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This article presents information on several business executives. Katherine R. Maehr, director of development at Greater Chicago Food Depository spearheaded a $30-million capital campaign that built a sparkling South Side facility for Chicago's largest food bank, expanding yearly distribution capacity to 80 million pounds from 42 million. Fund-raising, expected to conclude by yearend, consisted mostly of large donations, but Maehr knows deep-pocketed donors see the charitable landscape as a hierarchy. The biggest gifts go to museums, opera companies or universities. Human services agencies like food banks get the scraps. Martha Dustin Boudos, chief financial officer at Morningstar Inc., is shepherding her company's $100-million initial public offering through a bearish IPO market. Success could buff up Morningstar Inc.'s shine among the nation's investment research and analysis firms, and it would secure Ms. Boudos' position as a potential chief executive.

This article highlights some Chicago socialites, under 40 years of age from the field of local business, government and arts. They include Ronald T. Senci, 39, executive vice-president. Senci is one of an increasingly rare breed, the company man. Debra Pickett, 30, Chicago Sun-Times columnist. Amy Tu, 36, assistant corporate secretary and counsel. As a top in-house lawyer at Boeing Co.'s world headquarters in Chicago, Tu recently worked on a billion-dollar global bond offering, a syndicated credit facility for selling F-15s to South Korea and the innovative financial details of leasing 100 refueling aircraft to the U.S. Air Force. Swetal Patel, 32, vice-president, Raja Foods LLC, Patel Bros. Katie Watson, 36, Ensemble member, visiting assistant professor Medical humanities and bioethics program at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine.

A unique blend of community and political activism, WVON is the neighborhood talk radio station that shapes public opinion and wields influence well beyond its limited signal. But can this social force stay strong in a changing media world? Cliff Kelley is a formidable talk-show host, a 16-year veteran of the Chicago City Council who knows the rough-and-tumble world of politics. An exchange with former U.S. House Democratic leader Richard Gephardt prompted an irate Gephardt staffer to complain later to Kelley's boss, WVON President and General Manager Melody Spann-Cooper. WVON remains a tiny, niche player vying for listeners in a market dominated by a handful of major media companies.

Three years after the crash, the Prairie Angels offer a bedeviled local tech market hope and money. The Prairie Angels sit expectantly in a downtown Chicago hotel conference room, arranged in half-crescents at round tables. The Prairie Angels and two other groups offer hope to Chicago's devastated technology market. The effort is led by Linda Darragh, director of the technology and venture program at the Women's Business Development Center, a non-profit Chicago-based group that provides support to women entrepreneurs.

Profiles nuclear physicist Leonard Reiffel from Chicago, Illinois. Career achievements; Role of Reiffel in the Apollo program of the National Aeronautics and Space Administrations; Citations of the inventions of Reiffel.

Discusses how the generational shift reshaping the manufacturing industry in Chicago, Illinois, has presented business owners the option of passing their companies on to their younger generation or selling them to willing buyers. Demographic and economic factors influencing business decisions; Account of the decision of Ace Plating Inc. owner Stanley Holewinski to maintain the business within the family.

Presents the ten biggest business stories of 1998 in Chicago, Illinois. Includes British Petroleum Co.'s acquisition of Amoco Corp.; Merger between First Chicago NBD Corp. and Banc One Corp.; Proposed union between Ameritech Corp. and SBC Communications Inc.; Real estate market downturn; Appointment of John W. Rowe as new chief executive officer of Commonwealth Edison Co.

Looks into strategies being adopted by automobile insurers in the United States to prepare for an expected increase in number of high-risk drivers during the first decade of the year 2000. Conduct of studies on long-term demographic trends and automobile safety; Redesign of safety initiatives and marketing to high-risk groups; Refinement of rates to reflect customer behavior.

Presents a forecast for Chicago, Illinois's economy in 1999. Percent of local growth; CEOs' concern over effect of the world financial crisis; Slowing down of industrial growth; Decline in retail sales; Uncertainty faced by CEOs with the threat of a sudden market reversal or investor panic; Employment; Oil prices.

