Crain's Chicago Business back issues from April 2008:
Pharmacy technician; George Matusyan, 25 Walgreens, Buffalo Grove.(Occupation overview)
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: As told to Dee Gill I start at 8 in the morning, and we get busy right away. We're a 24-hour store, and we fill an average of 650 prescriptions a day. When I come in, I look in the queue to see if there's any work left from the night before, like handling ...
Insurance rates going up; Some policyholders can kiss their premium reductions goodbye.(News)
Apr 07, 2008 ... Byline: STEVE DANIELS Illinois consumers are seeing higher rates for car and home insurance after three years of price cuts. In the past few months, three of the state's top five auto insurers, including Northbrook-based Allstate Corp., have raised rates. Ohio's ...
Crain's Picks.(Business of Life)(Directory)
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: Crystal Yednak Opening "No Country for Old White Men" 1616 N. Wells St. (312) 337-3992 www.secondcity.com 7 p.m. Sunday Tickets: $19 The Second City opens its 95th revue with material from a ...
Destination: Normandy, France.(Business of Life)
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: Lisa Bertagnoli GET AWAY: There are few better places for World War II buffs to soak up history than France's Normandy region, comprised of five departements, or counties. The coastline of Calvados, about a two-hour drive northwest of Paris, is home to Juno, Omaha, ...
Winter 2008: The Last Straw.(Rivendell Communications)(Brief article)
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: Lisa Bertagnoli This winter left Julie K. Berry feeling she had two choices: Go on anti-depressants, or move away. Ms. Berry, who owns Rivendell Communications, a La Porte, Ind.-based media relations firm, chose the latter. She's putting her four-bedroom ...
Paying with the big boys; How much is Private Bancorp willing to spend for top-flight talent? A lot.(News)
Apr 07, 2008 ... Byline: STEVE DANIELS PrivateBancorp Inc. is shelling out big-league salaries to the roster of business banking all-stars it recruited from LaSalle Bank last year. A recent proxy filing gives a first glimpse of how much the mid-sized bank's bid to join the top tier ...
Firing line; STUDENTS' SAFETY CAUGHT IN CROSSFIRE OF P0LITICAL RHETORIC OVER SCHOOL SHOOTINGS.(News)
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: Greg Hinz They gather every morning by the school down the street, like a squad of stressed Humvee drivers ferrying troops to the front lines. One by one, the SUVs roll up, a door opens and a little one emerges. A head-sometimes Dad's, usually Mom's-will stick ...
Info Junkie.(Business of Life)(Brief article)
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: Laura Bianchi Even without being Mirandized, Thomas Demetrio, 60, confesses to being computer illiterate. "I have no patience for it; I have people'' who handle technology in the Loop law offices of Corboy & Demetrio P.C. Instead, he accesses: News and ...
CAT digs into China; Grabbing bigger share of building boom key to offsetting U.S. housing slump.(Caterpillar Inc.)
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: BOB TITA It took Caterpillar Inc. three decades to reach $1.5 billion in annual sales in China. The Peoria-based construction-equipment maker now aims to more than double that in the next three years. With the U.S. construction business tanking, Caterpillar ...
Singin' the blues? Not these execs; Blue Cross chief gets $10 mil. as health care costs continue to surge.(News)
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: MIKE COLIAS "Wellness,'' the new marketing slogan of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Illinois, also applies to the pocketbooks of the insurer's top executives. Pay for almost all of the top 10 execs at the Blues' Chicago-based parent, Health Care Service Corp., ...
Tough cell: Motorola's spinoff; Lack of glitzy new phones dulls its edge on Wall Street.(News)
Apr 07, 2008 ... Byline: JOHN PLETZ Motorola Inc.'s new plan to spin off its cell phone business is up against the same old problem: lackluster phones. Unless Motorola comes up with some appealing new phones by next year, it will have as tough a time selling Wall Street on the ...
City tragedy draws couple into a cause.(Business of Life)(Interview)
Apr 07, 2008 ... Byline: Mary Cameron Frey The Big Shoulders Fund was founded in 1986 by a group of civic leaders to assist schools that support disadvantaged students in Chicago. Funds are used for scholarships, special education programs, instructional equipment and operating grants to 93 ...
General counsel cleared for takeoff at AAR.(People)
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: John Pletz Job: Vice-president, general counsel, Wood Dale-based AAR Corp., beginning June 1; joined the company, which manages aircraft parts supplies, provides maintenance services to airlines and builds portable shelters, on March 3. Vitals: 50; bachelor's ...
