Crain's Chicago Business back issues from January 2008:
Active mind.(Business of Life)(Stadium Capital Financing Group LLC)(Brief article)
Jan 07, 2008; ... Byline: Christina Le Beau Lou Weisbach, 59, is so connected in politics and sports that he uses media as a backup to firsthand news from friends. The Democratic power fundraiser and Chicago entrepreneur, now CEO of sports financier Stadium Capital Financing Group LLC, makes his ...
Corrections.(Correction notice)
Jan 07, 2008 ... In a Dec. 17 On the Move item, an incorrect job title was given for Terri Gillespie's previous position. She was an account executive at WGN-AM. In the Dec. 31 Book ...
For The Record.(Briefs)
Jan 07, 2008 ... Boeing reported an industry record of 1,413 firm commercial plane orders for 2007 and delivered 441 planes last year, its best delivery showing in six years. The single-aisle 737 remains its bestseller, followed by the new long-haul 787 Dreamliner, which is scheduled to begin flight ...
The problem with transport.(Focus: Agenda for Chicago)
Jan 07, 2008 ... Chicago's problems with transportation go beyond the inconveniences of discontinued bus routes and slow zones on the el. By not maintaining its railways, roads, airports, buses and subways, Chicago risks losing industry, jobs and its foothold in the global economy. Cities don't ...
How to get moving; ask the expert.(Focus: Agenda for Chicago)(Interview)
Jan 07, 2008 ... Yes, it's bad on those planes and trains and in those automobiles. But lots of smart people are thinking about these problems, including Adele Simmons. Crain's asked Ms. Simmons, vice-chairman of Chicago Metropolis 2020 and co-chairman of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs' ...
Brains, bodies and beauty.(Focus: Agenda for Chicago)
Jan 07, 2008 ... Human capital-a buzzword among economists-simply means people. Think of it as raw material made up of bankers, traders, consultants, advertisers, engineers, artists and others who, through brainpower and creativity, turn ideas into money. "The comparative advantage of cities is ...
Building a better workforce; ask the expert.(Focus: Agenda for Chicago)(Interview)
Jan 07, 2008 ... Chicago has no shortage of human capital-the skilled professionals who make up and run a global city. It also has the kinds of things those people like to do: eat, drink, laugh and learn. But Chicago has serious problems in the people department. We asked Henry Perritt Jr., a Chicago-Kent ...
What the world thinks of us; The brand called Chicago.(Focus: Agenda for Chicago)(Simon Anholt)(Interview)
Jan 07, 2008 ... For better or worse, cities have brands-those little notions that pop into your head when you think of a place. Paris is romance. Milan is style. Tokyo is modernity. In the global competition for people, investment and ideas, these mental shortcuts matter. To find out what outsiders think ...
Spa scene is about to get crowded; Trump leads invasion at high end; diamonds or rubies for your massage?(Business of Life)
Jan 07, 2008; ... Byline: SHIA KAPOS If pampering is on your agenda for the new year, pay attention as Chicago's small spa world gets rattled out of its serenity. For years, spas at the Peninsula and Four Seasons hotels have stood alone in offering the most indulgent massages and ...
McCain dogging Boeing; Latest allegations cast shadow over future contract bids.(News)
Jan 07, 2008 ... Byline: PAUL MERRION Just as Boeing Co. appears poised to win a string of major defense contracts, an old nemesis is threatening to play spoiler again. Last month, U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) called for an investigation into Boeing's relationship with the Air ...
Crain's Picks.(Business of Life)
Jan 07, 2008 ... Byline: Crystal Yednak DANCE Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Chicago Symphony Orchestra 220 S. Michigan Ave. (312) 294-3000 www.cso.org 8 p.m. Friday Tickets: $40-$199 Five years of creative ...
Destination: Park City, Utah.(Business of Life)(City overview)
Jan 07, 2008; ... Byline: Anne Ford GET AWAY: Once a year Park City, Utah, becomes the movie capital of the world, as filmmakers and film buffs descend on this resort town for the Sundance Film Festival (Jan. 17-27). Even if you arrive without a $400-$2,500 festival pass, you stand a decent ...
