. Japan,...

Administrative professionals have much to celebrate.(Administrative Professionals Week)(Brief Article)
April 16, 2001... Administrative Professionals Week -- April 22 to 28 -- formerly known as Professional Secretaries Week, was created to recognize the contributions of office support staff in business and government and to encourage students to consider...

META Group Inc. cuts 100 jobs.(Brief Article)
April 16, 2001... META Group Inc. (NASDAQ: METG), an information technology research and consulting firm based in Stamford, has implemented a strategic reorganization designed to address the increasingly challenging demands of the IT services marketplace. ...

Officials on track toward a regional rail solution.
April 16, 2001... A decade of growth has come with a price in northern Fairfield County and in neighboring Westchester County N.Y., -- the desperation of hundreds of commuters scrambling for scarce parking spaces near Metro-North Railroad stations. The...

Pitney Bowes agrees to buy Danka unit for $290 million.(Danka Services International)(Brief Article)
April 16, 2001... Pitney Bowes Inc. of Stamford (NYSE: PBI) said it has entered into an agreement to acquire Danka Services International (DSI), a wholly owned division of Danka Business Systems Plc, for $290 million in cash. The parties expect the...

Residential Real Estate Firms.(Directory)
April 16, 2001... Residential Real Estate Firms Ranked by number of houses listed in 2000; alphabetically in event of tie Rank Name, address, phone number and website Area code: 203 ...

Christmas 'gift' opens Stamford to commuters.(1848 completion of railroad from New Haven to New York City)(Brief Article)
April 16, 2001... On Christmas Day, 1848, the last rails were laid over the Cos Cob Bridge, providing the last link needed to complete the railroad from New Haven to New York City. William H. Holly, founder of the Stamford Sentinel, was a guest on the first...

Rolling along.(Transportation Strategy Board for Connecticut)
April 16, 2001... Bill creating Transportation Strategy Board sails through committee A bill that would form a permanent Transportation Strategy Board (TSB). and juice the state's traffic mitigation plan with $50 million for short-term projects flew through...

Parking squeeze continues to derail commuters.(Fairfield County, Connecticut)(Brief Article)
April 16, 2001... Fairfield County, the economic engine that drives the state, "is choking on its transportation problems," said Jack Condlin, president of the Stamford Chamber of Commerce. "The state needs to solve the problem of transportation facilities...

Metro-North's schedule change now in effect.(Brief Article)
April 16, 2001... The MTA Metro-North Railroad's new schedule is serious business, even if it went into effect on April Fool's Day. Changes to the schedule reflect service improvements for the rapidly growing weekday evening, weekend and intermediate travel...

Metro-North contract is fundamentally flawed.(Metro-North Railroad)(Brief Article)
April 16, 2001... To ease traffic congestion and to improve mass transit, state legislators are actively debating and proposing possible solutions to expand commuter rail service in Connecticut -- and we are not alone. This session, the public has joined us at...

President's Club award.(Stephen Pollack receives award from The Maids International)(Brief Article)
April 16, 2001... Stephen Pollack of Stamford, owner of The Maids, Stamford and Ossining, N.Y., a maid service, received a President's Club award from The Maids International, Omaha, Neb., a maid service franchiser, for outstanding safes performance in 2000,...

PrimeLearning.com.(partnerships and alliances)(California State Community College System; FirstClass Systems Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 16, 2001... PrimeLearning.com, Stamford, a provider of corporate e-learning solutions, and the Foundation for California Community Colleges (FCCC), Sacramento, Calif., formed a strategic alliance that will enable FCCC to provide business skills e-learning...

The Gardens Retirement Community.(Brief Article)
April 16, 2001... The Ad Pros, Danbury, an advertising agency, announced the addition of three new clients. The Gardens Retirement Community, Danbury, an assisted-living facility, hired the agency to develop its logo, brochure and direct-mail programs....

The Domestic Violence Crisis Center.(Brief Article)
April 16, 2001... The Domestic Violence Crisis Center, Norwalk and Stamford, was awarded a $12,600 grant from the Fairfield County Foundation to support the upgrading of its community education program.

Newsmakers.(Brief Article)
April 16, 2001... David B. Hill of Fairfield was named vice president of sales at Morris Controls, Bristol, a Control systems integration company. Since 1996. Hill was president and cofounder of Fairfield Automation & Technologies, Fairfield, a design and...

President's Council for Managers Award.(GiGi Melillo wins Coldwell Banker award)(Brief Article)
April 16, 2001... GiGi Melillo of Stamford received a President's Council for Managers Award for 2000 from Coldwell Banker as one of the company's top 100 office managers nationwide. The award is based on leadership, customer satisfaction, referrals and sales...

Wiggin & Dana.(office space lease)(Brief Article)
April 16, 2001... Wiggin & Dana; a law firm, signed a lease for approximately 37,000 square feet of office space at 400 Atlantic St., Stamford. The firm will move to the site from another Stamford location by the end of June. Insignia/ESG, Stamford, represented...

Fairfield Chemical Carriers Inc.(office space lease)(Brief Article)
April 16, 2001... Fairfield Chemical Carriers Inc., a petroleum products shipping broker, leased 3,434 square feet of office space at 5 River Road, Wilton. The company relocated to the site from Darien. CB Richard Ellis, Stamford, represented the tenant and...

The Public Oversight Board.(American Institute of Certified Public Accounts board renews building lease)(Brief Article)
April 16, 2001... The Public Oversight Board, a body of the American Institute of Certified Public Accounts (AICPA) that oversees the self-regulatory programs of the AICPA, renewed its lease of 2,720 square feet of office space at Metro Center, 1 Station Place,...

Key pharmaceutical markets except growth through 2005.(IMS Health Inc. forecasts growth in Latin America pharmaceutical markets)(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)(Statistical Data Included)
April 16, 2001... Sales in seven key Latin American pharmaceutical markets will grow at a compound average rate of 7.8 percent constant dollar for the five years through 2005, according to a new study released by IMS Health of Westport. Strong...

Restaurants, pubs join fight against hunger.(Brief Article)
April 23, 2001... In the ultra competitive restaurant business, entrepreneurs have little time to sit back and taste the fruits of their labor. This week, restaurant owners will be able to do just that and lend a helping hand in the fight against one of the...

Airport curfew irks pilots.
April 23, 2001... Westchester accused of strong-arm tactics A cooperative effort between local governments to quell late night noise pollution around Westchester County Airport in Harrison, N.Y, could cause some Fairfield County companies to give up their...

Union Carbide fights IRS over additional tax claims.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 23, 2001... With each passing year, Union Carbide Corp. finds its operating costs becoming more taxing. It's no different this year. The Danbury-based subsidiary of Dow Chemical Co. of Midland, Mich., filed a petition asking the U.S. Tax Court...

CIDRA withdraws registration for IPO.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
April 23, 2001... CiDRA Corp. has asked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for permission to withdraw its registration statement for an initial public offering, citing "current market conditions." Kevin Didden, president and chief executive...

Xerox extends building search into Westchester.
April 23, 2001... Xerox Corp. has expanded its new headquarters search into Westchester County, N.Y., where executives of the Stamford company visited at least two sites before Easter, according to a county official. Sal Carrera, the county's economic...

Arch purchases Walker assets.(Brief Article)
April 23, 2001... Arch Chemicals Inc of Norwalk (NYSE: ARJ) has acquired the assets of Walker. Brothers, a division of Consolidated Coatings, broadening Arch's range of wood treatment products and services. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada,...