Indianapolis Business Journal articles from March 2006

Indianapolis Business Journal archives from March 2006

Ayres stores may be razed: smaller shops likely replacements at Castleton, Greenwood.(Simon Property Group Inc. to redevelop exsisting structures)
March 6, 2006... Simon Property Group Inc. wants to take the wrecking ball to the soon-to-be-vacant L.S. Ayres stores at Castleton Square and Greenwood Park malls, clearing the way for development of a collection of smaller stores and restaurants, sources...

Hotel firm investing $30 million by stadium: Dora Brothers specializes in properties on the fringes.(Dora Brothers Hospitality Corp. on its hospitality and future )
March 6, 2006... The downtown hotel operated by Dora Brothers Hospitality Corp. is unlikely to be confused with the towering convention hotels that sit, literally, on the other side of the tracks. While behemoths like the Westin, Marriott and Hyatt boast...

Bulls of the fairways: professor sees link between golf scores, biz success.(David Simon and Alan Cohen in top list)
March 6, 2006... David Simon and Alan Cohen are outstanding golfers, among the best of all Indianapolis businessmen. The CEOs of Simon Property Group Inc. and Finish Line Inc. share something else in common: Their companies are top performers, with their...

IT firm bought again: New York company acquires Core Business Technology but will move HQ to Indy.(Convergence acquires information technology company Core Business Technology Solutions )(headquarter)
March 6, 2006... In the last dozen years, it's already had three owners and as many names as Tammy Wynette had husbands. Now, Core Business Technology Solutions has gone down the aisle again, tying the knot last month with White Plains, N.Y.-based...

Indians explore prospects in Indiana: delegation of 15 execs finds opportunities during tour of Indianapolis, Purdue tech park.(EMERGING INDIA: LAST IN A SERIES)
March 6, 2006... J.V.V. Satyanarayana spent the last three years launching his Chennai, India-based software firm. But after only 24 hours in Indianapolis, he was ready to expand his operation. Satyanarayana was part of a delegation of 15 Indian executives...

Bank plays the 'local' card, but will it succumb to sale?(BEHIND THE NEWS)(First Indiana Corp. on its advertising campaign)
March 6, 2006... An in-your-face ad campaign that First Indiana Corp. rolled out last month highlights the Indianapolis-based bank's local roots and leaves the distinct impression it won't be accepting a buyout offer anytime soon. Rhetoric or reality? Time...

Wishard bounces back, projects $23m surplus: improved billing, debt collection dry up red ink.
March 6, 2006... Wishard Health Services made it back into the black in 2005, three years after posting a staggering loss of $77 million. The not-for-profit, public hospital system expects to record a $23 million surplus on $362 million in revenue when...

Clarian climbs aboard podcast bandwagon: hospital network finds new way to broadcast its message to employees and the community.(Clarian Health Partners introduces internet facilities)
March 6, 2006... Clarian Health Partners has merged onto the fast lane of the information superhighway in an effort to keep in touch with its employees and the community. The Indianapolis hospital network has begun posting links to video podcasts from CEO...

Walker, Aprimo kick-start 2006 office leasing: Meridian corridor in Carmel remains hot spot.(Walker Information Services )(Aprimo Inc)
March 6, 2006... A little more than two months into the new year, deals destined to be among the largest office leases of 2006 are coming together on the far-north side. Two big tenants are headed for speculative office buildings under construction by Duke...

Limo company races into Indy: most revenue to come from sponsorships, not passenger fares.(Indy Racing Limos on its revenues)
March 6, 2006... Central Indiana's newest limousine company plans to make only 10 percent of its revenue from passenger fees. Indy Racing Limos' three principals expect to generate 85 percent from sponsors and the other 5 percent from use of their unique...

Telecom reform is long overdue: law likely to lure investment.(EDITORIAL)
March 6, 2006... Soon, you'll be able to choose which company pipes "The Sopranos," World Wrestling Entertainment and "Green Acres" reruns into your home--thanks to the telecom reform bill headed for the governor's desk. But that's not the only reason we...

