Business Courier Serving Cincinnati - Northern Kentucky articles from December 1999

Business Courier Serving Cincinnati - Northern Kentucky archives from December 1999

Doctors plan Butler campus.
December 3, 1999... UC Physicians plotting major medical facility UC Physicians, the city's largest medical practice with more than 400 doctors, plans a major push into fast-growing Butler County. The group wants to construct a medical campus that could...

Shooting STARS.(Mount Lookout observatory)
December 3, 1999... THE OBSERVATORY IN MOUNT Lookout is being revitalized and attendance is skyrocketing. Talk about a neighborhood with a vision. The nation's first professional observatory has a new lease on life thanks to a handful of Mount Lookout...

Peace Bell rings up sales of miniatures.
December 3, 1999... Who knew? The Millennium World Peace Bell would be Cincinnati's runaway retail hit this holiday season, if only Jennifer Frutkin had 100,000 more to sell. "There are a lot of bell fans that I never knew about," said Frutkin, executive...

Indicators show slower growth in economy.
December 3, 1999... Orders, wage hikes ease, but future looks bright The hard-charging Cincinnati economy is finally taking a breather. A recent survey of the National Association of Purchasing Management-Cincinnati shows the Tri-State economy...

Tisdel consolidating at $5 million Mason facility.
December 3, 1999... Company distributes high-end appliances A Sycamore Township distributor of upscale kitchen appliances is expanding and consolidating with a new $5 million Mason facility at one of the hottest spots in the city: Central Parke of Mason. ...

CORRECTION.
December 3, 1999... An incorrect photo of Stephen King, a partner at Thompson, Hine & Flory, accompanied a Focus on Real Estate column written by King in the Nov. 26 issue. The correct photo of King appears here.

Health Alliance still intact.
December 3, 1999... Members commit to two years for recovery The Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati has won unanimous approval of its member hospitals to stay together for at least two more years while it carries out a financial recovery plan. The $1...

Tech firm plans to grow sales to $100M.
December 3, 1999... CLIENT SERVER ASSOCIATES WANTS to build a national presence as a tech services provider, with hopes to greatly increase annual revenue. Armed with a new business plan, John Bostick aims to expand his downtown technology services company...

Eminent domain case may cost city $4.3M more.
December 3, 1999... Jury raises appraised value sixfold on Third Street site The city of Cincinnati might be getting an unexpected, bill of an additional $4.3 million for the Fort Washington Way project. Former Third Street property owners Cheryl and...

Andersen partner takes regional post.
December 3, 1999... Local Arthur Andersen LLP audit partner Ray van der Horst has been promoted to a regional post with the Big Five firm that covers Ohio, Michigan and parts of Kentucky and Pennsylvania. "Ray has done a tremendous job growing our Cincinnati audit...

Internet firm gets $6M in capital.
December 3, 1999... PlanetFeedback, an Over-the-Rhine Internet startup company, has received $6 million in venture capital financing from a group that includes Cincinnati's Blue Chip Venture Co. PlanetFeedback, founded and led by Pete Blackshaw, aims to develop...

Kroger to buy eight Ind. stores.
December 3, 1999... Cincinnati-based supermarket giant Kroger Co. announced it will buy eight Pay Less grocery stores in Indiana for an undisclosed amount, giving it 102 Indiana stores. The eight supermarkets will continue to operate under the Pay Less name.

Analyst rates Fifth Third 'buy'.
December 3, 1999... Lehman Brothers analyst Michael Plodwick has reiterated his "buy" rating for Fifth Third Bancorp stock. "We expect the stellar earnings performance to continue," Plodwick wrote in a recent research report. He expects Cincinnati's largest bank...

Springboro firm sees pay dirt in coal dust.
December 3, 1999... Cinergy considers ACAD's fuel supplement A Springboro entrepreneur is hoping to turn dust into a $100 million company in five years. Gary Riddell created a product -- using primarily coal dust and paper sludge -- that serves as a...

UK Wildcats' home may see renovation.
December 3, 1999... Convention center also part of $45M initiative The University of Kentucky's storied basketball program is hoping for a revamped home as part of a $45 million Lexington initiative that includes improvements to the city's convention center...

