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Scott Olson

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Initiative aims at more minority participation: Construction group says current strategy not working

More needs to be done to improve minority involvement in the construction industry than simply employing a certain percentage of the companies on projects. That’s the consensus of the Indiana Construction Roundtable, an organization made up of some of the biggest users and providers of construction services. Its diversity outreach initiative aims to increase minority participation within the trades by rewarding contractors who support education and training, employ minorities and women, and mentor small minority- and women-owned businesses. The initiative…

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Award-winning financial planner not ready for retirement: Cooke, sons gain notice for helping well-heeled clients

As veteran financial planner John Cooke rehashes the highlights of his venerable career, it’s evident that nothing can top the experience of working with his two sons. Close behind, though, are the accolades he’s picked up along the way, including several mentions in various publications as one of the nation’s top advisers. The latest recognition comes from Barron’s magazine, in which Cooke is the only money manager in Indianapolis to make its list of the nation’s top 100 brokers. His…

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Banking industry slowly embracing biometric security: Local tech firm rolls out keystroke authentication systems to financial institutions

The banking industry is turning to the next generation of online security to thwart cyberthieves, and an Indianapolis information technology consulting firm is trying to stay at the forefront of the movement. Locally based Catalyst Technology Group has received a contract from BioPassword Inc., a security-software company based in Issaquah, Wash., to install keystroke authentication systems at financial institutions throughout the United States. Keystroke authentication is among the latest offerings from the field of biometrics-the measurement and analysis of unique…

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Web rates get banks’ attention: Some try to compete by boosting savings yields

In an effort to lure new customers, more traditional banks are beginning to emulate their Internet adversaries and offer online savings accounts boasting much higher annual yields. Customers are increasingly turning to Internet banks because they offer highyield savings accounts that don’t require massive balances. First Internet Bank of Indiana, founded in 1998 by local tech entrepreneur David Becker as the first state-chartered Internetonly bank, has seen its assets grow to more than $530 million in less than a decade…

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Informatics job ‘special’ to dean: New leader of prominent IU school says no other offer could have lured him away from Colorado

Even before Bobby Schnabel became a candidate to take charge at the Indiana University School of Informatics, he knew enough about the program to know he wanted to lead it. By ending his 30-year affiliation with the University of Colorado at Boulder, Schnabel, 56, officially exchanges the black and gold of the Buffaloes for the cream and crimson of the Hoosiers on July 1. But of even greater significance is the fact that IU sought Schnabel to succeed J. Michael…

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Design changes afoot for state Web pages: Online renovation includes search-engine upgrade that features Scott Jones’ ChaCha instead of Google

A redesigned state Web portal unveiled last month should make it easier for Hoosiers to plow through mounds of government minutia. But, more important, the revamping set to be finished in mid-2008 represents a major shift in state policy. By contracting with locally based ChaCha Search Inc.- tech entrepreneur Scott Jones’ new humanassisted Internet search engine-the state no longer relies solely on big, name-brand computer technology such as Microsoft. “We have somebody who is local and excited about taking the…

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Growing medical technology bags major VC investment: Bloomington-based ProCure hopes to build national network of proton-therapy clinics after luring $35 million

If you’re as smart as a fifth grader, you know that a proton is a basic particle in an atom’s nucleus that has a positive electrical charge. What might be less well known is that proton therapy is becoming the preferred treatment for certain types of tumors. But here’s the real stumper: The man leading a mission to build and operate a nationwide network of proton-therapy clinics is a Bloomington researcher whose startup received a $35 million cash infusion in…

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Embarking on a new Venture: New leader planning progressive changes at center, not a total revamping

The new leader of the Indiana Venture Center is beginning to put his stamp on the not-for-profit that mentors promising startups. James Eifert, 64, is the former president of Terre Haute-based Rose-Hulman Ventures who took charge of the center in December following the July resignation of Steve Beck. Beck left to become co-managing director of IVC Equity Partners, a new local seed-capital fund. Chief items on Eifert’s to-do list are broadening the donor base, revamping the Venture Center’s proprietary network…

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Farmland values soaring, but still lag other sectors: Cornfields far more valuable when sold for other uses

Escalating demand for corn driven by the ethanol boom is propelling farmland prices higher, but not nearly enough to deter commercial developers from nabbing prime pieces of property. An average acre of Indiana farmland rose last year in value almost 16 percent, representing the largest annual jump in at least two decades, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Prices this year are projected to increase by an even larger percentage. Land values are escalating because corn is expected to…

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Broadbent’s new era: Veteran real estate firm known for strip centers prepares for new headquarters, new leadership

The distinctive black-and-white façade of the Zipper Building at Washington Street and Virginia Avenue is gone, stripped away like ceiling tiles from an old bedroom. Replacing the unusual exterior of the three-story structure will be a more traditional brick and stone look-and a new moniker bearing the name of owner The Broadbent Co. Broadbent, the longtime developer of retail strip centers including Castleton Plaza, Clearwater Crossing and Fashion Mall Commons bought the downtown building last October and is set to…

