Fairfield County Business Journal articles from February 2001

Fairfield County Business Journal archives from February 2001

Rail project on track in Fairfield.
February 5, 2001... Third Metro-North station sparks $250 million commercial proposal After more than a year of behind-the-scenes negotiations, officials from the town of Fairfield and the state Department of Transportation (DOT) have unveiled plans to build a...

Stratford theater gets a new cast.
February 5, 2001... Management changes reflect need to raise funds Stratford Festival Theater Inc. announced sweeping management changes this month in its continued effort to complete renovations and bring the theater back to life after a decade of darkness....

Rukeyser tells investors to sit tight and don't panic.
February 5, 2001... Louis Rukeyser, host of public television's "Wall $treet Week," told investors at a local benefit not to pay attention to Wall Street "gloomsters" who have been getting the stock market wrong for years. The event, billed as "Ask Louis...

Fed economist positive about state's outlook.
February 5, 2001... Connecticut's long-term outlook remains positive, but the state will face several challenges going forward, especially with a declining population and a dearth of educated workers, according to Federal Reserve economist Rae Rosen. "Our...

Economists urge Congress to cut taxes and reduce debt.
February 5, 2001... As Congress debates whether a tax cut or debt reduction will best sustain America's prosperity, economists believe a combination of the two is the most sensible approach. "I think both should be done," said Thomas J. Spitznas of. T. J....

The good old days (as I remember them).
February 5, 2001... Everyone talks about the "good old days," but when you look back over the years, what were good days for some were bad days for others. Every generation has its good times and my best were growing up in Brooklyn in the late '20s and '30s....

Lawyers gain more than class-action victims, poll finds.
February 5, 2001... Connecticut voters believe lawyers benefit more from class-action lawsuits than their clients and express concern that such suits unnecessarily raise the price of goods and services, according to a survey released Jan. 31 by The Center for...

Union Carbide, Dow extend merger deadline.
February 5, 2001... With federal regulatory approval for Danbury-based Union Carbide Corp.'s merger with Dow Chemical Co. still elusive, the two international chemical giants have extended until March 31 an agreement to waive their right to walk away from the...

Fischel moves ahead with plan for 'spec' building.
February 5, 2001... Despite signs of an economic slow-down, a Norwalk developer is moving ahead with construction of a 134,500-square-foot office building in the town of Fairfield. Developer Harold Fischel, chairman of Fischel Properties Inc., who started the...

The good, bad and unknown of Internet focus groups.
February 5, 2001... As market research professionals become more familiar with the Internet's ability to make distance and location irrelevant, cyber focus groups have become a bigger part of their repertoire. However, those in the know say the idea of...

Connecticut gets 'C' on management report card.
February 5, 2001... Although it rates only a 'C' average, Connecticut's government is doing better when it comes to managing the state's resources. In a Jan. 30 report released by The Maxwell School at Syracuse University and Governing magazine, the state's...

Star Gas Partners prices stock offering.
February 5, 2001... Star Gas Partners L.P. of Stamford said it it has sold 1.9 million common units of limited partner interests in a publicly under-written offering managed by A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc., UBS Warburg and CIBC World Markets. The offering price...

Using the 'Net can benefit your company.
February 5, 2001... Cynthia Smith Chief executive officer and founder, Sell It Direct L.L.C., a New Rochelle, N.Y., application services provider specializing in the mail-order, retail fulfillment and manufacturing industries (www.sellitdirect.net). ...

B.Y.O. website.
February 5, 2001... It's not all that difficult, time consuming or expensive Just a few years ago even the simplest website cost many thousands of dollars to create and many thousands of dollars a year to host. The good news is that costs have come way down....

Selling means more than selling on the 'Net.
February 5, 2001... The old adage that "the customer is always right" has spawned an entire branch of business practice called CRM, customer relationship management. Roughly defined, CRM is the study and practice of identifying, attracting, selling to, serving and...

Make news by adding events to your marketing mix.
February 5, 2001... One of the best promotional trends being used by marketing-savvy companies is to utilize clever events and attention-grabbers to gain market awareness and new business. Many organizations, forced to scale back their abundant advertising...

Newspapers and Magazines.
February 5, 2001... Newspapers and Magazines Name, address, phone number and website Editor(s) Area code: 203 Advertising director E-mail address ...