Guts and instinct were once a trader's best tools. Now, traders are retrofitting their skills to survive in the computer age. Electronic markets are spawning an array of esoteric new financial instruments and strategies — trading simultaneously across multiple exchanges, for example. It's a world dominated by algorithms and automated trading programs, demanding skills well beyond a trader's traditional arsenal of guts, intuition and clout. That's why Matt Schuering, a trader at Chicago Board of Trade has invested in a hedge against the day that soybean trading moves from the exchange floor to the computer screen, a master's degree in financial engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology.

As Chicago, Illinois-based accounting company Andersen LLP took heat for its botched audit of Houston, Texas-based Enron Corp. in December 2001, Thomas Hill, an executive working with the accounting firm wanted to call in crisis experts, but his idea was rebuffed by the company's senior management. The situation was more than a little ironic, since Hill was a partner in Andersen's corporate restructuring practice — one of the premier advisers, along with fellow Andersen partner Thomas Allison, to troubled companies around the world. Andersen is gone, but Messrs. Hill and Allison remain top turnaround advisers in Chicago, helping troubled companies restructure debt, shed underperforming units, manage cash and, if all else fails, fold in an orderly manner.

Comic relief is absent from entrepreneur Andrew Filipowski's latest misadventure, the collapse of Chicago-based Internet-incubator-turned-software-industry-roll-up-vehicle Divine Inc. Collapse of the company is one of the most spectacular flameouts of the dot.com era, reverberating throughout the private and public-equity markets and scorching the highest levels of Chicago's financial elite as it vaporized $1 billion in investors' money. Filipowski can bring considerable strengths to any new enterprise. Filipowski still has a huge fortune and the charisma to captivate a roomful of prospective investors.

Reports on efforts of Chicago, Illinois-based companies to trade intellectual property. Reasons for change in business strategies of the companies; Steps taken by the companies to generate revenue from their intellectual assets; Efforts made by Boeing Co. for managing its intellectual assets.

Discusses developments in software company SSA Global Technologies Inc. from its situation of filing bankruptcy in 2000 to the recovery in 2002. Expected advantages of accounts acquired by the company in 2002; Strategies being followed by chief executive officer Michael Greenough for expanding the company's sales; Drawbacks in the company's software that led to losses; Profile of the company's founder Roger Covey.

Profiles Daniel Bryant, senior vice-president of investment bank Jefferies & Co. in Chicago, Illinois. Responsibility in running the Business and IT Services Group; Work experience at Robertson Stephens Inc.; Plans to run a technology practice.

Focuses on the role of senior accountants from Andersen Consulting in the destruction of documents related to the audit of Enron Corp. in Chicago, Illinois. Rejection of the theory of Arthur Andersen on the case; Denial of Andersen of the charges; Investigation of the case by the Security of Exchange and Commission.

Reports on the increase in the number of politicians in Chicago, Illinois, who have joined Internet ventures. High-profile politicians and their online ventures; Appeal of the Internet to politicians; Nature of politicians' Internet ventures.

Reports on the introduction of insurance policies which shield Internet companies in the United States from the risks of operating online. Hubbard Online's conversion into largest Web site developer for law firms; Projected growth of the electronic insurance market; Competitors in the business.

Reports on the plan of automobile insurance companies to increase premiums based on their customers' credit histories. History of consumers with wrecked cars; Prediction of the future loss experience from actuarial data; Concern on the impact of higher rates for lower-income and minority families.

Reports on the appointment of James Dimon as chief executive officer of Bank One Corp. Management style of Dimon; Expected management changes.

Reports that Chicago, Illinois-based banking company Shorebank Corp. has chosen Baku, Azerbaijan as its headquarters from which to promote small business lending and economic development. Reason behind the banking company's decision to choose Baku as base for its small business lending and economic development operations; Comments of international aid experts about Shorebank's move.

Focuses on religious organizations' establishment of banks with trust operations in the United States as of September 20, 1999. Case of D.L. Moody Trust Co. NA of the Chicago, Illinois-based Moody Bible Institute; Background on the revision of US tax law that allows religious organization to use the trusts they manage as investment funds.

Reports on the increase in home mortgage foreclosures in and around Chicago, Illinois, as of September 20, 1999. Number of Chicago-based families who lost their homes in the year 1998; Reasons for the rise in foreclosure rates in the area.

