The Business Journal Serving Metropolitan Kansas City articles from August 2001

The Business Journal Serving Metropolitan Kansas City archives from August 2001

The big rollout.(Franchise Systems Inc. sponsors w/ Nascar)(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... Any way you slice it, Mr. Goodcents sees race sponsorship as a winner Mr. Goodcents is counting on a NASCAR sponsorship to put its expansion plans on the fast track. Mr. Goodcents Franchise Systems Inc. signed a three-year deal to be...

Block buys Lenexa parcel, ends tiff with Highwoods.(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... Deal will expand Pine Ridge space Ken Block considers himself more a lover than a fighter. So the developer couldn't be happier about his group's impending purchase of ground he long has coveted in Lenexa next to the group's Pine...

Courtney case raises scrutiny of controls on pharmacists.(He may have diluted other drugs)(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... As the scope of the inquiry into Robert R. Courtney's Research Medical Tower Pharmacy broadens, so do concerns about controls on pharmacies. Investigators are looking into whether Courtney may have tampered with more than just chemotherapy...

Lions, tigers and young lawyers find friends and family at the zoo.(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... The Young Lawyers Section of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association is sponsoring its annual Big Brothers Big Sisters Day at the Zoo. The event, scheduled for Sept. 8 at the City Zoo, is as much for the adults as for the children....

'Still magic to me'.(Howard Design Inc.water color designs)(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... Vicky Howard Owner, Howard Design Inc. It was a typical third-grade art assignment: Draw your house. Most students in Mrs. Lord's class turned in lopsided shacks scrawled in red or blue crayon. Then there was Vicky Sanford's...

Home builders say fees put house prices through roof.(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... The first house Paul Robben built 11 years ago in Overland Park sold for $130,000. Today, Robben said, an identical house in the same location would list for $230,000. This increase is more than double the rate of inflation, he said. ...

Denver company is interested in parts of KCK pharmaceutical firm.(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... A Denver-based company is looking to acquire some of the assets of York Pharmaceuticals Inc. in Kansas City, Kan. York CEO Kent Misemer declined to comment specifically on York's plans but said company officials are negotiating with a...

Financial software firm bullish on move of product to the Web.(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... A Kansas City-based financial software company is looking to increase its returns by diversifying via the Web. Overlap produces software to help investors diversify their mutual fund portfolios by comparing the stock holdings of the...

Investors bank on one more lender on 135th.(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... Southern Johnson County's siren song is beckoning another new bank. Bill Elwood, most recently CEO of Peoples Bank in Overland Park, leads a group that plans to open Town & Country Bank by Dec. 15 in Leawood at 135th Street and Roe...

National developer plans to add 30 units to urban housing mix.(Greystar Real Estate Partners)(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... A big national apartment developer wants to build a 30-unit town house complex on vacant ground northeast of 46th and Madison streets, just north of the Country Club Plaza. The project adds froth to a market that Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes...

Engineering firm sees future in Crossroads.(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... Lankford & Associates Consulting Engineers, expects to move in late September into, a century-old building. it's refurbishing on Walnut Street south of 17th Street. The Crossroads District address will give the company a showcase as well as a...

Policies help reduce discrimination suit costs.(employment practices liability insurance)(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... Employers hit with employment discrimination lawsuits have another weapon to add to their arsenal. Increases in the frequency and severity of suits have led employers to turn to employment practices liability insurance. "You can he...

Payless Cashways prepares for liquidation.(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... After two months of reorganization efforts, Payless Cashways Inc. now is working to determine how and when to liquidate. Payless spokeswoman Marla Holbert said this week that the Lee's Summit-based company would liquidate under Chapter 11...

Empire Candle stokes growth, looks to expand plant, acquire.(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... Empire Candle, a Fairfax manufacturer that came close to being extinguished, plans to add to its plant and possibly acquire a company. President Drummond Crews said the company is looking to invest in equipment in the next six to 12...

