Austin Business Journal articles from June 2001

Austin Business Journal archives from June 2001

Groups target Silicon Valley.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Representatives of chamber, RECA to visit San Jose area in September to recruit companies Capitalizing on California's energy woes, members of two influential Austin business groups are planning a trip to the Silicon Valley to woo...

Taking a bite of Austin.(Texas)
June 29, 2001... Restaurants in the Austin area are expected to lead the state in revenue growth this year as those hungry for a piece of the dining pie open new locations here. Dave LaBlanc says Austin was small enough that its freeways cleared of...

Buda retail project on tap.(David Berndt Interests Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... One of the developers behind Round Rock's La Frontera complex has 126 acres under contract in Buda with an eye toward retail and other uses. Dallas-based David Berndt Interests Inc. put the land near the southwest corner of I-35 and Loop...

He's a hot property.(Johnny Anderson)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... The former CEO of Austin startup HotData Inc., a software development company, now will heat up a high tech trade group. Johnny Anderson has been named executive director of the south-central region for the AeA, formerly the American...

Hoteliers, beware.(of scams)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... It's not unusual for hotel guests to plan to work in their rooms when they travel on business, but most of them bring their work and materials with them. Someone using the name Mike Saxon had other plans. The Austin Hotel and Motel...

Pool dips, not pink slips.(Tocquigny Advertising, Interactive + Marketing Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... While some companies hand out pink slips, Austin-based Tocquigny Advertising, Interactive + Marketing Inc. is ready to party. The agency planned to make a splash June 29 at Barton Springs Pool. "Our six-month new business strategy has...

Icing her career.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Just a few months after her marriage, Aruni Gunasegaram is breaking up with Isochron Data Corp. But she says it's got nothing to do with her nuptials. Gunasegaram, co-founder and former chief strategy officer, has left the company to...

Taste of what's to come.(wine tasting sponsored by wine master D.C. Flyn)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... The Congress Avenue marketing office for The Monarch on Town lake wined and dined potential residents June 21. The host of the wine tasting was wine master D.C. Flynt, executive chef and owner of Cafe Margaux in Lake Charles, La. Austin...

Management cornerstones.(Darden Restaurants Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... The Olive Garden Italian restaurant chain, part of Darden Restaurants Inc., is recognizing the importance of local leadership by engraving the names of general managers on their restaurants. As part of a national renovation effort --...

Another "for sale" sign.(University of Texas student housing complex is up for sale)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... A new student housing complex serving University of Texas students is up for sale. Jefferson Commons at the Ballpark is a 283-unit residence developed by the student housing division of Irving-based JPI last year at 4600 Elmont Drive....

Oil giant taps Houston company.(petroleum industry)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... HOUSTON -- London-based oil and gas giant BP PLC has agreed to pay millions of dollars to Houston-based PerformanceRetail Inc. for its expertise in handling Snickers bars, soda pops and salted peanuts. The deal calls for PerformanceRetail...

New venture fund targets Dallas area.(finance)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... RICHARDSON--A venture capital fund is launching to make early stage investments, primarily in companies in North Dallas and the Telecom Corridor. The North Dallas Venture Fund has raised about $4 million of an intended $10 million and...

Buyout includes New Braunfels plant.(plastics industry)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... NEW BRAUNFELS -- Two members of Alcoa Inc.'s plastics group management team have completed a leveraged buyout of the company's plastics division, including its plastic injection molding plant in New Braunfels, for an undisclosed sum. The...

CORRECTIONS.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... The handling of initial public offerings in Austin by accounting firms was misstated in a story titled "Deloitte beefs up" in the June 22-28 issue of the Austin Business Journal Andersen LLP and KPMG LLP each handled one Austin IPO in 2000....

Dell to put space on market.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Company plans to offer 185,000 s.f. in North Austin for sublease; other offices may be vacated Dell Computer Corp. plans to vacate nearly 185,000 square feet it leased last year in North Austin and will offer the offices for sublease....

IT company growing.(Compuware Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Compuware plans to bulk up in Austin, with eye toward expanding to 500 employees Compuware Corp. plans to expand its professional services unit in Austin from 30 employees to as many as 500 in the next three to four years. The...

Grant boosts recycling park.(Ecolibrium)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... With help from a new federal grant, plans for a central place in the Austin area to dispose of electronic devices are moving forward. A $325,000 grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration will help Austin-based Ecolibrium...

