Fairfield County Business Journal articles from August 2004

Fairfield County Business Journal archives from August 2004

Van sales spur company growth.(Competitive edge: medical home supply and wheelchair getaway)
August 2, 2004... One wheelchairbound customer of Wheelchair Getaways in Danbury who does construction work has stretched the definition of "confined." The pickup truck Wheelchair Getaways sold him has a wheelchair lift in the back so the man can enter and...

Steel Point still stuck in mud.(Bridgeport's economic development)
August 2, 2004... State officials say a comprehensive study of Bridgeport's Steel Point peninsula is now under way after new state contract oversight procedures, in the wake of contract rigging allegations in former Gov. John G. Rowland's administration, delayed...

Moody's: Fairfield County is among 10 worst in real estate.
August 2, 2004... Fairfield County's commercial real state market once again falls in the bottom 10 nationally, according to Moody's Investors Service latest Red-Yellow-Green quarterly report on the health of U.S. real estate underlying...

Danbury Hospital heart program approved.
August 2, 2004... Danbury Hospital expects to start angioplasty and open-heart programs in 12 months, with state regulators granting it permission despite objections from other area health-care facilities. Hospital officials say the initiatives will bring...

Making great execution a habit.(Issues @ Work)
August 2, 2004... When managers raise their hands to vote on how much productivity loss they see in their organizations due to faulty execution, the results are truly mind boggling. In one recent event, 55 percent of 300 diverse participants estimated losses of...

Employment rate holds steady at 4.6 percent.(Issues @ Work)
August 2, 2004... Connecticut's nonfarm employment last month was 1,642,000, down 4,200 jobs from the revised May figures, but the unemployment rate was 4.6 percent, or 1 percentage point below the national average, the state Department of Labor said. In...

General Re cuts 55 jobs in Stamford and Trumbull.(Issues @ Work)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... General Reinsurance Corp. plans to layoff 55 information technology workers in Stamford and Trumbull starting in mid-September. James W. Heslin, vice president at General Re, confirmed the company has filed with the state Labor Department...

Rell meets with top economists to discuss trends and strategies.(Issues @ Work)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Gov. M. Jodi Rell said last week that "expanding our economy to create jobs for the people of this state is a top priority of my administration." Rell made these comments following a meeting with four of the state's leading economic...

Fairfield Metro Center breaks ground.
August 2, 2004... It was all smiles last Monday at a ceremonial groundbreaking for Fairfield Metro Center--a $250 million mixed-use development centered around a new commuter train station at the former Bullard Co. foundry site on Black Rock Turnpike. U.S....

Bridgeport Sound Tigers sold to Islanders.(New York Islanders )(Bridgeport Sound Tigers )
August 2, 2004... Undeterred by a lockout looming in the National Hockey League, the New York Islanders on July 22 purchased the Bridgeport Sound Tigers for an undisclosed amount, giving the team complete control of their new minor-league affiliate. The...

Bridgeport groups win federal grants.(Bridgeport Neighborhood Fund)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... The Bridgeport Neighborhood Fund will receive $48,800 from the U.S. Department of Treasury to develop a new business plan, U.S. Rep Christopher Shays (R-Bridgeport) said. "Affordable housing is a key component in the development of my...

Senate approves funds for state defense industry.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... The recently approved Defense Appropriations Bill will help fund several Fairfield County projects and ensure that U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines are outfitted with the quality resources they need to perform their missions,...

Friendly skies for Fuji blimp.
August 2, 2004... Looking over the west side of Manhattan, traveling north to Westchester, N.Y., the six of us looked out the windows of the gigantic Fujifilm airship, taking in the extraordinary view. As we looked down on the people 1,000 feet below, we saw...

Business Web directory.(Directory)
August 2, 2004... * Accounting & Business Management Software IntelliBridge LLC www.lntelliBridgeLLC.com 203-877-5766 Microsoft Business Solutions--Great Plains Partner Free Software Selection Kit Answers@IntelliBridgeLLC.com ...

