Fairfield County Business Journal articles from January 2001

Fairfield County Business Journal archives from January 2001

McDonough says New Economy real.
January 1, 2001... New York Fed chief thinks prolonged high growth possible New York Federal Reserve Bank president William J. McDonough sits in an imposing building that hoards about $86 billion in gold --roughly 30 percent of the world's official monetary...

Lawsuits slow OSHA rules change.
January 1, 2001... Litigation will delay implementation of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration's controversial ergonomics standard for at least a year. "I don't think there is going to be any impact because of the lawsuits," said Barry...

Sikorsky Credit Union gains state charter.
January 1, 2001... Sikorsky Federal Credit Union has won a partial victory with regulators who granted, the Stratford lender a state charter but limited its field of membership to Fairfield, New Haven and Hartford counties. A federally licensed institution,...

Reed Putnam development awaits tenant.
January 1, 2001... The proposed Reed Putnam Redevelopment Project in Norwalk is a step closer to reality with the recent signing of a land acquisition agreement, but construction won't begin until the developer finds a tenant. "It will take us at least a...

Bradlees closing all six local stores.
January 1, 2001... In the end, Bradlees Inc. proved no match for its larger retail competitors or the nation's sputtering economy; forcing the chain to close all 105 stores -- including six in Fairfield County. In a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition filed Dec....

Finding solution to gridlock imperative.
January 1, 2001... These days, it seems that any hour of the day is "rush hour" when you're talking about Interstate 95 in Fairfield County. Ask any commuter and they'll tell you, "Something needs to change." And they're right. In this highly interconnected...

Court rules against Xerox on Y2K insurance claim.
January 1, 2001... A New York state trial court on Dec. 20 ruled for an insurance company which refused to cover $138 million Xerox Corp. of Stamford said it spent upgrading computer systems to cope with potential "Y2K" date rollover problems. New York...

Backlash over managed care redefining malpractice.
January 1, 2001... Not only is the size of medical claims on the rise, the definition of malpractice is being broadened to include "failure to detect," according to the latest Conning and Co. survey. Doctors are being held liable for diagnostic tests they are...

Tips for returning gifts purchased online.
January 1, 2001... WebBuyingGuide.com offers the following tips for returning gifts purchased online: * Determine where the gift was purchased and visit the store's website to learn the return policy. If you have the receipt or packing slip, there may be a...

Cannondale trims debt, resumes production.
January 1, 2001... Cannondale Corp. (NASDAQ: BIKE) of Bethel has paid down approximately $12 million in long-term debt, and resumed production of its MX400 motorcycle. The pay-down also terminates the warrant granted in June 2000 to Ableco Finance L.L.C.,...

Law Firms.
January 1, 2001... Law Firms Ranked by number of houses listed in 1999; alphabetically in event of tie Fairfield County Rank Name, address, phone number and website 1 Cummings & Lockwood ...

Techno trends.
January 1, 2001... From the classroom to the dorm room, technology has become an essential tool. According to a recent consumer survey by electronics retailer Best Buy, nearly one in five college freshmen claim to be "extreme tech-heads," already taking advantage...

Apprenticeships make comeback.
January 1, 2001... In colonial times, securing an apprenticeship was just about the only way an unskilled workman could access one of the better jobs in the settlement. No classroom training, no correspondence courses, just years of hard work toiling beside...

Dumps are no place for high-tech gear.
January 1, 2001... We all feel like trashing our computers at one time or another. But, when people literally trash them, there's a toxic toll. Computers and their attendant peripherals, including monitors, are made up of plastic, glass, lead, iron, cadmium,...

New Year's goals: Making rain, raising funds.
January 1, 2001... Welcome to the first installment of the WBDC Small-Business Corner. Look for this segment in the first issue of each month in the Business Journal. WBDC will be offering advice for entrepreneurs on key small-business topics. This month, the...

Convergence divergence.
January 1, 2001... Convergence, the marriage of the Internet and television, has been touted as an e-commerce nirvana. However, Ben Isaacson, executive director of the Association for Interactive Media (www.interactivehq.org), doesn't concur and feels that no one...

