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Small Business
Technology proposals get business focus: IEDC requests new 21st Century Fund applications
November 21, 2005
Peter SchnitzlerIt's been 18 months since state government requested new technology proposals from startups or academics. The days of waiting
are now finished. "We're in business," said the Indiana Economic Development Corp.'s new director of entrepreneurship, Bruce
Kidd. "The open sign is in the window. We want to start accepting applications again." On Nov. 16, the IEDC issued a request
for applications to its $75 million 21st Century Research and Technology Fund. Much has changed since March 2004, when the
state...
MoreStartups offered a fast track: Motorsports-themed incubator gets green light in Brownsburg
October 31, 2005
Matthew KishHendricks County officials hope a new business incubator there revs the engines of local entrepreneurs. The motorsports-themed
facility, to be known as Fast-Start, got the green light after a year-long feasibility study concluded the project was a logical
fit for a community that already houses Prudhomme Racing, John Force Racing and Bill Simpson's Impact Racing. "It would help
achieve some of our goals in Brownsburg," said Jeanette Baker, town council president and treasurer of the Hendricks County
Economic Development Partnership,...
MoreCenter director ready to score: Ball State's new entrepreneurship chief has big plans for top-rated program
October 31, 2005
Scott OlsonThe 6-foot-6-inch Cox visited the Indiana University campus on Dec. 24, 1974, as a member of the Nebraska Cornhuskers basketball
team. The starting center scored 15 points and pulled down five rebounds in a 97-60 loss to the thenmighty Hoosiers. His team
took solace in a free meal from a local fast-food joint that gave each ticketholder a burger, fries and shake every time IU
won by 30 points or more. After scavenging the stands for discarded stubs, the 'Huskers...
MoreKipps Brothers still evolving after 125 years
October 24, 2005
Candace BeatyWalk through the Kipp Brothers showroom and you’ll find the makings of one heck of a birthday celebration: gag gifts
galore, endless sugary treats and headgear that puts the traditional party hat to shame.
MoreBruce R. Frank & Associates LLC: Business, basketball give adviser a leg up International perspective useful for Indianapolis
consulting firm
October 17, 2005
Della PachecoAt 6 feet 8 inches, consultant Bruce R. Frank is an imposing figure. But it's the 30 years of business experience the former
professional basketball player has accumulated that he says helps him tower over his competition. Frank, 51, is the founder
of Bruce R. Frank & Associates, an Indianapolis-based consulting group that helps life-sciences companies develop business
strategies. So far, he has found most of his clients outside Indianapolis: Frank spent seven months on the road last year.
The...
MoreBorn again: Old churches gain new life as commercial space
October 10, 2005
Tammy LieberGod may be eternal, but His houses aren't. Congregations expand, move or fade away. When they leave a house of worship behind,
sometimes they find a different congregation to take over the brick-andmortar expression of their faith. Sometimes they don't.
In the latter case, finding a new life for churches and temples-often solidly built and packed with unique architectural details-can
be something like working a miracle. But a handful of developers have managed to give new life to old churches,...
MoreBiz groups join forces: Agencies hope to reach more minority-, women-owned firms
September 26, 2005
Tracy DonhardtTwo organizations that aim to increase business opportunities for minorities and women have formed a united front, hoping
to foster even greater diversity among companies. Indiana Business Diversity Council and the National Association of Women
Business Owners'local chapter aren't only sharing knowledge and resources-they'll also share space when NAWBO moves in with
IBDC later this fall. NAWBO hopes the partnership will enhance its networking capabilities. It also will give the all-volunteer
organization it first-ever place to call home. For its...
MoreAre you prepared for DISASTER?: Despite warnings, many businesses fail to plan for the worst
September 26, 2005
Scott OlsonAre you prepared for Despite warnings, many businesses fail to plan for the worst Frank Hancock didn't have a disasterrecovery
plan when a tornado tore past his east-side printing company two years ago, causing $5 million in damage. Severe wind gusts
from the Sept. 20, 2003, storm shredded Sport Graphics Inc.'s 5-month-old warehouse and manufacturing facility and tore 13
1,800-pound air-conditioning units from the roof, dumping them on the parking lot below. One was never recovered. Amid the
mayhem that...
MoreBasic utility vehicle rolling ahead-slowly: Assembly would happen in developing nations
September 12, 2005
Chris O\'malleyA not-for-profit group developing vehicles for use in the Third World plans to open a "micro-factory" next month near 65th
Street and Binford Boulevard. But the Institute for Affordable Transportation site won't mass-produce its diminutive vehicles,
powered by lawn tractor engines. Rather, the donated space will become a lab for working out methods to help those in developing
countries assemble the so-called "basic utility vehicles." The facility "is to basically prepare the way for this technology
transfer package so it...
MoreVOICES FROM THE INDUSTRY: Efficient, tasteful design can help maximize productivity
September 5, 2005
Sandi KramerProductivity. Comfort. Longevity. While the old saying about location applies to most commercial real estate decisions, the
issues of promoting productivity, providing a comfortable working environment and choosing materials that last become preeminent
after the lease is signed. current space-is not something you do everyday. If you're part of a mid-sized or small business,
then it's highly likely that you're juggling real estate decisions at the same time you're trying to advance your business.