Congrats to Wishard.(EDITORIAL)(Wishard Health Services offers refined billing for its patients convineince)(Brief article)
March 6, 2006... Wishard Health Services has staged a beck of a comeback over the last four years. As reported in a story on page 5A, the not-for-profit public hospital system expects to post a surplus of $23 million for 2005 once the books are closed in a few...

Partisanship: the nemesis of progress.(Column)
March 6, 2006... Like Mayor Bart Peterson's Indianapolis Works legislation last year, Gov. Mitch Daniels' Major Moves bill has become the political football of this legislative season. The rhetoric and posturing associated with the highway funding bill has...

Corrections.(Correction notice)
March 6, 2006... * Purdue University and Dave Nolte should have been listed as recipients of an Indiana 21st Century Fund award. The information was incorrect in a page 21 story last week. * Mark McClanahan and Rick Houser bought the Speedway location of...

Major Moves elicits childish behavior.
March 6, 2006... There are issues in Indiana other than the toll-road lease and building Interstate 69. Yet some people in the Legislature refuse to relinquish their roles as reactionaries. Example: Out of their minds with xenophobia (the fear of...

Enough of this Godly grandstanding.(Indiana Civil Liberties Union's lawsuit against House of Representatives Speaker Brian Bosma)(Column)
March 6, 2006... I will freely admit that, while I am not the most religious person in the world, I don't think God would mind if I offered Him another commandment: "Thou shall not grandstand and use my name in the process!" I think that advice would well suit...

Health care costs threaten retirement.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
March 6, 2006... Brian Williams' [Feb. 13] commentary regarding the dismal state of Hoosier health care hit a nerve with me. The health care/insurance crisis we baby boomers face, not only in our state, but across the country, is of catastrophic proportions. A...

School should start after Labor Day.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
March 6, 2006... Having moved here from Wisconsin in 2002, I am disgusted with the school start dates in Indiana. In Wisconsin, school starts fight after Labor Day. It is noteworthy that Wisconsin students have higher test scores and graduation rates than the...

Emerging India draws response.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
March 6, 2006... I have a few comments to make on the Emerging India article (Feb 20). While I commend your efforts in highlighting Bangalore as a hotbed of technology and entrepreneurship, I am surprised that the photographs are not reflective of this...

'Reggie' is gone, but someone has to take the last shot.(STATEHOUSE DISPATCH)
March 6, 2006... For more than 15 years, this column has tried to explain just how different the final few weeks of a legislative session are from the opening months. You may have been a denizen of the Statehouse through every waking hour of the session,...

Bad eating habits start with children.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
March 6, 2006... Thank you Chris Katterjohn for writing about the public health crisis represented by obesity. In Indiana, where one out of every four adults is obese, it is likely that each of us knows someone like Glenda Russell. Now, even more sobering...

Let people buy wine where they want.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
March 6, 2006... As president of a large wholesale distributor in Indiana I was dumbfounded at [House Bill 1190, described in the Feb. 20 editorial] concerning the proposed changes in direct sales by Indiana wineries. This may seem a contradiction coming from a...

Historic golf course restored at French Lick.(French Lick Springs Resort & Casino )(Brief article)
March 6, 2006... With a $350 million historic resort restoration and casino development as its backdrop, the Hill Course at the French Lick Springs Resort & Casino is being restored to the look it sported in 1924 when Walter Hagen won the 1924 PGA Championship...

Union Savings plans expansion.(Union Savings Bank )(Brief article)
March 6, 2006... Cincinnati-based Union Savings Bank would like to corner Indianapolis' residential mortgage market. "We hope within the next five or six years to be the largest producer of residential mortgages in central Indiana," said Senior Vice...

David A. Noyes & Co.(Richard Wynne appointed)(Brief article)
March 6, 2006... Chicago-based David A. Noyes & Co. has added a second investment banker--Richard Wynne--to its Indianapolis office. The move will allow the full-service investment firm to expand beyond serving just financial institutions to other...

Working group seeks health care feedback.(HEALTH CARE)(Brief article)(Calendar)
March 6, 2006... A national coalition researching health issues wants to hear what Hoosiers have to say. Butler University will host a free discussion with the Citizens' Health Care Working Group March 11, starting at 9 a.m. The group promises a forum that...