Wireless revolution.
January 1, 2001... The future of wireless application protocol has countless possibilities., according to Scott Sbihili, senior manager for wireless business development for Dynamis Solutions Inc. (www.edynamis.com) and co-author of the new book "Wireless...

Gigs to gigabytes.
January 1, 2001... After years on stage, trombonist Rick Trager hits the right notes with Web design, hosting For more than 20 years, Rick Trager lived the nomadic life of a musician. The trombonist traveled with Broadway shows, including "Jesus Christ...

Reckson Associates Realty Corp.
January 1, 2001... Reckson Associates Realty Corp., Westchester Division, White Plains, N.Y., presented year 2000 awards to the following real estate brokers in the Stamford office of Insignia/ESG Inc.

Robert G. Martin.
January 1, 2001... Robert G. Martin of Greenwich, senior managing director at Insignia/ESG Inc., Stamford, received a Broker of the Year award for his work in bringing Metromedia Fiber Network Services Inc., a provider of optical network and Internet...

Dean Shapiro.
January 1, 2001... Dean Shapiro of Weston, executive director, and John Gershman of North Salem, N.Y., a sales associate, at Insignia/ESG, received a Broker of the Year award for their work in bringing Tradeout.Com Inc., a surplus merchandise broker, to Reckson's...

American Skandia Inc.
January 1, 2001... American Skandia Inc., Shelton, a provider of financial services, was named one of the "100 best companies to work for" in the nation by Fortune Magazine. American Skandia was ranked number 38 on Fortune's 2000 list, which ranks those companies...

GE Appliances and GE Card Services.
January 1, 2001... GE Appliances and GE Card Services, Stamford, members of General Electric Co., donated 86 household appliances, totaling almost $60,000, to St. Luke's Life Works, Stamford, a provider of housing and counseling for economically disadvantaged...

Newsmakers.
January 1, 2001... Day Berry & Howard LLP., a law firm, announced the following promotions in its Stamford office. R. Scott Beach of Westport was promoted to a partner. A member of the firm's emerging companies practice group. Beach joined the firm in 1993...

Country Living Associates.
January 1, 2001... Cristina Lirot of Rowayton joined the Darien office of Country Living Associates as a sales associate. Most recently, Lirot worked in the Darien office of William Raveis Real Estate. She holds a bachelor's degree in economics and art history...

Norwalk retail strip runs out of room.
January 8, 2001... After a 10-year development spurt transformed U.S. Route 1 in Norwalk into Fairfield County's premier big-box retail hub, city officials say they would prefer to put the breaks on any new projects. "There's not much land left there to do...

EU wrestles with U.S. over export subsidy.
January 8, 2001... American exporters could lose $4 billion worth of government subsidies if the European Union (EU) wins a favorable ruling from the World Trade Organization (WTO) in its latest trade dispute with the United States. Complaining that the...

'Affluenza' strikes children of wealth.
January 8, 2001... Too much money may spoil your children, or so concludes the latest U.S. Trust survey of affluent American families. The annual study, which polls the nation's super rich, found that affluent parents worry their children may be spoiled by...

VDC initiates cost cuts as top officers resign.
January 8, 2001... VDC Communications Inc. of Greenwich said it is undertaking "substantial expense reductions" prompted by the company's "continuing negative cash flow, its inability to pay operating expenses, its inability to raise additional capital, and its...

United Rentals submits $314 million bid for Neff.
January 8, 2001... United Rentals Inc. of Greenwich has submitted a non-binding proposal to a special committee of the Neff Corp. (NYSE: NFF) to acquire approximately 72 percent of the equity interest in Neff and more than 80 percent of the voting rights in Neff....

Webster completes sale of N.H. branches.
January 8, 2001... Webster Financial Corp. of Waterbury, holding company for Webster Bank, said it has completed the previously announced sale of its Olde Port Bank division consisting of two bank branches to Granite Bank. A New Hampshire state-chartered...

New Year's resolutions for businesses.
January 8, 2001... As the old year ends and a new one begins, newspapers, radio and TV are filled with reports on the nation's economic situation. The questions they ask center around the issue of whether the nation is in for a "soft landing" or a "hard landing"...