When promoting, know your audience.
February 5, 2001... Within each marketing plan, one very important section exists which represents the energy and hands-on portion of marketing. That section is the promotional plan, or as I like to refer to it as, the creative-action plan. A promotional plan...

Fairfield University.
February 5, 2001... Fairfield University, Fairfield, presented its inaugural Martin Luther King Jr. Vision Awards to the following individuals for their efforts to instill the teachings and ideals of Dr. King in today's youth: Edward Brennan of Monroe, principal...

Bruce T. Moore.
February 5, 2001... Bruce T. Moore of Stamford, president of Eastern Land Management Inc., Stamford, a landscape management firm, was re-certified under the Certified Landscape Professional program by the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ACLA),...

Bridgeport Area Youth Ministry Inc.
February 5, 2001... Bridgeport Area Youth Ministry Inc. (BAYM), Bridgeport, a non-profit organization that provides programs for young people to develop life and work skills, received a $10,000 grant from the Greater Bridgeport Area Foundation. The grant will be...

Beard Insurance Agency.
February 5, 2001... The Beard Insurance Agency, Georgetown, and Carnall Insurance Inc., Ridge-field, a subsidiary of Ridgefield Bank, announced that the two agencies merged under the Carnall-Insurance banner. Spencer Beard of Ridgefield, who was president of Beard...

4SURE.com Inc.
February 5, 2001... 4SURE.com Inc., Trumbull, a direct marketer of computer and technology products, announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire all the assets of Computer.com, a website for novice computer users to visit for recommendations and products....

Greenfield Online Inc.
February 5, 2001... Greenfield Online Inc., Wilton, an online marketing research and business information firm, and Advertising.com Inc., Baltimore, Md., an online advertising services company, announced a partnership to launch efforts to measure the effect of...

Newsmakers.
February 5, 2001... James W. Scanlon of Westport, president and chief executive officer of Putnam Trust Co., Greenwich, was appointed to a three-year term on the board of directors of the Norwalk Community College Foundation Inc., Norwalk, the fundraising arm of...

Stock Watch.
February 5, 2001... Stock Watch For the period ending Wednesday, January 31, 2001 This Last Company/Headquarters ...

Kelly Associates Real Estate Inc.
February 5, 2001... Doreen Connors of Darien joined Kelly Associates Real Estate Inc., Darien, as a sales agent. Connors holds a bachelor's degree in finance from Bentley College.

Peter L. Malkin.
February 5, 2001... Peter L. Malkin of Greenwich and Anthony E. Malkin of Greenwich headed an investment group that acquired First Stamford Place, a three-building, 810,000-square-foot office complex on First Stamford Place, Stamford, from TrizecHahn 4 for $152.5...

NYFIX Inc.
February 5, 2001... NYFIX Inc., a developer and marketer of electronic trading systems, expanded its space at Stamford Harbor Park, 333 Ludlow St., Stamford, by subleasing 5,154 square feet of space from Metromedia International Telecommunications Inc. NYFIX is...

Hilton Garden Inn opens in Norwalk.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... Hilton Hotels Corp. has opened a three-story 170-room Hilton Garden Inn [R] in Norwalk. Widewaters New Castle Norwalk Company L.L.C., under a license agreement with Hilton Inns Inc., the parent corporation's franchise subsidiary, operates...

Maclaren rolls out $2,000 baby buggy.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... Forget the silver spoon. British buggy maker Maclaren has taken the wraps off the world's first-ever stroller made of titanium and leather. Retailing for approximately $2,000, the company croons that its Maclaren Titanium Edition "combines...

State caught in limo war cross-fire.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... A state Department of Transportation A (DOT) investigation of alleged livery permit violations has landed the agency in the middle of a bitter rivalry between former competitors in Fairfield County's limousine business. In a series of...

Threshold Mortgage puts bank plan on hold.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... No one is certain where the economy is headed, but the signs of a possible slump have begun affecting business decisions, with a Westport company shelving plans to start a thrift. Threshold Mortgage Co., which was to file papers with...

Jos. A. Bank opens store in Danbury.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... Jos. A. Bank Clothiers' new Danbury store is the first of some 30 new outlets the company will open this year as part of a plan to open 75 to 100 stores by fiscal 2003. "Connecticut is one of our best markets and this store is a key step...