Ohio Casualty has tough time digesting purchase.(Statistical Data Included)
December 3, 1999... Investors in Ohio Casualty Corp. haven't had much to cheer about this year (see chart). But those looking for clear signs of improvement might want to check back at a later date. The recent departure of COO Tom Hayes, who joined the firm...

Small business owners 'blowing off' Y2K threat.
December 3, 1999... Up to 1.5 million small business owners won't take any steps to address the Year 2000 computer problem before Jan. 1, according to the National Federation of Independent Business. The new estimate is based on an October Gallup Organization...

Entrepreneurs don't get credit for growth, says poll.(Brief Article)
December 3, 1999... Nearly half of all Americans have the wrong idea about who is responsible for the nation's economic growth, reports the National Commission on Entrepreneurship. A poll commissioned by the new organization found that 45 percent of the...

Bill lets women's centers apply for more funding.
December 3, 1999... President Clinton is expected to sign legislation that will allow existing Women's Business Centers to apply for additional funding from the Small Business Administration once their original five-year grants end. The House passed the...

Is Ohio ready for e-commerce? Find out in 2000.
December 3, 1999... The Cincinnati region of the statewide technology task force E-Com Ohio will meet Dec. 10 and release the first set of findings from the group's electronic commerce study. "This project is interesting in that it is moving to completion...

Web developer designs site for Hillshire Farm.
December 3, 1999... Downtown Web developer SharkBytes Inc. has designed a new Web site for Hillshire Farm & Kahn's. The site pairs consumer-focused services, such as an online recipe book, with product information and e-business capabilities. The site is...

Online retail sales should boom, chamber study says.
December 3, 1999... Online retail sales will grow by 500 percent or more over the next two years, according to policy makers and executives surveyed by the United States Chamber of Commerce and the consulting firm KPMG LLP (see chart). The group polled 150...

County approves garage funds.
December 3, 1999... The Hamilton County Commissioners have approved funding for the design of a 720-car parking garage to be built south of Second Street, which will be created as part of the Fort Washington Way project. The garage will be between Vine and...

N. Ky. builder unveils center.
December 3, 1999... BBL-Maescher, a commercial contractor based in Covington, recently unveiled a new $5.5 million art and science center at Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati. The 58,000-square-foot facility consists of 19 classrooms, four labs, an...

Ohio consumer confidence falls.
December 3, 1999... Ohio consumer confidence fell in October, according to the latest Ohio Poll. The percentage of Ohioans who say now is a good time to make a major household purchase was 13 percent lower than was found in two Ohio Polls conducted earlier this...

Grand jury indicts HQ stores.
December 3, 1999... A Hamilton County grand jury returned an 11-count criminal indictment against three local Home Quarters stores, charging the home improvement company with misrepresentation of prices, a second-degree misdemeanor.

N.Ky. real estate volume up.
December 3, 1999... The number of residential housing sales dropped slightly this October in Northern Kentucky to 347 compared with 360 in October 1998. However, volume rose from $42.8 million to $44.7 million. The year-to-date average price has gained ground,...

Bengals fans forfeit seat licenses.
December 3, 1999... About 1,000 Bengals fans have abandoned $482,560 they paid toward seat licenses to buy season tickets. The money won't be refunded, but will help pay for the new $407 million stadium rising on the riverfront. The money represents only 1.8...

Bank site notes landmark user.
December 3, 1999... Fifth Third Bank's Web site, www.53.com, has recorded its 115,000th customer. The site allows customers to pay bills, transfer funds and view bank statements. The site gains 300 new customers every day.

Harris Corp. makes acquisition.
December 3, 1999... Harris Corp., based in Mason, acquired Audio Broadcast Group Inc. for an undisclosed price. ABG, in Grand Rapids, Mich., is a privately held supplier of products and systems to the U.S. broadcast and recording markets.

Clear Innovation.
December 3, 1999... Ted Clear has spent 25 years developing a finished panel that could revolutionize home building. When Ted Clear founded his company 25 years ago, he christened it Fin-Pan Inc. His goal: to create a finished panel for building homes...

Client Server Associates plans to reinvent itself.
December 3, 1999... Tech firm to change name, logo, products Client Server Associates Inc. will kick off the new year as virtually a new company. The downtown-based technology business is redefining itself, with plans to change its name, logo, client...