Real estate brokers bundle up against persistent market chill.(Kansas City, Missouri's commercial real estate market)(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... The cooling economy has chilled Kansas City's commercial real estate market, though local brokerage company executives said the area economy's diversity has insulated them from the deep freeze blasting once-sizzling spots like the Silicon...

Wireless firms work to be grim reaper for dead spots.(CTC Inc)(Sprint Spectrum)(Cingular Wireless)(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... It is a common problem. En route to a meeting, .an executive must hammer out details on a deal using a wireless phone But instead of uninterrupted service, the signal is lost several times, and the discussion gets tabled. Another...

FishNet opens Minneapolis office.(FishNet Security)(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... Kansas City-based FishNet Security Inc. is expanding again. The network security integration and reselling company already has' begun selling in the Minneapolis area, President and CEO. Gary Fish said. Fish said he spent several...

Illuminet will acquire BellSouth unit.(Illuminet Holdings)(BellSouth International Wireless Services)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 31, 2001... Illuminet Holdings Inc. has announced an agreement to pay $25 million in cash for BellSouth. International's roaming and clearinghouse subsidiary, BellSouth International Wireless Services. Illuminet (Nasdaq: ILUM) operates a...

NovaStar Financial occupies a prime spot in a down economy.(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... Scott Hartman has done well this year by Alan Greenspan. The Federal Reserve chairman's aggressive interest rate cuts, designed to stimulate the economy, have swelled earnings at NovaStar Financial Inc., where Hartman is CEO. "It's a...

Lathrop & Gage will expand.(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... Lathrop & Gage LC's Overland Park office is moving up the Corporate Woods building ladder. The law firm Plans to expand its Overland Park office by adding 30 employees during the next five years. As part of its expansion, the firm will...

U.S. Senate race in 2002 could put Kansas voters in enviable spot.(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... If one is not a doctrinaire Democrat or Republican, but simply a good citizen, the best thing that can happen is a big political race in which both candidates are talented, dedicated and totally capable of serving well. Regardless of the...

Oz isn't using its brain in avoiding repaying debt.(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... Kansas City needs to dream big if it is to move down the path to greatness. That means having the faith to stray from the beaten path arid the courage to keep moving despite obstacles. But even dreamers need to know when to wake tip to...

Tobacco premature death would benefit us.(Unconscionable)(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... I don't believe in kicking people when they are down, unless it makes me feel better about myself. But the tobacco industry can't be down enough for me to give it a pass. If the tobacco companies relocated to a chewed wad of gum stuck to a...

Restaurants, other retailers drive River Market's change to anytime destination.(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... The happy hour sun slanting through tall windows bounces off the Old ham's blocky interior fixtures and creates a brawny array of shadows. The mesmerizing effect is reinforced by the new River Market restaurant's twilight-toned color palette....

Policies, procedures play key role in limiting corporation's legal risk.(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... A corporation is only a collection of individuals. The law structures the relationships among these individuals in a way that allocates power and responsibility. The ultimate authority within most corporations rests with the board of...

When prospecting for hires, make the company's culture the gold standard.(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... The longer I have been in business, the more I am convinced of the importance of making hiring decisions based on how you feel a candidate will fit within the culture of your organization. If there is not a good cultural fit, it will, not be...

BEST BUSINESS DECISION.(One ISP decided not to offer DSL service)(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... As an Internet service provider, one of the best growth decisions I ever made was the decision NOT to offer DSL service. With all of the DSL failures in evidence now, it is easy to see that was a smart move in hindsight. But two years...

ROLLING ALONG.(overview of conveyor industry in Kansas City, Missouri, and its relationship with Detroit car makers)(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... Diversification keeps conveyor firms moving during automakers' slowdown For the past several years, Kansas City's conveyor companies could count on business from the automotive industry. It was almost automatic. But as production...

