Fairfield County Business Journal articles from October 2001

Fairfield County Business Journal archives from October 2001

The people's radio.(Peoples Broadcast Network L.L.C.)(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
October 1, 2001... Peoples Broadcast Network invites everyone to ride the airwaves, with purchase of Bridgeport's WDJZ At a time when multimedia conglomerates gobble up radio stations and duplicate the same, tired formats in every market across the country,...

Citigroup division relocates.(Citigroup Asset Management relocates)(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
October 1, 2001... Citigroup Asset Management, which had its headquarters in 7 World Trade Center in New York City until terrorist attacks on Sept. 11 destroyed the complex, has moved 200 of its employees to 100 First Stamford Place, a company official confirmed....

Dictaphone to gain its independence from L&H.(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
October 1, 2001... Dictaphone Corp. -- Stratford's venerable manufacturer of communication recording systems -- has filed a plan to emerge from bankruptcy independent from its troubled European parent, Lemout & Hauspie Speech Products N.V. (L&H). "L&H and...

The battle begins at home.(the war on terrorism)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2001... America's necessary war against terrorism will have to be fought on two fronts. One is overseas, in Afghanistan or wherever Osama bin Laden and those who agree with him face near-certain doom, just as they doomed to their deaths more than...

'Standing in the midst of ashes'.(coming together in the face of terrorism)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2001... In the book of Psalms, the book that has both Judeo and Christian traditions associated with it, in the 133rd chapter, you find these words: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the...

How businesses can survive short-term.(business falls off after attacks)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2001... Eine days after the terrorist attacks on New York City plunged the economy into greater uncertainty, a Norwalk shoe retailer walked into the office of the Service Corp. of the Retired Executives (SCORE). There he met with local SCORE chairman...

Patio furniture not 'fine' in zoning dispute.(Bridgeport, Connecticut zoning law for furniture store)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2001... After eight years of litigation, the Connecticut Supreme Court upheld the town of Ridgefield's right to deny a business from selling patio furniture under a retail variance originally granted for "fine furniture." "This is not about flying...

Region's economy braces for short-term sag.(Fairfield County and Westchester County after attacks)
October 1, 2001... Fairfield County and New York's Westchester County are headed for at least a few months of economic contraction following the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and a consensus of business observers agree. Both counties, they said,...

Life care facility center of construction dispute.(Redding Life Care L.L.C. lien from)(Sordoni Skanska Construction)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2001... An assisted-living and continuing-care community scheduled to open in Redding last month is the subject of a multimillion dollar construction dispute. Milford-based Sordoni Skanska Construction filed a $13 million mechanic's lien in June...

Thrifts and Savings Banks.(Statistical Data Included)
October 1, 2001... Thrifts and Savings Banks Ranked by total assets Fairfield County Rank Name, address and Total assets Tangible assets telephone number ($ millions) ($ millions) Area code: 203 (unless...

Business with China: The need for due diligence.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2001... Editor's note: This is the fifth of a series on doing business with China A future article will discuss the U.S.-China Small Business. Trade Conference in this area. In prior articles, I have discussed the tremendous opportunities for...

Import/export firms adopt wait-and-see attitude to war.(following terrorist attacks)(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
October 1, 2001... At least for now, there are too many unanswered questions to understand what impact the recent terrorist attacks and subsequent military operations will have on the Fairfield County export market. How extensive will the military response...

No time to retreat from world trade.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
October 1, 2001... With so many Americans feeling vulnerable following the terrible tragedies that occurred in our homeland, our sense of national security has unraveled and many question our links to the outside world. This reinforces arguments held by...

Digital transformation: How to succeed.(company electronic business capability)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
October 1, 2001... Fact: In just the last three years, the overall web user population is estimated to have grown from about 74 million to more than 300 million. Fact: This staggering growth is continuing at a rate of more than 7 million users per month -...

Marleen Salko.
October 1, 2001... Marleen Salko of Westport, owner and director of Marleen's Yoga Center, Southport, was one of seven yoga instructors nationwide to receive an award for outstanding service from the Kripalu Yoga Teachers Association Lenox, Mass.

The WorkPlace Inc.(development board winner)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2001... The WorkPlace Inc., Bridgeport, southwestern Connecticut's regional work force development board, was named the 2001 Work Force Investment Board of the Year by the National Alliance of Business, Washington, D.C., an organization that works to...

