Crain's Chicago Business back issues from June 2009:
View Modern Wing at Crain's program.
Jun 01, 2009 ... Be among the first to explore the Modern Wing at an exclusive before-hours viewing of the most ambitious building project in the Art Institute of Chicago's 130-year history as part of a corporate preview hosted by Crain's Chicago Business on Wednesday, June 10. Designed by ...
Crain's Web site wins accolades.(ChicagoBusiness.com)(Brief article)
Jun 01, 2009 ... ChicagoBusiness.com, the Web site of Crain's Chicago Business, has been named a top business Web site in the nation. The 2009 EPpy award for "Best Business Web site with fewer than 1 million unique monthly visitors'' was given to ChicagoBusiness.com by Editor & Publisher and ...
On the move.
Jun 01, 2009 ... FINANCIAL SERVICES AVIVA NORTH AMERICA, Chicago: Richard Hoskins, 44, to executive vice-president and chief financial officer, from CFO at Old Mutual U.S. Holdings Inc. WATER STREET HEALTHCARE PARTNERS LLC, Chicago: Max Mishkin, 30, to vice-president, from ...
Hospitals head north; NorthShore joins pursuit of well-insured in Lake County.(NorthShore University HealthSystem)
Jun 01, 2009; ... Byline: MIKE COLIAS NorthShore University HealthSystem is hunting for growth in northern Lake County, ratcheting up the battle for well-heeled patients among some of the region's largest hospital operators. Evanston-based NorthShore plans to build a $22-million ...
Tanna Farms Golf Club.(Brief article)
Jun 01, 2009 ... 39W808 Hughes Road Geneva (630) 232-4300 www.tannafarms.com PGA pro: John Flynn Tee times: Accepted 10 days in advance Green fees: $65 in prime time, carts included Length: 6,510 yards Rating: 72.0 ...
Tanna Farms: quirky, but not overly so; Geneva course avoids pitfalls of its sibling; easy first nine gives way to challenging finish.
Jun 01, 2009; ... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY One of my least favorite golf courses is Mill Creek Club in west suburban Geneva, a tricked-up layout designed by Florida land planner Roy Case. Mr. Case also was called upon to route a neighboring course, Tanna Farms Golf Club, as part of a ...
Trade show train wreck; Convention turnout sags, hurting many firms.
Jun 01, 2009; ... Byline: MONEE FIELDS-WHITE McCormick Place conventions and trade shows are sustaining double-digit declines in attendance this year, squeezing local hotels, restaurants and other businesses that cater to conventioneers. With the recession forcing them to cut costs, ...
SOMETHING FROM THE OVEN; Acquisitions are heating up Middleby's stock, but company can't outrun restaurant industry slump.
Jun 01, 2009 ... Byline: STEVEN R. STRAHLER Shares of Middleby Corp. are warming up despite economic chills among restaurant operators that buy its ovens, grillers and fryers. Middleby stock was roasted last year but has doubled since early March as the Elgin-based company makes ...
Spotlight Rynda Laurel; Fueling Kerosene's arts and entertainment biz.
Jun 01, 2009 ... Byline: Monee Fields-White Job: Vice-president of operations and client services, Chicago-based digital advertising and marketing firm Kerosene Creative Services, since April. Vitals: 41 years old; assistant, Charisma, Virgin Records/A&R, New York, 1990-92; executive ...
Private clubs in a pickle; Networking and lunch were already easier to find; then came the recession.
Jun 01, 2009; ... Byline: SHIA KAPOS Chicago's private clubs are going to extraordinary lengths to survive the recession, slashing initiation fees and ramping up programs as one of the oldest among them cuts services in response to a slide in membership. The Standard Club refused to ...
Fast Fifty.(Company rankings)
Jun 01, 2009; ... Profiles by Anna-Louise Jackson, Sandra Swanson, Matt Carmichael and Michelle Evans 1 BLUESTAR ENERGY SERVICES INC., CHICAGO 2008 revenue: $193.3 million Five-year growth: 12,917% Profitable? Yes Local employees: 33 ...
Ch. 2 expanding reach; Digital switch could bring bigger audience, more TV ad revenue.
Jun 01, 2009; ... Byline: PAUL MERRION The nation's June 12 switch to digital television means more than a half-million viewers in the Chicago area will see WBBM-TV/Channel 2 clearly for the first time, possibly boosting the station's perennially low ratings along with its notoriously weak ...
Ozone rules vex business; Illinois EPA fights feds over tougher industrial air regs.
