Boston Business Journal articles from July 2001

Boston Business Journal archives from July 2001

High tech for sale.(liquidators selling abandoned intellectual property)(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... The chairs go, but how do liquidators sell abandoned intellectual property? The demise of a young tech company leaves dreams dashed, investors disappointed and workers out of luck. Also left behind, in many cases, are the chairs. The...

Clearinghouse for dot-coms is born.(web sites that buy and sell excess inventory)(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Gordon Brothers Group LLC of Boston has made a business for the past 98 years of helping troubled retailers reorganize or liquidate their businesses. So, when retailing was adapted to the Internet, it made sense last fall that Gordon Brothers...

Research team tracks down shield against AIDS.(genetic variation may help people with HIV)(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Gene variant, a natural protector, is studied The fact that a small population of people infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, has lived for 20 years without developing a single symptom of the fatal disease--and without...

Real estate defections roil local industry.(Boston real estate brokers defections)(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Last week's abrupt mass detection from two of the city's top real estate firms has spread, with two brokers leaving Insignia/ESG Inc. to join the new, unnamed group. John Wilson and Brian McKenzie, managing directors in Insignia's Boston...

Profits up, sales down for Parametric Tech.(Parametric's third-quarter profit and sales)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 6, 2001... Waltham-based Parametric Technology Corp., a maker of software for manufacturing companies, said third-quarter profit and sales will be less than previously expected. Profit will be 2 cents to 4 cents a share, compared with a previous...

Harcourt General sale cleared by Britain.(acquisition by Reed Elsevier PLC)(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Reed Elsevier PLC's bid for Chestnut Hill-based Harcourt General Inc. was approved by a U.K. regulator, clearing the way for the world's largest publisher of scientific journals to complete the $5.65 billion acquisition. The Anglo-Dutch...

Tweeter reports uptick in revenue, sag in sales.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Canton-based Tweeter Home Entertainment Group Inc., a specialty electronics retailer, said revenue for the quarter ended June 30 increased 17.8 percent to $110.1 million from $93.5 million in the same period last year. Comparable store sales...

Telecom comeback?
July 6, 2001... New MCK Communications CEO thinks so Glenda Davis says she "grew up" at AT&T Corp. Now she's applying lessons learned there to help a young Needham company do some growing up. The former executive at AT&T and Fujitsu Ltd. joined MCK...

Zone-based system sought for electricity.
July 6, 2001... Local electricity market players hope that embracing the wholesale pricing system used by the Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland power region will establish zone-based pricing in New England. Power generators say the new plan would set...

On The Fly with Christopher Pasko.(managing director of Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co.'s Boston office)(Interview)
July 6, 2001... Technology market is still waiting to hit the bottom Christopher Pasko, managing director of Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co.'s Boston office, has played a role in taking a number of area technology companies public. He recently spoke with...

In data storage, firms reinvent themselves--or perish.
July 6, 2001... Storability Inc.'s news of $30 million in funding last week, on top' of StorageNetworks Inc.'s announcement of a deal with Fujitsu Limited of Tokyo in May, points to the latest trend in what storage service providers are selling. ...

Acquisition gives Nixon Peabody law firm West Coast presence.(is acquiring San Francisco-based Lillick & Charles LLP)(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... There they grow again at Nixon Peabody LLP. The acquisitive firm with long-standing Boston roots, which has about 500 lawyers in 11 East Coast cities, is absorbing San Francisco-based Lillick & Charles LLP. The 70-attorney firm, which was...

Exact Sciences' cancer test to get $14.9M checkup.
July 6, 2001... MAYNARD--Exact Sciences Corp. has won national exposure for its colorectal cancer screening test, after the National Cancer Institute (NCI) announced last week it will give $4.9 million to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., to investigate the...

Boston Probes seeks to pierce the molecular-testing market.
July 6, 2001... BEDFORD-If Boston Probes Inc. is successful in licensing its peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probe, company officials believe the applications could be nearly endless. They believe their PNA probes are more specific than DNA- or RNA-based...

Pharmacy school expands to meet shortage of druggists.(Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences)
July 6, 2001... The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is plotting its third wave of growth under the leadership of president Charles Monahan. Monahan's tenure is just shy of five years, yet he's presided over one of the strongest...

BU's Metropolitan College to open South Shore campus.(Boston University's Metropolitan College)(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... BRAINTREE--Boston University's Metropolitan College will multiply its suburban stronghold this fall with a new campus in Braintree. The campus at the old state lottery headquarters will house a bachelor of science degree-completion program...