Malpractice fund cools down.(INSURANCE)(Indiana Patients' Compensation Fund)(Brief article)
March 6, 2006... The Indiana Patients' Compensation Fund backed off the scorching payout pace it set for the first half of 2005, paying a relatively modest $38.5 million in the last half of the year. The Jan. 15 payout covered 57 malpractice claims for the...

Ice Miller, HR firm partner.(Ice Miller Donadio and Ryan, The Kinsley Group)(Brief article)
March 6, 2006... Ice Miller LLP and The Kinsley Group, a locally based human resources consultancy, have entered into an alliance providing clients access to the professional services offered by both firms. Law firms have sought human resources partnerships...

Creative Street chronicles story of Vietnam War nurses.(Vietnam Nurses with Dana Delany)(Brief article)
March 6, 2006... Officials for Indianapolis-based Creative Street Entertainment and WE: Women's Entertainment cable television channel are producing "Vietnam Nurses with Dana Delany," to be shown on WE. The one-hour documentary takes a look at the women...

Hubbard & Cravens expands.(Hubbard & Cravens Coffee Co.)(Brief article)
March 6, 2006... Hubbard & Cravens Coffee Co. will open kiosks in three local hospitals in the next month. The first opened Feb. 21 at Methodist Hospital. The other two--at Indiana University Hospital and Riley Hospital for Children--will open within...

Rahal Letterman signs sponsors giddy with Danicamania.(Rahal Letterman Racing )(Brief article)
March 6, 2006... Rahal Letterman Racing recently announced a season-long partnership with Meiler grocery stores and Coca-Cola Enterprises as associate sponsors of Indy Racing League Rookie of the Year Danica Patrick for the 2006 season. Terms of the deal...

Republic profits take off.(Republic Airways Holdings Inc.)(Brief article)
March 6, 2006... Republic Airways Holdings Inc. finished 2005 with strong earnings and industry honors for its Chautauqua Airlines subsidiary. Indianapolis-based Republic earned $60.6 million last year on revenue of $905 million, vs. $38.9 million on...

Celadon Trucking Services.(Truckload Carriers Association presents National Fleet Safety Award )(Brief article)
March 6, 2006... Odds are good that Indianapolis-based Celadon Trucking Services will safely deliver to its Indianapolis headquarters its first-place prize for safety among carriers that haul more than 100 million miles annually. It's the second...

National Bank of Indianapolis.(BANKING)(made few promotions)(Brief article)
March 6, 2006... The National Bank of Indianapolis has promoted the following: Mark E. Bruin, senior vice president and chief client officer; Terry K. Scott, first vice president and chief credit officer; Douglas C. Talley, first vice president and manager,...

Franklin College.(Kelli T. Knapp, Cynthia Helmich appointed)(Brief article)
March 6, 2006... Kelli T. Knapp has joined Franklin College as coordinator for the Community Alliance to Promote Education Program. Cynthia Helmich has joined as the coordinator for the AmeriCorps Program.

Barnes & Thornburg LLP.(Milton O. Thompson, Hamish Cohen, Hannesson Murphy appointed)(Brief article)
March 6, 2006... Milton O. Thompson has joined the governmental services & finance and business, tax & real estate departments, at Barnes & Thornburg LLP. Hamish Cohen has joined the litigation department and Hannesson Murphy has joined the labor and employment...

Katz & Korin PC.(LAW)
March 6, 2006... Theodore Nicholas has joined Katz & Korin PC as of counsel.

Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart PC.(LAW)
March 6, 2006... Kim F. Ebert has been elected to the board of Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart PC.

Baker & Daniels LLP.(LAW)
March 6, 2006... Michelle Kaiser Bray and Stephanie Hale have joined the intellectual property group at Baker & Daniels LLP.

Locke Reynolds.(LAW)
March 6, 2006... Marsha Volk Bugalla has rejoined Locke Reynolds.

