Fairfield County Business Journal articles from April 2004

Fairfield County Business Journal archives from April 2004

Profits from perplexity.(IntelliClaim)
April 5, 2004... Understanding health insurance rules isn't just something that perplexes patients, doctors and hospitals--it can stump health insurance companies themselves and even their computers. The enormous number of diagnoses, medical procedures and...

$400M project testing waters in Shelton.(Cover Story)
April 5, 2004... In an unusual move, Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti and a development team last week announced a $400 million commercial and residential project on city-owned land before filing formal applications. "The purpose was to introduce the development...

Hospitals help nursing education expansion at community college.(Norwalk Community College)
April 5, 2004... Three area hospitals are hoping to ease the nursing shortage in Fairfield County by helping to finance an expansion of the nursing education program at Norwalk Community College (NCC). On top of the simple benefit of having better-staffed...

College calls on state legislators for construction money.(Norwalk Community College)
April 5, 2004... With $6.5 million in hand for the of a Center for Health and Science at Norwalk Community College (NCC), school officials are now looking for another $15 million in bond money to construct the building. Nurses, paramedics and a "public...

IRS issues final rules on electronic W-2 forms.(Issues@Work)
April 5, 2004... Agreeing with formal comments submitted by the American Payroll Association, the Internal Revenue Service has issued final regulations authorizing employers to provide employees with their W-2 forms electronically, making them available on the...

Hiring is more than just interviewing candidates.(Issues@Work)(Management Trainers Inc.)
April 5, 2004... Employers need to ensure they take a long-term view when interviewing and hiring new employees, according to an area management trainer. Too many employers end up in a panic to fill a position and take actions that cause tong-term...

I-95 crash increases rail ridership 30 percent.(Issues@Work)(Traffic accident)
April 5, 2004... The fiery crash that warped a section of I-95 in Bridgeport a little over a week ago did, at least for a short time, what rail advocates in Connecticut have struggled to do for years--get a significant number of motorists to ride the train to...

Akshay Gupta and Kevin Hickey.(Strategies for Success)
April 5, 2004... Why did you choose to do what you do? GUPTA: "I and the other founders of the company are all immigrants. By our very nature we are all entrepreneurs, So to us it was not a choice. We're here to succeed." HICKEY: "I guess I find it's...

Business web directory.(Directory)
April 5, 2004... * Accounting & Business Management Software IntelliBridge LLC www.IntelliBddgeLLC.com 203-877-5766 Microsoft Business Solutions--Great Plains Partner Free Software Selection Kit Answers@IntelliBridgeLLC.com * Accounting The...

Cytec exploring development of Stamford site.
April 5, 2004... Specialty chemicals company Cytec Industries Inc. is "actively working" on "development opportunities" for a 12-acre portion of its Stamford property, according to the company. The acknowledgment came in response to questions posed about a...

Retail sales dip by 1.9 percent.(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... Retail chain-store sales dipped by 1.9 percent for the week ended March 27 compared with the previous week, as the earlier spring merchandising rush and high gasoline prices limited consumer shopping trips and spending, according to the...

Electronics distributor builds HQ in Newtown.(SMT Corp.)
April 5, 2004... Whether it's the transistor in your radio some circuitry in your computer, there's a chance the part came through one of SMT Corp.'s five Fairfield County warehouses. The company, which buys electronic components from more than 500...

E & Y extends award deadline to April 16.(Ernst & Young L.L.P. )
April 5, 2004... Organizers of the annual Entrepreneur of the Year award have extended through April 16 their deadline for accepting nominations of fast-growing businesses in Fairfield County and Westchester County, N.Y. Ernst & Young L.L.P. says it is...

The list.(financial services)
April 5, 2004... Ranked by number of planners in county. Alphabetically in event of tie. Rank Name, address, phone number Top local executive Area code: 203 (unless otherwise noted) E-mail address Web site ...

Kristin Lash: language is no barrier to her communication skills.(Profits & Passions; teaching in Thailand)
April 5, 2004... For some people, the opening of a new Thai restaurant in Bridgeport this year was a chance to try something different. For Kristin Lash it was a chance to reminisce. Lash, now a communications specialist with the Bridgeport Regional...