Brach's site to get new life; Developer to convert ex-candy factory into big distribution hub.(News)(Brach's Confections Inc.)
Jan 07, 2008; ... Byline: EDDIE BAEB An industrial developer has bought the shuttered Brach's Confections Inc. factory on the West Side and plans to build a massive warehouse on the 30-acre site. ML Realty Partners LLC of Itasca recently closed on the purchase of the dilapidated ...
Last frontier for fries: new flavors, even a dessert.(Business of Life)(Bank Lane Bistro)(Brief article)
Jan 07, 2008; ... Byline: Jennifer Olvera Culinary experimentation is one thing, but turning fries into a dessert item? What took them so long? "It started as a joke,'' says John Des Rosiers, executive chef of Lake Forest's Bank Lane Bistro. "A customer who'd had a fair ...
Wrigley's 5 gum off to fast start; New line grabs share, but doesn't slow rival's Stride.(News)
Jan 07, 2008 ... Byline: DAVID STERRETT Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.'s new 5 gum is connecting with young chewers but isn't plugging a marketshare leak in the United States. The brand has captured more than 6% of the national sugarless gum market since it was launched in July, according to ...
Squeezing the golden goose; THE ROLE OF business.(Focus: Agenda for Chicago)(Interview)
Jan 07, 2008 ... Business is central to Chicago's position as a global city. Local companies are finding new markets and customers, fending off global competitors and, above all, creating the jobs that keep the economy growing. To find out what Chicago has to offer businesses-and what it doesn't-Crain's ...
Lyric cookie switch brings tragic cries.(Business of Life)(Brief article)
Jan 07, 2008 ... Lyric Opera of Chicago is stirring things up this season-and it has little to do with the powerful "Dr. Atomic.'' After 20 years with Athena's Silverland Desserts of Forest Park, Lyric's administrative staff conducted a taste test earlier this year and switched vendors for the ...
INVESTING IN CONSUMER STAPLES NO GAMBLE AS NEW YEAR DAWNS; A Conversation with Money Manager Ryan Linenger.(Markets)(Interview)(Brief article)
Jan 07, 2008 ... Byline: John Pletz Ryan C. Linenger, 28, wealth manager, Balasa Dinverno & Foltz LLC, Itasca. Experience: Seven years Assets under management: $1.5 billion Crain's: How does the U.S. economy look as we start the year? Mr. linenger: ...
Opening & Closing.(Business of Life)
Jan 07, 2008 ... Opening "Saint Joan" 600 E. Grand Ave. (312) 595-5600 www.chicagoshakes.com 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday; 1 p.m., 7:30 p.m. Wednesday; 2 p.m., 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday Tickets: $54-$70 As part ...
Obama wins Iowa caucuses.(Briefs)(Brief article)
Jan 07, 2008 ... U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., has taken a big step toward achieving a status that was a distant hope a few months ago: becoming the Democratic presidential nominee. With his success last week in Iowa behind him, Mr. Obama faces a challenge in the primary Tuesday in New Hampshire, where ...
Reel of Fortune; Sagging dollar gives boost to local film business.(News)
Jan 07, 2008 ... Byline: JOHN PLETZ Last year, as Sony Television Pictures readied "The Beast,'' studio executives suggested shooting the television pilot in Toronto. Steven Pearl, executive producer of the show and a Glencoe native, pushed for Chicago. For Mr. Pearl, it was more ...
Obama's edge; CHICAGO'S FAVORITE SON TAPS VOTERS' HOPES; CLINTON CAN'T CONNECT.(News)
Jan 07, 2008; ... Byline: Greg Hinz DES MOINES-He's on his way to the White House . . . or is he? That's the topic of debate among political pros as U.S. Sen. Barack Obama travels the roads of New Hampshire, seeking to lock in his pending status as likely Democratic presidential ...