Riley Bennett & Egloff LLP.(LAW)
March 6, 2006... Janelle Linder McIntyre has joined Riley Bennett & Egloff LLP as an associate.

Goodin Abernathy and Miller LLP.(LAW)
March 6, 2006... Elizabeth J. Wysong has joined Goodin Abernathy and Miller LLP as an associate.

Sommer Barnard.(Sommer Barnard Ackerson appoints Jonathan G. Polak, Amy L. Wright, Neil R. Rafferty, David G. Blachly, Neal R. Roach Jr.)(Brief article)
March 6, 2006... Sommer Barnard has added the following: Jonathan G. Polak and Amy L. Wright, intellectual property group; and Neil R. Rafferty, real estate group. David G. Blachly and Neal R. Roach Jr. have joined as directors.

Ice Miller LLP.(LAW)
March 6, 2006... Azin Lotfi has joined Ice Miller LLP as a partner in its private equity/venture services group.

Norris Choplin & Schroeder LLP.(LAW)
March 6, 2006... Joseph P. Maguire and Scott A. Harkness have been named partners at Norris Choplin & Schroeder LLP.

International Truck and Engine Corp., Indianapolis.(MANUFACTURING)
March 6, 2006... Sergio Sgarbi has been named plant manager at International Truck and Engine Corp., Indianapolis.

WHMB-TV 40.(MEDIA)
March 6, 2006... Jim Barbar has joined WHMB-TV 40 in sales and sports programming.

Doctor of Dentistry, Indiana Edition.(MEDIA)
March 6, 2006... Lisa Orecchio has been named publisher of Doctor of Dentistry, Indiana Edition.

Association for Convention Operations Management.(PROFESSIONAL/TRADE)
March 6, 2006... Bob Desautels, Convention Services for the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association, has been elected to the board of the Association for Convention Operations Management.

Hanson Professional Services Inc., Indianapolis office.(SERVICES)
March 6, 2006... David Vorndran has been promoted to vice president of Hanson Professional Services Inc., Indianapolis office.

Acorn Distributors Inc.(SERVICES)
March 6, 2006... Gary Hegeman has been promoted to COO at Acorn Distributors Inc.

Insurers: session a 'dog': industry's favored bills bark up the wrong tree.(Focus: INSURANCE & BENEFITS QUARTERLY)
March 6, 2006... The state's insurance industry could use coverage for the lumps it has taken this legislative session. The three main issues of interest for the Insurance Institute of Indiana, the sector's lobbying arm, all flamed out early. The...

Making the grade: pay-for-performance system nearing reality for local physicians.(Focus: INSURANCE & BENEFITS QUARTERLY)
March 6, 2006... Central Indiana stands on the leading edge of a national push by health care insurance systems to link doctors' pay with their performance. The Indiana Health Information Exchange--a not-for-profit collaboration among some of the state's...

Indiana's universities give industry a boost: state touts wealth of higher-ed insurance programs.(Indiana State University)
March 6, 2006... Politicians seem so much more 21st century when they talk about attracting life sciences and information technology jobs to Indiana. But they're not about to ignore the state's second-largest employer--the often-overlooked insurance industry....

Largest Indianapolis-area employee benefits services firms.(FOCUS / INSURANCE & BENEFITS QUARTERLY)(Table)
March 6, 2006... Largest Indianapolis-Area Employee Benefits Services Firms (Ranked by number of local FTE employee benefits services employees (1)) LOCAL FTE: RANK FIRM ...

Rantings lift TV ratings, but not portfolio values.(BULLS & BEARS)
March 6, 2006... If you own individual stocks, you know they periodically drop or pop in price for no apparent reason. A big company's total value can easily swing several billion dollars with seemingly innocuous news or comments from an influential...

Slide in Google shares a sign of weakening stock market.(INVESTING)
March 6, 2006... "Google will close down for the year, but it may begin its fall from higher levels." I wrote that on Jan. 10, with Google at $465 a share. "If you bought Google last year for $250 a share and still own it, this may be the time to cut and...

