Indianapolis Business Journal articles from September 2006

Indianapolis Business Journal archives from September 2006

Mixing things up: old Indiana firm rolls out new products, takes on Bisquick for baking supremacy.(Clabber Girl)
September 4, 2006... Competitors beware: Clabber Girl's smiling maiden is coming out swinging. The 156-year-old Terre Haute company that quietly churned out nothing but its trademark baking powder for more than a century is now serving notice to General Mills'...

Tech darling once again: persistence pays for Interactive Intelligence; firm challenges 'big dogs' in software industry.(Interactive Intelligence Inc. )(Company overview)
September 4, 2006... Interactive Intelligence Inc. quietly reached a milestone over the summer. Its stock finally climbed back to $13, its initial-public-offering price seven years ago, at the height of the technology boom. It's been a Wild ride for the maker...

Colts sales team designs new play; franchise plans to raise millions by letting sponsors decorate portions of stadium.
September 4, 2006... In an initiative rolled out last month, the Indianapolis Colts are giving sponsors a chance to help design the interior of Lucas Oil Stadium. But the opportunity to play decorator won't come cheap. All told, the newly announced sponsorship...

Lilly looks inward to insure: drugmaker opts for self-coverage, cites 'restrictive market' for product-liability insurance.(decipline of Eli Lilly and Co)
September 4, 2006... Eli Lilly and Co. has picked an insurer it knows extremely well to cover future problems in the high-stakes world of product liability litigation--itself. The Indianapolis drugmaker, which paid $700 million last year to create a settlement...

Devoted to dolphins: marine mammal trainer keeps busy in and out of water.(Valerie Hollowell )
September 4, 2006... It's 7 o'clock in the morning, and the Indianapolis Zoo parking lot is empty. But in the inner sanctum of the zoo's Dolphin Adventure Pavilion, Valerie Hollowell is already at work, sorting through 400 pounds of slimy, smelly herring and...

IPL seeks to expand green plans: new option would replace little-used 'Elect' program.(Indianapolis Power and Light)
September 4, 2006... Electric customers would gain new payment options and more access to "green power," and Indianapolis Power & Light would have more opportunities to profit, under a plan the utility filed Aug. 23 with state regulators. The Empower Plan...

First Internet's acquisition is no run-of-the-mill bank.(BEHIND THE NEWS)
September 4, 2006... Bank mergers happen all the time in Indiana, but this one is about as unique as they come. The buyer, Indianapolis-based First Internet Bancorp, was one of the nation's first Web-only banks when it opened its doors in 1999. Today, it's...

Cook-off leaves bad taste in mouths of vendors; host of Carmel event dissolves, owing $30,000-plus.(Bodacious Blues-B-Q LLC)
September 4, 2006... A failed barbecue and chili cook-off backed in part by owners of locally based Dick's Bodacious Bar-B-Q has left unpaid vendors hot under the collar. Brothers Richard and David Allen, who franchise the Dick's concept of serving smoked,...

NFL Combine is likely here to stay: organizing firm moves headquarters to Indianapolis.(National Football League)
September 4, 2006... Local officials have lured another sports-related company here and taken a huge step in assuring the NFL Scouting Combine stays in the city long term. National Football Scouting and sister company National Invitational Camp, which operates...

Firm sees opportunity where banks see risk: Oak Street has big hopes for insurance agency loans.(Company overview)
September 4, 2006... Bankers like to see plenty of collateral when they underwrite loans. Insurance agents don't have many hard assets to show them. Free toasters won't smooth over this credit dilemma. But the leaders of the Carmel-based Oak Street companies...

Pepsi considering mammoth warehouse on west side: sources say firm's been scouting sites since spring.
September 4, 2006... A firm representing PepsiCo Inc. has been scouting sites on Indianapolis' west side for a mammoth warehouse and distribution facility, and sources said the beverage giant is leaning toward a site near its Gatorade bottling plant. Local...

Charities reap aid, confusion from new federal law; Pension Protection Act opens new avenues for giving.
September 4, 2006... A new law signed last month by President Bush should open the valves to a fresh stream of charitable giving by allowing people to make tax-free donations from their IRAs for the first time. But philanthropy insiders say that, while the law...

