Crain's New York Business back issues from February 2007:
Hoop NIGHTMARES.(New York Knicks loses audiences)(Brief article)
Feb 05, 2007 ... It's an axiom: Everybody loves a winner. Take the New York Knicks. The team sold out Madison Square Garden-19,763 seats-for the 433 home games between Feb. 4, 1993, and Nov. 2, 2002. The Knicks had a winning percentage of 58% ...
Hospitals brace for Spitzer; Governor's ambitious plans to cut spending have health care/ union lobby on ropes.(News)
Feb 05, 2007 ... Byline: Gale Scott New york's unlikely political alliance of hospitals and labor unions, one of the most potent lobbies in Albany, has been winning battles over health care funding for years. But the war that Gov. Eliot Spitzer declared last week is unlike any the coalition has ...
Cupid talks shop; A guys' guide to Valentine's Day gifts.(Business Lives)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Elisabeth Butler Consider this a wake-up call. Valentine's Day is quickly approaching, and any man who doesn't want to sleep on the couch that night might want to put down the remote control and start shopping. Yes, Valentine's Day is a "Hallmark holiday,'' ...
Rebuffed bid leaves Nasdaq isolated; Founders as NYSE strengthens global position; solid gains in its home market.(News)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Aaron Elstein Ten months ago, the Nasdaq Stock Market Inc. risked its long-term future on a hostile bid for the London Stock Exchange. With the bid officially expiring Saturday, the gamble appears doomed. The failure will leave America's second-largest stock ...
What should Citigroup do about its CEO, who has been under pressure to shore up the firm's stock price? CRAIN'S ONLINE POLL.(Viewpoint)
Feb 05, 2007 ... A bare majority of the 157 poll respondents support embattled Citigroup Chief Executive Charles Prince, arguing that he is making strides toward ...
Dems' pique vs. able candidates.(Viewpoint)(Democrats and the pick for New York State comptroller)(Brief article)
Feb 05, 2007 ... New York needs a new comptroller. It's a crucial job, because the person holding the post has sole authority over the state's $146 billion pension fund and must keep state and local governments financially honest. A panel of former comptrollers has proffered three nominees--investment ...
The Insider.(comptrollers' appointment)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Erik Engquist and Anne Michaud Cautious plans for pension fund The three nominees for state comptroller say they would move cautiously on taking advantage of a new law allowing New York's pension fund to put 25% of its assets in alternative investments. ...
Spitzer needs public's help.(Viewpoint)(New York State governor Eliot Spitzer)
Feb 05, 2007 ... It took Richard Nixon, a Republican with impeccable anti-Communist credentials, for the United States to normalize relations with what was then called Red China. In another kind of political twist three decades later, a crusading liberal may be the one who finally overhauls New York's ...
Meetings wouldn't be the same without them.(Special Report: Meetings & Conventions)(Brief article)
Feb 05, 2007 ... Each year, thousands of meetings and conventions are held in New York City. Most come off without a hitch, running smoothly from hotel check-in through the many speeches and presentations and the evenings filled with specially conceived entertainment. While the hosts and ...
Cooking for a cast of thousands; Marriott exec chef strives to serve more than rubber chicken.(Special Report: Meetings & Conventions)(Marriott Marquis Hotel, Achilles Poliviou)
Feb 05, 2007 ... Byline: Andrew Marks It's an hour before the day's banquet--a lunch for 200--at the New York Marriott Marquis. The "plating'' of the entree, composed of cold chicken, asparagus and new potatoes, is about to begin. Executive Banquet Chef Achilles Poliviou hovers ...
Witty repartee wins over visitors on moving stage; Gray Line bus entertainer needs to stay a step ahead of savvier customers.(Special Report: Meetings & Conventions)(Fabrice Leclercq, Gray Line New York Tours Inc.)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Steve Garmhausen Bus tour guide Fabrice Leclercq considers himself a New York City performer--and a successful one--but he admits to having an ace up his sleeve. "My stage moves,'' he says. Part historian, part comedian and part safety officer, Mr ....