As a result of this pressure,...
MoreStaffing agency seeks bankruptcy protection: Morley Group begins reorganizing $5.3 million debt
September 5, 2005
Scott OlsonThe 13-year-old staffing agency already owes the bank $1.94 million-a $1.17 million loan used to construct its headquarters
and about $768,000 for operating expenses. President Michael Morley blamed poor economic conditions for the filing. He said
the company hopes to emerge from bankruptcy quickly. "Our business is just now starting to come back and increase," he said.
"We're going to be able to straighten this out. We're not taking this lightly." Other debts listed in the bankruptcy filing
include a...
MoreIndiana Avenue looks for more than history: Cultural district faces redevelopment challenges
September 5, 2005
Tammy LieberBroad Ripple has clubs and shops. Massachusetts Avenue has galleries and theaters. Indiana Avenue has history. But history
alone doesn't necessarily draw visitors and their dollars, something the organizers of the Indiana Avenue Cultural District
know well. With the third annual Indiana Avenue Renaissance Festival, scheduled Sept. 9-11 at the Madame Walker Theatre Center,
the cultural district hopes to capitalize on that history. Although the jazz and blues festival lasts only a weekend, it's
a step toward creating a neighborhood...
MoreVOICES FROM THE INDUSTRY: The world might be flat, but construction costs aren't
September 5, 2005
Don AltemeyerFor the most part, construction has been a local story, a story about local workers building buildings in our community. But
the story isn't so local anymore. Global economic forces have begun to intersect with local issues at the construction site.
The result: a significant and ongoing increase in construction costs across central Indiana and the rest of the United States-an
increase that shows no signs of slowing. Through the first quarter of 2004, construction costs increased at a calm...
MoreTrio use experience to start consultancy: State-government veterans met while at FSSA
August 29, 2005
Scott OlsonThree veterans of state government have pooled their years of management experience to launch the women-owned business consultancy
Engaging Solutions LLC. Led by Venita Moore and Debra Simmons Wilson, the company set up shop in the Indiana Black Expo building
on North Meridian Street this spring to provide fiscal management, strategic planning, outreach, training and economic development
services. They and part-time principal Tammy Butler Robinson say the firm's focus on serving government agencies, not-forprofits
and faith-based organizations fits their backgrounds....
MoreDeal giving edge to unions muddies midfield contracts: Non-union contractors question whether bidding on project is worth
the trouble
August 15, 2005
Chris O\'malleyA construction agreement that requires union wages, work rules-and union workers-at the midfield terminal project has big
and small businesses alike concerned they'll be shut out of all but the tiniest contracts on the $300 million building. Unless
Janet South's painting firm Deco Group agrees to accept those terms, she'd only qualify for projects of $75,000 or less-the
threshold at which the agreement kicks in. That limitation, contained in the project labor agreement attached to the midfield
terminal, contrasts with...
MoreSpecial Report: Buying blind: Lack of oversight leaves state in dark on real estate deals The state of Indiana knows how much
it's spending to lease property statewide -nearly $40 million a year. But it doesn't know if that's too much.
August 15, 2005
Tammy LieberThe state of Indiana knows how much it's spending to lease property statewide -nearly $40 million a year. But it doesn't know
if that's too much. State contracts for third-party real estate services give government officials few safeguards to ensure
they're paying a fair price for office, laboratory and storage space outside of state-owned buildings, those in the industry
say. And state administrators have no control over seven-figure commissions paid to two Indianapolis real estate brokers in
the past decade,...
MorePottery by You: Firing up the entrepreneurial spirit Pottery shop owner puts love for art to work
August 8, 2005
Susan RaccoliPottery shop owner puts love for art to work "Don't sell this place without telling me first," Katie Laux implored Pottery
by You founder Liz Welter as they wielded brushes together late one night last fall. As they discussed the fun of owning a
small business, Laux shared her enthusiasm for the paint-your-own pottery shop where she'd worked off and on since 2002. She
loved the friendly atmosphere and the pleasant surprise when customers discovered their own creativity, and she...
MoreHow well does your firm communicate with clients? MARKETING Kay Millar: Businesses that serve customers effectively offer
a welcome reminder of how things ought to be handled
July 25, 2005
How well does your firm communicate with clients? MARKETING Kay Millar Businesses that serve customers effectively offer a
welcome reminder of how things ought to be handled Having spent four months with my husband preparing one house to sell and
another to move into, I'm sharing our observations on the behaviors of small businesses - using as examples our contractor,
carpenter, electrician, painter, roofer and mason. Hopefully, this will help managers of other businesses review their own
practices. Communication with...
