Democrat and Chronicle from Rochester, New York • Page 42

14D Business DemocratandChronicle.com LOCAL STOCKS HD 12D CURRENCY NASDAQ. 130 10DNYSE AM EX 10D SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2002 DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE THE MARKET dfaM Bimmm pis Physician group's president will direct Blues in Syracuse. expanding BlueCross' market share in Syracuse and overseeing its provider networks. He also supports Excellus' vision of a delivery network that would extend across all of its regions, he said. GRIPA officials said Gregg Coughlin, GRIPA's vice president of finance and administration, will take over the job vacated by Smith until a permanent replacement is found.

He accepted the job earlier this week. Smith recently made news when, as head of GRIPA, he spoke out against Aetna entering the local market. Aetna will be a direct competitor to Excellus. Smith has led GRIPA through ViaHealth's most turbulent years financially. In the last 12 months alone, the health system's Genesee Hospital closed and its Excellus also owns Blue-Cross BlueShield of the Rochester Area.

Howard F. Beacham III resigned as president of the Syracuse BlueCross on May 2. Smith was selected from "several" candidates for his "proven track record of success in a very complex business," said Excellus spokesman Jim Redmond. Smith approached Excellus when he learned of the opening earlier this month. James R.

fl has been president or ViaHealth's physicians group. Rochester General Hospital became stable financially only through a rate increase from BlueCross of Rochester. Smith will be in charge of "ft BY STAFF WRITER DANIELLE K0ST The president of Via-Health physician group will take the top post at Excellus central New York division. James R. Smith has been president of the Greater Rochester Independent 7TTT Lea Malek, with new "rz, i i i Plans are perking for Tim Hortons I ilk i i -tMI i'S'-mJ AIMEE K.

WILES staff photographer to work at Malek's Bakery in Brighton. Russi said the bakery has "the same exact bakers, the same exact All's kosher ingredients and the same hours. at Malek's Practice Association for about five years. On June 12, he starts as president and chief operating officer of BlueCross BlueShield of Central New York in Syracuse. "I'm looking forward to it," he said.

"This matches my experience and education." Don Russi, continues a kosher there." bakery, I'll be The ownership at the bakery has switched from a Jewish woman, Lea Malek, to three gentile men. But that's about the only change that has taken place since Malek sold to Don Russi, Chuck Treviso and Jon Yaeger in late March. "Same hours," says Russi, 39, who worked almost two decades for Wegmans Food pansion will use the space formerly occupied by an Bank and a CVS pharmacy adjacent to the current store. "It went over very well," said Tony Correa, neighborhood association president. "There were like 100 people there, and they were all in favor of it.

There was only one concern they are going to close off all of the curb cuts (on Mt. Hope) and just leave one, putting a light there opposite Record Archive." The concern was that adding a traffic light could cause congestion because lights also control traffic at the intersection of Mt. Hope and Elmwood avenues and where Mt. Hope Three gentiles take over Jewish bakery, but traditions still rule. BY STAFF WRITER DANIELLE KOST As part of a drive to enter the Rochester market, Tim Hortons has reopened a vacant Henrietta coffee plant formerly owned by Sara Lee Corp.

Last year, the Canadian coffee and doughnut chain spent $4.5 million to pur chase and renovate the plant at 60 Mushroom Blvd. Last month, the plant opened with 25 employees, many who formerly worked there when it was operated by Sara Lee's Chock Full O' Nuts unit. The plant is expected to churn out more than 10 million pounds of coffee annually. "We realized it was time to head eastward, and with this coffee-roasting facility available, we were thrilled," said Diane Slopek-Weber, a Tim Hortons spokeswoman. Tim Hortons' acquisition of the Henrietta plant is part of its plans to put down roots in Rochester.