Jun 01, 2009 ... Byline: PAUL MERRION Illinois regulators are fighting tighter federal air pollution controls that could make some industrial projects much more expensive or even impossible to build in the Chicago area. The tougher regulations on ozone-producing emissions, proposed ...
Fast 50; The economy may be slow, but they're still hot.(Brief article)
Jun 01, 2009 ... METHODOLOGY How did we find them? Crain's began seeking applications in January. We also scoured our lists of public and private companies for likely candidates. Who was eligible? Companies with headquarters in the six-county area (Cook, DuPage, ...
Brewers battle beer tax hikes; Feds, states aim to tap suds for cash for health care, budget gaps.
Jun 01, 2009 ... Byline: DAVID STERRETT Beer makers are muscling up to fight a flood of tax hike proposals from cash-thirsty government bodies all over the country. In Congress, the Senate Finance Committee has raised the possibility of a 150% increase in the federal tax on beer to ...
Cheers for the small investor's reluctant ally.
Jun 01, 2009 ... Shareholders at a pair of local companies had the audacity in recent weeks to act like they own the place. At Huron Consulting Group Inc. and R. R. Donnelley & Sons Co., shareholders asserting their rights as owners took actions that put their interests ahead of management's ...
CORRECTION.
Jun 01, 2009 ... Total compensation for Patricia Woertz, chairman, president and CEO of Archer Daniels Midland Co., ...
Balancing perspectives at Scott Balice; Spotlight: Thomas Morsch Jr.
Jun 08, 2009 ... Byline: H. Lee Murphy Job: Managing director, Scott Balice Strategies LLC financial advisory firm in Chicago, since March. Vitals: 53 years old; bachelor's degree in English, Beloit College, 1977; assistant, Gov. James Thompson, Springfield, 1978-79; executive ...
Mag Mile facing a glitz gap; High-end stores' closures open strip to discounters.
Jun 08, 2009; ... Byline: EDDIE BAEB The relentless recession threatens to rob Chicago's North Michigan Avenue of some of its luster as rising vacancies open the door to more bargain-oriented stores. The vacancy rate in the Mag Mile corridor rose to 7.2% in the year ended April 30 ...
On the move.(Brief article)
Jun 08, 2009 ... FINANCIAL SERVICES HARRIS BANK, Chicago: James P. Duff, 40, to market manager of the West district for business banking, in Roselle, from regional business sales manager. Also, Robert Leach, 39, to business market manager for the North district, in Barrington, from market ...
Meet the stars of Crain's Fast Fifty.
Jun 08, 2009 ... Join Crain's for a networking reception and breakfast to celebrate the 50 fastest-growing companies in the Chicago area. A panel of Fast Fifty entrepreneurs, some of whom have made the list more than once, will share the secrets of their success, both in good and challenging ...
The task is clear, U of I: Tear up the "clout list'.
Jun 08, 2009 ... So it turns out that getting into the University of Illinois works the same way as getting a job with the city of Chicago. Applicants get a leg up if their names appear on a political "clout list.'' As the Chicago Tribune reported in a fine investigative series last week, the ...
Conway Farms scores at new length; Golf club draws a tourney after toughening up; place it between tough, genteel.
Jun 08, 2009; ... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Even courses built within the past 20 years are feeling the pressure to toughen play as equipment technology gets ever better, especially if they want to be contenders to host important tournaments. A case in point is Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest, ...
Conway Farms Golf Club.(Brief article)
Jun 08, 2009 ... 425 S. Conway Farm Drive Lake Forest (847) 234-7160 www.conwayfarmsgolfclub.com Director of golf: Jeff Mory Initiation fee: $70,000; open to non-members for charity events Length: 7,216 yards Rating: 75.8 ...
LOTS ON THE LINE; Vacant car dealerships ill-suited to other uses.
Jun 08, 2009; ... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Fallout from the bankruptcies of Chrysler LLC and General Motors Corp. will soon hit the Chicago area as dozens of automobile lots go dark. They will join a roster of dealerships closed in the past few years that, in most cases, have languished as vacant ...
Ads lift McD coffee sales; But numbers expected to drop when promo ends.
Jun 08, 2009 ... Byline: DAVID STERRETT A jolt of advertising is boosting sales of McDonald's Corp.'s new coffees, but the buzz could fade quickly after the heavy promotion ends. The fast-food company's restaurants nationwide each sold an average of 56 specialty coffee drinks per day ...
Corrections.
Jun 08, 2009 ... PLS Financial Services Inc. is not spending $500,000 to renovate each store. This information was incorrect in Crain's June 1 Fast Fifty feature. A June 1 Fast Fifty ...