For hands-on GM, Hilton is a city within the city; Head of 2,100-room hotel gets involved in every little thing.(Special Report: Meetings & Conventions)(Conrad Wangeman, Hilton New York)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Steve Garmhausen With an army of 1,500 employees under his direction, you wouldn't think the general manager of the swank Hilton New York would get his hands dirty with grunt work. But Conrad Wangeman is a hands-on leader. Sure, he greets every convention and ...
Knock-your-socks-off events are a requirement; Planner oversees small dinners, big events; hold the rain.(Special Report: Meetings & Conventions)(Jaclyn Bernstein, Empire Force Events)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Gina Scheckman `'I should have known this was a crazy business when my first employer interviewed me on the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend,'' says Jaclyn Bernstein, president and partner of Empire Force Events in Manhattan. But after identifying event ...
How art of deal-making helps land the big shows; New agency's head lures major events; expanded Javits key.(Special Report: Meetings & Conventions)(Tim McGuinness, NYC & Company)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Andrew Marks Trying to catch up with Tim McGuinness is about as difficult as finding a hotel for 300 conventioneers on short notice. Mr. McGuinness is one of the people directly responsible for realizing Mayor Michael Bloomberg's declared goal of increasing ...
Lights, camera, PowerPoint; Tech crews work long hours as events go Vegas-style.(Special Report: Meetings & Conventions)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Margaret Jaworski It's nearly 9 o'clock on a Tuesday night in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria. The 11-person crew from production company Paratore AV is three hours into the job of rigging the room for the next day's event, a meeting of 350 Unilever marketing ...
Is my partner cheating on me?(Brief article)
Feb 05, 2007; ... there's no surefire way to catch a cheater, but your partner's body language can be telling. Changes in tone of voice or flushed cheeks can be a sign he or she is trying to hide something. Things like crossed ...
Adman tells how he will sell NYC; NYC & Company head will push city internationally; off-peak program.(George Fertitta)(Interview)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Last june, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that advertising veteran George Fertitta would head up the city's newly revamped tourism and marketing efforts. His mission: to consolidate the efforts of NYC & Company, NYC Big Events and NYC Marketing, the groups that respectively dealt with ...
WANTED: chief financial officer.
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: kira bindrim COMPANY The Princeton Review JOB DESCRIPTION Overseeing financial and accounting processes MOST IMPORTANT TASK Managing the systems and budgets of the company's various media properties CREDENTIALS NEEDED Proven experience ...
Builder makes family a selling point; Principals oversee projects; sweat equity required for ownership.
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Victoria Rivkin When Carl Palazzolo went looking for someone to renovate D.F. King & Co.'s offices in Manhattan and Brooklyn three years ago, he knew exactly what he needed in a contractor. "I wanted to be important enough to them to have the key people be ...
More tech firms get share of major venture funding; $2 billion given to 249 companies; online advertising fuels recovery.(News)
Feb 05, 2007 ... Byline: Amanda Fung Venture capital investors are opening their wallets to increasing numbers of New York area technology entrepreneurs. Last year, venture firms put close to $2 billion into 249 companies, according to a survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the ...
At Deadline.(Broadway Properties, Chetrit Group, Columbia University)
Feb 05, 2007 ... Broadway Properties acquired 450 W. 33rd St. for more than $700 million from the Chetrit Group, which had bought the property in 2003 for $315 million. The building, between Ninth and 10th avenues, is home to several media companies including the Daily News, the Associated Press and ...
Why Mike can wait until dust settles; He can get on ballot as independent as late as spring '08.(Looking Toward 2008)(Michael Bloomberg)
Feb 05, 2007 ... Byline: Anne Michaud Every day, it seems that a new presidential candidate is jumping into the race and jetting off to Iowa, the site of the first 2008 vote. But the buzz around whether Mayor Michael Bloomberg will run as an independent presidential candidate has died. ...