Alter's grand hotel plan; 1,500-room complex at McCormick Place could include casino.(News)
Jan 07, 2008; ... Byline: EDDIE BAEB AND ALBY GALLUN Alter Group Ltd. is making plans for a huge new hotel-possibly including a casino-adjacent to McCormick Place. The Skokie-based developer agreed last month to pay about $70 million for a 3.7-acre parcel on East 22nd Street across ...
WINTRUST TIGHTENS ITS BELT; Local lender, banker to well-heeled suburbanites, must shore up eroding earnings and boost reserves for bad loans or risk becoming takeover bait.(Markets)
Jan 07, 2008; ... Byline: STEVE DANIELS Once a Wall Street darling, Wintrust Financial Corp. has lost much of its shine as mortgage woes batter the banking industry. Shares of the Lake Forest-based bank holding company dropped 31% last year, and further pain may be in store in 2008 ...
Clean gov't needs Daley's full attention.(Opinion)(Viewpoint essay)
Jan 07, 2008 ... The end of 2007 brought fresh doubts about Mayor Richard M. Daley's commitment to cleaning up City Hall. Noelle Brennan, appointed by a federal judge to monitor the city's compliance with restrictions on patronage hiring, reported last month that Mr. Daley's administration is ...
Moving beyond City Hall.(Focus: Agenda for Chicago)(Simon O'Rourke)(Interview)
Jan 07, 2008 ... So what can government do to help? To attract more global trade and investment, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs recommends increasing the $2-million annual budget of the economic development agency World Business Chicago. It also calls for opening Chicago economic development offices ...
SO WHAT HAPPENED IN 2007?(Focus: Agenda for Chicago)
Jan 07, 2008 ... Byline: Samantha Stainburn PROGRESS: 5 stars: A leap toward a better Chicago One star: A step back SMALL BUSINESS 3 stars Our suggestion: City Hall should adopt SourceLink, a phone number and Web site entrepreneurs can ...
Hospital arms race; Northwestern vies to run nuclear center that could roil cancer-care market.(News)
Jan 07, 2008; ... Byline: MIKE COLIAS In a deal that could shake up the competitive landscape for cancer care in Chicago, two renowned hospitals are vying to partner with Northern Illinois University on a massive new radiation treatment center. Doctors affiliated with Northwestern ...
Chicago's Place In The World.(Focus: Agenda for Chicago)
Jan 07, 2008 ... Thirty years ago, a city could thrive as a mere manufacturer of goods. You made your widgets and rooted for your local football team. But as Detroit, Cleveland, St. Louis and other struggling cities have learned, that's no longer enough. The rise of the global economy has ...
2008 FORECAST: FROSTY; Local businesses battle rising costs as slumping demand puts hiring plans on ice.(News)
Jan 07, 2008 ... Byline: MONEE FIELDS-WHITE Like many local executives, Mike Schmitt of Alcan Packaging Food Americas expects another slow year. Rising costs for plastics, resin and other commodities are weighing down the bottom line at the maker of candy wrappers, potato chip bags ...
Blue Water Grill adds playful spark; Chefs ramp up the fun; cook your own meat, dig into 'Cracker Jack'.(Business of Life)
Jan 07, 2008; ... Byline: LAURA BIANCHI New York-based B. R. Guest Restaurant Group raided the kitchens of Chicago's famed Tru earlier this year, snagging two catches for Chicago's Blue Water Grill. Executive chef Joel Dennis, formerly Tru's chef de cuisine, and pastry chef Nathaniel ...
Bespoke bags buck label fad; Custom-made purses get personal; 1 ardent buyer orders hers by name.(Business of Life)
Jan 07, 2008; ... Byline: KEVIN DAVIS Gigi Mitrovic has owned dozens of designer handbags-from Versace to Chanel-but her favorites are custom-made by a Chicago designer with a growing following. "I've had them all,'' says Ms. Mitrovic, who with her husband Boris owns Industrial ...
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Union role in preventing job losses is overlooked.(Opinion)(Letter to the editor)
Jan 07, 2008 ... In "Shifting fortunes'' (Dec. 17), Greg Hinz writes about many ideas for stemming the erosion of middle-class jobs, but he misses perhaps the most important tool of all: unions. The Chicago area's manufacturing jobs he laments losing weren't always so good. It took years of ...