Stock lawsuit is filed.(CCM Manufacturing Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... A dispute over $500,000 worth of stock has prompted one executive of Pflugerville's CCM Manufacturing Inc. to sue another executive. Lynn Bishop, vice president of business development at CCM, alleges company Chairman and CEO Jose Chavez...

G'day, mate: Austinites & to help Australian city.(Austin, Texas)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... One of Austin's sister cities, Adelaide, Australia, is about to get a technology makeover -- based on Austin's success in building its own tech-fueled economy. Seventeen graduates of the University of Texas [IC.sup.2] Institute's...

Hire.com receives $19M from AV, Hearst, others.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Austin-based Hire.com Inc. has secured $19 million in funding. Hire.com provides e-recruitment tools to businesses. The company will use the funding for product development, marketing and branding. Leading the round of funding are...

State agency goes after 114,000 s.f. of offices.(Texas Workers' Compensation Commission)
June 29, 2001... The Texas Workers' Compensation Commission needs 114,000 square feet of offices, and Austin's slowed real estate community is taking notice. The General Services Commission, which handles space for state agencies, is accepting bids...

Merger of two law firms to affect market in Austin.(Andrews & Kurth LLP and Mayor Day Caldwell & Keeton LLP)
June 29, 2001... A proposed merger between two Houston-based law firms -- including one that represents the City of Austin -- will mean a combination of their Austin offices. Andrews & Kurth LLP and Mayor Day Caldwell & Keeton LLP each have small offices...

Compaq Computer Corp.(Statistical Data Included)(Illustration)
June 29, 2001... Houston Houston-based Compaq Computer Corp. will shut down all U.S. operations during the first week in July to cut expenses. Compaq is forcing 33,000 full-time employees in the United States to take four days of vacation that week,...

Oracle Corp.
June 29, 2001... Sacramento, Calif. If the technology slump has the titans of Silicon Valley laying low these days, you wouldn't know it by what Oracle Corp. is doing in Rocklin, Calif. Earth-moving tractors have begun grading at Stanford Ranch for...

Baltimore.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... A local bank that was sanctioned by regulators because of alleged risky lending practices has won a judgment against Baltimore-based Gr8 Inc. for more than $900,000 in loans it made to the struggling tech company, according to Baltimore City...

Concur Technologies Inc.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Seattle Things are tough all over for the enterprise software industry, leaving once high-flying companies such as Concur Technologies Inc., Primus Knowledge Solutions Inc. and Onyx Software Corp. reeling. The current slowdown in...

BroadJump gains Bell Canada as first international client.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Bell Canada, a telecommunications company owned by Montreal-based BCE Inc. and San Antonio's SBC Communications Inc. [NYSE: SBC], will use BroadJump Inc.'s software in its DSL installation kits and to market DSL to new subscribers. This...

Austin area tops restaurant study.(restaurant industry)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... The Texas Restaurant Association has projected spending in the state's eating and drinking establishments will increase nearly 7 percent in 2001 to $26.4 billion. The association's 2001 industry forecast projects 13 percent sales growth...

Poor sales hit businesses.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Taxes remain the No. 1 problem facing small businesses, according to the monthly economic survey conducted by the National Federation of Independent Business. Availability of labor still was the No. 2 problem, and there was a new No. 3:...

Fed program may expand.(Small Business Technology Transfer program)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Members of the Senate Small Business Committee want to expand the Small Business Technology Transfer program, which is set to expire Sept. 30 unless reauthorized by Congress. The program "has brought fledgling businesses into the ring of...

Creativity for customers.(Creation Inc)
June 29, 2001... Austin's Custom Creation develops exhibits for shows What do the newsroom at an Austin television station, a 16th century galleon and the City of Austin's display for the South by Southwest festival have in common? What about BroadJump...

Help yourself with stealth personal marketing.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... There is usually one in every company. You know who they are; it's hard to miss them. They go out of their way to make sure everyone -- particularly the boss -- knows who they are. They are relentless in their pursuit of recognition. You...

'Back to basics' can with kudos with your clients.
June 29, 2001... Don't forget the basics when plotting your customer service and product delivery strategies. A return to what's truly important to customers is improving customer relationships. for some insurance and banking companies Consider these...

Data Tomato takes new space, plans to add to workforce.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... High tech company Data Tomato Inc. recently expanded into 3,256 square feet of sublease space in the Chase Manhattan Building at 700 Lavaca St. The Austin company also is looking to hire more employees. It moved eight employees from 1009...

