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Parties choose sides over federal insurance oversight: Indiana commissioner, Indianapolis-based National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies favor compact

Insurers are split in their support of legislation that could significantly alter the way they do business by creating a federal agency to regulate the insurance industry. The National Insurance Act of 2007, introduced by Reps. Melissa Bean, D-Illinois, and Ed Royce, R-California, would let insurers choose whether to be regulated by the new system or continue to receive oversight from the states. The current way in which insurers are regulated gives the states authority to set industry standards. The…

Cummins cleans up with diesel

Less than a decade ago, diesel engines were viewed as loud pollution machines punching holes in the ozone. Now their cleaner,
quieter cousins are powering a resurgent Cummins Inc.

DogDayz Playhouse & Retreat LLC: It’s a dog’s life Canine day camp offers hotel-like comfort

When Gabi comes to work, she enters a room with food and toys before walking down a winding hallway to greet her guests. The friendly welcome she receives could be due to her soft, black hair or her mellow charisma, but her happy tail wag is probably a factor, too. Gabi is “head dog” at Noblesville-based DogDayz Playhouse and Retreat. Her human companion, Brian Cottrell, launched DogDayz in 2003 to offer other pet lovers the kind of services he wanted…

RETURN ON TECHNOLOGY: Saving printer paper doesn’t save much money

At one company I know, the head of information technology took note of rising printing costs and took decisive action. He immediately asked everyone to start printing on both the front and back of each printed sheet. Every time I saw people in meetings flipping pages up and down trying to read front-and-back, I wondered if he’d done the math, because it’s highly probable he didn’t save much at all. The big cost in copiers and printers isn’t paper, but…

Noble Roman’s rebuilds empire through franchising

Noble Roman’s Inc. stock this year has been rising nearly as fast as its pizza dough, defying skeptics who’d written off the
long-ailing Indianapolis company. With a new business strategy built on franchising and dual-branded restaurants, Noble Roman’s
has seen quarter-to-quarter earnings increase for more than two years.

Steak n Shake expects ‘rebuilding year’

Steak n Shake Co. CEO Peter M. Dunn analyzed and measured just about everything at the restaurant chain, from drive-through
times to employee turnover. All that research and testing was welcome when the company was thriving a few years ago. But the
lack of evidence that all the analysis was paying off eroded Wall Street’s confidence in Dunn.

FUNNY BUSINESS: The World of Tomorrow hovers, prepares to land

It’s a hovercraft, the M200G from the fine folks at Moller International of Davis, Calif. It has eight rotary engines that create enough oomph to lift the thing about 10 feet in the air, just high enough to zoom over traffic and crack your head on a stoplight. Which, let’s face it, would add a much-needed element of comedy to the average morning commute. But anyway, about the car: It’s about time. I’ve been waiting for this thing since I…

EYE ON THE PIE: Life goes on despite property taxes

Miss Sugar repeated her dominance of the candy- and cakeeating contest at the Indiana State Fair. “Ya gonna write about property taxes again this week?” she asked as we rode the Ferris wheel high above the fairground lights. “I should, but I can’t,” I said. “My mind fades out when the topic comes up.” “So whatcha gonna write about?” she asked, chewing her taffy vigorously. “Plymouth,” I replied. “Da rock or da old car?” Miss Sugar asked. “The city in…

How mortgage meltdown sank Oak Street, others:

Just three years ago, Steve Alonso was at the top of his game. The veteran mortgage banker was a finalist for Ernst & Young’s Indiana entrepreneur of the year award, and his fast-growing company, Oak Street Mortgage, was ready ing for a $150 million initial public offering. Investors should feel fortunate the IPO never happened. Today, Oak Street sits in the evergrowing scrap heap of firms that failed amid the meltdown of the subprime-lending market. “I think we built a…

Nurse shortage feeds online-training startup

By the year 2020, the United States is expected to face a nationwide shortage of at least 1 million nurses. Fishers-based
Orbis Education Services Inc. CEO Dan Briggs sees a potential profit center. Founded in 2003, IT startup Orbis aims to provide
the link between universities and hospitals for online delivery of nursing courses.