INDUSTRY INFO.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 31, 2001... INDUSTRY INFO Here's a look at the number, median hourly wage and mean annual salary for some manufacturing jobs in the Kansas City metropolitan statistical area: EMPLOYMENT MEDIAN MEAN...

Help wanted.(brief list of Charlotte unemployment statistics)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 31, 2001... CHARLOTTE Charlotte has been hit harder by losses in manufacturing employment in the past five years than any other market in the country, according to a study by Demographics Daily, a research organization affiliated with The Business...

Alive and well.(Manufacturing industries looking to hire students that might have otherwise gone to internet companies)(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... ALBANY Now that dot-com companies are dying, traditional manufacturing companies are stepping up their marketing efforts. Media attention has been so focused on the glitz of tech companies that some manufacturing company executives...

Go with what you know.(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... MILWAUKEE Wisconsin policymakers and manufacturing executives might want to take a cue from the past while seeking to enhance the competitiveness of the state's manufacturing industry. The state long has been a home for paper and...

New headquarters build image as well as improve work space.(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... When Kansas City Southern Industries Inc. set out to design a new corporate headquarters, company officials turned to 'the experts - their own employees - for suggestions. Everyone had a say with providing their ideas," said Doug Banks,...

Safety concerns delay open access to Mexican trucks.(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... The debate about the safety of Mexican trucks traveling on U.S. highways has been slowed by numerous roadblocks. Although politicians continue to haggle about the issue, one thing is clear: Kansas City companies will be affected by the...

Small manufacturers less likely to go all-out with their Web sites.(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... Many factors will shape the future of business in America. In the realm of manufacturing, one of the biggest indicators of success will be how the industry finds ways to use the Internet to streamline transactions and processes. When...

TOP 25 AREA COMPUTER NETWORKING COMPANIES.(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
August 31, 2001... TOP 25 AREA COMPUTER NETWORKING COMPANIES (ranked by number of certified network engineers) Number of Group Name certified Total 2001 Address ...

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE.(personnel changes)(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... ARCHITECTURE HNTB Architects Engineers Planners has hired Kevin Kuzma as communications coordinator for the corporate communications department. He writes for the firm's corporate publications and internal and external Web sites. Kevin...

CORRECTION.(voters of hotel and motel tax)(Correction Notice)
August 31, 2001... A story in the Aug. 24-30 edition of The Business Journal incorrectly identified which voters approved an increase in the hotel and motel tax. Voters in Kansas City, Mo., approved the increase.

BY THE NUMBERS.(Missouri's unemployment rate)(Brief Article)
August 31, 2001... BY THE NUMBERS Missouri's unemployment rate remained at 4.3 percent during July. About 128,300 Missourians were estimated to have been jobless. The unemployment numbers for July: Clay County 2.8% Jackson County 4.3% Platte...

Jury slaps $16.6M verdict on OP company.(Sunflower Group)(Overland Park, Kansas)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... The Sunflower Group plans to fight a $16.6 million verdict awarded to a competitor by a federal jury in Michigan. Valassis Communications Inc., based in Livonia, sued its Overland Park-based competitor in 1999. Sunflower-is an in-store,...

Calculating costs in Courtney case may prove elusive.(Robert R. Courtney)(diluted chemotherapy drugs)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... However much pharmacist Robert R. Courtney may have profited by allegedly. selling diluted chemotherapy drugs, cleaning up the resulting mess undoubtedly will cost far more. Cancer patients may have paid the largest and most unfathomable...

Illuminet quietly provides needed telecom services.(Illuminet Holdings)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... Illuminet Holdings Inc. makes money because people need its services -- even if consumers don't know it. In an industry that has seen significant changes, Illuminet has prospered. In fact, in the telecommunications industry, the services...

Marketing manager still winded after daylong trip to Chicago.(Jill Raines)(Southwest Airlines)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... Jill Raines, Kansas City marketing manager for Southwest Airlines, was a little tired Wednesday. But that's to be expected. It's tough to keep up with 30 middle school children for an entire day. Especially in the Windy City. "I had...