Save the date--SACIA spring luncheon: the future of Connecticut.(SACIA: the business council of Southwestern Connecticut)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... A candid advocate for transportation infrastructure improvements, education and economic vitality, Dan Malloy's bid for governor has been watched closely by residents of southwestern Connecticut. Join us for his first presentation to the...

Save the date--May 13, 2004: trends, deals and decisions: shaping Stamford's retail future.(SACIA: the business council of Southwestern Connecticut)
April 5, 2004... Thursday, May 13 7:30am-10:00am The Stamford Palace Theatre How are urban retail sites succeeding in today's marketplace? What are the opportunities for Stamford's current and future retailers? What impact will Target have on...

Got work? Get an intern.(SACIA: the business council of Southwestern Connecticut)
April 5, 2004... SACIA annually surveys our members' summer internship needs. The survey is designed to meet the needs of companies and students who have not participated in formal, on-campus internship recruitment/placement programs. In order to increase...

Sexual harassment awareness & prevention training for newly hired, promoted, or arrived supervisors.(SACIA: the business council of Southwestern Connecticut)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... If you are a Connecticut employer with more than 50 employees, you are required to provide to all supervisory employees at least two hours of training and education on the state and federal laws prohibiting sexual harassment and the remedies...

Connecticut's choices 2004: legislative program.(SACIA: the business council of Southwestern Connecticut)
April 5, 2004... Today's choices are decisions about tomorrow's Connecticut. The actions of the Governor and the General Assembly over the next several months will have major impacts on our ability to compete in the global economy. SACIA has formulated...

No speculators in the office market.(Real Estate and Construction)
April 5, 2004... The market for speculative class A office buildings in the county is two or three years away--if the glut of empty space on the market is absorbed by then. But absorbing that empty office space may take some doing, said Scott H. Benson,...

Demand for retail, industrial spaces surges.(Real Estate and Construction)
April 5, 2004... Commercial real estate brokers in the county don't shy away from using superlatives when describing the current sales landscape. "I think the market is fantastic," said J. Michael Struna, owner of Advantage Realty Commercial in Bethel,...

What's the value of the Ramada Plaza Hotel in Shelton?(Focus: real estate and construction)
April 5, 2004... The new owners of the 160-room Ramada Plaza Hotel in Shelton plan to focus primarily on serving the needs of business travelers as their operational strategy. MeriStar Hospitality Corp. of Arlington, Va., sold the facility in February to...

Population migration spikes local estate values.(Focus: real estate and construction)
April 5, 2004... A high "churn" rate of people moving into and out of Fairfield County has been a factor in keeping area real estate values high, according to analysts. A national moving company found that Fairfield County gave them more than two-fifths of...

Assisted-living facility prices on the rise.(Focus: real estate and construction)
April 5, 2004... End-of-year results indicate the average price per bed paid for skilled nursing facilities plummeted in 2003, while resurgence was seen in the average price of assisted-living and independent-living facilities, according to a report by New...

Housing to remain strong, economists predict.(Focus: real estate and construction)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... Although rapidly rising housing prices around the nation have led to concerns over a housing price bubble, economists participating in an National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) teleconference recently dismissed that fear and said that...

Commercial real estate demand trending upward.(Focus: real estate and construction)
April 5, 2004... The growing U.S. economy will eventually need to add workers, fostering positive fundamentals for commercial real estate, according to the National Association of Realtors'(NAR) Commercial Real Estate Quarterly. David Lereah, NAR's chief...

Changing tides: slight improvement in county's office market.(Focus: real estate and construction)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... The dynamics of Fairfield County's office market shifted direction with a 60-hasis point decline in its availability to 21.1 percent. This followed six quarters of increases that drove the rate up from 16 percent in the first quarter of...