How to stretch your dollars during lean times.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Buying for the office during lean economic times can be hard to justify. But puffing the brakes on spending altogether and limping along with an inadequate setup can result in an even bigger waste of cash. Here are some tips to stretch...

Spradle Creek complex acquired for $34.5M.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Spraddle Creek Apartments at 9500 W. Parmer Lane has been acquired for $34.5 million. The 430-unit complex was purchased by an investor group that includes affiliates of Miami-based LNR Property Corp. [NYSE: LNR] and New York's The...

Plano company buys Austin apartments.(real estate industry)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Plano-based Crest Ventures Ltd. has purchased the University Crest Apartments at 1616 Royal Crest Drive. University Crest Apartments, previously called River Crest Apartments, was owned by Austinbased Streets Development Ltd. ...

Senator: Not much money for business tax cuts.(tax reform)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... There won't be any major cuts in business taxes this year, says Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont. The $1.35 trillion tax cut passed by Congress a month ago "puts a lot of strain on the budget," Baucus says, and now...

Individual health plans cheaper than many think.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... A survey of 20,000 people who purchased health insurance on the Internet found that individuals can buy affordable and comprehensive coverage on their own. The average annual premiums for individual and family policies purchased through...

Small business group, GOP demand action on energy.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... The Small Business Survival Committee joined Senate Republicans at a rally outside the Capitol demanding immediate action on energy legislation. Small businesses "are extremely concerned about high energy costs -- and the potential for...

GSD&M sweetens deal with Krispy Kreme.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... GSD&M, Austin's largest advertising agency, has formalized its longtime relationship with Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. Financial details of the new partnership weren't disclosed. GSD&M will work with Krispy...

Aftermarket after the 'bust'.
June 29, 2001... As dot-corns downsize or disappear, more used office equipment makes its way to bargain-hunting buyers Trickle down -- that's the effect the high tech industry's downturn has had on the overall economics of the Austin area. Few...

Austin turns to 'green' office furniture design.
June 29, 2001... For most employees' at-home lives, taking filled blue recycling bins to the curb on trash day is routine. Few people think twice about them. The prevalence of ecological choices and issues, otherwise known as "green issues," are working their...

Paperless offices: 21st century fact or fiction?(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... The paperless office appears to remain more fiction than fact at the sunrise of the 21st century. Yes, even in Austin -- one of the most wired cities in the United States. The modern work force has entered an era of storing data...

Office furniture evolves from 'I' to 'we' designs.
June 29, 2001... What is the significance of the furniture in a typical office building? Does it even matter? Aren't all desks, chairs and tables pretty much the same? In the view of professionals long active in the office furniture industry, they most...

Urban Ease moves into more space.(furniture industry)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Retailing furniture has always been a treacherous trade even in good economic times, as the troubled histories of chains from Levitz to Sears HomeLife have demonstrated. But one independent store near Seattle, Urban Ease, has recently moved...

LARGEST BUSINESS MACHINE PROVIDERS.(Statistical Data Included)(Illustration)
June 29, 2001... LARGEST BUSINESS MACHINE PROVIDERS Ranked by 2000 revenue from retail business machine sales Austin-area Name revenue 2000: ...

LARGEST OFFICE FURNITURE RETAILERS.(Statistical Data Included)(Illustration)
June 29, 2001... LARGEST OFFICE FURNITURE RETAILERS Ranked by office furniture revenue in 2000 Name 2000 Austin- Address area revenue: 2000 Phone/Fax ...

PlanView teams up with Calif. company.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... Austin-based PlanView Inc. and San Ramon, Calif.-based neoIT are collaborating to deliver procurement and services online. Through the partnership, neolT and PlanView will offer software that analyzes a company's information technology...

LARGEST OFFICE SUPPLY COMPANIES.(Illustration)
June 29, 2001... LARGEST OFFICE SUPPLY COMPANIES Ranked by Austin-area revenue from office supply sales in 2000 Name 2000 Austin-area Address revenue: 2000 Phone/Fax ...

PEOPLE.(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... KYLE BARTON was promoted to assistant vice president and relationship manager at Bank One Corp. He joined Bank One in 1997. Barton earned a bachelor's degree in finance from Texas A&M University. TRICIA BERRY was appointed director of...

