DETROIT BUSINESS MAIN 03-05-07 a 1 CDB.Qxd
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
DETROIT BUSINESS MAIN 03-05-07 A 1 CDB 3/2/2007 6:12 PM Page 1 ® http://www.crainsdetroit.com Vol. 23, No. 10 MARCH 5 – 11, 2007 $2 a copy; $59 a year ©Entire contents copyright 2007 by Crain Communications Inc. All rights reserved THIS JUST IN Corktown Indian company buys Telecom expansion Lason in $148M deal group pushes HOV Services, a business- process outsourcing firm based in Pune, India, has plan for Tiger acquired Troy-based Lason Inc. for $148 million, ac- cording to a statement is- drives hiring binge sued Tuesday by HOV. Stadium The sale came just two- and-a-half years after New York City-based private-eq- Works with city, Comcast to add 500 people uity firm Charterhouse Group Inc. bought the once- troubled company in Au- sports hall as competition heats up gust 2004 for $30 million. The company previously BY SHERRI BEGIN BY AMY LANE sell small and medium-sized busi- had been mired in an ac- CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS CAPITOL CORRESPONDENT nesses bundled video and high- counting scandal, debt speed Internet, potentially joined from too-rapid expansion A new conservancy formed by LANSING — After adding by phone service later this year. and a shareholder lawsuit the Greater Corktown Development more than 500 people in Michi- “The demand for products and that led to a Chapter 11 fil- Corp. is working on plans to rede- gan in 2006, cable provider Com- services is really driving it,” said ing from which it emerged velop the baseball field at Tiger cast Corp. is planning to hire 500 Jerome Espy, director of commu- in July 2002. Stadium into a park for youth more this year. Most of the hires nications for Comcast’s Michigan Three former executives sports programs and is talking are in Southeast Michigan. operations, based in Southfield. with the Michigan Sports Hall of Technicians who install ser- — Chairman Gary Monroe, Comcast faces a major heavy- GETTY IMAGES CFO William Rauwerdink Fame about making the site its per- vice and call-center representa- weight wading into its video ter- and COO John Messinger — manent home — possibly in a tives who work with customers ritory, with AT&T Inc.’s expected all pleaded guilty to crimi- piece of the existing stadium. are among the jobs Comcast is launch this year of its new video WHERE THE JOBS ARE nal charges related to in- The Detroit Economic Growth Corp. looking to fill, to meet demand for service. But Comcast isn’t alone Which telecom companies are flating company earnings. has a letter of existing and new residential prod- in its hiring plans. Competition staffing up locally? See box, The three have sentencing understanding ucts like local-phone service and Page 36. dates later this month and for the project INSIDE to support intensified efforts to See Telecom, Page 36 in April. with Corktown Development Want to buy a See This Just In, Page 2 serving as fidu- seat? City ciary for the prepares to auction off parts newly formed of old stadium. Old Tiger Stadi- Page 37. LAST CHANCE TO NOMINATE um Conservancy On the road: The Who is the smartest, brightest until it secures Michigan Sports and most creative 20-something its own non- Hall of Fame The last dance businessperson you know? profit status, looks to take Nominate him or her for our said Cork- exhibits on tour. second-annual “20 in their 20s” town’s Project Page 37. feature to be published April 30. Manager Jeff With D.O.C sold, marketing for Golden’s We want to identify young Wattrick. people whose promise already The conservancy, which has SEE chain will follow a different tune is shaking been quietly building its board and up the capacity for fundraising, plans to BY BILL SHEA The low-key marketing and status quo launch a campaign later this year CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS advertising of the SEE stores where they to fund redevelopment of the field, won’t include Golden’s tanned work. some sort of memorial to the site Richard Golden is still selling image talking about the latest and an endowment to pay for the Who had eyeglasses, but he won’t be danc- deals (and occasionally danc- the “it” park’s upkeep, he said. It’s uncer- ing or offering deals on televi- ing), as he had done on the air idea at your tain what form the memorial sion or radio. for D.O.C since 1988. company? Examples could be might take. Golden spent nearly 20 years The strategy for SEE is far dif- the Web guru with cutting-edge Locating the Michigan Sports as the iconic pitchman for his ferent. The chain’s 19 stores rely designs, a young researcher Hall of Fame at the site would be Southfield-based D.O.C Optics on associations with a trio of na- with