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Women builders see big growth: More opportunities seen in home construction

Indianapolis-area women are making their mark in the ownership and management of residential construction businesses, following decades of working behind the scenes. Women account for 47 percent of privately held firms in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. That number is growing, and the greatest growth is in construction. The National Association of Home Builders Women’s Council reports that the number of women-owned businesses in the building industry has risen 30 percent since 1997. “One of…

RETURN ON TECHNOLOGY: Don’t believe all the threats you hear about

Ah, a new year, and a new opportunity for all of us to be scared witless by some new threat. A recent article about cell phone viruses that I read in the magazine Scientific American got me thinking about terrorism, but not in the way you might imagine. What is it about panic and fear that we love so much? We seem to treasure those moments when we’re jumping at shadows. Movie producers have known this for years, and how…

St. Francis plans another south-side growth spurt: Hospital system looks to build on 30 acres adjacent to Indianapolis campus

The youth soccer teams that fill the playing fields near St. Francis Hospital-Indianapolis will take their matches elsewhere next spring to accommodate another expansion by the burgeoning hospital. St. Francis Hospital and Health Centers wants to build on 30 acres of land near the south-side hospital and Interstate 65, according to paperwork filed with Marion County. An acute-care bed tower, medical offices and a cancer center are among the expansion possibilities for the campus, which the Beech Grove-based hospital system…

SPORTS: Predictions-and wishes-for sports in 2007

Last week, I reviewed the ups and downs of Indy sports in 2006. Here’s a look at what might transpire this year. I hope the Indianapolis Colts make it to the Super Bowl. I want to see this not so much for the city and Colts fans-although it would be great for both-but because I want to see Colts coach Tony Dungy recognized for the fine man he is without that “can’t win the big one” asterisk (same goes for…

BULLS & BEARS: We might be overdue for 10-percent pullback

The year-end entertainment tabloid news shows were full of young Hollywood starlets using questionable behavior and sultry wiggles to shock us viewers. On other channels, reports cheered the successful year stock market investors enjoyed while simultaneously expressing awe over the size of Wall Street bonuses. Last year provided lots of market gyrations, but the market never pulled back 10 percent or more. In fact, the stock market has been unusually calm for a long time. The last 10-percent drawdown occurred…

Labor sector diversification could spur local economy: $200,000 study targets finance, retail and construction

Sexier industry sectors like life sciences or motorsports get all the press. But to remain robust, the Indianapolis Private Industry Council believes, the area economy needs diversification. The 23-year-old work-force-training not-for-profit believes the nine-county area also should target three tried-and-true industries: finance and insurance; retail, hospitality and restaurants; and construction. IPIC, whose $9 million annual budget comes from public and private grants, plans to spend $200,000 during the first quarter studying the three sectors, which collectively employ 270,000 people in…

EYE ON THE PIE: In 2007, sweat the little things

This time of the year, serious people make serious resolutions about important matters; people like me, experienced and lacking determination, avoid resolutions. If, however, I were to recommend resolutions to business and government leaders, my list could be condensed into this: Attend to the little things. For too long, we have heard the preaching of management gurus and public-policy mavens that we must keep our eyes focused on the bigger issues. If you are a decision maker, you are supposed…

VOICES FROM THE INDUSTRY: Making the right money resolutions for a better 2007

To redefine the way you shop: If you’re an impulse shopper, break the habit. As a suggestion, get a legal pad and make that your centralized shopping list-sepa- A recent survey by the American Psychological Association reported that 61 percent of Americans consider money issues their No. 1 cause of holiday stress. Want to get a head start on a better holiday season in 2007? Start with some of these important reso lutions to improve your financial life. You can…

IPL cites project overruns as reason for rate hike

The cost of a pollution-control project at Indianapolis Power & Light’s Harding Street generating station has soared over
budget by $60 million, or 38 percent, and the utility wants its 465,000 customers in Marion County and nine others to help
foot the bill.