New law endangers stereotypes but won't snuff out bar business.(Opinion)(Viewpoint essay)(Brief article)
Jan 07, 2008; ... Byline: Bill Savage Bill Savage, a senior lecturer in the English department at Northwestern University, tends bar one night a week in Rogers Park. So here we are, one week into the statewide ban on smoking in restaurants and bars. On the North Side, tumbleweeds blow ...
Strategy finder.(Business of Life)
Jan 14, 2008 ... Byline: Crystal Yednak Peter Krivkovich, 60, CEO of Chicago-based advertising and public relations firm Cramer-Krasselt, plays strategic war games to feed an interest in learning how battles really are won. "It's not just a question of winning; it's how you win. That's true in ...
Destination: Memphis, Tenn.(Business of Life)
Jan 14, 2008 ... Byline: Anne Ford GET AWAY: Love Memphis, but can't take another Graceland tour? Visit Jan. 31-Feb. 2 for what's expected to be the biggest International Blues Challenge competition yet, with 160 acts from eight countries competing in clubs up and down Beale Street. The most ...
Eco-friendly clothes go pro; Dressier styles bring them into the office.(Business of Life)
Jan 14, 2008 ... Byline: JENNIFER OLVERA John Bucksbaum, CEO of Chicago-based mall owner General Growth Properties Inc., dons suits made of supple, luxurious fabrics five days a week. But he also drives a Lexus 400h hybrid, habitually recycles and is mindful of energy usage. "The ...
Datebook.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
Jan 14, 2008 ... THIS WEEK JAN. 14: Jewish Vocational Service presents Leveraging the Internet to Bolster Your Networking Capabilities. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, 30 S. Wells St., Room 6112. Free. (312) 673-3437. JAN. 15: Score presents Marketing and ...
Tax hike may resolve transit crisis.(Briefs)(Chicago, Illinois. Transit Authority)(Brief article)
Jan 14, 2008 ... The Senate and House approved legislation authorizing a quarter-percent sales tax hike in the six-county Chicago region and an increase in the real estate transfer tax in Chicago to resolve the public transit crisis. The plan would raise nearly $500 million a year, enough to avoid ...
For The Record.(Briefs)(Department of Transportation investigates air traffic controllers)(General Growth Properties Inc. refinances in short term debts)(Donald Trump's hotel to open on Jan. 30)
Jan 14, 2008 ... A proposed Grossinger auto mall near the North-Clybourn intersection was approved for $8.5 million in tax-increment financing by the city's Community Development Commission. The TIF agreement for the development, which is expected to cost about $39 million, needs City Council approval. ...
MORTGAGE MESS HAS RECESSION AT DOORSTEP; A Conversation with Money Manager Peter Goldman.(Markets)(Chicago Asset Management Co.)(Interview)(Brief article)
Jan 14, 2008; ... Byline: Daniel Rome Levine Peter Goldman, 45, managing director, Chicago Asset Management Co. LLC, Chicago Experience: 23 years Assets under management: $500 million Crain's: What's the upshot of the housing slump and subprime mortgage crisis? ...
South Loop fills to brim with new liquor stores.(Business of Life)(Greater South Loop Association)(Brief article)
Jan 14, 2008; ... Byline: Kevin Davis A South Loop booze boom has brought in mega-stores like Binny's Beverage Depot and Sam's Wine & Spirits to compete with boutique wine shops. And with Jewel, Dominick's and Target also carrying alcoholic beverages, it's a buyer's market. "We have a ...
On the cheap.(Focus: Small Business)
Jan 14, 2008 ... Byline: Christina Le Beau More marketing tips from Denise Dorman for getting the bang without the bucks: Keep your Web site updated and make sure it is meta-tagged properly to optimize search engine results. Post announcements about sales and special ...
Party-er, cinema-lovers hit Sundance.(Business of Life)(Sundance Film Festival)(Brief article)
Jan 14, 2008; ... Byline: Shia Kapos When the Sundance Film Festival opens on Thursday, most of the 50,000 visitors will be there to rate the movies. But many-including a large Chicago contingent-trek to Utah's snow-capped mountains to gauge the social scene. "The biggest competition ...