Reports on the expansion of American credit card corporations into the consumer lending market in Great Britain. Goals of the firms in establishing presence in the British market; Impact of the moves to the British credit card industry; Challenges faced by the firms in the British market; Strategies of American companies to gain a foothold in the market.

Focuses on Allstate Corp.'s venture into the development of a consumer data that will identify the financial and insurance needs of consumers. Creation of computer models that simulate and predict customer behavior during the 21st century; Allstate's aim of maintaining its competitive in the insurance business.

Focuses on the challenges posed by investors and shareholders to thrift institutions in Chicago, Illinois. Details of the problems facing Damen Financial Inc.; Total assets by the thrift; Factors affecting the increase in shareholder scrutiny and investor activism in small thrift institutions; Comment by hedge fund manager Paul Duggan.

Details findings of studies by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago which shows the difficulty of minority small business owners to get bank financing. Federal Reserve's creation of a task force of community leaders to examine the issue; Grass-roots groups' call for the Federal Reserve to require banks to disclose race and gender in their small business lending.

Focuses on Chicago, Illinois-based BankAmerica Corp.'s plan to expand its middle-market lending operation and other businesses based in Chicago, Illinois. Proposal to acquire a retail network in 1999; Goal of challenging the Midwest market domination of Bank One Corp; Decision to lend to smaller companies.

Reports on Japan-based Fuji Bank Ltd.'s decision to close its branch bank in Chicago, Illinois. Fuji's plans in relocating the branch's operations; Fuji's stake in Heller Financial Inc.; Other Japanese banks closing their branches in the city.

Focuses on Chicago, Illinois-based commercial lender Heller Financial Corp.'s effort to improve marketshare. Proposal to market loans to companies that cannot tap the financial markets; Chance to increase returns on new loans; Increased fees on transactions.

Reports on how catastrophe modeling has changed the way insurers in the United States conduct business, with reference to the progression of Hurricane Earl and reporting from meteorologist Todd Richards, from the Aon Corporation's Wacker Drive headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. Monitoring of the hurricane; Comments from Richards; Information on the computer software used to monitor the hurricane; Opinion of David Odeh, vice president of Impact Forecasting LLC.

Focuses on why bankers, pension fund managers and foreign financiers are eager to offer companies loans, highlighting business park developer David Lambert. Details on the decline in interest rates; Examination of the number of calls which Lambert receives daily from individuals offering him a loan; Comments from Verne Istock, chairman, president and chief executive officer of First Chicago NBD Corp.

Reports on the controversy surrounding the Park National Bank and Trust of Chicago, Illinois, and the involvement of former high-ranking executives in illegal contributions to politicians. Identification of politicians who received funds; Information on Raymond J. Allen, former co-owner and chief executive officer of Park National; Background information on the alleged activity at the bank.

Reports that Allstate Corporation is targeting Japan's 40 million car owners. Reference to plans of Allstate to launch an insurance company in Japan, during 1998; Comments from Henry Hunter, chief executive officer of Tokyo-based First Chicago Tokio Marine Financial Products Limited.

Reports on the overhauling plan being launched by the city of Chicago for the O'Hare International Airport, aimed at protecting its ability to compete against other large transportation hubs. Main goal of the city; Reference to a global push by United and American airlines; Plans to protect O'Hare's existing franchise; Listing of inclusions in the plan.

Reports that Ameritech Corporation has dropped its sponsorship of the Women's Tennis Association's tournament. Effect of Ameritech's quitting as sponsor to the association's tournament; Reason why Ameritech quit as the tournament's top sponsor; Amount spent by Ameritech on the Chicago tennis event since 1995.

Reports that according to data compiled by the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC), a proposed toll road extension in Lake County. Illinois could lead to problems. Controversy surrounding the opening of the toll road; Reference to forecasts in the 2020 Regional Transportation Plan by the NIPC.

Focuses on the effects of two mega-mergers on Andersen Worldwide of Chicago, Illinois. Comments from John Oltman, former worldwide partner and Anderson board member; Reference to partners failing to reach the two-thirds majority needed to elect a chief executive officer.

Focuses on the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority and its impact on state agencies. Indepth look at the budgeting of funds of state lawmakers; Details on a legal battle involving the agencies and lawmakers; Comments from executive director, general counsel and sole staffer at the Education Facilities Authority, Thomas Conley.

