Los Angeles Business Journal back issues from November 1997:
Asia's troubles threaten L.A.: local economy dependent on overseas trade. (Los Angeles)
Nov 03, 1997; ... Local Economy Dependent On Overseas TradeLast week's roller-coaster ride in the U.S. stock market - triggered by financial instability in Asia - underscored the degree to which the global economy has become intertwined. But the message was even more sobering for Los Angeles. ...
An Afterlie for Ambassador. (Ambassador Hotel)
Nov 03, 1997; ... No Guests, But Plenty of Parties, Location CrewsMovie stars like John Travolta and Burr Reynolds have proven that in Hollywood, no matter how dead your career might seem, there's always a chance of making a big comeback.Sometimes the phenomenon works for hotels too. ...
Alka Seltzer Week for fund manager. (Norman Sarafian)(Asia's Troubles Threaten L.A.)
Nov 03, 1997; ... A 25-year veteran of the securities business, Norman Sarafian has seen his share of stock market ups and downs. But nothing could have prepared him for the extreme market turmoil of last week, when the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged a record 554 points on Monday, Oct. 27, only to ...
Arena developers must hurdle new round of obstacles.
Nov 03, 1997; ... To developers of the new downtown sports arena, the just-concluded struggle to win City Council approval of the $300 million project was merely the opening face-off in a game that could go into overtime.The arena's developers must now scramble to sell suites, line up sponsorships, ...
Debate commences over valley split. (San Fernando Valley, California)
Nov 03, 1997; ... Businesses Threaten To Leave Unless L.A. Reforms Its CharterThe fight for San Fernando Valley secession is about to begin in earnest - and many Valley business leaders say they are ready to join the campaign if they don't see substantive changes in city government.Mayor ...
Valley leaders air their views on secession issue.
Nov 03, 1997 ... With San Fernando Valley secession suddenly viable, the Business Journal invited community leaders and elected officials last week to discuss the reasons behind the secession movement - and where it is heading.Participating in the forum were L.A. City Council members Laura Chick ...
HMOs near agreement with L.A. on business license taxes. (health maintenance organizations)
Nov 03, 1997; ... After a year of negotiations and threats to leave the city, five L.A.-based health maintenance organizations last week were close to an agreement with the city over how much they will pay in business license taxes.According to HMO negotiator Michael Gagan and City Councilwoman ...
New owner cuts jobs at Great Western. (Washington Mutual)
Nov 03, 1997; ... Washington Mutual hasn't wasted any time taking charge at Great Western Financial Corp.In the four months since Washington Mutual acquired Great Western, it has handed pink slips to nearly 400 employees at Great Western's Chatsworth headquarters campus.Great Western's ...
Picture this. (Delmar Watson's photograph collection)
Nov 03, 1997; ... DELMAR WATSON HOPES TO SELL HIS COLLECTION OF OLD-TIME L.A. PHOTOGRAPHSWith the exception of the Central Library, more images of L.A. history may be contained within the walls of Delmar Watson's photo studio than anywhere else in town.The modest two-story converted house ...
Long Beach confident Boeing will retain Douglas. (Boeing Co.s Douglas Aircraft division)
Nov 03, 1997; ... With Boeing Co. expected to announce plans for its Douglas Aircraft division in Long Beach this week, city officials are optimistic that the facility will play a key role in the aerospace giant's overall strategy for the future."We understand that they are analyzing all of their ...
For consultants, advice easier to give than follow.
Nov 03, 1997; ... Advice is always easier to give than take.That has certainly been the case for William M. Mercer Inc. and A. Foster Higgins & Co. Inc., two consulting firms that specialize in guiding clients through mergers.The Los Angeles offices of the two firms - which collectively ...
Menagerie-in-a-mall attraction opens at Ontario Mills. (Ontario Mills shopping center's American Wilderness Experience)
Nov 03, 1997; ... Nearby, a jackrabbit romps back and forth through the brush, while road runners scramble out of its way. Wild animal sounds and forest scents waft through the air.No, you're not in the desert. You're at the mall.Sandwiched between a 30-screen AMC megaplex and an ...
