San Antonio Business Journal articles from May 2001

San Antonio Business Journal archives from May 2001

Pending law change, dour economy spur spike in bankruptcies.(Brief Article)
May 25, 2001... San Antonio is seeing a boom in bankruptcy filings this year as the economy continues to teeter on the edge of a recession. There were 646 bankruptcy filings -- including personal and business cases -- in March, compared to 498 during the...

Philips chip plant to lay off at least 200.(Philips Semiconductors asks workers to take 90-day leave of absence)(Brief Article)
May 25, 2001... Cutback be reviewed after 90 days Most of the manufacturing workers with Philips Semiconductors in San Antonio are being asked to take a 90-day leave of absence from their jobs as part of a cost-saving measure that will effectively shut...

Toxic releases inventoried.(1.78 million pounds of toxic chemicals released by industrial firms in 1999)(Industry Overview)(Statistical Data Included)
May 25, 2001... Industrial firms in the San Antonio area released nearly 1.78 million, pounds of toxic chemicals into the air, water and land, according to 1999 data released recently by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). That compares with a...

The ballad of Rock 'n Roney.(overview of life of Louis J. Roney)
May 25, 2001... Louis J. Roney has his feet planted firmly in Hill Country soil -- as a resident and as a businessman selling unique farm and ranch acreage to an interestingly diversified roster of clientele. It's a lifetime removed from his former...

A helping hand.(San Antonio Cultural Arts Board award $5,800 to Winston School San Antonio)(Brief Article)
May 25, 2001... The San Antonio Cultural Arts Board awarded $5,800 through the Arts in the Community Program to the Winston School San Antonio, for the art program "Helping Hands", a program which offers free art lessons citywide. The Winston School, a...

That takes the cake.(H-E-B Grocery Co. emplyess build 1,200-square-foot strawberry shortcake)(Brief Article)
May 25, 2001... H-E-B Grocery Co. employees in Houston put their pastry skills to the test recently at the Pasadena Strawberry Festival by making the World's Largest Strawberry Shortcake. Eighty employees spent three days building the 1,200-square-foot cake,...

Valero mentors.
May 25, 2001... Bexar County Justice of the Peace Richard Teniente held an outdoor barbecue for Valero Energy Corp. employees who have served as volunteer court mentors for at-risk youth. Valero employees have completed their third year volunteering with the...

Cyber ethics.(Internet and Computer Ethics for Kids)(Brief Article)
May 25, 2001... San Antonio-based SecureLogix Corp. has co-sponsored publication of the book, "Internet & Computer Ethics For Kids,". SecureLogix will donate 500 copies to youth through the Austin Public Library and the Michael and Susan Dell Wired for Youth...

Costco building first S.A. store on former Auto Nation site.(Costco Wholesale)(Brief Article)
May 25, 2001... A former used-car site on the city's Northwest side is set to become the premiere location for Issaaquah, Wash.-based Costco Wholesale. Jeff Brotman, chairman of the value-based retail chain, says his company recently broke ground on a...

Vector deal.(Environmental Research Institute of Michigan buys Vector Research Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 25, 2001... The Environmental Research Institute of Michigan (ERIM) has acquired Vector Research Inc. (VRI), an information technology company with operations in Washington, D.C., and San Antonio. The combined company will employ 450 people -- with...

Local biz leaders promote San Antonio-Austin bio-tech partnership.(Brief Article)
May 25, 2001... A steady stream of venture-capital funding has flooded into Austin high-tech enterprises during the past several years while the amount being invested in San Antonio companies has been barely a trickle by comparison. So the idea of...

Harte-Hanks.(to work with Visa USA on smart-card program deployment)(Brief Article)
May 25, 2001... San Antonio-based Harte-Hanks Inc. has been selected as one of seven firms working with Visa USA to accelerate deployment of smart-card programs offered through member financial institutions. Harte-Hanks will provide on-line and off-line...

Methodist Healthcare System will build surgery center.(Brief Article)
May 25, 2001... Methodist Healthcare System will soon break ground on a $3 million ambulatory surgical center in the blossoming Stone Oak area near Loop 1604. Methodist Healthcare System (MHS) officials confirm that they will construct the...

