Indianapolis Business Journal articles from December 2005

Indianapolis Business Journal archives from December 2005

Under pressure? Largest outside shareholder could be pushing Marsh to find buyer.
December 5, 2005... Marsh Supermarkets Inc.'s decision to seek a buyer might not have been made within the company's Indianapolis headquarters. It might have come from 115 miles away in Cincinnati. That's home base for the company's largest outside...

Landlords may face big holes: if groceries close, centers would suffer.(Marsh Supermarkets Inc.)
December 5, 2005... Marsh Supermarkets Inc. serves as an anchor tenant for dozens of central Indiana shopping centers. So if the company or a buyer ends up closing stores, centers across the region could be left with gaping holes. Not only can large vacant...

Legislators face election-year gamble: legalized Cherry Masters could generate $300m annually.
December 5, 2005... The lure of easy gambling money is always an enormous temptation for cash-strapped legislators. But in 2006, the stakes will be higher than ever. Bars and restaurants are organizing an attempt to legalize electronic poker machines,...

Clarian nabs UAC building: hospital network wins bid for former corporate headquarters.(Union Acceptance Corp)
December 5, 2005... Clarian Health Partners is polishing a deal to buy the former Union Acceptance Corp. headquarters on North Shadeland Avenue, a move that plants a large footprint for the burgeoning hospital network squarely in a competitor's east-side back...

Family follows Trusty path: local manufacturer uses lessons from innovative founder.(Trusty-Cook Inc. )(Company Profile)
December 5, 2005... Trusty-Cook Inc. looks like an old-school manufacturer, even though its inventions are cutting-edge. The company's 15,000-square-foot factory on 59th Street east of Fort Harrison State Park looks more like an inventor's workshop than a...

Water treaty on tap: mediated agreement calls for Carmel to pay Indy $36.2m.
December 5, 2005... Carmel and its big-city neighbor to the south have a truce in hand to end a 3-1/2-year war over what Carmel will pay to buy Indianapolis-owned water distribution lines serving 6,000 customers in the Hamilton County community. The proposed...

ATA's new flight plan: rely on military for bulk of revenue.
December 5, 2005... ATA Holdings Corp. has been so busy in recent months slashing scheduled service and reducing costs in other ways that its comparatively problem-free military-charter business has received almost no public attention. But new filings in...

Comcast is boosting cable rates for 2006: annual price hike could be ammunition for competitors.
December 5, 2005... Comcast plans to increase cable TV rates an average of 5.1 percent in its suburban Indianapolis territory next year, even as SBC Communications threatens to roll out a cable-killing video service via phone lines. Annual rate hikes by cable...

Health discount cards spark call for regulation: state insurance group leads registration push.
December 5, 2005... Some healthcare discount programs that can leave patients stranded with large medical bills have put Indiana insurers in the strange position of asking for more government regulation. The Indiana Association of Health Underwriters plans to...

High risk could mean high payoff for ad agency: Young & Laramore eschews local, regional work to take aim at national targets.
December 5, 2005... Locally based advertising agency Young & Laramore won another national account in November, and with the announcement unveiled a strategy to eschew local and regional work to shoot for the industry's biggest targets. Minnesota-based Red...

Prominent technology executive steps down: Wortman resigns from Mezzia after just one year.
December 5, 2005... Details are scant. But after only a year on the job, one of the city's best-known IT leaders is moving on. Mezzia Inc. CEO David Wortman has resigned. "It was just time for a change," Wortman said. "I was with the company for a year,...

ISO program gets high marks.(Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... An Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra program that incorporates art and music into elementary schools benefits students and teachers, according to an independent study released this month. ISO's School Partnership Program is in its sixth year....

Pass the sushi, boss; it's time to celebrate: corporate holiday events are less common, more fun.
December 5, 2005... Surveys may point to a decrease in corporate parties this holiday season, but party planners say those who attend them are likely to have more fun. The trend is shifting away from stuffy, business-focused affairs. More parties are...

We need to adopt human rights law: ordinance sends clear message that we're a tolerant community.(EDITORIAL)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... It's time for Indianapolis to send a signal to the rest of the world that we're a tolerant community that welcomes all law-abiding people. The City-County Council failed to roll out the red carpet last spring when it voted against updating...

Hoping Marsh succeeds.(Editorial)
December 5, 2005... News that Marsh Supermarkets Inc. is losing money and might be sold shouldn't surprise anyone who's followed the local grocery chain's financial performance in recent years. Over the last decade, Marsh's struggle against giant competitors...