Playing through.(Web site profiles Kansas City's golf courses)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... After a year of brainstorming and long afternoons of golf "research," three Kansas City men launched KCmetrogolf.com on Aug. 15. The Web site profiles each of Kansas City's 39 public golf courses and 11 driving ranges. The interactive...

Doing it for the children.(Microsoft)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... Who says Microsoft is a big bully? (Besides, obviously, the federal government.) Certainly not the people at Children International, a Kansas City-based organization that provides help for poor children throughout the world. This...

New name, new flame.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... For those old-timers still adjusting to the Camp Fire organization's inclusion of boys in 1975, there has been another change. Camp Fire Boys and Girls this week announced that it is changing its name to Camp Fire USA. The new handle is...

Riverside project will include levee, master developer.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... Riverside officials are considering four bids to serve as master developer of a 500-acre site to be protected by a long-awaited levee. The project could spawn one of the area's largest developments arid raise the flood-prone city's fortunes...

'John does this because he loves it'.(John Linden)
August 24, 2001... John Linden * Chairman, Planet Alumni STEPHEN ROTH When Planet Alumni Chairman John Linden recently spent part of his vacation in the San Francisco Bay Area, he marveled at how much the place had changed since his last visit at the...

TMC's fiscal health rebounds this year, should break even.(Truman Medical Centers, 2001)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 24, 2001... Truman Medical Centers should reach the break-even point by the end of this fiscal year, hospital officials said. This marks a significant milestone in Truman's fiscal health, which has been stressed to the limit in recent years by a...

Marketing.comm lays off eight as its work force cuts continue.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... Overland Park advertising firm Marketing.comm Inc. this month laid off eight- employees, including its human resources director. The area's sixth-largest ad agency has cut a fifth of its work force this year through layoffs and attrition...

Tea time for the Roasterie means added choices.(iced tea)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... The Roasterie Inc. has expanded its product line by another beverage: iced tea. The coffee company last week began packaging its brand of iced tea, which now is served at more than 250 local restaurants. Iced tea accounts for 8 percent...

Developer plans to start on five-story building in OP in the fall.(Jack Waters, Overland Park, KS, 2001)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 24, 2001... Johnson County developer Jack Waters expects to start construction in the fall on a five-story office building at 107th Street and Nall Avenue in Overland Park. The 120,000-square-foot structure would be the metro area's largest office...

Valencia Place gets another tenant in financial services.(Financial Counselors Inc., Kansas City, MO)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... Financial Counselors Inc. will move late this year to Valencia Place, becoming the latest financial services provider to locate in the newest office building on the Plaza. Terms of the company's lease were not disclosed. Valencia Place,...

Plea bargains like McCarthy's often involve delicate trade-offs.(Lynn McCarthy, J.C. Nichols Co.)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... Former J.C. Nichols Co. Chairman Lynn McCarthy recently pleaded guilty to conspiring to. defraud Nichols of more than $150 million in several transactions conducted between 1986 and 1995. In exchange for his guilty plea, McCarthy will be...

Hallmark site aims to boost memories online.(Hallmark Stories)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... Hallmark Cards Inc. has launched Hallmark Stories, an online service that allows customers to create custom-made keepsakes. At hallmarkstories.com, users can choose one of several product layouts, then write captions and upload photos....

Leeds plant, former manager plead not guilty in asbestos case.(Leeds Industrial Park Inc., Clinton Barr)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... The corporate owner of a Kansas City auto assembly plant and one of its former employees pleaded not guilty to charges they violated the federal Clean Air Act. Leeds Industrial Park Inc., corporate owner of the General Motors plant, and...

