Business Briefings - JuLY

Here you will find the complete Business Report that appears in the July 2008 issue of In Business as well as many additional entries that did not appear in the magazine.

Exclusively online...

Good News!

The IRS has increased mileage rates by eight cents to the rate that can be deducted for business expenses. The new rate, effective July 1, 2008 is 58.5 cents.

Wisconsin's early-stage investments increased 43% in 2007 to nearly $147 million, exceeding the national growth estimate of just 1.8 percent, according to NorthStar Economics.

Donna Shalala, former UW chancellor, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services under Bill Clinton, and currently chancellor of the University of Miami, has been honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The award is the country's highest civilian honor, and was be presented in a White House ceremony by President George W. Bush.

MATC has received a 2008 HP Technology for Teaching grant, one of only 29 colleges to do so. Valued at $77,000, the grant provides 21 wireless HP Tablet PCs for the tech school's electrical engineering and electronic technology students and faculty. The equipment will be available in the fall.

The vacant Brennan's Market on Northport drive will soon be replaced with a UW Credit Union branch.

Madhatters bar, closed since 2006 due to downtown construction, will reopen at 328 W. Gorham later this summer.

Nurses and school teacher positions will be most in demand through the year 2016, according to state officials looking at job trends. Also high on the list are carpenters and welders. Most of those job openings will result from career changes, illness or retirement.

Around the State

Statewide contracts for future residential construction dropped 39% in May compared to May 2007, according to a report from McGraw-Hill. Non-residential construction decreased by 19%.

Waukesha's GE Healthcare has laid off an unspecified number of employees as a result of lower diagnostic imaging sales. The company employees 7,000 people statewide, 3,000 of those at the Waukesha facility.

Fort Atkinson's Spacesaver Corp. has completed a $7.5 million plant expansion, resulting in 20 additional jobs. The company has 508 employees.

Wausau's PDM Solar, Inc. has developed a patent-pending solar-powered air conditioning system, and has signed its first client, Navopache Electric Cooperative in Arizona.

Angel Investing is up 43% in the state, according to a survey by NorthStar Economics and the Wisconsin Angel Network. Also, survey results indicated a 23% increase in venture capital investments. WIsconisn venture investments grew from $73 million in 2006 to $90 million in 2007.

Oshkosh Corp., a specialty truck manufacturer, received a $9.9 million order from the Marine Corps System Command for armor kits for replacement vehicles built by the Oshkosh company.

Yahara Bay Distillers, Madison's first and only local distiller, is being marketed by H & M Distributing Co. of Madison, the local Miller Brewing distributor.

Eighteen Wisconsin banks reported first quarter losses, including Settlers Bank of De Forest, Milton Savings Bank, Mid America Bank of Janesville, and Home Savings Bank of Madison.

Gordon Food Service will build a distribution center in Kenosha. The 480,000 sq. ft. center is expected to add 265 jobs.

Closer to Home

John Wiley, outgoing UW chancellor, has accepted the position of interim director of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery. The position is effective November 1, 2008.

GreenLeafMarket.com is a website aimed at linking area farmers with grocers and restaurateurs looking for locally-grown food at wholesale prices. Training sessions will be conducted this summer for farmers, processors and buyers. For more information, contact Shane Wibeto at swibeto@thrivehere.org or call 608-443-1962.

There was a 27% drop in Dane County condo and home sales in April compared to 2007. The median price of a Dane County home rose 2.1% to $212,000 in April, but the number of unsold homes was down 2.3% from last year.

"Lab on the Lake" was announced as a precursor forum and festival to the World Stem Cell Summit in September. The day-long event, taking place mostly at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison is scheduled for September 21st, and will showcase scientists and the methods they use in the study of stem cells. The World Stem Cell Summit will be held in Madison September 21-23.

Four area health care organizations have joined other members in the Wisconsin Association of Health Plans in pledging to make healthcare costs more transparent. Dean Health Plan, Group Health Cooperative, Physicians Plus Insurance Corp., and Unity Health Plans Insurance Corp., are among the list of organizations that will begin providing out-of-pocket estimates by September 1 to enrollees requesting them prior to receiving services.

