In Business

There are sales and then there are price cuts.

Meijer says it is offering more of each this holiday season.

And in doing so, the Midwest retailer plans to hold its own against the country’s biggest retailers, Walmart and Target, in a holiday price war.

On Wednesday, Grand Rapids-based Meijer Inc. announced it has dropped prices up to 30 percent on more than 400 popular toys from Barbie to Star Wars Legos.
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Owners, managers share career paths at Hammond High

George Huskisson, right, owner of Hammond Fence Co. answers questions from Hammond High junior Damien Griffin while participating in The Making of American Businesses, a Purdue University Calumet/Hammond High oral history project. (Photograph by Natalie Battaglia/The Times.)

About a dozen local business owners and managers of corporations took part Tuesday in the Purdue University Calumet-Hammond High School Oral History Project.

This year’s topic, The Making of American Businesses, allowed Hammond High School history students to interview the business owners and managers about what it is like to operate a company and how the current economic situation affects them.

“This allows students to connect with local business owners,” PUC education supervisor Norma Coleman said. “And most students don’t know about any business that’s not in a mall.”
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Indiana University economists predict a weak recovery in 2010 as the state and nation begin to recuperate from one of the worst recessions since World War II.

The panel from the Kelley School of Business released its forecast Thursday. It projects growth will top 3 percent next year, but said that increase would only be over the recession’s already low level of output. The panel visited Northwest Indiana yesterday at a luncheon at Teibel’s restaurant in Schererville.

“Things will be getting better, but they still won’t be really good,” said Bill Witte, associate professor emeritus of economics who also co-directs the Center for Econometric Model Research at IU.
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NIPSCO parent given high marks for environmental performance

Newsweek magazine has ranked NiSource Inc., of Merrillville, fourth among U.S. utilities in its Green Rankings of the nation’s largest corporations.

Newsweek ranked the companies using a Green Score that gave the most weight to each company’s actual environmental policies as well as its reputation.

“NiSource’s strong ranking on the Newsweek Green List is consistent with our ongoing commitment to sustainability, contemporary governance practices and a solid foundation of core business values,” NiSource CEO Robert Skaggs Jr. said.
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A new report says Indiana could lose $100 million in gambling taxes in the first year after four Ohio casinos authorized in a Tuesday referendum open.

Ohio voters approved casinos for Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and Toledo.

An analysis by the Indiana Legislative Services Agency predicts that hardest hit in Indiana will be three casinos in the southeastern part of the state downstream from Cincinnati.

Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg, Grand Victoria Casino in Rising Sun and Belterra Casino near Vevay would lose $260 million in gambling revenues in the first year after the Ohio casinos open. That would cut their taxes paid by $93 million.

The report says Hoosier Park’s casino in Anderson would lose gambling customers to a new Toledo casino, costing the state another $9 million.

Jim Gorman, superintendent at Schererville's wastewater treatment plant, and Schererville Clerk-Treasurer Janice Malinowski chat after a groundbreaking ceremony Monday at the plant in Schererville. The plant will benefit from many projects targeted at the town's infrastructure. (Photograph by John J. Watkins/The Times.)

A ceremonial groundbreaking Monday in Schererville marked the start of several town projects that stimulus money partly is funding.

Members of the St. John Utility Board joined Schererville officials as well as contractors and engineers outside the town’s wastewater treatment plant, where the bulk of upcoming shovel-ready infrastructure projects will take place.

A preconstruction conference is scheduled today for the wastewater treatment plant upgrades, said Hal Slager, Schererville Utility Board president.
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Play encourages NWI leaders to work together to improve quality of life in region

Actors John McInerney, Sandy Gleim and Rich Vallicelli perform Wednesday in Unknown Soldiers, a short play about the challenges and opportunities facing the region's seven counties—Jasper, Lake, LaPorte, Newton, Porter, Pulaski and Starke. The play premiered Wednesday at Ivy Tech Community College's Valparaiso campus. The project is part of the Dare to Dream initiative, which grew from the One Region: One Vision project. (Photograph by Tony V. Martin/The Times.)

As he crossed real or imagined county lines talking to leaders across Northwest Indiana’s seven counties—Jasper, Lake, LaPorte, Newton, Porter, Pulaski and Starke—Ivy Tech Chancellor J. Guadalupe Valtierra said the predominant message he found is that communication, cooperation and collaboration are important to unify this region.

Led by Ivy Tech Community College of Northwest Indiana, Dare to Dream is an initiative aimed at encouraging a “friendly conversation” among the leaders of Northwest Indiana’s seven counties to improve region residents’ quality of life.

