Fairfield County Business Journal articles from July 2000

Fairfield County Business Journal archives from July 2000

Taucks redefine company.(Tauck Tours changes name to Tauck World Discovery)
July 24, 2000... How does a successful family-run business honor its past and still find a way to take stock in its future? After 75 years of selling travel as Tauck Tours, the Westport-based company is taking the name Tauck World Discovery to better...

Evercel will make Evertroll batteries in Virginia.
July 24, 2000... Evercel Inc., a manufacturer of nickel-zinc rechargeable batteries, said its decision to locate manufacturing facilities in Virginia will have no impact on the company's operations in Danbury. "There will be no change in the situation in...

Ferry launch delayed.(Brief Article)
July 24, 2000... Stamford commuters who would prefer to ride the tide to New York City will have to wait until the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) approves structural improvements at a proposed ferry landing in the city's south end section....

Utility.com unwraps consumer bundle.
July 24, 2000... "One-stop shopping," the mantra that drove financial services companies in the 1990s, is the strategy Utility.com will apply to attract customers in Connecticut. The Internet startup, which was licensed last month by the state to...

UConn takes its MBA program into cyberspace.
July 24, 2000... With thc Internet changing thc face of commerce worldwide, business schools arc looking for new ways to mint future e-com executives with the requisite electronic, skills. For decades, colleges and universities have produced graduates...

Tosco to sell Avon refinery to Ultramar.
July 24, 2000... Tosco Corp of Stamford said it has entered into an agreement to sell its Avon refinery in San Francisco, Calif., to Ultramar Diamond Shamrock Corp. of San Antonio, Texas. The purchase price of approximately $800 million includes $650...

Weird science and other cellular 'facts'. (Opinion).(safety of cell phones)
July 24, 2000... As multibillion-dollar industries go, cell phone makers have been relatively free of product liability lawsuits regarding the impact of prolonged use on the health of the nation's 95.3 million cellular subscribers. Since 1993, when a...

Local economy unfazed by rate hikes, survey finds.
July 24, 2000... Connecticut's economy has felt only a moderate impact from the recent series of interest rate spikes, much to the surprise of economists who had braced for a much larger dent. A study by the Connecticut Business & Industry Association...

Retirement plan assets up sharply for U.S. savers.(Brief Article)
July 24, 2000... The assets of the average retirement plan participant increased to $39,966 this year from $32,885 a year ago, an increase of more than 21 percent, according to a survey by plansponsor.com/Plan Sponsor Magazine. Researchers polled 71...

Home building in Fairfield County: Developers take high-tech road to control costs while keeping home buyers happy.(Brief Article)
July 24, 2000... After a century of constructing houses the same way, new technology is having a significant impact on the home building process. Engineered roof trusses and floor systems are being used not only for their strength and flexibility, but just...

VDC Communications raises additional cash.(Brief Article)
July 24, 2000... VDC Communications Inc. of Greenwich, an emerging Internet telephony company, said it has raised $625,000 through the private placement of 625,000 unregistered shares of VDC common stock (AMEX: VDC). The price per share of $1 was a modest...

The List: Highly Compensated Chief Executive Officers.
July 24, 2000... Highly Compensated Chief Executive Officers Ranked by total annual compensation: salary, bonus and other compensation Fairfield County Rank Name, address, phone number CEO and website ...

GE to acquire Harmon Industries.(Brief Article)
July 24, 2000... General Electric Co. said it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire 100 percent of the stock of Harmon Industries Inc. for $30 per share, payable in GE stock. The stock exchange is expected to be tax-free to Harmon shareholders. ...

TNPC files for IPO.(Brief Article)
July 24, 2000... TNPC Inc. of Greenwich said it has filed a preliminary registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering of common stock. All shares to be sold will be offered by TNPC. Through its...

National Governors' Association Center. (Trends).(Brief Article)
July 24, 2000... Despite a strong economy and low unemployment, health insurance coverage continues to decline, according to the Health Policy Studies Division of the National Governors' Association Center.

Health insurance coverage. (Trends).(Brief Article)
July 24, 2000... In 1997, an estimated 43 million people, or 16.1 percent of the U.S. population, had no health insurance coverage, up 1.7 million from 1996.

Medicaid. (Trends).(Brief Article)
July 24, 2000... The rising number of the uninsured could lead to problems for states, including higher costs from the increased reliance on Medicaid and other publicly funded health programs. Those without insurance are less likely than those with insurance to...

Health insurance coverage. (Trends).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 24, 2000... There are several reasons for the decline in private health insurance coverage, including increased health insurance costs and changes in employment patterns. Between 1988 and 1996, premiums for employer-sponsored family health insurance...

Keeping up with the jobs: High tech takes some getting re-educated to. (Mid-Year Wrap Up).(Brief Article)
July 24, 2000... The world of business is changing so fast these days, yet one constant remains: A shortage of employees trained for high-tech jobs in Fairfield County. So over the past year, both businesses and colleges have developed programs to keep up with...

Can the bottom line be insure? (Mid-Year Wrap Up).
July 24, 2000... In today's results driven market, Wall Street I demands that companies perform to expectations; those who do are rewarded, those who do not are punished. The mandate for management thus becomes the need to do everything possible to deliver the...