Shaky economy may encourage insurance fraud.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... Whether it's padding a claim to cover the cost of a deductible, or the activities of organized crime rings, insurance fraud costs the average American household more than $5,000 a year in the form of higher premiums and higher prices for goods...

Benefits crucial to recruitment and retention.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... Record low unemployment means that employees in every organization are looking for better deals with the company next door, down the street, or even across the country. But according to the 2001 Survey of Employee Benefits from Business &...

Sometimes it pays to heed the experts.(J. Silver Clothing bankruptcy)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... Soon after I returned from vacationing in Florida's 70-degree sunshine in late January, I found two things shocking. First, when I got up the next morning, I discovered my car had been buried under 6 inches of snow. Second, in the evening...

Crane acquires Ventech Controls.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... Crane Co. of Stamford said it had acquired the stock of Ventech Controls Inc. Terms were not disclosed. Located in Houston, Texas, Ventech's valve repair business provides both shop repair and remanufacture of control valves and...

Change Technology acquires remaining interest in eHotHouse.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... Change Technology Partners Inc. (CTPI) of Greenwich has acquired the outstanding 26.7 percent minority interest of its subsidiary, eHotHouse, for approximately 4.5 million CTPI shares and $400,000 in cash. The transaction is expected to...

Dow completes Carbide merger.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 12, 2001... The Dow Chemical Co. has completed its merger with Union Carbide Corp. of Danbury. As a result Dow will pay two pro rata dividends that together total Dow's current quarterly dividend rate of 29 cents a share: The first pro rata dividend...

Amplifications and corrections.
February 12, 2001... The seating capacity of the Stratford Festival Theater was incorrectly listed as 15,000 in the Feb. 5 story "Stratford theater gets a new cast" The actual seating capacity is 1,500.

Eight ways to bug-proof our e-commerce system.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... E-business brings new opportunities, as well as new perils. By implementing sound loss-control measures, you can manage the risks and protect your e-business. So what exactly can you do to minimize the risk of security breaches in your...

BenefitPort acquires Goldstein group.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... BenefitPort of Greenwich (www.benefitport.com) said it has acquired The Goldstein Cos., a group health general agent and broker in New Jersey. Terms of the acquisition, which expands BenefitPort's presence in the New Jersey market, were...

Strategies for communicating on the customers' terms.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... Developing lasting and profitable customer relationships may be as simple as giving customers the ability to choose the time, place and channel of contact, according to a study released by Pitney Bowes Inc. The study found that 60 percent...

Colleges and Universities.(Directory)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
February 12, 2001... Colleges and Universities Ranked by number of full-time-equivalent students enrolled in 2000-2001 Rank Name, address, phone number and website Area code: 203 1...

WWF needs space for growth.(World Wrestling Federation)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... World Wresting Federation Entertainment Inc., a media and entertainment company in Stamford, is looking for a new headquarters -- and may move to New York, a company official said. "Given the significant growth at WWF over the past year, we...

Tosco HQ may be closed.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... As a result of its pending acquisition by Bartlesville, Okla.-based Phillips Petroleum Co., Tosco Corp.'s Greenwich headquarters may be shutdown. Phillips spokeswoman Kristi DesJarlais said that although she did not know exactly how things...

General Re to sell controlling interest in subsidiary.(General Re Securities Holdings)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... General Re Corp. of Stamford said it has entered into an agreement in principle with Peter Hancock, Roberto Mendoza and their partners to sell a controlling stake in Gen Re Securities Holdings. General Re Corp. said it will retain a...

The right space.(Haverson Architecture and Design)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... A 'great office' can attract intellectual capital In a recent presentation to the Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate (AFIRE), an international real estate investment organization, futurist David Pearce Snyder said that success...

Web-based network improves communication.(Shortpath)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... Shortpath Inc. has developed a Web-based building operating system that gives tenants a method for immediately communicating building problems and maintenance requests that can be hacked and recorded in real time, providing an up-to-the-minute...

Voice recognition more than just talk as voice-activated Controls roll out.(Industry Overview)
February 12, 2001... Instead of letting your fingers do the walking, this may be the era when you let your voice do the talking. Say "lights," and they come on. Tell your wireless phone to "call Mom," and it dials her number. Command your computer to go to a...