KMOL decides to bring back the popular Spurs memo spots.
May 25, 2001... Give KMOL-TV officials credit. They tried to get beyond their award-winning 1999 Spurs "Memo" promotional spots this playoff drive and offer something new. But Spurs fans put on their game faces in strong enough numbers that the local...

Tristar.
May 25, 2001... San Antonio-based Tristar Corp. has named a long-time cosmetics executive president over its U.S. sales division - a newly created position. Sean E. Greene will head the restructuring of the cosmetics and fragrance maker's sales network,...

Venus Exploration reports default, Nasdaq warning.
May 25, 2001... Venus Exploration Inc. is in default under a line-of-credit agreement and attempting to line up another lender for refinancing, according to quarterly report filed May 18 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The San...

Former Boeing worker launches aircraft repair firm.
May 25, 2001... San Antonio will soon be home to a new emergency maintenance aircraft-repair company launched by a former mechanic with the Boeing Aerospace Support Center at KellyUSA. That new company, Vulcanaire Inc., though, will be based at San...

Revitalization is the word at shopping-center convention.
May 25, 2001... EDITOR'S NOTE: This week, Tricia Silva filed her column from Las Vegas, where she covered the 2001 International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Spring Convention, which was held May 20-23. Just as some of San Antonio's neighborhoods...

SBC is in scrap over DSL service in the Dallas market.
May 25, 2001... A Dallas Internet-access company is embroiled in a dispute with giant SBC Communications that could hamper SBC's ability to provide long-distance phone service in Kansas and Oklahoma. The Federal Communications Commission is investigating...

SBC Communications Inc.
May 25, 2001... SBC Communications Inc. has been selected as one of six companies nationally to gain the distinction by the Center for Responsibility in Business for demonstrating outstanding business practices. SBC joins Canon USA, Toyota, Fannie Mae,...

Graduate degree.
May 25, 2001... The University of Texas System Board of Regents have approved a new graduate degree program for physician assistants. The program will be offered by the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSC). Regents have also...

Board of Realtors.
May 25, 2001... The San Antonio Board of Realtors has signed an agreement with San Diego-based VISTAinfo to utilize its RE/Xplorer 2.0 software to provide multiple listing services to its member real estate professionals. Through the system, real estate...

Argonaut Group.
May 25, 2001... Argonaut Group Inc., a publicly traded insurer that recently relocated to the Alamo City, has agreed to buy a Morrisville, N.C.-based insurance holding company for $165 million in cash. Argonaut executives say they expect the acquisition...

IBC.
May 25, 2001... International Bancshares Corp. (IBC) has unveiled a new online product as part of the financial institution's new Web site. The new product, called IBC Bank Online, will allow customers the convenience of accessing checking, savings,...

SecureLogix.
May 25, 2001... SecureLogix Corp. recently received honors for its TeleWall firewall product from SC Magazine, a computer-security journal. The San Antonio-based network security firm won the publication's Best New Security Product of the Year award for...

KGBrickman shifts PR/marketing agency into higher gear.
May 25, 2001... Katie Harvey, founder of the KGBrickman agency, has found a way to clone herself by promoting Mary Meek, who has been with the KGBrickman agency for the past two years, to vice president. Meek will supervise the agency's major accounts,...

Growing Hispanic market.
May 25, 2001... More than 25 professional communicators gathered in San Antonio recently for a panel discussion that explored the basics of reaching the Hispanic market. The panel included Manny Ruiz, founder, HispanicPR Wire; Deborah Vallejo, managing...

Connolly & Co.
May 25, 2001... Renee Crittenden Garcia, who for the past three years-was vice president for communications at the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, recently joined Connolly & Co. as vice president. In her role, in addition to client servicing, she will...

Credit crunch is not likely for most small businesses.
May 25, 2001... Although many banks tightened lending standards in recent months, most small businesses can obtain the money they need. That is the consensus of both the chief economist of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), which...

Powerful lobbies.
May 25, 2001... The clout small businesses wield in Washington is demonstrated by Fortune magazine's latest list of Washington's most powerful lobbying groups, which ranks the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) as No. 3, just behind the...

Estate tax fallout.
May 25, 2001... Opponents of estate tax repeal say small businesses were ill-served by their Washington lobbyists, who insisted on eliminating the tax, even if it takes 10 years, instead of immediately raising exemptions to cover most family-owned...

