Crain's Detroit Business back issues from February 2007:
Speculation rises that Continental could purchase Siemens VDO.(Siemens VDO Automotive Corp.)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: April Wortham Crain News Service Is Continental AG interested in buying Siemens VDO Automotive Corp.? Industry watchers in Europe and North America say not only is the answer yes, but parent Siemens AG might be setting the Auburn Hills-based subsidiary up for ...
Gift eases kids' hospital visits.(Business Lives)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Sherri Begin As a parent and grandparent, Charles Ghesquiere Jr. understands the anxiety children often feel in a clinical medical setting. When the opportunity to help fund a dedicated children's surgery unit at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak came up, ...
State's energy plan creates buzz; Renewable standard praised; costs decried.(News)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Amy Lane A proposed new state energy plan is getting kudos, criticism it doesn't go far enough, and concerns from business about higher rates and less freedom to switch to alternate-electricity suppliers. The energy plan, commissioned by Gov. Jennifer Granholm ...
All eyes on governor's State of State, budget.(Jennifer Granholm )
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Amy Lane The next move is up to the governor. A fiscal advisory panel's report to Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Friday put Lansing politicians on notice that Michigan needs prompt, and fundamental, reform of spending and taxes. Heidi Watson, Granholm's ...
Beringea starts $150M fund, opens China office.(News)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Tom Henderson Farmington Hills-based Beringea L.L.C., a firm that combines investment banking and equity investing, is expanding on two fronts. It has begun raising a fourth investment fund, its largest at $150 million, and will announce today the opening of a Shanghai ...
Savvy businesses add to intellectual-property work.(Focus)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Robert Ankeny Intellectual-property law in Detroit and across the country continues to be a growth industry as business and industry puts more emphasis on protecting the fruits of its brain power. The actual number of patent lawsuits has declined recently, but ...
Seeking up-and-comers under 30.(News)
Feb 05, 2007 ... Who is the smartest, brightest and most creative twentysomething you know? Nominate him or her for our second-annual "20 in their 20s'' feature to be published April 30. Unlike "40 under 40,'' we aren't looking for hard business results, budget sizes or CEO titles. We want to ...
Looking for winning small businesses.(News)
Feb 05, 2007 ... Crain's Detroit Business is seeking entries for its 2006 Small Business Awards. The awards will honor local small businesses that have proven to be exceptionally innovative or have overcome difficult problems and become a better organization in the process. To be ...
Pumping up the pulse; New name reflects bigger business for former Star Trax.(Star Trax Corporate Events)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Bill Shea The bar mitzvah company. That's the sort of description the owners of Southfield-based marketing company Star Trax Corporate Events hopes to shed by changing the name. Say hello to Pulse220. The rebranded company, which took ...
A conversation with Robin Asher, Clark Hill P.L.C.(Focus)(Interview)
Feb 05, 2007 ... Byline: Tom Henderson Robin Asher is a patent attorney with Detroit-based Clark Hill plc. Crain's reporter Tom Henderson spoke with Asher about new patent process rules expected to be enacted later this year and a much-anticipated U.S. Supreme Court verdict that could define ...
ArvinMeritor says it's done selling.(News)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Brent Snavely For more than a year ArvinMeritor Inc. (NYSE: ARM) has been selling off divisions, but Chip McClure, ArvinMeritor's chairman and CEO, said Friday that the company is done now. On Friday, ArvinMeritor announced that it had reached an agreement to ...
ArvinMeritor sale tip of iceberg.(News)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Brent Snavely ArvinMeritor's announcement Friday that it plans to sell its emission's division capped off a week full of automotive-related deals that underscore the high-level of interest in automotive suppliers, even while the overall industry struggles. ...
Week in Review.(Briefs)
Feb 05, 2007 ... Jury finds Ilene Moses guilty of fraud, perjury One-time clothier and fashion maven Ilene Moses was found guilty Thursday by a federal court jury in Detroit on 52 counts of bank, mail and wire fraud, bankruptcy fraud, money laundering, false statements and perjury. ...
In the Spotlight.(Valassis Communications Inc. appointed Michael Kowalczyk )(Brief article)
Feb 05, 2007 ... Valassis Communications Inc. (NYSE: VCI), a Livonia-based coupon-maker, has named Michael Kowalczyk to the newly created position of senior vice president and general manager of Valassis In-Store Marketing. He had been vice president of marketing. "A strategic and creative ...