Goodwick/Liazon Leverage MarCom Group.(2001 graphic design winner)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2001... Goodwick/Liazon Leverage MarCom Group, Newtown, a marketing communications firm, won a 2001 American Graphic Design Award in a competition sponsored by Graphic Design: usa, a commercial arts publication. The company was honored in the...

The Wyant Simboli Group Inc.(produces American Skandia video)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2001... The Wyant Simboli Group Inc., Norwalk, a strategic communications agency, produced a video for American Skandia, Shelton, a financial services company. The video was viewed at American Skandia's national conference of broker dealers.

New Castle Hotels.(manager Queensbury Hotel)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2001... New Castle Hotels, Shelton, an owner and operator of hotels, resorts and conference centers, was named the new manager of the Queensbury Hotel, Glens Falls, N.Y., a landmark property.

Newsmakers.(appointments)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2001... Dr. Robert A. Chemow of Westport was appointed to the newly created position of president and chief operating officer at IntelliClaim, Norwalk, a provider claim performance improvement technologies and services. Most recently, Chemow was...

Branding sport.(Oneworld Communications)(Bruce Burke)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2001... Bruce Burke left the NFL to form his own marketing, brand-development firm With a plush Park Avenue office and a high profile job with the National Football League, some might have said Bruce Burke had reached the pinnacle of his marketing...

Citigroup to move 500 more to Stamford.(Citigroup Asset Management)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2001... Citigroup Asset Management which has already relocated 300 of its 1,100 World Trade Center employees to Stamford, may end up having more than 800 workers based in Fairfield County. A company official, on condition of anonymity, said...

Banks offer discount loans to small businesses.(Brief Article)
October 8, 2001... To help the small businesses affected by the recent terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, several banks have started offering discount-rate loans. HSBC Bank USA, which has set aside $200 million to lend immediately, is offering "a...

Companies not fleeing Manhattan yet for Fairfield County.(Brief Article)
October 8, 2001... Talk of a rush of potential deals within the local commercial real estate community in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on New York City has evaporated as fast as it surfaced. Despite a flurry of activity after hijackers crashed...

U.S. and global economic prospects.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
October 8, 2001... A deeper recession... and a stronger recovery Before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, there was a slightly better than 50-50 chance that the U.S. economy and the rest of the world could avoid a recession. The fallout...

Letter.(Brief Article)
October 8, 2001... World Trade Centers are symbols of international peace To the editor: The attack on the World Trade Center has been seen by the world as an attack on American economic strength. It was built to be the tallest building in the strongest...

DPUC rejects Enron's alternative energy proposal.(Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control)(Enron North America)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2001... The Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority (CRRA) and Enron North America Corn., Houston, Texas, view a move by the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC) in rejecting a proposal to secure funding for fuel cell projects as a...

Area hotel operators prepare for vacancy.(Brief Article)
October 8, 2001... Local hotel operators -- who were feeling the effects of an economic slowdown before terrorism reared its ugly head -- say they may need to trim expenses or staff to survive the tough times ahead. "It's a fairly safe assumption that travel,...

JetBlue hopes to fly through tough times.(JetBlue Airways)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2001... While the nation's major airlines plan to lay off as many as 100,000 employees to deal with sale slumps, one small carrier expects to sail through the difficult time without much financial suffering. JetBlue Airways, which was started in...

It takes a village? Actually, it takes Moira and Christel.(Connecticut government officials: Moira K. Lyons and Christel Truglia)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2001... In this time of national mourning, It Is difficult to return to "normal" -- especially since many of us believe life as we know It Is gone forever. Still, as we move on after this great tragedy, it Is Important to remember that good will...

Trade outlook cloudy after terrorist attacks.
October 8, 2001... The Sept. 11 calamity has thrown economic forecasting into uncertainty, especially when it comes to predicting how the event will affect businesses in the region involved in international trade. Generally, however, the concern is more about...

AFLAC offers benefit-boosting insurance.(American Family Life Assurance Co.)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2001... American Family Life Assurance Co. is probably best known for its television commercials, which feature a duck that tries to remind people of the company's name. "The commercials are great for creating name recognition, but they don't...

Commercial Printers.
October 8, 2001... Commercial Printers Ranked by 2000 gross revenue Fairfield County Name, adress, telephone Top local executive(s) number and website E-mail address Rank Area code: 203 ...

Norwalk school offers security training.(Security University)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2001... Security University, a Norwalk provider of advanced information technology security training specifically designed for executives, network professionals and systems administrators, has announced its fall curriculum of hands-on classes for...

