Indiana Business Magazine articles from June 2003

Indiana Business Magazine archives from June 2003

Is Indiana's economy still getting worse? (Indiana Indicators).(state legislature works on budget)
June 1, 2003... One of the most memorable scenes in the classic movie "The Wizard of Oz" has Dorothy's little dog Toto pulling back the curtain in the corner of the wizard's huge hall to reveal the mild-mannered person pulling the levers that make the fearsome...

Garfield turns 25: no napping at Muncie's Paws Inc. as fat cat prepares for the big screen. (Opener).(the most successful cartoonist in world)
June 1, 2003... Twenty-five years ago, Jim Davis would never have dared to dream that he was launching a multi-million-dollar enterprise. He had just stomped the bug that starred in his not-so-successful comic strip "Gnorm Gnat." While a comic about a cat...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
June 1, 2003... The "Indiana's Private 100" feature in our May issue included an inaccurate revenue figure for LeSEA Inc. of South Bend. The correct figure would place LeSEA below the No. 100 ranking at the end of our published list. Also, the president of...

Lawn king: from headquarters near tiny Coatesville, Art Evans builds the world's fastest lawnmowers. (Cover Story).(chief executive officer of Magic Circle Corp.)
June 1, 2003... He may run a $40 million-and-growing company, but you're more likely to find Art Evans sporting a cap than a tie. And while he'll politely discuss sales strategies and growth forecasts, he's more interested in showing off a new, more powerful...

Positives continue: Indiana stocks beat the bear in 2002. (Indiana Public 100).(smaller Indiana stocks are strong)
June 1, 2003... The good trend continues in Indiana stocks. As the broad market persisted in a bear trend through the second half of 2002 and into the first quarter of 2003, the Indiana Stock Index ventured into positive territory. This has been somewhat...

Indiana's Largest Public Companies. (Indiana Public 100).(Illustration)
June 1, 2003... Indiana's Largest Public Companies Revenue Net Income EPS Name, City 2002 2002 2002 CEO 2001 2001...

Maximum wage: the 50 highest-paid chief executives of public companies. (Top-Paid CEOs).
June 1, 2003... 1 WILLIAM H. LAWSON (1) Chairman, president & CEO of Franklin Electric Headquarters: Bluffton Business: Electric motors 2002 company revenue: $354.9 mil. 2002 company net income: $32.2 mil. 2002 pay & bonus: $889,500...

Building excellence: Associated Builders and Contractors honors projects and contractors. (Building Indiana).(Construction experts pick firms)
June 1, 2003... For 15 years, Associated Builders and Contractors of Indiana has been honoring builders and contractors who do business based on the merits of their company name rather than organized affiliations. Construction experts from outside...

Top prizes: major economic-development projects of the past year. (Building Indiana).(new equipment and processing methods)
June 1, 2003... While investment in new facilities may not have been as robust in the last year as previous years, many of the state's industries recommitted to their workforce by investing in new equipment and processing methods. Among the top...

Wi-Fi wonders: computer connectivity at work, home, on the road. (Communications).(Wireless computer networking technology)
June 1, 2003... The virtual office--a productive workspace away from the office. For years, it's been the dream of executives and the goal of techies. It's closer than ever with the proliferation of wireless computer networking technology, often known as...

Dial-tone competition: has choice for local telephone service become a reality in Indiana? (Communications).(long-distance telephone market)
June 1, 2003... Prove you've opened your local phone markets to competition, Congress told the monopolistic Bells with the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and you'll be able to enter the long-distance market. Seven years later, none of the states served by the...

Summer getaways: Indiana destinations for all tastes and budgets. (Tourism).
June 1, 2003... The trend for shorter vacations and staying closer to home should mean more Hoosiers will be discovering their own state this summer. And there are lots of things to do for the active outdoorsy type, the history buff or the amusement-park...

Tourism milestones: destinations and events making history in Indiana this year. (Tourism).
June 1, 2003... It's no secret that history is a strong ingredient in successful tourism promotion, but some destinations with history are better known than others. That's why the Indiana Department of Commerce's Office of Tourism and Film Development...

Vanderburgh County. (Southwest Indiana Update).(Berry Plastics Corp. adds $18 mn, 400 jobs)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... An $18 million plant investment and nearly 400 new jobs at Evansville-headquartered Berry Plastics Corp.--which now employs more than 1,000-headline the news in Vanderburgh County, says Jim Holderread, deputy director of the Evansville Regional...

Warrick County. (Southwest Indiana Update).(234-acre North Warrick Industrial Park)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The Warrick County Redevelopment Commission plans to break ground soon on the North Warrick Industrial Park, a 234-acre site along the proposed Interstate 69 route near Elberfeld, reports Sue Gibbens executive director of Warrick County...

