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PAGE 16 - PLAINDEALER - FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1982 Here And There In Business ^4 Manager Of Post Plant Promoted RALPH W.BENNETT Ralph W. Bennett, manager of the General Foods Corp Post cereal plant in Battle Creek, Mich., since 1978, has been promoted to corporate director of process and facilities engineering and reassigned to Tarry town, N.Y. Bennett joined General Foods in '63 as a project engineer at the Battle Creek plant. He subsequently held positions as manager of engineering at the Battle Creek-based carton and container operation, engineering manager foj: the Post cereal plant and engineering manager for the Break­ fast Foods division. Bennett returned to Battle Creek in 1976 as manufacturingv and engineering manager, the post he held until named plant manager in 1978. In his new position, Bennett will have the responsibility for the General Foods regional engineering centers in Battie Creek; Modesto. Calif.; Chicago and Kankakee, 111: Lafayette, Knd.; Hoboken, N.J. and Dover, Del. He also will supervise division engineering long-ierm development and architectural and design func­ tions. Bennett's first engineering job was with the General Motors Corp. missile-building project. During his four years with GM, he spent con­ siderable time in England working with the Royal Air Force on the missile project. Bennett's career has come a long wa'y from his early days in McHenry. He earned his engineering degree in 1958 at the University of Illinois and then spent two years in the U.S.- Army before joinging GM. Since going to Battle Creek, Bennett has earned a master's degree in business administration from Western Michigan university. His hobbies include mountain climbing, tennis, sailing and photography. He has been active in local projects, serving on the boards of directors of Battle Creek Unlimited, the Battle Creek Y center. Binder Park Zoo, the United Way of Greater Battle Creek and the Battle Creek Area Chamber of Commerce. He also has been a member of the Battle Creek Rotary Club and active in Scouting. Bennett is the son of Dorothy A. (Marshall) Bennett of McHenry and the late H Ralph Bennett. McHenry Area Survey Job Outlook Shows Some Improvement BILLING CHANGE Effective Jan. 14, long distance intrastate calls (calls within the state) spanning more than one rate period will be billed at the rates effective in each period. The billing change, applied for by Illinois Bell and con­ curred in by other telephone Com­ panies located in the state, was ap­ proved by the Illinois Commerce Commission Nov. 4. Previously, long-distance calls which extended from one time-of-day rate period to another were billed at the rate in effect when the call began. JOHN F. LAMPE Available To Practice In: •PERSONAL INJURY/TRIALS •BUSINESS/CORPORATIONS •ZONING •WILLS/PROBATE •DIVORCE •HtAL &TATE * ^ &IIB «' W •WORKERS COMP. Now Serving You From 2 Locations WONDER LAKE 7165 Barnard Mill Rd. (By Appt. Only) McHENRY 3424 W. Elm Suite 27 344-3252 Open: M-F 8am-5pm, Sat 9am-Noon Others by Appt. Employers in the McHenry area predict fewer staff cutbacks during the next three months, according to the quarterly Employment Outlook survey conducted by Manpower, Inc., the world's largest temprorary ser­ vice firm. First quarter hiring ac­ tivity is historically low as employers return to pre-holiday^ levels. Chuck Bartels, owner of Man­ power's McHenry office, said. "Fewer reductions in staff are ex­ pected for the first quarter of 1983 (January, February, March), 13 percent, compared to one year ago (30 percent). Next quarter, however, no employers polled plan to hire ad­ ditional workers, 74 percent expect no change in staff levels and 13 percent are unsure of their hiring intentions." In a similar survey conducted one year ago at this time, 10 percent planned to hire additional workers and 60 percent predicted no change in staff levels. Some staff reductions are expected by durable goods manufacturers and the construction industry. Seasonal cutbacks are expected by wholesale and retail merchants. The outlook is stable in other employment sectors. McHenry area results lag behind those reported nationally and regionally. A thin but visible ray of hope for the future of the nation's employment picture has emerged in the latest findings of the quarterly Employment Outlook survey. According to the projections of over" 11,200 employers polled in 347 U.S. cities last month, the quarter-to- quarter drop in hiring plans has halted, and a slight improvement is indicated for the first quarter (January, February, March), of 1983 when compared to survey results of one year ago. While slightly fewer firms plan to hire additional workers in the next three months than last year at this .time, the number expecting cutbacks has declined markedly. Leading the improved job climate is a brighter outlook in the construction industry which plans more hiring and fewer layoffs than in past first quarters. Uncertainty about the length of the recession seems to be holding back jplans for ipcr^sed staffing in the first quarter, with only 14 percent* of the employers surveyed planning to in­ crease staff size, compared to 15 percent one year ago. More im­ portant, 15 percent expect staff reductions, down