Power broker Miles calling shots again in city

In the less than two years since Mark Miles, 53, took over the CEO-driven Central Indiana Corporate Partnership in 2006, he’s
transformed it into an economic development powerhouse for life sciences, information technology and advanced manufacturing.
How so fast? He started networking with Indiana’s political heavyweights more than 30 years ago. And he never stopped.

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS: Parting thoughts on Indiana’s strengths, weaknesses

The nice thing about economics is that we never really figure anything out. That hasn’t stopped folks like me from writing about economics and papers like this one from printing what we have to say. As I often have said to those who have remarked on these writings, nature abhors a vacuum. Someone else will be filling that vacuum next week, because this is my last column-for Indiana readers, at least. I am happy to leave you in the capable…

INVESTING: Domino effect worsened woes in subprime market

Subprime. Liquidity injection. Volatility spikes. The equity markets have woken up from a long slumber, and the fallout has both short- and longterm consequences. Everyone loves a good mystery, which is why recent stock market events have been attracting so much attention. However, I did my best impression of Sherlock Holmes and believe I have solved the case. Here is how it went down. Two large hedge funds run by Bear Stearns invested heavily in the subprime mortgage market. Delinquencies…

VIEWPOINT: Helping ex-offenders helps all of us

In the June 4 IBJ, Mickey Maurer wrote an insightful commentary on some of the difficulties faced by ex-offenders returning to their communities. An editorial in the July 9 issue called for ex-offender re-entry into the work force as an important next step for the city of Indianapolis. IBJ has focused on a critical issue, and has correctly identified several obstacles faced by returning offenders seeking to reintegrate into society-from housing to willing employers to the need for mentors. But…

A&E: Fringe characters meet Fringe Film

By the time you read this, Gen-Con-one of our town’s largest conventions-will have packed up its multisided dice, folded its cowled costumes, and drunk its final Mountain Dew (at least for this year). How you feel about this convergence of game players will influence, in part, how you feel about “A Great Disturbance,” a feature film to be screened Aug. 17, 24 and 31 as part of Fringe-Film, the new movie component of the 3-year-old IndyFringe Festival. To be clear,…

Colts build reputation for mastering salary cap

The Indianapolis Colts lost a slew of popular players in the off-season who were key to the team’s Super Bowl run. The defections–though
unusual for a championship team–were business as usual for a franchise that has gained a reputation around the league for
its bold personnel moves.

VOICES FROM THE INDUSTRY: New law allows military relatives to take unpaid leaves

Family members of military personnel called to active duty could now spend a little more time with loved ones without worrying about job security, thanks to Indiana’s Military Family Leave Law, which took effect July 1. That’s good news for the work force. But it could be problematic for some companies. That’s why it’s important for both employees and employers to be aware of the facts. 10 days per year The law, which ensures that qualifying employees aren’t penalized for…

Local restaurants joining online reservation trend: High-tech systems tool up customer service

A last-minute meeting with a key client pops up at the end of a workday. If the host wants to take the group to dinner afterward, he could ask an assistant to scramble, calling his favorite restaurants in search of a last-minute opening. But nowadays, there’s a simpler option: With a couple of mouse clicks, he can use an online reservation system to check availability at some of the city’s best haunts. “Businesspeople use [online reservations] the most,” said Kimberly…

OneAmerica methodical in approach to new deals: Flush with capital, local insurer on the lookout for acquisitions

Don’t expect OneAmerica Financial Partners Inc.’s purchase of a $700 million annuity portfolio last month to be its last big-ticket buy. The Indianapolis-based insurance holding company says its executives and heads of its various product lines are constantly on the prowl for acquisitions. But don’t hold your breath for the company’s next deal. Its purchase of annuities from Iowa-based Transamerica Life Insurance Co., announced July 24, took two years to come together. So did its previous acquisition, the 2005 purchase…

Heating-assistance program on the bubble: Agency urges improvements, questions accounting

The Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor has filed a lukewarm response to plans from a pair of local utilities to continue a program intended to reduce gas disconnections in the upcoming heating season. The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission is weighing whether to continue the 20-month-old “universal service” programs offered by locally based Citizens Gas & Coke Utility and Evansville-based Vectren Corp. The programs are funded by the utilities and ratepayers. They amount to the secondlargest source of funds in…