CEO's decision not a home run: Conseco sends wrong message by letting chief live in Chicago.(EDITORIAL)(chief executive officer C. James Prieur )
September 4, 2006... "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government...

'Pop' group: Cosby, White & Dungy.(Commentary)(campaigns to make fathers assume parental responsibilities)(Bill Cosby, Eugene White and Tony Dungy )
September 4, 2006... Bill Cosby, Eugene White and Tony Dungy are a pop group of a different kind. They are out and about these days calling on men to be better fathers. Comedian Cosby was in Baltimore late last month urging fathers to help raise their kids....

Let's ditch revenue forecasting.(EYE ON THE PIE)
September 4, 2006... "This humidity is the worst part of living in a Hoosier forest. I can't take off more clothes and maintain an appropriate degree of decency. Even then, this soggy air still would be oppressive." Faye of the Forest was perched on my deck...

Keep an eye on Illinois this fall.(Commentary)
September 4, 2006... This election year, many Hoosiers will watch a number of races across the state, some local, some national. But one race that might have the most bearing on Indiana is one taking place next door. There is a governor's race this year in the...

Conseco is strong corporate citizen.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
September 4, 2006... Your Aug. 28 article speculating about the future of Conseco's headquarters missed at least two key points. First, Conseco has a "locally based CEO"--Mike Dubes, president of Conseco Insurance Group, comprising our Carmel-based insurance...

Indy is ready for high-rise living.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
September 4, 2006... [Regarding an Aug. 28 story on the former Market Square arena site] It would be nice to see this 31-story tower come to life. However, if not, the other two or three plans from the past should be more robust in making their plans a true...

Adesa litigation finally at an end.(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Carmel-based Automotive Finance Corp. and its north-of-the-border arm, Automotive Finance Canada Inc., have finally said "au revoir" to the Hallett family. The units of Adesa Inc., the Carmel-based auto auction chain, have reached a...

Penrod founders to get governor's award.(ARTS)(Theodore Boehm )(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... The 22 men who in 1967 formed the Penrod Society--the group that spawned the Penrod Arts Fair, the Economic Club of Indianapolis and the Prelude Awards--will be getting a Sagamore of the Wabash from Guy. Mitch Daniels. The group's Sagamore...

Office-equipment dealer jumps into local market.(ECONOMY)(facilities of Officeware Inc)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Cincinnati-based Officeware Inc., an office-equipment dealer specializing in document-management products--including scanners, storage, copiers and printers--opened an Indianapolis office in mid-July. The 19,000-square-foot branch is in...

City Chamber holds 'hobnob'.(GOVERNMENT)
September 4, 2006... To help voters prepare for the upcoming general election, the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce will hold its sixth annual "Hobnob: Meet the Candidates" 5-8 p.m. Sept. 13, at the Indiana History Center, 450 W. Ohio St. The...

Unified Group Services buys Indianapolis benefits firm.(Benefit Design)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... The possibility of a perfect match propelled Anderson's Unified Group Services Inc. to close last month on the purchase of fellow third-party administrator Benefit Design Administrators. Unified will take over Indianapolis-based Benefit...

Most congregations responded to 2005's disaster-relief call.(Survey)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Almost all of central Indiana's religious congregations became involved in some form of disaster relief last year, according to a survey conducted by the Lake Family Institute on Faith and Giving. A total of 96.4 percent took some action in...

Landing business with airport is topic of seminars.(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... The Indianapolis Airport Authority on Sept. 20 will begin the first in a series of seminars to help businesses learn how to pursue work on the midfield terminal project at Indianapolis International Airport. The seminars are aimed at "local...

IRL headed to Daytona.(Indy Racing League)(Daytona International Speedway)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... The Indy Racing League may be headed to the same city that made NASCAR famous. Sources close to the league said the IRL will begin "compatibility testing" at Daytona International Speedway in Florida this month. DIS is best known for its...