Crain's seeks successful CFOs.(Focus)(Brief article)
Feb 05, 2007 ... Exceptional business people can be recognized through several award programs offered by Crain's Detroit Business. Following are the criteria and deadlines for our newest recognition program, the CFO Awards. CFOs have taken on new responsibilities as Sarbanes-Oxley has made ...
Calendar.
Feb 05, 2007 ... Tuesday Feb. 6 Wishful Thinking? Global CEOs Predict Boom Times. Noon-1:30 p.m. The Detroit Economic Club. Samuel DiPiazza Jr., CEO, PricewaterhouseCoopers International. Hyatt Regency Dearborn, Dearborn. $35 members, $40 guests of members, $50 others. Contact: (313) ...
Cultural Alliance gets a start; Foundations chip in $400,000 as seed money.(Cultural Alliance of Southeastern Michigan)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Sherri Begin A group of local foundations today is expected to announce $400,000 in seed money over the next three years to support the newly formed Cultural Alliance of Southeastern Michigan. Cranbrook Educational Community is acting as the fiduciary for the ...
Tab through our issue.(News)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Daniel Eizans Another week, another new feature for crainsdetroit.com. This week marks the first for our redesigned "This Week's Issue'' section on the home page of our Web site. Instead of offering only the top six news stories, we've moved to a tabbed ...
Newsmaker of the Year.(Calendar)
Feb 05, 2007 ... Who: Dan Gilbert, founder/chairman, Rock Financial/ Quicken Loans Inc. When: Feb. 14. Where: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center. ...
Moosejaw sells stake to fuel growth; Agreement among a raft of local M&A activity.(Moosejaw Mountaineering and Backcountry Travel Inc. acquired Parallel Investment Partners)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Sheena Harrison Moosejaw Mountaineering and Backcountry Travel Inc. is looking to grow into a national retailer after selling a majority stake to Dallas-based private-equity firm Parallel Investment Partners. "We think we have a real opportunity to be a ...
Groups push forward on mass-transit proposals.(Amtrak Inc. negotiations with Southeast Michigan Council of Governments)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Andrew Dietderich Parallel efforts are pushing forward plans to bring rapid transit to metro Detroit, including one that could have commuter trains operating daily between Ann Arbor and Detroit by the end of this year. Washington-based Amtrak and the Southeast ...
Briefly.(Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. appointed Ron Gantner, A.J. Weiner and Erica Holton)(Janesville Acoustics moves from Ohio to Southfield)(St. John Hospital and Medical Center's fund raising programs)
Feb 05, 2007 ... Jones Lang LaSalle hires 3 from Trammell Crow The Detroit office of Jones Lang LaSalle has hired former Trammell Crow Co. commercial real estate brokers Ron Gantner, A.J. Weiner and Erica Holton. Gantner was appointed senior vice president and Weiner and Holton vice ...
Bankruptcies.(Public notice)(Brief article)
Feb 05, 2007; ... The following businesses filed for Chapter 7 or 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Detroit Jan. 26-Feb. 1. Under Chapter 11, a company files a reorganization plan. Chapter 7 involves total liquidation. Clinton Auto Service Inc., dba Clinton Auto Sales, dba Clinton Auto ...
There is a calm, but we hope no storm.(Kwame Kilpatrick appreciated for his works )(Column)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: KEITH CRAIN I am quite impressed with not only the job that Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has been doing the past year or so, but what's equally impressive is the persona that he is presenting to our city and to the nation. Our mayor has matured, and he is a great ...
This Just In.(Farbman Group buys land of Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association - College Retirement Equities Fund)
Feb 05, 2007 ... Farbman buys Southfield office complex, land Southfield-based Farbman Group last week bought a high-profile site in Southfield comprising the Oakland Commons office development and 19 acres of vacant land. The estimated $30 million deal with TIAA-CREF (Teachers ...
Rumblings.(Catuity Inc. moves location)
Feb 05, 2007 ... Catuity pulls up stakes for Virginia Catuity Inc. (Nasdaq: CTTY), a company that processes customer-loyalty programs and point-of-sale gift cards for retailers, continues to struggle for survival, but will no longer struggle in Southeast Michigan. In January, ...