ATMI acquires remaining interest in Korean venture.
January 8, 2001... ATMI Inc. purchased the remaining 30 percent minority interest in its South Korean chusik hosea joint venture with K.G. Tech. The venture manufactures, sells and distributes thin-film materials to the semiconductor industry in South Korea....

Green Mountain receives license.
January 8, 2001... Green Mountain Energy Co., a provider of renewable energy, said the state Department of Public Utility Control has approved the company's license to be a competitive electricity supplier in the state. The utility plans to begin bringing...

iSolve and Worlds.com secure additional financing.
January 8, 2001... Despite sour market conditions, two Stamford-based Internet companies -- iSolve and Worlds.com -- have raised millions of dollars from investors. iSolve (www.iSolve.com), a provider of surplus inventory management solutions to businesses...

E-Sync completes financing.
January 8, 2001... E-Sync Networks. Inc., a provider of e-business infrastructure products and services, has completed a $0.9 million convertible debt financing with existing investors. E-Sync said it also has hired The Investor Relations Group Inc. of New...

Costco arrives as Bradlees, Today's Man depart.
January 8, 2001... Although Norwalk's Connecticut Avenue may be running out of room for future big-box retail developments, one of the largest has yet to open its doors. Costco Wholesale Corp. is expected to become the newest spoke in the city's retail hub...

Smaller retailers learn to survive.
January 8, 2001... If anyone needed further proof that America is a brand-name society, you need only to drive down Connecticut Avenue, Norwalk's retail strip, to find it. Home Depot, Sports Authority, Circuit City -- big names for big stores backed by Wall...

College opportunity depends on many external factors.
January 8, 2001... The chances of getting a college education in America depend, to a large extent, on where you live, according to a first-of-its-kind report card that grades the states on their performance in higher education. The report card, released by...

Computer Consultants.
January 8, 2001... Computer Consultants Ranked by number of employees; alphabetically in event of tie Fairfield County Rank Name, address, phone ...

Byte Interactive designs health care website.
January 8, 2001... Byte Interactive of South Norwalk has created MyHealthySavings.com, a website that allows consumers to save money on medical services, prescription drugs and health and beauty products. Byte Interactive was selected by MyHealthySavings.com...

Breaking resolutions.
January 8, 2001... New Year's resolutions are a traditional event and, unfortunately, so is the fact that more than half of those who make these new year resolutions have failed by Jan. 20. "Thus reality day is the day in which willpower dies for the...

Medical privacy.
January 8, 2001... President Clinton recently announced new federal regulations for the privacy of medical records. "But these regulations are not scheduled to take effect for two years and they may be watered down or canceled before then by the new...

Breakout year.
January 8, 2001... Analysts expect strong growth for insurance industry this year If the analysts are right, the insurance companies will bask in fortune's bright glow this year, with industry growth projected at 7 percent. "The forecasts this year --...

Understanding retirement investments.
January 8, 2001... How can you build up your personal -- income for, the retirement years? In addition to taking advantage of the options you may have with your life insurance policy, there are other retirement products that can help you accumulate money, such as...

Workers' compensation fraud and the small employer.
January 8, 2001... Workers' compensation insurance is a mandatory protection maintained and paid for by employers. Insurance benefits are paid to compensate employees hurt on the job. Each state administers its own program. In Connecticut, the Workers'...

Catalyst Marketing Communications Inc.
January 8, 2001... Catalyst Marketing Communications Inc., Stamford, a marketing communications firm, was selected as the advertising agency of record for Roto Hardware Systems, Essex, a manufacturer of window and door hardware systems.

Michael J. Sweeney Landscaping Inc.
January 8, 2001... Michael J. Sweeney Landscaping Inc., Stamford, a landscaping firm, announced it name change to Landserv Inc.

Newsmakers.
January 8, 2001... Greenfield Online, Wilton, an online marketing research firm, announced the following appointments. Rick Allen of Fairfield joined the firm as senior vice president for global client development. Most recently, Allen was vice president of...

Stock Watch.
January 8, 2001... Stock Watch For the period ending Wednesday, January 3, 2001 This Last Company/Headquarters ...

