San Antonio Business Journal articles from September 2000

San Antonio Business Journal archives from September 2000

Airport DoubleTree.
September 29, 2000... Boykin Lodging Co., a Cleveland hotel real estate investment trust (REIT), has reached a definitive agreement with Hilton Hotels Corp. to take over ownership of the DoubleTree Hotel San Antonio International Airport and another hotel property...

CPS.
September 29, 2000... City Public Service (CPS) has entered into a 15-year agreement with Enron Wind to acquirer more wind energy. Enron will construct and operate a large, wind farm in West Texas that will provide some 103 million kilowatt-hours of energy...

Door Direct.
September 29, 2000... Door Direct Inc. has formed a ship with Metro Networks partner- a provider of news, weather, sports and traffic information to the broadcast industry. The two companies will provide local regional and national clients the opportunity to...

Bills.com.
September 29, 2000... Bills.com will use San Antonio as one of its test markets for a new ad campaign that is part of an effort to increase consumer usage of its services. The campaign, which will run in newspapers and radio stations, will also be in run in two...

Cox Radio.
September 29, 2000... Cox Radio has completed its deal with Clear Channel Communications Inc. to acquire three FM radio stations serving the Houston area, and four radio stations (three FM and one AM) in Richmond, Va. The acquisition was for a total of $380...

Sirius Computer Solutions.
September 29, 2000... San Antonio-based Sirius Computer Solutions has been named to the VARBusiness 500 by VARBusiness magazine. The annual ranking is for North America's largest providers of information technology solutions. Sirius had $191.6 million in revenues...

SBC Foundation.
September 29, 2000... The SBC Foundation, the philanthropic arm of SBC Communications Inc., has awarded a $1 million, five-year grant to the Texas Cultural Trust Council. The funds will be used to promote the arts within the state of Texas. Further, the funds will...

Nation's produce growers getting squeezed by 'slotting' fees.
September 29, 2000... As a result of supermarket industry consolidation, produce growers say they now must pay the same kinds of fees that dry goods manufacturers have paid for years to get their products on store shelves. In the past, retailers have defended...

HMO bill.
September 29, 2000... A leading employee benefits association says a revised managed care reform bill gaining steam on Capitol Hill does not protect employers from being sued over health insurance coverage decisions. Rep. Charles Norwood, R-Ga., and Rep. John...

Health costs.
September 29, 2000... America's largest employers fear this year's 8.3 percent increase in the cost of health. insurance is not a short-term phenomenon and are beginning to think about ways to cap their premiums, says Larry Atkins, coordinator of the Corporate...

Regnier, Valdez & Associate.
September 29, 2000... Regnier, Valdez & Associates recently won three 2000 Bronze Quill Awards from the International Association of Business Communicators, San Antonio. Regnier, Valdez is a full-service marketing, advertising and public relations agency.

Corporate Executive Leadership Award.
September 29, 2000... The hot summer months have kept general manager and chief executive officer of City Public Service, Jamie Rochelle, very busy, but working at a fast pace for the San Antonio electric company is something to which she has grown accustomed. ...

SERVICE FIRM OF THE YEAR.
September 29, 2000... Frontline Systems Inc. Bob Sanchez, chairman Sue McElyea, vice president Anthony Cannon, president Frontline was incorporated in 1992 to provide engineering and program support services to private and Department of Defense...

CONSTRUCTION FIRM OF THE YEAR.
September 29, 2000... Cot-tes Contracting Inc. L.A. "Tony" Cortes, president In 1973, native San Antonian Tony Cortes was employed as the manager of a small, San Antonio-based utility company. The Holy Cross High School graduate liked the company so much,...

RETAIL FIRM OF THE YEAR.
September 29, 2000... A.R. Alvarez Enterprises Tony Alvarez, chairman & CEO Ask Tony Alvarez how long someone should pursue an entrepreneurial dream and you will likely hear: "Until you get it! If you believe in yourself and have a vision of what you can...

SUPPLIER/DISTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR.
September 29, 2000... VIA Technology Manuel Villa; president Founded in 1995, Villa Technology is an international systems integration firm specializing in sales and service of HP, IBM, Sun and Compaq hardware, and systems integration services for the NT...

