Indianapolis Business Journal articles from March 2008

Indianapolis Business Journal archives from March 2008

Centaur tempted by Aztar: Indianapolis gambling firm may covet Evansville casino, but it has a lot on its plate.(Centaur Inc.)(Columbia Sussex Corp.)
March 3, 2008... Indiana riverboat casinos don't go up for sale every day. So when one becomes available, it's bound to spark interest. Hence, the dilemma facing Centaur Inc., the Indianapolis-based casino developer. Crestview Hills, Ky.-based Columbia...

Rug dealers tangle over sale tactics: going-out-of-business sales aren't always what they seem.
March 3, 2008... About a year ago, Aria's Oriental Rugs in the Fashion Mall at Keystone had a going-out-of-business sale. But after the sale dragged on into spring, rival rug dealers became suspicious, theorizing that Aria's was duping the public to drum up...

Call-center economy: many of state's highly touted new jobs involve answering phones for modest wages.
March 3, 2008... Many of the calls to customer service that were handled overseas a few years ago soon could be answered in Indiana. The state's economic development leaders have been touting 2007 as a banner year that brought commitments for mole than...

Browning eyes airport land: developer may turn 61 acres near Washington Street into business park, but issues remain.(Browning Investments Inc.)
March 3, 2008... Browning Investments is contemplating developing a business park just north of Indianapolis International Airport in what would be the largest development to date in the so-called Minnesota Street corridor. The Indianapolis Airport...

Can reunion spur revival? Open-wheel deal already creating more business opportunities.
March 3, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In the end, the catastrophic sponsorship shift from open-wheel racing to NASCAR became too much to ignore, driving the long-divided sides of Champ Car and the Indy Racing League back into a unified series. This...

College coffers receive scrutiny: critics wonder why growing endowments don't reduce tuition.
March 3, 2008... Endowments at Indiana colleges and universities are soaring, due in part to impressive investment returns in recent years. The swelling coffers here and across the nation are stoking the debate over whether universities should be using more...

Activist poised to prevail in Steak n Shake showdown.(BEHIND THE NEWS)(Alan Gilman and James Williamson )
March 3, 2008... Alan Gilman and James Williamson have served on The Steak n Shake Co.'s board a combined 39 years. It's a good bet they won't be around much longer. Analysts say the Texas-based hedge fund that wants to replace Gilman and Williamson on the...

Legislature set to give tax breaks to big events: NCAA asks for 'super' perk that NFL already requires.
March 3, 2008... Lawmakers last year approved a bill that would have given the NFL a onetime tax break on spending and revenue tied to the 2011 Super Bowl, a moot point once team owners awarded the game to Dallas. Now, similar legislation has passed both...

Former Lugar spokesman takes top city post: economic development novice vows to be quick study.(Q & A)(Interview)
March 3, 2008... The city's new economic development director, Nick Weber, is a well-traveled PR guy with a stint at locally based Hetrick Communications, as a spokesman for former Mayor Steve Goldsmith and Sen. Richard Lugar, and as vice president of...

Local dentists cut their teeth on wellness: larger office extends efforts to address total health.(Harold Smith and Ted Brauer )
March 3, 2008... When dentists Harold Smith and Ted Brauer built their new office, they constructed more than a third more space than they needed for patients. With the rest, Smith and Brauer started a health and wellness center that local not-for-profits...

Bill to help prosecution of environmental crimes dies: state continues to use fines as feds seek jail time.
March 3, 2008... A bill that would have removed hurdles to state and local prosecution of environmental crimes has perished in committee, leaving the federal government virtually alone as the sole seeker of jail time for the worst offenders. With the...

Kids may suffer from tax reform: law could hurt education.(Editorial)
March 3, 2008... Indiana has entered the final leg of the journey to a more equitable property tax system. We commend activist taxpayers who, clamoring for justice, sent legislators down this road. Reform is long overdue. But, in their zeal to satisfy...

