Fairfield County Business Journal articles from September 2001

Fairfield County Business Journal archives from September 2001

American Skandia bankrolls bobsledders.(Brief Article)
September 10, 2001... There is a certain symmetry between the forces that drive top athletes to push the limits of mind and muscle, and those that motivate leading companies to innovate. Competition is the constant. Executives at American Skandia Inc. of...

Job outlook remains bright.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 10, 2001... Unlike neighboring Westchester County, N.Y., Fairfield County's job projects look bright for the October-December period, according to the latest survey by Manpower Inc. Twenty-seven percent of the Fairfield County companies contacted by...

Slowing economy curtails fuel costs.(Statistical Data Included)
September 10, 2001... Skyrocketing prices for gasoline and fuel oil were top stories in the media a few months ago. When prices at the pump passed $2 in the Midwest some analysts prophesied $3 a gallon, and offered wild guesses as to what it would be after busting...

Governors urge Congress: Let us tax Internet sales.(Brief Article)
September 10, 2001... More than 40 governors are calling for congressional approval of state sales taxes on Internet purchases. In a letter sent to all House and Senate members on Aug. 17, the governors urged Congress not to renew a 1998 moratorium on Internet...

Long hours, heavy workload turning off many employees.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 10, 2001... Workers--whether they like their jobs or not -- are growing more stressed and frustrated by layoff news, increasing workloads and fuzzier career directions. Overall, job satisfaction, as measured in an earlier poll, has decreased from 69...

Give American Express credit for slyness.(Brief Article)
September 10, 2001... It began simply enough. Preparing to pay my American Express bill one day, I noticed that the amount shown in reverse type in the far right-hand column, usually a total balance, showed a smaller amount than I knew was possible considering the...

Six Sigma: the human side of management.(Brief Article)(Review)
September 10, 2001... How do you implement a record-shattering new management strategy? You can bring in a consultant to get your employees fired up. You can show pie charts, bar graphs and budget projections all day long. You can back your claims with mountains of...

Divorce makes strange business-fellows.(Rye Country Store)
September 10, 2001... In affluent Westchester County, N.Y., The Rye Country Store is a paradise for the discerning gourmand. Neatly presented beneath gleaming display cases are dozens of serving plates brimming with kitchen creations that recently rated the shop and...

Complacent companies get caught in 'Net.(Internet complaints)(Brief Article)
September 10, 2001... Customer service stinks in America, at least if you believe consumers' horror stories of rude sales clerks, botched orders, missing parts and poor quality. But these days, irate customers aren't content to grouse to a few friends. They're...

Many things go into the making of a good boss.(Brief Article)
September 10, 2001... Good help is hard to find. So are good bosses. What attributes should a person possess to be a good manager? "First, it's about being a boss for the right reasons," said Don Blohowiak, a workplace expert who has done consulting work for...

SoNo parking garage key to downtown Norwalk.(Brief Article)
September 10, 2001... The parcel 5 parking garage in downtown South Norwalk is the next stage in the continuing redevelopment of. Norwalk's business community. Norwalk's Common Council will look to approve the preliminary six-level, 780-space design this week....

Merritt 7 projects ending 20-year odyssey.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 10, 2001... Private developer Building and Land Technology is completing three major projects that will effectively end the 20-year Merritt 7 project. Two of the terminal building projects are commercial and one is residential. "An important thing...

Who's Who in Banking.(Editorial)
September 10, 2001... MICHAEL H. FLYNN President and chief executive office, Westport National Bank Flynn has been president and chief executive officer of Westport National Bank since 1998. Prior to joining Westport National, he served as president and...

Afragola to head new bank.(Editorial)
September 10, 2001... Bank of New Canaan plans year-end opening with new top exec Fred Afragola, former chairman and chief executive officer of the nowdefunct Summit Bank Connecticut, will become the top executive of the proposed Bank of New Canaan, which is...

Investing roundtable finds some investors going back to bonds.(Editorial)
September 10, 2001... With a series of closely-spaced cuts aimed at shoring up a shaky economy, the Federal Reserve Board has brought down short-term interest rates. Lower rates have added to the positive returns that several fixed-income sectors have delivered...

All in a week's work: Market update.(Editorial)
September 10, 2001... North American and European markets each posted declines over 4 percent for the week ended Aug. 31. Despite news that the U.S. economy unexpectedly grew 0.2 percent during the second quarter and news that personal incomes increased due to...