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City buildings save money while gaining ‘Star’ status: EPA program gives tax breaks for energy efficiency

Thomson Inc. building, 10330 N. Meridian St. In 2006 alone, the EPA awarded more than 3,400 buildings nationwide with the Energy Star designation. Buildings can achieve the status by adopting an energy-management strategy and tracking the results during a 12-month period using an EPA rating system. Results need to be verified by a professional engineer. All Energy Star products qualify for a tax credit. A deduction of up to $1.80 a square foot is available to owners and designers of…

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Local companies get Taiwanese perspective: Butler University program brings 23 interns to Indy

The java stands Hubbard & Cravens Coffee Co. opened a year ago within Clarian Health Partners’ three downtown hospitals are brewing a rich aroma of results. Yet executives of the locally based coffee retailer and wholesaler know sales could be sweeter. “The hospitals are so huge that we don’t capture even a third of what we could,” said Marcie Hubbard, director of store operations. “So the question is, how do you reach everybody in that entire hospital?” The 23 Taiwanese…

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Purdue professor developing weapon for AIDS battle: Lower-cost testing device could save money for more treatment in disease-ravaged Africa, other countries

The professor of cytomics-the study of cell systems-is leading an effort to develop a low-cost device that would help more Africans get tested for the deadly disease. His goal, bolstered by his Cytometry for Life not-for-profit, is to build thousands of units that can be delivered to third-world countries around the globe. Robinson has completed the prototype and returned in March from a weeklong trip to Nigeria, where he and fellow university researchers met with government and health care officials…

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People V Pounds: Ten local law firms vie to shed weight in friendly contest to promote wellness

Ten local law firms vie to shed weight in friendly contest to promote wellness Ten city firms indeed are vying to see whose members can shed the most inches from their waistlines within 10 weeks. The impetus for the “friendly” competition, which ends April 9, is modeled after Gov. Mitch Daniels’ INShape Indiana program challenging Hoosiers to lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks. Because participating firms range in size from behemoth Ice Miller LLP to boutique Schuckit & Associates PC,…

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Nursing school’s computerized patient ain’t no dummy: $36 million mannequin capable of simulating array of emergencies

Mr. Jackson is admitted to the hospital, complaining of shortness of breath and loss of appetite. The 71-year-old is experiencing tightness in his chest, although not enough to be considered painful. The nurses scurry to administer oxygen and draw blood while recommending an electrocardiogram to measure heart activity. Several minutes later, a diagnosis of heart failure is returned. The events unfolding at the Indiana University School of Nursing on the IUPUI campus mirror actual situations that could occur at any…

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Indiana joins splashdown of water parks: Indoor resorts on the rise as hotels try to lure guests during offseason

The names Caribbean Cove and Paradise Bay inspire thoughts of tropical destinations where sunbathers slather lotion like Hoosiers butter their corn on the cob. In reality, these types of “resorts” are spouting up throughout the Midwest, including Indiana, and require no protection from harmful ultraviolet rays whatsoever. They’re indoor water parks, a trend hoteliers are embracing to cater to families seeking a weekend getaway-and to boost occupancy during the off-season. The Indianapolis area features just one such water park so…

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Planners selling city with video: ‘Doing Indy’ video-podcasting campaign first of its kind in convention business

What began as an innovative way to market Indianapolis over the Internet has gained enough of a following to grab the attention of a local cable television provider. The Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Association started streaming video on its Web site last year and since has recorded nearly 50 episodes that promote the city’s attractions. The “Doing Indy” campaign is geared toward the younger set and features newmedia technology to spread the message. The video streaming, or video podcasting, uses…

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Companies should strive to make meetings meaningful: Organizational leadership experts say many companies could be more productive with fewer, better gatherings

Executive Steve Kellam once went to such great lengths to cheer up colleagues during a difficult period that he arrived at a company meeting wearing a Clifford the Big Red Dog costume. He’s dressed as a clown as well. It’s doubtful every corporate gathering requires those types of creative tactics to grab the attention of associates, but there are ways to ensure the boardroom doesn’t descend into a state of boredom. “I was just trying to get some laughs,” Kellam…

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Professor hits right note in guitar engineering class: Purdue course lets students build, test instruments

Playing guitar seems much more alluring than building one-unless you’re a member of the Instrument Manufacturing and Testing class at Purdue University. The course is the creation of Mark French, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering technology, who introduced it just last year. It is already striking a major chord with students. Eighteen are enrolled now, which is as many as the professor can handle, and the waiting list for next spring’s session is full. French is teaching the class…

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Ratio building go-to reputation: Convention Center expansion latest notch in firm’s belt

As the Final Four approaches, it seems fitting to relive in basketball terms how Ratio Architects Inc. came off the bench in dramatic fashion to save a high-profile downtown project after the star had fouled out. The Indianapolis-based architectural firm played that role in 2004 after sketches from the original out-of-town architect designing the downtown headquarters of Simon Property Group Inc. failed to impress corporate executives. Ratio had one week to deliver, and did. But while the firm’s portfolio is…

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