[Cartoon].(EDITORIAL)(Cartoon)
March 3, 2008... SENATOR OBAMA, IS IT REALLY POSSIBLE TO REFORM IMMIGRATION? YES, WE CAN! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IMPROVE AMERICAN LIVES? YES, WE CAN! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] END THE IRAQ WAR? YES, WE CAN! [ILLUSTRATION...

Morris: from hunger to hoops.(Column)
March 3, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] How do you go from fighting world hunger to polishing the tarnished image of an NBA basketball team? That's the task at hand for Jim Morris, who said to a recent breakfast gathering, "I reached a point in my life...

Correction.(EDITORIAL)(Correction notice)
March 3, 2008... A story on page 5 last week about South Korea-based ON Corp.'s attempts to revive the Proscan television brand erroneously said that Pat Deighan runs the company's domestic operation out of his home. ON Corp. maintains its U.S. headquarters...

Taxes are toys for legislators.(EYE ON THE PIE)
March 3, 2008... "I don't believe you," Carolyn Cornpone laughed. "It's true," I said. "Some members of the Indiana General Assembly have proposed tying property taxes to the income tax." "But," she said, "that makes no sense. They already intend to...

School project fees not out of control.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
March 3, 2008... With the theory of alternate universes currently the rage in particle physics, I believe it is entirely possible that somewhere in the space-time continuum Dave Byrdwell [author of a letter in the Feb. 18 issue] sat on a school board overseeing...

Readers should know writers' backgrounds.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
March 3, 2008... I offer a suggestion for consideration. I think it's appropriate to identify writers to the editor if they have a financial or political interest in the topic of discussion. [The Feb. 11] IBJ included two letters to the editor about...

Suffering a slow death by technology.(Viewpoint essay)
March 3, 2008... Somebody help me! I want to go back to the '80s! This technology stuff is killing me. A rotary phone and a busy signal, that's the ticket. Ma Bell: She's my gal. Simplicity. Doesn't that sound good? I used to think the advances in...

Tax turmoil isn't likely to uproot many legislators.(STATEHOUSE DISPATCH)(Column)
March 3, 2008... Remember the main reason behind the property-tax-reform drive when we started the session? If the anti-property-tax rallies across the state last summer and fall made lawmakers uneasy, the Indianapolis mayoral election result was a slap...

'HHGregg bill' dies in Senate.(HEALTH CARE)
March 3, 2008... Senate leaders decided not to vote on House Bill 1055, the bill doctors and hospitals had dubbed the "HHGregg bill." The bill would have required health insurers to send payments to doctors, hospitals and other health care providers--even...

Kimball helps New Orleans businesses with giveaway.(MANUFACTURING)(Kimball Office Furniture)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... Jasper-based Kimball Office has launched an effort to help New Orleans businesses still struggling to recover from the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Kimball, which held its annual sales meeting in the Crescent City Feb. 25 and 26, donated...

Private sector giving more to IU.(ON THE BEAT)(Indiana University )(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... Indiana University received $278.6 million in donations from the private sector last year, placing the school seventh among all public universities in the amount it receives from private donors. IU ranked fourth among Big Ten schools and 19th...

BW3 takes long-vacant space next to Borders downtown.(RETAIL)(Buffalo Wild Wings Inc.)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Buffalo Wild Wings hopes to return to downtown by summer after a year-long absence. The Minneapolis-based restaurant chain plans to take 6,800 square feet next door to the Borders bookstore at the southeast comer of...

Dunkin' Donuts has filed permits for a new location in the old Panda Express restaurant at Washington and Pennsylvania streets downtown.(RETAIL)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... Dunkin' Donuts has filed permits for a new location in the old Panda Express restaurant at Washington and Pennsylvania streets downtown. The Massachusetts-based chain will take 1,700 square feet in the building and is considering design...

Slingshot seeks promising women-owned businesses.(TECHNOLOGY)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... The Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce's Slingshot initiative to boost promising local companies is searching for women-owned businesses it can assist. Slingshot is a quarterly business-networking forum. It allows a handful of...