Startup Quadraspec chooses local manufacturer.(Quadraspec Inc contract with Medivative Technologies LLC )(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Fast-growing Lafayette-based medical-device maker Quadraspec Inc. has named Indianapolis-based Medivative Technologies LLC as its contract manufacturer. Quadraspec's diagnostic device is purportedly capable of quickly analyzing a drop of...

Hamilton County stokes tourism.(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... The Hamilton County Convention and Visitors Bureau on Aug. 31 unveiled a tourism product-development initiative, Destination Hamilton County, that will provide seed money for projects that boost the visitor appeal of its eight communities. ...

More 'poplar' than corn for country's biofuel?(TRANSPORTATION)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Bad news for corn farmers who have visions of becoming sheiks under Indiana's plan to become the Middle East of alternative fuels: Purdue University scientists are working on making a common tree a big source of the cellulose needed to make...

Fanning Howey.(appointments)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Fanning Howey has named the following associates: John Clark, chief human performance officer; * Cheri Grove, regional office marketing manager; * Ned Melchi and * Scott P'Pool, construction administrators; * Beth Rutski, administrative...

August Mack Environmental Inc.(ARCHITECTURE/DESIGN/ENGINEERING)
September 4, 2006... Aaron Friedrich has been promoted to staff geologist in the investigation/closure department of August Mack Environmental Inc., Indianapolis office.

Earth Tech.(ARCHITECTURE/DESIGN/ENGINEERING)
September 4, 2006... * Steve Cecil has been named vice president of operations at Earth Tech, Indianapolis office.

RND Group Inc.(ARCHITECTURE/DESIGN/ENGINEERING)
September 4, 2006... The RND Group Inc. has added the following: * Mark Steenbarger and Sara Thompson, lead software engineers; and * Tom Gardner, vice president, business development.

Dylan Lambermont has joined M. D. Wessler & Associates Inc.(ARCHITECTURE/DESIGN/ENGINEERING)
September 4, 2006... Dylan Lambermont has joined M. D. Wessler & Associates Inc. as a civil engineer.

Colin Warnecke has joined Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf Architects.(ARCHITECTURE/DESIGN/ENGINEERING)
September 4, 2006... Colin Warnecke has joined Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf Architects as a graduate architect.

BSA LifeStructures.(appointments BSA LifeStructures )(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... BSA LifeStructures has added the following: Benjamin Banta, architectural department; Charlotte Johnson-Jackson and Linda Montembeault, executive administrative assistants; Cecilia Maier, administrative assistant; and James Groeschl,...

Medley Byers has joined Precept Design LLC.(ARCHITECTURE/DESIGN/ENGINEERING)
September 4, 2006... Medley Byers has joined Precept Design LLC as a graduate architect.

Applied Engineering Services Inc.(ARCHITECTURE/DESIGN/ENGINEERING)
September 4, 2006... Tim Anderson has been promoted to associate at Applied Engineering Services Inc.

American Liver Foundation.(appointments)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... The American Liver Foundation, Indiana chapter, has elected the following officers: Philip Eadas, president; Darryl Warren, vice president; Misha Honaker, secretary; and Steven Sherman, treasurer. Dori Sparks-Unsworth has been named executive...

Second Helpings Inc.(appointments)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Second Helpings Inc. has named the following new board of directors: * Jerry Adams, * Sam Brown and * Thomas Major Jr. * Carl Conway has been named the director of training and * Joe Hoog, the director of transportation.

Children's Bureau Inc.(CIVIC/NOT-FOR-PROFITS)
September 4, 2006... Debra H. Miller, Miller & Fisher LLC, has been elected to the board of Children's Bureau Inc.

Special Olympics Indiana.(appointments)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Special Olympics Indiana has named the following officers: * Melissa Greenwell, Sallie Mae, chairwoman; Toby McClamroch, Bingham McHale, vice chairman; Paul Reis, Bose McKinney & Evans LLP, secretary; Phil Bounsall, Walker Information Inc.,...

Constituent Development at Indiana Campus Compact.(CIVIC/NOT-FOR-PROFITS)
September 4, 2006... J.R. Jamison has been promoted to associate director for Constituent Development at Indiana Campus Compact. * Lindsay Doucette has joined as program director for constituent development.

