Austin Business Journal articles from August 2001

Austin Business Journal archives from August 2001

Project lumbers forward.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... After years of controversy, rezoning could lead to 400,000 s.f. adjacent to Town Lake Progress on 400,000 square feet of planned mixed use space on a coveted and controversial downtown site might mean the parcel finally will be developed....

Highway drives debate.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Development of thousands of acres could get boost if SH 45 were built, but roadblocks are up Ongoing disagreements between developers, environmentalists, neighborhoods and politicians are making the future of a proposed state highway that...

Software firm picks up $4M.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Dell Ventures, BMC sign up as strategic investors in Vieo after $20M funding round in January An Austin software company has raised $4 million from two of Texas' best-known names in the high tech business and is looking for room to grow....

On the road -- again.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Land just off East Sixth Street could become the next home to Austin bar and mobile landmark The Cedar Door. Gus Koerner, owner of The Cedar Door, says he expects to close a deal by early next year to buy a site at 603 Brushy Creek.....

Walt Disney Pictures.(negative portrayal of curly haired girls in 'The Princess Diaries')(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Hair-raising controversy. An Austin-based Web site is in a lather over a new movie from Walt Disney Pictures. Naturallycurly.com, founded by Austin American-Statesman journalists Michelle Breyer and Gretchen Huber, is urging its viewers to...

Batters up.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Twelve customers and 12 employees of Southwest Airlines will catch a chance to express themselves in September at the Dell Diamond in Round Rock. In the airline's Dream Team Sweepstakes, 12 travelers will win positions on Southwest's...

The Ice Man Cometh.(visit by ice cream taster)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Actually, it's the ice cream man who's coming to Austin this month -- to search for a pintsized taste tester. John Harrison, the official taster for Oakland, Calif.-based Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream Inc., is traveling around the country this...

A bravura performance.(BMC Software support for Austin Lyric Opera)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... The Austin Lyric Opera continues to sing BMC Software Inc.'s praises, especially after BMC won the 2001 Bravo Award given by Opera America. Opera America is a service organization for professional opera based in Washington, D.C. It...

No foolin.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Austin's Powerhouse Animation Studios just started production on comedian Adam Sandler's upcoming animated feature, "Eight Crazy Nights." Powerhouse describes the film as a "Hanukkah musical." The film isn't the local company's only...

C0RRECTION.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... An article in the July 13-19. issue of the Austin Business Journal, "SOS for environmental group?", incorrectly stated the area of contention before Robin Rather's departure as chair of the board. The debate was over settlement of a development...

Food company moving to Frisco.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... FRISCO -- Netherlands-based CFS Group BV is moving, its North American corporate headquarters, technology center and manufacturing operations from Boston to Frisco, initially bringing as many as 130 employees. Convenience Food System North...

Consulting company returning' to Houston.(DA Consulting Inc. )(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... HOUSTON -- Sliding profits are bringing the corporate headquarters of DA Consulting Inc. back from Boston to Houston, where the company was founded in 1984. The Houston office has 50 employees, says Dennis Fairchild, chief financial...

KellyUSA losing one of its tenants.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... SAN ANTONIO -- Ryder Integrated Logistics is closing its trade-processing center and warehouse at KellyUSA after failing to gain enough local work to justify keeping it open. Executives with Ryder say the decision to leave KellyUSA -- the...

Netting a new deal.(iNetProfit Inc. signs contract with Harte-Hanks Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Software firm iNetProfit to reap millions through contract with Harte-Hanks A. new deal with HarteHanks Inc. could mean up to $7 million in revenue over the next year for an Austin software and marketing company. The one-year contract...

Medical offices planned.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Development company to build 60,000 square feet in N. Austin aimed at physicians Plans to build 60,000 square feet of offices designed to serve small medical practices are moving for ward. Zoning changes approved, by the Austin...

Trammell makes major shifts.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... The: Austin office of the Trammell Crow Co. is preparing to move 29 accounting positions to Dallas as three top brokers leave to form new companies Stan Erwin, managing director of Crow's. Austin office says the Dallas-based company is...

Tech firm grows.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Maker of components for mobile phones, other devices seeks space as revenue rises After 22 years in Austin and three years of revenue growth above 50 percent, Wenzel Associates Inc. is ready to expand. The Austin-based company makes...

Fellers returns to CEO post at advertising firm.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... The recent departure of its CEO won't trigger immediate changes at Austin-based Fellers Marketing and Advertising Inc. Bill Holland has taken a new position as president of Bates Southwest, where he now oversees the advertising firm's 100...