Combating the meeting malaise.(unique conference rooms)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... Unique rooms can help prevent boring business meetings Business meetings can be so boring and routine that if you fell asleep you would probably find upon waking up that you really didn't miss anything of substance. But, when conducted...

Zagat releases guide to top U.S. hotels, resorts and spas.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 12, 2001... Zagat Survey has published its 2001 edition of "Top U.S. Hotels, Resorts and Spas," based on the ratings and reviews of nearly 20,000 frequent travelers. This is the sixth time Zagat (www.zagat.com) has surveyed U.S. travelers on the...

Priceline.com enhances leisure travel service.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 12, 2001... As part of a strategic plan to refocus and build on its core products, Priceline.com said it has enhanced its Internet travel program to help speed travelers through its leisure airline tickets service and provide shorter, more convenient...

Hospitality industry embraces Internet, survey concludes.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... The hospitality industry is beginning to embrace electronic procurement, resulting in significant supply chain cost savings, according to a report by a national research agency. The study, by The Aberdeen Group, found that the hospitality...

Time for 'breather' in lodging sector.(securities)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... Bear Steams senior managing director and lodging analyst Jason Ader, in response to growing weakness in the U.S. economy, downgraded the lodging sector in early December. Citing a correlation between the economy and the lodging industry,...

Hospitality sector could see 'recovery' by end of the year.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 12, 2001... Recent economic releases by the government and private organizations revealed clear signs of a substantial weakening of the U.S. economy during the fourth quarter of 2000. They also indicated the possibility of a continued "growth recession"...

Personal touch to serving food at meetings.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... In addition to comfortable space, a successful meeting can sometimes be determined by the food that is served. An alternative to simply have a meeting catered is to engage a personal chef. "We have done quite a few cocktail parties and...

Is English becoming Greek to your ears?(publishing of 'The World Dictionary of Foreign Expressions')(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... Do you ever feel like the English language you've spent a lifetime speaking is, well... changing? If so, you're not alone. New words are added to the dictionary each year, challenging Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Public to keep up with those...

Wahlstrom & Co.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... Wahlstrom & Co., Stamford a directory advertising agency and a unit of True North Communications Inc., received two 2000 APPY Awards from the Yellow Pages Publishers Association, Berkeley Heights, N.J., for outstanding achievement in Yellow...

Kathleen M. Shea.(Certified Temporary-Staffing Specialist)
February 12, 2001... Kathleen M. Shea of Stratford, branch manager of the Stamford office of Diversified Employment Services Inc., received the Certified Temporary-Staffing Specialist (CTS) designation from the National Association of Personnel Services,...

Bridgeport Area Youth Ministry Inc.(Abstract)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... Bridgeport Area Youth Ministry Inc. (BAYM), Bridgeport, a non-profit organization that provides programs for young people to develop life and work skills, received a $10,000 grant from Southern New England Telephone (SNET), New Haven, to...

Walsh Public Relations.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... Walsh Public Relations, Westport, was selected by Scientific Explorer Inc., Seattle, Wash., a marketer of science and educational products for children, to head its public relations and marketing communications efforts.

ShellMar Consulting.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... ShellMar Consulting, Monroe, was selected by Hunt Country Furniture, Wingdale, N.Y., a furniture manufacturer, to develop and implement the company's public relations and marketing strategies. Shelly M. Harvey of Monroe is the owner of ShellMar...

LifeCare.com.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... LifeCare.com, Westport, a provider of workplace management services, announced an agreement with Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, to feature the medical facility's health and wellness content on LifeCare.com 's employee Internet service.

Newsmakers.
February 12, 2001... van Summern Group Stamford an architectural and interior design firm, announced the following appointments. Elisabeth Post-Marner of Pound Ridge, N.Y., was promoted to a principal. Post-Marner has been director of design since joining the...

Stock Watch.(Statistical Data Included)
February 12, 2001... Stock Watch For the period ending Wednesday, February 7, 2001 This Last Company/Headquarters ...

Customer service blooms at Village Office Supply.(Brief Article)
February 19, 2001... As if sent by Cupid himself, they came by surprise last week and landed on the doorstep of a company near you. A band of dashing delivery men dressed in crisp tuxedos brought roses and Valentine's Day smiles to office managers from Greenwich to...