Make me a match.(Brief article)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli Janis Spindel, 50, is a matchmaker who says her fee starts at $25,000. Though she offers no guarantee of a wedding, she claims responsibility for 760 marriages, all of which she assumes are still intact. "If they were divorced, I would be the first ...
Heart in the dugout; SportsNet New York's studio analyst wants to do well, then get back into a uniform.(Lee Mazzilli)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Aaron Elstein Getting a gig as an announcer on a hot cable sports network would seem like a dream to many former athletes, but not to Lee Mazzilli. The one-time Mets All-Star outfielder was recently tapped to serve as lead studio analyst for games on the Mets' ...
Runaway Coach crushes army of skeptics as profits and shares continue their roll.(In the Markets)(Financial report)
Feb 05, 2007 ... Stylish handbags and expensive leather belts were only supposed to carry Coach so far. Since the company was spun off from Sara Lee in 2000 at an adjusted $2.45 per share, the stock has been on a tear--rising 7% last week and 61% in the last six months. The latest causes for celebration ...
Bank of NY reaps fruits of merger with Mellon; Combination will create a powerhouse, but shares are still a steal.(Bank of New York)(Mellon Financial Corp.)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Tom Fredrickson For four long years, Bank of New York was mired in a series of problems, including bad loans, rising costs and weakening margins. Even the news last April that the company would swap its sadly neglected 338-branch retail network for J.P. Morgan Chase's ...
BIG HIRE Firm nabs Spitzer aide.(Global Strategy Group hires Ryan Toohey)(Eliot Spitzer)(Brief article)
Feb 05, 2007 ... Ryan Toohey (right), manager of Gov. Eliot Spitzer's winning campaign and a member of his inner circle, is joining Global Strategy Group this week as a principal. The Manhattan-based consulting firm served as Mr. Spitzer's top outside political adviser. GSG partners Jonathan ...
Loft fashion stumbles put Ann Taylor in bind; Company seeks leader to shore up its affordable line.(NewsAnnTaylor Stores Corp.)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Elisabeth Butler Kay krill is finding out just how big her shoes really are. Ann Taylor Stores Corp.'s chief executive, who made her mark in the industry by launching the company's hugely popular Loft chain, is once again looking for someone to run Loft as well as she ...
Financial company lowers its site; Cramer Rosenthal strikes a better deal; T.J. Maxx considering former Tower space.(Real Estate)
Feb 05, 2007 ... A financial services firm with expensive space near the top of a Madison Avenue office tower has gotten a better deal by moving down 12 floors. Cramer Rosenthal McGlynn is leaving its digs on the 32nd floor of 520 Madison Ave., between East 53rd and East 54th streets, and is relocating to ...
Corrections.(Correction notice)
Feb 05, 2007 ... * Antoinette Bruno is chief executive and editor in chief of Starchefs.com. Her title was misstated in the Dec. 18 story "Zagat eats up the competition.'' * Roberto Muller, rather than his former employer, Reebok International, became a partner in bat maker Controlling the Game ....
Hillary leads Dems, Republicans in poll; New York voters would choose senator over Obama, Giuliani.(Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama and Rudy Giuliani)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Erik Engquist Sen. hillary rodham clinton is poised to trump all comers in New York's presidential primary and general elections in 2008, according to a Crain's New York Business poll. The survey of 600 registered voters across the state also found that Rudy ...
New York, New York.(ABC Carpet Company Inc. to start health spa)(News Corp. fires thirteen people)(Renaissance New York Hotel starts makeover)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: edited by Cynthia Rigg Inner light at ABC Carpet It's been a long time since ABC Carpet & Home was just a place to buy a rug, but who would have thought the Union Square retailer would turn into a meditation center? Starting Feb. 15, the store will ...