The deadline to nominate companies for TechPoint's annual Mira awards is fast approaching.(TECHNOLOGY)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... The deadline to nominate companies for TechPoint's annual Mira awards is fast approaching. TechPoint will accept nominations for Mira awards, which spotlight the state's most successful technology-driven companies, through March 10. This...

Dealer BMV branches grow.(TRANSPORTATION)(Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles )(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... About the only thing worse than being barked at by a power-hungry bureaucrat at the license branch who's insisting that you stand behind the white line is playing the negotiating game with a car salesman and his manager. But they're the...

Central Indiana Community Foundation.(TRANSPORTATION)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... The 12th annual Indianapolis Air Show has landed its key act: the U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command F-22A Demonstration Team. The show runs Aug. 22-24 at Mount Comfort Airport in Hancock County. The team is conducting only 25 demonstrations...

Legacy Fund.(CIVIC/NOT-FOR-PROFIT)(Steven A. Holt)(Peggy Monson)(Larry Holt Sablosky)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... Legacy Fund, Hamilton County, has named the following officers: * Steven A. Holt, Holt Fleck & Romine, chairman; Peggy Monson, Heartland Film Festival, and Larry Holt Sablosky, vice chairman; Mike Houk, secretary; and James R Roederer,...

Wellness Community--Central Indiana Inc.(CIVIC/NOT-FOR-PROFIT)
March 3, 2008... The Wellness Community--Central Indiana Inc. has named the following officers: Gary E. Stach, chairman; Stacy Wells, Wells Fargo Bank, chairwoman elect; Robert D. Moore, Chateau Designs, secretary: Helen Pryor, Ingersoll Rand Security...

Humane Society of Indianapolis.(CIVIC/NOT-FOR-PROFIT)(David Horth)(Byron Mason)(Martha Plager)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... The Humane Society of Indianapolis has named the following officers: David Horth, Quest Commercial Real Estate, chairman; Byron Mason, Baker & Daniels, incoming board chairman and leadership development chairman; Martha Plager, Doncaster...

Debbie Russell has joined Second Helpings Inc.(CIVIC/NOT-FOR-PROFIT)
March 3, 2008... * Debbie Russell has joined Second Helpings Inc. as director of development. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

AARP Indiana.(CIVIC/NOT-FOR-PROFIT)
March 3, 2008... * June Lyle has been named state director of AARP Indiana. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Children's Organ Transplant Association.(PROFESSIONAL/TRADE)(Sherree Wilson)(Mark R. Hannah)(James Gilroy)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... The Children's Organ Transplant Association has named the following new board members: * Sherree Wilson, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis; * Mark R. Hannah, Potts Hannah & Fischer P.C.; and James Gilroy, Eli Lilly and Co. ...

Indiana Hospital Association.(PROFESSIONAL/TRADE)(Allison D. Wharry)(Shelby N. Taylor)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... * Allison D. Wharry has been promoted to vice president of government relations of the Indiana Hospital Association. * Shelby N. Taylor has been named communications coordinator. [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED]

Legatus, Indianapolis chapter.(PROFESSIONAL/TRADE)
March 3, 2008... * Tom Hirschauer, Publicis Indianapolis, has been elected president of Legatus, Indianapolis chapter. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Insurance Institute of Indiana.(PROFESSIONAL/TRADE)
March 3, 2008... * Suzanne Alexander has joined the Insurance Institute of Indiana as communications coordinator. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Kiwanis International.(PROFESSIONAL/TRADE)
March 3, 2008... * Carolyn Mesby-Williams has been named chief marketing officer at Kiwanis International [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

American Academy of Water Resources Engineers.(PROFESSIONAL/TRADE)
March 3, 2008... * David L. McCormick, McCormick Engineering LLC, has been named a diplomate water resources engineer of the American Academy of Water Resources Engineers. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The Oceanaire Seafood Room in Indianapolis.(RESTAURANTS)
March 3, 2008... Colin Atterson has been promoted to manager at The Oceanaire Seafood Room in Indianapolis.