Key Cinema steps aside for Godzilla.(Commentary)
December 5, 2005... Ron Keedy is more philosophical than bitter as he watches his business model--if not his livelihood--slip away. Keedy, the owner of Key Cinemas, is converting his 6-year-old art-film house on South Keystone Avenue into an outlet for...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
December 5, 2005... * The company that acquired Baker Hill Corp.--Costa Mesa, Calif.-based Experian--was misidentified in a story last week on page 21. Further, Baker Hill does not compete with Sigma Micro Corp. * Seattle Sutton's Healthy Eating is a purveyor...

WestClay, prepare for some competition.(EYE ON THE PIE)(Dune Country Partners)(environmental housing)
December 5, 2005... U.S. 20 is one of our lesser-known transcontinental highways. It starts at the Boston Commons, about two miles from the Green Monster of Fenway Park. The route then winds west to a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean at Newport, Ore. U.S. 20...

We have equal discrimination for all.(Commentary)
December 5, 2005... I want to introduce you to a friend of mine (Let's call him "Dave" to protect his identity.) Dave is in his mid-30s. He has a good career, makes a decent living, and volunteers in his community. One day, Dave was at work and his boss came by...

Strict drug laws feed high crime rate.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
December 5, 2005... I read the [Nov. 21 editorial] "Crime problem can kill growth." It mentions Indianapolis and the jail overcrowding, with criminals being released, violent criminals. The jail is overcrowded because we are putting nonviolent drug offenders...

Mandate-lite is not health care solution.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
December 5, 2005... Over the last several months, health care costs and their impact on small business have been at the center of discussion. One thing is certain: We must do something about the cost of health care and the number of uninsured people in our state...

Indiana higher ed is too expensive.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
December 5, 2005... Thank you for the [Nov. 14] article highlighting Purdue's progress under Martin Jischke and congratulations to Dr. Jischke on his many achievements. Purdue is a much-needed success story for Indiana. One nagging item of concern, glossed...

Intelligent design not a religious idea.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
December 5, 2005... Thank you for [Abdul Hakim-Shabazz'] column in the Nov. 7 IBJ about intelligent design. I must say, however, that I don't understand your point about teaching about designers, and it seems to me those comments show a misunderstanding of the...

Faculty move is ironic.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
December 5, 2005... Isn't it ironic that the professors at Indiana University are calling for a midterm accountability review of university president Adam Herbert when they themselves work under the tenure system? Herbert's job performance may or may not warrant...

Pacers players among NBA's highest paid.(ON THE BEAT)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... If the Indiana Pacers don't compete for the NBA championship this year, it won't be due to a lack of spending on player salaries. According to figures obtained by the Dallas Morning News, the Pacers have the league's third-highest player...

Technology eliminates trips to the bank.(BANKING)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Forget about those afternoon walks to the bank to make deposits. A new technology offered by Fifth Third Bank and J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. makes getting checks deposited as easy as scanning a photograph. The technology allows merchants to...

Attorney general aims to return unclaimed property.(GOVERNMENT)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter wants to return $100 million in unclaimed property to its rightful owners. Carter, a Republican, has begun an advertising campaign to boost the return rate of unclaimed property with a $100 million...

Project Health finds providers in a very generous mood.(HEALTH CARE)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... A network formed last year to provide better care for the poor has now doled out more than $3 million in donated services, thanks to a busy summer and help from roughly 700 doctors. Several Indianapolis hospitals also have contributed to...

New name, approaches debut for high school program.(INSURANCE)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... The Insurance Education Foundation recently unveiled a name change and some new approaches to helping high school students learn about insurance and managing risk. The Indianapolis-based organization's board approved a name change to...

Firms among nation's largest.(LAW)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... The city's three largest law firms again rank among the nation's top 250, according to the National Law Journal's 28th annual survey of the biggest practices in the country. Barnes & Thornburg LLP topped the local contingent, although it...

Leno toasts mower maker.(MANUFACTURING)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... The Indiana businessman whose down-to-earth approach helped mm Dixie Chopper into a household name was inducted into the Ernst & Young National Entrepreneur Hall of Fame in November. Arthur L. Evans, who has seen his Putnam County company...