Dollars and sensors; From growing nerve tissue to sensing chemicals, WSU researcher Greg Auner has made some big breakthroughs. Now the push is on to translate his inventions into products.(Wayne State University)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Tom Henderson Officials at Wayne State University and collaborators in private industry hope the time has come for Greg Auner to begin turning his trove of patents - 26 are issued or pending - into a trove of commerce. Auner, director of the Smart Sensors and ...
Michigan No. 5 in patents.(Focus)
Feb 05, 2007 ... State rankings of patents issued to U.S. residents for the 2006 federal fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30. 1. California 23,579 2 ....
One brand for all of us.(community and economic development in Michigan)(Column)
Feb 05, 2007 ... A new tourism branding effort for Southeast Michigan may succeed in doing what business and civic leaders have wanted to do for years: Create a single, strong and regional identity that blurs the political and geographic boundaries that have blocked progress for years. When most ...
Openings balance closings.(restaurants)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Brent Snavely The restaurant news in Southeast Michigan over the past several weeks has been both troubling and encouraging as a number of notable restaurants have closed while several new restaurants have arrived. Restaurants that recently closed include: ...
A bet on Ballard; Siemens VDO to push hybrids after purchase.(Siemens VDO Automotive Corp. acquires Ballard Power Systems Inc.)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Brent Snavely Siemens VDO Automotive Corp. is charged up about its soon-to-be-complete acquisition of Dearborn-based Ballard Power Systems Corp., a designer and assembler of electric drive powertrain systems. Ballard Power has a range of electric drive ...
People.(Rochman Design-Build appointed Marty Lewis)(Amerisure Mutual Insurance Co. appointed Steven Hartzler)(St. John Health Corp. appointed Debra Williams )
Feb 05, 2007 ... Architecture Charles Auvenshine to project manager, Giffels, Southfield, from project manager, Mandell, Bilovous, Lenderman, Troy, and Mary Demars to controller-U.S. operations from director of finance, Gunn Levine, Detroit. Construction Marty Lewis to ...
Grisham fan.(Business Lives)(Mark Hoppe of LaSalle Bank)(Brief article)(Biography)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Tom Henderson Grisham fan Mark Hoppe CEO LaSalle Bank Midwest N.A. In addition to running Troy-based LaSalle Bank Midwest, Mark Hoppe, 52, is vice president of its sister bank in Chicago, LaSalle Bank, and vice chairman of ...
How to rethink taxes and spending.(Column)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Phil Power, John Bebow We need fundamental reforms in how Michigan both spends and collects our taxes. This isn't some obscure argument best left to academics and bureaucrats. It's at the core of such living room issues as the rising costs of college, the ...
Career missions; Professionals find new callings, fulfillment in nonprofit sector.(Business Lives)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Marti Benedetti Cameron Hosner is passionate about working for nonprofits. "I've turned down for-profit jobs that pay more money,'' said Hosner, who for nine years has been CEO and president of Dearborn Heights-based Vista Maria, a nonprofit for abused and ...
Letters.(Letter to the editor)
Feb 05, 2007 ... Look to UM, state for loss of Pfizer operations Editor: I have some comments and perspective on Michigan economic development in light of the recent announcements by Pfizer and other companies abandoning some or all involvement in Michigan ("Pfizer: Crisis or ...
A new look at Triangle District.(real estate development)(Brief article)
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: Sheena Harrison A group of projects slated to begin development this year is causing Birmingham to re-evaluate the master plan for its Triangle District. The city, with the help of Royal Oak-based consultant LSL Planning Inc., held a two-day public design ...
Briefly.(AlixPartners L.L.C. appointed Stefano Aversa and Peter Fitzsimmons )(Automation Alley appointed John Voorhorst)(Aastrom Biosciences Inc. got the approval for its cardiovascular agent from Food and Drug Administration )
Feb 12, 2007 ... Washtenaw bond rating raised Washtenaw County expects a recent improvement to its bond credit rating to save about $200,000 on a $21.6 million expansion and renovation to the county's jail. Standard & Poor's boosted its assessment of the financial risk of the ...
Letters.(Letter to the editor)
Feb 12, 2007 ... Editorial erred on Medicaid Editor: One point in your Jan. 22 editorial, "Bold ideas needed to balance budget,'' was extremely inaccurate. The editorial stated that to help balance the state budget, Michigan's Medicaid benefits should be trimmed to be more in line ...