Columbia Club.(SERVICES)
March 3, 2008... Nancy Lorenzano and * Terry L. Young have been named directors of the Columbia Club. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Insurance insecurities: data-breach policies touted as way to protect businesses from cyber-related losses.(Focus: INSURANCE & BENEFITS QUARTERLY)
March 3, 2008... Several local entities, ranging from St. Vincent Indianapolis Hospital to the state of Indiana to Indianapolis Public Schools, last year experienced well-publicized electronic security breaches involving confidential data. [ILLUSTRATION...

Conseco retains manager appeal: amid ongoing struggles, insurer landing top talent.(Focus: INSURANCE & BENEFITS QUARTERLY)
March 3, 2008... Ten years ago, Dan Bardin was exactly where he wanted to be. He was running insurance operations for behemoth American International Group in Thailand, as Asian financial markets collapsed. "I was there fight in the middle of the crisis....

State goes from first to last in catastrophes: Indiana sails through 2007 without a single large weather event, rebounding from hailstorm of claims in 2006.(Focus: INSURANCE & BENEFITS QUARTERLY)
March 3, 2008... Indiana weather is notorious for the volatile swings it can produce from one day to the next. Just this month, high temperatures in Indianapolis fluctuated about 40 degrees within 48 hours. The disparity in major storm damage that befell...

Health spending predicted to double by 2017.(FOCUS: INSURANCE & BENEFITS QUARTERLY)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... By 2017, total health care spending is likely to double, to more than $4 trillion a year, accounting for one of every $5 the nation spends, the federal government projects. The 6.7-percent annual increase in spending--nearly three times the...

Largest Indianapolis-area employee benefits services firms.(FOCUS: INSURANCE & BENEFITS QUARTERLY)(Statistical table)
March 3, 2008... Largest Indianapolis-Area Employee Benefits Services Firms (Ranked by number of local FTE employee benefits services employees) PERCENTAGE ...

Betting on oil still wise, but temper expectations.(INVESTING)(Viewpoint essay)
March 3, 2008... It finally happened. The big event has come and gone, leaving a trail of clues for us. Now, it's up to us to take those clues and turn them into cash. It's not the recent lunar eclipse I am referring to, although I watched it and it was...

Stocks recovering after early '08 slump.(STOCKS)
March 3, 2008... Stocks over the past week trended slightly up, as investors bet that a potential recession and other economic uncertainties already were priced into the market. The S&P 500 closed the week at 1,380, down 6 percent for 2008. While that's...

Telecom reform is paying off big for Indiana.(ECONOMIC ANALYSIS)
March 3, 2008... In the relatively unromantic ,world of economic policy, telecommunications research is notable for its blandness and practicality. Yet few things matter as deeply as good public policy toward the deployment of telecommunications. Here, Indiana...

CTS Corp.(PROXY CORNER)(Financial report)
March 3, 2008... CTS Corp., 905 W. Boulevard North, Elkhart, 46514 (www.ctscorp.com), designs, manufactures, assembles and sells electronic components and sensors. For the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2007, the company reported net income of $7.7 million, or 20 cents...

Get away from techno-gadgets and breathe deeply.(RETURN ON TECHNOLOGY)(Viewpoint essay)
March 3, 2008... When I worked in a factory some 30 years d back, it was a dangerous place filled with heavy machinery, slick floors, sharp edges, overhangs and chemical fumes. Many of us envied the office workers who never got dirty and never seemed to face...

ERA Real Estate Links.(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
March 3, 2008... The ERA Real Estate Links office has opened at 4630 Lisborn Drive, south of the intersection of 161st Street and Gray Road in the Bridgewater Corporate Village. For more information, call 805-7360.

JoVox[R] smarter audio solutions. / soluciones de audio mas elegantes, has opened.(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
March 3, 2008... JoVox[R] smarter audio solutions. / soluciones de audio mas elegantes, has opened. The company offers International English/Spanish voice talent, copywriting and production services. Contact Jo Robinson, president, www.jovox.com; jo@jovox.com;...