Downturn, Internet put squeeze on travel agencies.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... With consumer demand down and businesses slashing corporate travel budgets, many local travel agencies are reporting the economy is heading south at a faster rate than their clients. And while the industry in general is feeling the pain,...

Irish pub scheduled to replace Cambridge Tex-Mex restaurant.
July 6, 2001... Classic Restaurant Concepts LLC of Framingham plans to open an Irish restaurant and pub at University Park at MIT in Cambridge. It's one of several new restaurants opening in Greater Boston. The new Asgard Irish Pub & Restaurant will be...

Ipswitch bucks tech trend.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... LEXINGTON-It's more than the low profile that distinguishes Roger Greene and his company from other technology outfits. Ipswitch Inc. isn't slogging through a sales slump, isn't slashing jobs and isn't hunting for venture capital. In fact,...

Shaw's private-label grocery biz to enter premium territory.(Shaw's Supermarkets Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... WEST BRIDGEWATER-Shaw's Supermarkets Inc. is extending its private-label grocery business to a premium line. The West Bridgewater-based grocery chain began testing its Shaw's Signature brand of products two weeks ago-- summer-oriented...

Nuts-and-bo1ts approach to 'net rebuilds ePresence.
July 6, 2001... WESTBOROUGH--The Internet took down more than a few businesses. One area company, however, hopes the Internet will be its savior. Westborough-based ePresence Inc., the new company molded front the tattered remains of the former Banyan...

Office market slows, labs remain hot in Cambridge.
July 6, 2001... Cambridge's real estate market, which is already hovering around 15 percent vacancy, may climb as high as 20 percent by the end of the year, one local real estate firm predicts. And, like Boston, Cambridge is expected to end the year with a...

Estate tax repeal comes with a price.
July 6, 2001... Maria Coakley David testified before Congress in March about how the estate tax threatens the health of C.J. Coakley Co., a Falls Church, Va.-based interior construction company that was founded by her parents in the basement of their home in...

Advice for starting or maintaining a business Thursday, July 12.(Small Business Administration )(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... The U.S. Small Business Administration will hold a seminar presenting advice and suggestions to persons who are planning to open a new business, or are looking for assistance in the operation of an existing business at l0 Causeway St., room...

CWE information session Monday, Aug. 6.(Center for Women & Enterprise)(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... The Center for Women & Enterprise will hold a free, all-day information session at 255 Park Ave., suite 205, Worcester. Learn how CWE's programs may meet your particular business needs.

Tune up your VC strategy at CWE half-day program.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... The Center for Women & Enterprises and Springboard Enterprises will co-host Springboard VC Tune-Up, an educational program designed to help women entrepreneurs raise equity capital for their fast-growth ventures. This half-day program, on...

Entrepreneurs wanted.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... The Boston Business Journal is always looking for interesting stories about entrepreneurs. If you know about a young company of interest, then contact the BBJ. Nearly all fields of business are considered, including high-tech, manufacturing,...

More time to putt around.(Country Club Network's interactive web site)
July 6, 2001... Country Club Network's interactive web site links golfers to tee times and more SUDBURY--Tony Baudanza witnessed what most other golfers have seen: dozens of phone calls pouring into the pro shop the day before a tournament, with golfers...

Learning how to do business in collaborative communities.
July 6, 2001... At the end of May, The Rhythm of Business, in collaboration with the Bentley College Center for Entrepreneurship and Center for Executive and Professional Education, sponsored the first ever conference on "collaborative communities." This...

Death and taxes don't look all that certain any more.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... If you're wealthy and want to leave your riches to your descendants, or if you just happen to hate paying taxes, you might want to plan your death for sometime during 2010--not 2009 and certainly not 2011. That's because the Bush...

Counting on a new name.(Tofias Fleishman Shapiro & Co. PC )(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... A lot of well known businesses are known by shortened versions of their proper names. International Business Machines, for instance, going by IBM or Minnesota, Manufacturing and Mining Corp., better known as 3M. Now, there's Tofias...

Oil prices are expected to readi Newbury Street levels.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... A Provence, France-based olive oil company opened a new store on Boston's Newbury Street this past Monday. It's the third U.S. location for Oliviers & Co., whose stores offer 25 vintage olive oils from around the Mediterranean region--Croatia,...