Knox County. (Southwest Indiana Update).(FIA Corp. $10 mn, 125,000-square foot facility)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... One new plant has begun operations and another has been announced in Knox County. FIA Corp., a division of Japan's Futaba, built a $10 million, 125,000-square foot facility in the new Vincennes Commons/U.S.41 Industrial Park, where it...

Dubois County. (Southwest Indiana Update).(Jasper Engines and Transmissions adds 600 jobs)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Employment at Jasper Engines & Transmissions is up by 600 over last year to 1,600, reports Nancy Eckerle, director of the Jasper Chamber of Commerce. Other top employers report healthy levels, too, including about 4,000 on the job at Kimball...

Gibson County. (Southwest Indiana Update).(Evansville Regional Economic Development Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Home to the Toyota plant pretty much says it all about this area's economic health, according to Holderread at the Evansville Regional Economic Development Corp., which also works with Gibson County. Since construction began in 1996 in...

Greene County. (Southwest Indiana Update).(modular-home production plant)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The big news in Greene County is the successful launch of Winalta USA in Linton, which began manufactured- and modular-home production last July and is now ramping up for full-scale operations. "We've got orders coming in from everywhere,"...

Daviess County. (Southwest Indiana Update).(unemployment rates low)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Expansions at the two largest employers and consistent employment levels at others are keeping Daviess County's unemployment rates low, reports Ron Arnold, executive director of the Daviess County Growth Council. "We have a strong base, and...

Posey County. (Southwest Indiana Update).(industries report rising employment)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... After two years of shutdown, an oil refinery in Mount Vernon has been purchased by Shell Oil Products and is now being refurbished in preparation for startup, reports Debbie Campbell, executive secretary of the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce....

Spencer County. (Southwest Indiana Update).(Curtis-Maruyasu America starts production)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Auto-parts maker Curtis-Maruyasu America began production in Santa Claus in October and has 50 employees on the job making brake and fuel assemblies for Toyota. The company occupies a 42,000-square-foot facility on an eight-acre site. AK...

Perry County. (Southwest Indiana Update).(new jobs created)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... "Quite frankly, we have had an excellent run over the past 12 months and a really good last 36 months," says Greg Wathen, executive director of the Perry County Development Corp. Accent Marketing Services opened a 24,000-square-foot...

Sullivan County. (Southwest Indiana Update).(Lilly Endowment gives $5 mn)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Economic-development activity is picking up in Sullivan County, thanks to a $5 million grant from Lilly Endowment. It's already funded the $500,000 Sullivan County Learning Center, which began offering business and industry training and other...

Vectren Corp.: Evansville energy company maintains record of profitability. (Profile).(Company Profile)
June 1, 2003... "A merger of equals." That's how Niel Ellerbrook describes the deal that three years ago gave birth to Vectren, an Evansville-based energy and applied-technology company. On March 31, 2000, Sigcorp Inc. of Evansville and Indiana Energy...

Pike County. (Southwest Indiana Update).(natural-gas-powered plant)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... All systems but the economy are "go" for a natural-gas-powered plant that will produce electricity, reports Paul Lake, executive director of Pike County Growth and Development Council. Air, water and Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission...

Martin County. (Southwest Indiana Update).(Crane Surface Warfare Center)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... NSWC Crane Surface Warfare Center Division is the largest Martin County employer, with 4,000 on the job. Crane recently began offering a technical-assistance program to southwestern Indiana companies that includes up to 32 hours of free...

Indiana Stocks.
June 1, 2003... INDIANA STOCKS Price Year-end 2003 Company Ticker 4/30/03 2002 Chg.(%) AMB Financial Corp. AMFC 16.00 14.86 7.66 Ameriana Bancorp ...

Boosting tourism through "geocaching": high-tech treasure hunts luring "e-fluentials" to Indiana sites. (Last Word).(1,023 geocaches in Indiana)
June 1, 2003... At first, I was skeptical. It seemed like just another scheme to give technophiles an excuse to buy a new toy, a GPS unit. And besides, there surely couldn't be many folks visiting this odd Web site and playing this newfangled scavenger hunt. I...

Why wellness? It pays to help employees get fit and stay healthy.(Indiana employers, workforce wellness priority)
June 1, 2003... From Dump Your Plump at NiSource Inc. to maternity management at First Indiana Bank and onsite massages at BP Products North American Inc., Indiana employers are making workforce wellness a top priority with company-sponsored programs. And it...