Dick Clark: rock-based business at a waltz tempo.
Nov 03, 1997; ... Every morning, Dick Clark steps into a van for the 45-minute ride from his home in Malibu to the ivy-covered headquarters of Dick Clark Productions Inc. in Burbank.Compared to the flashier sports cars and Land Rovers driven by many of his peers in Hollywood, the family-style van ...
Screenwriting workshops become cottage industry.
Nov 03, 1997; ... Hollywood - the screenplay. Everybody's got one or is working on one or at least thinking about one.And little wonder. First-time screenwriters are making million-dollar deals for unsolicited motion picture scenarios.As one might expect, a burgeoning cottage industry - ...
Shamrock leads spate of sound stage developments. (Shamrock Holdings)
Nov 03, 1997; ... An investment group led by Shamrock Holdings began construction on 11 sound stages and related offices in Manhattan Beach last week, and announced that it has signed Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. as anchor tenant.Fox signed a five-year lease for five of the 11 stages along with ...
Big private companies likely to stay private.
Nov 03, 1997; ... No Industry Segment Dominates List of L.A.'s 100 LargestL.A.'s 100 largest private companies are a wildly diverse lot, from construction to heavy industry to technology, but most of them share a common challenge: Keep growing.Of the 72 companies for which both 1995 and ...
Upswing in real estate a boon for construction firms.
Nov 03, 1997; ... It's no secret that real estate is a cyclical industry.And after years of recession, the cycle has been up in recent years, bringing a surge of activity to L.A.-area construction firms, several of which are among the 100 largest private companies.Tutor-Saliba Corp. in ...
A soft(ware) touch for interior design. (ModaCad Inc.)
Nov 03, 1997; ... MODACAD'S CD-ROM PRODUCT ALLOWS PC USERS TO DESIGN THEIR INTERIOR LIVING SPACES AND ORDER WALLPAPER, PAINT AND FURNITURE ONLINEIn the brave new world of cyberspace, visiting a furniture store or hiring an interior designer to remodel your living room could become as obsolete as ...
Piloting the port. (Port of Los Angeles executive director Larry Keller)
Nov 03, 1997; ... Larry Keller takes over management of the Port of Los Angeles at a time when a breakdown in rail service is creating chaotic pileups of holiday-season merchandiseLarry Keller, who for nearly a year was acting executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, is no longer acting - not ...
Edison stock rises amid a corporate restructuring. (Edison International)
Nov 03, 1997; ... Edison International is in the midst of the biggest transformation in its 100-plus years: switching its emphasis from a traditional utility to a group of six companies, five of which will be competing in the open market.Throughout the ongoing transformation from what had been SCE ...
Valley Crest keeps clients getty, Disney in the green. (Valley Crest's construction of an azalea garden)
Nov 03, 1997; ... Valley Crest is no stranger to big landscaping projects.It completely re-sodded Atlanta's Olympic Stadium within 36 hours after opening ceremonies, spruced up the Las Vegas strip with 1,300 palm trees and 84,000 shrubs, and landscaped all of Walt Disney Co.'s master planned ...
Success story: Alison A. Winter. (President and chief executive officer of Northern Trust Bank)(Women on the Move)
Nov 03, 1997 ... President and Chief Executive Officer of Northern Trust BankIn 1988, Northern Trust opened its doors in California and named Alison Winter as its first President and Chief Executive Officer. Nine years later, Northern Trust has grown to be one of the largest trust companies in ...
Success story: Norma Orci. (Chief executive officer of La Agencia de Orci & Asociados)(Women on the Move)
Nov 03, 1997 ... Co-Founder, Co-Chair, Chief Creative Officer of La Agencia de Orci & AsociadosNorma Orci has forged a distinguished, well-rounded career by any standards. Although advertising is her passion, she is also dedicated to cultural diplomacy, community service, continued education and ...