The Home Builders Association of Connecticut.
January 8, 2001... The Home Builders Association of Connecticut, Hartford, presented the following with honors for 2000.

Richard Girouard.
January 8, 2001... Richard Girouard of Farmington, a home builder with offices in New Canaan and Farmington, received awards for the "Best Spec Home Over $3 Million" for a colonial house in New Canaan and the "Best Custom Home Over 8,000 Square Feet and Best...

Arnold Karp.
January 8, 2001... Arnold Karp of New Canaan, a home builder with an office in New Canaan, received an award for the "Best Residential Remodeling Over $1 Million" for a house in Darien.

Ruth LeBlanc-Jones.
January 8, 2001... Ruth LeBlanc-Jones of New Canaan, a sales associate and new homes specialist in the 20 Locust Ave., New Canaan, office of Coldwel Banker, was named the Realtor of the Year by the association. This marks the fourth consecutive year that...

Ruth LeBlanc-Jones and Previews.
January 8, 2001... Ruth LeBlanc-Jones and Previews, Coldwell Banker's luxury homes marketing division based in New Canaan, jointly received the "Best Brochure" award for a publication they created on behalf of Richard Girouard.

Spotlight.
January 8, 2001... Rick Allen of Fairfield was appointed senior vice president for global client development at Greenfield Online, Wilton, an online marketing research firm.

Newtown, state seek land deal.
January 15, 2001... Fairfield Hills property has $5.5 million price tag Complex negotiations surrounding the state's proposed sale of the former Fairfield Hills Mental Hospital to the town of Newtown have been extended into the new year. The state's...

J. Silver files Chapter 11 to shed leases.
January 15, 2001... Trying to find the silver lining in a failed westward expansion, representatives of J. Silver Clothing Inc. say last month's bankruptcy filing is the first step towards bringing the company back to its roots. The Norwalk-based retailer...

Bradlees lost sight of retail audience.
January 15, 2001... Bradlees Inc. sowed the seeds of its own demise a decade ago when it lost sight of its customers, a retail industry observer says. Bradlees flourished in the 1970s and '80s targeting young shoppers through saturation TV ads. They featured a...

Priceline, Expedia settle two lawsuits.
January 15, 2001... Norwalk's Priceline.com Inc. and Microsoft Corp. and Microsoft's Expedia Inc. have settled two lawsuits brought by priceline.com against Microsoft and Expedia in the U.S. District Court for Connecticut. Under terms of the settlement;...

Evercel files SEC statement.
January 15, 2001... Evercel Inc (NASDAQ: EVRC) has field a registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed underwritten public offering of 3 million shares of common stock. Proceeds from the offering will be used to equip...

Legislators must solve traffic crisis.
January 15, 2001... Everybody talks about the weather and transportation, but nobody seems to do anything about them. That may not be true any longer if the state legislature votes funds to improve the transportation system. Gov. John Rowland told the combined...

Getting a handle on holiday debts.
January 15, 2001... Pollsters are having a field day with the economy and Americans' perception of whether we're in a bull or a bear market. Last week's gloomy report from Morgan Stanley Dean Witter's chief economist Stephen Roach set the tone for the doomsayers...

A little precaution and planning can go a long way to easing your financial anxiety.
January 15, 2001... Adjust your consumption habits accordingly. In tracking family spending, you may be surprised to see where all the money is going. For instance, eliminating a $3 coffee and donut weekdays will save you $780 a year (and ease the pressure on that...

Letter.
January 15, 2001... Patriot National figures 'misleading' To the editor: In reference to two items in your "Patriot National Bank has five-year plan" may have misled your subscribers. First, the article deals with third-quarter results but the boxed...

Amplifications and corrections.
January 15, 2001... The name of the eighth-ranked firm on the Jan. 1 list of law finns was misspelled. It should have been Ivey, Barnum & O'Mara L.L.C., 170 Mason St., Greenwich 06830, telephone 661-6000. Also, a heading on the list mistakenly referred to...

Fasten your seatbelts for a 'soft' landing.
January 15, 2001... While predictions of an economic soft landing abound, one nationally recognized economist recently told 500 members of the state's business community to fasten their safety belts all the same. "Not to avoid the question but, the way I...

