Palm Harbor
Program Finalized
People and Projects
Popular Speakers Accept Palm Harbor Invitations
IAMC Gives Professional Economic Developers Membership Status
IAMC Endorses Development Alliance
Boston Gets
IAMC Forum Nod
IAMC web site
NEWS
"John Snow's contributions to our company, the U.S. transportation industry and the global business community are well known and highly respected," said Michael J. Ward, president of CSX Corporation.
One glowing indication of Snow's capabilities came at the end of a December profile by the New York Times: In 2000, CSX trains departed and arrived on time only about 50 percent of the time – today that figure is at 90 percent. "They're getting the trains there on time," Yellow Corporation Chairman William D. Zollars told the Times, "with everyone's goods on them."
The Grubb & Ellis/Knight Frank Global Services team has been chosen by United Technologies Corp. (UTC) to provide a range of services to the company's approximately 1,500 locations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Russia (EMEAR). The three-year contract calls for such services as portfolio audit and strategic planning, lease administration, transaction management, acquisition and disposition for an EMEAR portfolio approaching 20 million sq. ft. (1.86 million sq. m.). It is one of the largest exclusive real estate service contracts ever awarded in the EMEAR, and it's kicking in quickly.
"While we were dealing with the specifics of their overall request, we recommended individual steps United Technologies might take in Austria, Germany, Ireland and Spain – and we were given those specific assignments to accomplish," said Barry Barovick, President of Grubb & Ellis. "Our Global Service activity is presently under way for 27 separate United Technologies projects in 11 different countries within EMEAR.
The big contract is not the only big news for UTC. The company's CEO, George David, was selected as 2002 CEO of the Year by IndustryWeek magazine. UTC's Charles Veley is an IAMC member. Look for an interview with Ron Zappile, president of United Technologies Realty, in the May issue of Site Selection.
As noted on Site Selection's Online Insider (www.siteselection.com) in December, Doug Rothwell has left his post as president of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. to take over as director of General Motors' World Real Estate division. The move comes during the traditional changing of the guard that takes place when a new governor takes office, as former Gov. John Engler departs after serving three terms. IAMC member company Masco Corp. will also benefit from the changeover, as Rothwell's wife Sharon, Engler's former chief of staff, will now serve as the Taylor, Mich.-based manufacturer's director of civic affairs. Masco's David Hirsch is a member of the IAMC Board of Directors.
Third party logistics and dedicated manufacturing service provider Total Logistic Control (TLC), based in Zeeland, Mich., has been awarded a 10-year contract by Nebraska-based ConAgra Foods to manage two grocery distribution centers totaling nearly 700,000 sq. ft. (65,030 sq. m.) in Knoxville, Tenn., and Jacksonville, Fla. TLC oversees a total U.S. logistics network of 38 facilities, more than 380 power units, more than 600 dry and temperature-controlled trailers and five transportation terminals. TLC's John Peters is an IAMC member.
Two pharmaceutical firms on IAMC's member rolls have closed on major sales. GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) will sell its manufacturing facility in Montrose, Angus, Scotland to Diosynth BV, part of the Akzo Nobel group of companies, in a move that will preserve some 500 jobs. Diosynth will continue to manufacture eight pharmaceutical active ingredients currently made at Montrose, which GSK will purchase under contract. Based in Oss, The Netherlands, Biosynth employs around 3,100 people. GSK's Elwyn Anderson is an IAMC member. Pursuant to a strategy announced in June 2002, Pfizer Inc. sold its Adams confectionary business (part of recently purchased Warner-Lambert) to Cadbury Schweppes for $4.2 billion, and announced that the Schick-Wilkinson Sword shaving products business would be divested by the end of 2003.
Merck & Co. CEO Raymond Gilmartin was the subject of a warm profile in a January isue of the often-acerbic British business publication The Economist, which referred to him as "a new role model for post-celebrity chief executives." The profile lauded the company's longstanding commitment to grow organically, rather than through acquisitions.
The company received added accolades in January when Fortune released its annual list of "Top 100 Companies to Work For in the United States." IAMC members come from several of those firms: Charles Manula with Pfizer (No. 21), Joseph Milano with Merck (No. 31), Todd Hamiter with Procter & Gamble (No. 46) and John Crisel with Eli Lilly and Co. (No. 57).