NOVEMBER 2-8, 2009
This week, find out the thinking behind Steak n Shake's investment in a Michigan insurance company and learn what Indiana college students have in common with John Belushi's infamous "Animal House" character. Check out the city of Greenwood's plans for $75 million in federal stimulus funds. And in A&E, get the lowdown on Zionville's newest exclamation-worthy eatery.
Front PageBack to Top
Health insurer Anthem’s market share swells
Indianapolis-based WellPoint Inc.’s Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield subsidiary claimed 42.5 percent of central Indiana residents
covered by private health insurance
this year, up from 35-percent last year, according to a market research firm.
Economic turmoil hasn’t shaken up local banks’ market shares
One of the toughest runs for the finance industry since the Great Depression didn’t lead to a major shakeup in Indianapolis’
banking landscape. Substitute PNC’s brand for National City’s, and the top eight positions remain unchanged.
Top StoriesBack to Top
Anderson gas-station chain sues BP after 32-store deal sours
Ricker Oil’s Oct. 22 suit claims British petroleum giant BP is charging unjustified royalty fees while delivering no boost
from its national advertising, its proprietary IT system or its bulk purchase pricing.
Greenwood seeks $75M in stimulus funds to speed road plans, lure interchange
The Johnson County community hopes an economic stimulus grant for transportation will hasten its plans to build an east-west
thoroughfare and set the stage for a new Interstate 65 interchange.
Study recommends upgrades for public transportation in counties surrounding Indianapolis
IndyGo, for all its faults, is the Cadillac of transit systems in the Indianapolis region. Service breaks at county lines
and the absence of passenger shelters are among the deficiencies facing transit systems in surrounding counties.
Steak n Shake’s Biglari adds intrigue by buying stake in insurer
The Indianapolis-based company’s CEO revealed earlier this year that he intends to use Steak n Shake as a holding company
that will pursue purchases “either related or unrelated to its ongoing business activities.”
RCI to become Wyndham Exchange; says Carmel jobs are safe
Despite a swooning economy that has hammered the time-share condominium industry over the last 18 months, Resort Condominiums
International continues to outperform its market. That’s not to say there hasn’t been some pain at
the company formerly headquartered in Carmel.
Governor still mulling creation of new Indiana ‘heritage’ agency
The idea of merging the State Library, Indiana State Museum and several other history-related entities into one new agency is still
on the table, a state representative said.
TechPoint to focus on IT firms specializing in medical, life sciences sectors
Long tracking the emergence of information technology firms involved in the health and life sciences sector, the state’s
IT trade group, TechPoint, is undergoing a mitosis of sorts to help fuel the trend. It has created Advancing
Life Science & Health Care Information Technology, or ALHIT, which will focus on growing this subset of the IT realm.
FocusBack to Top
State’s college graduation rates bedevil education experts
Just over half of students at state-supported, four-year institutions in Indiana graduate within six years—a tremendous
waste of resources by both students and taxpayers. The number of citizens with bachelor’s degrees is one of the surest
indicators of economic success in a 21st century economy driven less by workers’ hands
and more by their heads.
Indiana students excel in some types of math
Indiana schools are making huge strides in teaching students math required for careers in science, engineering and information technology jobs. But education experts point to stagnant test scores on national math exams as confirmation that many students still are not excelling, or are not even proficient, in the subject.
Read MoreOpinionBack to Top
EDITORIAL: Take the lead on smoking ban, Mayor Ballard
Maddening? Disappointing? Choose your adjective. The failure of the latest proposal to prohibit smoking in almost all Indianapolis
workplaces was clearly a setback for public health and a city that markets itself as a medical and life sciences hub.
MAURER: Now is not the time to fear failure
Failure does
not have to mean you’re through. Mistakes are inevitable in all businesses. A better test of the character of someone
in business is how he or she reacts to failure.
MARCUS: The people speak – who is listening?
Occasionally, I go to hear the voice of the people at the mall. Rainy days are good for this exercise. No one is in a hurry
to get drenched in the parking lot.
HENDERSON: Airport terminal, one long year later
As an all-too-frequent flier, I’ve had a chance to get the full-love experience of the new airport terminal numerous
times in its first year. The summary is that it’s both tolerable, and I have no choice.
SKARBECK: Lenders still not serious about serious reform
The early signs point to meek efforts by the Obama administration to address gaping regulatory issues.
Read MoreHICKS: Recession results in ‘great deleveraging’
On virtually every meaningful measure, this recession stacks up as only the third or fourth worst post-World War II recession, but its effects are much more profound in a few areas. One area that will be most apparent is the changes the economy has wrought on consumer credit.
Read MoreVote no on Wishard
“Get out and Vote (no) for Wishard” should have been [Chris Katterjohn’s Oct. 26 column] for two simple
reasons:
Medical care vs. sports facilities
Many of Wishard Memorial Hospital’s buildings date back to 1914 and many of the areas in the hospital are quite outdated. As I walk around the facility
every week, it is apparent that the hospital is not only outdated but it is beyond remodeling.
Let’s add math to driver’s test
Mitch Roob has it exactly right in his [Oct. 12] viewpoint “Math proficiency a must for workplace.”
Read MoreBundle medicine with care
I would like to thank IBJ for highlighting the role of interdisciplinary (“bundled”) medicine in the
Oct. 19 article, “Huddling on Health Care.”
Here’s another Hoosier hero
[In response to Mickey Maurer’s Oct. 19 column asking for Hoosier heroes] Jimmy O’Donnell, survivor, U.S.S.
Indianapolis. He is approaching 90 years old.
In BriefBack to Top
Orr Entrepreneurial Fellowship program expands
Due to high demand, the Orr fellowship will place 20 fellows starting with its 2010 class. It anticipates
placing 40 fellows in 2011 and 80 in 2012. The program is designed to match top graduates of Indiana colleges with entrepreneurial
companies.
Polis Center’s Spirit and Place Festival wants place on your schedule
The civic festival Spirit and Place, which runs Nov. 5-16, has been a fixture of the fall season since 1996, but organizers
are still trying to explain to Indianapolis residents what it’s all about.
Book will be tribute to late Emmis executive Tom Severino
Former Emmis Communications Corp. employee Jon Quick is writing a tribute book to the late Tom Severino, vice president
and general manager of Emmis’ Indianapolis operations, who lost his battle with lung cancer earlier this year.
Doctors balk at Senate attempt to cut out wasteful health care spending
The big goal of health care reform is to cut wasteful spending to pay for expanded health insurance coverage. But the way
the Senate Finance Committee bill tries to do that would be, according to some doctors, “disastrous.”
Pace of life sciences venture capital deals in Indiana picks up
After no Indiana health and life sciences firms announced venture capital deals in the second quarter, five did so in the
third, and two more have already this month.
Local tech duo connects to embed video product into e-mail marketing
Cantaloupe.TV, known for
its video marketing expertise, has been working closely with locally based ExactTarget, the well-known e-mail marketing firm,
to give ExactTarget’s clients an easier way of embedding video into e-mails.
PROXY CORNER: Conseco Inc.
Conseco Inc. provides Medicare supplement, cancer, heart/stroke and accident insurance policies as
well as annuities and life insurance products through a nationwide network of distributors.