SHOCK ABSORBER; Tenneco dodges GM bankruptcy bullet, but questions over timing of auto-sector recovery splits opinion on direction of parts maker.
Jun 08, 2009 ... Byline: JOHN PLETZ Tenneco Inc.'s stock has skyrocketed in the past three months despite the turmoil that led to the bankruptcy filing of its biggest customer. After a collapse in global auto sales crippled revenue, sent debt levels rising and drove its stock down to ...
Emptiness deepens at local hotels; Occupancy rates, room prices sliding toward new lows.
Jun 08, 2009; ... Byline: THOMAS A. CORFMAN The downturn in the local hotel market is accelerating, confirming fears of a nose dive worse than in the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks. As the market worsens, negotiations have abruptly stalled between boutique hotel firm Kimpton ...
Giant faces off with Stericycle; Waste Management covets medical trash.
Jun 08, 2009 ... Byline: MIKE COLIAS A garbage goliath is targeting Stericycle Inc.'s position atop the nation's medical-waste heap. Waste Management Inc. has begun "taking the first steps toward creating a national footprint in medical waste,'' CEO David Steiner told analysts ...
BANK TO BASICS; Future belongs to those that rediscover traditional banking ways in deposit-gathering, local lending.(First Bank & Trust)
Jun 08, 2009; ... Byline: STEVE DANIELS During the real estate boom, First Bank & Trust CEO Robert Yohanan routinely frustrated his loan officers by rejecting residential construction loans other small banks rushed to fund. Many of those loans soured when housing markets collapsed, ...
Guv gets game; QUINN FOUND HIS POLITICAL FOOTING, BUT MUST FIND COST SAVINGS TO WIN BUDGET DEAL.
Jun 08, 2009; ... Byline: Greg Hinz Gov. Pat Quinn finally has begun to play the doomsday game effectively, threatening to fire Grandma's home-care nurse, yank Junior's college scholarship and shut down your brother-in-law's alcohol abuse program. Combined with his promise to sit on a ...
Will party for gold; Jewelers buy back memories: snake chains, rings from the ex.
Jun 08, 2009; ... Byline: SHIA KAPOS J. Ford Sunderland and Bruce Lambert hammer apart gold rings and pendants to release the semiprecious stones clasped inside, destroying the same kind of baubles they would have treated tenderly a few years ago as jewelers. Combined, the men have ...
A hot market for firms that can cut a client's power tab.
Jun 08, 2009 ... By the time Vice-president Joe Biden visited a Chicago window factory in April, it was clear already that energy efficiency was a point of emphasis for the Obama administration. After all, the stimulus plan includes a 30% tax credit for many efficiency-improving upgrades for buildings, and ...
Key: Find a biz that'll have legs in the recovery.
Jun 08, 2009 ... Given the frequency with which this recession is compared to the Great Depression, it might not seem like a great time to start a business. But for entrepreneurs who can anticipate what consumers want and provide itthis is a perfect time to get started. After all, part of ...
Satisfying food fans' appetite for local chow.
Jun 08, 2009 ... Foodies love an ingredient with a good story. There's mustard, and then there's mustard that's hand-ground by Belgian monks. These days, though, the most sought-after and romanticized point of origin for gourmet foodstuffs isn't a European monastery; it's one of those farms you pass on ...
Outsourcing wave creates openings for specialists.
Jun 08, 2009 ... It's no secret that the health care field is growing. But businesses that can help big drugmakers and medical products companies navigate the recessionfor instance, by giving them more bang for their advertising buck, or by filling the R&D voidstand to gain even when the economy improves. ...
Opportunities abound in serving aging boomers.
Jun 08, 2009 ... Baby boomers have been waiting their whole lives for the chance to retire and show everybody the right way to grow old: on their terms. With the oldest boomers now in their 60s, they're not about to let a recession get in the way. Their well-documented purchasing power is ...
A way to distinguish yourself in a crowded field.
Jun 08, 2009 ... "Green'' isn't a sector of the economy, it's a way to stand out in the crowd. And it's a powerful one, because consumers in many sectors have shown their willingness to pay a little extraeven in tough timesfor green products and services. That's due in part to save-the-planet ...
Service firms with simple bills will have an edge.
Jun 08, 2009 ... With revenue and credit both in short supply, many businesses have little choice but to slash budgets and closely monitor every expense. Legal, accounting and staffing services, for example, all face the challenge of justifying their existencesand their unpredictable coststo ...