Virtual assistants--a growth industry: technology helps VAs carve out small business niche.(Tech Cetera)
April 5, 2004... In an age where the Internet and e-mail have made "the office" an option--not a necessity, a new wave of independent associates have gone into business for themselves performing administrative tasks for companies right from their homes. ...

Building permits.(On the Record)(Public Notice)
April 5, 2004... Commercial 35 Parrott Drive L.L.C., Shelton. Install fire suppression system at 60 Parrott Drive, Shelton. Estimated cost: $40,000. 60 Parrott Drive L.L.C., Shelton. Perform interior electrical work at 60 Parrott Drive, Shelton....

Court cases.(On the Record)(Public Notice)
April 5, 2004... Bridgeport Superior Court Commerce Park Associates L.L.C., et al. Filed by Alice Lodice, Trumbull. Plaintiff's attorney: Angela Riordan, Trumbull. Action: plaintiff claims she was on defendant premises at 4699 Main St., Bridgeport, when...

Deeds.(On the Record)(Public Notice)
April 5, 2004... Commercial 175 Realty L.L.C., Bridgeport. Seller: Fleetwood Associates, by William Chanaca Jr. Property: 205 Washington Ave., Bridgeport. Amount: $4.5 million. Filed Marsh 11. 500 Monroe Turnpike Associates L.L.C,, Monroe. Seller:...

College for Financial Planning.(Credits, Clients and Awards)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... Jennifer Masterson of Bethel, a financial planner at Reby Advisory Services, Danbury, a provider of wealth management services, received the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation from the College for Financial Planning.

Fairfield University.(Credits, Clients and Awards)(Telly Awards, 2004)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... Fairfield University, Fairfield, announced that its media center has won three 2004 Telly Awards, including a top-level silver prize, Felly Awards, Cincinnati, is an organization that honors outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials...

The Regional YMCA of Western Connecticut, Brookfield, an organization that provides programs and services to children, families and communities in the Greater Danbury area, received two grants totaling $15,000 to support its ESCAPE to the Arts after-school program.(Credits, Clients and Awards)(Young Men's Christian Associations)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... The Regional YMCA of Western Connecticut, Brookfield, an organization that provides programs and services to children, families and communities in the Greater Danbury area, received two grants totaling $15,000 to support its ESCAPE to the Arts...

Foreclosures.(On the Record)
April 5, 2004... Arguedas, Yolanda, et al. In favor of Mortgage Electronic Registrations Systems Inc. Property: 203 Maplewood Ave., Bridgeport. Foreclosure of a $42,275 mortgage issued in April 1992. Filed March 16.

Liens.(On the Record)
April 5, 2004... Federal Tax Liens-filed C Donald Lane III, O&L Tractor Trailer School, 510 Barnum Ave., fourth floor, Danbury. $51,433 FICA/withholding and federal unemployment tax. Filed March 11. Colonial Automobile Company Inc., Colonial Ford &...

Leases.(On the Record)
April 5, 2004... Bliss Salon Spa L.L.C., Danbury, Donna Marino. Landlord: Pierre Rochman, Danbury. Property: 87 Mill Plain Road, Danbury. Term: five years beginning February 1,2004. Filed Feb. 27.

Lis Pendens.(On the Record)
April 5, 2004... The following filings indicate a legal action has been initiated, the outcome of which may affect the title to the property listed. BIIoshmi, Kastriot, et al. Filed by Flagstar Bank F.S.B., by Reiner Reiner & Bendett P.C., Farmington....

Mortgages.(On the Record)
April 5, 2004... 16 Greenwich Avenue L.L.C., Greenwich, by Maryann Heaven. Lender: Wachovia Bank N.A., White Plains, N.Y. Property: 16 Greenwich Ave., Greenwich. Amount: $800,000. Filed March 10. 175 Realty L.L.C., Bridgeport, by Nikolaos Leonardos. Lender:...

MasterCard International Inc.,.(Newsmakers)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... Alan J. Heuer of Darien was appointed chief operating officer at MasterCard International Inc., Purchase, N.Y., a holder of a portfolio of payment brands. Since 1999, Heuer was senior executive vice president, customer group at MasterCard. He...