Pharmacies planned tor Big Y supermarkets next month.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Big Y Foods Inc. will open pharmacies within its supermarkets starting next month. The Springfield supermarket chain plans to open 12 of the 400-square-foot pharmacies in the next year, beginning with the company's Longmeadow store in...

Vanille to open cak at Mall at Chestnut Hill.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... A Beacon Hill pastry and coffee shop will open a second location in Chestnut Hill. Vanille, co-owned by Bruno Biagianti and Philippe Odier, will open a 1,000-square-foot cafe at the Mall at Chestnut Hill this August. Biagianti was a former...

Fuddruckers to heat up supermarket shelves.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Beverly-based Fuddruckers Inc. is breaking into the supermarket business with condiments and sauces. The products were created for Fuddruckers by Hank Van Joslin of HVJ International Inc. in Spring, Texas. Thirteen-ounce bottles of...

Idea Exchange' comes to Hub.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... The International Council of Shopping Centers will hold its New England Idea Exchange this month at the Seaport Hotel. The New York-based trade organization will offer educational sessions and a deal-making sessions at the July 17-18 event. The...

Fairfield Inn opens new Amesbury location.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Marriott International Inc. opens a new Fairfield Inn in Amesbury this month. The 105-room hotel located at 35 Clarks Road is a Marriott franchise. The property is owned by Olympus Real Estate Corp. of New York and will be managed by...

Fourth of July in Idaho was likely a real hot potato.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... What better way to celebrate the Fourth of July than watching the Boston Pops perform at the Hatch Shell and enjoying the fireworks? How about spending it in Idaho on business? A Boston contingent flew out to Idaho on Tuesday to pitch...

Ride 'em, Lorraine.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... And here's an update on last week's item, "Prince of rides," (Everybody's Business, in the June 29-July 5 issue of the Boston Business Journal) about the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Bus rodeo. Or, as we've since learned,...

Yeah, that's the ticket.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Tired of the parking crunch? You're not the only one. Finding a parking space in downtown Boston isn't getting any easier, what with the loss of roughly 1,200 spaces to make way for new office towers at 1 Lincoln St. and 33 Arch St. ...

Unholy Toledo.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... On June 26, the Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth, the nonpartisan think-tank better known as MassINC, celebrated the fifth anniversary of its magazine, Commonwealth. At a forum held at the Omni Parker House in downtown Boston,...

Rolling along.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Speaking of FleetBoston Financial, the bank's rolling ATM put in an appearance at New York City's Gay Pride parade on June 24, where use was so heavy that the mobile automatic teller machine, which had been stocked with $40,000 in cash, ran out...

Area's Largest Economic Development Agencies.
July 6, 2001... Area's Largest Economic Development Agencies (ranked by 2001 operating budget) 2001 Mass. * operating dollar Rank Agency ...

Our spin on the real news behind PR and ad agencies.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Companies use advertising and public relations to stay in the public eye, but the business press often overlooks agency ups and downs. But behind every campaign is a deal, and this biweekly column will recount the wins and losses of both...

Holland Mark's bright ideas.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Creative and business types at Holland Mark Advertising in Boston are burning with excitement about the recent deal sealed with Whatley-based Yankee Candle Co. Inc. The candle maker hired Holland Mark to develop an integrated television,...

A promising start.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... The national radio campaign created by Boston-based Hill, Holiday, Connors, Cosmopulos Inc.'s for Brookline-based Upromise Inc. wrapped up last week. Upromise customers save money for their children's college education by earning cash when they...

CPS Direct flies high.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Woburn-based marketing and advertising firm CPS Direct Inc. is developing a marketing campaign for Skyjet.com Business Jet Systems LLC, a Washington, D.C.-based business jet reservation system. Skyjet offers round-trip and one-way travel for...

Promosis promotes NBC.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Marblehead-based marketing firm Promosis Inc. is in the midst of a month-long trivia game deal with the National Broadcasting Co. Inc. (NBC) and the network's technology partner Dallas-based Digital Convergence Corp. Promosis president...

Area's Largest Travel Agencies.
July 6, 2001... Area's Largest Travel Agencies (ranked by 2000 Mass. sales) Rank Company 2000 Mass. sales 1 American Express Travel1 $985,000,000e 100 Cambridge Park Drive, Cambridge ...