Defense electronics market about to explode.(Brief Article)
February 19, 2001... The next 10 years are "definitely the decade of production and procurement for the U.S. defense electronics market," according to Richard Sterk, senior military electronics analyst for Forecast International/DMS in Newtown. "Based on...

Moore Ltd. eyes move to Stamford.(Brief Article)
February 19, 2001... Moore Corporation Ltd., which has 1,200 employees in its U.S. headquarters in Bannockburn, Ill., is considering leasing 40,000 square feet in the former Champion building for its executive offices. Local real estate sources expect the deal...

Sale of European unit reshapes Memry.(Memry Corp.)(Brief Article)
February 19, 2001... Memry Corp., a company known for producing medical components made from an advanced shape-changing alloy, announced earlier this month that it was taking a new form by selling off its European subsidiary. "The disappointing financial...

Cheshire Distributors' stock deal terminated.(Brief Article)
February 19, 2001... Cheshire Distributors Inc. (OTC BB: CDCA) of Westport said its stock purchase agreement with Eduardo Cardoso has been terminated. The action comes after Cheshire's lead lender in the acquisition of the common stock of Cardoso Cigarette...

Oxford turnaround rates high with A.M. Best.(Brief Article)
February 19, 2001... Since its stock crashed in 1998, Oxford Health Plans Inc. has remained mired in hundreds of millions of dollars of debt while facing a declining membership base. But in early February, the Trumbull-based health maintenance Organization...

Non-cash benefits can sway IT talent.(information technology)(Brief Article)
February 19, 2001... Salary alone is no longer a sufficient lure to help companies attract and retain IT talent, according to a new survey on compensation for information technology positions from PricewaterhouseCoopers' Unifi Network subsidiary. While most...

They've got their eves on us.(Brief Article)
February 19, 2001... "On each landing opposite the lift shaft, the poster with the enormous face gazed from the wall. It was one of those pictures which are so contrived that the eyes follow you about when you move. BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU, the caption beneath...

Letter.
February 19, 2001... Send the pols a message To the editor: In the wake of Marc Rich and other questionable Clinton pardons, some are calling for the elimination of this presidential prerogative, a holdover from the supreme right of kings. I doubt this...

In 'scorecard' economy, employees are losers.(Brief Article)
February 19, 2001... One of the shrewdest chief executive officers I've ever met was a man whose intellectual depth was fairly modest. But he clearly had vision, and nowhere did that serve him better than when he was recruiting to fill a key job. While...

Many lives on hold in wake of Dow-Carbide merger.(Brief Article)
February 19, 2001... Greg Weingardt, marketing communications manager at Danbury's Union Carbide Corp., which recently merged with Dow Chemical Co., knows what the future holds for him. "I'm going to retire," he said, one day after the Federal Trade Commission...

BenefitsEssentials.com prepares for site relaunch.(Brief Article)
February 19, 2001... While advising emerging-growth companies, attorney Jennifer Rubin discovered her clients could benefit if they had access to a source providing information on employment-related issues. "There is a specific need by these companies for...

$20 million state grant will spur Norwalk project.(Brief Article)
February 19, 2001... Under Gov. John W. Rowland's budget proposal, Norwalk will receive $20 million to make local infrastructure improvements, helping push forward a $200 million office development for the city. Jim Banks, the city's marketing director, said...

Napster ruling not the end.(Brief Article)
February 19, 2001... In its Napster decision, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in California ruled that creating a centralized directory that facilitates the mass swapping of copyrighted materials is illegal. In doing so, it rejected Napster's claim that the...

Evercel makes $25.4 million public offering.(Brief Article)
February 19, 2001... Evercel Inc. of Danbury (NASDAQ: EVRC) announced the public offering of 3 million shares of the company's common stock on Feb. 9 at $9 a share for gross proceeds, after commissions, of $25.4 million. Evercel said it intends to use the net...

Branding in a competitive marketplace.(Column)
February 19, 2001... How do you create a successful brand in a competitive retail environment where consumers are constantly bombarded with glossy advertising, promotions that give away the store and instant e-marketing that offers products and services too good to...

Primary Care Practices.(Illustration)
February 19, 2001... Primary Care Practices Ranked by number of physicians in group; alphabetically in event of tie Fairfield County Name, address, phone number ...