Survey shows split decision on impact of interest rates.(Editorial)
September 10, 2001... How are falling interest rates affecting corporate spending? It depends on whom you ask, suggests a new survey. While 48 percent of chief financial officers (CFOs) cited interest rates as having no impact on business expenditures, half (50...

Family limited partnership protects assets.(Editorial)
September 10, 2001... One of the most compelling reasons for using a family limited partnership (FLP) is to protect assets from the ravages of tort creditors. Our legal system has witnessed an explosion of tort and product-liability litigation, and it encourages the...

Survey finds venture capitalists cautiously optimistic.(Editorial)
September 10, 2001... For the first time since January 2001, a cross section of Silicon Valley and East Coast venture capitalists expects the technology investing climate to stabilize and lead to more investment activity, according to a recent venture capital (VC)...

Home Health Services.(Editorial)
September 10, 2001... Home Health Services Name, address, telephone Top local executive(s) number and website E-mail address Area code: 203 Year company established Almost Family Paul Lacovara 44 North St., ...

Caren Schwartz.(Editorial)
September 10, 2001... Caren Schwartz of Fairfield, president of lime & Cents Consultants LLC., Fairfield, a computer software sales, support and training firm, received a Timeslips Partners in Support Excellence Award from Timeslips Software, Dallas, Texas. A...

Cablevision of Connecticut.(Editorial)
September 10, 2001... Cablevision of Connecticut, Norwalk, and Cablevision of Southern Connecticut, Bridgeport, jointly won the first-place award in the "overall programming" category in the 2001 Public Service Awards competition of the New England Cable Television...

Clarion Marketing & Communications.(Editorial)
September 10, 2001... Clarion Marketing & Communications, Greenwich, a marketing agency, announced that two marketing programs that it created and produced for The History Channel -- "Founding Fathers" and "lime Machine" -- have each won top awards from both PROMAX,...

Retirement Living Information Center Inc.(Editorial)
September 10, 2001... Retirement Living Information Center Inc., Redding, announced that its website, www.RetirementLiving.com, won top honors in the category of portal or gateway sites covering senior housing in the 2001 World Wide Web Mature Media Awards Program,...

Newsmakers.(Editorial)
September 10, 2001... Ellen Isidro of Riverside was appointed president and chief executive officer of the United Way of Stamford, Stamford. Since 1991, Isidro was executive director at the Shelter for the Homeless, Stamford. Prior to that, she was human service...

Questions of investor confidence as business copes with terrorism.(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... Federal spending key to countering terrorism Business and investor confidence -- coupled with economic measures the federal government may adopt in response to last week's terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C. -- will...

Terrorism 'hit really close to home'.(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... Local business people may not have had their foundations moved out from beneath them the way those based at the World Trade Center did, but the tragic events of Sept. 11 still had an effect on their work. "As sad as it is, our response is...

Attack stuns audience at breakfast meeting.(Editorial)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... The typical atmosphere at a business seminar is cordial. People smile, introduce themselves and explain what they do for a living. They exchange business cards and make small talk. Sept. 11 was not a typical day. An estimated 275...

Memories of Pearl Harbor resurface.(Brief Article)(Editorial)
September 17, 2001... Opinion Commentators nave been comparing last week's attack on the World Trade Center with Japan's sneak attack on Pearl Harbor in the early morning hours of Dec. 7, 1941, and there are some similarities. I had just started my...

Election reform reports reveal best and worst.(Brief Article)(Editorial)
September 17, 2001... Opinion Two new reports alternately praise and chastise states for their election practices while offering vastly different proposals for how to best reform voting practices in this country. The first, a report titled "Voting in...

Preventing terrorist acts comes with a steep price.(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... Last week's series of terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and other American targets is a wake-up call for Westchester business owners who need to strengthen the security of their offices, buildings and grounds. "I think what...

Companies seek to profit from life insurance policies.(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... Back in the 1980s, the AIDS epidemic led to the introduction of a financial alternative known as "viaticals." At that time, viaticals (the name comes from Latin and means "supplies for a journey") presented AIDS. patients with the...

Bus service could ease border commuter crisis.(between Fairfield (Connecticut) and Westchester (New York) Counties)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... As the population of western Conecticut and northern Westchester grows, so does the problem surrounding mass-transportation in the area. Because they lack an adequate mass-transit system, many Connecticut commuters drive half an hour or...

Work-related deaths increase statewide.(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... Work-related injuries claimed 55 lives in Connecticut last year, 17 more than 1999, but state officials said they are not drawing any conclusions about workplace safety from the numbers. "We can't really attribute the increase to any single...