The city's franchise agreement with Charter Communications has ended after the cable company opted out of the arrangement in favor of one that would encompass the entire state. Charter's actions could move local government and community channels to locations high in the channel spectrum. It may also end subscriber fees used to fund those channels by 2010.

Governor Doyle approved $3.3 million in state funds to reconstruct and build new taxiways and roadways at Dane County's Regional Airport.

Dane County's Habitat for Humanity has purchased a 5.8 acre parcel of land in the Northpoint Commons area, north of Warner Park. The organization plans to erect 16 new homes and townhouses on the land.

Company News

Madison-based ACS, Inc. will build 12 diesel engine test cells for Perkins Engines Company in Peterborough, England. The project, which will move several company engineers temporarily to England, is expected to be completed in 2010.

CG Schmidt, Inc. was named the construction manager of the new Union South on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus.

Middleton's Greystone Residential Funding, has been purchased by a private investment firm, and will change its name to QR Lending. The company and its staff are expected to remain.

Steve's Liquor will open a third store, Steve's McKee Road, near the new Target in Fitchburg. Opening is planned for late August.

Miron Construction Company has moved its regional office to 8215 Greenway Blvd., Suite 100 in Middleton. The company is headquartered out of Neenah, Wisconsin.

Rural Mutual Insurance Company announced it surpassed $100 million in policyholders' surplus in 2007, the first time in the company's history.

Strategic Moves

Madison-based TrafficCast has partnered with Apisphere of Berkley, CA. The two will provide travel time forecasts and traffic congestion information for mobile navigation and routing.

National News

U.S. Marshalls seized animal food products from a Joliet, Ill. PETCO Animal Supplies distribution center. The center distributes pet food and supplies to sixteen states, and reportedly was found to have rodent and bird infestation problems, though no cases of contaminated food or related illnesses have been reported. The FDA is advising consumers who handled any PETCO products to thoroughly wash their hands with soap, and to wash all surfaces (i.e. cans, glass containers) as well.

Kansas City's Hallmark Cards Inc. will send the very worst — pink slips — to 335 workers in the U.S. and Canada within the next nine months, saying it is consolidating its manufacturing operations.

Citibank, Chase, Student Loan Xpress and TCF Bank have reportedly stopped granting two-year student loans, leaving many technical and two-year college students in the lerch.

J.M. Smucker Co., maker of jams and jellies, is buying Folgers from Procter & Gamble in a $2.95 billion, all-stock transaction.

Belgian brewer InBev, which has plans to buyout Anheuser-Busch (A-B) for $46 billion, is reportedly also considering a merge with SABMiller, parent of Miller Brewing Co., just in case the A-B deal falls through. Might be a good plan, since A-B has reportedly approached Mexican Brewer Grupo Modelo (maker of the Corona brand) in an effort to block InBev's takeover bid.

Verizon Wireless announced it will purchase Alltel Corporation for $28.1 billion, making the combined company the nation's largest wireless company. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year.

FedEx is renaming all of its Kinko's copy and office service stores to FedEx Office.

Tyson Foods Inc. had to kill a flock of 15,000 hens in Arkansas after they tested positive for antibodies for H7N3, a less virulent strain of the bird flu virus. None of the birds had active infections.

For the first time in over a decade, cars outsold trucks and SUV's, a sign of the continuing consumer demand towards better fuel economy. Toyota's Corolla, Camry, and the Honda Civic and Accord sedans led the pack.

There may be hope for area cable subscribers anxious to see the Big 10 sports on Charter Cable. Comcast and the Big 10 Network have reportedly reached an agreement for carriage of the cable sports network, which could pave a clearer path for negotiations with Charter and other cable conglomerates.

Sears Holdings Corp. reported a first quarter loss of $56 million, or 43 cents per share, and predicts a tough year ahead. Sales of home appliances, lawn, garden and clothing were hit particularly hard, as same-store sales declined 9.8%. Sears also owns Kmart, which reported same-store sales down 7.1%