E.J. Stahl & Associates.(ANNOUNCEMENTS)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... Elizabeth J. Stahl has opened E.J. Stahl & Associates, a business consulting firm specializing in strategies that promote a growing and more effective business environment. Contact www.ejstahl.com.

Calendar.(RECORDS)(Calendar)
March 3, 2008... Business-related calendar items should be submitted two weeks before event date. Contact bmaurer@ibj.com. March 3, 7 a.m.: Business & Professional Exchange, Career Networking, North chapter, St. Luke's United Methodist Church, Fellowship...

Conventions.(RECORDS)(Calendar)
March 3, 2008... Mar.6-Mar.8, SpiritTeam "The American Challenge", Indiana Convention Center & RCA Dome. Estimated attendance: 15,000

A.N.N.A. Fund to benefit from lower back injury seminar at O'Fit Studio on Mar. 4 at 7:30 p.m.(FUND RAISING)
March 3, 2008... A.N.N.A. Fund to benefit from lower back injury seminar at O'Fit Studio on Mar. 4 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $25. Contact 691-8998.

Coburn Place Safe Haven to benefit from the Blue Breakfast on Mar. 6 from 8-9:30 a.m. at the Colts Complex, 7001 W. 56th St. Breakfast with Tarik Glenn.(FUND RAISING)
March 3, 2008... Coburn Place Safe Haven to benefit from the Blue Breakfast on Mar. 6 from 8-9:30 a.m. at the Colts Complex, 7001 W. 56th St. Breakfast with Tarik Glenn. Tickets: $50. Contact 923-5750.

Noble of Indiana to benefit from a Noble Evening in the Garden on Mar. 7 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.(FUND RAISING)
March 3, 2008... Noble of Indiana to benefit from a Noble Evening in the Garden on Mar. 7 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Silent auction, food and beverage, entertainment included. Tickets: $100-125. Contact 375-2716.

AYS Financial Assistance Fund to benefit from the AYS Diva Fashion Extravaganza on Mar. 8 from noon to 3 p.m. at the Oak Hill Mansion.(FUND RAISING)
March 3, 2008... AYS Financial Assistance Fund to benefit from the AYS Diva Fashion Extravaganza on Mar. 8 from noon to 3 p.m. at the Oak Hill Mansion. Tickets: $50. Contact 803-3134, ext. 18.

Indy Prison Greyhounds to benefit from the Gala Works 2008 Indianapolis Masquerade Ball on Mar. 8 from 6 p.m. to midnight at the Adam's Mark Airport hotel. Dinner and ball.(FUND RAISING)
March 3, 2008... Indy Prison Greyhounds to benefit from the Gala Works 2008 Indianapolis Masquerade Ball on Mar. 8 from 6 p.m. to midnight at the Adam's Mark Airport hotel. Dinner and ball. Tickets: $50. Contact 357-8801.

Easter Seals Crossroads.(FUND-RAISING RESULTS)
March 3, 2008... Easter Seals Crossroads received more than $43,000 from the Century 21 Scheetz Bingo Bonanza.

Riley Hospital for Children.(FUND-RAISING RESULTS)
March 3, 2008... Riley Hospital for Children received $30,000 from the Century 21 Scheetz Bop for the Top event.

The Indianapolis Children's Museum.(GRANTS)
March 3, 2008... The Indianapolis Children's Museum was awarded a $30,000 grant from Kroger Co.

American College of Surgeons.(IN RECOGNITION)
March 3, 2008... Dr. Bridget Sanders was named a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

46 Ice Miller LLP attorneys.(IN RECOGNITION)
March 3, 2008... 46 Ice Miller LLP attorneys were named to the 2008 Indiana Super Lawyers List.

58 Baker & Daniels LLP attorneys.(IN RECOGNITION)
March 3, 2008... 58 Baker & Daniels LLP attorneys were named to the 2008 Indiana Super Lawyers List.

Applied Engineering Services Inc.(IN RECOGNITION)
March 3, 2008... Applied Engineering Services Inc. received the Grand Project Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Indiana.