THE SHOW'S THE THING.(The New York International Auto Show)(Brief article)
Feb 05, 2007 ... Impact The New York International Auto Show contributed an estimated $181 million to the economy. Venue 23 of the top 25 events were held at the Jacob K ....
Exotic fun in the House; Mai House livens up TriBeCa with modern Vietnamese food, wicked noise levels.(Business Lives)(Restaurant review)
Feb 05, 2007 ... The latest starburst of Drew Nieporent on TriBeCa's hospitality landscape is Mai House, showcasing the multitalented chef-cum-architect Michael Bao Huynh. Son of a Saigon architect/restaurateur father and a cookbook author mother, Michael Huynh was dubbed Bao--Vietnamese for "special'' or ...
Sending Web 2.0 to NY's rescue.(Viewpoint)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Greg David Mayor michael bloomberg is worried that excessive regulation of publicly held companies under the Sarbanes-Oxley law will hurt New York's financial services industry. Kevin Ryan has no worries about New York's attractions for Web 2.0 firms, and he's at work ...
The Weeks Ahead.(Calendar/Datebook)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli this week's events february 6 U.S. Department of Commerce and Baker & McKenzie hold seminar on free trade agreements. 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., 1114 Sixth Ave., fourth-floor conference center. Fee: $75. (212) 809-2685 or ...
Executive Moves.(AlixPartners, Marcum & Kliegman and FeedRoom)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli Accounting & consulting AlixPartners: Holly Felder Etlin, 49, joined as managing director. She had been chief restructuring officer and acting chief executive at Tanner & Haley. Marcum & Kliegman: Maury Cartine, 58, joined as ...
Can Cocktail connect with 20-somethings? Bauer has high hopes, but women raised on the Web aren't easy to lure.(Bauer Publishing to introduce "Cocktail Weekly" Women's magazine)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Nat Ives The magazine business has watched newsstand sales slide for years. Women already have all sorts of magazines trying to serve them. So why does Bauer Publishing think adding another weekly title to the rack is a good idea? Cocktail Weekly, as Bauer ...
Firms wrestle for roles at Beijing 2008 Olympics; See huge opportunity in growing economy; lack of deep pockets, China savvy may hurt.(News)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Samantha Marshall At a sports marketing summit at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center last June, one speaker stole the show. Yuan Bin, the top licensing and marketing decision-maker for the 2008 Olympic Games, told more than 400 executives about the enormous business ...
Retail renaissance on Bed-Stuy strip; Spate of new shops, eateries on Lewis Ave.; Throgs Neck gets Home Depot.(Neighborhood Journal)
Feb 05, 2007; ... A spate of store openings is giving a surprising new look to Lewis Avenue, one of the main shopping streets in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Lewis Gallery, an art and framing shop, launched in June after moving from downtown Brooklyn. French-African restaurant Petit Bassam opened in the ...
WEEK IN REVIEW: Harry Potter fever.
Feb 05, 2007 ... Byline: from staff reports and bloomberg news reports The seventh and final Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, will go on sale July 21. The book will likely mean big bucks for its American publisher, Scholastic Inc. The Harry Potter series has sold 325 ...
Blockbuster art week; Concurrent shows seek to outdo other cities' events, boost February tourism.(News)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Miriam Kreinin Souccar Art collectors from around the world will be prowling the city in two weeks, checkbooks at the ready, as the largest amount of blue-chip modern and contemporary work ever assembled goes up for sale. From Feb. 22 to Feb. 26, New York will ...
Sites vie for finance firms; 3 big landlords with prime sites go after Merrill, Lehman, J.P. Morgan HQs.(News)
Feb 05, 2007; ... Byline: Julie Satow Three landlords with prime office development sites are locked in a fierce battle to attract some of the city's largest financial services firms, which are in the market for new headquarters. Merrill Lynch & Co., Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. and ...