EBT pairs up with Midwest convenience stores.(Electronic Billboard Technology Inc. )(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Austin-based Electronic Billboard Technology Inc. will test its products in convenience stores owned by Minneapolis-based Oasis Market Inc. from Sept. 1 through Nov. 1. During the test, Oasis will feature an Electronic Billboard Technology...

Austin named great place for raising a child.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Austin has been named by Mothering magazine as one of the top 25 best places in the United States to raise a family. The criteria for family friendly cities range from physical beauty and public education to cloth diaper services and health...

Winstead firm merging wit Dallas practice.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... A law firm whose Austin office is headed by high-profile attorney Pete Winstead has been bitten by the merger bug a second time. Two weeks after announcing a merger with a Houston firm, Dallas-based Winstead Sechrest & Minick PC merged with...

TateAustin revs up with three new PR customers.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Austin public relations firm TataAustin has added three clients to its roster. The new business will generate $600,000 in fee-based billings for the firm, which posted $3.78 million in total billings last year. H.B. Zachry, Dresser...

Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc. (San Jose).(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Silicon Valley startups aren't the only ones hoping venture capital activity picks up soon. The industry that fueled Silicon Valley Bank's growth from a community bank to a national one with $5.4 billion in assets has put a dent in its...

Monster.com (Boston).(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Although weakness in the economy and job market might soften demand for its services, the leading online employment matchmaker isn't waiting patiently for a recovery. Monster.com of Maynard, Mass., and its parent company, New York's TMP...

Sprint Corp. (Kansas City).(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Although late to the game, Sprint Corp. has entered the Web arena with a vengeance -- investing $1 billion into its product and expecting $1.4 billion in revenue this year. The Westwood, Kan.-based company is pumping capital and resources...

SimonDelivers.com Inc. (Minneapolis).(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... As the ranks of online grocery startups continue to crumble, the Twin Cities' homegrown Internet grocer says it's doing just fine and is preparing to expand. SimonDelivers.com Inc.'s investors seem to agree. Company officials confirm...

Sun Microsystems Inc. (San Francisco).(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Sun Microsystems Inc. is selling its landmark Palo Alto, Calif. offices. There's no list price for the 12.1-acre plot in southern Palo Alto, which has just one 260,000-square-foot building, and no one has made any offers since it's been on...

International Bancshares to buy National Bancshares.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Laredo-based International Bancshares Corp. [Nasdaq: IBOC] is moving into the Central Texas market with its planned $93 million acquisition of San Antonio-based National Bancshares Corp. of Texas [AMEX: NBT]. IBC is offering $24.75 a share...

UT professor becomes adviser at MoveMoney.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Austin-based MoveMoney Inc. has appointed a University of Texas professor to its board of advisers. Vijay Mahajan holds the John P. Harbin Centennial Chair in Business at UT's McCombs School of Business. Privately held MoveMoney is an...

Setting down solid roots.
August 3, 2001... Annual sales at Austin Plant Design grow 25 percent as firm looks to branch out with wholesale greenhouse A heavy wooden desk, a comfortable leather chair and a big plant--these might be considered essential in the office of today's...

Don't underestimate the power of humor.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Oftentimes when I make a call and talk with a new person about coming in to help them lighten up or bring a sense of humor to the workplace, I hear from the other end, "So why humor?" I respond: "Well, why not humor?" Back and forth we go....

Online vendor system launched.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... The City of Austin Purchasing Office has launched an online vendor registration system aimed at making it easier to do business with the city. With the new system, a vendor will obtain a secure online account to create vendor records,...

Texas is No. 6 in 'survival' index.(small business)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Texas ranks sixth in the 2001 version of the Small Business Survival Index. The sixth annual index, produced by the Small Business Survival Committee, gauges how governments in the 50 states and the District of Columbia treat small...

Expertise helps create buzz for your business.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Publicity can be elusive for a small business owner, but nothing can be more instrumental for long-term recognition and success. One secret to attracting interest from a reporter is to position yourself as an expert. Before you say, "But...

Bundling up for telecom may save you a bundle.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... There's the bill from the local telephone service. The bill from the long-distance service. The bill from your Internet service provider. Your calling card company. Your cellular service company. Ever notice half the bills you pay relate to...

Former chief justice joins Bracewell & Patterson.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Former Texas Supreme Court Justice Greg Abbott will join the Congress Avenue offices of law firm Bracewell & Patterson LLP as a partner in the appellate group. He will join the firm Aug. 1. Abbott is a Republican candidate for...