a major breakthrough, the ideal, Wattrick said. “They have a Corp. He, along with a brother tional causes — breast cancer, marketing whiz who isn’t 50-year history of this; there seems who co-owned the eyewear AIDS and animal rights — to constrained by traditional no reason to duplicate what chain, last week closed on a $110 connect with a more-limited tar- thinking. they’re already planning to do.” million sale of D.O.C’s 100 stores get audience. To nominate, visit The hall of fame, which has been to Italian optical giant Luxottica “We’re very cause-marketing crainsdetroit.com and click on looking for a permanent home for Group S.p.A. related,” Golden said. The com- “20 in their 20s” in the left- several years, hopes to save part of Now, Golden is concentrating hand column under “Forms and pany’s target audience is young, the stadium for its permanent lo- on his Selective Eyewear Elements Surveys.” Nominations are due hip, upscale people for which cation, said President Jim Stark. Well-known ads featuring Richard retail chain that sells glasses to Tuesday. Nominees can be no such causes are important, but The organization would need be- Golden can run for up to 90 days during older than 29 on April 30. fashion-conscious shoppers at See Stadium, Page 37 a transition period to new owners. affordable prices. See Golden, Page 36 Big cases, big bucks: Smaller universities speak out 2006’s top verdicts and against separate funding for UM, NEWSPAPER settlements, Page 11 MSU, WSU, Page 3 DETROIT BUSINESS MAIN 03-05-07 A 2 CDB 3/2/2007 6:33 PM Page 1 Page 2 CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS March 5, 2007 Bank president resigns the units sold and are ready to be- ing said Thursday that it will re- business development and man- THIS JUST IN gin construction. ceive more than $3.15 million in agement consulting company, be- Kathy Bledsoe has left as presi- The 50-unit project is being de- federal funding in 2007 to provide fore he joined Kuka. ■ From Page 1 dent of First Independence Bank of veloped by Peter Allen and Mark transitional and permanent hous- Kuka Robotics is owned by Detroit to help a new Detroit bank Berg and is using many green- ing to homeless families in Oak- Augsburg, Germany-based Kuka HOV’s acquisition took effect raise money for its scheduled building practices and construc- land County. Roboter GmbH. Wednesday, and Lason’s manage- launch in the second quarter. tion materials. Units range from The task force said it has been — Brent Snavely ment will remain in place, ac- Bledsoe replaced Joseph Scott, 515 square feet to 2,300 square feet awarded a McKinney Grant from cording to the statement. The president of the city’s only and prices range from $230,000 to the U.S. Department of Housing and combined companies are expect- African-American-owned com- $775,000. Urban Development. Symposium seeks presenters ed to have annual revenue of mercial bank, in 2004. She de- — Jennette Smith The funds will be distributed to The annual Growth Capital Sym- more than $200 million. clined to comment beyond saying eight agencies. They are: Commu- posium, hosted by the Stephen M. Lason is a document- and data- she and Don Davis, chairman of Strategic Staffing posts nity Housing Network, Lighthouse of Ross School of Business at the Uni- management company. First Independence, “came to a Oakland County, Training and Treat- versity of Michigan, is looking for — Sheena Harrison meeting of the minds and decided 34% revenue increase ment Innovations, Common Ground companies that want to make a to go our separate ways.” Sanctuary, Word of Faith Agape Strategic Staffing Solutions Inc. presentation to the May 15-17 con- Blue Cross earnings drop Davis didn’t return three calls House, Housing Plus, Oakland Coun- ference. last week asking for comment on generated revenue of $139 million Net earnings for Detroit-based ty Community Mental Health Authori- The symposium is open to Mid- Bledsoe’s departure. in 2006 — a 34 percent increase Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan ty and Creative Housing Resources. west companies seeking growth Donald Snider, president and over 2005. fell $127 million in 2006, the orga- The task force, founded in 1987, capital who are in information CEO of Detroit-based Paper-Plas Detroit-based Strategic Staffing is a consortium of agencies that nization said Friday. technology, life sciences and al- Inc. and chairman of First Spirit Solutions provides contracted in- work to provide services to the The Blues’ consolidated net in- ternative energy. Each company Bancorp Inc., confirmed he had formation-technology services. In homeless. come totaled $210 million for 2006, makes a 10-minute pitch in front hired Bledsoe as a consultant.