Benefit issues in the wake of attacks.(Brief Article)
October 8, 2001... Last month's devastating terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon profoundly shocked the people of the United States and the rest of the world. Many of us, if not most, are still struggling to recover. As trite and...

CBIA to hold workplace law symposium.(Connecticut Business and Industry Association)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2001... The Connecticut Business and Industry Association the nationwide law firm of Jackson Lewis and the Southern Connecticut Chapter of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) will be presenting a Workplace Law Symposium at the Marriott...

The call of duty.(Brief Article)
October 8, 2001... Employees called into service can retain jobs and all benefits With the call-up of military reservists under Operation Noble Eagle, employers and employees are concerned about the effect on their status and company benefits programs. ...

KinderCare will offer Monroe families new option.(Brief Article)
October 8, 2001... Construction is under way on a new 9,775-square-foot KinderCare Learning Center, at 304 Elm St., Monroe. Designed to accommodate 186 children, the Monroe KinderCare will be the 18th operating in the state of Connecticut. The center is...

Fairfield University.(Kevin D. Bennett, Catherine E. Smith)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2001... Fairfield University, Fairfield, announced that students Catherine E. Smith of Burlington, a senior majoring in marketing and management, and Kevin D. Bennett of Bridgeport, a senior majoring in accounting and finance, have been named 2001-2002...

Glen Gate Co.(Brief Article)
October 8, 2001... Glen Gate Co., Wilton, a swimming pool and landscape company, presented its 2001 Renaissance Award to Sal Libertino of Norwalk, the company's chief stonemason, for his excellent quality of work and enthusiasm.

The Atlantic Group.(Brief Article)
October 8, 2001... The Atlantic Group, Norwalk, a marketing communications firm, won a 2001 Award for Communications Excellence (ACE) in a competition sponsored by the New York Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. The Atlantic Group...

Goodwick/Liazon Leverage MarCom Group.(Brief Article)
October 8, 2001... Goodwick/Liazon Leverage MarCom Group, Newtown, a marketing communications firm, was retained as the agency of record for Tasty Bite, a brand of Indian entrees and a division of Preferred Brands International, Old Greenwich.

Environics Communications Inc.(Brief Article)
October 8, 2001... Environics Communications Inc., Stamford, a public relations agency, was selected as the U.S. public relations agency for Transaction Network Services Inc., Reston, Va., a provider of communications services for financial and data transactions....

New Castle Hotels.(Brief Article)
October 8, 2001... New Castle Hotels, Shelton, an owner and operator of hotels, resorts and conference centers, announced it has acquired Chateau Royal, Montreal, Canada, an all-suites hotel.

Newsmakers.(personnel changes)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2001... Jessie A. Gilbert of Weston joined the Greenwich office of the law firm of Cummings & Lockwood as a partner. Most recently, Gilbert was a partner at the law firm of Wiggin & Dana, Stamford and Hartford. Previously, she was a judicial law clerk...

Fleet Capital provides $110 million to Remington.(Brief Article)
October 8, 2001... Commercial finance company Fleet Capital Corp. announced recently that it provided a $110 million asset-based credit facility to Bridgeport-based Remington Products Company L.L.C., maker of electric shavers and other consumer products. The...

Dr. David McCullough.
October 8, 2001... Dr. David McCullough of Westport, an ophthalmologist leased 1,800 square feet of space for his practice at 33 King St., Stratford. McCullough relocated his practice from Norwalk.

HK Group.
October 8, 2001... HK Group, Westport, announced the following transactions. The Connecticut School of Music signed a lease for 2,000 square feet of space at the Turkey Hill Shopping Center, 1252 Post Road East, Westport. Pyramid Real Estate Group, Stamford,...

Dairy king shares strategies.(address by Stew Leonard Jr.)(Brief Article)
October 15, 2001... In order to compete m today's competitive business environment small business owners need many business skills. But there are at least five essential elements to keep uppermost in mind at all times. Business leaders should always have a...

Walking the tightrope.(McIntyre Associates)
October 15, 2001... Businesses supporting relief effort risk being perceived as profiteers Selflessness in the form of individual contributions and volunteerism is the, new American spirit following the events of Sept. 11. Businesses are no exception,...

Investors holding fast and not panicking.
October 15, 2001... Despite political and economic uncertainties since the World Trade Center attacks, local bankers say they have not seen any unusual financial activity by their customers. Very few people withdrew or deposited huge sums of cash in a panic...

Refinancing booming in wake of rate reduction.
October 15, 2001... The latest interest rate cut has spurred mortgage refinancing, with some local lenders reporting the number of deals doubling in the first week of October compared with last month. At the same time, they say loan demand for new home...