Report: companies that outsource see increase in quality of work.(e)
August 2, 2004... A survey by the Earth Institute at Columbia University of 45 companies known for sending work outside their own companies for completion showed that 82 percent are currently outsourcing jobs, 79 percent to offshore businesses. The majority not...

Sharon Massafra: doing a good breed: she and her dog bring happiness to the elderly.(Profits & Passions)
August 2, 2004... Sharon Massafra makes other people's quality of life a priority in all aspects of her own life. After years of working within the hospital setting of the healthcare industry in management positions, in 2000 Massafra was the first to bring a...

The list: limousine companies.(Directory)(Illustration)
August 2, 2004... THE LIST LIMOUSINE COMPANIES Listed alphabetically Fairfield County Name, address, phone number Owner(s) Area code: 203 (unless otherwise noted) E-mail address Web site ...

Savvy credit card users outfox issuers.(Personal Finance and Insurance Services)
August 2, 2004... Credit cards have evolved into something akin to cash with a bonus--extra frequent flyer miles or rebates or gifts for those using their plastic to pay for everything from weekly groceries to local taxes. "Some people will use their credit...

You may need a comprehensive insurance audit.(Personal Finance and Insurance Services)
August 2, 2004... Any small-business owner knows that it is practical to minimize the cost of insurance to boost profitability. The problem is that coverage is often sacrificed to reduce cost and won't be there when the coverage is needed. In the past 24 hours...

Consumers need better education on annuities.(Personal Finance and Insurance Services)
August 2, 2004... Even though sales of individual annuities doubled from 1996 to 2002, many people don't really understand what these products are and how they can assist in retirement planning. A recent survey by the Insurance Information Institute found...

Wired future: wireless networks new trend for office buildings.(Tech Cetera)
August 2, 2004... Pre-wiring office buildings for computer networks and telephone systems is not an outmoded amenity for attracting tenants, but wireless networks will be required in the future, says Robert W. Hartt, executive vice president of the management...

What should we do now? Protecting lives, property and assets in critical times.(Security)
August 2, 2004... In these times of uncertain threats to our society and culture, I very often hear, "I'll take all the help I can get." As we have increasing concerns about life safety and protection since "9/11," the concept of security has taken on a...

ADT security service: nation's largest.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Bigger doesn't necessarily mean better. At ADT, we take line pride in the fact that we are the nation's largest provider of security solutions, but we do take great pride knowing that we have the resources and assets required to implement a...

Security: prepare for the possible, don't forget the probable.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... With the nation's scrutiny on the Democratic and Republican conventions and the headlines filled with stories of international and domestic terrorism, it is all too easy to lose sight of the basics. Post 9/11, our companies have developed and...

Top security myths plaguing the IT world.(Security)(Information technology)
August 2, 2004... Information technology security specialist Stephen Kirby Jr. hears the same excuses on a regular basis. After spending 12 years over keyboards and inside networks, he has seen and fixed a variety of issues realizing that most people have the...

The time for urgency.(Security)
August 2, 2004... War, terrorism, workplace violence, sabotage, theft... the list of security-related worries preoccupying today's executive seems to grow each year. Who can predict what looms on the horizon? It's easy to pretend that corporations cannot shield...

Is now[SM].(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Increasing emergency preparedness is essential to minimizing casualties. The ability of the United States to strike back with swift, devastating force does not deter agents of terror. Consequently, local governments must receive assistance to...

Guidelines for evaluating contract security personnel providers.(Security)
August 2, 2004... So you've decided it's time to put the security service contract for your property out for bid. Now what? Selecting a security personnel contractor is a decision that can significantly impact the protection, image and profitability of your...

Security Solutions Inc.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Security Solutions inc. (SSI) is a family-owned and operated full-service alarm company based in Norwalk, Conn. SSI has been successfully serving the greater Fairfield and Westchester County areas for more than three decades. Having recently...

