Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 26 May 2000 — Page 27

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FRIDAY, MAY 26,2000 ■ PAQED1

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INSIDE*D*SECTION*CLASSIFIED*REAL ESTATE

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Ameritech not prompt with repairs Ameritech Indiana took longer to repair telephone lines than any other major phone company in the nation last year. Indiana’s largest telephone company took an average of 27.2 hours to fix a residential customer’s out-of-service phone line in 1999, down from 28.9 hours in 1998, according to reports filed with the Federal Communications Commission. In addition, technicians failed to fix the problem in nearly one in five repair calls. Ameritech Indiana is the state’s largest provider of local telephone service, with 2.2 million of the state’s estimated 3.4 million local access lines. Because it operates a virtual monopoly within its territory, critics say, the company hasn’t had to provide fast, reliable service. _ In a survey Ameritech compiled for the FCC, nearly 17 percent of 2,458 customers polled said they were not satisfied with repair work. That’s up from about 12 percent in 1998, 10 percent in 1997 and 8 percent in 1996. Bloomington workers plan strike vote With the threat of layoffs looming, about 2,500 Bloomington GE workers planned a strike vote to give them ammunition in contract negotiations.

The GE Appliances side-by-side refrigerator plant has 3,200 workers. About 1,400 are scheduled to be laid off sometime this year. But the company has not specified when the layoff will come. If workers vote for a strike, union president Steve Norman will have ammunition in bargaining with GE management. Norman and the union believe GE did not act fairly during negotiations that led to the layoff announcement, which came in December 1999 and was confirmed in March. GE announced last year it planned to shift the assembly of many of the refrigerator styles it has always made in Bloomington to Mexico because labor costs are lower there. HUD announces consumer protection initiative Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo has announced a major consumer protection initiative to prevent millions of families who get new FHA-insured mortgages from being victimized by predatory lending practices that can cost individual homeowners thousands of dollars each in unnecessary costs. The Fraud Protection Plan is also designed to compensate homeowners who already have mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration for past See BRIEFS, Page D2

Coca-Cola plans $1 billion over five years in diversity spending

By CHAD ROEDEMEIER Associated Press Writer The Coca-Cola Co. is committing $1 billion over the next five years to promote diversity, but denies that the move is a response to a racial discrimination lawsuit against the com-

pany.

In an announcement last week, Coke promised to boost business opportunities for women and minorities — in part by doing more business with minority and women-owned companies and financial insti-

tutions.

The diversity initiative has nothing to do with the discrimination lawsuit filed by eight

about $100 million currently. • Establishing a new supplier mentoring program among minorities and women. • Expanding a program Coke began in New York’s Harlem area in 1998 to increase economic partnerships and marketing investments. Thirteen communities are already involved in the program that targets smaller entrepreneurs, but Coke plans to invest about $50 million over the next five years

to add 50 new cities.

• Strengthening financial ties to firms owned by minorities* or women. For example, Coke trustees recently doubled the portion of its employee pension fund managed by such

current and former employees, /' rms to $115 million. The said Carl Ware, executive vice com P an y a * s0 plans to double

president of global public affairs and the highest-ranking Black executive at Coke. Instead, it is a natural extension of Coke’s mission to be a model corporate citizen and a positive force in local communities where Coca-Cola is sold, he said. “This is a correct and proper business decision, a part of the company’s overall business strategy, rather than ... something we just came up with,” Ware said. “This is the new Coca-Cola.” The initiative, which will almost double the company’s spending on such programs, includes: • Increasing spending with minority and female-owned businesses by more than 50 percent over the next five years, spending an average of $160 million a year compared with

the value of its insurance coverage through minority and

women-owned firms.

• Spending $50 million over five years to support nonprofit organizations, such as scholarships for minority youths, mentoring programs and support for community outreach

and advocacy programs.

Despite Coca-Cola’s assertion that the $1 billion diversity (initiative was not related to the lawsuit, activists in At-

lanta saw a connection.

“Certainly it’s an attempt to address the lawsuit,” said the Rev. Timothy McDonald, president of Concerned Black Clergy. “But I’m absolutely thrilled. What Coke is doing, I hope other corporations will

heed and follow.

