Living largeIn a depressed residential market, Signature Place rises above other condo developments, Fred Gordon learns. In Florida, a state currently undergoing a dismal residential market, where at least 75 percent of condominium towers sit in various stages of construction, some completed but most empty, Signature Place, a $170 million development by Tampa Bay-based Cantor Development in downtown St. Petersburg is in its final phase of construction and about 80 percent sold. Why?

A cut aboveCanfor Corporation, a Canadian forest products company based in Vancouver, utilizes every aspect of forestry to maintain a lucrative portfolio of lumber and pulp products. Kate Sawyer reports. As the largest producer of softwood lumber in Canada, Canfor Corporation understands that what gives a company success and longevity is a reactive business model that responds to changing economic conditions.

Already thereAmeriCold Logistics is the largest provider of temperature-controlled warehousing and distribution services in the United States. John OÔÇÖHanlon asks transportation director Greg Bryan how it continues to grow despite the general downturn. From its Atlanta headquarters, AmeriColdÔÇÖs network covers all 50 states, with more than 110 warehouse locations. Efficient management of these storage, loading and transportation interchange points is one of its great strengths.

An environment for healingKeith Regan learns how Altru Health SystemÔÇÖs decision to focus on patient comfort and aesthetics when it renovated and expanded its Cancer Center resulted in a place where patients and families can feel comfortable as they undergo their often lengthy treatments.┬á┬á  Altru Health System provides health services to parts of northeast North Dakota and northwest Minnesota, with 1.5 million square feet of facilities space on its medical park campus.

Gas from grassAlliant Energy is looking at some unexpected sources for electricity and gas, and it is building two hybrid generating plants to take advantage of sustainable fuels. John OÔÇÖHanlon speaks to the man responsible for creating a whole new market. You have to envy Bill Johnson.

A┬ápeople businessAker Construction may be part of a multibillion-dollar global conglomerate, but as Keith Regan learns from two top executives, treating employees like part of a family is a key component in its success. Aker Construction Inc. is the union construction arm of Aker Solutions, which provides a full range of construction, maintenance and renovation services to the North American industrial sector.

Reinventing the service industryKeith Regan reports on how focused training, respect for workers and a focus on operational excellence has Air Serv poised to shake up the entire service economy. Since launching in 2002, Air Serv has been providing a host of services to airlines across the United States and the United Kingdom, taking over cabin cleaning, skycap services, shuttle bus operations and passenger wheelchair services as airlines look to focus their own resources elsewhere.

Holy molyThis junior mining company is plowing ahead with the first major new molybdenum mine in almost 30 years. With steadily accelerating global demand for alloying elements to make steel, and a worldwide shortage of molybdenum (moly), Vancouver, British Columbia-based Adanac Molybdenum is constructing an open pit mine in northern British Columbia at Ruby Creek, near the town of Atlin, about 75 miles southeast of Whitehorse, Yukon.

Farm to forkThomas R. Cutler outlines the traceability solutions we need to deal with the increasing incidence of food contamination. The most susceptible to food-borne illness are the very young, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems. Most people who eat food tainted with E.

People developmentIn part four of his series on managing and leading people, Jon Minerich, Principal, Oliver Wight Americas, Inc., shows how companies with simple technologies often outperform competitors who have the latest and best technologies. The differentiator, he says, is the skill and ability of the workforce.  IntroductionThree of the top ten key factors that drive company performance, according to a poll of business executives, are:1. Attracting and developing talented employees.2. Creating a performance-oriented workforce.3.