WXIN seeks news director.(MEDIA & MARKETING)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... WXIN-TV Channel 59 is looking for a news director. Karen Rariden, who had held the post since 2001, left Nov. 23 to join WKYWTV, the CBS-owned affiliate in Philadelphia, as an executive producer. Rariden was a producer and managing editor...

DGS Marketing Engineers.(MEDIA & MARKETING)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... * Locally based DGS Marketing Engineers continues to grow in the unique field of marketing for manufacturing-related firms. In October, DGS snagged two major accounts: one with Omax Corp., a Seattle.-based manufacturer of abrasive waterjet...

Caterpillar signs deal for Mount Comfort building.(REAL ESTATE)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Locally based Precedent Development recently signed a five-year lease for Caterpillar Logistics Services Inc. to occupy a 456,000-square-foot building at its Mount Comfort Commercial Park in Hancock County. The speculative building was...

Cummins Inc.(REAL ESTATE)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Columbus, Ind.-based Cummins Inc. is in the midst of remodeling some of its 18th-floor space at OneAmerica Tower to accommodate more transient workers. The engine manufacturer is adding conference rooms and offices for executives based in...

Health startup lands grant.(Indiana Health Information Exchange and the Regenstrief Institute )(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... The Indiana Health Information Exchange and the Regenstrief Institute received a $4 million contract from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to develop a prototype nationwide health information network. The grant was part of...

High-speed rail groups seek support, funding for fast trains.(TRANSPORTATION)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... If any group needs a compelling public relations campaign to get lawmakers and the masses on board its cause, it might be high-speed-rail enthusiasts. Why board a train that stops at any number of stations when one can fly a discount...

Katz, Sapper and Miller LLP.(John R. Bruch and Jeffrey J. Warner appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Katz, Sapper and Miller LLP has named the following partners: John R. Bruch and Jeffrey J. Warner.

Crowe Chizek and Co. LLC.(appointments)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Crowe Chizek and Co. LLC has named the following: Commercial Services Group, audit staff: Kristi Schnell, Chris Knox, Yulia Bessarabenko, Victoria Spartz, Michael Daniely, Tracy Lefko, and Colin Crane; tax staff: Christian Donovici and Matthew...

Young & Laramore.(Chris Wojda, Pamela Schiff and Traci Abel appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Young & Laramore has added the following: Chris Wojda, account planner; Pamela Schiff, art director; and Traci Abel, assistant controller.

MediaSauce.(Steven Schuler appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Steven Schuler has joined MediaSauce as project manager, and Ryan Miller has joined as senior graphic designer.

Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association.(Judy Thomas, Bill Benner and Chris Gahl appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... The Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association has added the following: Judy Thomas, director, marketing; Bill Benner, associate director, communications; and Chris Gahl, media relations manager.

Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas Inc.(Duane McKinney and Kimberly Lutz appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Duane McKinney has joined Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas Inc. as lead engineer. Kimberly Lutz has been named the Midwest district quality manager.

arcDESIGN.(Mike Engledow appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Mike Engledow has been named a partner at arcDESIGN.

Fifth Third Bank, Central Indiana.(John Wheeler appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... John Wheeler has been named assistant vice president, wealth planner, at Fifth Third Bank, Central Indiana.

STAR Financial Bank.(Cindy Mellendolf appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Cindy Mellendolf has been named assistant vice president, loan support manager, at STAR Financial Bank.

Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana Inc.(Rachel L. Rawlinson appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Rachel L. Rawlinson has joined Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana Inc. as marketing business development manager.

United Way of Central Indiana.(Nancy Cira appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Nancy Cira has joined United Way of Central Indiana as a major gifts associate, resource development area.

Art With a Heart.(Michael O. Weems appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Michael O. Weems, Bingham McHale, has joined the board of directors of Art With a Heart.

Indiana Youth Institute.(Micah Maxwell appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Micah Maxwell has joined the Indiana Youth institute as the central Indiana field representative.

Suite Dreams Project.(appointments)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Joni Thompson has joined the Suite Dreams Project as executive director. New board members are Heather MacDougall, Baker & Daniels LLP; Jeffrey Frank, Deloitte & Touche; Marty Posch, IUPUI; Ann-Marie Unger, Crowe Chizek & Co. LLC; Laura...

Second Helpings.(Becky Honeywell appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... * Becky Honeywell has joined Second Helpings as development director.