Airlines

The International Air Transport Association predicts the nation's airline industry will lose $6.1 billion this year, which would make 2008 the worst year since 2003. Cases in point:
- AirTran Airways, a lower-cost airline, announced it will cut capacity, costs and sell some of its aircraft in response to high fuel prices.
- United Airlines will cut 1,400 to 1,600 salaried management positions and contractors, reduce their capacity by up to 18% and ground a hundred fuel-inefficient planes as it makes cuts related to high fuel costs.
- In a surprising turn of events, Joseph Kolshak, COO of Midwest Airlines for just four months, quit to take the Senior VP position at United Airlines.
- Northwest Airlines, soon to merge with Delta, announced it will cut even more flights this year than previously announced. The company will remove more planes from the air in an effort to reduce capacity by 9.5% compared to last year.
- American Airlines announced it will ground 40 to 45 full-size jets, 35 to 40 American Eagle regional jets and additional prop planes in the fourth quarter due to high fuel costs. The cutbacks will result in thousands being laid off. The company also instituted a $15 surcharge on passengers' first checked bags.
- US Airways, which flies in and out of Milwaukee, will cut 1,700 jobs and charge $15 for a first piece of checked luggage. Also, as of June 1, the airline no longer offers free in-flight snacks, though drinks will continue.
- Midwest Airlines will charge passengers $20 for a second piece of checked luggage. The airline also announced it will ground its older fleet of MD-80 planes in a cost-saving effort. The number of employees affected has not been determined. The move is a part of a comprehensive restructuring plan to further battle climbing fuel costs.
- Continental Airlines will discontinue all service to Green Bay effective September 3 as part of cost-saving initiatives. It will also cut 3,000 jobs representing 6.5% of its workforce, and reduce capacity by 11% starting in September. Sixty-seven planes will be taken out of service.

In other news, a group of 28 passengers is suing to try to stop the Northwest Airlines-Delta Airlines merger. The group claims the merger will create an illegal monopoly, increase prices, lower service and reduce competition. The suit was filed in federal court in San Francisco.

Movers and Shakers

New Role:

- Jessica Baumgartner, general counsel, The Employer Group.

- Mary Brenholt, dir-annual giving, St. Mary's Hospital.

- Barbara Hennessy, VP-commercial lending, Farmers & Merchants State Bank, Waterloo.

- Bruce Barchus, Partner and Practice Leader, Clifton Gunderson.

- Bob Lightfoot, Partner, Murphy Desmond SC., elected President and Board Chair, Wisconsin Assisted Living Association (WALA).

- Terry Grunke, Service Manager-mfg, Ideal Manufacturing & Sales Corp.

Leaving:

- Pete McPartland, COO, QBE Regional Insurance, Sun Prairie.

In the Courts

Wisconsin's Supreme Court slapped new Justice Annette Ziegler with a public reprimand for presiding over cases involving her husband's company where she had conflicts of interest.

Kudos!

Stark Company Realtors is 100 years old.

Patricia Capanna, pres and owner, Management Recruiters of Madison, Inc., accepted into the Pinnacle Society.

Virent Energy Systems of Madison was named one of the top 100 technology start-ups in the nation by Red Herring magazine . The company, which started in 2002, uses plant sugars to develop liquid fuels, such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.

In the magazine...

Big News

General Motors announced plans to close its Janesville plant by 2010, and probably sooner, due to sagging sales of pickups and SUVs resulting from high gas prices. The decision will cost Janesville — GM's oldest plant — nearly 2,600 jobs, and is a permanent closure, according to GM officials. Three other GM plants around the country will also close, cutting 10,000 hourly and salaried workers combined, and saving GM nearly $1 billion a year starting in 2010. Thirty-five auto plants have been closed by GM, Ford and Chrysler since 2005.

Madison-based Third Wave Technologies was sold to Massachusetts-based Hologic Inc. in a $580 million deal that will combine its women's health medical diagnostic tools with Third Wave's medical tests for the human papillomavirus, a known link to cervical cancer in women. The deal is expected to close this fall.

good news!

Developer Scott Norton is constructing a $1.8 million office building on West Broadway. The two-story, 39,000 sq. ft. building is one of several commercial investments made recently to what was once known as the beleaguered Broadway-Simpson neighborhood.

Animal tests have proven two of Centrose LLC's drug candidates effective against colorectal and non-small cell lung cancers. The National Cancer Institute is convinced enough to proceed with more validation testing.

Gordon Food Service will build a distribution center in Kenosha. The 480,000 sq. ft. center is expected to add 265 jobs.

Manpower Inc. announced that 23% of Madison companies expect to hire workers in the third quarter.