Gate opens wider on EMC's data storage applications.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... EMC Corp. of Hopkinton and Alta Vista Co. of Palo Alto, Calif., both made announcements last week about software and storage that are evidence of EMC's making its systems more open. In 1999, EMC began opening up the high-end Symmetrix system to...

PRI's revenue estimates tumble.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... The losses in the semiconductor industry continue to mount. Billerica-based PRI Automation Inc., which makes software and automation systems for semiconductor manufacturers, predicted its third-quarter revenue would be around $68 million, down...

Primix feels the downturn.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Also reeling in this economic downturn are the Internet consultancies. Primix Solutions Inc. of Watertown revised its second-quarter estimates last week and had to lay off an undisclosed number of staff as a result. Primix expects a loss of...

Dynamics Research scores contracts from Army, IRS.(Internal Revenue Service)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 6, 2001... Dynamics Research Carp. of Andover is benefiting from two government contracts announced last week. The software and technology development company was awarded a $4.2 million 18-month contract to analyze helicopter vibrations for the U.S. Army...

Cover your ears.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Finally, in the too-much-technology-might-not-necessarily-be-a-good-thing department, Sound Vision Inc. of Wayland, which makes digital signal processing circuits for digital entertainment products, is selling a rapid development kit called My...

Downturn keeps lawyers busy.(bankruptcy cases)(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Whenever the economy swings from boom to bust, rest assured the lawyers are ready for it. Chris Parker handles a fair amount of contract litigation with McDermott, Will & Emery in Boston. But with the tech sector reeling, he's put some of...

Don't depend on cigarette tax to cure hospital shortfalls.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 6, 2001... The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation has issued a rather dire report that says the state's health care costs are spiraling out of control, so much so that increase in the cigarette tax probably won't put a dent in the debt. The problem: The...

New nurses' group to speak at ANA national meeting.(Massachusetts Association of Registered Nurses, American Nurses Association)(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... The Massachusetts Association of Registered Nurses (MARN)--formed earlier this year by nurses who defected from the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) after the MNA splintered from the American Nurses Association (ANA)--sent delegates last...

'All hell will break loose' if web tax ban isn't extended.(electronic commerce sites)(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... The Internet tax moratorium expires Oct. 21, leaving Congress only three months to grapple with the related question of whether states should be allowed, to require e-commerce sites to collect sales taxes on purchases made over the web. ...

NetChoice formed to fight 'protectionist' middlemen.(coalition to stop those businesses attempting to halt electronic commerce)(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... A handful of new-economy trade associations formed a new coalition, called NetChoice, to fight old-economy middlemen who, the coalition says, want the government to protect them from e-commerce innovations that allow businesses to sell directly...

New coalition to promote transportation spending.(Americans for Transportation Mobility)(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Americans for Transportation Mobility, a new coalition led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, plans to spend $1 million over the next 12 months to promote increased spending on highway and airport projects, and to streamline the approval process...

Businesses cut travel costs 28%; rebound to be slow.(Brief Article)(Polling Data)(Statistical Data Included)
July 6, 2001... A business Travel Coalition survey of 62 corporations found that 86 percent are taking steps to reduce travel costs this year. On average, the companies plan to reduce their business travel budgets by 28 percent, the survey found. ...

Of reversion to the mean--and not-so-mean reversions.(rate of return)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 6, 2001... I am always intrigued by people who claim that life and markets are governed by statistical rules and complicated formulas. There are two reasons I find this approach fascinating. The first is that I am not smart enough to understand all...

CORPORATE ALBUM.(Thermo Electron Corp.)(Company Profile)(Statistical Data Included)
July 6, 2001... Thermo Electron Corp. THE BUSINESS Thermo Electron Corp. develops, manufactures and sells technology-based instrument systems, components and services used to monitor, collect and analyze data to provide knowledge for the user. The...

MASSACHUSETTS STOCK INDEX.(Statistical Data Included)
July 6, 2001... MASSACHUSETTS STOCK INDEX Ticker Close Pct. 52-week Company Symbol Price Chg. High A. D. Technologies Inc. ADTC 0.50 -- 2.00 Abington...

MISSING SPACES.(day care centers and real estate)(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Day cares, special-ed schools say stringent requirements hamper search for real estate Moving is one of the more stressful undertakings for any business, but for independent day-care providers, packing boxes and signing up for new...

