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CEO Dunn not afraid to shake it up: Changes help Steak n Shake capture Enterprise Award

When an executive recruiter contacted Peter Dunn a few years ago about a top post at The Steak n Shake Co., he wasn’t sure what to think. “I wondered what kind of steaks they served with milkshakes,” he recalled with a laugh. Today, Dunn, Steak n Shake’s president and CEO, probably knows more about the company than anyone in its 71-year history. The newcomer to the restaurant industry, a Harvard grad with an MBA from the University of Virginia, has…

VOICES FROM THE INDUSTRY: The design-build option bodes well for taxpayers

In the last legislative session the Indiana General Assembly passed Senate Bill 244 to become Public Law 74, commonly known as the Design Build Law. The new legislation established the use of design-build delivery on most public works projects in the state. Initial reaction within the construction community has been mostly positive because design-build delivery has the potential to become a valuable resource for administrators of public works projects. The law went into effect July 1 and, predictably, we have…

Storm’s local impact mixed: Katrina’s aftermath will take toll on business, but rebuilding efforts might offer opportunities

Hurricane Katrina will be both a curse and a blessing to Indiana companies, which will cope with higher fuel costs and shipping problems but find themselves awash in opportunities to sell materials and machinery for rebuilding Gulf cities. Besides weathering the immediate impact of higher fuel prices, Hoosier firms will pay more for a range of goods, because of the trickle-down effect of higher shipping costs. “Our biggest concern continues to be on the ever-increasing cost of fuel. That’s s…

VOICES FROM THE INDUSTRY: Efficient, tasteful design can help maximize productivity

Productivity. 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,…

SPORTS: Championship contenders bring out Mr. Softee

My friend, the young radio sports talk show host, tells me I’ve become Mister Softee. He says I have lost my edge. He wonders why I don’t rattle cages like I used to. He says the Indianapolis Colts have to win the Super Bowl this year, and anything less should be considered an abject failure. And I say, poppycock. He says winning a championship is the only measurement of success in professional sports. And I say, baloney. He says if…

State unrolls insurer-friendly plan: New strategy aims to recruit, nurture insurance businesses; watchdogs wary of approach

The state of Indiana is aggressively courting the insurance industry to add high-paying jobs to the economy, a strategy that comes with a touch of controversy. The Indiana Economic Development Corp. announced late last month the appointment of Mike Chrysler as Indiana’s first-ever director of insurance initiatives. Chrysler then hit the ground driving. He’s already visited the Fort Wayne market and plans to reach several other corners of Indiana to let insurers know the state appreciates their business and wants…

Startup Web venture gives sales reps an edge: Internet forum allows anonymous contact exchange

In literature and on stage, Arthur Miller’s tragic salesman Willy Loman has come to symbolize the American dream gone sour. But for the founders of locally based WillyLoman.com, an online forum for anonymous exchange of business contacts, the moniker has a simpler meaning: Willy Loman is instantly recognizable. The title character from “Death of a Salesman” is still the best-known name in marketing. “Have you ever felt like Willy Loman?” asked WillyLoman.com cofounder and CEO Bill Johnson. “The idea is…

INVESTING: Strong stocks in strong industries have greatest promise

Let’s get ready to make some money. I know the cocktail party talk is still centered around the crazy real estate world, but nothing beats the stock market if you know where to go. A lot of investors bought into the media hype about selling in May and going away. This easy-to-remember phrase has resonance because, over the last 50 years, stock market performance has been better from November through April than May through October. As an investing strategy, however,…

Contractors work to resurrect historic church: Buggs Temple being rebuilt from inside out into entertainment venue

When a team of developers took on the renovation of downtown’s Buggs Temple in fall 2003, most windows in the historic church were missing, the roof was riddled with holes, and much of the sanctuary floor was in the basement. Almost two years later, it’s difficult to gauge the progress of the project by sight. The floor is entirely gone, as are the balcony, the doors and the few windows that remained. In that time, however, the building on West…

Katrina’s toll::

Also: Fuel woes, worsened by Katrina, could spell doom for ATA – page3. Local firms, not-for-profits donate money and services – page37. Lumber futures soar – page22. How can you help? Find out at www.ibj.com.