On the Move.(People)(AT&T Inc. promotes Kevin Petersen)(Merrill Lynch & Company Inc. promotes Peter J. Soltesz)(Kaye Scholer L.L.P. promotes Michael D. Messersmith)
Jan 14, 2008 ... CONSUMER SERVICES AT&T Inc., San Antonio: Kevin Petersen, 38, to vice-president for business communications services at AT&T Midwest, in Chicago, from vice-president and general manager of AT&T Ohio in Columbus, Ohio. FINANCIAL SERVICES Harris N.A., ...
Try something new! It's January. Time to think big. We asked 10 local entrepreneurs to share their resolutions for a more profitable and more productive new year.(Focus: Small Business)
Jan 14, 2008 ... Byline: Christina Le Beau OPEN THE BOOKS Katrina Markoff, 34 Vosges Haut-Chocolat Chicago Chocolate maker Annual sales: $11.5 million "I plan to implement open-book management by sharing all financial details with ...
Can you hear me now? Absolutely.(Focus: Small Business)(Steven Adelstein of Trillium Solutions Group Inc. vows to use technology to stay in touch with his company information technology)
Jan 14, 2008 ... Byline: As told to Christina Le Beau Steven Adelstein, 43 CEO, Trillium Solutions Group Inc., Highland Park Last year, Mr. Adelstein vowed to use technology to stay in touch with his company's 44 IT and business consultants, based at client sites ...
When web design really works.(Focus: Small Business)(Juliie Duffy of Dinner by Design revises her company's website to better describe its services)
Jan 14, 2008 ... Byline: As told to Christina Le Beau Juliie Duffy, 39 Founder, Dinner by Design Grayslake In 2007, Ms. Duffy resolved to revise her company's Web site to better describe its services and the diversity of its products. The meal-assembly ...
Managing by objectives.(Focus: Small Business)(Scott Silver of Printable Promotions)
Jan 14, 2008 ... Byline: As told to Christina Le Beau Scott Silver, 37, CEO Printable Promotions, Chicago Early last year, Mr. Silver and his brother Mitch laid out a plan for "employee empowerment'' at their marketing firm. They told staff they could make decisions on ...
Burbs' office market steady; But economic concerns may dampen demand.(People)
Jan 14, 2008 ... Byline: ALBY GALLUN The suburban office market held steady in the fourth quarter, but increasing talk of a recession could hamper demand for space. The suburban vacancy rate was 15% in the fourth quarter, compared with 14.9% in the third quarter and 15.7% in the ...
'Yogurteur' bets on tart trend; Plans five Berry Chill locations by yearend.(News)
Jan 14, 2008; ... Byline: ROBERT LOERZEL Tart frozen yogurt is hot in California, and Michael Farah hopes it will be in Chicago, too. On Jan. 25, Mr. Farah is opening the first Berry Chill "all-natural yogurt bar'' at 635 N. State St., with plans for additional stores in Lincoln Park ...
TIF for North Side auto dealer is a boondoggle.(Opinion)(city officials plans to give Grossinger Auto Group $8.5 million in tax-increment financing )
Jan 14, 2008 ... TIF addiction in Chicago reached a new low last week. City officials endorsed a plan to give Grossinger Auto Group $8.5 million in tax-increment financing to build a dealership at the bustling intersection of North and Clybourn avenues on the North Side. The site isn't in a TIF ...
The story of marketing.(Focus: Small Business)(Denise Dorman )(Interview)
Jan 14, 2008; ... Byline: CHRISTINA LE BEAU As a marketing consultant, Denise Dorman has a few ideas about what your goals should be for attracting more business in 2008. Ms. Dorman, 43, owner of Write Brain Media in Geneva, explains why that could involve a jingle. CRAIN'S: Which is ...
Staff promotions, hiring at Crain's Chicago Business.(News)
Jan 14, 2008 ... Mike Colias has been promoted to senior reporter, covering local drug and medical products companies, hospitals, physicians and health insurers. His work has included several exclusive stories on Cook County's troubled health system. Mr. Colias, 34, came to Crain's in 2006 from the Chicago ...