THE SHOW'S THE THING.(Special Report: Meetings & Conventions)(New York International Automobile Show)(Brief article)
Feb 05, 2007 ... ***** Correction: The WIRED NextFest held from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1 attracted 50,242 attendees. The number was incorrect in a Feb. 5 list of the largest meetings and conventions in the city. ***** Impact The New York International Auto Show ...
Candy with a conscience.(Small Business Report)(Sweetriot)(Brief article)
Feb 12, 2007 ... Sarah endline thinks she can do for chocolate what Ben & Jerry's did for ice cream: turn a guilty pleasure into a product consumers can be proud of. "The market for socially responsible products was expanding, but no one was doing candy,'' comments Ms. Endline. The ...
NYC's tropical zone sizzles; Skimpily clad staff and good food make for entertaining lunch or dinner; costly wines.(Hawaiian Tropic Zone)(Restaurant review)
Feb 12, 2007 ... With only a four-month track record at Times Square, Hawaiian Tropic Zone is being cloned. A groundbreaking for the second spot is scheduled in Las Vegas this month. It didn't take long for the heady combination of pulchritude on parade and David Burke's food to demonstrate that ...
UPHILL CLIMB Voters oppose cuts.(Briefs)(Brief article)
Feb 12, 2007 ... Gov. Eliot Spitzer is touring the state to build support for the centerpiece of his budget plan--$1.2 billion in health care cuts in order to finance a boost in education spending. A Crain's New York Business poll suggests he has a lot of convincing to do. A solid ...
Hot Jobs.(Citigroup Inc. looking for successor to Charles Prince, also promotes Sallie Krawcheck)(Brief article)
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: kira bindrim WANTED: chief financial officer COMPANY Citigroup Inc. JOB DESCRIPTION Overseeing reporting, treasury and tax activities, investor relations, and mergers and acquisitions MOST IMPORTANT TASK Aligning strategies with ...
Overheated market threatens landlords; Drive to buy means hasty due diligence, topsy-turvy returns.(News)
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: Julie Satow Real estate dealmaker Scott Latham knows what it takes to buy a skyscraper these days: Be quick on the draw, have a lot of cash and don't sweat the small stuff. "The people making deals in this market aren't dotting every i or crossing every t, '' ...
Contractor gets into development; Class of 1999.(Small Business Report)(A. Williams Trucking and Trenching Inc.)(Company overview)
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: steve garmhausen In the nearly eight years since construction contractor A. Williams Trucking was tapped by Crain's for a small business award, revenues have barely budged and staffing levels have nudged up only slightly. Those numbers mask much. In recent ...
GIVING UP CONTROL.(children's freedom)(Brief article)
Feb 12, 2007 ... Get ready. "Fourth grade is when kids start pushing to do things on their own,'' says Lisa Spiegel, director of Soho Parenting. "Let them take independent steps, like going into a store when you're nearby.'' Get set. With middle school, children start traveling to school on ...
On-again, off-again rally in shares of home builders shakes Hovnanian's foundations.(Hovnanian Enterprises Inc.'s shares slump)(C.R. Bard Inc.'s fourth quarter earnings drop)(Vornado Realty Trust shares rally)(Brief article)
Feb 12, 2007 ... Two weeks ago, homebuilder Hovnanian rallied after a leading analyst called its shares a "buy.'' Last week, investors had second thoughts, driving the stock down 5% in the first hour of trading on Thursday on news of sharply lower orders and plunging land prices from another builder. On ...
7 tips for finding the right franchise; Interest in the field, plenty of working capital are musts.(Small Business Report)
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: Tina Traster Richard schragger loves franchises. In less than three years, the 33-year-old has acquired three Subway restaurants in Manhattan. Now he's eyeing a Papa John's. "The best thing about franchises is that the business model is in place,'' says Mr ....