ON THE MEND; Drugstore chain angles for return to investors' good graces in wake of earnings stumble last year.(Markets)
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: MONEE FIELDS-WHITE A pair of pleasant earnings surprises haven't restored Walgreen Co.'s stock to its former heights. Shares of the Deerfield-based company, the nation's largest drugstore chain by sales, have fallen nearly 18% in the past 12 months. While the ...
Chicago execs not shy about reaching 50.(Business of Life)(Brief article)
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: Shia Kapos As they reach the big Five-O, notable Chicagoans are shedding the angst that comes with turning 40. No jokes about staying "39 forever.'' They're embracing the half-century mark the old-fashioned way-with friends and family, cupcakes and their kind of music. ...
Guv's panel can set new standard for infrastructure funding.(Opinion)(Viewpoint essay)
Apr 07, 2008 ... Byline: George A. Ranney George A. Ranney is president and CEO of Chicago Metropolis 2020. Now that the 16 distinguished citizens appointed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich to his Illinois Works Coalition have started their "listening tour'' to hear citizen suggestions about ...
Respiratory therapist; Maxine Greene, 44.(Viewpoint essay)
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: As told to Dee Gill Advocate Bethany Hospital, Chicago Years ago, there was a gentleman who lived next door who was like a father to me. One Sunday morning, one of the coldest in Chicago, he had a heart attack. The ambulance came, and I felt helpless that I ...
Ditching Boca blowout, CME starts its own show; Convention split underscores tensions with biggest customers.(News)(Conference news)
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: ANN SAPHIR In the latest sign of escalating tensions between CME Group Inc. and some of its biggest customers, the Chicago-based exchange company dropped its sponsorship of the futures industry's big annual convention and is launching a financial confab of its own in ...
For The Record.
Apr 07, 2008 ... Fortune Brands launched a share-buyback program in the wake of a failed bid to acquire Swedish distiller Vin & Sprit, maker of Absolut vodka. Fortune CEO Bruce Carbonari said he had hoped the company could buy Absolut "at the right price,'' not the $8.3 billion Pernod Ricard paid for it, ...
On the Move.(People)
Apr 07, 2008 ... FINANCIAL SERVICES FIFTH THIRD BANK, Cincinnati: Robert Swanson, 51, to vice-president and group head of the North division for middle-market banking, from senior vice-president and division head at LaSalle Bank N.A. Also, Douglas Brymer, 35, to investment executive and ...
Kellogg eyes $100-million building.(Briefs)(Brief article)
Apr 07, 2008 ... Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management is laying the groundwork for a building likely to cost more than $100 million. "At this time, the cost, size and location have not been determined,'' a spokesman said. Former Illinois Tool Works CEO W. James Ferrell is leading the ...
Relocated-just for a few months; Corporate assignments boom for shorter stays overseas; an easier adjustment, but still missing some things back home.
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: LAURA BIANCHI Five years after joining Aon Corp. in Chicago, attorney Samantha Caldwell took a six-month assignment in the insurance company's London law division. Single and childless, with her parents in good health, Ms. Caldwell's only extracurricular obligation was ...
Help wanted, stat; U.S. will need 3 million workers for growing ranks of elderly and sick.(Focus: Health Care)
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: DEE GILL The health care industry is expected to create more jobs, pay higher wages and face more worker shortages than any other in the next 10 years. Health care will generate some 3 million new jobs between 2006 and 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of ...
Primary care doctor; Jennifer Olson, 32.(Viewpoint essay)
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: As told to Dee Gill North Shore Physicians Group, Chicago and Skokie I became an internist because, in med school, I liked all the specialties. I get to practice them all as an internist, because people see me for all sorts of problems. I went to ...
Physician assistant; Barbara Miller, 54.(Occupation overview)
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: As told to Dee Gill John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County Many people don't know what a physician assistant is. We do what a physician does: examine patients, diagnose medical problems, initiate treatment and write prescriptions. We also assist in the ...
Cardiology technologist; Patrick Coon, 40.(Viewpoint essay)
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: As told to Dee Gill University of Chicago Hospitals Echocardiography-ultrasound of the heart-has exploded in the last few years. Whenever patients have chest pains or murmurs, the doctor sends them to us. We'll take images, measure how thick the walls of the ...
Physical therapist; Daphne Scott, 37.(Occupation overview)
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: As told to Dee Gill AthletiCo, Oak Brook My brother broke his elbow during wrestling in high school and had to have surgery. I had just gotten my driver's license, and sometimes I would drive him to his therapy appointments. One day he came out, and I could ...
Sound of a train freighted with meaning, money.(Opinion)(Viewpoint essay)
Apr 07, 2008 ... We at Crain's love the sound of a train in the distance. The moan of a train whistle on a summer night fills us with wistful thoughts of prairie-town depots and cross-country rail voyages. But we know the romance fades the nearer you get to the trains themselves. Up close, ...