Focus on results, not just getting the work done.
December 3, 1999... Leave administrative tasks to someone else You have to stop frying to get more done. I know, you think that I work as a success coach so I can help you be more productive. And you probably think that means teaching you how you cram...

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE.
December 3, 1999... ACCOUNTING Linnea Mays has joined PricewaterhouseCoopers as manager of the personal financial services group. Burkhardt & Co. has promoted Kim Lorenzo and Connie Nutter to senior healthcare accountants. ADVERTISING/MARKETING ...

COURIER RATE BAROMETER.
December 3, 1999... COURIER RATE BAROMETER Latest Year ago Two Three week week wks.ago wks.ago AVERAGE INTEREST RATES 30-yr. mortgage ...

Flischel leaving Countrywide post as manager of two funds.
December 3, 1999... Cintas unwelcome target of recent Forbes article One of the city's high-profile mutual fund managers is leaving Countrywide Investments. Susan Flischel, who manages two of Countrywide's equity funds as well as serving as the firm's chief...

Tech stocks still strong; surplus helps Treasuries.
December 3, 1999... Although the Federal Reserve was careful to say that its intention in raising interest rates was to cool the economy, not the stock market, it surely was the hope of Alan Greenspan that the action would put some fear in investors' hearts. ...

INSIDER TRADING RECAP.
December 3, 1999... INSIDER TRADING RECAP (Number of insider transactions in past six months) Company Buy Option Sell Am Annuity 1 4 4 Am. Financial 4 4 4 AK Steel 5 3 16...

MONEY MARKETS.
December 3, 1999... MONEY MARKETS Fund 7-day average yield Countrywide institutional Government 5.23 Countrywide Ohio Tax-Free Money 2.98 Countrywide Money Market Fund...

S&L STOCKS.
December 3, 1999... S&L STOCKS Month 52- 52- Indicated Ticker Close ago net week week dividend Name symbol 11/29/99 Chg. high low $...

EARNINGS.
December 3, 1999... EARNINGS (Dollars in millions except per share data; revenues for financial institutions are net interest income plus other income) Current Yr. % Yr. Yr. %...

INSIDER TRADING.
December 3, 1999... INSIDER TRADING (Shares indicate common shares except as noted) Company/Officer Transaction Amount Price Convergys Corp. Robert Komin, Exercised 11,125 ...

DIVIDENDS.
December 3, 1999... DIVIDENDS Increase Company Amount Period (from) Payable American Annuity Group Inc. 10 cents quarterly No ...

STOCK STATS.
December 3, 1999... STOCK STATS Exchange/ Year- Week- 52- 52- Ticker Close to-date ago net P/E week week Name of security symbol...

MORNINGSTAR MUTUAL FUNDS.
December 3, 1999... MORNINGSTAR MUTUAL FUNDS TOP 20 GREATER CINCINNATI FUNDS Fund Star Net asset Yr.to-date 3-Yr. Rank Fund name category rating value ...

PNC moves to boost visibility via ATMs, Internet.
December 3, 1999... Bank targeting growth areas PNC Bank Corp. continues to stake its claim to part of the hotly contested Cincinnati banking landscape. In August, the Pittsburgh-based bank that bought Central Trust Co. more than a decade ago submitted...

THE NUMBERS.
December 3, 1999... THE NUMBERS VITAL STATISTICS (Dollars in millions except per share data and ratio figures) Net Earnings Book value Return on Return on Year ...

Union Centre attracts high-tech companies.
December 3, 1999... Web site, ad campaign to get the word out Completion of the Union Centre Boulevard/I-75 interchange in December of 1997 catapulted Union Township to the fore-front of Tri-State economic development. More than 7 million square feet have...

Butler County ranks high in national study.
December 3, 1999... Butler employment rivals national rate There's been an explosion in Butler County recently -- but no one's gotten hurt. The Hamilton-Middletown area has experienced one of the fastest job growth rates in the country, with an increase...

Responsible growth is key to Butler's success.
December 3, 1999... Cincinnati-Dayton metroplex on the horizon Butler County is experiencing private-investment and population growth in record numbers, arguably compared to Arlington, Texas, during its earlier years when that community began the explosive...