The “conversation” with the community is being presented tonight in the form of a play: “Unknown Soldiers.”
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Chicago Heights stamping plant at full employment, UAW says

Workers assemble vehicles on the production line at Ford's Chicago Assembly Plant. The southeast side factory produces the Taurus and Lincoln MKS models.
(Photograph courtesy of The Times.)

After years of taking hits from customers and analysts, Ford dealership owner John Hennessy said it’s good to see the Blue Oval return to the black.

Hennessy, owner of River Oaks Ford in Calumet City, called it a “pleasant surprise” to hear the news Monday that Ford turned an operating profit last quarter for the first time since early 2008. He said the company with the trademark blue nameplate has worked hard to reduce costs and find a new direction.

It also helps that October sales at the dealership are improved compared to a year ago, and employees and customers are excited about the Fusion sedan and the locally produced Taurus vehicles.
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As Congress argues the broad issues of health care reform, region residents interested in a public insurance option will be able to attend a local debate Thursday at Indiana University Northwest.

Drs. Alex Stemer and Bharat Pithadia will assume opposing sides of the issue. Pithadia, president of Pithadia Medical, will advocate a public option while Stemer, president and CEO of Medical Specialists Centers of Indiana, will speak against government-run health insurance.

The two-hour event begins at 3 p.m. at the Savannah Auditorium, located in the Savannah Center at the southeast corner of the main campus parking lot at 33rd Avenue and Broadway. Refreshments will be provided.

The debate at IU Northwest is sponsored by the College of Health and Human Services, the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

For Hobart’s Jonathan Kraft, auctioneering remains popular for three decades

Kraft Auction Service auctioneer Jonathan Kraft calls out bids during an auction at Cedar Lake. Kyle Stepnoski, top right, a display assistant with Kraft, holds up a set of historic prints for sale. Four years ago, Kraft bought the family business from his father, Conrad Kraft, who had established it in 1976. (Photograph by Kyle Telechan/The Times.)

Moving easily from one group of items to another, Jonathan Kraft, 22, doesn’t skip a beat, smiles to a bidder, then adds a bit of folksy humor to good effect.

It’s an appreciative crowd that has gathered at the Lake County Fairgrounds on a Sunday afternoon to bid on everything from credenzas to colorful dishware to cutting tools.

Earlier that day, Kraft auctioned off a lakefront home in Lake Dalecarlia.
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From the BusINess inbox—The BusINess editors are committed to keeping you informed about the latest news in NWI. Here’s today’s submission from T-Mobile USA, Inc.:

T-Mobile cellular service will now be available on the Red and Blue Line subways, giving customers access to service while traveling through the underground portion of the two busiest routes of the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). In response to the growing number of people using phones to stay connected, T-Mobile is adding service in the subway.

After signing a 10-year contract with the CTA for $3.1 million, T-Mobile’s set-up was completed ahead of the anticipated due date of late winter. For nearly a decade, T-Mobile has been providing outstanding service for Chicago residents, and is pleased to provide service within the underground routes of the CTA.

T-Mobile is committed to helping customers improve their busy lives. Customers will be able to use the network while in transit whether they need to conduct business, look up directions, or connect with a family member.
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Check out BusINess’ weekly newsletter online or click here to subscribe and get the latest NWI business news delivered weekly, straight to your inbox.

Regional development district touted as key to getting millions in federal cash to NWI; tourism consultant offers branding ideas for Indiana Dunes and Porter County; Gary Mayor Clay promises Jackson museum in pop star’s hometown. No chance for Chicago casinos anytime soon; strength of economic recovery unclear; report shows stimulus funds have not yet translated into jobs in Indiana. And sluggish consumer spending will likely mean ho-hum holiday shopping season; court rules in favor of Indiana casino card counters and the world’s new largest cruise ship heads to Florida from Finland after $1.5 billion of construction costs.—Pat Colander, Editor and Associate Publisher, BusINess magazine, serving Northwest Indiana & Chicagoland
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Federal agency disbursed $780 million in 2008, but NWI could tap none of it

Local officials are touting a newly formed economic development district as a powerful tool to get dibs on millions of dollars in federal funds for projects ranging from disaster relief to restoring brownfields for industrial development.

“We’re following the golden rule, and in this case, he who has the gold sets the rules,” John Swanson, executive director of the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission, said.

NIRPC and the Northwest Indiana Forum held the first meeting Friday of the newly created Northwest Indiana Economic Development District, which hopes to lasso funds passed out by the U.S. Economic Development Administration, part of the Department of Commerce, for local projects.
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Marty Hollingshead said he’s been adopting environmentally friendly practices at his automotive recycling business for years not for notoriety, but because it was the right thing to do.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management took notice and Wednesday granted Hollingshead’s Northlake Auto Recyclers the “Gold Level” in its Indiana Clean Yard program.