MoreResearchers seek fuel-cell answers: Universities, companies see long-term potential in alternative power device
July 18, 2005
Scott OlsonThe figure-eight slot-car track in the basement laboratory at IUPUI looks out of place amid the expensive computer equipment
surrounding it. But when research assistant Alan Benedict fumbles with a few wires and the cars come to life, it becomes clear
the racetrack is more than just a toy. The miniature cars operate on fuel cells and are part of Purdue University's exploration
into the alternative power source. Scientists across the country are studying the clean power alternative, stoked by...
MoreCIWBC director has worked in both the corporate and small-business worlds:
July 11, 2005
-Kathy MaeglinIf Sharon O'Donoghue isn't the most ideal person to run the Central Indiana Women's Business Center, she has to at least be
in the top five. O'Donoghue's varied background, which includes working for a Fortune 500 company, as well as running a small
business, is one of her primary assets. But her passion for helping women business owners identify and reach their goals is
almost palpable when she talks-enthusiastically and endlessly-about what she's doing as director of the CIWBC. "I...
MoreEducating entrepreneurs: Women's Business Center offers basics as well as individual counseling services
July 11, 2005
Kathy MaeglinJoann Robinson was unhappy working in corporate America, so she started her own business, Balloons by Design, which delivers
balloon bouquets and does on-site balloon decorations. The Indianapolis woman had been in business for about a year when she
sought assistance in January from the new Central Indiana Women's Business Center. Since then, with CIWBC help, Robinson has
gone from having about 15 customers to about 50. Robinson is one of many women who have benefited from the services offered...
MoreGrowth in big supply at 3-year-old Milor: Entrepreneur taps experience to land big clients
July 4, 2005
Tracy DonhardtreporterMichelle Taylor's first customer was a north-side hotel that ordered 3,000 janitorial gloves a month. She got up at 3 a.m.,
processed the order out of her garage, and delivered the gloves in her car. Less than three years later, Indianapolisbased
Milor Supply Inc. delivers 36,000 gloves a month, plus janitorial equipment and supplies and safety equipment, to universities,
city and state governments, hospitals and a host of other industries across the country. The 35-year-old black female entrepreneur
has moved...
MoreDirector leaves small-biz agency: Disagreement over host sponsor helped sway decision
June 27, 2005
Scott OlsonThe head of the Central Indiana Small Business Development Center resigned this month following a rift over who might host
the agency. Mary Jane Gonzalez, who came on board as executive director of the Central Indiana SBDC in July 2003, left to
become director of business development at Mezzetta Construction Inc. Gonzalez's departure leaves the Central Indiana SBDC,
where budding entrepreneurs can seek advice without paying high consulting fees, without a leader for the third time in roughly
three years....
MoreTaking the pulse of life sciences: Experts weigh in on whether Indiana is keeping up in the economic development race
June 27, 2005
IBJ: Is Indiana gaining ground against other states in the race to grow as a life sciences hub? What are some specific benchmarks
that underscore your opinion? JOHNSON: Indiana is gaining ground, but Indiana already starts on really very substantial ground.
There are a lot of outside validations of that and I think it's important for this audience to hear a couple of them because
there is nothing like having people on the outside pay attention to what we're doing...
MoreECONOMIC ANALYSIS: Until Indiana diversifies, economy will struggle
June 20, 2005
Patrick BarkeySure, General Motors Corp. is in trouble, and quite a few Indiana communities are directly in harm's way. The headlines say
it all. Plant closings-above and beyond those already planned-are on the way. GM bonds are rated as junk. Its market share
is at an historic low. And it's discounting just about everything on the lot. For a company that has been the No. 1 automaker
in the world for four generations, its recent stumbles have to be humbling. Pressed...
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If a television station wants to improve viewership, get rid of the local blackout. I was born by the brickyard, and have attended 15 or more races. I have children now, I won't attend unless circumstances are perfect. As those with growing families know, they never are. I'm always impressed that upwards of 250,000 people attend the 500. However, as a growing, or, more apt, sprawling city, Indianapolis and its immediate suburbs count almost 2.2 million. Show the race live, let the venue get a kick-back on revenues, and open-wheel racing might have a fighting chance to be relevant again. Just in time for those tax-payer lights to make sense.
John Moore, I too have had the same issue recently. A property next to my house was on the Land Bank and I was interested in purchasing. When I tried to contact Reggie, I got back emails that had nothing to do with what I asked about. Actually my latest response from him was on this past Friday. I had asked about how to buy the property and if it was still available. His response to me was to contact the mayor's office to get the schedule of his appearances. (???) Hopefully the city is able to do something to fix what this guy has done, it would be nice if they would take the properties back and sell them properly so land owners like me and you mother would have a fair chance.
I too work in the industry, with over 25 years of experience and your political spin has probably nothing to do with any rebranding. "Let's dress it up" would have nothing to do with the government "telling us how and what to eat." Give it a political rest. And being a producer for a radio show doesn't mean you've been involved in advertising and branding for 30 years.
Ms. Morris did not understand the ways of the business world, otherwise, like the IMS, she could have petitioned the State Legislature for a handout of State Funds for her charity work. Ms. Morris should consider becoming a state lobbyist for Lemonade Stand Operators.
David Copperfield!