As the shops churn; Independents, mall competition alter Birmingham retail.(News)
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: Sheena Harrison A constant churn of independent shops, along with increased competition with nearby malls for national retailers, could change the shopping landscape in downtown Birmingham. While about 30 new retailers came to Birmingham last year, 25 others ...
Industrialist poised to acquire Delphi's interiors business.(News)
Feb 12, 2007 ... Byline: David Barkholz, Robert Sherefkin Crain News Service Industrialist Ira Rennert, whose high-flying lifestyle and hard-nosed business practices have riled adversaries, is negotiating to buy Troy-based Delphi Corp.'s interiors business. Rennert's representatives ...
Service employment gains don't offset manufacturing losses locally.(News)
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: Amy Lane For an unprecedented six years in a row, employment ranks in Michigan and metro Detroit appear to have declined, although not to the extent of the early 2000s. Preliminary state data show continued job losses as of the close of 2006, compared with ...
Granholm proposal worries B-to-B service providers.(Jennifer Granholm)
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: Amy Lane Patricia Nemeth, president of Detroit law firm Nemeth Burwell P.C., is already contending with slow-paying clients in Michigan's down economy. And adding a 2 percent tax to their bills, as Gov. Jennifer Granholm proposes, could only make it worse. ...
Budget plan gives more to marketing.(News)
Feb 12, 2007 ... Byline: Amy Lane Michigan's tourism and business marketing will get a continued boost, under the budget proposed last week by Gov. Jennifer Granholm. Granholm is calling for $10 million annually over the next three years to promote Michigan as a tourism and business ...
Is Icahn set to be King Lear? When corporate raider Carl Icahn comes calling, most companies view it as a troubling omen. But Lear Corp.'s management sees someone they can deal with.(Carl Icahn )
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: Brent Snavely Last week's corporate buyout saga involving Southfield-based Lear Corp. (NYSE: LEA) and legendary corporate raider Carl Icahn was unusual both for a company targeted by Icahn, and for Icahn himself. Typically, when Icahn sets his sights on a ...
ASC sells off equipment from specialty-car biz.(News)(Questor Management Co.)
Feb 12, 2007 ... Byline: Robert Sherefkin Crain News Service A dearth of new contracts has prompted ASC Inc. to retreat from its high-profile specialty-vehicle business. Late last month, liquidators sold presses, paint lines, sanding stations, injection-molding machines and other ...
Bankruptcies.(Brief article)
Feb 12, 2007; ... The following businesses filed for Chapter 7 or 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Detroit Feb. 2-8. Under Chapter 11, a company files a reorganization plan that the court must approve. Chapter 7 involves total liquidation. Acropolis Development Inc., 13390 Stansbury St., ...
Seeking top CFOs.(News)(Chief financial officers)(Brief article)
Feb 12, 2007 ... Crain's is seeking nominations for its first-ever CFO Awards. Winners will be recognized at a May 17 dinner and featured in the May 28 issue. To be eligible, nominees must be CFOs, or hold an equivalent job, who have displayed excellence in financial or other corporate ...
Crain's seeks 40 Under 40.(News)
Feb 12, 2007 ... Crain's Detroit Business is looking for successful executives for its annual 40 Under 40 feature. This special report, to be published Sept. 24, will spotlight 40 of the best and brightest in Southeast Michigan who have made their marks in business ...
Small-business successes.(News)
Feb 12, 2007 ... Crain's Detroit Business is seeking entries for its 2006 Small Business Awards. To be eligible, companies must have been profitable in 2005; be at least 3 years old; have no more than 150 employees and annual revenue of $10 million or less; and be ...
OK, then. How do we pay for it? Patterson proposals broaden discussion; Ficano says there's not enough time.(cigarettes taxation)
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: Jennette Smith Last week, Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson offered up five alternative options to finance a Cobo Center expansion, reaching to cigarette taxes, new casinos, or additional fees for airplane passengers. During his state of the county ...
Domino's recipe: Cut interest; Deal offers flexibility, puts dough in hands of shareholders.(News)(Domino's Pizza Inc.)