The article reports that many pilots in the United States have given up the glamour of airline jobs for the lucre of cargo hauling as the U.S. passenger industry has undergone financial upheaval. According to Aviation Information Resources Inc., United Airlines Inc. pilots, who five years ago in 2001 received the industry's highest pay, now make 21% less than their counterparts at the cargo haulers, such as United Parcel Service Inc.

The article reports that Goldman Sachs & Co. has been hired by United Airlines Inc. to investigate various strategic options for the company. Goldman Sachs is expected to help in assessment of the value of domestic and international holdings of United Airlines and suggest available options for sales or purchases of domestic or international routes.

The article reports that Motorola Inc. is spending millions of dollars on celebrity tie-ins and promotional events. The celebrities who have signed endorsement contracts with the company include British soccer player David Beckham, race car driver Danica Patrick, Indian motion picture actor Abhishek Bachchan and Taiwanese pop singer Jay Chou.

The article reports that with the market dwindling for U.S. Robotics Corp.'s signature analog modems in the United States, the company is focusing on the products that cater to the 113 million registered users of Skype Technologies SA's free Internet phone service. According to CEO Joseph Hartnett who is hitching the company's fortunes to a technology with game-changing potential, the company is trying to be the No. 1 access provider to Skype around the world.

The article presents information on the entrepreneurial career of 36-year-old Patrick Ryan Jr., founder and chief executive of Chicago, Illinois-based Incisent Technologies Inc. Ryan is firm on changing his 50-employees software company into a corporate pillar for Chicago's struggling software community. Ryan is undoubtedly the most connected young chief executive in Chicago.

The article focuses on United Airlines Inc. unions' merger plans. In order to study every possible merger combination, a 12-person task force of economists, lawyers and labor experts has been gathered by one of the unions. According to Michael Boyd, president of Boyd Group, investors gain while employees and consumers lose in an airline merger. United could gain an opportunity to raise equity from outside investors through a merger.

The article discusses the impact of consolidation of Sprint Nextel Corp. and Nextel Communications Inc. on sales of Motorola Inc. Nextel Communications is one of the largest customers of Motorola and it is expected that this acquisition will increase selling of a full range of thin Moto phones like the Razr and Q.

The article focuses on the impacts of the launch of low-cost flights by Virgin America Inc. in the United States. Virgin could begin cross-country flights out of San Francisco as early as this fall if it gains approval from federal regulators to launch operations in the U.S. The entry of Virgin in the San Francisco and Los Angeles markets is supposed to intensify the discount competition. The airline which would face greater discount competition than others would be United Airlines.

The article discusses how Edward Zander, CEO of Motorola Inc. will spend the company's $14.65 billion in cash to revitalize its lagging network equipment business. The network division is the key to make Motorola more profitable. Zander must either return the money to shareholders in the form of share buybacks or a dividend or spend it on an acquisition. The network division accounts for 26% of Motorola's revenue. According to him, an investment in 3G is an investment in the past. If he finds the right technology at the right price, he isn't likely to pass up an opportunity to make a deal.

The article describes how Edward Zander, chief executive officer of Motorola Inc., is trying to make the company a leader in the mobile handset market. Zander made new plans for Motorola to catch Nokia Corp., the world's leading cell phone maker, and to remake Motorola as a hybrid of corporate icons. He has spurred the transformation of the company in just 30 months. Now, Motorola controls more than 20 percent of the global handset market, although it still trails Nokia's 34 percent share. Its annual revenues have increased 52 percent to $35.26 billion in 2005; earnings have quintupled on Zander's watch to $4.58 billion. Zander re-energized the company's marketing.

The article reports that after facing competition on flights between the U.S. and Europe, United Airlines Inc. is scaling back service on some routes. In the first quarter, the airline cut trans-Atlantic capacity 12% from last year. Meanwhile, in the U.S., most carriers are slashing capacity, which combined with strong demand gives airlines plenty of room to raise fares. That has led United to bulk up on stateside flights-a striking reversal from two years ago, when CEO Glenn Tilton staked the Elk Grove Township-based company's revival largely on the prospect of shifting capacity from the hyper competitive U.S. market to more profitable international routes.