The new you. Really; FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PROMISE-KEEPING.(Focus: Small Business)(people make resolutions for financial reasons)
Jan 14, 2008; ... Byline: Tomas Mucha It's two weeks into 2008 and we're betting your New Year's resolutions are already out the window. Admit it: You're eating ice cream again, you've downed too many martinis and that gym membership card is permanently fixed to the inside of your wallet or ...
Need to Know.(Focus: Small Business)
Jan 14, 2008 ... 45 Percentage of Americans who make New Year's resolutions. 8 Percentage of Americans who say they keep them. 34 Of those making resolutions, percentage vowing to lose weight. 31 Percentage aspiring to enter ...
Chicago style; THE DRAMA BEHIND DEBORAH MELL'S BID FOR STATE HOUSE SEAT COULD ONLY HAPPEN HERE.(News)
Jan 14, 2008; ... Byline: Greg Hinz Hillary and Barack have been hogging the media spotlight lately with sundry sniffling, sparring and speechifying. Both are, or were, from Chicago, where any sensible pol knows that effective politics is a mix of high drama, serious business and cheap ...
An image-maker that fits; Some great advisers, but also cookie-cutter looks, conflicting ideas-and even fraud.(Business of Life)(women hire consultants to help them manage their clothes and spend wisely)
Jan 14, 2008; ... Byline: LISA BERTAGNOLI Just as women with money have portfolio consultants to help them track their wealth and invest wisely, women with wardrobes-serious wardrobes, on which they may spend hundreds of thousands of dollars a year-hire image consultants to help them manage their ...
It's showtime for Olympics bid; Chicago 2016 facing crucial step in process.(News)
Jan 14, 2008; ... Byline: JOHN PLETZ Chicago pulls back the veil on its Olympics bid this week. Along with six other cities, Chicago has submitted its formal questionnaire to the International Olympic Committee, providing details on what the city would spend building sports venues if ...
OBAMANOMICS; Candidate of change follows party line on economic policy.(News)
Jan 14, 2008; ... Byline: PAUL MERRION With the economy stalling, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's chances of winning the White House depend more on convincing voters he can save their jobs than on promising to change Washington's ways. For all his rhetoric about moving beyond partisanship, ...
Salvaging profits; Its shares are racing, but used auto-parts dealer's dispute with Ford may dent finances.(Markets)
Jan 14, 2008; ... Byline: BOB TITA LKQ Corp., riding a boom in the used auto-parts business, is steering toward trouble. Shares of the Chicago-based company, the nation's largest provider of used transmissions, fenders and other components recovered from wrecked cars, surged 83% last ...
Corrections.(Correction notice)
Jan 14, 2008 ... A Jan. 7 Business of Life story should have noted that the ...
Hefty tax bill looms for Sun-Times; Black-era liabilities add to publisher's woes.(News)
Jan 14, 2008; ... Byline: ANN SAPHIR As if Sun-Times Media Group CEO Cyrus Freidheim didn't have enough on his hands, a troublesome legacy of the Conrad Black era looms: a tax bill for as much as $530 million. Mr. Freidheim will be hard-pressed to pay such a liability, disclosed in a ...
Business lending tightens; Credit crunch spreads to mid-sized commercial market; loans get pricier.(News)
Jan 14, 2008; ... Byline: STEVE DANIELS The credit crunch that has afflicted homebuyers and private-equity firms is now migrating to the privately owned, mid-sized companies that are the backbone of Chicago's economy. Mid-market companies are facing interest rates on loans that are ...
KRAFT SHAKES UP DAIRY MARKET; Food giant offers line of cheese free of controversial hormone.(News)
Jan 14, 2008; ... Byline: DAVID STERRETT Kraft Foods Inc. plans to offer cheese free of a controversial growth hormone, a strategic move that pressures competitors to follow. Northfield-based Kraft says it will start selling a line of cheese made with milk from cows free of rBST by ...