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS: Rising health care costs killing jobs and income

Most of us have been in a doctor’s office, and many of us have had conditions that require treatment. But few of us are likely to hear any information presented on the cost of different treatment options along with their benefits, especially if we are one of the 170 million people covered by employer- or governmentprovided health insurance. It is an amazing fact that nearly $3 trillion of health care goods and services are ordered off a menu that has…

ABDUL-HAKIM SHABAZZ Commentary: Can I have a bit more government, please?

Indiana has a lot of things. It has a lot of rich farmland, which provides the foundation to make it an economic powerhouse as we look for renewable sources of fuel. It also has a lot of good, decent people who make up the communities where you would want to raise a family. However, somewhere between the neighborhoods that house the great families and the farmlands that house our economic future is a lot of something else Indiana has-government. I…

VOICES FROM THE INDUSTRY: Proper stormwater management saves money in long run Property owners should consider alternative methods for site development

To save themselves from unforeseen trouble down the road, buyers of site-development and buildingdesign services would be wise to consider the joint efforts of an experienced architectural firm working in tandem with an environmental consultant. The reason is fairly simple: Architects are trained to have knowledge in so many diverse and ever-changing subjects that the singular expertise of an environmental consultant can provide significant support in an area still quite new to many designers. While working with restrictive rules and…

Staffing agency seeks bankruptcy protection: Morley Group begins reorganizing $5.3 million debt

The 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…

Pervious concrete usage expected to rise in Indiana: Product touted as friendlier to environment, developers

“That’s called bioaugmentation,” said Pat Kiel, executive director of the Indiana Ready Mix Concrete Association. “Concrete science meets bioscience.” Nearly 90 percent of pollutants are typically carried by the first 1-1/2 inches of a daily rainfall into rivers and streams, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA requires that the first threefourths of an inch of rain each day be maintained on site until treated. Typically, most of that water, which includes “first flush” contaminants, is collected in…

NOTIONS: The power of nature and the perils of human nature

Some colleagues and I drove south into Evansville last week just as the remnants of Hurricane Katrina blew in from the north. As we pulled into the parking lot of our destination, we watched workers battling wind and rain on the walk from their cars to the office. Twice, we saw sturdy umbrellas, held nearly horizontal against the oncoming gale, collapse upon their users. The drenched souls fumbled with the resulting maze of metal and fabric as they struggled across…

Indiana Avenue looks for more than history: Cultural district faces redevelopment challenges

Broad 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…

BEHIND THE NEWS: Here’s a Blues performance that won’t get you down

Anthem Inc.’s $1.9 billion initial public offering in late 2001 set all kinds of records. It was the biggest IPO for a U.S. health care company ever, and the biggest IPO for a Hoosier company of any kind. But that company, now known as WellPoint Inc., was puny compared with its size today. Then, it had a market value of $3.9 billion; now, thanks to acquisitions and a surging stock price, it’s worth $45 billion. WellPoint shares were trading last…

BULLS & BEARS:

A bouillabaisse of market thoughts … Chinese IPOs have caused some recent market excitement, and the best fireworks display was by Baidu.com, a Chineselanguage Internet search engine that went public Aug. 5. Baidu.comopened at $27 on a Friday and at the close of business had soared to $122. On the next Monday, some poor soul paid $153 for it. In the weeks following Baidu.com’s pyrotechnics, there was talk about how the Chinese and Indian economies are booming and their stock…

Ancient sport of kings still appeals to Hoosiers: Hickory Hall Polo Club keeps game alive on Boone County farm

A handful of noisy chickens and a small herd of goats meander around two neatly kept barns that house about a dozen horses, their stalls overlooking the 10-acre field that’s 300 yards long and 160 yards wide. As horses emerge from their stalls with the help of the Chandlers’ assistant, it becomes clear these are no common steeds. Their deep chests heave with each breath, their nostrils sucking in air like a Hoover, ribs lightly protruding through their lean physiques….