SBA MINORITY FIRM OF THE YEAR.
September 29, 2000... DSS Services Vivian Spurlock, president DSS Services (DSS) is a locally based SBA 8(a) qualified minority/woman-owned business established in 1981. The company provides staffing services on a contract basis to various federal...

Banquet to feature Cartel Creativo leader.
September 29, 2000... Victoria Varela-Hudson, president and founding principal of Cartel Creativo Inc., will deliver the keynote address at the upcoming MED Week banquet. Varela-Hudson has been recognized nationally for her business savvy, high-energy and...

Century-old retailer Marshall Clegg sold.(Herman Miller Inc. buys Marshall Clegg Associates Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Office-furniture powerhouse Herman Miller Inc. has bought the business of local office-furniture dealer Marshall Clegg Associates Inc. Herman Miller representative Steve Visser says the deal was finalized this week. Marshall Clegg,...

Two Internet firms here ink cyber-ad pact.(Clear Blue Media Inc., OmniAlert Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Clear Blue Media Inc., a local firm that sells and places Internet advertisements, is attempting to reach beyond personal computers and into consumers' digital and web-enabled telephones and other wireless gizmos. To do that, the...

Recodifying progress.(San Antonio residents unhappy with real estate development processes)
September 22, 2000... City's development rules to get face lift It's no secret that many people in San Antonio are unhappy with the current processes of real estate development. Some see the last eight years as a time of rapid, haphazard growth with little...

Salvation Army to develop community center at Kelly.(religious organization looking for space near Kelly Air Force Base)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... The Salvation Army's top brass are dispatching troops to scout for available land either on or near Kelly Air Force Base on which to build a new $4 million community center. The planned center is part of the nonprofit group's effort to offer...

Westplex site eyed for new business park.(Kennedy-Wilson Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... One of the largest and most strategically located tracts in the booming Westplex Area is being prepped by its owners for a large business park with retail, office, industrial and residential projects. Steve Crozier, a broker with...

Art show update.(Univision and Bromley Communications to help at AyudArte art show)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Univision (KWEX-TV) and Bromley Communications have joined forces to aid the Third Annual AyudArte art show and sale benefiting Telethon Navideno at the San Antonio Museum of Art on Thursday, Sept. 28, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Aimee Bromley,...

A guide to health.(Bexar County Community Health Collaborative)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... The Bexar County Community Health Collaborative has published a listing of health care resources called "San Antonio Life: A Fitness and Nutrition Resource Guide." The free guide has some 325 listings of fitness centers, health clubs and...

Clear calling card.(Clear Channel Communications)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Calls to radio stations have traditionally been answered with a "Hello, 690-AM" or "Good Morning, WXYZ" or "Thanks for calling 'The Fan.'" And many stations still provide that simple greeting to reinforce their local identity. But more and...

Doctor group to build new clinic facility.(South Texas OB/GYN to build medical clinic)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... The owners of the former Paesano's Restaurant site are ready to move forward with plans to develop a medical facility at the location. South Texas OB/GYN, which purchased the site at 1715 McCullough about two years ago, recently began...

New medical office plaza snares its first big tenant.(Cardiology Clinic to take third floor of new medical office building)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... A three-story medical-office building set to break ground at month's end has just landed its first major tenant. Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio PA, one of San Antonio's largest medical groups, will take the entire third floor -- about...

TEFTEC moving operations to former Data Race facility.(TEFTEC Corp. moving headquarters to Northwest San Antonio)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... TEFTEC Corp., a Spring Branch, Texas, powered-wheelchair manufacturer, is taking over the former headquarters of Data Race Inc. in Northwest San Antonio in order to be able to fill the massive orders of wheelchairs the company is receiving...

Two more 'tech buildings' to go up on Northwest Side.(R.L. Worth and Associates)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... R.L. Worth & Associates is planning to develop more "tech buildings" in the Northwest corridor. Rick Littleton, a broker with Worth, says his firm has worked with architects Chesney Morales & Associates to revamp the design of the buildings...

On a wing.(Wingstop Restaurants Inc. to open four new restaurants)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Wingstop Restaurants Inc., a Dallas-based restaurant company, is planning to open at least four more outlets here. The current San Antonio location at 502 Embassy Oaks will soon be joined by a second restaurant at 5410 Walzem Road. Local...