Groups offer plenty of advice for SBA leader.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Hector Barreto Jr. was sworn in July 27 head of the U.S. Small Business Administration after being confirmed unanimously by the Senate. Barreto, who previously owned a financial services business in Los Angeles, skirted controversy by...

Poll shows workers think Bush favors businesses.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... A survey of U.S. workers commissioned by the AFL-CIO found 49 percent think the Bush administration cares more about protecting the rights of businesses than it cares about protecting the rights of workers. About 35 percent thought the...

GOP leaders push to make tax cuts permanent.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... House Republican leaders promised to push legislation to make this year's $1.35 trillion tax cut permanent. Because of what Rep. Christopher Cox, R-Calif., calls "Alice in Wonderland Senate rules," the tax cuts in the legislation will...

TVA best, NASA worst for new contractors.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... The Tennessee Valley Authority may be the best place to go for companies that want to enter the government contracting market. An analysis by Eagle Eye Publishers found TVA awarded 30 percent of its $4.3 billion in prime contracts in fiscal...

Price changes in market 'answer some prayers'.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Austin real estate at mid-year 2001 looks like a different animal than a year ago. While most industries feel the ripples of financial setbacks set off by the high tech downturn, perhaps no field outside of technology has been hit harder than...

Some downtown 'B' space can be found at $8.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Those who follow commercial real estate leasing trends downtown may have noticed a curious sight on the building housing Liberty Bank at 900 Congress Avenue. A banner on the side of the building facing the street advertises lease space for $8...

OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE.(in Austin, Texas)(Directory)
August 3, 2001... OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE Name of property Total s.f. currnetly Physical address available OFFICE LEASING, CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT 300 W. Sixth St. Bldg. 228,779 300 W. Sixth St. 78701...

RETAIL SPACE FOR LEASE.(Directory)
August 3, 2001... RETAIL SPACE FOR LEASE Name of property Total s.f. currently Physical address available RETAIL LEASING, CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT Phillips Building 8,540 103 E.Fifth St. 78701...

INDUSTRIAL SPACE FOR LEASE.(Directory)
August 3, 2001... INDUSTRIAL SPACE FOR LEASE Name of property Total s.f. currently Physical address available INDUSTRIAL LEASING, CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT 5th Street Market Warehouse 0 1114 W. 5th...

Trammell Crow to market shopping center.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... The Austin office of Trammell Crow Co. has picked up a deal to handle leasing for a 285,355-square-foot shopping center in far Northwest Austin. Lake Creek Festival Shopping Center is at 13729 Research Blvd., at the corner of Research and...

Austin Energy contracts with Wisconsin company.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Austin Energy has outsourced its meter readings to Milwaukee-based IMServ FieldTech. The two-year contract calls for IMServ to read about 525,000 electric and water meters in Austin. It is the first IMServ FieldTech project in Texas. ...

Golf equipment company changes its name.(Ray Cook Golf Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Austin-based Rivington Golf Management Inc. is changing its name to Ray Cook Golf Inc. The company, which makes golf equipment, was formed in July 2000 by Terry Koehler and Jack Lynch. Lynch, chairman and CEO of the company, says the...

Austin software company joins tech incubator.(Fortigo Inc. on Austin Technology Incubator roster)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... The Austin Technology Incubator is bringing in a new company, Austin-based Fortigo Inc. Fortigo creates Web-based software to help make the shipping process more efficient. The company was founded last year. Its CEO is George Kontoravdis....

PEOPLE.(recent appointments)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... MICHELE ARCEO joined T3, The Think Tank. as traffic manager. Responsibilities include management of work flow of all online jobs for Dell Computer Corp. Previously, she worked for Go2Net Inc. and Dell. She is a graduate of Southwest Texas State...

LETTER TO THE EDITOR.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Tax incentives are bad policy Resident says small businesses, entreprenuers should get help instead of the largest companies Dear Editor, Corporate welfare is difficult, if not impossible to justify. That said, I believe the "tax...

Some still haven't tasted prosperity.(have nots)(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... As the owners of city's newest Krispy Kreme Doughnuts in South Austin showed off their store to friends and business associates July 28, a ragged-looking man stood on the periphery with what looked like everything he owned on his back, catching...