The fight to hire top talent: do we have what it takes?(ECONOMIC ANALYSIS)(recruiting of individuals)
March 6, 2006... Most cities have mayors, police chiefs and tax collectors. But suppose for a moment they each had an additional staff position as well--the recruiter. Like a basketball coach or a talent scout, these recruiters would scour the country, looking...

The Steak n Shake Co.(sales and earnings)
March 6, 2006... The Steak n Shake Co., 36 S. Pennsylvania St., Suite 500, Indianapolis, 46204 (www.steaknshake.com) operates restaurants primarily in the Midwest and Southeast. For the quarter ended Dec. 21, the company reported net income of $4.7 million, or...

Is too much news leaving you woozy these days?(RETURN ON TECHNOLO)
March 6, 2006... When it comes to news, there are two kinds of consumers: the "E.F. Hutton people" and the "cocktail party people." E.F. Huttoners have it easy. Cocktail partiers are only now getting some help making their lives more manageable. Years ago,...

Reorganized ATA emerges from bankruptcy.(ATA Holdings Corp.)(Brief article)
March 6, 2006... ATA Holdings Corp. on Feb. 28 emerged from 16 months of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The reorganized company has fewer airplanes, employees and flights, and no longer provides scheduled service at Indianapolis International Airport. The...

40 Shell convenience stores sold to Canadian firm.(Stories reported in IBJ daily: Thurs., Feb. 23-Wed., March 1)(Alimentation Couche-tard Inc. acquires Shell convenience stores)(Brief article)
March 6, 2006... Canada-based Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. will acquire 40 Shell convenience stores that had been operated by locally based RWJ Cos. Inc. Houston-based Shell Oil Products terminated its contract with RWJ and put the stations on the market. ...

Lilly's CFO set to retire; controller named successor.(Stories reported in IBJ daily: Thurs., Feb. 23-Wed., March 1)(Charles Golden of Eli Lilly and Co. retires)(Brief article)
March 6, 2006... Charles Golden, Eli Lilly and Co.'s chief financial officer, will retire at the end of April, the Indianapolis-based company announced Feb. 23. Golden also will retire from his seat on the company's board. Golden, 59, has been Lilly's CFO since...

Jobs statewide fall for month, gain compared with last year.(Stories reported in IBJ daily: Thurs., Feb. 23-Wed., March 1)(Brief article)
March 6, 2006... The number of jobs in the state fell in January by 12,800, or 0.4 percent, compared with the prior month, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development reported. However, jobs in January were up 6,600 compared with January 2005. Jobs in...

Internet directory.(online information services listings)(Directory)
March 6, 2006... BUSINESS OWNERS & PRESIDENTS * CEO PARTNERS Dave Clegg 317-450-0262 www.ceopartners.net E-mail: dcc@ceopartners.net CEO Partners combines a business owner peer group experience with effective one-on-one coaching. Member...

Writing her own ticket: 'Matchmaker' needed work-at-home flexibilty.(small biz profile: Parmelee Creative and Technical Writing)
March 6, 2006... You could call Kris Parmelee a matchmaker. After all, the 33-year-old writer makes a living "marrying" the financial needs of her not-for-profit and small-business clients with assorted funding opportunities. Launched in 2000, Parmelee...

Calendar.(RECORDS)(Calendar)
March 6, 2006... Business-related calendar items should be submitted two weeks before event date. Contact bmaurer@ibj.com. March 6, 7-8:30 a.m.: Business & Professional Exchange, Career Networking, North chapter, St. Luke's United Methodist Church,...

Training Inc.(FUND RAISING)
March 6, 2006... Training Inc. to benefit from March 9 fund raiser, keynote speaker: Mickey Maurer, Indiana Economic Development Corp. Contact trainingincindy.org.

Happy Hollow Camp.(FUND RAISING)
March 6, 2006... Happy Hollow Camp to benefit from Under the Stars, March 11 at Marriott North at 6 p.m. Tickets: $65 per person, $130 per pair and up. Black tie optional. Call 638-3849.

Patents.
March 6, 2006... From the Jan. 31, 2005, Official Gazette of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Glen Wakeman Ruch, Indianapolis; Steven Charles Rhoads; Llangzhone Wang, Carmel; Thomas Patrick Newberry, Westfield Program guide information and...