BCP expert[R].(best current practice)(Business Continuity Management)
August 2, 2004... BCP Expert[R] sets a standards-based approach to Business Continuity Management (BCM), a definitive service level of reliability to which all types of business and not-for-profit organizations can depend for their planning needs. Our Web site...

Bankruptcies.(On The Record)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... The following petition was filed in U. S. Bankruptcy Court. Chapter 11 indicates the filer intends to submit a plan of reorganization to the court. Chapter 7 indicates a liquidation of assets. Beaumont Packaging Company L.C., 36 Grove St.,...

Building permits.(On The Record)
August 2, 2004... Commercial 442 Main Avenue L.L.C. Construct a foundation for 23 residential units at 442 Main Ave., Norwalk. Estimated cost: $600,000. A.P. Construction Co., contractor for 707 Summer L.L.C. Perform interior alteration of third-floor...

Court cases.(On The Record)
August 2, 2004... Bridgeport Superior Court 14-18 Trefoil Court L.L.C., Bridgeport. Filed by David Shapiro, Fairfield. Plaintiff's attorney: Jonathan J. Klein, Bridgeport. Action: seeks dissolution of defendant company resulting from disagreement in...

Deeds.(On The Record)
August 2, 2004... Commercial 166 Elm Street L.L.C., Bridgeport. Seller: Schwerdtle Stamp Company Inc., Bridgeport, by Katherine Saint. Property: 166 Elm St., Bridgeport. Amount: $250,000. Filed July 16. 262 Fairfield Avenue L.L.C., Bridgeport. Seller:...

Home Instead Senior Care, Omaha, Neb., a provider of non-medical home-care services to older adults through a network of franchises, presented two Leadership Awards and a Vista Award to the Home Instead Senior Care franchise based in Bethel (with satellite offices in Stratford and Waterford) for providing outstanding care and support to senior citizens.(Credits, Clients and Awards)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Home Instead Senior Care, Omaha, Neb., a provider of non-medical home-care services to older adults through a network of franchises, presented two Leadership Awards and a Vista Award to the Home Instead Senior Care franchise based in Bethel...

Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism Hartford.(Credits, Clients and Awards)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... The Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism, Hartford, announced the following grants. The Stamford Symphony Orchestra (SSO), Stamford, was awarded two grants totaling $46,200. SSO received a 30,000 grant to develop innovative family...

EMCOR Group, Inc.(Credits, Clients and Awards)(contracts)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... EMCOR Group, Inc., Norwalk, a provider of mechanical and electrical construction services and facilities services, announced that its facilities services business has been awarded a $57.2 million, five-year contract from the U.S. State...

Fairfield University.(Credits, Clients and Awards)(Universidad Centroamericana's partneship)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Fairfield University, Fairfield, announced a five-year collaborative partnership with the Universidad Centroamericana in Nicaragua, a sister Jesuit university.

Cushman & Wakefield.(Newsmakers)(Kenneth M. Krasnow promoted)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Kenneth M. Krasnow of West Nyack, N.Y., was promoted to executive managing director for the New York metropolitan region at Cushman & Wakefield, a real estate services company with headquarters in New York City. Based in New York City, Krasnow...

Fairfield County Bank Corp.(Newsmakers)(Robert J. Connelly appointed)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Robert J. Connelly of Trumbull was appointed president of the Westport-Fairfield division of Fairfield County Bank Corp., based in Westport. Connelly has more than 30 years of experience in the banking industry, most recently as senior vice...

Norwalk Bank & Trust.(Newsmakers)(Randy Napoletano and Barry Belardinelli Jr. are appointed)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Norwalk Bank & Trust, Norwalk, a division of Connecticut Community Bank N.A., announced the following appointments. Randy Napoletano of Norwalk joined the bank as vice president, lending. Since 1988. Napoletano worked in the Norwalk office...

Applied Psychological Techniques Inc.(Newsmakers)(David W. Bracken appointed)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Dr. David W. Bracken of Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y., was appointed a director at Applied Psychological Techniques Inc., Darien, a human resource consulting firm. Since 2000, Bracken was a partner at Mercer Delta Consulting L.L.C., New York City,...