Competitive Technologies Inc.(Newsmakers)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... Competitive Technologies Inc., Fairfield, a technology transfer and licensing provider, announced the following appointments. Dr. Michael Kiley joined the company as vice pros dent, digital business development Most recently, Kiley a...

Newmark & Company Real Estate Inc.(Newsmakers)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... Patricia A. Valenti of Harrison, N,Y., was promoted to a principal in the Greenwich and White Plains. N.Y., offices of Newmark & Company Real Estate Inc., a commercial real estate firm. Valenti joined Newmark in 2001 as a senior managing...

RVI Group.(Newsmakers)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... Mark Moskovitz of Norwalk was promoted to assistant vice president, director of business systems at the RVI Group, Stamford, a group of insurance companies that specialize in underwriting residual value insurance products. Moskovitz joined RVI...

Schwartz and Hofflich.(Newsmakers)(public accounting firm's appointments)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... Schwartz and Hofflich, Norwalk, a public accounting firm. announced the following appointments. Helena Stickles of Woodbridge joined the firm as a staff accountant. Most recently, Stickles was a tax analyst at Yale University, New Haven,...

The Western Connecticut Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.(Newsmakers)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... The Western Connecticut Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Norwalk, announced the following appointments. Barbara Hapoienu of New Canaan joined the chapter as community program coordinator. Most recently, Hapoienu was a...

The Wilton Bank.(Newsmakers)(appointments)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... Joann Loparco of Greenwich, owner of Torn E Toes Restaurant and Pizza, Wilton, was appointed to the advisory board of The Wilton Bank, Wilton,

New business names.(On the Record)(Public Notice)
April 5, 2004... The Business Journal is not responsible for typographical errors contained in the original filings. 100% Handy, 46 Glenwood Ave., Norwalk 06854, c/o Jose Urresta. Filed March 8. Accentuality, 172 Old Tannery Road, Monroe 06468, c/o...

On the agenda.(On the Record)(Calendar)
April 5, 2004... Fairfield Network of Executive Women meeting, with career coach Julie Jansen, 6 to 8:30 p.m., Peppermill Road East, Westport. $12.50 members; $25 non-members. For reservations, call Candy Schrull at 470-7055. Thursday, April 8 Greater...

Public notices.(On the Record)(Calendar)
April 5, 2004... Saturday, April 10 Just Books author talk, with Dr. David Wexler speaking on "When Good Men Behave Badly," 2 p.m., Just Book, Too, 28 Arcadia Road, Old Greenwich. Call 637-0707. Monday, April 12 The World Affairs Forum lecture and...

Patents.(On the Record)(Public Notice)
April 5, 2004... The following patents wore issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office in Washington, D.C. Acoustic transducer with spiral-shaped piezoelectric shell. Patent no. 6,671,380 issued to: Chung Chang, Wilton and Hiroshi Hod,...

Real estate update.(On the Record)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... Irene Singh of Darien joined the Darien office of William Ravels Real Estate and Home Services as a sales associate. Most recently, Singh was a divorce lawyer in England.

Resource directory.(Directory)
April 5, 2004... Adult Day Care/Eldercare ** Just Like Home, Inc. 914-345-5016 Advertising Agencies ** Growth Marketing Group 914-242-3441 Still waiting for the...

Professional directory.(Directory)
April 5, 2004... Accountancy ** Accountemps--Temporary Financial Staffing Stamford 203-324-3399 Fax: 203-351-9831 White Plains 914-682-8842 Fax: 914-287-0084 ** Ben Nightingale & Co., Inc....

Minorities in the boardroom: same faces in different places.(Corporates tend to select people whom they already know and are comfortable with)
April 5, 2004... First of a three-part series. One of the largest U.S. corporations headquartered in Fairfield County has a director who attends about 15 board meetings a year. He is also a director of three other public companies, besides being on the...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
April 5, 2004... I read with interest your article on the presentation given on overseas trade. I gave a presentation to a group of Connecticut manufacturers recently, looking toward Asia for growth. Costas Lake of the Connecticut Department of Economic...