Web Page Designers.(addresses and rankings)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... Web Page Designers Ranked by number of employees alphabetically in event of tie Rank Name, address, telephone Top local executive number and website Area code: 203 E-mail address...

Coping with terrorism.(in wake of September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... "I don't know if last year's uncertainty pushed the economy into a recession, certainly the event of yesterday will put us over the edge," Kellner said. "Without consumer confidence to prop up spending, there is nothing that will keep the...

Mixed-Use Master Plan Goes Wireless.(Building and Land Technology to develop area in Norwalk, Connecticut)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... Building & Land Technology, a Norwalk-based, second generation real estate development firm specializing in commercial, multi-family and raw land development, is creating a wireless, master-planned community in Norwalk, Connecticut, known as...

In the market.(real estate markets sensitive to overall economic situation)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... Local real estate experts look ahead for 'correction' of economy Regional office property markets may take a year before recovering from current doldrums caused by the meltdown of dot-com companies, real estate experts predict. "Over...

Panelists: Economy has real effect on local real estate.(development slowed)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... A panel of real estate professionals gathered at the Business Journal offices recently to discuss what effects the economic downturn has had on the industry. Among other things, the discussion concluded that this is not a positive time for...

Fairfield County office market feels effects of slow economy.(details and statistics)(Statistical Data Included)
September 17, 2001... Consistent with many other office markets around the country, Fairfield County faced a significant challenge in the first half of 2001, as changing corporate real estate needs and caution in new commitments caused slower leasing, negative...

GE Financial will begin new year at new location.(Shell Capital Inc. and GE Financial Assurance change locations)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... GE Financial Assurance will relocate a yet-to-be determined number of employees from Stamford to Norwalk after New Year's Day, the company reported. Spokesman Tim Benedict said GE Financial has about 150 employees at 777 Long Ridge Road in...

Greenwich Financial Center, Armory sell for $26M-plus.(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... CB Richard Ellis' tri-state investment team has sold the Greenwich Financial Center and the Greenwich Armory on behalf of JP Morgan Fleming Asset Management. The team also procured the buyer, The Innovest Group, an entity controlled by The HB...

Economic dip opens real estate market.(commercial real estate available)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... Commercial real estate markets always seem to be on a boom-or-bust cycle, historically lasting between four to six years. Today's slowdown is a reaction to the meteoric boom of the mid- to late-1990s, with one significant difference from...

Corporate uncertainty brings stagnancy to area real estate.(commercial property vacancy)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... When corporate profits go down, regional unemployment figures increase and vacancy rates of direct and sublease space between Fairfield County and Westchester County in New York average in the mid-teens, stagnancy sets in. National...

Westport vacancy rate reaches five-year high.(office vacancy rate, Westport, Connecticut)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 17, 2001... The Westport office vacancy rate at midyear is 6.7 percent, up from 2.2 percent in January and 1.9 percent in July 2000, according to Ted Hampe of HK Group, formerly known as H T Hampe Associates. Hampe tracks some 170 office buildings,...

Brokerage offers opportunity to meet builders of new homes.(Coldwell Banker Residential Affiliates Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... The New Homes Division of Coldwell Banker will hold its fourth annual "Meet The Builder Day" on Sept. 23. Meet The Builder Day offers the public an opportunity to see new homes for sale, as well as to meet the men and women responsible for...

So far so good.(demand for houses, financing in New York commuter counties)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 17, 2001... Local housing boom continues, though lenders are cautious about future The Fairfield County and Westchester County, N.Y., real estate market has been riding a boom, but some mortgage lenders are concerned about what may happen with a more...

Tenants sought to pack planned corporate park.(Curtis Corporate Park, Newtown, Connecticut)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... The economy may be entering uncertainty, but Doug Rose is optimistic he will be able to attract as many as 12 new companies to fill a proposed corporate park in Newtown in three years. "We definitely do not think any change in the economy...

Getting the right insurance means consulting a professional.(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... Selecting an insurance program solely on the lowest price is dangerous territory. Unlike other products insurance is a "promise" to perform. The product is invisible except for a piece of paper that is filled with tricky language intermingled...

Chugging along.(transportation for commuters in the New York, Connecticut and New Jersey area)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 17, 2001... Long-range regional rail plans becoming reality One of the salient points of a Regional planning Association (RPA) plan announced in 1996 was to build an express regional railroad system connecting major job centers in the tri-state area....