IBM one of top corporations for multicultural opportunities.
January 15, 2001... In the first Internet election, American Express and International Business Machines Corp. were voted by America's leading women- and minority-owned businesses as the top two companies promoting multicultural business opportunities. The...

Parents support tech filtering at school, not in home.
January 15, 2001... Web-literate parents overwhelmingly support Internet filtering at school -- as required by the just-signed Children's Internet Protection Act -- but prefer non-technological online-safety methods at home, according to a SafeKidsNetFamilyNews...

Pitney Bowes acquires control of MailCode.
January 15, 2001... Pitney Bowes Inc. of Stamford said it has acquired a majority ownership in MailCode Inc., a privately held mail processing solutions company headquartered in Lafayette, Ind. Terms of the agreement are not being disclosed, but it is expected...

Baldwin obtains new credit facility.
January 15, 2001... Baldwin Technology Company Inc. (AMEX: BLD) of Shelton said it has entered into a new three-year, $35 million revolving credit facility with. Fleet Securities Inc. and First Union Securities Inc. as co-arrangers. The agreement was...

Corzon, LecStar agree to merger.
January 15, 2001... Corzon Inc. of Bridgeport said it will acquire LecStar Communications Corp. of Atlanta, Ga, a privately held company offering local, long-distance and broadband telecommunication and Internet services, in a stock-for-stock transaction. ...

Financial Planners.
January 15, 2001... Financial Planners Ranked by number of financial planners countywide; alphabetically in event of tie Fairfield County and Westchester County, N.Y. Rank ...

Traveling via Internet.
January 15, 2001... Whether hitting the slopes, or slapping on the tanning butter at the beach, Americans will travel in record numbers this winter. From the first icy blast of December to the hint of a spring thaw in February, Americans are expected to take...

Website offers Big Apple visitors hotel rooms at discount prices.
January 15, 2001... In recent years, New York City hotel prices have skyrocketed. At $189 a night, average room rates in 1999 and 2000 were the highest in the nation. Visitors to Manhattan usually have no other alternative than to pay a premium for the hotel of...

European online travel market may reach $10.9 billion in 2002.
January 15, 2001... The European online travel market will expand from $2.9 billion in 2000 to $10.9 billion in 2002 nearly a 300 percent two-year gain -- according to PhoCusWright Inc. of Sherman. The independent Internet travel-intelligence company has released...

Fairfield University.
January 15, 2001... Fairfield University, Fairfield, announced that Dr. Bruce Bradford of Milford, an associate professor of accounting at the university and director of research for its Charles F. Dolan School of Business, and Dr. Carl Scheraga of Stamford, an...

Career Resources Inc.
January 15, 2001... Career Resources Inc., Bridgeport, a non-profit development organization that provides job training and supportive services, and People's Bank, Bridgeport, jointly received the 2000 Community Development Award for Connecticut from the Federal...

Newsmakers.
January 15, 2001... John Rivers of Norwalk was appointed a vice president and relationship manager in the Stamford office of First Union National Bank. Rivers has 14 years of experience in the banking industry, most recently as a relationship manager and assistant...

StockWatch.
January 15, 2001... StockWatch For the period ending Wednesday, January 10, 2001 This Last Company/Headquarters Exchange Symbol week's week's...

Century 21 Scalzo Realty Inc.
January 15, 2001... Patricia Mascio joined the Bethel office of Century 21 Scalzo Realty Inc. as-a Realtor. Mascio holds a bachelor of science degree in animal science from the Stare University of New York at Cobleskill.

Stock Watch Quarterly.
January 15, 2001... Stock Watch Quarterly Price as Company/Headquarters Exchange Symbol of Quantity Total ...

Devon Hill is redefining home office experience.
January 22, 2001... Gone are the days when the home business executive reviewed the bottom line to the steady hum of the family washing machine. A changing workplace and resurgence in home-based businesses have cellar-dwelling entrepreneurs ready to retool...

Authorities will pursue wage case.
January 22, 2001... Interior Builders denies it failed to pay workers Interior Builders Inc., a drywall contractor which is no stranger to controversy, may face criminal charges brought by the state Department of Labor for alleged wage payment violations at...