SciTech merger deal boosts market share.(SciTech Plastics Group merges with Brookfield Group)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... SciTech Plastics Group has injected itself with a double-shot of growth. The Kansas City-based firm doubled its size by merging with Brookfield Group of West Brookfield, Mass., Aug. 16. Both companies are involved in injection-molding...

Small business owners are wary, but not panicky, survey reports.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... DAVID MILDENBERG Small business owners are increasingly wary of the slowing economy, but they aren't hitting the panic button, a new quarterly Small Business Insight survey shows. The July survey reports a slight increase in the...

Companies bank on satellite radio being the latest wave.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... Radio will get a high-tech and subscription-based makeover in the fall. Satellite radio, which offers digitally crisp sound and cross-country reach, will have its debut after billions of dollars in investment by the companies with the...

UtiliCorp will link Raytown schools.(UtiliCorp Communications Services, Missouri)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 24, 2001... UtiliCorp Communications Services, a subsidiary of UtiliCorp United Inc., will build a $2.2 million fiber-optic network that will connect 14 schools and the administration offices of Raytown Schools. The 23-mile, point-to-point network...

MachineryLink forms partnership.(Soygrowers.com,)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... Internet auction site MachineryLink has formed a partnership with Soygrowers.com, a service of the American Soybean Association. The partnership gives MachineryLink (www.machinerylink.com) greater access to farmers who use the Internet to...

DSI releases sales order software.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... Overland Park-based DSI has released SalesLINK, a mobile sales order-management software system. SalesLINK simplifies the order process by offering an advanced technology solution running on a hand-held computer. The product allows...

Teach our children the power of saving, investing, profit motive.(economics education in schools)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... As a new school year dawns, we in the business community should concentrate on getting more economic education into our schools. The knowledge of biology is important, but I firmly believe that it is just as important for a young man or woman...

No wing and a prayer.(a Kanas City stadium or arena)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... There is perhaps no better justification for a downtown stadium or arena than the throngs who came to see the air show this past weekend. Kansas City's political, civic and business leaders should take note. And please spare us the...

MY mother: A head held high, a hand up.(Brief Article)(Column)
August 24, 2001... My mother, almost 58 quit her job last week to go to school full time. She will graduate as an honor student in December from Washburn University with a degree in elementary education. It's been quite a ride for her. When my parents...

PUTTING UP FRONTS.(LaGarde Inc. - information on products)
August 24, 2001... LaGarde Inc.'s software helps businesses easily improve their Internet storefronts Bob LaGarde wants his company's software to be to the e-commerce revolution what Maurice Greene is to speed. Since founding LaGarde Inc. in 1996, CEO...

Maximize results, minimize pitfalls of your strategic planning investment.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... During the past 20 years, many excellent companies have recognized the value of strategic planning. In recent years, planning processes have changed to accommodate a faster, more volatile business climate and to better integrate the needs of...

CONVENTION CENTER OF ATTENTION.(Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Kansas City)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 24, 2001... Top 25 gatherings contribute $147 million to the KC economy each year Nearly 18,000 members of the Assemblies of God were in Kansas City recently. They were a blessing for local businesses because they pumped significant money into the...

UP, UP AND AWAY.(Kansas City International Airport, daily airline services, Aug. 2001)(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
August 24, 2001... UP, UP AND AWAY August 2001 Daily domestic departures from Kansas City International Airport Daily Daily Departures Seats Southwest Airlines ...

WEB WORKS.(hospitality web sites, Kansas City, MO)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... Useful Web sites on hospitality: * Wacky hospitality sites www.unlv.edu/Tourism/wacky.html * Missouri Department of Tourism www.visitmo.com * Kansas Department of Commerce & Housing. www.kansascommerce.com *...

Sign here.
August 24, 2001... The Overland Park Convention Center has a tenant for its 2004 opening. The League of Kansas Municipalities signed on to have its 96th annual conference at the center Oct. 9-12, 2004. About 1,400 people will attend the conference and have...