Final approval has been granted by the city council for a $9.2 million renovation in the Allied Drive area. Nine apartment buildings will be replaced with 48 units of various sizes.

Milwaukee was the only city — of 25 major metropolitan areas — to record an increase in home prices in March compared to last year, according to Radar Logic, a firm that measures housing on a per-square foot basis. The company said Milwaukee's prices were up 2.8% over 2007.

Verona's new Holiday Inn Express & Suites has opened on W. Verona Avenue. The $8 million, 109-room hotel will offer customers shuttle rides to Verona eateries and businesses such as JT Packard, Cleary Building Corp. and EPIC.

84 Lumber, one of the nation's top building material suppliers for professionals, has opened at 4412 Terminal Drive in McFarland.

Kikkoman Foods, Inc., the Walworth, Wis.-based U.S. subsidiary of Kikkoman Corporation of Japan, recently celebrated its 35th anniversary with the announcement that it will open a new laboratory in Madison in the fall. The research and development lab will be located in University Research Park and be headed by one of the company's top research scientists from Japan.
In addition, the Kikkoman Foun-dation will grant $100,000 to the University of Wisconsin for Environmental Studies scholarships.

Stoughton Hospital is adding a 5,535 sq. ft. Rehabilitation & Sports Medicine Clinic in the Stoughton Wellness Athletic Center. The project, being built by KSW Construction Corp., should be completed in July.

Kohls Department Stores is donating $3 million to UW's School of Human Ecology to reinvigorate the Kohls Departments Stores Center for Retailing Excellence. It is the largest corporate gift ever presented to the School of Human Ecology, and will fund a state-of-the-art facility, as well as provide an endowment for administrative and programming support. The addition and renovation to the School of Human Ecology building will begin in 2009 and be completed in 2013.

Chicago has made it to the final four of cities being considered to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. If the Windy City gets the event, chances are that Southern Wisconsin, including Milwaukee and Madison, might also reap some economic benefits. The International Olympic Committee's final choice will be announced in October of 2009.

Cardinal Glass announced it will build a $60-million plant on 26-acres in Mazomanie's industrial park, making way for 120 new jobs by late 2009. The company's glass is used in solar photovoltaic panels.

The NFL's St. Louis Rams football team will conduct its 3-week training camp starting July 25 on the Concordia University—Mequon campus, just north of Milwaukee. The camp is expected to be a boon to the area's economy.

The We Energies wind farm is up and running in Fond du Lac County. 88 turbines at the Blue Sky Green Field wind farm are spinning nearly 400 feet in the air over a 10,600 acre area, making it the largest wind farm in Wisconsin. The renewable energy generated will power 36,000 homes.

company news

Madison's aOva Technologies has launched another round of financing in hopes of raising $3 million in angel
funding. The company develops egg-based additives that, when added to an animal's diet, enhance their size.

Wilde Automotive Group of Waukesha will be opening a Honda dealership on Madison's far east side, assuming zoning issues can be worked out. The company partnered with Jorge Hidalgo, a former executive at Harley-Davidson, who will own the $10 million, 45,000 sq. ft. dealership.
If all goes as planned, the dealership will open next summer and employ up to 125 employees.

Anchor BanCorp Wisconsin Inc., Madison-based parent of AnchorBank, reported a decrease in net income of $2.6 million compared to last year. The corporation blames bad loans for the decline.

closer to home

ShopKo stores near East Towne and West Towne malls will feature "FastCare" medical clinics starting in fall for basic care, walk-in patients. The clinics will be staffed by Meriter Health Service.

Dane County's 2008 foreclosures through May increased nearly 69% over the same period last year, according to ForeclosuresWI.com.

Only 64 Dane County home-building permits were issued in May, down from 154 a year ago. The average permit value increased to $284,453, and square footage also increased to an average of 2,720.

Monona will be smoke-free as of June 1, 2009 as a result of a 5-1 vote by the City Council. The agreement was viewed as a compromise between the city and Breathe Free Monona, a group that wanted the ban to take effect this November. Existing cigar and tobacco stores as well as smoking-permitted hotel rooms will be exempt from the ban.

