Austin Business Journal articles from May 1990

Austin Business Journal archives from May 1990

MCC achieves a first in chip packaging. (Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corp.)
May 7, 1990... MCC achieves a first in chip packaging For the first time, the Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corp. (MCC) has combined several packaging technologies into a functional computer. The new processors integrate several high-density...

TMA takes insurers, review firms to court. (Texas Medical Association)
May 7, 1990... TMA takes insurers, review firms to court When patients get mad at doctors, they go to court. When doctors get mad, they go to court, too. Texas doctors are taking the offensive against insurance companies they say unfairly deny and reduce...

Statistics, operators say eatery business improved last year. (Austin, Texas)
May 7, 1990... Statistics, operators say eatery business improved last year After several years of decreases or only small increases in sales, business appears to be improving for Austin restaurants. The Texas Restaurant Association reported in its April...

Airport reports more traffic. (Robert Mueller Municipal Airport, Austin, Texas)
May 7, 1990... Airport reports more traffic Robert Mueller Municipal Airport reported a 5.84 percent increase in passenger activity for March 1990 over the same month last year, continuing a trend of heavy traffic at the facility. The number of passenger...

Construction contracts on rise in Austin. (Austin, Texas)
May 7, 1990... Construction contracts on rise in Austin The total number of building contracts in the Austin area increased by 47 percent in March 1990 over March 1989 despite a 43 percent decrease in residential contracts, according to a division of...

Cypress net, revenue are up in first quarter. (Cypress Semiconductor)
May 7, 1990... Cypress net, revenue are up in first quarter Cypress Semiconductor reported higher net income on record setting revenue in the first quarter. Net income was $8.3 million, 22 cents per share, a 16 percent increase from $7.13 million, 19...

The Progressive Corp. (names William H. Graves president of South Central Div.)
May 7, 1990... The Progressive Corp. named WILLIAM H. GRAVES The Progressive Corp. named WILLIAM H. GRAVES president of its South Central Division in Austin.

Sixth Street changes. (effect of convention center on Austin, Texas' entertainment district)
May 7, 1990... Sixth Street changes Like most of the best and brightest ideas of the Austin civic establishment, the embryonic convention center leaves many Sixth Street businesses with smiles on their faces and a vague sinking feeling in their stomachs. ...

Austin looks to sports for economic boost. (Austin, Texas)
May 7, 1990... Austin looks to sports for economic boost When it comes to attracting sports to Austin, the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce wants to become a major player. Interest in sports marketing has grown in recent years. At its 1989 retreat, the...

Austin index keeps growing. (Austin, Texas, Austin Purchasing Management Association Composite Business Index)
May 7, 1990... Austin index keeps growing The city's economy continued to increase steadily in April, according to the Austin Purchasing Management Association Composite Business Index for the month. The index, which covers employment, production or...

Dell gets distributor in South Africa. (Dell Computer Corp., IDS)
May 14, 1990... Dell gets distributor in South Africa An Austin computer maker has forged a unique business arrangement that gives a big boost to a black-owned firm in South Africa, where minority businesses have been repressed by the country's tradition of...

Pet store wars: purveyors of pet supplies set to scrap for market. (PetsMart, Austin, Texas)
May 14, 1990... Pet store wars Purveyors of pet supplies set to scrap for market Pet store once sold kittens, parakeets and gerbils, a few collars and leashes and maybe some alfalfa pellets. Now there are chains of stores with the word "pet" in...

Execucom signs marketing pact. (Execucom Systems Corp., Telic Co.)
May 14, 1990... Execucom signs marketing pact Execucom Systems Corp. and Telic Corp. signed an agreement that will enable Telic to use Execucom's Executive Information System technology. Telic, which provides software service to the telecommunications...

Andrew KMW cuts back.
May 14, 1990... Andrew KMW cuts back Describing it as a "small separation of redundancies," Andrew KMW laid off 20 to 30 workers from its Austin operations. "These people had to be let go because of slow business," said Andrew Corp. senior vice president...