Playboy's L.A. profits: never mind Chicago - future of the company is right here. (Playboy Enterprises Inc.)
Nov 10, 1997; ... Alexis Fairchild was nervous. Blond and dressed-to-thrill in a tight mini-skirt and clinging boots, she recently showed up for an audition at the offices of Mystique Films Inc., a low-budget film factory in Playa del Rey owned by Playboy Enterprises Inc."I've done a lot of modeling ...
King of bunnydom won't quit. (interview with Hugh Hefner, founder and owner of Playboy Enterprises Inc.)(Interview)
Nov 10, 1997; ... His Puritan forbears probably would have winced. The elder son of conservative Protestant parents, Hugh M. Hefner is a direct descendant of Massachusetts Bay Colony patriarchs William Bradford and John Winthrop, both the staunchest of Puritans.At 71, Hefner, who suffered a mild ...
U.S. investigation hits L.A.'s home health providers. (Medicare fraud investigation by the U.S. Health Care Financing Administration)
Nov 10, 1997; ... L.A.'s burgeoning home health care industry is being hit hard by the nationwide federal investigation into Medicare fraud, resulting in stepped-up scrutiny of providers here and, in some cases, closure of operations.The U.S. Health Care Financing Administration has terminated the ...
Japanese investors flee local market. (real estate investment in Los Angeles, California)
Nov 10, 1997; ... Another Japanese-based owner of a big downtown property is about to call it quits.Kawasaki Leasing is in discussions to sell its Home Sayings of America Tower in downtown Los Angeles, according to local real estate sources.The buyer, these sources say, is Equity Office ...
Skilled labor shortage hits Los Angeles.
Nov 10, 1997; ... L.A.'s robust growth has created a costly problem: finding, hiring and retaining skilled workers.The problem began in the booming multimedia industry and has recently been felt in the aerospace industry, most notably at Boeing Co.Accounting and law firms, consultancies, ...
L.A. machine shops struggle to fill jobs.(Industry Overview)
Nov 10, 1997; ... Anthoney Mudy might place another ad in the papers soon calling for experienced machinists. But he suspects it's not worth the time."It's pretty futile looking for machinists these days, at least experienced ones," said Mudy, vice president of Anmar Precision Components Inc., a ...
Merv Griffin plans to revive L.A.'s posh supper club scene. (owner of the Beverly Hilton's investment plans)
Nov 10, 1997; ... Once upon a time, a night on the town in L.A. meant more than crowding into the Viper Room and making a post-club pitstop at Pink's. Back in the days before freeways and cable TV, the best way to spend an evening was to dine in a Hollywood supper club and dance till dawn.Merv ...
Holiday shopping season may be just ho-ho-hum. (Los Angeles retail industry forecasts)(Industry Overview)
Nov 10, 1997; ... It's that time of year for retail's annual guessing game: What's the outlook for the holiday season?As area malls and department stores begin setting up their holiday displays, the expectations appear good, though not great."We're pretty cautious in general. We think ...
Mac Frugal's merger signals growth trend for discounters. (Mac Frugal's Bargains Close-Outs Inc.'s merger with Consolidated Stores Corp.)
Nov 10, 1997; ... The area's deep-discount retailers are joining forces.Last week, Consolidated Stores Corp., the nation's largest retailer of close-out merchandise, agreed to acquire Mac Frugal's Bargains Close-Outs Inc., the Dominguez-based parent of Pic N' Save stores, for stock valued at about ...
Delays at local ports force shippers to reroute cargo. (traffic congestion at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, California)
Nov 10, 1997; ... The severe congestion at the ports of L.A. and Long Beach is raising a troubling specter for local traders - the diversion of cargo shipments away from Southern California.As a result of the recent meltdown of the Union Pacific railroad system, shippers trying to move merchandise ...