Wellness defined: what a workplace-wellness program might include.(employee wellness programs benefit particular workforce)
June 1, 2003... It doesn't take much convincing for businesses to appreciate the benefits of wellness in the workplace. It's more a question of deciding which employee wellness programs will most benefit a particular workforce. The needs of a tool-and-die...

Indiana Well-Workplace Guide: Health-Care Providers. (A-W).(Directory)
June 1, 2003... Arnett Clinic 2600 Greenbush St. Lafayette, 47904 765/448-8036 www.arnett.Com Geographic Area Served: Lafayette and a 14-county area Services: Worker's compensation injury care; drug and alcohol collection and...

Ball Memorial Hospital.(Emergency Department)
June 1, 2003... Half the patients at Ball Memorial Hospital get admitted through the Emergency Department (ED). No wonder many consider it the hospital's front door. But for scores of those hurting and in need, it represents a lifeline. More than 130...

Community Health Network.(Occupational Health and Rehabilitation services)
June 1, 2003... Community Health Network is an experienced provider of Occupational Health and Rehabilitation services. During the summer of 2003 our Occupational Health and Rehabilitation Program is celebrating 20 years of providing on-the-job health and...

Deaconess LifeQuest.(comprehensive corporate wellness program)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Deaconess LifeQuest is a comprehensive corporate wellness program designed to help companies identify, manage and reduce health-risk factors among their workforce. As corporations across the country are continually challenged with the rising...

IU Medical Group at NIFS Executive Physicals Program.(National Institute for Fitness and Sport )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... IU Medical Group, a name you know and trust as a leader in medicine, has teamed up with the National Institute for Fitness and Sport (NIFS) to provide a unique medical screening program tailored to executive clientele. Your corporate leaders...

Indiana Well-Workplace Guide: Wellness Consultants. (B-W).(Directory)
June 1, 2003... Bedford Regional Medical Center 2900 W. 16th St. Bedford, 47421 812/275-1390 www.brmchealthcare.com Geographic Area Served: Bedford area, Southern Indiana Services: Wellness programs include health fairs for the...

Corporate Health Solutions.(occupational health and wellness services)
June 1, 2003... Keeping employees healthy, productive and on the job is among the many challenges facing business owners and managers. Corporate Health Solutions offers a full range of occupational-health and wellness services to help you operate "business as...

Reid Hospital & Health Care Services.(not-for-profit regional referral medical center)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Reid Hospital & Health Care Services is a progressive, not-for-profit 238-bed regional referral medical center serving east-central Indiana and west-central Ohio. Reid's service area is home to about 280,000 people and includes five Indiana...

Occupational Health Services at Saint Margaret Mercy.(full range of health care services)
June 1, 2003... Research shows that well over half of Americans are not regularly active, and nearly 25 percent are not active at all. These figures translate into the workplace as well, which suggests that our workforce is becoming less efficient, less...

Indiana Well-Workplace Guide: Health Plans. (A-W).(Directory)
June 1, 2003... Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield 220 Virginia Ave. Indianapolis, 46204 317/488-6000 120 Monument Circle Indianapolis, 46204 anthem.com Geographic Area Served: Indiana Services: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue...

Delta Dental Plan of Indiana.(employee health care costs)
June 1, 2003... Employers may be down in the mouth about the increasing cost of workers' comp and employee health care, but paying attention to dental health can make a world of difference. Employers can team up with employees, dentists and physicians to...

Indiana Well-Workplace Guide: Health/Fitness Centers. (C-W).(Directory)
June 1, 2003... Clark Memorial Hospital Wellness Center 1220 Missouri Ave. Jeffersonville, 47130 812/283-2208 www.clarkmemorial.org Geographic Area Served: Clark, Floyd and Jefferson counties Services: The Wellness Center at Clark...

Encore Health Network.(preferred provider organization in Indiana)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Relax. Encore keeps everybody happy. Employees want access to quality hospitals, doctors they know and trust, as well as a variety of health-care options. Meanwhile, management wants flexible plans that won't kill the bottom line. Encore...

Tobias Insurance Group.(employees contribution for health insurance)
June 1, 2003... A CEO's briefing on discussing employees' contribution for health insurance: * You evaluated your Health insurance Plan Design focusing on provider discounts, preferred provider organizations for managed care, point-of-service coordination...

Molloy Companies Total Health Source.(health management companies)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... While most health-management companies typically focus on just one segment of your employee population, there are a significant number of other health matters that go un-addressed and continue to escalate your claims costs. What if you could...

Spectrum Health Systems.(Americans spend $1.4 tn on health care)
June 1, 2003... In 2001, Americans spent $1.4 trillion on health care, more than $5,000 for every man, woman and child. This represents 14.1 percent of our gross domestic product and is expected to reach $1.7 trillion this year. 2002 statistics show that...