Foreclosures.(On The Record)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... 803 West 45th Street Inc., et al. In favor of Interbay Funding L.L.C., Coral Gables, Fla. Property: 32 Orlando Ave., Stamford. Foreclosure of a $250,000 mortgage issued in November 2000. Filed July 12. Edwards, John E. In favor of Deutsche...

Leases.(On The Record)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... The Hull Funeral Service Inc., by Jeffrey H. Hull. Landlord: J Team L.L.C, Jeffrey H. Hull. Property: 215 Greenwood Ave., Bethel. Term: 20 years beginning July 9. Filed July 15.

Liens.(On The Record)
August 2, 2004... Federal Tax Liens-filed Hunt-Scanlon Publishing Co., 20 Signal Road, Stamford. $44,625 FICA/withholding and federal unemployment tax. Filed July 9. Kilraine, Joseph, 13 Starr Lane, Bethel. $73,104 responsible corporate officer. Filed...

On the agenda.(On The Record)(Calendar)
August 2, 2004... Thursday, Aug. 5 FINE meeting, with David Danvers of the Industrial Youth Center at the Bridgeport Area Youth Ministry, 9 a.m., Westport Public Library, McManus Room Arnold Bernhard Plaza, Westport. Call Harry Schaffer at 227-6617. ...

Lis pendens.(On The Record)
August 2, 2004... The following filings indicate a legal action has been initiated, the outcome of which may affect the title to the property listed. Bennett, Fermin E., et al. Filed by Beneficial Mortgage Co. of Connecticut, by David W. Goldman, Hamden....

Mortgages.(On The Record)
August 2, 2004... 137 Ethan Allen Highway L.L.C., Westport, by Michael Greenberg. Lender: Fairfield County Bank Corp., Ridgefield. Property: 135, 137 and 139 Ethan Alien Highway, Ridgefield. Amount: $1.22 million. Filed June 14. 274 Fairfield Avenue L.L.C.,...

New business names.(On The Record)
August 2, 2004... The Business Journal is not responsible for typographical errors contained in the original filings. A Reiki Connection, 94 Givens Ave., Stamford 06902, c/o Debra A. Perry. Filed June 15. AC Nielsen (US) Inc, 43 Danbury Road, Wilton...

Century 21 Home Services--Saclzo Group.(Real Estate Update)
August 2, 2004... Ann McAward of Sherman joined the New Milford and Sherman offices of Century 21 Home Services--Saclzo Group as a Realtor. Most recently, McAward was coordinator of children's services and administrative assistant at the Sherman Library. She is...

Work 'n Gear.(Real Estate Update)(4,650 square feet of space leased for a store)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2004... Work 'n Gear, a retailer specializing in apparel and footwear for work wear, leased 4,650 square feet of space for a store at the Brookside Shopping Center in Bridgeport. Aries Deitch & Endelson Inc., Hartsdale, N.Y., represented the tenant.

Patents.(On The Record)
August 2, 2004... The following patents were issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office in Washington, D.C. Accessory attachment for magnetic retrieval tool. Patent no. 6,760,941 issued to: Edward S. Coleman Jr., 116 Keeler Dr., Ridgefield...

Resource directory.(Directory)(Illustration)
August 2, 2004... Adult Day Care/Eldercare * Just Like Home, Inc. 914-345-5016 Advertising Agencies * Growth Marketing Group 914-242-3441 Still waiting for the recovery? Take...

Professional directory.(Directory)(Illustration)
August 2, 2004... Services Accountancy * Accountemps-- Temporary Financial Staffing Stamford 203-324-3399 Fax: 203-351-9831 White Plains 914-682-8842 Fax: 914-287-0084 * Ben Nightingale &...

The unpleasant surprise about bankruptcy payments.(Viewpoint)(Coyote Industries )
August 2, 2004... The story usually goes like this: Acme Manufacturing Co. sells various products to Coyote Industries with payments due in 30 days from invoicing ("Net 30"). Coyote's business suffers a setback (perhaps because of new legislation declaring...