Here's to eternal optimists.
October 15, 2001... You've got to marvel at the eternal optimism of the entrepreneur. I know its common wisdom that the time to invest is when things are closer to bust than boom. But Sept. 11 has thrown a lot of common wisdom out the window, hasn't it? The...

Health insurance help for laid-off workers.
October 15, 2001... The hundreds of thousands of airline, hotel, restaurant and other workers being laid off this month are in for a shock when they try to continue their health insurance coverage. Most of them have no idea that their employers have been...

U.S. companies report job cuts.
October 15, 2001... Recessionary pressures drove job cuts to historic highs even before the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., according to the American Management Association's (AMA's) annual midyear staffing survey. For the first time since...

Will defense spending bring orders to area companies?
October 15, 2001... Westport-based Terex Corp. has received a $30 million defense con tract, although the Pentagon has yet to pour procurement orders for equipment. Terex said the U.S. Marine Corps has given full production approval for material handlers for...

Inline Plastics doubles work force.
October 15, 2001... Inline Plastics Corp., headquartered in Shelton, is a family-owned and operated business employing about 1,000 people globally and has doubled in size over the last 18 months. The company has provided crystal clear packaging and packaging...

Online financial services gaining in popularity.
October 15, 2001... Norwalk-based priceline.com, announced today that it will exercise its option to take a 49 percent equity stake in PricelineMortgage, the profitable Name Your Own Price loan service founded by priceline.com and Alliance Capital Partners. ...

Xerox pursues lawsuit, makes new agreement.
October 15, 2001... The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has ruled in favor of Xerox Corp., allowing litigation to proceed in a lawsuit filed by Xerox that claims key technology in Palm hand-held electronic organizers violates a Xerox patent. In...

Census 2000: What does it mean for your business?(changing population trends affect Connecticut businesses)(Brief Article)
October 15, 2001... Our changing population portends new challenges - and new opportunities - for Connecticut businesses Inevitably, the "news" that emerges from the U.S. census every 10 years is never really news to anyone. Indeed, some of the central...

UK'S sixth-largest banking group establishes presence in U.S.(Abbey National Treasury Services PLC)(Brief Article)
October 15, 2001... Abbey National Treasury Services PLC (ANTS) has been granted a license by the State of Connecticut Department of Banking and the Federal Reserve Board to open a branch in Stamford at 400 Atlantic St. In addition, its U.S. securities broker...

Terex executes restructuring.(Brief Article)
October 15, 2001... Terex Corp., a diversified manufacturer based in Westport, with 2000 revenues in excess of $2 billion and involved in a broad range of construction, infrastructure, recycling and mining-related capital equipment, announced that it has expanded...

International trade faces hurdles but the prognosis is positive.(international trade activity in Connecticut)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
October 15, 2001... It has been said that America and the world at large will never be the same after the tragic events of Sept. 11. Indeed, in the days that immediately followed, commentators examined the myriad ways that lives across the world and international...

IRS offers tax information for donors, relief charities.(Brief Article)
October 15, 2001... With the tremendous outpouring of support for charities following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Internal Revenue Service is reminding donors and charities about tax laws that may affect them and their contributions. "We know that tax...

Private sector may help build schools.(Ronald Utt, Heritage Foundation)(Brief Article)
October 15, 2001... A little-known provision in this A year's landmark tax bill could help communities nationwide build public schools faster, better and more cheaply than they do now, a Heritage Foundation analyst says. The bill, signed into law in June,...

Blueprint for safety.(construction industry reacts to safety concerns following terrorist attacks)(Brief Article)
October 15, 2001... Concern for security will change design plan for new construction There is little doubt among architects, designers and builders that the Sept. 11 tragedy will have an effect on new construction design in the future. The main challenge...

Construction activity held steady in August.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
October 15, 2001... At a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $468.8 billion, contracting for new construction in August was essentially unchanged from the prior month, according to the F.W. Dodge Division of The McGraw-Hill Companies. Moderate improvement was...

Home workshops need heavy-duty wiring.(Brief Article)
October 15, 2001... Is the wiring in your home workshop up to the job? To prolong the life of your power tools -- and for your own protection -- the Leviton Institute recommends that you conduct a safety audit of your home workshop's electrical wiring system and...

