Indiana Business Magazine articles from February 2004

Indiana Business Magazine archives from February 2004

The right direction? Indiana household employment surveys show job gains.(Indiana Indicators)
February 1, 2004... THE INDIANA ECONOMY experienced its third consecutive year of employment decline in 2003, according to figures on payroll employment at business establishments released by the Department of Workforce Development. While the monthly employment...

A stake in shakes: Dell CEO the biggest investor in Indiana restaurant chain.(Around Indiana)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... MICHAEL DELL, CEO OF computer maker Dell Inc., can afford any kind of burger he wants. That makes it especially impressive to find millions of his money in Indiana's best-known restaurant chain that features the famed Steakburger. ...

Valentine's day.(By The Numbers)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... 1.04 Billion dollars Americans spent on candy last Valentine's day. Source: National Confectioners Association. 156 Million roses sold last Valentine's Day. Source: Society of American Florists. 32% Percentage of Americans who...

Designed in Indiana: first-ever exhibition showcasing Indiana designers and their creations.(Cover Story)
February 1, 2004... EVERYONE KNOWS INDIANA IS a leader in manufacturing, but how many are aware of the breadth and depth of Hoosier product design? From telephones to TVs, pots and pans to high chairs and office chairs, products conceived in Indiana are...

The big deals: Indiana's largest mergers and acquisitions of 2003.(Focus)(Glossary)
February 1, 2004... IN INDIANA, THE ANNUAL study of who acquired whom can be a distressing affair, documenting the disappearance of Hoosier headquarters. No so in 2003. In many of the biggest deals of the past year, Indiana companies were on the buying end. The...

Blueprint for higher education: plan to guide the role of Indiana's universities is a start, but doesn't deal with such big issues as the cost.(Education)
February 1, 2004... INDIANA IS IN A RACE TO grow an educated workforce and attract good jobs over the long haul. To win, it must make higher education more affordable, do a better job preparing students for college, increase enrollment and graduation rates, and...

Internship connections: finding work for college students is a win-win-win situation.(Education)
February 1, 2004... EXPERIENCE. THAT'S WHAT employers want, even from the just-graduated. So paid or unpaid, credit or no credit, internships give college grads an edge. Employers benefit by getting a job done by an eager worker exploring a potential career, and...

Think small? University of Indianapolis center works to promote small high schools.(University of Indianapolis[R]: center of excellence in leadership of learning)
February 1, 2004... THERE ARE LOTS OF great things about big high schools: broad class choices, advanced-placement courses, impressive resources, numerous extracurricular opportunities, formidable sports teams. But big schools clearly don't work for everyone. ...

Who's coming to town? Significant and unusual Indiana conventions and gatherings.(Meetings & Conventions)
February 1, 2004... MORE THAN $6 BILLION will fuel the state's economy courtesy of 53.8 million visitors Indiana will welcome during 2004, according to the Indiana Tourism Council's annual report. Though about 70 percent will visit for pleasure and recreation,...

Executive retreats: ideas for out-of-the-way meeting sites.(Meetings & Conventions)(Directory)
February 1, 2004... Oakwood inn and Conference Center, Syracuse, This welcoming 40-acre complex encompasses walking paths, tall oaks and a panoramic view of Indiana's largest natural lake (Lake Wawasee). The retreat center was founded in 1893 as a permanent camp...

Networking tips: an exchange of information, contacts and experience.(Meetings & Conventions)
February 1, 2004... Network--a group of people who exchange information, contacts and experience for professional or social purposes, (The Oxford Dictionary). Ask 50 different people for their definition of networking and you are sure to receive 50 different...

Really know your customers: marketing research: why do it, and how to find a firm.(Marketing)
February 1, 2004... MARKETING RESEARCH has been used for years in some industries, but in today's competitive marketplace and economy, it is becoming more mainstream. Here's an overview of marketing research and how to go about selecting a research firm. The...

Lost in translation? To project an international image, hire a professional.(International Business)
February 1, 2004... THINK INTERNATIONAL from the start. Most companies are doing business internationally in one way or another. Whether importing raw materials, exporting goods, selling to international clients or to the ever-growing minority population in the...

Tooling up.(Southeast Indiana update: the region's top business stories.)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... "We have a lot of good capital investment going on," reports Robert Peacock, executive director of the Scott County Economic Development Corp., citing four industry expansions totaling nearly $40 million. Austin Tri-Hawk Automotive Inc. in...

Forging ahead.(Southeast Indiana update: the region's top business stories.)(North Vernon industries )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Three North Vernon industries are giving Jennings County a $37 million shot in the arm, reports Trevor Lane, executive director of the Jennings County Economic Development Commission. A $15 million Metaldyne Sintered Components expansion...

Downtown renaissance.(Southeast Indiana update: the region's top business stories.)
February 1, 2004... Lawrenceburg continues its center-city rebirth with United Community Bank's purchase of the historic Jessie Hunt Hotel, to be renovated for its offices, and the city's purchase of the bank's current building. These represent "a very positive...

Going global.(Southeast Indiana update: the region's top business stories.)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Two Jefferson County businesses, both in Madison, are looking to increase business internationally. Royer Corp., the largest U.S. producer of swizzle sticks, is seeking European partnerships for its first exports. Rotary Lift, which makes car...

Big buys.(Southeast Indiana update: the region's top business stories.)
February 1, 2004... Batesville-based Hillenbrand Industries Inc., the patient care product/casket manufacturer which operates Hill-Rom, Batesville Casket Co. and Forethought Funeral Services, continues to grow. In 2003 it spent $103 million to acquire Advanced...

Attracting tourists.(Southeast Indiana update: the region's top business stories.)
February 1, 2004... Visitors flocking to southeastern Indiana are finding more than gaming. Arts and entertainment venues are fueling local economies, too. With Hyatt's Grand Victoria drawing about 1.5 million people a year to Rising Sun, new visitor venues...

Profile: Royer Corp.: Madison company is the largest swizzle-stick maker in the U.S. One order: 14 million.(Regional Report Southeast)(Company Profile)
February 1, 2004... A GUITAR-SHAPED cocktail stir for Hard Rock Care, a surfboard swizzle stick for Disney World and countless more styles for other restaurants and casinos are all made in Indiana. The producer: Royer Corp., the largest U.S. swizzle stick...

Indiana stocks.(Illustration)
February 1, 2004... INDIANA STOCKS TICKER COMPANY PRICE 2002 12/31/03 YEAR END AMFC AMB FINANCIAL CORP. ...

Dr. K's prescription: the key to economic resurgence: promote entrepreneurial activity.(Viewpoint)(Dr. Donald F. Kuratko)
February 1, 2004... IN SPITE OF OUR economic downturn, entrepreneurial activity has continued to emerge and thrive. Let me illustrate: During the past 10 years, new business formations averaged 600,000 per year, indicating venture activity, whether it was...