“You would be hard-pressed Sm COCA-COLA, Page D3

— mr couldn’t have imagined that his lifelong passion would become a full fledged business when he died in 1975. But it has. “If he was here today he would be amazed,” said his daughter Barbara Gorman. He’s created a Black-owned and family-owned business.” Artis Greenhouse, located at 2738 N. Keystone, cultivates the most delicate and out - of-season plants and flowers for customers hoping to capture life’s spirit in a summer bloom for one’s porch, garden or home. Along with annuals (flowers that last a year) such as impatiens and geraniums and perennials (sturdy plants that return each year) like sweet Williams, the business also sells tomatoes, watermelons and other

vegetables.

The development of a flower can be just as beautiful as the final product. Such is the case of the business itself, which has turned its restrictions into dazzling fulfillment.

Carolyn Malone has bean running liar father’s business, Artis Grssnhouas, 2736 N. Keystone,

forthe pastil yesrs. (Photos/Ken Skelton)

Away from the street in a residential neighborhood, the business faces one the city’s busiest avenues. But the story of the family’s vocation is best seen from the window of the family’s house next door. Years ago, when Keystone Ave. was a two-lane dirt road.

Artis was likely looking out his window thinking about the $5 rent he would soon have to pay on his new home. Looking for ways to fund his investment, he noticed an enormous area with precious soil and immaculate

illumination and decided it was

perfect for cultivating. He would begin to sell

vegetables from his gardens on Keystone as a side job to his landscaping engagements. He soon gained a commendable

reputation for his products.

As he aged, Artis’ passion for

flowers continued to flourish and ultimately developed into a selfbuilt greenhouse in 1956. Made of steel and plastic, the green- , house became a second home to the man, as he spent day’s preparing dirt, watering and weeding. His love of plants was also shared with his wife, Minnie, who often assisted in the responsibilities. However his five daughters weren’t as interested, but helped out

anyway.

“It was a family thing,” said Gorman. After Artis’ death in

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1975, her husband began to run the business. Befote he was struck by illness, be; j. built a second plastk greenhouse. In search of a new leader, the family rented the greenhouses to white outside owners, wbogrew herbs. But then it wasn’t a family business and that bothered them, especially Carolyn Malone, 56, who has been operating Artis Greenhouse

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IHFA to administer Section 8 contracts in Indiana

By LT. GOV. JOSEPH E. KERNAN As you may have read recently, the Indiana Housing Finance Authority (IHFA) has been selected by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to administer Section 8 contracts in the state of Indiana. I wanted to take the opportunity to explain what this means and what impact it will have on tenants, managers and owners of Section 8 properties. In recent years HUD has faced cutbacks in staffing and funding levels that have stretched their resources. This provided them with the incentive to look at what responsibilities could be more efficiently run by other entities. Since a large number of staff were dedicated to the work of administering Section 8 contracts, this was identified as an area that could be handled by other entities. In May 1999, HUD issued a notice saying that it was accepting applications from statewide entities to take over Section 8 contract administration responsibilities. IHFA saw several advantages in being the Section 8 contract administrator for the state. First of all, IHFA already has relationships with most of the Section 8 developers, owners and management companies because of other rental housing programs we operate. Second, IHFA felt there was an opportunity to improve Ihe service that was being provided to these properties because this responsibility would be at the state and local

level instead of an out-of-state office. In May 1999, IHFA submitted an application to become the Section 8 contract administrator for almost 500 properties representing over 30,000 housing units in Indiana. One year later, HUD made the announcement that IHFA had been selected as the contract administrator for the state. IHFA’s board of directors will consider approval of this agreement. ,. By sometime this fall, anticipated to be around Sept. 1, the agreement with HUD should be finalized and the responsibilities for contract administration will be transferred to IHFA. At that time, IHFA will become responsible for the following activities: • Conducting management and occupancy reviews. • Adjusting contract rents. • Processing Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract terminations or expirations. • Paying monthly vouchers from Section 8 owners. • Responding to health and safety issues. • Submitting Section 8 budgets, requisitions, revisions and year end statements. • Submitting audits of the contract administrator’s (CA) financial condition. • Monitoring owner’s progress in addressing annual financial

Sm IHFA, Paga D3