Beret contracts.
May 25, 2001... The U.S. Army's decision to not use berets made in China could provide contract opportunities for small manufacturers in the United States. Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., chairman of the Senate Small Business Committee, says Pentagon officials...

American Advertising Federation.
May 25, 2001... The San Antonio chapter of the American Advertising Federation has honored Business Journal Publisher Kent Krauss with one of its highest awards -- the Prof (Professionals Reinforcing Our Faculty) Award. University of the Incarnate Word Vice...

LARGEST SAN ANTONIO LAW FIRMS.
May 25, 2001... LARGEST SAN ANTONIO LAWFIRMS Ranked by number of local lawyers (Part 2) Total Name no. of Address ...

Fannie Mae plans to curtail home-loan credit-check procedures.
May 25, 2001... The country's largest source of home mortgage money, Fannie Mae, quietly is working on a policy change that national credit industry leaders call dangerous and potentially harmful to borrowers and taxpayers alike. Though the giant,...

Do-it-yourself database can be better than pricey software.
May 25, 2001... A customer called the other day complaining about the cost of specialized software to manage his 700 employees. "The stuff we looked at cost $15,000 and was way too complicated" he said. "What we want is really simple. Can't we write a...

Free trade.
May 25, 2001... The Fourth Annual Congressional Free Trade Forum Luncheon, organized by Free Trade Alliance San Antonio, will be held on May 25 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The luncheon will feature U.S. congressmen Lamar Smith, Henry Bonilla, Ciro Rodriguez...

Safe food.
May 25, 2001... A serving safe-food certification program will be conducted by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service, in cooperation with the National Restaurant Association, the Texas Department of Health and the Texas Petroleum Marketers and Convenience...

Couple forms company out of polystyrene.
May 25, 2001... The back view from Claudette Sumrall's office is a strange sight for the casual observer. After all, not everyone has 300,000 pounds of used polystyrene piled up in a field. But for her, that polystyrene is as good as gold. That's...

Help workers gain leverage with attitude changes.
May 25, 2001... Have you ever noticed how a typical new employee is so enthusiastic at first, only to watch that attitude wane as time goes on? Or have you seen another employee rededicate herself to the job following a promotion? Employees go through...

Galant GTZ offers many features, lower price.
May 25, 2001... Sporty GTZ trim and V6 power make the Mitsubishi Galant a contender among mid-size sedans. Often overlooked in the face of more sophisticated competitors such as Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, Galant fights back with a long list of...

SBC, Pegasus.
May 25, 2001... Cable television provider Pegasus Communications and locally based SBC Communications Inc. have forged an agreement to offer high-speed satellite Internet service to Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. The companies will offer this service to...

Homebuilder.
May 25, 2001... An Arlington-based home builder announced plans today to enter the San Antonio market with three gated-community developments. Choice Homes executives say they have broken ground at Palo Blanco and Northwest Crossing on the city's...

Stinson.
May 25, 2001... Aircraft landings at Stinson Municipal Airport have increased 100 percent since 1998, according to city officials. As a result, the San Antonio Department of Aviation has extended the operation of Stinson' air traffic control tower by one...

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE.
May 25, 2001... * ADVERTISING Creative Civilization -- An Aguilar Agency has announced the recent promotion of Javier Jimenez to the position of senior account executive. Previously, Jimenez was with the City Public Service as a brand manager. He has a...

History, not the Lakers, now the Spurs' toughest opponent.
May 25, 2001... The words on JumboTRON only minutes before tip-off of games one and two of the Western Conference finals between the Spurs and Lakers said it all: "Two champions. One title. No excuses." A better message might have been: "Remember the...

Growing old.
May 25, 2001... The Spurs battled through a grueling 82-game regular season and finished with the best record in the NBA, securing home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. They gave it all back in one game against the Lakers. In game two, they...

Hype vs. history.
May 25, 2001... Some of the NBA's most astute observers predicted before the start of the Spurs-Lakers series that it could go down in history as the best playoff series ever. Better than Lakers-Celtics in the 1980s. A few hours before game one, the...

Slam dunk ratings.
May 25, 2001... The NBA and NBC may cast aside the San Antonio Spurs as a small-market afterthought But in the Alamo City, fans of the black and silver are tuning in to games in record numbers. In game 4 of the second-round series between the Spurs and...