Inn Boerne.(The Kendall Inn gets new owners)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... A partnership made up of Ed, Elisa and Michael McClure, and Dr. Peter Leininger has purchased The Kendall Inn, a historic building in downtown Boerne, and the surrounding Kendall Inn Village. Ed McClure, who recently sold his position in the...

Rackspace.com is in holding pattern for its planned IPO.(Rackspace.com Inc. to trade shares on Nasdaq)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 22, 2000... Rackspace.com Inc. is still waiting for the bear to leave the market. The San Antonio web-hosting firm filed documents with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 28 to begin trading shares on the Nasdaq exchange. To...

TriVideom Productions.(acquires Video Active Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... TriVideom Productions Inc. has entered into an agreement in principle to acquire. Video Active Inc. The company provides video editing and duplication and film transfer services, primarily to business users. Video Impact operates two retail...

Wells Fargo.(Wells Fargo and Co subsidiaries earn recognition)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Nine subsidiary banks of Wells Fargo & Co. were ranked among the top 100 agricultural banks in the nation for 1999. The results were published in the July edition of Ag Lender magazine. The financial institution's combined loans ranked Wells...

Palm Restaurant.(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Palm Management Corp. will open a new restaurant on the 200 block of Houston Street. The newest branch of the Palm Restaurant, a steak and lobster restaurant, will seat 220 people and encompass 7,200 square feet. The restaurant is scheduled...

Montemayor.(Hispanic marketing agency wins Gold Award)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Montemayor y Asociados, an independently owned Hispanic marketing agency, received a Gold Award from the Daimler-Chrysler Corp. The award was given for high-quality service in promoting the automaker's brands to the U.S. Hispanic market. The...

Tesoro Maritime.(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Hvide Marine Inc., along with Tesoro Maritime Co., recently began a new double-hull petroleum transport service in Alaskan waters. One of Hvide's new tankers began its charter under a three-year contract with Gold Star Maritime, a subsidiary...

Health Science Center.(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... The University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio recently broke ground on the Medical Education division of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Regional Academic Health Center (RAHC) in Harlingen. The division, which will be operated by the...

Corpus Christi.(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Fitch, an international rating agency, has assigned an 'AA-' rating to the $13,900,000 combination tax and revenue certificates of obligation series 2000 of Corpus Christi, Texas. The AA- rating reflects Corpus Christi's stable tax and...

EPA.(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has allocated an additional $41 million to the North American Development Bank's (NADBank) Border Environment Infrastructure Fund (BEIF). In total, the EPA has made a contribution of some $252...

Clear Channel.(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Grupo Televisa S.A., based in Mexico City, announced it has reached an agreement with shareholders of Grupo Acir Communicaciones S.A. de C.V. and Clear Channel Communications Inc. to create a new Mexican radio powerhouse. The resulting...

College-sports gambling bill may be lost bet.(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... The odds are against legislation to ban gambling on college sports, despite the House Judiciary Committee's 19-9 approval of the bill Sept. 13. Supporters say they could win a vote in the full House, but congressional leaders are not...

The Houston Texans: Yadda, yadda, yadda.(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... It's all over but the doubting. After kicking around numerous names and keeping the public on tenterhooks for months, the National Football League's newest franchise finally rolled out the -- ta-dah! "Houston Texans" last week with fanfare...

ACCION Texas.(small business loan program)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... ACCION Texas, a nonprofit organization that provides credit to small businesses in San Antonio, has formed a partnership with the Small Business Administration (SBA). According to the agreement, ACCION Texas will now be designated as a...

Commercial assessments skyrocket.(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Higher appraisals bring appeals, increase in litigation expected Taxable property values of San Antonio's class A and B office buildings rose substantially in 2000, according to area officials with property tax assessment firms. ...

From the cooler to the lawn.
September 22, 2000... Valero's water re-use project is good for its image, and its landscape Two years ago, Eddie Miller, a senior building maintenance mechanic with Valero Energy Corp., attended a seminar that the San Antonio Water System held at the South...

S.A. businessman is a high flyer in real estate market.(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Tony Weissgarber, a local aerial photographer and retired commercial real estate broker, is attempting to pilot his business across the digital divide and into the wild blue yonder of the new high-tech frontier. To that end, Weissgarber...