Foundation for Lutheran Child and Family Services.(CIVIC/NOT-FOR-PROFITS)
September 4, 2006... Sven Schumacher has been named CEO and a board member at the Foundation for Lutheran Child and Family Services.

Prevent Blindness Indiana.(CIVIC/NOT-FOR-PROFITS)
September 4, 2006... Brett J. Henry, Krieg DeVault LLP, has been elected to the board of Prevent Blindness Indiana.

School Choice Indiana.(appointments)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... School Choice Indiana has named the following officers: Fred Klipsch, Klipsch Group Inc., chairman; Kevin Teasloy, Greater Educational Opportunities Foundation, treasurer; and Robert L. Hoy, Educational Choice Charitable Trust, secretary. New...

James P. Wood has joined Wishard Memorial Foundation Inc.(CIVIC/NOT-FOR-PROFITS)
September 4, 2006... James P. Wood has joined Wishard Memorial Foundation Inc. as president and CEO.

Case Handyman & Remodeling.(appointments)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Mike Armes has been named production manager for Case Handyman & Remodeling. * Larry Greene, Case Handyman & Remodeling franchise, has been named to the Case Design/Remodeling corporate advisory board.

Catalyst Construction Management.(appointments)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Catalyst Construction Management has added the following team members: Jesse Garner, business development; Mike Fischer, project manager/estimator; Ken Schultz, Dan LaFollette, Tim Roessner and Brian Walterman, field superintendents; and Colin...

Shannon Striegel has joined Community Development Inc. as homeowner's association coordinator.(CONSTRUCTION)
September 4, 2006... Shannon Striegel has joined Community Development Inc. as homeowner's association coordinator and land development assistant. * Bob Dalton has joined as a model home attendant.

Christian Theological Seminary.(appointments)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Christian Theological Seminary has added the following: Randa L. Austin, development associate; Shari Cullumber director of business affairs; and Rebeca Simpson Holloway, program assistant for communications, and church and alumni relations.

The IU Herron School of Art and Design.(appointments)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... The IU Herron School of Art and Design has named the following to the dean's advisory board: * Stephen Backer, Jane Fortune, Dr. Robert R. Hesse and John Hoover. The following have joined the faculty: * Ilenia Colon Mendoza, associate...

The Art Institute of Indianapolis.(EDUCATION)
September 4, 2006... Madeleine Slutsky has been named president of The Art Institute of Indianapolis.

Tucker School of Real Estate.(EDUCATION)
September 4, 2006... Doug Dickmann has been named director of the Tucker School of Real Estate.

Butler University.(appointments)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Lawrence A. O'Connor Jr. has been named executive director and Brian P. Landis, managing director, of the Butler University business accelerator. Mary H. Andritz has been named dean of the college of pharmacy and health sciences. Keith W. Burks...

University of Indianapolis Alumni Association.(appointments)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... The University of Indianapolis Alumni Association has elected the following officers: * Brian Martin, Frank & Kraft Wealth Care Corp., president; Vicky Swank, U of I, secretary; Amber Stearns, WIDU/WZWZ, Kokomo, president elect. New directors...

Home Instead Senior Care.(SERVICES)
September 4, 2006... Holly and * Paul Schneider have been named operators of Home Instead Senior Care, West Indianapolis and Hendricks County.

Church reborn as art gallery; restoration turns rundown, 112-year-old building into stunning 'Sanctuary' for popular local artist.(Focus: CONSTRUCTION/DESIGN/ENGINEERING QUARTELY)(Everett Barnard )
September 4, 2006... Most people who hire Everett Barnard are looking for him to make something new look old. Barnard, as his clients tell others, is a genius at remodeling a modern kitchen or an entire home into a throwback from the Neo-Greco era. But one of...

