Austin Business Journal articles from October 1992

Austin Business Journal archives from October 1992

KTXZ radio in bankruptcy.
October 5, 1992... A Spanish-language radio station owned by local television anchorman Neal Spelce has asked the bankruptcy courts for protection from creditors. Spelce is an anchor for the 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts on KTBC-TV Channel 7, a CBS affiliate....

Trying Austin on for size. (lingerie industry) (Industry Overview)
October 5, 1992... Austin lays claim to several nicknames, The Capitol City, The River City. Maybe it ought to consider Satin City. At least that's the opinion of retailers of "intimate apparel," lace and silk garments that have grown in popularity over the last...

WishLIST garners handy information. (information services)
October 5, 1992... Wanted: the telephone numbers of females who own homes valued at more than $60,000 in northwest Austin. Steve Roberts can answer this request -- in 10 seconds. In fact, Roberts can give you a list of people who meet those specifics for any...

Sematech stops using risky liquid chemical.
October 12, 1992... The potentially harmful effects of a chemical used in computer chipmaking operations has prompted its removal from Sematech, a company spokesman said last week. Until recently, the chemical -- diethylene glycol dimethyl ether, or DIGLYME --...

Wireless cable tangled up in a 'blood feud.' (acquisitions among cable broadcasting companies)
October 12, 1992... The impending sale of an Austin business may set a standard that could push its industry into the next major growth spurt in communications, according to analysts. At least a spurt may result if those in the industry can put aside the "blood...

Banking institute needs new funds. (American Institute of Banking's Austin chapter)
October 12, 1992... AIB difficulties An Austin banking institution almost 80 years old could die soon, a victim of the trend toward dominating giant holding corporations. The Austin chapter of the American Institute of Banking (AIB), founded in 1916, may have...

Commercial real estate filling up fast. (Corporate Relocation Guide) (Industry Overview)
October 12, 1992... The post-boom glut is gone, folks Companies intent on relocating to Austin will need to spend time finding suitable space. While there is plenty of land available for companies wanting to build, the overall market for ready-to-occupy...

Austin at a glance. (economic and other pertinent statistics) (Corporate Relocation Guide)
October 12, 1992... Travis County Census Information Total population 576,497 Median age in years 29.5 Males 288,743 Females ...

Another firm expanding in Austin: monkeys run the zoo very well, thanks. (Pro Fasteners Inc.) (Corporate Relocation Guide) (Directory)
October 12, 1992... High-tech hardware supplier Pro Fasteners' expansion into Austin will give its founder a chance for new adventures. The San Jose, Calif.-based company that uses innovative ideas -- both in selling its products and managing its employees -- will...

Businesses make a beeline to Austin. (more companies relocate in Austin, Texas) (Corporate Relocation Guide)
October 12, 1992... Number 7 in the nation for new jobs As cities fight for economic vitality in times of a faltering national economy, Austin seems to be doing better than most in recruiting new companies and encouraging expansions of existing firms. In fact,...

A dozen firms save millions in taxes. (tax abatement) (Corporate Relocation Guide)
October 12, 1992... Economic incentives appeal to the bottom line While tax abatement and other incentives are not Austin's main attractions for businesses looking for a home, their importance should not be overlooked. Since 1990, the city of Austin has...

High-tech industries love it in Austin. (computer companies) (Corporate Relocation Guide) (Industry Overview)
October 12, 1992... An emerging technopolis in the Silicon Hills Back in 1985, when Peter Zandan started doing market research for personal-computer manufacturers, he spent a lot of time explaining to first-time callers why he wasn't in San Jose. "People often...

Renovating the inner city. (Brad and Suzanne Kittel's Discovery Investments, home brokerage firm) (Company Profile)
October 19, 1992... Good neighbor plan Brad Kittel may have found the answers to East Austin's problems. He just had to see the "what could be" among the what is. Kittel and his wife, Suzanne, are the owners of Discovery Investments, a home brokerage firm that...

NAACP joins bank in community center. (NationsBank)
October 19, 1992... Despite NationsBank's recent high-profile moves into Austin's most underserved neighborhood, other big bank companies said they don't feel pressure to jump into the fray. NationsBank recently opened both a branch and a joint community outreach...

S&L owners may have to pay back tax breaks. (savings and loan associations) (Industry Overview)
October 19, 1992... A Dallas billionaire who owns both Austin-based Franklin Federal savings and loan and the company that manages the country clubs at Lost Creek and Barton Creek could lose a major federal tax break. Robert Dedman, owner of ClubCorp, the parent...

Carl Paul keeps Golfsmith in the green. (Golfsmith International) (Entrepreneur of the Year: Master Category) (Company Profile)
October 19, 1992... At the age of 27, Carl Paul wrapped his hands around a golf club for the first time in his life and took a swing at a ball. "Hey, I really enjoy this game," he recalls telling the couple that introduced him and his wife, Barbara, to the links...

Prevention cheaper than repairing. (computer cleaning) (Focus: Computer Consulting-Services) (Industry Overview)
October 19, 1992... Computer cleaning A computer is the most important piece of equipment in many firms. When it breaks, the company's business grinds to a halt. To minimize those breakdowns, preventive maintenance is the key. Most computer problems are...

Need a network? Ask a consultant. (computer consultants) (Focus: Computer Consulting-Services)
October 19, 1992... Professional advice Networks are becoming more important in the business world, but designing them is a complicated task best suited for consultants, experts said. Using a consultant to determine what a company needs, if anything, is...

Security vital for a computer network. (Focus: Computer Consulting-Services)
October 19, 1992... If you've ever shopped for a security system for your home or car, you can appreciate the quandary many businesses face when they begin to consider security for their computer's local area networks (LANs). There are important business and...

Who owns Austin? (foreign ownership of commercial property)
October 26, 1992... Foreign investors few The American flag flies almost exclusively over Austin's commercial property. According to Travis County Appraisal District Records, of the $4.6 billion in commercial property on the tax rolls, only $36.9 million --...

Sugar's tops in liquor sales. (popular bars and drinking places in Austin, Texas)
October 26, 1992... If you want to have a successful bar in Austin, there are essentially two rules of thumb -- either pull off your top or pull on your boots. According to tax records by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) and surveys by the Texas...

IBA fighting fire ants. (Innovative Business Accelerator)
October 26, 1992... Beginning business Imagine what a perfect world this would be without fire ants, without harmful chemicals to eradicate them and without the $50 million in damage they cause each year to Texas industry. Sounds almost Utopian. But if Dean...

Watching the border environment. (Patricia Jacob's EnviroMexico newsletter)
October 26, 1992... When the first issue of EnviroMexico rolled off the presses last June, Patricia Jacobs had no idea the fledgling newsletter would do so well so fast. Now, Jacobs boasts an international subscriber base of more than 300 readers that includes...

Making connections by voice mail. (Focus: Telecommunications)
October 26, 1992... Voice mail horror stories abound, from being abandoned on hold in an endless loop to pushing button after button after button only to be disconnected in the end. But the voice mail systems that left callers confused and frustrated is based on...

Freedom of choice for toll-free service. (Focus: Telecommunications)
October 26, 1992... March 3, 1993, will ring in a new era for toll-free 800 number services. Termed "portability," the change will allow customers to choose different or multiple 800 service carriers without giving up their current number. Now, a business...