Bells and whistles.(Convention exhibitors go high-tech)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... Convention exhibitors have gone high-tech. Gone are row upon row of boxy plywood exhibits, decorated with grainy photos and lit with conventional lighting Exhibits now have pizazz. Technology has had a radical effect on exhibit design,...

You cancel, you pay.(convention or group meeting contracts )(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... Groups that break convention or group meeting contracts face serious monetary consequences. In an industry that depends on long-range planning, it's a big issue. Breaking contracts doesn't happen often because significant cancellation...

TOP AREA PASSENGER AIRLINES.(Kansas City, MO)(Brief Article)(Directory)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
August 24, 2001... TOP AREA PASSENGER AIRLINES Bob Cole (ranked by number of 2000passenger enplanements) Company name Number of 2000 Local Address passanger Rank Phone/Fax ...

Knowing golf etiquette may be the key to acing the contract.(golf professionals and business golfers )(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... Slicing one into the trees won't lose a big contract, but curling your driver around the golf cart might. There are rules -- written and unwritten -- for golf, and knowing them can make or break a business deal. According to some...

Concierges go the extra mile to make visitors' stays memorable.(Kansas City, MO hotels)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2001... Robyn Carter said she thought she knew where to find just about anything her guests needed in Kansas City. Then she was asked where to buy 19th-century jewelry. She was stumped -- but only momentarily. "It took me 25 or 30 minutes of...

TOP 25 AREA INDEPENDENT INSURANCEAGENCIES.(Kansas City, MO)(Directory)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
August 24, 2001... TOP 25 AREA INDEPENDENT INSURANCEAGENCIES Bob Cole (ranked by 2000 life/employee benefits premium volume) 2000 Life/ 2000 employee Property ...

TOP 25 AREA INDEPENDENT INSURANCE.(Kansas City, MO)(Directory)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
August 24, 2001... TOP 25 AREA INDEPENDENT INSURANCE AGENCIES Bob Cole (ranked by 2000 property/casualty premium volume) 2000 Property Company Name...

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE.(includes information on various executive appointments)
August 24, 2001... ADVERTISING Shawn Hollon has been promoted to accounting manager at GlynnDevins Advertising and Marketing Services. He oversees client billing and accounts payable and has been with GlynnDevins for more than two years. Mark King has...

KANSAS CITY BUSINESS ETHICS AWARDS.
August 24, 2001... "When In Doubt, Always Do The Right Thing" FirstGuard: Kansas City's Business Ethics Small Company Winner How would a new start-up health maintenance organization distinguish itself from established competition? That was a critical...

eScout finds ally, $7 million in Canadian bank.(eScout signs licensing agreement with Bank of Montreal)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 17, 2001... eScout has reached a deal with Bank of Montreal that will expand the company's electronic business-to-business marketplace into Canada and give the Lee's Summit company a financial boost. eScout CEO Sandy Kemper said the multiyear deal...

Townley begins conversion to tenant move-in.(new apartment building in Kansas City, Missouri)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 17, 2001... It's, not every apartment building that can attract a U.S. senator to its open house. But this notice is just the latest boost for the Townley Lofts in the River Market. The renovated warehouse at 200 Main St. commanded attention long before...

MAST sounds alarm about Medicare rates.(Metropolitan Ambulance Services Trust)(Statistical Data Included)
August 17, 2001... Metropolitan Ambulance Services Trust is facing a fiscal emergency as a result of impending reductions in Medicare reimbursements. MAST officials said that without increased financing from local and state governments; the organization could...

KC couple find (and hire) Elvis to renew vows, get on cable TV.(Interconnect Devices Inc. President and CEO Ed Schifman)(Brief Article)
August 17, 2001... Interconnect Devices Inc. President and CEO Ed Schifman isn't an Elvis fan. Nor does he like to gamble. But that didn't stop Schifman and his wife, Vicki, from taking an entourage of more than 30 friends to Las Vegas this month to watch...