Partnership will build, fund IBM's new site. (IBM, NCNB-Texas, Prentiss Properties Ltd. Inc., Austin, Texas)
May 14, 1990... Partnership will build, fund IBM's new site While not saying so in so many words, NCNB Texas is trying to combat its image as a tight-fisted lender in Texas. It took a big step in that direction by providing the funding for construction of...

ATI gives diplomas to graduating firms. (Austin Technology Incubator, Pencom Software, DTM Corp.) (company profile)
May 14, 1990... ATI gives diplomas to graduating firms In the year it opened, the Austin Technology Incubator has helped its first five tenant business create 75 new jobs. Two of those firms are graduating from the incubator. To mark the leave-taking, ATI...

Southeast incubator sends tenants out on their own. (Southeast Business Incubator, Triton Electronics, Seams Great) (company profile)
May 14, 1990... Southeast incubator sends tenants out on their own Austin's other new business incubator already has had two graduates and also is growing even faster than originally planned. Triton Electronics and Seams Great, a clothing alteration...

Coffey sues Ford over dealership move to S. Austin. (George Coffey, Ford Motor Co., Ford Motor Credit, Austin, Texas) (Focus on Autos)
May 14, 1990... Coffey sues Ford over dealership move to S. Austin George Coffey, whose Lincoln-Mercury dealership closed in March, has filed a $5.1 million lawsuit against Ford Motor Co., and a suit of $1.6 million against Ford Motor Credit. Mike...

TN readies Round Rock facility for opening. (TN Technologies, Round Rock, Texas)
May 14, 1990... TN readies Round Rock facility for opening TN Technologies will open its new 100,000-square-foot Round Rock facility June 9 with an open house and dedication. The 34-year-old firm recently changed its name from Texas Nuclear to reflect its...

Making movies. (Texas Pacific Film Video) (company profile)
May 21, 1990... Making movies Firm sets up new unit to reel in film, TV production for Austin Texas Pacific Film Video hopes to build on its success producing commercials, corporate films and music videos by expanding into television shows and movies. ...

Austin firm gets patent for product. (Lama Systems Inc., LamaLock diskette drive lock)
May 21, 1990... Austin firm gets patent for product Austin-based Lama Systems Inc. has received its third U.S. patent, for its LamaLock (Trademark) diskette drive lock for IBM and IBM-compatible computers. The firm already holds a patent for its...

Former S&L owner faces perjury charge. (People's Savings and Loan Assn., Jerry Don Holley)
May 21, 1990... Former S&L owner faces perjury charges A federal grand jury last week indicted Jerry Don Holley, former owner of the Peoples Savings and Loan Association, on two counts of perjury. The indictments come as a result of investigations into...

Oyster sees smooth sailing for yacht club. (Stephen Oyster, Lake Austin Yacht Club)
May 21, 1990... Oyster sees smooth sailing for yacht club The original developers of the Lake Austin Yacht Club went into foreclosure in 1987 but investor Stephen "Duffy" Oyster thinks he can bring new life to the business and also to the lake. "The...

Couple lends EAR to retirees looking for work. (Leonard and Arlene Rosenthal, Employment Access for Retirement) (company profile)
May 21, 1990... Couple lends EAR to retirees looking for work An Austin couple is changing the attitude of employers toward older job seekers. Leonard Rosenthal, 69, and his sociologist wife, Arlene, 60, created a job-finding firm called Employment Access...

Lockheed delivers 'sleeper' product. (Lockheed Austin Div., AN/MSC-63A computer console)
May 21, 1990... Lockheed delivers 'sleeper' product Lockheed Austin Division has delivered to the U.S. Marine Corps two prototypes of the AN/MSC-63A Communications Central system - a computer console that descrambles and reformats a variety of messages from...

Developer courts Silicon Valley firms with ad campaign. (Provident Development Co.)
May 21, 1990... Developer courts Silicon Valley firms with ad campaign U.S. Memories is only a memory, but Harris Branch still is mining the high-tech market of Silicon Valley for companies that might consider locating in the development's commerce park. ...

Southwest Network Services. (names Otis Brinkley president)
May 21, 1990... OTIS BRINKLEY was named president and chief executive officer of Southwest Network Services. He also was appointed to the company's board of directors.