Will Bush and Cheney be next?(Looking Inside)(George W. Bush)(Richard Cheney)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... Finally, the bite House as succumbed to the mounting public pressure and agreed to allow National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice to testify before the Commission on Terrorist Attacks under oath. Along with that decision came word that...

Blyth to hire Deloitte & Touche.(Looking Inside)(Blyth Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... Greenwich-based Blyth Inc., a leader in home decor and home fragrance products, has appointed Deloitte & Touche L.L.P. as the company's independent audit firm for the fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2005. Blyth expects to continue to use...

ATMI sells business unit.(Looking Inside)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... Durham, N.C.-based Cree Inc. has signed an agreement to acquire the gallium nitride substrate and epitaxy business of Advanced Technology Materials Inc., a subsidiary of ATMI Inc., through an asset purchase transaction. Under the terms of...

OperationsInc.com introduces HR tool.(Looking Inside)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... Stamford-based consulting firm Operationslne.com has launched a tool intended to help users assess a company's human resource infrastructure, policies and practices as well as identify potential legal liabilities and weaknesses. "Keeping...

Vidal/Wettenstein announces deal.(Looking Inside)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... Randy Vidal, principal in the firm of Vidal/Wettenstein L.L.C., recently announced the sale of 971 Post Road East in Westport. The 5,000-square-foot mixed-use buildings have long been home to several local firms, including Cycle Dynamics, Q...

EMCOR study reveals business demand.(Looking Inside)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... Nearly half of senior corporate and institutional executives believe that facilities services will play a strategic role in achieving 2004 goals and 42 percent say that proper management of real estate and facilities has a direct impact on...

S&P revises Oxford Health Plans outlook.(Looking Inside)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... Standard & Poor's Ratings Services has revised its outlook on Trumbull-based Oxford Health Plans Inc. to positive from stable. S & P's also said it affirmed its 'BB+' counterparty credit rating on Oxford and its 'BBB+' counterparty credit...

FactSet buys co-founder's shares.(Looking Inside)(FactSet Research Systems Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... FactSet Research Systems Inc., a Greenwich-based major supplier of computer-based financial and economic data to the investment community, has purchased 1 million shares of the company's common stock from Charles J. Snyder at a price per share...

Coognitronics reports fourth-quarter results.(Looking Inside)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... Danbury-based Cognitronies Corp. reported a net loss of $1.4 million, or 25 cents per share, on a diluted basis, for the quarter ended Dec. 31, compared with a net loss of $3.8 million, or 69 cents per share, on a diluted basis, a year ago. ...

Gourmet pasta sells in a low-carb market.(Competitive Edge)(Interview)
April 12, 2004... The nationwide concern over carbohydrates has made it a tough season for pasta producers in the United States, but a Stratford company has been growing despite the trend. Nuovo Pasta Productions Ltd., in business since 1989, has grown 20...

Corporate tax breaks challenged.
April 12, 2004... A child-advocacy group, disputing the notion that corporate tax breaks attract companies and create jobs, is calling for greater disclosure of the companies getting credits and the state's return on investment. Connecticut Voices for...

State economy lags behind national recovery.
April 12, 2004... The economy is slowly improving in Connecticut and nationwide, but outsourcing is hitting the state hard, said Donald Klepper-Smith, chief economist and director of research at Scillia, Dowling and Natarelli Advisors L.L.C. in New Haven. ...

Port authority selects ferry design group.(Bridgeport Port Authority)
April 12, 2004... Bridgeport is advancing plans for a high-speed felly to shuttle commuters south, while Stamford s end of the planned sea route is tied to the dock because of ongoing litigation. The Bridgeport Port Authority has selected the TPA Design...

Demand for health-care workers rising.(Issues@Work)
April 12, 2004... Some workers in Fairfield County will see demand for their services rise over the next eight years if national predictions for certain jobs hold true for this area as well. At the same time, demand for manufacturing employees would fall...

