New Chick-fil-A will give away a years worth of weekly meals

Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Those Holstein cows keep holding up their signs saying Eat Mor Chikin!

Certainly 100 chicken-hungry winners will crow about their one free combo meal each week for a year at Bowling Greens new Chick-fil-A.

Sound tempting? You may have to bring your tent Wednesday morning for Thursday mornings giveaway. The first 100 adults in line will receive their coupons at Chick-fil-As grand opening, starting at 6 a.m. at 1766 Campbell Lane, and they are permitted to start lining up at 6 a.m. on Wednesday. Activities are planned to keep those die-hards entertained throughout the night.

Dan Cathi, president and CEO of the restaurant chain and son of founder Truett Cathi, said his favorite meal at Chick-fil-A changes often, though its currently the Trim Trio a chargrilled chicken sandwich on a honey-wheat bun with lettuce and tomato, accompanied by a fresh mixed-fruit cup, he said in an interview.

Were looking forward to coming to the rescue of all these cows that are encouraging the consumption of chicken on behalf of the bovine population out there, Cathi said.

The restaurant is open from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and is closed on Sundays.

The give-a-way amounts to $26,000 in free food, something the restaurant plans on clucking up on local radio stations as another part of its extravagant media blitz.

The Atlanta-based company is the second-largest quick service chicken restaurant on sales with more than 1,165 restaurants in 37 states and Washington, D.C. The chain expects to build 90 restaurants this year with 73 freestanding locations.

Andy Robinson and his wife, Kara, who have recently moved to Bowling Green, will run the new restaurant. They already love Bowling Green.

Its the kind of size of town weve been looking for, Robinson said. We have a 4-year-old. Atlanta has just gotten so congested.

A Touch of Polish on Pedigo

On Sept. 8, Dana Wilson-Knight of Bowling Green opened her new store, A Touch of Polish, where she does manicures, pedicures, acrylic nails and acrylic fill-ins. She also sells jewelry and Beauty Control Cosmetics.

In 2003, Wilson-Knight attended Heads West Kentucky Beauty College, put in her hours, passed her state boards and started creating her business.

A Touch of Polish is at 1057 Pedigo Way, in the Flynns building behind Pier One Imports off Scottsville Road.

On Mondays, Wilson-Knight travels to Greenville to work in the His & Her Salon and is in her Bowling Green office 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

Ive always wanted my own business, Wilson-Knight said. I like working for myself. I love the one-on-one contact with people and getting to know them during their time with me.

Her grand opening will be from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday with a Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting at 4 p.m., and continue from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

First-time customers get $5 off.

Franklins Dana Corp. plant wins national recognition

Industry Week Magazine named Dana Corp.s Franklin Perfect Circle Products and Franklin Steel Plant as one of 10 Best Plants in North America, according to the magazines October issue.

Though some equipment in the plant is more than 50 years old, the 44 employees of Perfect Circle go about each day simply making production of their product more efficient and the quality of each stainless steel oil ring expander higher, the magazine said.

In addition to the Industry Week recognition, Dana Corp. in Franklin is celebrating 1 million manhours without a lost-time accident, said Geoff Oehmler, acting plant manager for Franklin Perfect Circle Products and Franklin Steel Plant.

The 1 million manhours accumulated between the Perfect Circle Produces and Allied Ring, a joint venture between Dana and Riken Corp. of Japan. They share the same building, and Allied Ring employs 36.

With the pressures today from our customers to continually reduce costs, this plant has done a remarkable job in looking ahead and improving the production process year after year to not only reduce those requirements but exceed quality expectations, Oehmler said. Obviously everybody here is very proud of that fact.

He added that with only 44 people, every person is critical to meeting that goal, and each employee of the plant works hard to communicate clearly with everyone else.

Dana Corp. has been named one of 10 Best Plants six times since the award was created 15 years ago, said Jeff Cole, spokesman for Dana.

No other company has won it that many times, Cole said.

Jim Johnson Pontiac finalist for BBB Torch Award

The Better Business Bureau serving Louisville, southern Indiana and western Kentucky named Jim Johnson Pontiac Nissan Mitsubishi of Bowling Green a finalist in the 2004 Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics, according to the BBB.

Jim Johnson Pontiac Nissan Mitsubishi is a finalist in the small business category with 10 to 99 employees.

These businesses have demonstrated their commitment to ethical business practices in every aspect of their relationship with customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders and their community, the press release stated.

Obviously its a great honor, said Linda Pawley, general manager of Jim Johnson Pontiac Nissan Mitsubishi. We were excited and honored to be chosen as a finalist.

New Dodge Construction Planroom

McGraw-Hill Construction, the nations leading provider of construction information and intelligence services, part of McGraw-Hill Companies, and The Associated General Contractors of Kentucky Inc., have gone into an alliance that will open and operate a new office and Dodge Construction Planroom in the same shopping plaza as Southern Lanes off Scottsville Road.

The office will contain state-of-the-art high technology video conferencing, a conference and training room and a McGraw-Hill Dodge construction plan room with two staff offices.

The primary purpose of the building will be for viewing federal projects so a local contractor can develop and estimate to bid on the project, according to Eric Highley, executive vice president of AGC.

Walker Financial Services puts studio in office

Walker Financial Services of Bowling Green has undergone a transformation at its 1733 Campus Plaza Court, Suite 6 address.

In addition to extensive renovations that included a reworked kitchen and new paint and carpet on two floors, Tony Walker constructed a meeting room that doubles as a TV studio in the downstairs level.

The new studio will enable his TV show to be filmed in the office, according to Theressa Clark, assistant to Walker. Money Matters, which appears several times daily on Insight Channel 5, was previously filmed at Insight

Renovation costs ran about $30,000, according to Connie Fortney, financial assistant.

The financial service company, which focuses on retirement, has added two employees this past spring, Clark said.

Fortney is now the assistant who deals with administration and bookkeeping, while Joanna Tabor is a hostess and plans workshops for clients and perspective clients.

Walker Financial Services is celebrating a Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting on Thursday at noon.

Business in China seminar

Addressing the question of how to do business in China, the Western Kentucky University Office of Global Business will host a seminar of companies who have already created ample and efficient work forces in the Asian market, according to press release.

From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday at Mariahs, speakers will include Robert Brown of Greenebaum Doll & McDonald, Ying Yuan Rogers of the Kentucky World Trade Center, Todd Sidebottom of UPS, Joe Kimmell of Baker & Daniels, Dr. William Davis of WKU and Robert Logsdon, a sourcing entrepreneur.

Cost is $20 for WKU students and faculty and $50 for others. Cost includes lunch. To register, call William Parsons at 745-6527.

To report business news and tips, contact Christopher Miller at 783-3246 or cmiller@bgdailynews.com.

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