Stop the raid on patents.(U.S. Patent and Trademark Office)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... U.S. Patent and Trademark Office faces backlog as Bush budget plan threatens to reduce funding The battle to protect original ideas gets harder and harder. The government agency designed to help entrepreneurs do that, the U.S. Patent and...

It's nothing to sneeze at.(health)(Brief Article)
June 29, 2001... It's so insidious. In the very beginning, it's almost like a hint you refuse to take. As it progresses, you find yourself unable to completely ignore what's going on, but you try your hardest. Finally, it asserts itself so strongly,...

Airport bill takes off.(facility in central Texas soon to be built)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Under new state law, TxDOT will determine where state flights will be landing in Central Texas Plans for a new $52 million airport in Central Texas are taking flight. Gov. Rick Perry signed House Bill 2522 on June 15, giving the...

Pflugerville set to boom.(Terra planning to build hundreds of homes in Pflugerille)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Dallas developer plans 1,800 homes on 700 acres near town's Blackhawk Golf Course Dallas-based developer Terrabrook is launching a 700-acre residential community in Pflugerville. "Austin is one of the country's best places to live,...

New tech zoning may arise.(computer component manufacturers might be affected)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... City studies change in zoning rules following approval of $8M project Chip and circuit board testing companies may fall under a new zoning category in Austin. The Austin City Council has directed city planners to study the zoning...

Who ya gonna call?(Haynes and Boone LLP forms a litigation group)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... In the 1980s, we had the "Ghostbusters." Now, the law firm of Haynes and Boone LLP has formed a division called Mold Busters. Austin partner Jeff Civins is at the helm of the new unit. He's chairman of the firm's environmental section....

No line, no waiting.(ship your FedEx packages through the post office)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Central Texans soon will be able to drop FedEx packages off at the post office. Yes, that's the U.S. Postal Service. FedEx drop boxes soon will be sitting in front of 34 area post offices. The move follows an agreement between FedEx...

A different cycling honor.(bicycle theft in Austin, Texas)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Austin may be Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong's hometown and one of the country's best cities for cycling, but it's also in the top 10 for bicycle theft. Austin ties with two other cities for the 10th spot in a bicycle theft survey...

Water Street might make a U-turn.(Water Street Seafood Co. to close one of it's outlets)
June 22, 2001... Water Street Seafood Co. closed its Austin restaurant on North MoPac Expressway at Braker Lane in June 2000, but the boat might not have completely pulled out of the dock. The Corpus Christi-based restaurant chain has promoted Melany...

Bioscience, blues and Texas beer.(biotech industry conference in California)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce will take along a bit of Texas when it travels to San Diego's BIO 2001, an international conference for bioscience companies that runs June 25-27. The biotech industry tops the chamber's...

Rockin' Austin.(rock station KLBJ-FM wins award)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Austin rock station KLBJ-FM snared two achievement awards during the Radio & Records industry convention June 14-16 in Los Angeles. The national competition honors radio and records executives whose contributions display an "unparalleled...

Looking for environmental honorees.
June 22, 2001... Know a person or a company that would make Mother Earth proud? The City of Austin wants nominations for its 2000-2001 Environmental Awareness Awards. It's accepting them through July 20. The awards recognize outstanding service in...

Food and feng fun.(Le Grand Tour of Your World: The Art of Creative Living by Clark Wilson Homes)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Clark Wilson Homes wants to draw potential buyers to its new model homes this summer with programs celebrating the good life -- European style. "Le Grand Tour of Your World: The Art of Creative Living" kicks off at 1 p.m. June 24 at...

CORRECTION.
June 22, 2001... A story in the June 15-21 issue of the Austin Business Jour Journal, "Historic building sold," mischaracterized the relationship with Texas A&M University. John G. James, the leader of the Texas Military Institute which was housed at the...

Corsicana offers free acreage.(city in Texas)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... CORSICANA -- The City of Corsicana is holding out a big carrot -- 132 acres of free land -- to any developer willing to invest $20 million in a mixed-use project with retail shops, restaurants, hotels and tourist attractions such as a water...

Ice cream company sues main rival.(Marble Slab Creamery Inc. of Houston)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... HOUSTON -- Hometown ice cream retailer Marble Slab Creamery Inc. is taking legal steps to put a main competitor on the slab. The company has filed a federal lawsuit in Houston alleging Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Cold Stone Creamery Inc....