IntraLearn founder taps high-tech in anti-illiteracy fight.(IntraLearn Software Corp.)(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
July 6, 2001... Subu Kota was opening Asian offices for IntraLearn Software Corp. last year when the company presented its distance-learning software to education officials in India. That's when one of the officials posed the question: "Why can't the same...

Heading back to school.(university dropouts return for diplomas)(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Students who dropped out of college to pursue their business interests return to class for their diplomas Monster.com CEO Jeff Taylor garnered headlines when he addressed graduating seniors at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in May....

Web-based venture aims its marketing at recent grads.(EGrad.com)(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... There are at least two mistakes companies can make when trying to market to recent college graduates, says Craig Carroll, CEO of Boston-based eGrad.com. "They try to reach this market from just one dimension: the career standpoint," said...

As web becomes 'business as usual,' demand for training will escalate.(demand for internet experts grows)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 6, 2001... No longer threatened 'by the upstart Internet companies, can corporations now dismantle their online presence and return to the pre-Internet era of business? Of course not. The lifespan of these upstarts may have been fleeting, but they...

Babson launches e-learning initiative for business execs.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... For a business college best known for inspiring the entrepreneurial spirit, it was probably inevitable that Babson College would end up pursuing a technology startup of its own. The Wellesley-based business school is about a month into a...

Companies will find strong consumers in college students.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... With more than 15 million college students in the United States-many here from abroad-the future of the world economy, culture, values and decisions literally evolves daily with the opinions of this youth market. Who are these students?...

K - 12 improvements essential for tech.(basic science and math education needs improvement)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 6, 2001... We've come a long way from the abacus. We now all have Palm Pilots or equivalent high-tech gadgets to take care of our computing needs. Computers have penetrated every facet of our lives, making us increasingly dependent on technology...

Online training adds to mix of corporate learning tools.(evaluating electronic learning)(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... As e-commerce evolves, some of the strongest players in the information economy are companies that can successfully combine real-world experience with up-and-coming technology. This formula works especially well when applied to training and...

Boston on the Record.(Boston personnel news briefs)
July 6, 2001... PERSONNEL FILE ADVERTISING/COMMUNICATIONS Kim Daniels, formerly of September Productions, partnered with director and designer Maria LoConte to form Kilowatt Films, a new Boston-based commercial Production company. Design...

Shepley Bulfinch Richardson and Abbott of Boston.(award for hospital design)(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Shepley Bulfinch Richardson and Abbott of Boston won an Honor Award from the Boston Society of Architects and the Healthcare Assembly for its design of the $183. million New Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo, Mich. The firm was also...

Frictionless Commerce Inc.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Cambridge-based Frictionless Commerce Inc., an electronic commerce strategic sourcing software company, was selected as "Best Government and Small Business Team" for outstanding achievement in e-commerce at the Department of Defense EC Day...

Cohen-Friedberg Associates.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Cohen-Friedberg Associates, a Framingham-based sales promotion and marketing agency, was named the fastest-growing promotion agency in the United States by PROMO magazine. The company was also named in the magazine's top 100 agencies, based on...

Jack Conway & Co.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Jack Conway & Co. of Norwell was rated the 49th largest privately owned independent real estate brokerage firm in the country, and the largest in New England, by Real Treads, a Colorado-based magazine that tracks the real estate industry. The...

Environmental Business Council of New England.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Environmental Business Council of New England recognized four local organizations for environmental leadership: The Kraft Group, for the development and construction of the new stadium for the New England Patriots; Charles River Watershed...

Cutler Associates.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Cutler Associates, a Worcester-based design-build firm, received the platinum award, recognizing "the highest safety training and evaluation process" from the Massachusetts chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors.

Devine & Pearson Communications.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Quincy-based Devine & Pearson Communications received two Bell Ringer awards from the Publicity Club of New England. The firm was recognized for its work with the National Turkey Federation and DePuy AcroMed, manufacturers of spinal surgery...

Shawmut Design and Construction.(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Shawmut Design and Construction of Boston received three awards from the Society for Marketing Professional Services, including acknowledgements for the company's revamped web site, www.shawmut.com, and two honors for "best special market...

Springfield Technical Community College (STCC).(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) was selected by the United States Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration as the national winner of the 2001 Award for Excellence in Urban Economic Development, in recognition...

Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO).(Brief Article)
July 6, 2001... Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) relaunched www.bso.org with new and enhanced access to the BSO, Boston Pops and Tanglewood through educational and archiving resources. The site also includes polling features, an "explore the orchestra"...