Neighborhood councils could derail secession drive. (San Fernando Valley secession)(Rewriting L.A.'s Charter, part 1)
Nov 10, 1997; ... The issue of neighborhood councils is among the most critical in considering a rewrite of the Los Angeles City Charter, and for one good reason: San Fernando Valley secession.Some charter-reform proponents argue that neighborhood councils could defang secessionist talk by giving ...
Environmental group sues scrap yards. (Santa Monica BayKeepers)
Nov 10, 1997; ... Eight South Central L.A. auto wreckers and scrap-metal dealers are being sued by the environmental group Santa Monica BayKeepers for failing to follow procedures that would prevent rainwater from washing oil, coolants and other toxic waste into nearby storm drains and then into the ocean. ...
Hotel Hollywood: films make Bonaventure one of L.A.'a most famous landmarks. (Bonaventure Hotel's history as a film set)
Nov 10, 1997; ... Hollywood came to the Bonaventure Hotel even before it opened in 1977. The glass, steel and innards of the unfinished monolith suited the futuristic visions of the makers of "Battlestar Galactica" and "Logan's Run."But it's the elevators at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites ...
Studios promote women to high-level tech positions. (major Hollywood motion picture studios)(Industry Overview)
Nov 10, 1997; ... Senior-level technology executives at the major Hollywood studios are almost without exception men. No surprise - that's the case in virtually all industries.But in recent months, both Universal Studios Inc., and DreamWorks SKG have named women as senior-level technology ...
Lawsuit accuses 'Liar Liar' producers of dishonesty. (Aaron Russo's lawsuit against Brian Grazer, Universal Studios Inc. and Imagine Entertainment)
Nov 10, 1997; ... "Liar Liar" has suddenly become not so funny funny.Aaron Russo, who produced "Trading Places" and "The Rose," has filed a $55 million lawsuit against the producers of the hit Universal film starting Jim Carrey, claiming they used his concept to create their film.In the ...
Warner Bros. Online venture for TV stations fizzles. (entity called CityWeb)
Nov 10, 1997; ... It's a twist on the adage, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em."Warner Bros. Online, a division of Burbank-based Warner Bros., figured that the best way for television stations to recapture the segment of their audiences defecting to the Internet was to establish their own Web ...
L.A. firms bring investment road shows to Internet. (Alan Stone and Co. and Kanakaris Communications)
Nov 10, 1997; ... Securities underwriters and their clients may be racking up fewer frequent-flier miles in the years to come as more companies attempting to raise capital put their "road shows" on the Internet.At least that's the hope of Los Angeles-based investment advisory firm Alan Stone & Co ....
Bringing an edge to high fashion. (Pam McMahon L.L.C.)(Company Profile)
Nov 10, 1997; ... PAM MCMAHON DESIGNS 'EDGY' WOMENSWEAR IN THE GARAGE OF THE HOME SHE SHARES WITH HER HUSBAND ED, JOHNNY CARSON'S FORMER SIDEKICKIt's the middle of the night and Pam McMahon is in her garage - not working on her Range Rover, but busy on a new design for her year-old haute couture ...
Independent Sport Chalet shuns consolidation trend.(Company Profile)
Nov 10, 1997; ... Sport Chalet Inc. is not part of the consolidation among sporting goods chains - at least for now.Analysts say that despite several big recent mergers - including the joining of Sportmart Inc. and Gart Sports Co. - the La Canada-Flintridge based company remains in a position to ...
Feds put brakes on fast-growing home health care. (investigation of Medicare fraud)(Health Care Special Report: House Calls)(Industry Overview)
Nov 10, 1997; ... Home health care, once the province of small, community-based nonprofit organizations, has grown rapidly over the last decade into a business accounting for more than $30 billion a year - and one that is dominated by health care giants and hospitals.Driven by cost-conscious managed ...
Big care providers pushing into home health industry.(Health Care Special Report: House Calls)(Industry Overview)
Nov 10, 1997; ... Medicare had been enrolling nearly 100 new home health care agencies every month until a six-month federal moratorium imposed Sept. 15 brought that free-for-all to a screeching halt.Once the moratorium - imposed to address soaring costs and suspicion of widespread fraud - ends next ...