Expert tips for carving out the ideal office.(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Location, location, location. Oh, and transportation. Plus space considerations. Class A or Class C? Triple net or gross? Ah, the many joys of looking for office space. To help sort it all out, we checked in with James "Marty" Irving, board...

How to become (and remain) a commercial real estate broker.(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Becoming a commercial real estate broker is easy. Remaining one is the difficult part. Licensing requirements for commercial brokers vary from one state to another with most setting the same standards needed to become a residential...

Highflex Partners builds space for tech startups.(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... AUSTIN -- Austin's startup scene just can't get enough -- space, that is. Responding to the rapid leasing of its first building -- a 75,000-square-foot center at Riata Business Park -- Austin's highflex Partners LLC plans to build...

Transwestern acquires 142 acres.(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... HOUSTON -- Coming off the heels of a 272-acre land acquisition in northwest Houston, The Betz Cos. has revealed it is selling a separate property in the area that the company has owned for 10 years. According to CEO Raymond Betz,...

Hotel occupancy studies reach different conclusions.(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... FORT WORTH -- Looking at room revenues, the Fort Worth and Arlington hotel market is the second-hottest area in the state for the second quarter 2000 compared to last year's comparable quarter, according to a study conducted by Source...

National retailer reducing waste in packaging process.
September 22, 2000... Six years ago, employees at Target Corp. stores and distribution centers across the country performed an arduous routine to move a single piece of apparel from the warehouse to the shelves. Warehouse workers sliced open incoming cardboard...

Internet programs now link builders with banks, insurers.(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Two separate technical programs that rolled out in recent months will streamline access to commercial lending for construction. The programs will also improve the ability to properly track and expedite commercial insurance applications and...

Office space in Austin now considered city's 'holy grail'.(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Call it an axiom of commercial real estate searches: If a company refuses to budge on office location and particular office characteristics, then the company will inevitably pay much more. And the reality in Austin is that most young...

Real estate industry must get inside the tech-head mentality.(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Technology -- the physical implementation of man's conceptual ability -- has long been both a driver and catalyst for mankind. Technology fuels change. Each new advance, in turn, opens the potential for dozens more so that progression becomes...

E-leads offer another weapon in the fight to land contracts.
September 22, 2000... GREATER METROPLEX -- Publishing giant McGraw-Hill has launched a new service under its construction.com Web site that allows contractors to identify projects matching their skills, capabilities and geographic preferences. E-leads, which...

Lancaster's sales tax dries up as SBC repositions warehouse.
September 22, 2000... LANCASTER -- Lancaster will lose $3.8 million in sales tax receipts to its operating budget this year because San Antonio-based Southwestern Bell Telephone is reducing the inventory shipped through its huge distribution center here. The...

Play-By-Play.
September 22, 2000... Play-By-Play Toys & Novelties Inc.'s European subsidiary, Play-By-Play Toys & Novelties Europe, S.A., has been given the exclusive licensing rights to "Digimon Adventures" for amusement parks in Spain and Portugal. The licensing agreement,...

S. A. entrepreneur feels called to her career.(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... Carolyn Arnold took the phrase, "keep it in the family," to heart when she decided to start her own business back in 1987. Six of her Boerne-based company's 12 employees are Arnold's family members. Together, the family has a common goal:...

Pension reform.
September 22, 2000... Pension reform legislation appears to be the rare tax bill that actually has a chance of being signed into law this year. The Senate Finance Committee unanimously passed a bill Sept. 7 that would raise the contribution limits to IRAs and...

Higher premiums.
September 22, 2000... A new survey of 3,000 employers concludes the tight labor market is leading businesses to eat the cost of higher health insurance premiums instead of passing it on to their workers. Health insurance premiums rose an average of 8.3 percent...

OSHA violations.
September 22, 2000... The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) got a taste of what it is like to face the wrath of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), with one major exception: It did not have to pay a fine since it is a government agency....

The San Antonio New Enterprise and Job Creation Project.(Brief Article)
September 22, 2000... A community partnership between the George Gervin Youth Center and St. Philip's College known as The San Antonio New Enterprise and Job Creation Project will help create new career and self-employment opportunities among low-income minority...