Process Plus expansion may head to Circuit City.
December 3, 1999... A fast-growing engineering firm in Forest Park may be able to resolve its expansion issues by converting a nearby Circuit City building into a new office headquarters, creating a bunch of new jobs in the process while staying in the city where...

Top bank execs dispose of East Side domiciles.
December 3, 1999... Two former top executives in the local banking industry, President and Chief Executive Officer Jerry Grundhofer with Firstar and Senior Vice President and Treasurer Jerry Grace with Provident Financial Group Inc., recently dumped their digs in...

Triad Mortgage closes $6.1M loan for Allstate.
December 3, 1999... Triad Mortgage & Realty Funding Corp., owned and operated by local commercial real estate industry veteran Susan Branscome, has been named the exclusive mortgage banking correspondent in the TriState and Dayton markets for Allstate Insurance...

DEAL OF THE WEEK.
December 3, 1999... DEAL OF THE WEEK examines a recent noteworthy lease or sale of local commercial property and/or a residential sale; the transaction must exceed $1 million THIS WEEK'S DEAL: Colliers' Rytel, Gilligan at GB Richard Ellis close $1.6M Toyota...

In e-business, users need to find a perfect fit.
December 3, 1999... If you are like me, you have a stack of remote controls in your family room. The television, cable box' VCR and CD player all seem to require their own special "clicker." Sometimes, what should be a simple operation, say recording a TV...

WHO'S WATCHING YOUR WEB SITE?
December 3, 1999... A Cincinnati company is on the lookout for Internet graffiti Spend a reasonable amount of time surfing the World Wide Web and something will get under your skin, guaranteed. An essay written by a fool. A slow-to-load page. Indecipherable...

Synchrony adds to eRM program.
December 3, 1999... Synchrony Communications Inc. recently added nine companies to its eRM Partners Program. The program is designed to bring together companies specializing in electronic business technology so the vendors can present customers with a...

Internet services report growth.
December 3, 1999... Both Road Runner and ZoomTown, the two primary residential, high-speed Internet access services competing in Greater Cincinnati, are reporting rapid subscriber growth. Time Warner Cable is signing up 100 new Road Runner customers a day,...

Blue Chip invests in iMPath.
December 3, 1999... Blue Chip Venture Company Ltd. and a Boston-based venture capital company are the first U.S. institutional investors in iMPath Networks Inc., a technology company based in Ontario, Canada. Blue Chip led the $10.9 million placement for...

Photo developer adds service.
December 3, 1999... Joe's Photo Service, a downtown photo developer, recently added digital imaging capabilities. Business and retail customers can receive digitized versions of their photos on disk or CD, or may have them uploaded to the Internet at...

New book available for C++.
December 3, 1999... Two Web analysts at Marion-based Macola Software have written a guidebook for learning Visual C++ programming. Jeff and Jerry Kurtz's book, "Sams Teach Yourself Visual C++ 6 Online in Web Time," is designed to help professionals get the...

Triple-I to work with Workflow.
December 3, 1999... Triple-I Systems Inc. is working with Workflow Dynamics Inc. to develop an Internet-based business infrastructure for Southwest Financial Services Ltd. The project will help Southwest Financial Services to reduce its reconciliation process from...

ShopPro gets Syncro Vac order.
December 3, 1999... ShopPro Software, a division of Sharonville-based CDC Holdings Inc., recently received an order valued at more than $250,000 from Texas-based Syncro Vac. Syncro Vac will install ShopPro at its Elgin, Texas, headquarters and at a large...

HIRING PLANS STILL STRONG.
December 3, 1999... Technology businesses continue to report work force growth. Only 6 percent of the 376 technology executives surveyed said they reduced their staffs and additions average 6.5 percent. Most companies in the survey also reported major capital...

Computer networking deserves new definition.
December 3, 1999... Next generation of networks link to the Web Computer networking once meant connecting computers just to share files, printers and perhaps a schedule. The new generation of business computer networks connects your system to copiers, fax...

Marketing firms offer e-products.(electronic business cards)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 3, 1999... Digital business card available on 'ecomCD' Our Rolodexes may not be filled with mini-CD-ROMs instead of business cards yet, but they may be soon. The next generation of electronic marketing --the digital business card -- is here. And...

Wireless agents: Choose plan based on need.
December 3, 1999... Consider travel time, hours of heavy use In recent years, cellular and wireless service has rapidly evolved from an expensive luxury to an indispensable requirement, especially in the business community. The wireless telecommunications...