Hiring a business plan consultant.(Viewpoint)
August 2, 2004... Every new business owner knows that a business plan is critical. It is drilled into them by potential investors and every banking officer they meet. So why is something that is so important to start a new venture so difficult to write? Good...

No rate hike, please.(Looking Inside)
August 2, 2004... When Connecticut deregulated the power industry, state lawmakers intended to create a marketplace where competitive forces would dictate electric prices and lower costs for both consumers and businesses. They wanted to free the sector from...

Betteridge Jewelers sparkling.(Competitive edge: Betteridge Jewelers)
August 9, 2004... As a soldier returning home after World War II, Albert E. Betteridge II was looking to break away from his father's jewelry business in Manhattan and open his own. In 1950's he purchased W.D. Webb Jewelers on what's now Greenwich Avenue in...

Groups split on highway expansion.
August 9, 2004... Anyone who has sat in Interstate 95's daily traffic snarl or witnessed a horrendous accident that seems to be occurring with frightening regularity must have a strong opinion about the roadway's future. Despite all the talk of mass transit...

Restaurateurs "carb out" menus for dieters.
August 9, 2004... With a recent Gallup Poll indicating that more, Americans are avoiding "carb" in their diets, a check of area restaurateurs shows that some are adjusting their menus to satisfy the palate of their Atkins and South Beach dieting customers. ...

State revokes Greenwich CPA's license.(Certified public accountants)(Connecticut State Board of Accountancy)(John P. Vancho & Co.)
August 9, 2004... The Connecticut State Board of Accountancy recently took swift action to revoke a Greenwich accountant's certificate because he allegedly withheld a client's tax records, which landed her in hot water with the Internal Revenue Service. The...

Exec recruiters' confidence still strong.(Issues@Work)(Brief Article)
August 9, 2004... ExecuNet's Recruiter Confidence Index, which surged in June, dropped in July. The recent survey of 181 executive recruiters conducted by ExecuNet, a Norwalk recruiting firm, shows that after months of impressive job growth, search firms are...

Be willing to bend: exec say flexible schedules most-valued staff benefit.(Issues@Work)
August 9, 2004... What perk do today's workers appreciate most? Flexible schedules top the list, according to 30 percent of chief financial officers polled recently by Accountemps, a staffing service for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping...

Stop & Shop buys Stamford supermarket.(Bongiorno Supermarket Inc.)
August 9, 2004... Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. has acquired the business of Bongiorno Supermarket Inc. to get a foothold in the Greenwich and Stamford markets until plans for a larger store are approved. Bongiorno, at 288 West Ave. near the Greenwich/Stamford...

Clairol stays, cuts 285 jobs.
August 9, 2004... After considering a possible move to Mexico, Proctor & Gamble has decided to keep its Clairol hair color unit in Stamford, but Hill eliminate 285 jobs. "We will continue to have a presence in Stamford. Over the next three years, a process...

State's confidence surges to post-recession high.
August 9, 2004... Connecticut's consumer confidence regained all the ground it lost in April and then some, according to July's Webster Consumer Confidence Index, sponsored by Webster Bank and managed by the Center for Economic Analysis (CCEA) at the University...

Bushwick Metals cited for OSHA hazards.
August 9, 2004... A Bridgeport company that distributes heavy steel beams has been cited by the U.S. Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for allegedly exposing employees to multiple workplace hazards. Bushwick Metals Inc., of...

CL&P to refund $83.5m to consumers.(Brief Article)
August 9, 2004... Connecticut Light & Power customers could get a four-month break in their utility bills of about $7 a month this fall and early winter, but will probably see their bills increase by that same amount or more in January. Customer bills will...

Jorgen Hjorth: volunteers like him keep the games special.(Profits & Passions)
August 9, 2004... In 1980, Jorgen Hjorth read an ad in the Fairfield newspaper that would ultimately change his life. Special Olympics was looking for volunteers and something about the ad spoke to Hjorth, a salesman now for 33 years at Imagistics International...