Less fortunate.
May 25, 2001... Not all is so fabulous with the NBA Boston Celtics. Not only has the luck of the Irish run out since the departure of Larry Bird, now empty seats in the team's FleetCenter arena are apparently embarrassing some Bostonians. According to...

Life after retirement.
May 25, 2001... Part-time work, new careers keep many on the job after 65 Old friends trying to visit Bill Sinkin are not likely to find him at home or playing golf at one of San Antonio's numerous courses. In fact, they will probably need to look at the...

Seminars touted as way to get employee retirement savings on track.
May 25, 2001... Time is ticking for American workers. Whether they are in their 20s or in their 60s, their days are numbered in preparing for retirement. A 2001 Employee Benefit Research Institute survey reveals that six in 10 U.S. workers say they are...

Job move should include plans to set your 401 (k) in right direction.
May 25, 2001... When you change jobs, you'll have a big financial decision to make: What should you do with your 401(k)? If you're like many people, this will be the biggest lump sum you'll ever have access to. And because your 401(k) is "portable," you...

The number of ways to pay for a college education add up.
May 25, 2001... Not every high school senior receives a four-year scholarship to the college of their choice. Which means that more than likely, parents or legal guardians will have to foot the bill. And with college expenses increasing each year,...

LARGEST SAN ANTONIO ACCOUNTING FIRMS.
May 25, 2001... LARGEST SAN ANTONIO ACCOUNTING FIRMS Ranked by number of local professionals Number...

REITs could be like gold in today's volatile stock market.
May 25, 2001... With the current volatility of the stock market, you may be asking yourself, "Is it safe to get back in?" Or, "I'm down quite a bit after last year, is there some other place to put my money?" Previously, under such circumstances, many...

Nation's families stand to benefit from proposed federal tax cuts.
May 25, 2001... The taxing side of marriage comes all too quickly for couples just starting a life together. Under the current tax system, it appears that Uncle Sam must think that two can live as cheaply as one and that the federal government deserves a...

Dallas Fed report says economy on track to avoid a recession.
May 25, 2001... There's a light at the end of the tunnel. Although the recent tech and stock market declines have taken the economy to "the edge of recession, they probably won't drive us over that edge." That's according to John V. Duca, a senior...

Consumers still borrowing in face of economic downturn.
May 25, 2001... Consumers, it seems, have yet to realize the implications of a slowdown in the economy. According to the Federal Reserve's recent report, "Flow of Funds Accounts of the United States," the U.S. economy grew by just over 1 percent during...

AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS.
May 25, 2001... CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children's Hospital was awarded the 2001 Award for Excellence in Corporate Community Service from the San Antonio Spurs Foundation for its community and outreach work. Alison Flaum Souksamlane was named Agent of the...

The Salvation Army.
May 25, 2001... The Salvation Army in partnership with Simon Youth Foundation will work together on a spring fundraiser. Customers visiting Simon malls (Ingram Park and Roiling Oaks) can make donations in the Salvation Army yellow watering cans in the malls...

Alamo Area Council of Governments Bexar Area Agency on Aging.
May 25, 2001... The Alamo Area Council of Governments Bexar Area Agency on Aging offers the opportunity for individuals to become volunteer ombudsmen. A volunteer ombudsman is an advocate for residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities and...

Northwest Assembly of God.
May 25, 2001... Northwest Assembly of God, 2714 Hunters Green in Shavano Park, offers a free "Coffee on the Curb" to area residents every Tuesday from 6:45-7:45 am. Motorists can drive in to the church parking lot and be served a hot cup of coffee without...

Southwest School of Art & Craft.
May 25, 2001... Southwest School of Art & Craft has a number of ongoing art classes in a variety of subject areas.

Southwest Winners Foundation.
May 25, 2001... Southwest Winners Foundation is looking for mentors to serve as positive role models for youth enrolled in the Young Winners Leadership Training Program for middle and high school students throughout San Antonio.

Bethany United Methodist Church.
May 25, 2001... The Bethany United Methodist Church at 4102 Eisenhauer Road is serving hot meals at its senior citizens nutrition center. The center, sponsored by the city's Community Initiatives Department, operates Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 1...

Catholic Life Insurance.
May 25, 2001... Catholic Life Insurance is accepting applications for the 2001 Leadership Scholarship Program. The program awards 10 $500 scholarships to Catholic Life Insurance members who attend any private or public college or university full time....