Enviro-Clean.
September 22, 2000... Enviro-Clean of America Inc., based in San Antonio, has agreed to sell NISSCO Inc. to ebuyxpress.com LLC. EnviroClean. a distributor of janitoria1 and maintenance supplies, expects to take a non-cash charge against current earnings of about...

LARGEST SAN ANTONIO COMMERCIAL JANITORIAL COMPANIES.
September 22, 2000... [TABLE HAS BEEN CLIPPED]

LARGEST SAN ANTONIO SHOPPING CENTERS.
September 22, 2000... [TABLE HAS BEEN CLIPPED]

San Antonio Area Public Stocks.
September 22, 2000... [TABLE HAS BEEN CLIPPED]

SAN ANTONIO MONEY RATES.
September 22, 2000... [TABLE HAS BEEN CLIPPED]

Corp. Travel, Rennert join forces by merging.(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... Corporate Travel Planners, one of the city's fastest growing players in the travel industry, has struck a deal to purchase the oldest local firm in the business, Rennert World Travel. Christine Richardson; president of Corporate Travel...

Customs facing class-action challenge.(Government Activity)
September 15, 2000... Hispanic agents pressing U.S. agency to own up to racism The U.S. Customs Service, the vanguard agency in enforcing the nation's border integrity in the emerging global economy, has been busy cleaning up integrity problems of its own over...

Duo building a rep as City Hall deal makers.
September 15, 2000... David L. Earl and Kenneth W. Brown know all too well the adage, "You can't fight city hall." Indeed, each has worked for a large city in Texas, giving them both an inside view of how local government works, especially when it comes to real...

SBC eyes deal for 193,000 sf of office space.(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... The city's biggest tenant is making a move for more space. SBC Communications Inc. is close to inking a lease for the former headquarters of Builders Square, according to local real estate sources familiar with the deal. SBC would...

Sizzling campaign.(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... Lana Duke, the marketing whiz behind the Ruth's Chris "Sizzle" ad campaign, will talk about her experiences running and marketing the international restaurant company at a San Antonio Area Tourism Council gathering on Friday, Sept. 22, at...

In touch.(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... Normally, wireless phones and golf courses don't mix. But, when you're talking about a wireless phone that vibrates and has a digital two-way radio feature for instant communication with the score keeper, well, that's a different story. ...

Area banks on the prowl to acquire insurance agencies.(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... Some San Antonio insurance agencies are finding themselves in a seller's market. Their businesses are now being sought after by banks moving to capitalize on a new federal law that paves the way for banks to own insurance and securities...

Downtown tract near river eyed for $18 million project.(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... A Dallas development group is eying a spot on the San Antonio River near downtown for a 175-unit apartment project. Phoenix Property Co. has a 2.4-acre parcel of land under contract on the west side of the river just south of Nueva...

Industry says pump will take brunt of air quality proposal.
September 15, 2000... Faced with a federal deadline to formulate a game plan to wipe out smog in Houston, state regulators are developing a regional proposal that also seeks to address air quality in the most densely populated sectors of the state, including San...

Lender, shareholders agree to settle long-standing feud.(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... Broadway Bancshares Inc. and a group of one-time shareholders recently ended nearly three years of legal haggling over the value of their stock with an out-of-court settlement. As a result, bank officials and the investors, who had to...

Nursing home is expanding its presence near downtown.(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... St. Francis Nursing Home broke ground this week on a $4 million addition at the corner of Woodlawn Avenue and Flores Street. The new 22,000-square-foot facility will have 42 beds, of which 14 will be for assisted-living and 28 will be for...

Firm sale.(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... United Systems Integrators Corp. (USI) has acquired South Texas Corporate Realty (STCR), the firm started by Trammell Crow Co. alum Brad Duphorne. USI, based in Stamford, Conn., specializes in tenant representation for office clients, which...

Sunset burgers.(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... Sunset Station is getting a new restaurant tenant. Called Exit 141 Burgers & Seafood, the new eatery will be located in the Lonestar Pavilion where many of the venue's concerts are staged. Owner Johnny Hernandez says the name ensures everyone...

Professional Services Industries.(Brief Article)
September 15, 2000... * Professional Services Industries (PSI) is expanding its office and laboratory facility at Three Burwood Lane. The building will be gutted and remodeled with 6,500 square feet of office space and 3,500 square feet of laboratory space, says...