Flight fight.(travel agents protest reduced commissions on ticket sales)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... Travel agents mount protest to airlines' latest commission cuts Area travel agents were out in force on Aug. 30, National Consumer Awareness Day, at Bradley International Airport in Hartford and Westchester County Airport in New York to...

The Fairfield County Medical Association.(gives award to Dr. Philip R. Corvo)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... Dr. Philip R Corvo of Stamford, a general surgeon at The Stamford Hospital, received the 2001 Dr. Melville G. Magida Award from the Fairfield County Medical Association, Trumbull, and The Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Foundation, Stamford. The...

The 2001 NCH Volunteer of the Year Award.(Marilyn Esposito)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... Marilyn Esposito of Stamford, president of MCC Worldwide, Stamford, a marketing communications and public relations firm, was honored by Catholic Charities of Fairfield County, Bridgeport, for her Work on behalf of New Covenant House of...

The 2001 Public Service Awards.(News 12 Connecticut wins award)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... News 12 Connecticut, Norwalk, won the first-place award in the "local news" category in the 2001 Public Service Awards competition of the New England Cable Television Association, Braintree, Mass. In addition, News 12 Connecticut journalist...

Fine Host Corp.(buys Seattle'sFood Management Corp.)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... Fine Host Corp., Greenwich, a provider of food and beverage concession and catering services to facilities, announced that its has acquired Food Management Corp., Seattle, Wash., a contract food service company.

The 3C Group LLC.(forms agreement with Sellution Services Corp.)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... The 3C Group LLC., Wilton, a management training and consulting firm that helps businesses improve the effectiveness of their sales function, announced that it has signed an distributor agreement with Sellution Services Corp., Austin, Texas....

Newsmakers.
September 17, 2001... William V. Cuddy Jr. of White Plains, N.Y., was promoted to a senior managing director in the Stamford office of Insignia/ESG Inc., a commercial real estate services firm. Cuddy joined the company in 1997 as a managing director, upon its merger...

Going once.(Fairfield Auction)(Brief Article)
September 24, 2001... Family-run auction house settles in Newtown "I've been meaning to have this appraised 3 for years," said a woman in her most mannerly tone. From a kitchen cupboard came an antique vase that had been passed down through her family, its...

'Scramble for space'.
September 24, 2001... Following NYC terrorist attacks, corporations consider relocating to Fairfield County With 15 million square feet of commercial real estate destroyed by the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, many large...

Initial stock market plunge offers no long-term clues.(Brief Article)
September 24, 2001... Despite a rate cut by the Federal Reserve earlier in the day, the stock market plunged nearly 7 percent last Monday when it opened after being closed for four sessions due to terrorist attacks on New York City. One day later, several...

Travel agents face fallout from terrorist attacks.
September 24, 2001... "The phones are ringing off the hooks. It's a madhouse," was how one local travel agent described the immediate impact of terrorist attacks initiated in the national air transit system. "They're coming in not only from our clients who were...

How can you help the country? Buy stocks.(Brief Article)
September 24, 2001... After a week of shock -- viewing the deaths of innocent people, destruction of the World Trade Center and damage to the Pentagon -- I felt compelled to do something to bring normalcy back to the country. As soon as the New York Stock...

Letters.
September 24, 2001... American Express editorial was 'right on' To the editor: Regarding "Give American Express credit for slyness" by Ed Klein in the Sept. 10, 2001, issue, I respectfully suggest that the word "slyness" in Mr. Klein's right-on article be...

Attacks could raise insurance premiums.(terrorist attack)(Brief Article)
September 24, 2001... Businesses may face a staggering 25 percent jump in insurance costs next year as a fallout of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, a local insurance executive said. "Insurance premiums were already...

Local businessman will speak at quarterly luncheon.
September 24, 2001... The stock market is down, then up again, then down again. Retail sales figures are sluggish; home construction remains steady. The Federal Reserve Bank recently lowered the federal fund rate for the eighth time in nine months. With an endless...

Corporate and Business Gift Services.(Statistical Data Included)(Directory)
September 24, 2001... Corporate and Business Gift Services Ranked by 2000 gross revenue range Rank Name, address, phone Top local executive(s) number and website E-mail address Area code: 203...

How to steal from your competition.(Brief Article)
September 24, 2001... (and get away with it)! In today's slower economy, there are three ways to improve profits. The first way includes finding new things to sell. You may consider expanding into new products. If you have deep pockets and gambler's instincts,...