The chain intends to open four restaurants here in September. By the end of 2003, it expects to have opened 10, said Patti Jameson, another spokeswoman. The cost to build and open each location averages $1 million, making Tim Hortons' initial investment in its Monroe County operations close to $10 million. At a glance DOW 10,104.26 NASDAQ 1,661.49 Stocks of local interest, UD BUSINESS BRIEFS LOCAL 3 area firms receive grants The Empire State Development board has approved grants for three area companies. Ward's Natural Science Establishment Inc.

of Henrietta got a $300,000 grant to defray the cost of its recently completed expansion. The addition will create 110 jobs. In August, the school science supplier received a tax break from the County of Monroe Industrial Development Agency. The Cornell Agriculture and Food Technology Park in Geneva, Ontario County, received a $298,800 grant toward design and environ ment work. The park is ex pected to create more than 200 jobs.

Pliant Corp. of Macedon, Wayne County, will receive $50,000 for a productivity study. Agencies win state awards The New York State Eco nomic Development Coun cil has awarded the County of Monroe Industrial De velopment Agency "best of class" for its brochure and multimedia advertising and an honorable mention for its newsletter. The Genesee County IDA won "best of class" in newsletters, while the On tario County Office of Eco nomic Development got an "excellent." CPAC names two executives Steven E. Baune, most recently general manager of U.S.

sales for consumer imaging at Eastman Kodak has been named president of the global imaging group at CPAC Inc. of Leicester, Livingston County. CPAC also promoted Brad Hendnckson to presi dent of the imaging group for North and South Amer ica. Hendrickson had been president of Allied Diagnostic Imaging Resources, a subsidiary for health care chemical production, a STAFF REPORTS Gas gauge Average gasoline prices Self-serve regular, per gallon, local 12-month high and low Peak: S17Z on May 17, 2001 Low: 81.15 on Dec, 27,2001 Rochester N.Y. state National $1.80 Peak: 1.60 SWT II Ill 1.20 1.00 5 16 23 I 16 23 16 23 Hay May May Rochester area includes Livingston.

Monroe. Ontario Seneca Wayne and Yates counties SOURCE: AAA Staff graphic Key indicators T-note, 10-year yield, 5.14, down .01. Dollar vs. yen, down .31 yen to 124.67. Gold, NY Merc, down $2.10 to $320.40.

m- Oil, light, sweet crude, for July delivery, down 27 cents to $25.88. CONTACTING US To offer story ideas or suggestions, contact Ellen Rosen, business editor, at (585) 258-2320 or erosen a DemocratandChronicle.com. BY STAFF WRITER FRANK BILOVSKY Malek's Brighton Bakery may have changed hands, but Roberta Borg still buys her sweet challah at the Monroe Avenue store. "I think it's terrific," the Brighton resident said. "My family loves it.

Every Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath), that's what we have. As long as Malek's remains Mt. Hope Wegmans to "It's a substantial investment," said Tom Battley, economic development director for Monroe County. "We're delighted." Battley said that Tim Hortons was the plant's only hope of reopening. In the year prior to Tim Hortons' purchase of the Henrietta site, Battley's department had offered a loan to defray start-up costs.

The company owned by Ohio-based Wendy's International Inc. has so far declined the offer. Jameson, who said that the loan was more akin to tax incentives, said that the company did not plan to apply for any tax breaks. In the first year of operation, the plant is expected to employ 45 people, the same number the former Sara Lee plant employed. Former Chock Full O' Nuts workers were sought to fill the plant positions because of their knowledge of the delicate process of producing coffee.

Henrietta Supervisor Jim Breese said that Tim Hortons' plans signal a long-term commitment to the area. Tim Hortons presently has 2,063 locations in Canada and 143 in the United States. The chain posted sales of more than $1.9 billion in 2001 and expects to surpass $2 billion this year. 7 J- Knight Ridder Comcast's network operations center tests racks of cable modems. higher online consumption.

Locally, Time Warner Cable does notice that some users in the Rochester area soak up a "disproportionate" amount of space on its RoadRunner Internet service, said Brian Wirth, vice president at Time Warner Cable. "Does that mean we will COMCAST. PAGE 9D 1 i is 'J Si 1 Broadband hogs eyed by Comcast Sholom, who as a rabbi certifies that the bakery is adhering to kashruth, or Jewish dietary laws, sees no reason for Jewish people to stop patronizing the only full-line kosher bakery in the Rochester area. "It's extremely important for the community," says Kilimnick. "We wouldn't be able to function properly without a kosher bakery for our challah, our Sabbath loaves, and for BAKERY, PAGE 9D expand macy with a drive-through window, a recycling center and other amemties associ ated with Wegmans' super stores.