Former Mays exec grows business of his own; Thompson gains notice in local construction industry.(Focus: CONSTRUCTION/DESIGN/ENGINEERING QUARTERLY)(John Thompson of Thompson Distribution Co. Inc.)(Company overview)
September 4, 2006... If it weren't for an article that appeared in The Wall Street Journal more than 20 years ago, John Thompson likely would have never come to Indianapolis and ultimately start his plumbing and electrical supply distributorships. Thompson,...

Home builders facing tougher-than-expected downturn: local building permits down 18 percent from last year.(FOCUS / CONSTRUCTION/DESIGN/ENGINEERING)
September 4, 2006... The walls might not be caving in on the Indianapolis housing market, but the current softening in home building is expected to continue for months. That's the prospectus from Steve Lains, CEO of the Builders Association of Greater...

Safety group building new connections.(Metro Indianapolis Coalition for Construction Safety Inc)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... The Metro Indianapolis Coalition for Construction Safety Inc. will hold a forum on Sept. 27 to discuss plans for new projects and general topics of interest. The forum starts at 8 a.m. at the coalition's new offices, 7439 Woodland Drive,...

Largest Indianapolis-area landscape contractors: (ranked by 2005 revenue from local office).(FOCUS / CONSTRUCTION/DESIGN/ENGINEERING)(Directory)(Table)
September 4, 2006... Largest Indianapolis-Area Landscape Contractors (Ranked by 2005 revenue from local office) 2005 REVENUE FROM FTE EMPLOYEES: ...

Young architect honored for design of orphanage; cluster complex plan wins international competition.(FOCUS / CONSTRUCTION/DESIGN/ENGINEERING)(Chunsheh Teo of Ratio Architects Inc.)
September 4, 2006... Chunsheh Teo is a driven man. The 28-year-old sometimes works long days as an architectural graduate at Ratio Architects Inc. and spends his off time building furniture for the home he and his wife recently purchased in Irvington. On a recent...

Largest Indianapolis-area mechanical contractors: (ranked by 2005 mechanical contracting billings from local office).(Directory)(Table)
September 4, 2006... Largest Indianapolis-Area Mechanical Contractors (Ranked by 2005 mechanical contracting billings from local office) MECHANICAL CONTRACTING BILLINGS RANK...

Cleanup of contamination in store for new Claus site: sausage shop owner redeveloping brownfield property.(FOCUS / CONSTRUCTION/DESIGN/ENGINEERING)(Claus Muth)
September 4, 2006... It's 2:30 p.m. on a Tuesday and a steady stream of customers continues to patronize Claus' German Sausage and Meat Market on East South Street. By March, however, the butcher shop likely will have abandoned its longtime home for a new...

Largest Indianapolis-area architectural firms: (ranked by 2005 local architectural billings).(Directory)(Table)
September 4, 2006... Largest Indianapolis-Area Architectural Firms (Ranked by 2005 local architectural billings) LOCAL TOTAL ARCHITECTURAL LOCAL RANK FIRM ...

City must continue to encourage public-art projects.(VOICES FROM THE INDUSTRY)
September 4, 2006... Since 1821, when Alexander Ralston first began incorporating spaces for public art in his design of Indianapolis, the city has been able to maintain a strong tradition of public art. Today is a good time to evaluate what must be done now to...

Interviews can work, but they often need improvement.(VOICES FROM THE INDUSTRY)
September 4, 2006... "You will have 30 minutes." Most project interviews begin with those five words. Design firms usually get 30 short minutes to persuade prospective clients to hire them for a project. Often, when all is said and done, both the designer...

Move over, value stocks; it's time for growth to shine.(BULLS & BEARS)
September 4, 2006... A comic named Irwin Corey, who calls himself the Professor, once said, "If we don't change direction soon, we'll end up where we're going." You had better open up your statement and listen to the Professor, because where your stocks are...

Watch out, mutual funds--a competitor eyes your turf.(INVESTING)
September 4, 2006... Mutual funds became truly dominant in the early 1980s when our government strengthened the 401(k) lades. Most 401(k) plans do not allow participants to buy individual stocks, or much of anything besides mutual funds. So these massive...