Candymakers score in sugar fight; Firms hope import reg provides price relief.
Jun 08, 2009 ... Byline: PAUL MERRION Kraft Foods Inc. and Chicago's numerous candy manufacturers have won a round in their long-running battle with the sugar industry over import restrictions. A federal committee that handles trade data-collection issues agreed last week to tighten ...
Rowe to cut costs as NRG bid flags; Pressure building on Exelon chief to boost hostile offer or give up.
Jun 15, 2009 ... Byline: STEVE DANIELS As Exelon Corp. CEO John Rowe tries to salvage his $6.4-billion hostile takeover bid for NRG Energy Inc., he's preparing for another round of cutbacks at the Chicago-based power company. Mr. Rowe told investors at a meeting in Chicago last week ...
WIND STIMULUS; State hopes federal cash will jump-start windmill manufacturing.
Jun 15, 2009; ... Byline: PAUL MERRION Illinois plans to use federal stimulus money to nurture the wind turbine components business, a growing industry that's attracting many old-line gear makers and metal benders in the Chicago area. An emphasis on manufacturing is one of the Quinn ...
PLASMA ATTACK; Collection consolidation should help Baxter weather weakening prices.
Jun 15, 2009 ... Byline: MIKE COLIAS Weakening prices for the blood substance plasma have hit shares of Baxter International Inc., stirring memories of a decline several years ago that sent the company's stock tumbling. After showing near-immunity to last year's market meltdown, ...
Apartment glut looms; Condo bust forces a shift to rentals; South Loop flooded.
Jun 15, 2009; ... Byline: EDDIE BAEB AND ALBY GALLUN The developer of one of the South Loop's most ambitious residential projects is preparing to tear up contracts with condominium buyers and convert the property into an apartment building. Such a switch by the 342-unit Lofts at ...
U of C forming S. Side alliance; Controversial program routes $5 million to Provident Hospital.(University of Chicago Medical Center )
Jun 15, 2009; ... Byline: MIKE COLIAS University of Chicago Medical Center plans to pour money into Cook County's Provident Hospital as officials work toward a major affiliation that could deflect criticism that U of C shuns poor patients. The Hyde Park hospital has lined up $5 ...
Waiting on Lisa; AG'S INDECISION FREEZES ACTION, WHILE GOP'S KIRK OUGHT TO RUN FOR GUV.
Jun 15, 2009; ... Byline: Greg Hinz Call it the season of the Great Wait in Illinois politics. Almost every Democrat who wants to move up the political ladder in 2010 is frozen in place until the big power, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, makes her move. If, for instance, she vacates ...
Tournament Players' Club Deere Run.(Brief article)
Jun 15, 2009 ... 3100 Heather Knoll, Silvis (877) 872-3677 www.tpcdeererun.com PGA head pro: Andy Stoterau Reservations: Accepted 45 days in advance Green fees: $79 Thursday prime time, $82 after July 1 Length: 7,258 yards ...
Deere Run: Pro club for less green; It's a long drive, but rolling course is an overachiever.
Jun 15, 2009 ... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Deflation is grabbing hold of the golf industry, and with prices at many clubs plummeting, there are some great bargains to be found. One of the best deals this season is at Tournament Players Club Deere Run in Downstate Silvis, near the Quad ...
New hurdle for CBOE chief; After deal with CBOT, Brodsky must win over members in IPO quest.
Jun 15, 2009 ... Byline: ANN SAPHIR As he gets ready to convert the Chicago Board Options Exchange to a shareholder-owned company, CEO William Brodsky must find a way to sweeten the deal for exchange members concerned they'll be shortchanged in the process. Mr. Brodsky got closer to ...
CAT STRAYING FROM ILLINOIS; Recession speeds shift to low-cost, non-union states, countries; "it's going to be a rough year'.
Jun 15, 2009; ... Byline: JOHN PLETZ Caterpillar Inc. is emptying out its Illinois factories at the fastest rate in a quarter-century as it copes with a wrenching drop in global demand by accelerating a shift to producing equipment in lower-cost locales. After the latest cutbacks, ...
New U.S. rep faces a `steep learning curve'; Spotlight Michael Quigley.
Jun 15, 2009 ... Byline: Paul Merrion Job: Member, U.S. House of Representatives, sworn in April 21 after a special election for the seat in northwest Chicago and nearby suburbs areas vacated by White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. Vitals: 50 years old; bachelor's degree in ...
In trying times, forward-looking firms prosper.