Domestic Violence Network of Greater Indianapolis.(Wendy Noe appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Wendy Noe has joined the Violence Network of Greater Indianapolis as curriculum director.

Noble of Indiana.(appointments)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Noble of Indiana has added the following officers: John Durkott, Kittle's Home Furnishings, board chairman; Doreen Gridley, Ice Miller, vice chairwoman; and Bill Yoerger, One America, treasurer. New board members are Deidre Connelly, Lilly USA;...

Indiana Public Employees' Retirement Fund.(FINANCE)(appoints Andrea D. Bontrager Unzicker )(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Andrea D. Bontrager Unzicker has been named general counsel for the Indiana Public Employees' Retirement Fund.

Advantage Health Solutions Inc.(HEALTH CARE)(appoints Robert J. Balash )(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Robert J. Balash has been named vice president of sales and marketing at Advantage Health Solutions Inc.

Wishard Health Services.(HEALTH CARE)(promotes Michael Perry )(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Michael Perry has been promoted to clinical director, critical care services, at Wishard Health Services. Jim N. Hayman has joined as chief operating officer.

Indianapolis Neurosurgical Group.(Dr. Troy D. Payner appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Dr. Troy D. Payner has been named president and managing partner of the Indianapolis Neurosurgical Group.

Mid America Clinical Laboratories LLC.(Dianne Van Ness, Beverly Flaherty appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Dianne Van Ness has been named chief executive officer of Mid America Clinical Laboratories LLC. Beverly Flaherty has been promoted vice president, hospital operations.

Standard Insurance Co.(Thomas Blanchar appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Thomas Blanchar has been named product manager of 403(b) and 457 markets at Standard Insurance Co.

Hall Render Killian Heath & Lyman.(Calvin R. Chambers, Erin D. Abraham and Matthew A. Jagger appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Calvin R. Chambers, Erin D. Abraham and Matthew A. Jagger have joined Hall Render Killian Heath & Lyman as associates.

Goodin Abernathy and Miller LLP.(Adriane E. Siefert appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Adriane E. Siefert has joined Goodin Abernathy and Miller LLP as an associate.

Bose McKinney & Evans LLP.(Jason Houdek, Megan Mulford and Michael Rogers appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Jason Houdek and Megan Mulford have joined Bose McKinney & Evans LLP as associates, intellectual property group. Michael Rogers has joined as an associate, litigation group.

Ice Miller.(Mark C. Reichel appointed at Ice Miller Donadio and Ryan)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Mark C. Reichel has joined Ice Miller as an associate, intellectual property group.

Barnes & Thornburg LLP.(appointments)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Robert T. Grand has been named office-managing partner at Barnes & Thornburg LLP, Indianapolis. New management committee members are Brian L. Burdick, Jan M. Carroll, Michael R. Conner, Andrew J. Detherage, Richard J. Hall, Stephen W. Lee and...

Re/Max Preferred in Fishers.(appointments)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Tracey Kemp, Herb Reberger, Matthew Breen, Vince Shimp, Vu Ma, Robin Stark and Lauri Porten have joined Re/Max Preferred in Fishers as sales associates.

Lauth Property Group.(appointments)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Lauth Property Group has added the following to the healthcare group: George R. Goode, director, leasing; and Christopher D. Miller, leasing associate. Toro Smith has been promoted to senior director, development operations, healthcare group....

Feeling the squeeze: short session offers lawmakers little time to consider wide range of complicated issues.(Focus: 2006 LEGISLATIVE PREVIEW)
December 5, 2005... Ask around about what to expect from the 2006 Indiana General Assembly. Two facts will color the conversation: Next year is both a short session and an election year. The Statehouse will be closed for business by mid-March. Eight months...

Property taxes could dominate session: lawmakers face difficult chore of addressing flaws in market-assessment system.(Focus: 2006 LEGISLATIVE PREVIEW)
December 5, 2005... Indiana has been struggling for more than a decade to move its property tax system to a market value standard. Expect the property tax reform debate to take center stage once again in the 2006 Indiana General Assembly. "The more things...

Indiana legislature available on Web.(FOCUS)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Select committee meetings of the Indiana House of Representatives will be broadcast via the Internet when the House begins the upcoming legislative session on Jan. 4. The video broadcasts are part of the House Republican Open Government...

Holiday wish list.
December 5, 2005... The following is a list of Indianapolis-area not-for-profit organizations and the five things each needs most. This is an opportunity for businesses and individuals to make tax-deductible gifts in the spirit of the season. Anyone who wishes...