David Gray.(IN RECOGNITION)
March 3, 2008... David Gray, chairman of the board of Butler University's Institute for Study Abroad, has been awarded and Order of the British Empire.

Community Health Network.(IN RECOGNITION)(rankings)(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... Community Health Network has been ranked in the 2008 Verispan IHN 100, the 11th annual ranking of the 100 most integrated health networks in the United States.

56 Barnes & Thornburg LLP lawyers.(IN RECOGNITION)
March 3, 2008... 56 Barnes & Thornburg LLP lawyers from the Indianapolis office were named to the Indiana Super Lawyers 2008 list.

35 parts and steel material suppliers.(IN RECOGNITION)
March 3, 2008... 35 parts and steel material suppliers were presented with Supplier Quality Awards by Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc.

Deborah Ellman.(IN RECOGNITION)
March 3, 2008... Deborah Ellman was recognized as the Indianapolis Power and Light Environmentalist of the Year.

City doles out incentives to Defender Direct.(Defender Security Co.)
March 3, 2008... The city plans to designate part of an office park near 96th Street and Keystone Avenue as an "economic revitalization area" to provide tax abatements for a local company that sells ADT security systems and Dish Network subscriptions. The...

Jambalaya jammin'.(DINING: PAPA ROUX)(Papa Roux )(Brief article)
March 3, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This isn't about Yat's. It's about Papa Roux. But since so many people know Yat's vat magic, it seems sensible to start there. Thanks to Yat's, the big scoop of gumbo and its Cajun cousins have become staple...

Do the math: this 'Proof' works.(A&E)
March 3, 2008... This week, "Proof," Pilobolus and "West Side Story." For the second time in as many months, a one-word, Pulitzer-Prize-winning play is being presented to Indy audiences. For the second time in as many months, audiences are eating it...

Volume discounts offered at library sale.(EVERYBODY'S DOING IT: SECONDHAND PROSE)(Inside Secondhand Prose)(book sale)
March 3, 2008... Inside Secondhand Prose, a CD of old-timey bluegrass music plays softly as a half-dozen volunteers quietly go about their business. They're emptying bags and boxes, sorting through thousands and thousands of books and stocking shelves in...

At this networking site, 'smaller' is the new better.(SURF THIS)(www.smallerindiana.com)(Viewpoint essay)
March 3, 2008... Several years ago, I had a conversation with a friend about "The Tipping Point," a now-famous book by economist Malcolm Gladwell. During this conversation, my friend casually mentioned that he thought it would be beneficial (though I think he...

Memo to IU: hire the right people this time.(SPORTS)
March 3, 2008... Deadlines for a weekly publication are tricky. Sometimes when news breaks, you get lucky. Sometimes, you don't. In this case, forgive me if I'm a little late to the parade and-following the elephants with broom and shovel--to the sorry...

Hoosier haute couture: museum of art fashion event to shine spotlight on local designers.
March 10, 2008... It's not easy to make a living in high fashion, especially in a city where the "garment district" extends only to the nearest Hancock or Jo Ann Fabrics. Still, Indianapolis has a little something up its sleeve--more than a dozen designers...

IU following purdue lead: overhaul of business-development strategy pushes out widely praised incubator leader.(Indiana University )(Organization overview)
March 10, 2008... Indiana University President Michael McRobbie calls it "Innovate Indiana." His ambition is to corral all of IU's strengths under one new branded initiative to boost the Hoosier economy. Purdue University already has leveraged a similar...

Oprah's beau advises Pacers: struggling team brings in Stedman Graham to coach players on image management.
March 10, 2008... Best-selling author Stedman Graham says professional athletes should think of themselves as "a corporation unto themselves." "They need to represent them selves as a major business would," Graham said during a recent telephone interview....

Hungering for growth: local restaurants add sites, consider taking on chains.(Industry overview)
March 10, 2008... If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Several local eateries are going through a growth spurt, adding locations despite central Indiana diners' reputation for being addicted to national chains. Ironically enough, the expansions could be the...