Patented process key to survival; Class of 1997.(Small Business Report)(Schick Technologies Inc.)(Company overview)
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: tina traster Last year, operating profits at Schick Technologies came to a tidy $25 million. That was considerably more than the company's total revenues--not to mention profits--in 1997, when it was recognized by Crain's. The real miracle, though, is not so ...
Designer keeps clothier in fashion; Class of 1998.(Small Business Report)(Lafayette 148)(Company overview)
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: steve garmhausen On paper, there was no way that Lafayette 148 could really afford to hire a high-caliber designer like Edward Wilkerson. But eight years ago, when Mr. Wilkerson became available, the company decided to swing for the fences by offering him a rich contract ...
At Deadline.(Technology salaries rise, survey by Dice Inc.)(New York state seeks new advertising agency)(Fortress Investment Group's shares double on the first day of trading)
Feb 12, 2007 ... Technology salaries in the New York metropolitan area rose 4.7% last year to an average of $80,006 as the sector continues to rebound, according to a survey by Dice Inc., which runs a tech jobs Web site. The salary hikes trailed increases of 5.7% in Silicon Valley and 7.7% in Los Angeles. ...
Profits take center stage; Class of 2000.(Small Business Report)(City Theatrical Inc.)(Company overview)
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: steve garmhausen Gary fails learned the hard way that great products alone can't ensure a company's success. In 1992, his Bronx-based lighting design firm, City Theatrical Inc., got off to a terrific start. By 2000, annual revenues were approaching $3 ...
Drink maker floods market; Class of 2001.(Small Business Report)(Glaceau)(Company overview)
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: tina traster Glaceau--the company that pioneered the entire category of enhanced-water drinks with its Vitaminwater--is by all measures a huge success. In just 11 years, founder J. Darius Bikoff has taken his company from startup to a firm boasting a nationally known ...
Punk distributor feels no stress; Class of 2002.(Small Business Report)(Tish and Snooky's Manic Panic)
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: steve garmhausen Like any other entrepreneurs, Tish and Snooky Bellomo want their company--a punk- and Goth-fashion distributor known as Manic Panic--to grow. Unlike most, however, they're in no particular hurry. That's why Manic Panic, based in ...
Software firm makes the grade; Class of 2004.(Small Business Report)(Wireless Generation)
Feb 12, 2007 ... Byline: steve garmhausen At the tender age of six, Wireless Generation has already graduated from elementary school. Late last summer, the education software developer, whose programs are already used by more than 100,000 primary-school teachers nationwide, rolled ...
Real estate broker takes turf; Class of 2003.(Small Business Report)(Massey Knakal Realty Services Inc.)
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: tina traster Paul massey and Robert Knakal, like the ancient Romans, believe that the key to power is turf. The more of it an army holds, the greater its might. By the time Massey Knakal Realty services was recognized by Crain's, the firm had already become ...
Foreclosure filings soar in boroughs; Loose mortgage-lending practices come back to haunt homeowners.(News)
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: Tom Fredrickson A rapid rise in foreclosure rates could cost thousands of mostly low- and middle-income New Yorkers their homes. The number of homes in foreclosure rose 18% in the last six months of 2006 compared with the same period of 2005, according to data ...
Corrections.
Feb 12, 2007 ... The Pfizer pharmaceutical plant recently slated to close is on Flushing Avenue in Brooklyn, on the Williamsburg/Bedford-Stuyvesant border. Its location was ...
The Weeks Ahead.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)
Feb 12, 2007 ... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli this week's events february 13 New York Software Industry Association holds program on the United States and Hong Kong. 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., 55 Broad St., 10th floor. Fee: free for members, $20 nonmembers in advance; $25 for ...
Executive Moves.(Business Lives)
Feb 12, 2007; ... Byline: adrianne pasquarelli accounting & consulting Lazar Levine & Felix: John K. Concannon, 47, joined as partner. He had been a senior manager at Rothstein Kass. Schonbraun McCann Group: Joseph V. Falanga, 55, joined as partner. He had been a partner at ...