San Antonio Lighthouse.
May 25, 2001... San Antonio Lighthouse, in recognition of the 10th anniversary of the William Judson Center, will host "Blind Ambition," an art exhibit featuring the works of blind artist Fittipaldi, June 14-July 15 at the Witte Museum. Free admission with...

SAN ANTONIO AREA PUBLIC STOCKS.
May 25, 2001... SAN ANTONIO AREA PUBLIC STOCKS FINANCIAL DATA PROVIDED BY US GLOBAL INVESTORS INC. WEEKLY STOCK UPDATE Market Date as of 5/21/01 1 WK YTD 30-Day Company...

USAA.
May 25, 2001... USAA Inc. placed first in a newly released survey that ranks 40 financial-services companies based on reputation. The San Antonio-based insurer -- catering to military personnel and their families, but little known to the general public...

Trilateral exchange added to MBA program at UT-San Antonio.
May 25, 2001... The University of Texas at San Antonio's (UTSA's) College of Business has added a trilateral exchange component that includes students in Canada and Mexico who are working toward an MBA in international business. A contingency of about...

Vote of confidence.
May 25, 2001... Despite the seemingly unending stream of glum financial and job-outlook news being pumped out by market watchers -- particularly as it relates to large corporations -- there is a silver lining in the recessionary clouds moving across the...

Tourism industry is vital economic engine.
May 25, 2001... Tourism is an industry that is especially important in San Antonio. The San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau (SACVB), along with the San Antonio Area Tourism Council and the San Antonio Hotel & Motel Association, works with the collective...

Growing energy demand will not abate soon.
May 25, 2001... World energy consumption is predicted to increase by almost 60 percent over the next couple of decades with much of this growth occurring not in the industrialized countries, but in the developing nations. Among the factors influencing this...

Art often acquired for its intangible value.
May 25, 2001... Two worlds meet in the lobby of the offices of Bromley Communications. Here, the Spanish-speaking and English-speaking worlds join in the aluminum rings and spokes of a 15-foot abstract sculpture. Conveying that meeting is what the...

'Due diligence' finds opportunities as well as problems.
May 25, 2001... Anyone ever involved in financing a real estate-related transaction -- either as a lender or a borrower -- probably has come to realize the complexities involved in judging a property's ability to generate income. Creating a financial...

Subleasing your space: 10 things to think about first.
May 25, 2001... With the slowdown in the economy many companies are facing the tough task of cutting their work force and the dilemma of excess office space. For some, the answer is subleasing part of their space. However, becoming a...

OFFICE LEASING.
May 25, 2001... OFFICE LEASING CENTRAL Building name Leasing company Address, year built Contact, phone number, fax, e-mail 115 Broadway, 78205 ...

INDUSTRIAL SPACE.
May 25, 2001... INDUSTRIAL SPACE CENTRAL Building name Leasing company Address, year built Contact, phone number, fax, e-mail 123 Cevallos St. W., SIA ...

[0] LARGEST SAN ANTONIO LAW FIRMS.(ranked by number of local lawyers)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
May 25, 2001... LARGEST SAN ANTONIO LAW FIRMS Ranked by number of local lawyers (Part 1) Total Name ...

Local job-scene forecast is hazy.
May 25, 2001... The Alamo City employment picture is mixed as the summer season begins, according to a quarterly survey by Manpower Inc. While 22 percent of San Antonio employers interviewed said they were considering layoffs in the July to September...

Co-op buys interest in S.A.-based EnRe's wells.
May 25, 2001... EnRe L.P. in San Antonio has sold a stake in its wells in Denton and Wise counties in Texas to a Houston-based municipal co-operative. Terms of the purchase were not disclosed. For burgeoning co-op Texas Municipal Gas Corp. (TMGC),...

Getting down to the basics.
May 18, 2001... One of the largest San Antonio-based office-machine retailers is in midst of a shake-up that started last December. And the results so far are encouraging, says James Magness, owner and president of Office Communications Systems Inc....

SWBC draws up plans for new headquarters.
May 18, 2001... 100,000 sf facility set for North Central side Local insurance and financial services firm Southwest Business Corp. (SWBC) has purchased a tract of land where it plans to build its own headquarters facility. Earlier this month, SWBC...