Federal reforms to end salad days for home care. (Health Care Financing Administration reforms)(Health Care Special Report: House Calls)(Industry Overview)
Nov 10, 1997; ... Home health care agencies have been wildly popular ventures over the last several years due to their low expenses and fat profit margins. But as the federal Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) begins to implement reforms, home health care agencies now face the end of their heyday. ...
Columbia is at center of U.S. investigation into home health. (Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp.)(Health Care Special Report: House Calls)
Nov 10, 1997; ... For health care companies considering the move into home health care, the story of Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp. serves as a sobering reminder of the pitfalls on the road to profits.The nation's largest health care company, which has two Los Angeles facilities, is under ...
County led in home care, but program remains small. (Los Angeles County, California)(Health Care Special Report: House Calls)
Nov 10, 1997; ... Los Angeles County government, often criticized for being behind the curve in health care trends, was way ahead of private industry when it comes to home health care - it first started offering such services nearly 40 years ago.But even though the county's Home Care Services ...
The hurried, hectic life of a home health nurse. (Chris Mitchell, registered home health nurse)(Health Care Special Report: House Calls)
Nov 10, 1997; ... The alarm clock goes off about 6:30 a.m., But Chris Mitchell, registered home health nurse, is already awake. Racing out from under a quick shower and shave, he alternates between getting dressed and making phone calls to doctors and patients.It's a pace that Mitchell will keep up ...
SBA lenders ranked by value of loans awarded in L.A. County.(Directory)
Nov 10, 1997 ... Ranked by value of loans awarded in L.A. CountyBANK OF COMMERCELending: Senior Executive Vice President David Bartrom heads Bank of Commerce's SBA program at its San Diego headquarters.BANK OF COMMERCEThe Bank of Commerce is not only the top SBA ...
Accounting industry changes hurt downtown offices. (merger trends in Los Angeles, California)(Industry Overview)
Nov 10, 1997; ... The downtown office market, still struggling to fill space vacated by consolidating financial institutions earlier this decade, is about to be swamped again - this time by changes in the accounting industry.Although four of the Big Six accounting firms recently announced their ...
State's business leaders need global view. (California)
Nov 10, 1997; ... The world is verging on major shifts in economic strength as we approach the 21st century, and Southern California business leaders should be aware of these changes.All those involved in international trade should track and understand the upheaval. The economic revision may well ...
Ready to terminate again: Terminator 3 may be film producer Vajna's ticket back. (motion picture; Andrew G. Vajna)
Nov 17, 1997; ... Terminator 3 May Be Film Producer Vajna's Ticket BackIt was a sweetheart deal, on paper.20th Century Fox Film Corp. would produce "Terminator 3," reuniting Arnold Schwarzenegger, producer Gale Anne Hurd and director James Cameron for the third installment about the cyborg ...
Rich kids 'R' us: a growing number of stores provide the very best for the toddler set. (Santa Monica, CA, children's furniture stores)
Nov 17, 1997; ... A young father walks into Imagine That on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica with his toddler daughter, who quickly takes a seat at a hand-painted play table priced at $660.Another dad is strolling his baby through the aisles with a nervous look. Every few seconds he kneels down to pry ...
School District's 'business czar' tackles system. (Los Angeles, CA, Unified School District chief administrative officer Hugh A. Jones)
Nov 17, 1997; ... For years, critics have charged that the bureaucracy-bound Los Angeles Unified School District needs a strong dose of private-enterprise know-how.Hugh A. Jones is the man charged with giving the district its medicine.A former executive vice president for Kaiser ...
District hosting $300 million in new projects. (Hollywood, CA)
Nov 17, 1997; ... The curtain finally appears to be rising on Hollywood's long-awaited revival, as five major commercial projects valued at $300 million are preparing backstage.Especially noteworthy is that the activity has been broadening. It is no longer focused exclusively in the neighborhood ...