Advanced Equities builds a bridge to its own IPO; New direction in finance for securities broker.(News)
Apr 07, 2008 ... Byline: BROOKE SOUTHALL Advanced Equities Financial Corp., a Chicago-based securities broker that's carved a niche for itself financing companies backed by venture capital firms, is preparing for an initial public offering. Anticipating an IPO in late 2009 or in 2010, ...
Value menu battleground; Costs, margins choking profits, franchisees say.(News)
Apr 07, 2008 ... Byline: EMILY BRYSON YORK The ubiquitous dollar value menus that have boosted fast-food industry sales are hurting some franchisees. As the economy weakens, discount menus offered by Burger King Holdings Inc., McDonald's Corp. and other chains are taking an ...
John Buck, Abu Dhabi firm unite.(News)(Brief article)
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: THOMAS A. CORFMAN A real estate company owned by Abu Dhabi's government is forming a joint venture with Chicago-based developer John Buck Co. to build properties in the oil-rich Middle East emirate. The new venture, known as John Buck International, gives the ...
Naha takes simple, makes it memorable; Chef's Armenian roots flavor accessible menu; an unbeatable burger.
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: ALISON NEUMER LARA Naha is one of the city's pure dining pleasures. Chef Carrie Nahabedian's seasonally driven cooking reflects a kitchen that continues to stretch and grow after eight years (and counting) on the corner of Clark and Illinois streets. Superb ...
Demand slows for downtown offices; Vacancy rate hits 11.4% in first rise since 2005.(News)
Apr 07, 2008 ... Byline: THOMAS A. CORFMAN Chicago's downtown office vacancy rate had its first quarterly increase in more than two years, a signal that demand for space is leveling off as the economy stumbles. The vacancy rate rose to 11.4% in the first quarter from 11.3% in the ...
Fewer Ill. landfills, but more capacity; Stricter EPA regulations led to some site closures.(News)
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: JIM JOHNSON Landfill capacity in Illinois increased by 4.5% in 2006 as existing waste-disposal operations continued expansion, according to state environmental regulators. The state's landfills added 44 million cubic yards in 2006 to boost capacity to more ...
Trimming costs to expand market; Female Health's sales gain after it drops prices.(News)
Apr 07, 2008 ... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Female Health Co., its profit bolstered by a shift to manufacturing in Asia, is aiming for growth. The Chicago-based company, the world's only maker of commercially available female condoms, expects to increase sales as it passes along savings ...
Rockford lands carrier; Southern Skyways will serve Denver, Detroit and Myrtle Beach, S.C.(News)
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Rockford's airport, abandoned by large passenger airlines, will soon have a new carrier to help fill the void. Southern Skyways, an Atlanta-based unit of charter specialist Aviation Advantage Inc., on June 6 begins twice-weekly flights between ...
Steelmaker staying put; Finkl chooses Chicago over Canada, handing victory to Daley.(News)
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: THOMAS A. CORFMAN Longtime North Side steelmaker A. Finkl & Sons Co. is backing off a threat to leave Chicago and plans to move next year to the Southeast Side, a big win for Mayor Richard M. Daley in his campaign to keep manufacturing jobs in the city. ...
GLUTTED CONDO MARKET NOT ABOUT TO SPRING BACK; A Conversation with Money Manager Dan Cardell.(Markets)(Interview)(Brief article)
Apr 07, 2008; ... Byline: Bruce Blythe Dan Cardell, 50, president and chief investment officer, Wayne Hummer Asset Management Co., Chicago Experience: 26 years Assets under management: $1.5 billion Crain's: You believe the real estate slump hasn't fully shaken ...
BOAR MARKET: PENNY-WISE CONSUMERS FAVORING PORK; A Conversation with Money Manager Alan Cole.(Markets)(Interview)(Brief article)
Apr 14, 2008; ... Byline: Bruce Blythe Alan Cole, 42, president, Cedar Hill Associates Inc., Highland Park Experience: 15 years Assets under management: $965 million Crain's: Oil hit a record $112.21 a barrel last week, and natural gas reached a two-year high ....
Profit train slowing down; Recession fears weigh on freight broker Hub.(Markets)
Apr 14, 2008 ... Byline: BOB TITA The rickety economy is threatening to throw profit off track at Hub Group Inc. Shares of the Downers Grove-based freight transportation broker have fallen 12% since April 3, the day before Florida-based Raymond James & Associates Inc. analyst William ...