Tech firms at home in Louisville's East End.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 3, 1999... Suburban business parks are new tech haven Silicon Valley, it ain't. But the clustering of more than 100 high-tech businesses in Louisville's East End is something local backers believe is the start of something they can crow about....

NightStar promises light that lasts for a century.(Applied Innovative Technologies product)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 3, 1999... Flashlight operates on magnets, not batteries For anyone who has reached for that flashlight in the emergency kit only to find dead batteries, there is now a better way. The Colorado-based Applied Innovative Technologies Inc. has...

Software sniffs out wasted productivity.(eSniff.com Inc. product)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 3, 1999... Device finds workers misusing computers As businesses scramble to provide their employees with the tools they need to compete in the new information age, the workplace is being altered in fundamental ways. But are these winds of change...

Banking technology looks to get personal.(ATMs to recognize customers)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 3, 1999... ATMs will talk and recognize customers' faces The stuff of science fiction is coming to a bank near you. Now some automatic teller machines can talk. Some check-cashing machines can recognize your face. But the hottest...

Job search Web site uses video technology.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 3, 1999... Romac debuts video interviewing system Bidding wars for employees could escalate along with salaries because of a new process that combines traditional staffing efforts and new, high-tech, high-speed resources of the Internet. A Remote...

E-Commerce issues cross national borders.
December 3, 1999... U.S. is pushing for a ban on some tariffs On the worldwide autobahn of electronic commerce, there are no borders and no speed bumps in the form of international tariffs. Many nations want to keep it that way, at least for now. ...

Beacon Electric Co.
December 3, 1999... The following were recipients of awards presented by the Ohio Valley Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors. Award of Excellence: industrial construction/electrical contractor, Beacon Electric Co.; commercial construction over 50,000...

James Ryan.
December 3, 1999... James Ryan has been awarded the American Arbitration Association's Commercial Gavel award for ongoing distinguished service and leadership to the American Arbitration Association and the alternate dispute resolution community.

Hueber Brothers Inc.(and Innerwood and Co. awarded memberships with Guild of Master Craftsmen)(Brief Article)
December 3, 1999... Hueber Brothers Inc. and Innerwood & Co. have been awarded membership in the Guild of Master Craftsmen in recognition of their high degree of customer satisfaction, high skill level base of its team members, and commitment to skill, workmanship...

Louise Hozeska.
December 3, 1999... Louise Hozeska, sales associate in the Florence office of Huff Realty, has been awarded the Accredited Buyer Representation designation by the Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council of the National Association of Realtors. Sonya Saskin-Cummins,...

Multi-Craft Litho Inc.
December 3, 1999... Multi-Craft Litho Inc. has been named winner of the 2000 William Maxwell award, presented annually by the Greater Cincinnati Printing Week Council, for its outstanding contributions to the industry and community. Southwestern Ohio Steel...

Most Expensive Hamilton County Home Sales.
December 3, 1999... Most Expensive Hamilton County Home Sales Andy Hemmer (Ranked by sales price [*]) Sale price Address/Area ...

Center for Economic Initiatives.
December 3, 1999... The Center for Economic Initiatives has been awarded an $800,000 grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development to conduct five new study tours for companies from the Kharkiv region of Ukraine.

Design Team One Inc.
December 3, 1999... Design Team One Inc. has been selected to develop campaigns to help Long John Silver's add franchisees in the United States, Singapore and Thailand.

ASK THE CEO.
December 3, 1999... ASK THE CEO is a continuing series in which we ask important-to-the-region questions of corporate leaders. THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: Are levies the best way to raise money for school funding? Buck Niehoff Hamilton Cty. Rep. Party. I...

Passengers no more than freight to U.S. airlines.
December 3, 1999... Monopolies, and to a similar extent oligarchies, tend to focus on maximizing profits without alienating too many customers. That's a benefit to being a monopoly or oligarchy. Your customers are captive and as long as they're not too unhappy,...

Telecom Act opens gates for competition.
December 3, 1999... Ever since the landmark Telecommunications Act of 1996, small business consumers have likely heard more about megamergers in the telecommunications industry than experienced what was supposed to be one of the keys goals of the act itself --...