Strong economy draws out plethora of spending plans.(ECONOMIC ANALYSIS)
September 4, 2006... If you ever want to satisfy your curiosity about recessions and business cycles, travel over to the Web site of the National Bureau of Economic Research. It has recorded and documented every downturn and uptick in the U.S. economy since 1857....

Biomet Inc.
September 4, 2006... Biomet Inc., 56 E. Bell Drive, Warsaw, 46582 (www.biomet.com) and its subsidiaries design, manufacture and market products used primarily by orthopedic medical specialists in both surgical and non-surgical therapy. For the year ended May 31,...

Laptop deal-breaker depends on reliability.(RETURN ON TECHNOLOGY)
September 4, 2006... I've been scanning laptop buyer's guides lately, and I have to say that many magazine test labs seem utterly out of touch with business users. They extol the big screens, fast multimedia and other capabilities business users just don't care...

Big Marsh Investor says board bungled sale.(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... A big Marsh Supermarkets Inc. shareholder sub selling the company for a higher price. Indianapolis investment manager Braden Leonard, whose BML Investment Partners LLP owns 5 percent of Marsh's Class B stock, said in the letter that he...

Amli sells last of its fully owned Indy apartment complexes.(Amli Old Town Carmel)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Indianapolis-based Barrett & Stokely Inc. has purchased Amli Old Town Carmel, a mixed-use property of 91 apartments and more than 18,000 square feet of street-level retail. The price was not disclosed, but it had been listed for $13...

Waterfield shareholders approve sale to Sky Financial.(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Shareholders of Fort Wayne-based Waterfield Mortgage Co. Inc. Aug. 24 approved the sale of the company, which includes Union Federal Bank of Indianapolis, to Ohio-based Sky Financial Group Inc. The cash-and-stock deal valued at $330 million was...

News director for Channel 13 to take New York job.(Jacques Natz will leave the WTHR-TV Channel 13)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Jacques Natz, news director for WTHR-TV Channel 13, will leave the station this month to become director of digital content for Hearst-Argyle Television Inc. in New York. Natz will be charged with upgrading and expanding the Web presence...

State's unemployment rate rises.(reports of unemployment)(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... The unemployment rate in Indiana increased 0.5 percent in July, to 5.7 percent, according to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. The state's unemployment is up from 5.5 percent a year ago. Kokomo had the highest unemployment of any...

Ivy Tech sets enrollment mark.(Brief article)
September 4, 2006... Ivy Tech Community College hit a record high for first-day-of-class enrollment when classes resumed Aug. 21. There were 69,803 students enrolled, boosting the college's statewide total student headcount by 6.9 percent over the first day of...

Internet directory.(Directory)
September 4, 2006... INTERNET/WEB SERVICES * ADAPTIVE SYSTEMS, INC. Client/Server & Internet Software Solutions (317) 776-8822 www.adaptivesys.com E-mail: sales@adaptivesys.com Exploiting the full strategic potential of the internet begins...

Seattle Sutton's Healthy Eating.(Announcements)
September 4, 2006... Sunny Reardon has opened Seattle Sutton's Healthy Eating at 5560 N. Illinois St. Phone: 255-7743; www.seattlesutton.com.

Calendar.(RECORDS)(Directory)(Calendar)
September 4, 2006... Business-related calendar items should be submitted two weeks before event date. Contact bmaurer@ibj.com. Sept. 4, 6-8:30 p.m.: The Neighborhood Self-Employment Initiative and the Central Indiana Women's Business Center, "What Type of...

Conventions.(RECORDS)(Calendar)
September 4, 2006... Sept. 7-Sept. 10, USS Bell Association, Marten House Hotel & Lilly Conference Center. Estimated attendance: 100 Sept. 7-Sept. 11, USS Santee, Adam's Mark Indianapolis. Estimated attendance: 60 Sept. 8-Sept. 10, Society of Vascular...

Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.(FUND RAISING)
September 4, 2006... Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to benefit from Alyssa's Hope Floats on Sept. 8 from 7:30-11 p.m. at The Bridgewater Club. Tickets: $35 per person, $70 per couple. Contact Christina Lewandowski at 582-1355 or hopefloatslls.com.