Loan packager finds easy targets in tough times. (John Bert Chenault)
May 28, 1990... Loan packager finds easy targets in tough times Small-business owners hired John B. Chenault with good intentions and good money in hopes he would help them get loans they needed to keep their businesses afloat. But many of his clients say...

Business dream lost in loan deal gone bad. (Ginsel Countryside Supply)
May 28, 1990... Business dream lost in loan deal gone bad Mention John Bert Chenault to his clients and they get mad. They call him a con man, a crook and a lying bum, plus a lot of things you can't print in a newspaper. "The man has no conscience. He...

Syscorp opens new offices. (Syscorp International, New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas)
May 28, 1990... Syscorp opens new offices The success of MicroStep, a software product from Austin, has led its developer to expand the business with four new regional offices - in New York, Los Angeles, Houston and Dallas. Syscorp International, which...

Upjohn opens Austin office. (Upjohn HealthCare Services)
May 28, 1990... Upjohn opens Austin office One of the nation's oldest providers of home health care has established a branch in Austin. Upjohn HealthCare Services last week announced the opening of an office at 6850 Austin Center Blvd., Suite 160. ...

Directors elected to Electrosource board.
May 28, 1990... Directors elected to Electrosource board Shareholders of Electrosource Inc. elected Frank McBee, John D. McClung and Sam Smith to three-year terms on the company's board of directors. The election was finalized last week when the...

Dell posts records in revenue and profit in quarter. (Dell Computer Corp.)
May 28, 1990... Dell posts records in revenue and profit in quarter Unusual sales to government accounts in the United Kingdom and Canada helped Dell Computer Corp. post record earnings and revenue in the first quarter of its 1991 fiscal year. Profits for...

Baker Hughes buys Tracor Instruments for $95 million. (Tracor Instruments Austin Inc.)
May 28, 1990... Baker Hughes buys Tracor Instruments for $95 million Houston-based Baker Hughes Inc. reached a definite agreement to purchase the Tractor Instruments Group for $95 million in cash. Baker Hughes, which also owns TN Technologies of Round...

HealthVest posts big loss for 1989.
May 28, 1990... Health Vest posts big loss for 1989 Health Vest, in a drastic turnaround reflecting the problems of its cousin company, reported a loss of $116.8 million, $10.57 per share, for 1989. In the previous year, the real estate investment trust posted...

Fellers snags Tenneco corporate campaign. (Fellers and Co. Marketing Consultants)
May 28, 1990... Fellers snags Tenneco corporate campaign Fellers and Co. Marketing Consultants hopes to help Tenneco Inc. change its image from a gasoline and oil company to a corporation with interests ranging from chemicals to farm equipment. Fellers...

Trust company buys securities firm. (Austin Trust Co., Thornhill Securities Inc.)
May 28, 1990... Trust company buys securities firm Austin Trust Co. has announced its purchase of a controlling interest in Austin-based Thornhill Securities Inc. Austin Trust, a locally owned company providing full trust and employee benefits services,...

Managers purchase rehab hospitals. (James R. Karhan, Barbara J. Delong, Brown-Karhan Health Care Inc.)
May 28, 1990... Managers purchase rehab hospitals Brown-Karhan Health Care Inc.'s president, James R. Karhan, and executive vice president, Barbara J. Delong, have purchased the company, the firm announced recently. Karhan and Delong, with partial...

TI gets contract. (Texas Instruments Inc.)
May 28, 1990... TI gets contract Digital Programming Services Inc., a Boston-based systems installer and retailer, has signed a value-added reseller agreement with the Texas Instruments Computer Systems Division, TI announced recently. DPSI, which does 95...

Citizens reports first quarter profit.
May 28, 1990... Citizens reports first quarter profit Citizens Inc., a life insurance holding company based in Austin, announced earnings for the first quarter of $358,293, or 2 cents per share, compared to a 5-cents-per-share loss in the same period in 1989....

Sematech, SVG sign research pact. (Silicon Valley Group)
May 28, 1990... Sematech, SVG sign research pact Sematech signed Silicon Valley Group to work in developing furnaces used in the making of semiconductors. Sematech, Silicon Valley and National Semiconductor will seek to accelerate advances in the...