New Canaan firm wins honor.(Wesley Stout Associates Landscape Architecture)(Brief Article)
October 15, 2001... Wesley Stout Associates Landscape Architecture (ASLA) of New Canaan and Quogue, N.Y., was recently awarded the Jury's Award of Excellence from the Connecticut Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. For the first time in seven...

Interest in energy efficiency is renewed.(in building materials industry)(Brief Article)
October 15, 2001... Rolling blackouts and steadily rising oil and gas prices have led to renewed interest, on the part of consumers and builders, in energy-efficient building materials. One such product is exterior insulation and finish systems, or EIFS,...

Life, health insurer profits are plunging.(Weiss Ratings Inc. issues ratings)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
October 15, 2001... The profits of the nation's life and health insurers plunged by $3.8 billion or 53 percent, in the first three months of 2001 compared to the same period last year, according to research by Weiss Ratings Inc., a provider of independent...

What's the diagnosis?(panel discussion of Patient's Bill of Rights)(Brief Article)
October 15, 2001... Panelists discuss potential effects of proposed Patient's Bill of Rights With the current political uncertainty, no one knows when Congress might again discuss the so-called Patient's Bill of Rights - a health care reform bill that many...

Doctors may gain more control.(health care study from Conning and Co.)(Brief Article)
October 15, 2001... Managed care companies and HMOs are likely to implement some substantial changes in the near future, a new study by Conning & Co. reports. Class-action suits and the enormous publicity surrounding physician control of patient-care...

Bridgeport Hospital affiliation.(with Yale-New Haven Hospital)(Brief Article)
October 15, 2001... Bridgeport Hospital's affiliation with the Yale-New Haven hospital consortium spurred efforts on the part of Bridgeport Hospital to revitalize its information technology (IT) network. IT improvements were made to better ensure patient record...

Survey: Employers to continue health benefits.(Brief Article)
October 15, 2001... Despite cost increases, a vast majority of U.S. employers are planning to retain their role as the purchasers of health care benefits for employees, according to a new nationwide survey of large employers released recently. The survey also...

Cost control issues arise for retiree medical plans.(Brief Article)
October 15, 2001... A growing number of employers sponsoring retiree medical plans are now hitting the cost control caps that they adopted years ago in response to the accounting requirements, according to an informal Towers Perrin survey. As a result, these...

Knowing your food: The benefits of buying local.(fruits, vegetables)(Brief Article)
October 15, 2001... Those healthy fruits and vegetables you're buying at the local chain store may not be so healthy after all. Getting to know both the source of your foods and the people who grow it may prevent more health problems and trips to the doctor. ...

The List Office Equipment Suppliers.
October 15, 2001... The List Office Equipment Suppliers Ranked by number of employees; alphabetically in event of tie Rank Name, address, telephone Top local executive(s) number and website E-mail address Area code:...

Westchester bank given okay to purchase Sirianni Mortgage.(Sleepy Hollow National Bank)(Brief Article)
October 15, 2001... Sleepy Hollow National Bank has announced it has received federal approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to acquire Sirianni Mortgage Corp. in Danbury. It expects approvals from New York and Connecticut banking regulators...

Newsmakers.
October 15, 2001... Dominic DiBella of Redding was promoted to president of Filofax Inc., Wilton, the U.S. subsidiary of Filofax Group P.L.C., a British maker of leather organizers, luggage and briefcases. DiBella joined Filofax in 1997 as chief financial officer....

A gift for success at Concord.(Concord Industries Inc.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
October 22, 2001... Karen and Jim Condron's foray into the corporate world started with a simple idea of selling key chains. Today, they are running a global business. They started Concord Industries Inc. at their Wilton home in 1985, grossing $100,000 in...

Spending campaign sticks it to terrorists.(U.S. Store Bonds)(Brief Article)
October 22, 2001... Like many Americans, Westport resident Bait Shuldman had trouble sleeping the nights that followed Sept. 11. Struggling with feelings of frustration, anger and helplessness, the president and chief executive officer of Wallingford-based...

Business detour?(Trumbull CT businesses object to holiday timing for road project)(Brief Article)
October 22, 2001... Trumbull Main Street/Merritt construction fears laid to rest for now With November just around the corner, the holiday shopping season isn't far behind. So forgive businesses along Main Street in Trumbull for questioning the timing of...

Dresser consolidates three area offices.(Dresser Inc. of Connecticut)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
October 22, 2001... Dresser Inc.'s measurement unit, which manufactures pressure gauges, will relocate 95 employees into a 55,000-square-foot office at 2 Research Drive in Shelton as part of a company plan to combine three of its area offices. David Gustin,...