VOICES FROM THE INDUSTRY: Investors need to be real about their stockbrokers

Too many investors view their stockbrokers as “professionals” and not the salesmen they usually are. How do brokers find their customers? Most get their clients from cold-calling or inheriting accounts when fellow brokers leave the firm. Some brokers are adept at finding customers at church, the country club or local service organizations. Compare this point of initial contact to other professionals you deal with. Have you ever been cold-called by a doctor offering you a great deal on that annual…

STATEHOUSE DISPATCH: Think the state’s awash in cash? Think again

Most observers assume there will be a confrontation between House Democrats, led by Speaker Pat Bauer, D-South Bend, and Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels this session. They suggest it’s like watching a hockey game and just waiting for a big fight. But confrontation need not be a synonym for breakdown , and while legislative Democrats and Daniels have some different philosophies about the role of government, they also have some basic agreements on just what should be accomplished before the end…

BEHIND THE NEWS: SEC: It might sue Knall in wake of trading probe

The investigation into allegations of insider trading in Galyan’s Trading Co. stock that ensnared star stockbroker David Knall two years ago hasn’t faded away. The Securities and Exchange Commission notified Knall last May that it’s considering filing a civil lawsuit against him, according to a disclosure in the Central Registration Depository, a database detailing stockbrokers’ regulatory records. In the notice, the SEC invited Knall to make his case why doing so would be unwarranted-typically the final step before staff makes…

‘Policy wonk’ named president of Sagamore think tank

A former U.S. attorney and self-proclaimed “policy wonk” has been charged with growing the Sagamore Institute for Policy Research’s
Midwestern roots. Krieg DeVault LLP lawyer Deborah Daniels became Sagamore’s second president last month.

NOTIONS: Writing to Betty Ford, wishing for another Jerry

Dear Mrs. Ford: I’m sorry for your loss. I’m sorry, too, that you’ve had to bear your burden so publicly. Having lost my wife a few years ago, I know private sorrow is sufficient. The newly widowed ought not have to grieve with network cameras focused relentlessly upon them, hoping they’ll sob just a bit for the viewers at home. That said, I found it distressing that your lack of tears during your late husband’s National Cathedral memorial service was…

Will merger weaken regulatory oversight?: Local securities experts disagree on potential impact of NASD, NYSE combination

A merger of the two biggest regulators that police the nation’s 5,100 investment brokerages is drawing mixed reactions from the securities industry. NASD, formerly known as the National Association of Securities Dealers, and NYSE Group Inc., parent of the New York Stock Exchange subsidiaries, want to complete the merger by June 30. Supporters hail the alliance as a costcutting measure that will eliminate overlapping regulation and establish a uniform set of rules by placing oversight responsibility in a single, yet-to-be-named…

IMA may drop Puck for service lapse

The Indianapolis Museum of Art is considering whether to revoke Wolfgang Puck’s exclusive catering contract after the company’s
slow service marred an important event in November.

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS: Ford was from another era, one walloped by inflation

The death of a former president still is a pretty big deal in this country. We can probably thank our first president, one of the most beloved men in the country in his time, for the reverence and respect we hold for those who have sat in the Oval Office. But as the media pundits remark on the political decisions and world events that helped define President Gerald Ford’s administration, I am struck by a retrospective of a different type….

Blue Crew Sports Grill beating the odds

Being an Indianapolis Colts fan doesn’t mean you will necessarily succeed at running a Colts-themed restaurant, but Blue Crew
Sports Grill owners Randy Collins, Dan Dilbeck and Everett Myers aren’t ordinary fans. They are three pillars on which one
of the National Football League’s biggest fan clubs has been built.

BRIAN WILLIAMS Commentary: Lottery could help education even more

Recently, Gov. Mitch Daniels put forth a proposal to privatize the Hoosier Lottery. As envisioned by the governor, a private contractor would give the state an upfront payment of at least $1 billion and pay the state a guaranteed $200 million per year for the life of the contract. Daniels has proposed two uses for the upfront payment. Dollars would be split between a) scholarships for Indiana high school students attending Indiana universities and colleges and b) funding programs to…

Merging banks to put pressure on downtown real estate: Huntington, Sky to combine offices, but where?

Ohio-based Huntington Bank’s plans to buy Sky Financial Group Inc. will mean more available office space in a downtown market already awash in it. “People never merge without reducing their space,” said Jeff Harris, president of locally based Meridian Real Estate. “[This merger] is not going to have a monumental effect overall, but it’s just more square feet, another hole to be filled.” Columbus, Ohio-based Huntington Bancshares Inc. announced Dec. 21 that it agreed to purchase Bowling Green, Ohio-based Sky…