Relocations.(RECORDS)
March 6, 2006... HR Dimensions LLC to 4040 Vincennes Circle, Suite 250, 46268. Phone 396-5000, fax 396-5040, hrdimensions.com.

As fumes meet fare, my restaurant boycott begins.(demonstration and protests)(Column)
March 6, 2006... Recently, I testified before the Greenwood Common Council. I spoke in favor of that community's proposed ban on workplace smoking. The stuff killed my wife, Pam, a 49-year-old non-smoker, so I encourage practitioners of good government to spare...

Developer finds creative outlet in work, hobbies.(profile: Jim White)
March 6, 2006... It was a late summer day in 1968, and art major Jim White and a fellow Ball State University classmate were literally kicking around the Muncie dump trying to unearth objects to incorporate into a sculpture. That's when the pale blue-green...

It's about more than hoops if Chicago gets tourneys.(SPORTS)
March 6, 2006... Our month of Much Madness has begun. Forty-one games in 33 days downtown. The Big Ten women's and men's tournaments (20 games). The IHSAA girls' and boys' state finals (eight games). The National Association of Basketball Coaches All-Star...

Bad taste and freedom clash.(protests by Middle Eastern muslims European newspapers)
March 6, 2006... Sparks sure fly when the premodern world of religious piety and the postmodern world of Monty Python collide. Middle Eastern Muslims have demonstrated, threatened, boycotted and burned in their fury over European newspapers republishing...

Press coverage of war must continue.(Forefront)
March 6, 2006... There are reportedly gripes from soldiers and their families about the amount of attention that was devoted to the injuries suffered by ABC co-anchor Bob Woodruff. "I mean, you'd think we lost the entire 1st Marine Division or something," UPI...

Calvin and Hobbes--and Muhammad.(political cartoons against Islam)
March 6, 2006... As my regular readers know, I've long been skeptical of the "Religion of Peace" moniker for Muslims--for at least 3,000 reasons right off the top of my head. I think the evidence is going my way. The culture editor of a newspaper in...

The government junkets you fund.(Forefront)
March 6, 2006... $1,401,104,263. That's how much of our hard-earned money has gone to subsidize the spring break-style trips and conferences of the federal government over the last five years. Spending on bureaucracy boondoggles has increased some 70 percent in...

Wide disparity in views of Iraq war.(Forefront)
March 6, 2006... "We're on the offensive in Iraq, with a clear plan for victory. First, we are helping Iraqis build an inclusive government, so that old resentments will be eased and the insurgency will be marginalized. Second, we're continuing reconstruction...

The silence of the good economic news.(Forefront)
March 6, 2006... Economic pessimists have had a field day ever since GDP was reported in late January at only 1.1 percent for the fourth quarter. But the latest jobs report blew them out of the water. Including revisions, January employment was a huge...

Defining modern day silly talk.(mainly to prevent addiction susbstances)
March 6, 2006... President Bush, during his State of the Union address, said, "America is addicted to oil, which is often imported from unstable parts of the world." I decided to check out "addiction" in Merriam-Webster's dictionary and found: "compulsive need...

Are grand plans for embassies workable?(Forefront)
March 6, 2006... Last May when I was in Uganda, deep in central Africa, I was approaching the American Embassy on the outskirts of Kampala when my driver, who had struck me over several days of work together as a sensible man, stopped the car on the side of the...

Darfur vs. Vermont: shining spotlight on global injustice.(Forefront)(Column)
March 6, 2006... Here's an update on that young Vermont girl whose life has been made a living hell by a justice system that literally could not care less about her. You may remember that 34-year-old Mark Hulett pleaded guilty to raping the child over a...

Major Moves: major opportunity for Indiana.(jobs in Indiana due to contracts of toll road)
March 6, 2006... What does $3.85 billion in cash plus $4.4 billion in Toll Road improvements mean to the State of Indiana? It means jobs and an improved infrastructure for our entire state. Major Moves is the "jobs plan of a generation" for Indiana and is...