DATE: Thursday, April 17, 1997              TAG: 9704170355

SECTION: BUSINESS                PAGE: D2   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:   86 lines

LOCAL SCENE

HAMPTON ROADS

AUTO GLASS STORES RECEIVE AWARDS: The Harmon AutoGlass stores in Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Hampton have received a total of six 1996 ``Awards of Excellence'' from the Auto Glass Group of Apogee Enterprises. Apogee is based in Minneapolis and is a leader in the fabrication, installation and distribution of glass and aluminum for the construction, automotive and consumer markets. The Virginia Beach store was named ``Shop of the Year'' for the top overall performance among the 59 retail locations in the Auto Glass Group's Mid-Atlantic region. Virginia Beach also received the ``Repair Shop of the Year'' award for its outstanding work with auto glass repair. In addition, two employees of the Virginia Beach location received awards. The store on Poplar Hall Drive in Norfolk earned the ``Winners Circle Award'' for its outstanding performance, and Hampton was named ``Most Improved Shop.''

VIRGINIA BEACH

TONOVITZ NAMED TRAFFIC MANAGER AT SUNNY DAY GUIDE PUBLISHERS: Barbara Tonovitz was named traffic manager in the production department of the corporate headquarters at Sunny Day Guide publishers. She had worked as traffic manager for Trader Publishing Co. in Norfolk.

VIRGINIA

ROANOKE ELECTRIC DECLARES DIVIDEND: Roanoke Electric Steel Corp. declared a quarterly cash dividend in the amount of 12 cents per share of common stock payable May 23, 1997, to shareholders of record May 7, 1997.

OWENS & MINOR FORMS ALLIANCE WITH GE INFORMATION: Owens & Minor and GE Information Services have formed a strategic alliance to reduce the costs of moving supplies throughout the healthcare supply chain. The alliance will create a Value Network to bring together best-of-class suppliers and leading edge open systems to streamline order and distribution management processes for the integrated healthcare system. Owens & Minor, the nation's largest distributor of national branded medical/surgical products, is a leader in logistics and distribution management for the health care industry. GE Information Services is a global leader in electronic commerce.

RURAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS: Ten rural telecommunications companies will borrow up to $89 million to build a wireless communications system serving 40 counties in central and western Virginia, the lender said. The Rural Telephone Finance Cooperative will finance the project for the Virginia PCS Alliance, a consortium of telecommunications companies managed by Waynesboro-based CFW Communications Co. Virginia PCS Alliance owns personal communications services licenses for a population of 1.6 million. Its equipment and engineering services are being provided by Motorola's Cellular Infrastructure Group using an advanced form of digital technology. The consortium expects to begin PCS service in Roanoke, Lynchburg, Charlottesville, Staunton, Waynesboro, Harrisonburg, Winchester and Danville in the second half of 1997.

SMALL-BUSINESS PERSON NAMED: The president of a chain of Richmond-area day care centers has been named Virginia's small-business person of 1997 by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Gail W. Johnson, president of Rainbow Station Child Development Centers, will be honored along with winners June 1-7 in Washington. One of the state winners will be named the national small-business person of the year. Johnson's business consists of three Richmond-area day care centers. She also plans to open an after-school center in Chesterfield County.

CHINA TURNS TO MOTOROLA: Motorola Inc. said it won a $200 million contract to supply cellular-phone equipment to two state-owned Chinese telecommunications concerns. Motorola will provide system design, training, installation and support services to Eastern Communications Co., China's largest state-owned company with full-year sales of more than $490 million. It also will supply equipment and services to Zhejiang Technical Import and Export Corp., which brokers imports and export agreements for companies and factories in China's Zhejiang province.

HOME BENEFICIAL ACQUISITION COMPLETE: American General Corp. said Wednesday it completed its $665 million acquisition of Home Beneficial Corp., the holding company of Home Beneficial Life Insurance Co. American General, a Houston-based financial services company, said Home Beneficial shareholders will receive $287 million in cash and 9.4 million American General common shares. The company said 43 percent of the consideration was cash and 57 percent was stock. In connection with the closing of the transaction, Home Beneficial, of Richmond, paid a special dividend of $300 million to American General representing excess capital. MEMO: To submit an item for the Local Scene, please fax it to 446-2531. ILLUSTRATION: Tonovitz

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