Sales prospectors mine for leads.(according to Scott Brown, LeadMasters vp)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 24, 2001... No matter how high-tech our society gets, the essence of business is still the very human concept of closing a sale face-to-face and sealing it with a handshake. But today's sales professionals claim they reach the sales summit less often...

Stamford firm looks at e-mail marketing.
September 24, 2001... There is a growing gap between customer expectations and the permission marketing programs of Global 2000 marketers, according to IMT Strategies Inc. of Stamford, which on Sept. 10 released the findings of its seminal industry research study,...

Transportation Strategy Board Official Legislatively; Members Being Named.(Brief Article)
September 24, 2001... The long awaited legislative formation of the Transportation Strategy Board, whose mission is to present transportation strategies to the state, became official in July, at the end of the special legislative session. Oz Griebel has been named...

SmartBridges - Information Technology Initiative for Fairfield County Youth.(Southwestern Area Commerce and Industry Association)(Brief Article)
September 24, 2001... SACIA, has recently launched "SmartBridges" an initiative to serve youth by assisting providers of IT training and employment opportunities. SmartBridges will offer an information sharing and networking structure for organizations throughout...

So - How Do We Get to Work?(Southwestern Area Commerce and Industry Association and Telecommute Connecticut conduct telecommuting survey)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 24, 2001... During July 2001, SACIA, in partnership with Telecommute Connecticut, conducted a random survey among key decision-makers at SACIA member companies to determine attitudes, usage and unfulfilled needs concerning Telecommuting. The survey defined...

Community Events Calendar.(Southwestern Area Commerce and Industry Association of Connecticut (Fairfield County))(Brief Article)
September 24, 2001... Thanks to a new SACIA service, organizations in Fairfield County will have an easier time planning community and fundraising events. The first comprehensive county-wide fundraising events calendar will be published soon and will also be...

Danbury Library.(Praxair Inc. grant)(Brief Article)
September 24, 2001... Danbury Library, Danbury, received a $35,000 grant from Praxair Inc., Danbury, a producer and distributor of industrial gases. The grant will be used to expand the library's computer services.

The Women's Business Development Center.
September 24, 2001... The Women's Business Development Center, Stamford, a non-profit organization that assists women who want to start or expand a' business, received a $10,000 grant from the SBC Foundation; the foundation of SBC Communications Inc., the parent...

Newsmakers.(appointments)(Brief Article)
September 24, 2001... John H. Wellington of Bedford, N.Y., was promoted to director of wealth management and advisory services at Advest Inc., Hartford, a financial services firm. Wellington has been a senior vice president and director of technology planning since...

Hiring and firing.(Towers Perrin report on talent management)(Statistical Data Included)
September 24, 2001... Talent management study finds shifting dynamics between employees, employers Despite the general economic downturn and numerous recent layoff announcements, the labor market for talent remains in flux. A new reality for talent management...

'Blended' talent is a most powerful business strategy.(recruiting a blended workforce)
September 24, 2001... The attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon created an immediate need for talent to supplement and support core and redeployed employees in organizations throughout the country. Coupled with this, an already softened economy in which...

Concorde.
September 24, 2001... As one of the only truly community-based staffing organizations in Westchester County, N.Y., Concorde Personnel and Concorde Temporary Staffing are specialists in matching the "right" candidate to the "right" corporate culture. Established...

Lloyd Staffing: Partnering with business to meet staffing needs.(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
September 24, 2001... Lloyd Staffing has dedicated the past 30 years to successfully meeting the employment needs of the regional workforce. By providing people who are skilled to meet the demands of the current marketplace, Lloyd responds to both temporary job...

Impressionable interviews.
September 24, 2001... As the saying goes, "You never get a second chance to make a first impression." Nowhere is this more true than in a job interview. Recently, OfficeTeam managers were asked about the most unusual thing they had heard of happening in a job...

Need employees? Need a job? Call staffing leader Addecco!(Adecco S.A.)(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
September 24, 2001... Adecco is the country's largest employment services company, connecting people to jobs through its network of more than 2,000 points of sales and service in North America, including seven offices in southern Connecticut and Westchester County,...

Fact or myth: Has the Internet rendered staffing firms obsolete?
September 24, 2001... Since I opened the doors to the first McIntyre Associates office more than 16 years ago, I have experienced tremendous change in the staffing profession. Today's e-mailed resumes, Internet job postings and other technological advances have...

Premier.
September 24, 2001... Founded in 1988, Premier Group has evolved from a single-site-traditional help office to an expanding network of offices throughout the East Coast. Headquartered in White Plains, N.Y., we provide temporary and full-time placement services to a...