The commendation is part of a voluntary program to help auto-salvage businesses reduce their environmental footprint. Together, the Automotive Recyclers of Indiana and IDEM developed two levels of requirements businesses need to meet.
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Donations from games to flea collars needed

For those already getting into the holiday spirit, Century 21 Pace Estates offices are collecting donations for their Supplies for the GIs to ship to U.S. troops overseas in time for Christmas.

The list of items needed ranges from snacks, candy, cold medicine and get well cards to toiletries, toys, games, DVDs, CDs, crossword puzzles and books. Also in demand overseas are fluffy towels, new socks, microwave popcorn and flea collars. The troops wear flea collars to deter sand fleas.

All three offices of the Pace Estates group—Valparaiso, Lakes of the Four Seasons and Crown Point—are participating in the effort. Valarie Kubacki, realtor with the Valparaiso office, said the idea came from a woman at the LOFS office, who knows somebody serving in the Middle East,, and it has grown to the other offices.
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Fest scheduled for Sept. 17-19; sign ordinance changes urged

The Chesterton Town Council unanimously approved a request from the Duneland Business Initiative Group regarding next year’s Wizard of Oz Festival dates.

DBIG, which brought the festival back to Chesterton this year, requested a three-day event again on Sept. 17, 18, and 19.

Council member Sharon Darnell asked if costs to the town will be addressed by the event organizers. Council member David Cincoski, who moved to approve the dates, asked the group to work with department heads on cost and booth space requests.
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223 want to make Lake Michigan shoreline better

A job posting for a lakefront development coordinator’s job at the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority has drawn 223 applicants from across the nation, according to RDA Executive Director Bill Hanna.

“I have heard the economy is not all we would want it to be,” he told the RDA board Tuesday in explaining the voluminous response to the RDA’s job posting. It was first advertised in local newspapers a month ago.

The RDA has now whittled the list of 223 down to eight applicants, all of whom have been interviewed by phone, Hanna said. Those eight will be cut to a group of finalists who will be brought to the RDA for in-person interviews, Hanna said.
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$11.5 million building will be training center for citizen-soldiers

Indiana National Guardsmen join in prayer as as they participate in dedication of the new 44,000-square-foot, state-of-the art armory on the Gary/Chicago International Airport’s south side. The armory will help handle the rapid growth in the guard’s Northwest Indiana presence over the past decade. (Photograph by John Luke/The Times.)

The Indiana National Guard closed the deal on a $28 million project more than a decade in the making at Gary/Chicago International Airport on Monday.

Major General R. Martin Umbarger, Indiana’s Adjutant General, officially opened a new 44,000-square-foot, state-of-the art armory on the airport’s south side that will help handle the rapid growth in the guard’s Northwest Indiana presence over the past decade.

“We have always had tremendously successful recruiting here, because young men and women in Northwest Indiana have a great desire to serve our country,” Umbarger told about 80 soldiers and local officials in the armory’s main assembly area.
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From karaoke to kickball, some things just don’t work without a group of people. A startup wants to add one more to that list: Online bargain hunting.

Groupon, whose name combines “group” and “coupon,” offers daily deals on products and services, such as tailored shirts, meals at restaurants and paintball games. There is a catch: A certain number of people in a given city must sign up for the deal to go through.

So far, Groupon is succeeding where others have failed. In less than a year, its group-buying business has turned a profit and is expected to be available in more than two dozen cities by the end of the year.
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Shoppers walk around Nintendo sales department at a store in Tokyo, Japan, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009. Nintendo's first-half profit plunged by more than half as sales of its hit Wii home console fizzled in a saturated market. Nintendo Co. reported a 69.49 billion yen ($772.1 million) profit for the April-September period Thursday, down 52 percent from 144.83 billion yen a year earlier. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

Brandname Japanese technology companies, including Nintendo, reported dismal earnings Thursday with Sharp emerging an exception in doubling profits on brisk sales of flat-panel TVs in China, Japan and the U.S.

Nintendo’s first-half profit plunged as sales of its blockbuster Wii home console lost momentum in a saturated market. The maker of Super Mario and Pokemon games now expects annual earnings to fall for the first time in six years.

Kyoto-based Nintendo Co. reported a 69.49 billion yen ($772 million) profit for the April-September period, down 52 percent from a year earlier, and trailed its own May forecast for a 100 billion yen profit. Fiscal first-half sales dropped 34.5 percent to 548.01 billion yen.
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