Jupiter Research predicts growth in online advertising.
August 9, 2004... A new forecast by the Jupiter Research division of Jupitermedia in Darien predicts online advertising will more than double over the next five years. The forecast, presented in New York City, sees the online ad market growing from $6.6...

Triple Point repurchases Cinergy's equity stake.(Brief Article)
August 9, 2004... Triple Point Technology Inc. of Westport has completed a buyback of Cinergy's minority ownership stake. Cinergy, a licensee and major user of the company's "XL" technology platform for energy supply and trading, made the investment in December...

Digitas to acquire Modem Media.(Brief Article)
August 9, 2004... Digitas Inc. of Boston and Modem Media Inc. of Norwalk have signed a merger agreement under which Digitas will acquire Modem Media in a stock-for-stock transaction.

Business web directory.(Directory)
August 9, 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 *...

Online teaching catching on: colleges mull how to carry on their mission.(Education: online vs. offline)
August 9, 2004... The increasing number of local colleges teaching courses over the Internet is many people their first opportunity to engage in higher learning. "Not everybody can afford four years in a dormitory situation," says Janice Miles Dunn,...

Online learning is ideal for student-athletes, too.(Education: online vs. offline)
August 9, 2004... Student-athletes who spend seemingly countless hours on the practice fields as well as off campus--faraway from the classrooms--throughout the school year find it is not always possible to take the traditional four-year path to a college...

Psychology professors win award for groundbreaking research.(Education: online vs. offline)
August 9, 2004... Jack Dovidio, a University of Connecticut professor of psychology, and his research partner, Samuel L. Gaertner, a University of professor of psychology, were named joint winners of the Kurt Lewin Memorial Award by the Society for the...

Professor captures beautiful zoo animal images.(Education: online vs. offline)
August 9, 2004... The black, almond-shaped eyes of a seal peer languorously through its tank; a somber hippopotamus dolefully approaches a shallow pool of murky water; a perplexed penguin stares blankly at a painted artic landscape. These are just a few of the...

University of Bridgeport tabs Moran as athletics director.(Education: online vs. offline)(Brief Article)
August 9, 2004... The University of Bridgeport (UB) has named Jay Moran as the university's director of athletics. Moran, who was athletics director at Albertus Magnus College for two years, succeeds Joe DiPuma, who resigned June 1 after serving five years....

Young named vice president at Sacred Heart.(Education: online vs. offline)(Brief Article)
August 9, 2004... Mary P. Young has been named the vice president for institutional advancement at Sacred Heart University. She will direct all major fund raising, alumni affairs and public relations activities for the university. Young has been the interim...

UConn symphony makes changes to embrace community musicians.(Brief Article)
August 9, 2004... For years, musicians from the community and University of Connecticut nonmusic majors have been restricted from playing in the University Symphony by one obstacle. Rehearsals were held in the day during traditional class hours. That's...

Test results show gaps beginning to close.(Education: online vs. offline)
August 9, 2004... Results of the 2003 Connecticut (CMT) in grades 4, 6 and 8 show the achievement gaps between students in Connecticut's wealthiest and poorest communities are beginning to close. While performance in our poorest cities (Education Reference...

11 Yale University and affiliated researchers win grant.(Education: online vs. offline)
August 9, 2004... The National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression is providing about $700,000 this year to 11 Yale University and affiliated researchers to study causes and treatment for mental illness. Among the topics the alliance is...

Researcher finds pattern in maintaining weight loss.(Education: online vs. offline)
August 9, 2004... Eighteen women who maintained a weight loss of 15 to 144 pounds for at least one year and as long as 27 years followed similar patterns leading to consistent behavior change, according to a study published in the Nursing Science Quarterly. ...

Greenwich housing market slows, but prices rise.(Doing business in Greenwich)
August 9, 2004... The market for residential property Greenwich has slowed, but prices continue to rise, says Elsie Pecorin of Weichert Realtors, pointing to low property taxes as a major draw for purchasing a home in the community. "We have people who come...