Corrections.(Correction notice)
Apr 14, 2008 ... In this week's pre-printed Golf Guide, tee information for Tamarack Golf Club is incorrect. Find the corrected ...
After B of A, going private for Wm. Blair.(People)(Chicago-based William Blair & Co.)(Brief article)
Apr 14, 2008; ... Byline: Ann Saphir Job: Head of private wealth management at Chicago-based William Blair & Co., since Feb. 28. Vitals: 45 years old; bachelor's in economics, 1984, and MBA, 1985, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.; credit analyst, Bank of America Corp ....
The psychological impact of bad times; There's much more at stake here than just the bottom line.(Focus: Small Business)(Gail Golden, RHR International Co. )(Interview)
Apr 14, 2008; ... Byline: CHRISTINA LE BEAU When recession talk spreads, employees start to feel insecure about their jobs, affecting everything from productivity to morale. Crain's asked Gail Golden, 45, a management psychologist with RHR International Co. in Wood Dale, how to calm nerves. ...
The quick and the dead; Get your business in order before things turn ugly.(Focus: Small Business)(Geoff Harlow, an accountant with Kessler Orlean Silver & Co. P.C.)(Interview)
Apr 14, 2008; ... Byline: CHRISTINA LE BEAU With financial and mortgage crises topping newscasts every night, it's no wonder business owners are worried about sales, cash flow and credit. So what should be done now to protect the bottom line? And what can wait? Crain's asked Geoff Harlow, 51, an ...
Seeing the upside of a downturn; Entrepreneurs' perspective often differs from general population's.(Focus: Small Business)(Michael Alter, president of SurePayroll Inc. in Glenview)(Interview)
Apr 14, 2008; ... Byline: CHRISTINA LE BEAU Check out any small-business economic survey and among the hiring index and salary data you'll find a measurement of something less tangible: optimism. Michael Alter, president of SurePayroll Inc. in Glenview, puts out a monthly Small Business Scorecard ...
Charities offer after-school aid; YMCA, others aim to expand programs in poorest parts of city.(News)(Young Men's Christian Associations)
Apr 14, 2008 ... Byline: MONEE FIELDS-WHITE A trio of local social-services agencies are joining forces with Chicago Public Schools to dramatically expand after-school programs for children in poor neighborhoods. The YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, Metropolitan Family Services and ...
Docs prep med-mal ad blitz; Running 6,000 radio spots ahead of key Supreme Court ruling.(News)
Apr 14, 2008; ... Byline: MIKE COLIAS The state's medical lobby is rolling out an ad blitz trumpeting the importance of caps on jury awards to malpractice victims that it pushed through nearly three years ago. The "Keep Doctors in Illinois'' campaign-detailed in a March 28 internal ...
Shark tank; BLAGOJEVICH'S WOUNDS ATTRACT A PACK OF PROSPECTIVE GUBERNATORIAL RIVALS.(News)
Apr 14, 2008; ... Byline: Greg Hinz Maybe it's the talk that the Illinois Senate will follow the lead of the House and allow voters to recall Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Maybe it's the hammering G-Rod continues to take in the federal corruption trial of fundraiser Tony Rezko. Or ...
What not to do in a downturn.(Focus: Small Business)(economic slump affecting business enterprises marketing budget)
Apr 14, 2008; ... Byline: Christina Le Beau It's good to learn from your mistakes. It's even better to learn from someone else's. Here's some advice on what not to do in an economic slump. Act before you think. Rash behavior never ends well. Owners "have to consider the implications ...
How to win in a tough economy; It's not easy, but some entrepreneurs show how it can be done.(Focus: Small Business)
Apr 14, 2008; ... Byline: CHRISTINA LE BEAU To hear many small-business owners tell it, there is no recession. But that's part of their entrepreneurial DNA: eternal optimism. It doesn't mean some aren't already implementing survival strategies-or that you shouldn't, either. Here's how five ...
Slow play: the curse of the course; Long rounds frustrate prime-time golfers; hitting the links at dawn.(Business of Life)
Apr 14, 2008; ... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Steven Schoenbrun is a familiar figure in the misty dawn at Kemper Lakes Golf Club in north suburban Kildeer. He often tees off by 6:30 and zips around the course in a cart by himself, finishing 18 holes in a gazelle-like two hours, which gets him to his ...
Canada, not China, is partner in our economic prosperity.(Opinion)(Viewpoint essay)
Apr 14, 2008; ... Byline: Paul O'Connor Paul O'Connor is a consultant and former head of World Business Chicago. Maybe our global future doesn't always look brighter on the other side of the salt water. Maybe it can be found in a common market that shares the shores of the earth's ...