Railroaded into frustration.(Brief Article)
August 3, 2001... Trains hold a special place in the hearts of transportation aficionados. The giant workhorses helped open the frontier of the West. On the other end of the spectrum, the Orient Express symbolizes the utmost in travel luxury. Borrowing from...

HotLink inks three hot deals.(promotional products distributor)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2001... Distributor of promotional products gains exclusive contracts with Bechtel, Tokyo Electron, Samsung HotLink Inc. has linked up with three new customers that could lead to $15 million in revenue over the next three years. HotLink, a...

Is fab Round Rock solid?(Round Rock, Texas semichip fabrication)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2001... Draft report warns city about ability to handle chip plant, but city leaders are unfazed A draft version of an economic development study cautions Round Rock about the intensive infrastructure needs of a chip fabrication plant - like the...

Firm snatches up offices.(Intercontinental Real Estate Corp.)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2001... Amid slow market for real estate investments, Boston company buys three NW Austin buildings In a sluggish year for real estate investment deals in Austin, a Boston real estate investment firm has bought three Northwest Austin office...

Twisted kids' stuff.(pretzel maker donates to Children's Hospital)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2001... Auntie Anne's Inc.'s president and chief operating officer doesn't know what he's in for when he hits town Aug. 18. Sam Beiler won't just face five hours of foot-fatiguing counter work at the Highland Mall Auntie Anne's. It's highly...

Laying down the law.(Austin law firms rated nationally)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2001... Five Austin law firms are getting a little respect. Corporate Board Member, the only national magazine targeting directors of publicly traded companies, includes five Austin firms in its first survey of the country's best corporate law...

Waiting for the moving van.(First American Bank opens new Austin branch)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2001... Although it's a bit sparsely furnished right now, a Bryan-based bank opened a branch Aug. 1 in downtown Austin. First American Bank has leased the 7,854 square feet that Wells Fargo Bank vacated at 100 Congress Ave. The branch is First...

Making some dough.(Atlanta Bread in South Austin)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2001... A Georgia-based, chain of bakery cafes has risen in South Austin. Franchisee owners Steven and Roxana Hopkins have opened an Atlanta Bread Co. cafe at 4404 W. William Cannon Drive and are working on plans for another in Round Rock next...

They're the tops.(Austin companies highly rated)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2001... Two Austin companies earn high marks from Consumer Reports magazine. The magazine, published by Yonkers, N.Y.-based Consumers Union, gave honors to Dell Computer Corp. and Prodigy Communications Corp. as some of the top vendors in their...

Not just the Three Rs.(Brief Article)
August 10, 2001... Pervasive Software Inc. donated 35 computers, fans, school supplies and $450 in cash to Austin's American YouthWorks charter school this month. In addition to these tools for "book learning," the company's employees also donated $2,500...

Financial company mulls HQ in S.A.(Brief Article)
August 10, 2001... SAN ANTONIO -- A major financial services company in Kansas City might be considering San Antonio for a possible headquarters move as it seeks to avoid a new state tax in Missouri. Waddell & Reed Financial Inc. has issued requests for...

Banking veterans form new bank.(Brief Article)
August 10, 2001... HOUSTON -- Three executives educated at two of the city's most successful independent banks think the time is right for a new community bank in Houston. The Right Bank for Texas is the brainchild of Mike Roy and Don Najvar. After leaving...

Asian cargo firm to fly out of D/FW.(Brief Article)
August 10, 2001... DALLAS -- Singapore Airlines Cargo, one of the world's largest carriers of air freight, plans to start service out of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in mid-November. The startup will make D/FW among the largest in the United States...

Hire.com tans CEO.(Brief Article)
August 10, 2001... STACEY HIGGINBOTHAM E-recruitment company replaces Jim Hammock with newcomer Kevin Bethke Austin's Hire.com Inc. is seeking "world domination" in the recruitment industry. To wage that battle, the company turned to Kevin Bethke, an...

NetWorker works UT deal.(Brief Article)
August 10, 2001... STACEY HIGGINBOTHAM $133,000 contract helps fuel company's foray into software The University of Texas' McCombs School of Business is the first customer for NetWorker Inc. as the Austin company transforms from primarily organizing the...

Round Rock plans complex.(municipal complex, Round Rock, Texas)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 10, 2001... MARY ALICE KASPAR The City of Round Rock is preparing to build a new municipal complex with a price tag of roughly $15 million. City officials say the new space, to be just west of the current City Hall in downtown Round Rock, is...