Sports firm moves to San Antonio.(Momentum Sports Group)(Abstract)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... SAN ANTONIO -- One was chairman and CEO of San Antonio banking institution Security National Bank. The other, a former banker and an attorney for widely acclaimed Fulbright & Jaworski LLP. Now, Jim Cox and Mark Slough are the foundation...

Deloitte beefing up.(Deloitte and Touche LLP)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Accounting firm adds first managing partner for Austin office, pursues startup clients To boost its Austin presence, Deloitte & Touche LLP has named longtime, executive Gregory Dunlap as the first managing partner of its local office....

Center seeks more room.(ARM Ltd. plannin to expand)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... ARM Ltd. chip designer wants 45,000 s.f. in wake of growth Unlike many semiconductor-related companies that are handing out pink slips, the ARM Ltd. microprocessor design center in Austin is seeking about 45,000 square feet and capping...

Luxury units under way.(Finger Cos. to build over 400 apartments)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Houston company building more than 400 apartments A Houston developer is building more than 400 luxury apartments in Southwest Austin. The Finger Cos. has acquired building permits and begun construction on Lantana Apartments at 7601...

Park makes splash.(Georgetown Waterpark )(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Developer alleges partner committed fraud in failed Georgetown Waterpark The 25-acre Georgetown Waterpark project may have sunk,, but it's still making waves. The real estate developer spearheading the project, Gregory Hall, alleges...

Austin man convicted in Medicaid fraud case.(Broderick Vaughn Thompson)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Broderick Vaughn Thompson of Austin has been found guilty by a federal jury of crimes associated with a Medicaid fraud scheme that operated through his Austin business, Finding My Way Inc. Thompson, 36, was found guilty June 14 of all 24...

DTM acquisition delayed amid antitrust complaint.(3D Systems Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... The proposed merger between Austin-based DTM Corp. and Valencia, Calif.-based 3D Systems Corp. has been blocked by the antitrust division of the U.S. Justice Department. In a complaint filed June 6, the Justice Department claims 3D's...

Manufacturer puts off plans for altering space.(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... A manufacturing company with operations in Georgetown has put plans on hold to convert 20,000 square feet of warehouse space into manufacturing space. Michigan-based Triple S Plastics Inc. has moved some functions to Austin that once...

Met Center developer to buy back PSINet's space.(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... A developer has agreed to buy back the building it completed in Southwest Austin for PSINet Inc., which has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Howard Yancy, president of Austin's Zydeco Development Inc., says his company has...

* Seattle.(New ICO Global Communications)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Executives for Craig McCaw's satellite company are broadly hinting he might bail out of the ambitious global venture if he isn't given additional rights that are vigorously opposed by most of the cellular and wireless communications industry....

* Atlanta.(Photonic Sensor Systems)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... A Michigan genomics company will lay down as much as $10 million for a stake in a Georgia Tech University spinoff company that has developed the biotech sector's answer to Intel Corp.'s Celeron chip. Genomic Solutions Inc. of Ann Arbor...

* Houston.(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... A Silicon Valley information technology firm has taken another step in what has been a gradual relocation of the company to Houston. All Bases Covered, a Redwood City, Calif.-based provider of IT services to small businesses around the...

* San Francisco.(Advanced Solutions)(SBC Communications)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Internet service providers say San Antonio-based SBC Communications Inc. is frying to muscle them into a contract that would let the telecom giant gobble up the meatiest part of the DSL business -- and leave ISPs with the barest of bones. ...

Solectron lays off 600 more at Austin plant.(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Solectron Corp. [NYSE: SLR] laid off 600 Austin workers June 20, leaving 1,700 local workers. During a presentation of the company's quarterly financial results in March, the Milpitas, Calif.-based contract manufacturer indicated it...

Startup elaw.com goes out of business.(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Austin-based eLaw.com no longer is in business, according to a message on the company's voicemail system. eLaw.com, founded in April 1999, provided online information for legal professionals. eLaw.com's newest product, released April 23,...

Worker recognition is 'smart' strategy.(employee appraisal)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2001... Not all forms of employee recognition are expensive or difficult to plan. Liz Hubler, executive director of OfficeTeam, offers these tips for giving kudos to your work force: * Remember the power of "thank you." The next time employees...

ARC Systems is in prime position.(Advanced Resource Computer Systems)
June 22, 2001... Firm's automation product helps mortgage companies make risky lending decisions Ed Jones is a real rocket scientist. Jones, the soft-spoken president and CEO of Austin-based Advanced Resource Computer Systems Inc., was working for...