County hospitals' fiscal health on the mend. (Mid-Year Wrap Up).(Brief Article)
July 24, 2000... A long with the rest of the economy, the business of health in Fairfield County hospitals has surged in spite of the upheavals due to problems with costs, insurance and managed care organizations. "We opened our new building in October...

Workplace health makes good business. (Mid-Year Wrap Up).(Brief Article)
July 24, 2000... Preventive care and health promotion programs offer companies productive ways to invest in their employees' health and the health of their bottom line at the same time. Helping employees establish and maintain a healthy lifestyle has...

Illegal aliens may be entitled to back pay. (Mid-Year Wrap Up).(Brief Article)
July 24, 2000... Illegal aliens are not entitled to pay, but a new twist in federal labor law may change this. The National Labor Relations Board ("NLRB"), the agency responsible for administering the nation's labor relations laws, traditionally awards back pay...

Fairfield County's economy keeps rolling along. (Fairfield County, Connecticut: Market Overview).(Brief Article)
July 24, 2000... Confidence in thc Connecticut's economy over the past two years has been abundant and With good reason. The overall economy has been so good that the federal government has taken to tightening interest rates to keep a lid on the economy....

Municipalities. (Market Facts).(Brief Article)
July 24, 2000... Source: State of Connecticut BETHEL Form of government: Selectmen, town meeting, board of finance Incorporated: May 1855; taken from Danbury Area: 16:9 sq. miles Population (est.): 17,874 Voting districts: 4 ...

Clogged transportation arteries could kill growth. (Transportation).(Brief Article)
July 24, 2000... The car has traditionally been a symbol of freedom in this country, but if you've ever been sitting in rush hour traffic on I-95 or the Merritt Parkway, a car seems more like a prison. About 2 1/2 years ago, the Connecticut passed a law...

Fairfield County comes into its own. (Travel & Tourism).(Directory)
July 24, 2000... Think of Fairfield County and you think of the Gold Coast, the private wealth of many of the residents. But the county is also wealthy in terms of its beauty and cultural attractions. Indeed, in the past 20 years the county has had a major...

Market comparison. (Market Facts).(Brief Article)
July 24, 2000... Business people looking to relocate or expand their businesses in Westchester and Fairfield counties can take advantage of tax breaks, falling income taxes and other incentives intended to promote job growth. Here is just a sample: ...

Late-blooming Westchester poised for more growth. (Market Overview).(employment data)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 24, 2000... After years of lagging behind the state and region in climbing out of recession, Westchester's late-blooming economy has enjoyed a winning streak that most business leaders and officials expect will continue through the rest of 2000. Job...

Government. (Market Facts).(Westchester County)(Statistical Data Included)
July 24, 2000... Source: Westchester County BOARD OF ACQUISITION and CONTRACT The Board of Acquisition and Contract is a government body established to provide a process for its members to approve and authorize resolutions concerning contracts,...

'Just more traffic all the time' in Westchester. (Transportation).(Brief Article)
July 24, 2000... Vehicles, vehicles everywhere, but none going anywhere. That's the story of traffic congestion during rush hour traffic. Westchester, like many of its neighbors, is experiencing severe traffic congestion during peak hours. And it's not just...

Day-trippers urged to enjoy county's long, winding roads. (Travel & Tourism).(Westchester County, New York)(Directory)(Statistical Data Included)
July 24, 2000... When President Clinton and the first lady settle into their Westchester digs full-time next year, they will find a community replete with cultural activities. From the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers to the Caramoor Center for Music and...

Conference centers fly high tech. (Travel & Tourism).(high-speed Internet access use growing)(Brief Article)
July 24, 2000... Conference centers, a specialized niche of the hospitality industry which targets business meetings, have taken the lead in providing advanced information technology at their properties. According to a recent study of the conference center...

Howmet Castings. (Credits, Clients and Awards).(Brief Article)
July 24, 2000... Howmet Castings Greenwich, a manufacturer of precision castings and a unit of Alcoa Industrial Components,. Was named the best-managed mid-sized aerospace company for 2000 by Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine, on the basis of the...

The Connecticut Quality Improvement Award Partnership (CQIAP). (Credits, Clients and Awards).(Brief Article)
July 24, 2000... The Connecticut Quality Improvement Award Partnership (CQIAP), Stamford, a group that promotes performance excellence in Connecticut organizations, announced that Citigroup, Stamford, an asset management company, was one of three organizations...

Newsmakers.
July 24, 2000... James B. Stanley of Wilton was promoted to president and chief executive officer at Howmet Castings Greenwich, a manufacturer of precision castings and a unit of Alcoa Industrial Components. Stanley was formerly senior vice president and chief...

Second Quarter Stock Watch.(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
July 24, 2000... Second Quarter Stock Watch For the period ending Wednesday, July 19, 2000 Allan V. Jay III, CFP senior vice president-investments Smith Barney, Stamford Company/Headquarters Exchange Symbol Cost Quantity ...

Stock Watch.(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
July 24, 2000... Stock Watch For the period ending Wednesday, July 19, 2000 Provided by Allan V. Jay III, CFP senior vice president-investments Smith Barney, Stamford This Last ...