The company says it also plans to renovate the park ing lot. The renovation will replace plans to build a store on the southwest corner of Mt. Hope and Elmwood avenues. That plan, introduced in 1997, was scrapped when Wegmans and the University of Rochester could not reach agreement on the exchange of the property, which is owned by the university. Includes reporting by staff writer Richard Mulhns.

company visited by Virginia officials. Lawrence said Virginia's strategy works. Recently, Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Co. decided to expand in Virginia, the first time the company expanded outside Indiana. That project started with a recruiting visit, Lawrence said.

"The program has been very successful," she said. "It's a great way to talk to companies face to face and tell them what the partner Markets 'Inc. "We close down on Saturdays. We're still going to close on all the represented Jewish holidays and the same national holidays. "We have the same exact bakers, the same exact ingredients.

There's a second register. That's the extent of the changes." Russi, who is in charge of bakery operations, expects the same customers Jewish and non-Jewish to frequent Malek's. And Rabbi Sheldon Kilimnick of Congregation Beth splits into East and West Henrietta roads. Wegmans said they hoped to synchronize the lights, and a preliminary study indicated that could ease congestion. If all approvals are obtained by August, construction could begin by Jan.

1. Work would take 12 to 18 months. It will be done in phases, and the store will remain open throughout. Wegmans will build a two-lane service road between Mt. Hope and Crittenden Boulevard, which runs along the south side of the property.

The store will expand the produce department and add prepared foods, sushi, pizza, a coffee bar, a phar counterparts will poach companies from Rochester. Tom Battley, Monroe County's economic development director, said the partnership made appointments with area companies last year but ended up canceling the trip. Lawrence said the partnership did not cancel any Rochester appointments during its 2000 trip. "The shotgun approach is dramatic and noteworthy, but I don't think it's going to be highly successful," Battley said. County officials said BY STAFF WRITER FRANK BILOVSKY Wegmans Food Markets Inc.

will expand its store on Mt. Hope Avenue in the city, introducing a retro motif to give it the appearance of a classic 1970s grocery. The new foot store, with tall glass walls in front and a wavy awning, will include a large cafe to serve the Strong Memorial Hospital and University of Rochester communities. Wegmans spokeswoman Jo Natale confirmed the plans, which were laid out for the Upper Mt. Hope Neighborhood Association earlier this week.

The ex Va. group BY STAFF WRITER DAVID TYLER Virginia economic devel opment officials will be in Rochester in early June, and they want to take some local companies back south with them. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the state's economic devel opment arm, will also visit Albany, Buffalo and Syracuse during the week of une 3. The partnership made a similar recruiting visit to upstate New York in September 2000. The trip is part of a to try to woo local companies KNIGHT RIPPER Internet hogs, beware: If Comcast Corp.

succeeds in taking over cable division, the merged company is going to have to find new revenue some where and your wallet may be one of the first places it looks. Executives of both com panies have begun hinting that they may eventually demand higher prices from cable-modem Internet cus tomers who download large quantities of videos, songs, and other large files because such use boosts the companies' costs. Chairman C. Michael Armstrong recent ly told a U.S. Senate panel investigating the merger that, when ExciteHome served Internet customers, less than 1 percent of subscribers consumed 30 percent of the network's capacity.

We tended to call them the Net hogs," Armstrong said, noting that existing technology would let highspeed Internet providers $4.8 million marketing budget, said Jill Lawrence, the partnership's communications manager. "We're not trying to steal companies from New York," Lawrence said. "We're just trying to secure expansions." Lawrence wouldn't say which companies are targeted but said the targets are from several different industries. A team of six officials will try to meet with as many as 60 upstate companies during the week. Local development officials say they aren't worried that their Virginia ship has to offer." they would talk to any track and charge for.