Fastest of the fast reflect L.A.'s economic rebound. (Los Angeles County, CA's private companies)(The Fastest Growing Private Companies)
Nov 17, 1997; ... The 25 fastest-growing private companies in Los Angeles are posting revenue gains averaging 211 percent - reflecting the region's economic rebound.The tripling of revenues for these top-25 companies over the 1994-96 period, on average, is one of several major findings in the ...
Port delays lead to boost in costlier air cargo shipments. (Long Beach and Los Angeles, CA)
Nov 17, 1997; ... Fearful that congestion at the seaports of Long Beach and Los Angeles may lead to disastrous delays in their product deliveries, some area businesses have begun importing by air.Fashion companies, toy importers and other businesses that depend on timely shipments are making the ...
Katzenberg settlement typical of Hollywood suits. (Jeffrey Katzenberg's lawsuit against Walt Disney Co.; Hollywood, CA)
Nov 17, 1997; ... Movie executive Jeffrey Katzenberg's $250 million lawsuit against Walt Disney Co. may have captured the imaginations of media-watchers the world over, but for Hollywood's entertainment attorneys, the conflict was nothing more than business as usual."There's an old saying that war ...
Some fear Ralphs merger will lead to higher prices. (Ralphs Grocery Co.'s merger with Hughes Markets Inc.)
Nov 17, 1997; ... The planned Ralphs Grocery Co, merger with Hughes Family Markets announced last week is only the latest example of a massive supermarket consolidation gripping the Western states - one that analysts say may eventually lead to higher prices for consumers.If the deal is approved by ...
Answers on entrepeneurship from venture capitalist. (interview with Chase Capital Partners executive David L. Ferguson)(The Fastest Growing Private Companies)(Interview)
Nov 17, 1997 ... David L. Ferguson, 42, is general partner of El Segundo-based Chase Capital Partners, a $4.5 billion venture capital investment fund. Since 1984, Chase Capital (which also has offices in New York, Singapore and Hong Kong) has invested in 550 companies, and Ferguson has been involved in ...
Vote on County/USC raises concerns. (Los Angeles County/University of Southern California Medical Center)
Nov 17, 1997; ... Private L.A. hospitals and labor unions are already mobilizing to protect their interests in the wake of last week's decision to downsize County/USC Medical Center to 600 beds.At the heart of their concerns: money.Hospital officials are worried they will not be adequately ...
Mayoral aide seen as candidate fo Hernandez seat. (Los Angeles, CA, deputy for economic development Rocky Delgadillo to challenge Mike Hernandez for city council position)
Nov 17, 1997; ... Rocky Delgadillo, Mayor Richard Riordan's top deputy for economic development, is on the short list of likely candidates to challenge L.A. City Councilman Mike Hernandez if a recall drive qualifies for the ballot, political insiders say.Asked about a possible candidacy, Delgadillo ...
Amid success stories, cautionary tales about failure. (small businesses in Los Angeles County, CA)(The Fastest Growing Private Companies)
Nov 17, 1997; ... The entrepreneur is the modern-day hero, lauded for creating successful startups that enrich founders almost beyond the imagination. That's why publications have popped up with names like "Success," "Inc.," and, of course, "Entrepreneur."But there are no glossy tabloids entitled ...
Commission mulls more efficient ways to deliver city services. (Los Angeles, CA, Charter Reform Commission)
Nov 17, 1997; ... The L.A. City Charter reform debate often centers on such prosaic issues as the role of commissions and the powers of the city attorney. But there's one issue that hits L.A. residents close to home: the delivery of city services.Angelenos who don't know their city commissioners ...
Frying the follicles: laser hair removal becoming big profit center for cosmetic surgeons. (Los Angeles, CA's hair removal clinics)
Nov 17, 1997; ... L.A. has become a center for hair removal and don't laugh, it's becoming big business.Legions of woman - and men - are flocking to hair-removal clinics, spurred by development of laser treatments that take off unwanted hair, even if it means going back for repeat treatments and no ...