The Milwaukee developer of a Madison Lake Point Drive condo project has failed to make payments on a $2 million loan and has walked away from the deal. Madison's Community Development Authority has taken over the $4 million, 50-unit project, vowing to maintain, market and sell the remaining condos on what used to be known as Simpson Street in Madison.

proposed

County Board supervisor Mark Opitz, together with supporters Kathleen Falk and Board Chair Scott McDonnell, presented a county-wide smoking ban proposal to the Dane County Board. If passed, the proposal would affect the county's unincorporated areas and towns.

The Apex Group is looking for support for a 14-story development on the corner of South Henry and West Wilson Streets downtown. The initial plan calls for a 150,000 sq. ft. 300-room hotel, 150,000 sq. ft. of office space, and 100,000 sq. ft. of residential space. Early reactions are mixed, with officials citing a need for a downtown hotel, but reluctant to buy-in to the massive size (and height) being considered. More discussions are imminent.

The Starwood Hotel Group is planning to open a trendy 136-room hotel in Madison, near John Nolen Drive and Rimrock Roads. The developer, Supple Group, said the Aloft Hotel will include an outdoor bar and patio, and may possibly brew its own beer. If the project clears all city approvals, the restaurant could open later this year, with construction on the hotel starting in 2009.

strategic moves

Mithridion, a Madison drug discovery and development company, will merge with Cognitive Pharmaceuticals of Ohio to continue studying therapies focusing on Alzheimer's disease and other central nervous system disorders. The companies just completed $2.3 million round of funding that was led by Venture Investors of Madison. Mithridion will remain in Madison and the drug development operation will stay in Toledo.

Third Wave Technologies will acquire a portfolio of nucleic acid amplification technology patents from Agilent Technologies, Inc. to strengthen Third WaveÕs intellectual property and to expose the Madison company to new research markets. Terms of the acquisition were undisclosed.

Madison's Roche NimbleGen, subsidiary of Roche Applied Science, has formed an alliance with BioDiscovery, a California bioinformatics firm.

Cottage Grove's Sky Shield USA is partnering with Homeland Integrated Security Systems to create a GPS tracking safety-monitoring device that will track school bus locations, and when children enter and exit the buses so parents can better trace their whereabouts.

TDS Telecom has purchased Mosinee Telephone Company — including 6,000 residential and business line equivalents. Terms were not disclosed.

A global license-and-supply agreement has been signed between Madison's Gentel Biosciences and Eppendorf AG of Germany to access new markets in clinical research. Eppendorf AG makes research tools for life sciences.

After months of speculation, Spectrum Brands announced it will sell United Pet Group, its pet care division, to Salton Inc. of Florida. The deal was completed for nearly $700 million plus an additional $220 million in debt securities to Salton's pet division. Closing is slated for August. Meanwhile, the company has decided not to sell off its home and garden division in light of current economic conditions.

Madison's VoVision, a voice-transcription company, is looking for a strategic technology partner (most likely a telecommunications provider) to take its product to the next level. Paul Hager, co-owner, also announced he will be leaving the company later this year to take a business development position with Global Technology Transfer Group.

found money!

Madison's Operation Fresh Start will receive a $100,000 grant from the Wal-Mart Foundation, believed to be the largest donation the organization has ever received.

BioPulping International of Madison has received a $350,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help in the process of turning wood chips into improved fuels, chemicals and composite boards.

Madison's Stemina Biomarker Discovery received a $150,000 grant from the Small Business Innovation Research grant program. The money helps ongoing studies on the effect of cancer-fighting drugs on cancerous stem cells.

around the state

The cost of a new coal-fired power plant in either Cassville or Portage has surpassed $1 billion, up from initial cost estimates of between $850-$950 million. The increase is due to rising construction prices, according to Alliant Energy officials.

MillerCoors, the new company resulting from the merger between Coors Brewing Co., and Milwaukee's Miller Brewing Inc., officially opens for business on July 1. As a result, Coors Light could be brewed in Milwaukee, and some Miller brands could be brewed in Golden, CO. Together, the companies have eight production facilities around the nation (Coors has 2, Miller, 6). The Milwaukee plant also brews Schlitz, Pabst and other beers. The location of the 100-employee Miller headquarters is still being decided.

A $20 million expansion is planned for the Polynesian Resort in the Wisconsin Dells. The project will include unit renovations, added indoor waterpark space, and a new convention center.