Jun 15, 2009 ... Over the past four months, Crain's took a long look at how the recession is changing the landscape of Chicago business. Our "Road to Recovery'' series showed that the deepest downturn in a generation will leave lasting imprints on every major sector of the local economy. ...
On the move.
Jun 15, 2009 ... CONSUMER SERVICES JOHN B. SANFILIPPO & SON INC., Elgin: Robert J. Sarlls, 45, to vice-president of strategy and business development, from director at RBC Capital Markets. FINANCIAL SERVICES FIFTH THIRD BANK, Cincinnati: James Fredrikson, 43, to senior ...
MUFFED MERGERS.
Jun 15, 2009 ... Exelon CEO John Rowe has failed in three buyout attempts since the $8-billion merger with Peco Energy Co. in 2000. SEPTEMBER 2003 Exelon's $2.5-billion bid for then-financially troubled Illinois Power Co. of Decatur foundered two months later after House Speaker ...
Datebook.(Calendar)
Jun 22, 2009 ... THIS WEEK JUNE 22: Career Resource Center Inc. presents Reinventing Yourself. 10:15 a.m. Career Resource Center, Grove Cultural Campus, 40 E. Old Mill Road, Suite 105, Lake Forest. Free for first-time attendees; others pay $100. (847) 295-5626. JUNE 23: Chicago ...
Payday payoff; A SWARM OF LOBBYISTS DELIVERS FOR PAYDAY LENDERS IN SPRINGFIELD.
Jun 22, 2009; ... Byline: Greg Hinz In these days when "reform'' supposedly is the mantra in Springfield, business as usual continues, well, as usual. The only thing that's surprising is the sheer audacity of the players. A prime example is what didn't happen late last month on a bill ...
Home vacancies hit post-boom high; Already above national average, local rate grows as foreclosures spread.
Jun 22, 2009; ... Byline: ALBY GALLUN The number of empty houses dotting the local landscape continues to rise as more Chicago-area homeowners lose their properties to foreclosure. The local home vacancy rate hit 3.8% in the first quarter, up from 3.7% in the fourth quarter and 2.7% ...
GAS LEAK; Integrys' industry-leading dividend under pressure as firm seeks a rate hike.(Integrys Energy Group Inc)
Jun 22, 2009; ... Byline: STEVE DANIELS Chicago-based Integrys Energy Group Inc., parent of local natural gas utility Peoples Gas, sports the highest dividend yield in the utility industry, but that rich payout is vulnerable unless Peoples can persuade state utility regulators to give it a hefty ...
Cog Hill Golf & Country Club.(Brief article)
Jun 22, 2009 ... No. 4 Dubsdread Course 12294 Archer Ave. Lemont (866) COG-HILL www.coghillgolf.com Reservations: Accepted 90 days in advance Head pro: Jeff Rimsnider Green fee: $150 Length: 7,616 yards ...
Dubsdread's transformation; Cog Hill classic now a must-visit course.
Jun 22, 2009; ... Byline: H. LEE MURPHY Celebrated golf architect Rees Jones is about to begin his second assignment at Medinah Country Club, toughening up the No. 3 course to make it more tournament-worthy in coming years. He's gotten to know the Chicago golfing community quite well by now. ...
Reconsidering claims; Bill would let patients appeal coverage denials by health insurers.
Jun 22, 2009; ... Byline: MIKE COLIAS A bill headed for approval in Springfield gives patients new power to challenge health insurers when they refuse to pay for medical treatments. The measure would entitle anyone covered by a private health plan to an independent review if his or ...
City Council must stand up to mayor on Olympic costs.
Jun 22, 2009 ... It's time the Chicago City Council demanded answers from Mayor Richard M. Daley on the financial risks of hosting the 2016 Olympic Games. Mr. Daley last week confirmed what everyone watching his Olympics pursuit expected: Chicago will sign a standard host-city agreement ...
City launches new push for broadband; Seeks $100 million from feds for wireless network.
Jun 22, 2009; ... Byline: JOHN PLETZ Chicago is angling for about $100 million in federal stimulus money to build a high-speed Internet network that would reach some of the city's poorest neighborhoods. City officials have seized on the stimulus program as a second chance to bring ...
Where's Craig's contract? Pay puzzle at CME; Salary freeze complicates talks for low-paid CEO.
Jun 22, 2009 ... Byline: ANN SAPHIR CME Group Inc. CEO Craig Donohue seems to be due for a big raise, but a pay freeze for rank-and-file employees puts CME in a fix. With total compensation of $3.5 million last year, Mr. Donohue is the lowest-paid U.S. exchange chief, even though his ...