Career management in a jobless economy.(Issues@Work)
April 12, 2004... Recent news from the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting anemic job growth in a recovering economy and the election of thousands to quit looking for work continues to baffle the experts and depress the unemployed. If only there were...

Unilever sells, leases back Trumbull site.(WH-Conn L.L.C.)
April 12, 2004... Consumer products giant Unilever, as part of its expansion plans in Trumbull, has decided the company might be better off leasing a building it has owned since it was built in the mid-1960s. A deed filed with the town of Trumbull shows that...

Group emerges to promote tourism in north county.(Housatonic Valley Tourism District)
April 12, 2004... When the Housatonic Valley Tourism District fell victim to the state's 2003 budget crunch, northern Fairfield County officials who had been promoting sporting events to boost tourism dollars wondered where they would turn. "The success of...

New CD saves time, money--and trees.
April 12, 2004... A new, interactive CD-ROM disc produced by Westfair Communications Inc., punisher of the Business Journal, in partnership with Image Media L.L.C., will "save a lot of trees," said Neil Sherman, Image Media president. It will also save users...

Susan and Patrick Horgan: setting the stage for giving back to the community.(Profits & Passions)
April 12, 2004... Wilton residents Susan and Patrick Horgan are putting their passion back into the community. Patrick, as an actor, and Susan, as a producer, collaborated with actor Charles Keating of Weston and director Mark Pinter of Redding in a local...

Business web directory.(Directory)
April 12, 2004... * Accounting & Business Management Software IntelliBridge LLC www.IntelliBridgeLLC.com 203-877-5766 Microsoft Business Solutions--Great Plains Partner Free Software Selection Kit Answers@IntelliBridgeLLC.com *...

The list.(Financial Planners)(Directory)
April 12, 2004... THE LIST Financial Planners Ranked by number of planners in county. Alphabetically in event of tie. Fairfield County Rank Name, address, phone number Top local executive Area code: 203 ...

Luxury showroom to open in Danbury.(What's up in Fairfield County?)(Brief Article)
April 12, 2004... A luxury showroom with wine cellar, home spa, office bar, luxury bathroom, fireplace surrounds and patio designs--all made from limestone, granite, marble, tile and other natural products--will open on Secor Road in Danbury on May 8. ...

Buying a business--an option for the unemployed.(What's up in Fairfield County?)
April 12, 2004... After 18 years as a corporate executive, New Canaan resident Peter Hearing has purchased his own business. He admits to feeling good, but feeling scared, too. "I knew what I wanted to do and what would allow me to be successful," he says....

Bridgeport's theater revival.(What's up in Fairfield County?)
April 12, 2004... After the city of Bridgeport invested several million dollars into two downtown theaters, performances didn't exactly take off. So several interested groups met with the mayor in 2002 to do something about it. Two years later, the turn-around...

Bristol licensing IBM technology.(Deals in brief)(Bristol Technology Inc.)(International Business Machines Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 12, 2004... Danbury-based software firm Bristol Technology Inc. has licensed IBM Corp.'s technology for complex event processing. Under the terms of the agreement, IBM Research will provide technology to enhance the ability of a Bristol product to...

Terex subsidiary lands $5.6M military contract.(Deals in brief)(Brief Article)
April 12, 2004... Terex Corp. of Westport announced that American Truck Company L.L.C., a company in which Terex has a two-thirds interest, has won a contract from the U.S. Marine Corps to supply three prototype logistic vehicle system replacement trunks. ...

Markland Technologies signs sales pact.(Deals in brief)(Tradeways Ltd.)(Brief Article)
April 12, 2004... Ridgefield-based Markland Technologies Inc., a homeland security company, has signed an agreement with Tradeways Ltd. to market and sell Markland's shipboard chemical detection systems to foreign militaries. Tradeways, founded in 1974, is...

Southridge Capital to invest in Tefron Ltd.(Deals in brief)(Brief Article)
April 12, 2004... Ridgefield-based Southridge Capital Management L.L.C., a private investment firm that provides growth capital to small and microcap companies, will invest up to $15 million in Teflon Ltd. Teflon manufractures raw materials for intimate apparel...