City claims land.(Austin, Texas)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 10, 2001... The City of Austin is forging ahead with plans to annex about 2,250 acres. For some of the larger tracts, annexation means the land will be one step closer to development. Eleven tracts of various sizes and planned uses have been...

Small firms purchasing instead of leasing space.(Austin, Texas)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2001... Two small businesses are buying new Austin offices rather than renting, and brokers say such opportunities are increasing. "I've just always been a firm believer in real estate -- eventually it's always going to go up," says Anil Venkatrao,...

Development company changes its name.(Cousins Stone L.P.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 10, 2001... Dallas-based Cousins Stone LP is changing its name to Cousins Properties Services LP. Cousins developed the 955,000-square-foot Motorola Inc. campus on Parmer Lane in Northwest Austin. It is developing Research Park Plaza, a...

More businesses setting up shop along W. Sixth.(UpCountry Inc., Lemon Grass and Oswald Gallery Inc. lease properties)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2001... Two Austin firms and a Canadian furniture dealer have decided to open downtown shops on West Sixth Street. UpCountry Inc. has leased 10,000 square feet in a retail center at 1009 W. Sixth St. for its first U.S. store. The Toronto-based...

Developers plan $40M Bastrop retail project.(Bastrop, Texas)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 10, 2001... A group of San Antonio investors has purchased land in Bastrop with the goal of building roughly $40 million worth of retail space. The Brundage and Morrison families bought 148 acres at the southeast corner of Highway 71 and Highway 304....

San Jose.(Intel Corp. optimistic about market recovery)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2001... Intel Corp. is leading a band of increasingly optimistic voices in the chip industry, saying there are signs of a market recovery in the second hail of the year. In an extremely positive sign for the industry, the world's largest chipmaker...

San Francisco.
August 10, 2001... Yipes Communications Inc. has purchased broadband access rights to 3,500 office buildings across the country from a bankrupt competitor, a deal that provides the San Francisco broadband carrier with instant entry to millions of square feet of...

Raleigh/ Durham.
August 10, 2001... Preliminary figures confirm what many have suspected: The Triangle's high tech manufacturing economy is getting bushwhacked, and many workers are being forced to migrate to lower-paid jobs. Results of a yet-to-be-published survey by the...

Phoenix.(underground infrastructure hampers Austin, Texas, transit construction)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2001... The tangled mess of telecommunications and utility lines buried under the Valley's planned light-rail route soon could be a multimillion-dollar relocation headache. About 40 companies have underground infrastructure -- ranging from...

Seattle.
August 10, 2001... Well-financed companies are looking to expand, suitable space is almost nowhere to be found and real estate developers are gearing up to satisfy the demand. It might sound like a flashback to the dot-com boom, but it's not. It's how the...

Small business group names new director.(Capital Certified Development Corp., Craig Pinkley)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2001... Craig Pinkley has been hired as executive director of the Capital Certified Development Corp. Lockhart-based Capital Certified Development is a state-certified nonprofit organization helping small businesses obtain alternative financing....

Stratus reports higher revenue, net income.(Stratus Properties Inc., second quarter of 2001)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 10, 2001... Austin-based Stratus Properties Inc. [Nasdaq: STRS] reported increased revenue and income during the second quarter. Stratus' revenue for the quarter ended June 30 was $8.2 million, compared with $2.94 million in 2000. Stratus reported...

Handtech.com acquired by California company.(whatZnew.com Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2001... Austin-based Handtech.com Inc. has been acquired by Novato, Calif.-based whatZnew.com Inc. Financial terms weren't disclosed. The merger resuscitates Handtech.com, which shut down its Web site July 3. The site reported the company...

A firm suited for success.(Gassene Tailors Inc.)
August 10, 2001... Gassane Tailors makes its mark with high-end men's suits, irons out plans for new line of clothing After nearly 30 years in Austin, the owner of Gassane Tailors Inc. is sewing up his biggest deal yet. Ghassan "Gus" Karim -- the man...

ASK THE EXPERTS.(acquiring a financially distressed competitor)(Brief Article)
August 10, 2001... What do you do when a competitor is close to or in bankruptcy and you have your eye on certain assets? ROWLAND COOK SHAREHOLDER Jenkens & Gilchrist PC When a company is insolvent, the primary fiduciary duty of its directors...

Texas agencies spend billions with vendors.(public sector contracts)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 10, 2001... Vertical markets are nearly a thing of the past. In the public and private sectors, few will argue against the benefits and cost savings that can be achieved through outsourcing. Strategic alliances and partnerships have become the norm. ...