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: Brent Snavely Ann Arbor-based Domino's Pizza Inc. (NYSE: DPZ) seemingly tossed its bank and bond debt up in the air last week in an effort to recapitalize its debt structure into a more flexible obligation with lower interest rates. Domino's, one of the ...
If it costs more, it's not a budget cut.(state budgets)
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: KEITH CRAIN Everyone is talking about what a sorry financial state our state government is in at the present time. That really shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who has even the remotest idea of what condition our state is in these days. We all have been ...
Room rush; Upcoming influx of glitzy hotels might make it hard for older lodgings to compete.(Metro)
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: Jennette Smith The Las Vegas-style glitz of permanent casino hotels and two major historic hotel renovations are coming to Detroit at the same time, adding 1,850 hotel rooms during the next two years and bringing new competition for Detroit's existing hotels and those in ...
Granholm's proposal not bold enough.(Jennifer Granholm's education policy)(Column)
Feb 12, 2007 ... Michigan has an opportunity this year to start almost from scratch and create a blueprint on taxes and government organization to build a healthier future. We agree with one key element in Gov. Jennifer Granholm's State of the State address last week and the budget that ...
Rumblings.(contract between Stanton and Associates Inc. and University of Michigan Health System)
Feb 12, 2007 ... Biggies out, bagels in at UM hospital The Ann Arbor-based University of Michigan Health System, citing in a press release an "opportunity to provide new options in healthy eating,'' has given Wendy's the boot from its University Hospital. The restaurant, a franchise ...
This Just In.(James Griffith resigned from Plastech Engineered Products Inc.)(Crain Communications Inc. appoints Paul Dalpiaz)
Feb 12, 2007 ... Another executive leaves Plastech Another high-level executive at Plastech Engineered Products Inc. has departed after a brief stay with the interior-trim company. In an e-mail sent last month to friends and colleagues, James Griffith said he planned to leave his job ...
We need nominations!(News)
Feb 12, 2007 ... Byline: Daniel Eizans Have you visited crainsdetroit.com to put in your nominations for our various special sections yet? We're searching for Southeast Michigan's finest 20-somethings, under-40 stars, successful small businesses and top CFOs. You can find forms for ...
Group readies push to help nonprofits lobby effectively.(Michigan Nonprofit Association )
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: Sherri Begin The Michigan Nonprofit Association is forming a Southeast Michigan council to help it take a larger role in forming public policy. The Southeast Michigan Nonprofit Public Policy Council will be patterned after nonprofit public-policy councils ...
Reporter's Notebook; Bureau to go after smaller conventions.(Focus)
Feb 12, 2007 ... Byline: Jennette Smith A new branding campaign for the region isn't the only thing going on to boost Detroit's odds of attracting visitors - including meetings and conventions prospects. While the new campaign and its brushed-metal "D'' logo were the big news in late ...
Lead outside director of NAIC resigns.(News)
Feb 12, 2007 ... Byline: Sherri Begin The National Association of Investors Corp.'s lead outside director resigned Monday after 25 years on the board for allegedly having views that were "out of sync'' with the volunteer aspects of the nonprofit. Kenneth Lightcap resigned effective ...
The art of service; DIA hires Ritz-Carlton vet to focus on visitors, raise revenue.(Detroit Institute of Arts, Sven Gierlinger)
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: Sherri Begin When Ritz-Carlton veteran Sven Gierlinger learned the Detroit Institute of Arts was seeking a hospitality-industry veteran to head up the museum's operations, he was intrigued. "I was puzzled at first why a museum would want to hire a hotel ...
Border tension; Bridge owner says new law gives Canada too much power.
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: Andrew Dietderich A new law that the owner of the Ambassador Bridge calls "a loaded gun'' gives the Canadian government more control over private bridges and tunnels and has the company that owns the bridge unsure if it will be able to retain its dominant position at the ...
Seeking up-and-comers under 30.(News)
Feb 12, 2007 ... Who is the smartest, brightest and most creative twentysomething businessperson you know? Nominate him or her for our second-annual "20 in their 20s'' feature to be published April 30. Unlike "40 under 40,'' we aren't looking for hard business results, budget sizes or CEO ...
Newsmaker of the Year.
Feb 12, 2007 ... Who: Dan Gilbert, founder/ chairman, Rock Financial/ Quicken Loans. When: Wednesday. Where: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center. ...