Indiana Business Magazine articles from April 2008

Indiana Business Magazine archives from April 2008

Policy over politics: Indiana's property-tax reform nets a $600 million Cut.(INDIANA INDICATORS)
April 1, 2008... THE PRACTICE OF economics can certainly compel a man to cynicism. Take, for example, tax reform. I've testified on tax reform before legislatures in three states and one foreign country. Each had much bigger tax problems than does Indiana....

Publishing for the people: Bloomington is home to the no. 1 company in self-publishing.(AROUND INDIANA)
April 1, 2008... "SOME PEOPLE WANT TO run a marathon, some people want to climb a mountain. Some people have on their to-do list to write a book," says Keith Ogorek, director of marketing for Author Solutions in Bloomington. And why shouldn't people write...

Indiana's best golf: our readers pick a collection of 18 of the finest Hoosier courses.(Cover story)
April 1, 2008... IT'S A TOUGH CHOICE. The Indiana landscape boasts dozens of great golf courses, designed by the best architects in the business, including quite a few by Indiana's own Pete Dye, Golden Bear Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones and son, the great...

Lending a hand: survey finds Indiana bankers are generous with time, talent and dollars to support communities.(BANKING)
April 1, 2008... WHILE FINANCIAL MARKETS are being closely watched across the country, a different sort of evaluation is taking place in Indiana, where the state's bankers are being recognized for a variety of community service efforts. The Indiana Banking...

Indiana meeting planners guide.(Directory)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NORTHWEST INDIANA MEETING PLACES Avalon Manor Banquet Center 3550 E. U.S. 30 Merrillville, IN 46410 219/945-0888 Meeting space: More than 22,000 sq. ft. for 30 to 1,100 people Blue...

Focused care: hospital specialty centers from bariatric to orthopedic.(HOSPITALS)
April 1, 2008... ACROSS INDIANA hospitals are developing specialty centers to provide the focused care for conditions ranging from cancer and headaches to organ transplants and brain surgery. By combining specialized staff, new technology and patient support...

Assessing the risk: new standards mean more time with your CPA.(PROFESSIONAL SERVICES)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FEW INDIVIDUALS WHO commit fraud set out to do so intentionally However, when faced with financial hardship, some are tempted by poorly designed systems that allow them to "borrow" funds from accounts without being...

Central Indiana update: the region's top business stories.(REGIONAL REPORT CENTRAL)
April 1, 2008... DISTRIBUTION, MANUFACTURING, entertainment and professional services are all bringing growth to the eight-county central Indiana area. Distribution central. New and expanding distribution centers top the news in Boone, Hendricks, Shelby...

Carmel culture: Arts & Design District to be city's competitive edge.(REGIONAL REPORT CENTRAL)
April 1, 2008... IF EUROPE CAN DRAW crowds of American tourists every year to see beautiful art, so can Carmel. And if it takes an architecturally stunning environment to lure top businesses who otherwise might choose a community with seashores and mountains,...

Opportunities in Cuba? Fidel Castro's exit opens doors for Hoosier businesses.(VIEWPOINT)(Fidel Castro )(Viewpoint essay)
April 1, 2008... FOR YEARS, THE WORLD has been watching with interest and waiting for the moment when a new Cuban leader would emerge, replacing Fidel Castro after 49 years of continuous rule. Although the United States' relationship with the Republic of Cuba...

We're celebrating small business.(FROM BEGINNERS TO BIGSHOTS)
April 1, 2008... Welcome to our annual celebration of America's entrepreneurial spirit. As part of National Small Business Week 2008--an annual event that recognizes the big role the more than 25 million small companies play in the U.S. economy--we are...

Winds of change for baby business.(FROM BEGINNERS TO BIGSHOTS)
April 1, 2008... Walk into Gracewinds, an inviting storefront in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood, and you immediately feel at ease. It's a warm, old-shoe kind of place, with comfortable couches, murals and paintings on the walls, oriental carpets, and brightly...

504 loan leads to smoother sailing.(FROM BEGINNERS TO BIGSHOTS)(John Le of Seafood Connection Inc.)(Occupation overview)
April 1, 2008... Any business owner can tell you a story of how he climbed the ladder or made the leap from employee to employer. Few of those stories can compare to that of John Le, owner of seafood importer Seafood Connection Inc. in San Jose, Calif. In...

SBA advice lets startup stand out.(FROM BEGINNERS TO BIGSHOTS)
April 1, 2008... Ten years ago, when Elise Hernandez considered creating a technology services firm, she didn't think about the challenges of being a Hispanic woman in the business world, and particularly the difficulties she might encounter in the...

Help for business at a crossroads.(FROM BEGINNERS TO BIGSHOTS )(Michael Pearson of Union Packing Co.)
April 1, 2008... Michael Pearson's career track reveals two qualities that could be considered the linchpins of his business success. The first is that he isn't afraid to change direction if the path he initially chose seems like the wrong one. The second is...

Polished business plan lands loans.(FROM BEGINNERS TO BIGSHOTS)(Carol Jenkins Neil )(Occupation overview)
April 1, 2008... Carol Jenkins Neil never intended to be an entrepreneur. She also never intended to be a nurse--until her father fell ill. Neil, who worked for 10 years at TV stations around Jacksonville, Fla., decided to pursue nursing after seeing...

Ex-Marine with a mission.(FROM BEGINNERS TO BIGSHOTS)
April 1, 2008... Entrepreneurship wasn't former Marine Mark Llano's first mission, but it's become one of his best. The Desert Storm veteran already had a successful career in investment banking when in 2003 he decided to "get back to his passion" founding...

Artist draws on microloan, training.(FROM BEGINNERS TO BIGSHOTS)
April 1, 2008... The U.S. Small Business Administration armed Joey Johnson with the money and motivation to step out and launch her graphic design business. Johnson formed Graphic Mechanic Design Studio in October 2006, after running the company on the side...

SBA backing put expansion on menu.(FROM BEGINNERS TO BIGSHOTS)
April 1, 2008... Milwaukee's century-old Brady Street shopping district has gentrified the past 15 years into a trendy mix of restaurants, coffee shops, bars, boutiques and hip second-hand stores. Brady Street would seem an unlikely place for a walk-in...

Credit line gives global sales a lift.(FROM BEGINNERS TO BIGSHOTS)(Stephen Fantone of Optikos Corp.)(Company overview)
April 1, 2008... Stephen Fantone, Optikos Corp. founder and chief executive, is living out an inventor's and entrepreneur's dream. It's not a story of overnight riches, but rather a story of steady progress that has turned the part-time, one-person...

8(a) program offers a broader brush.(FROM BEGINNERS TO BIGSHOTS)
April 1, 2008... When Melanie Breeden set out to make an indelible mark on the business world, she found an invaluable ally in the Small Business Administration. Since opening in 2003, Cherokee Painting LLC has performed beyond her dreams. The commercial...

Startup basics.(FROM BEGINNERS TO BIGSHOTS)
April 1, 2008... The SBA has many resources for anyone ready to explore starting a business, including figuring out whether entrepreneurship is for you and the important task of writing a business plan. Putting a plan on paper forces you to think through...

SBA loan programs.(FROM BEGINNERS TO BIGSHOTS)
April 1, 2008... Here are some of the loan programs offered by the SBA. For a complete list and details on how to apply, visit www.sba.gov. 7(A) LOANS The primary SBA loan program helps small businesses that might not be eligible for loans through...