Buffett colleague Munger is also a man of wisdom.(BULLS & BEARS)(Illustration)
December 5, 2005... I am reading the book "Poor Charlie's Almanack," edited by Peter Kaufman. It's mostly a compilation of advice from Charlie Munger, vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway and chairman of Wesco Financial, which is 80-percent owned by Berkshire....

Slip in home-builder stocks signals market weakness.(INVESTING)
December 5, 2005... The big, bad wolf has been huffing and puffing against homebuilding stocks, and for a while it didn't look as if he'd blow the house down. The outlook changed in early August, however, and the wolf now is seeing results. Residential real...

Farming on decline, but ag still offers opportunity.
December 5, 2005... Drive less than 20 minutes from almost any crossroads in Indiana and you'll come across a feature of the Midwest landscape we take for granted: farmland. The vast open space in abundance between our state's urban areas remains dominated by the...

Baldwin & Lyons Inc.(shares)
December 5, 2005... Baldwin & Lyons Inc., 1099 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, 46204 (www.baldwinandlyons.com) markets and underwrites property and casualty insurance. The company acts as an agent and broker, and provides casualty, inland marine, property and other...

Indianapolis Opera.(NOT-FOR-PROFIT OF NOTE)
December 5, 2005... 250 E. 38th St. Indianapolis, IN 46205 Phone: 283-3531/fax: 923-5611 Website: www.indyopera.org Founded: 1975 Paid employees: 13 Highest-paid staff members: John C. Pickett, executive director, $75,000; James Caraher,...

Downtown landmark could be demolished.(Stories reported in IBJ daily: Thurs., Nov. 24-Wed., Nov. 30)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... The former Indiana Business College building at St. Clair and Meridian streets, a 100-year-old landmark built as a Methodist Episcopal church, could be torn down if a pending demolition request is granted. The Historic Landmarks Foundation...

Suros makes first expansion outside North America.(Stories reported in IBJ daily: Thurs., Nov. 24-Wed., Nov. 30)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Locally based Suros Surgical Systems Inc. has received approval to sell its breast biopsy system in Europe, marking its first expansion outside North America. Suros' Automated Tissue Excision and Collection system is a minimally invasive device...

IU group to support national higher-ed research network.(Stories reported in IBJ daily: Thurs., Nov. 24-Wed., Nov. 30)
December 5, 2005... Indiana University's Global Research Network Operations Center at IUPUI will install, operate and provide support for a nationwide fiber-optic network for research universities and private-sector technology companies. The National LambdaRail...

Wishard hires Dallas hospital exec as COO.(Stories reported in IBJ daily: Thurs., Nov. 24-Wed., Nov. 30)
December 5, 2005... Jim Hayman has been named chief operating officer of Wishard Health Services. Hayman, 57, will be responsible for day-to-day management of the 293-bed hospital and report to Lisa Harris, CEO and medical director. Before joining Wishard, Hayman...

Wagering rises at Hoosier Park.(Stories reported in IBJ daily: Thurs., Nov. 24-Wed., Nov. 30)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Hoosier Park at Anderson ended its 11th season of thoroughbred racing Nov. 25 and reported wagering for the 57-day period of $100.6 million, up from $76.9 million during the 59-day season last HOOSIER PARK year. Wagerers bet an average of $1.76...

Indiana health care costs outpace nation.(Stories reported in IBJ daily: Thurs., Nov. 24-Wed., Nov. 30)
December 5, 2005... Employer healthcare costs in Indiana grew 7.3 percent this year, outpacing the 6.1-percent gain nationally, according to New York-based Mercer Human Resource Consulting. Employers paid an average of $7,771 per worker for health care coverage....

Internet directory.(Directory)
December 5, 2005... FLEXIBLE OFFICE SPACE * SIMPLYEOFFICE, INC.[TM] "WHERE YOU WORK" [TM] 6351 A S. East Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46227 317-492-9001 www.simplyeoffice.com information@simplyeoffice.com * Office Space on your terms: Daily, Weekly or...

Announcements.(RECORDS)
December 5, 2005... John J. Morse and Nathan D. Foushee have formed Morse Foushee PC at 320 N. Meridian St., Suite 506. Phone: 686-1540; fax 686-1541; email: info@mflawpc.com. Home Run Realty, a locally owned, independent full service residential real estate...