Milwaukee Delivery Service of Jefferson is part of a six-company nationwide merger that will be renamed World Wide Logistics, and will have combined revenues of about $100 million. Each of the six subsidiaries will continue operations in their current locations.

Sheboygan's Johnsonville Sausage company is planning to open a chain of five bratwurst restaurants in China.

A $1.9 billion highway expansion of I-94 from Milwaukee's airport south to the Illinois border received federal approval. Billed the most expensive in state history, the project will expand the road from six to eight lanes and should be completed in 2016. A coalition of groups — including the ACLU and 100 Friends of Wisconsin — may file a federal lawsuit to halt the effort.

The Wisconsin Public Service Commission approved a 345,000-volt power line from Christiana in Dane County to the town of Beloit. American Transmission Company, which will construct the 35-mile line, claims it will save between $7 million and $133 million per year over the next 40 years. Completion is expected in 2010.

Cassville's E.J. Stoneman power plant is being sold by Integrys Energy Services Inc. to Michigan's DTE Energy Services Inc. for an undisclosed amount. The new owner wants to convert the 50-megawatt coal-fired plant to burn wood waste, which is a renewable resource. Regulatory approvals must still be sought before the sale is finalized.

Harley-Davidson Corporation has sold $1 billion in bonds to provide cash needed to weather the cooling economy. The company also halted production temporarily at a couple of its Wisconsin plants to ease off production. It had previously announced plans to reduce staff by eight percent and to cut Harley shipments by between 23,000 and 27,000 units this year.

Meanwhile, Senator Russ Feingold is encouraging Indian officials to lift a 60% tariff on Harley-Davidson (H-D) motorcycles in that country, which effectively doubles the U.S. price on the units.

Wisconsin's Office of Energy Independence is providing grants to help encourage gas stations to offer E85 ethanol fuel blends. E85 fuel blends 15% of gasoline with 85% of ethanol. Grants of up to $5,000 would cover 50% of equipment installation costs. Currently, more than 100 stations sell E85 statewide.

red light

GM-Janesville announced that an additional 96 UAW workers will be laid off in addition to other recent cutbacks. As previously stated in this report, the plant will close completely by 2010.

Sub-Zero laid off an additional 27 salaried staff and eliminated 16 open positions between its Fitchburg and Phoenix locations. This is in addition to earlier announcements of the company's decision to cut 235 hourly jobs starting in June. The company is adjusting to a slow demand for high-end appliances. Plans to construct a new dishwasher division in Kentucky has also been put on an 18-month hiatus.

Plans to build Wisconsin's largest biodiesel plant near Evansville have fizzled. The North Prairie Productions biodiesel plant will not be built due to the high cost of soybeans. The decision does not affect plans for an adjacent soybean crushing plant, scheduled for 2010.

NewPage Corporation, owner of paper mills in Niagara, Wis. (near Wis. Rapids) and Kimberly, Wis. suddenly closed its Niagara plant in June, and may decide to sell it, leaving 319 employees out of work.

Janesville's ThyssenKrupp Technologies plant will close, leaving about 140 employees out of work. Thirty-four others will be offered positions at other company locations. The German-owned company is consolidating and will sell the Janesville plant.

Elkhorn's Conn-Selmer Inc., a brass musical instrument factory, announced it will be closing and shifting production to its plant in Ohio. Seventy Elkhorn workers will be affected.

Wausau's WH Transportation Company is discontinuing its van freight business in July, resulting in the lay off of 340 workers in Wisconsin, Ohio and Georgia.

in the courts

A class action lawsuit has been filed against TomoTherapy by an investor who claims the company misrepresented its first quarter revenue projections, misled investors and inflated the price of its stock. The suit claims Tomo did not disclose the fact that its backlogged Hi-Art units would be delivered over a two-year period, which negatively impacts company earnings, the suit claims. TomoTherapy does not record revenue from unit sales until a month after delivery.

Walgreen Co. will pay $35 million to settle a whistle-blowing case claiming that the company switched some patient prescriptions to more expensive alternatives in order to collect higher Medicaid reimbursements. Forty-six states will share approximately $16.4 million in the suit. Wisconsin's Medicaid program will receive $1.9 million. The federal government gets the rest.

Goodbye

Jerry Mullins, local developer, passed away at age 82.