Gene & Georgetti keeps it old school; Steaks, chops stand out, but is warm welcome for regulars only?(Business of Life)
Apr 14, 2008; ... Byline: LAURA BIANCHI Old school and proud of it, 67-year-old Gene & Georgetti delivers a no-frills, dependable steakhouse menu in a 1940s neighborhood setting. Just north of the Merchandise Mart, the restaurant has defied the survival odds while hewing steadfastly ...
Crain's Picks.(Business of Life)
Apr 14, 2008; ... Byline: Crystal Yednak Opening "Around the World in 80 Days" 821 N. Michigan Ave. (312) 337-0665 www.lookingglasstheatre.org 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday Tickets: $25-$55 ...
Info Junkie.(Business of Life)(Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation)(Brief article)
Apr 14, 2008; ... Byline: Christina Le Beau As secretary of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Dean Martinez, 33, oversees anyone licensed to practice, from banks to acupuncturists. "We regulate 10% of the population, so there's always a story that relates to what ...
The spendiest putter in town.(Business of Life)(Bettinardi Golf Inc. )(Brief article)
Apr 14, 2008; ... Byline: H. Lee Murphy Spring brings Eric Leet, 23, to an Astroturfed studio above the Bettinardi Golf Inc. factory in Tinley Park to be fitted for a putter. Technicians study lie angles and face loft as he hunches over a battery of cameras and computers recording his stroke. ...
BUCKTOWN BLOCKBUSTER; DQ kingpin buys bank, lots for $18 mil.; there goes the neighborhood?(News)(CG Development Group LLC.)
Apr 14, 2008; ... Byline: THOMAS A. CORFMAN A little-known developer has paid $18.4 million for a landmark bank building in the heart of Bucktown, a stunning price for a small structure far from downtown and the latest sign of the revival, or ruin, of the once-gritty neighborhood of boutiques and ...
Destination: Reno, Nevada.(Business of Life)
Apr 14, 2008; ... Byline: Anne Ford GET AWAY: At press time, tickets were about to go on sale for the 2008 Legends Reno-Tahoe Open, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. Take advantage of four wine-tasting stations as you watch players compete for a $3- million purse July 28-Aug. 3 ...
How to survive this mess; Recession debate aside, business owners need to prepare for the worst.(Focus: Small Business)
Apr 14, 2008; ... Byline: CHRISTINA LE BEAU True, people disagree about whether we're in a recession. If you're a homebuilder, it sure feels like a slump. If you're an exporter, things are looking good. If your business does anything in between, it depends on your risk tolerance, your cash ...
Attorney gives hand to Court Theatre.(Business of Life)(Interview)
Apr 14, 2008; ... Byline: Mary Cameron Frey Since its founding in 1955, the Court Theatre, a non-profit, professional theater on the campus of the University of Chicago, has produced more than 200 plays, including 39 by Shakespeare, 16 by Moliere and 10 by George Bernard Shaw. It's noted for ...
UNITED'S NEXT HURDLE: COSTLY REPAIRS; Safety crackdown comes as airline's maintenance expenses are rising.(News)(United Air Lines Inc.)
Apr 14, 2008; ... Byline: JOHN PLETZ Rising worries about airline safety spotlight a strategic weakness at United Airlines, where an aging fleet is pushing up maintenance costs. A series of slip-ups at United and other carriers in recent weeks triggered a crackdown by aviation ...
Enemy of your enemy isn't always a friend.(Opinion)(Brief article)
Apr 14, 2008 ... Business leaders counting on Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan to contain the populist impulses of Gov. Rod Blagojevich and state Senate President Emil Jones had better pay close attention to the action in Springfield. After lining up with business to block Mr ....
McD's picks a soda fight; Takes on 7-Eleven with $1 pop as economy softens.(News)(McDonald's Corp)
Apr 14, 2008; ... Byline: DAVID STERRETT Already gunning for Starbucks, McDonald's Corp. now is targeting 7-Eleven. The burger chain is urging store owners in the Western United States to slash prices on large soft drinks to $1 this summer to win customers from convenience store ...
Need to Know.(Focus: Small Business)
Apr 14, 2008 ... 80,000 U.S. jobs lost last month. $3.49 Average price of a gallon of gas in Chicago, up from $2.86 last year. 6 Consecutive quarters the dollar has fallen vs. the euro. ...
Riding out the storm; MEMO FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF DOOM AND GLOOM.(Focus: Small Business)
Apr 14, 2008 ... Byline: Thomas Mucha Worried about the economy? You're hardly alone. A mere glance at recent headlines is enough to plunge even the most relaxed reader into a morass of fear. U.S. mortgage foreclosures are at a record high and rising. Bear Stearns, Wall Street's ...