considerably from the 18 percent with similar intentions last year at this time and 68 percent plan no change in employment levels, compared to 63 percent one year ago. National survey figures indicate that there is a trace of cautious op­ timism for the first time in the last six quarters. It is most evident in the drop in the number of firms expecting workforce reductions. The reductions must decline before positive hiring factors develop. \ Expected reductions have declined markedly in several key employment sectors, particularly in the con­ struction and manufacturing in­ dustries which have been hardest hit over the past year. While the number of employers planning to expand their workforce is the lowest seen in six years, the number planning no change is the highest in that same period. It. appears that the downward slide which began a year ago ha? stopped. Accreditation As Manager AT OFFICERS' MEETING--Belly Knaupl of Wonder Lake, 1983 vice-president of the McHenry chapter of the Illinois Restaurant Association (IRA) and her husband are shown with Erik Jensen, right, 1982 chairman of the IRA. The picture was taken during ihe chapter officers' meeting thai was part of the Midwest Regional Foodservice exposition in the O'Hare Exposition center in Rosemonl. Real Estate Facts JOHN H. MOSS John H. Moss, an account executive in E.F. Hutton's Riverside office, has qualified as a portfolio manager for the Hut ton Portfolio Management (HPM) program. Moss, an assistant vice-president of the Jirm,. recently completed a comprehensive HPM training program at Hutton's corporate"" headquarters in New York. He is one of six HPM managers in Illinois. Moss, who joined Hutton in 1976, earned a bachelor's degree in business from Northern Illinois university and attended John Mar­ shall Law school. Moss who is a member of the Crystal lake Chamber of Commerce, resides in Crystal Lake with his wife and three children. He is a graduate of McHenry high school. How much home can you afford? In years past, the rule of thumb was your monthly housing costs should not exceed one-quarter of your gross monthly income. In other words, if your family income was $1,000 per month, your payments should be close to $250 to be comfortably handled. But the nation's recent bout with double-digit inflation altered this formula. Realtor News, the newspaper of the National Association of Realtors, reported that Mortgage Guarantee Insurance Corporation (MGIC) has lifted its allowable debt ratio from 25 to 33 percent. According to the new formula, if you earn $1,000' per month, you can handle a housing payment of $330, $80 more than be­ fore. MGIC, the nation's largest private insurer of home mortgages, also ised the allowable total in- ebtedness to 38 percent. Total in­ debtedness means the total amount a person pays for housing, car and furniture payments, school loan payments and any other long-term obligations. Remember, a lender generally considers only those obligations that extend for more than 10 months after purchasing a home. Likewise, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac> also eased its debt formulas. Freddie Mac now will place less reliance on meeting the 25 percent of income criteria and more attention to other factors that may suggest the buyer is able to meet his home mortgage payments. According to Freddie Mac, these factors may include the ability or willingness to make a larger than minimum down payment, the existence of other assets and the potential for increased earnings. For instance, if you are certain of a 10 percent pay raise within six months or if you own land somewhere or have a sizeable portfolio of stocks and bonds, the lender may consider them rather than basing your eligibility on a salary formula. Although the McHenry County Board of Realzors is pleased that mortgage guidelines are gradually becoming more realistic and more buyers will be able to qualify for loans, we urge home buyers to exercise caution before over- extending themselves with housing payments. Even if the formulas work in your favor, careful thought must be given to the sacrifices involved with such an obligation. - Further Study Before USS Okay Illinois Attorney General Ty Fahner called the Illinois Commerce Com­ mission decision that further study is required before General Telephone can institute Usage Sensitive Service (USS), "a significant victory for Illinois consumers." The Illinois Commerce Commission ordered General Telephone to begin a year-long dual billing procedure in March, 1983. Under this plan the consumer would dontinue to pay under the current billing practices, but would also receive a bill outlining what his monthly charges would have been under the USS plan. This in­ formational practice will allow consumers the opportunity to alter their phone usage in order to reduce their bill. The Illinois Commerce Commission also ordered a ceiling of $20 to be placed on residental monthly usage bill and $10 on business bills. BONUS Paid thru Jan. IS, 1982. Minimum Deposit $2,500.00 Insured to $100,000. No Penalty For Withdrawal Can Deposit To It Anytime No Interest Rate Restrictions e z x y d niLi .tmaiyAn.cl ^Tje.a i ! I n iT; i Marengo Federal Savings Member FSUC anri.lotui association MARENGO: 200E. Grant Highway, 815/568-7258 • MgMSNBX: 4400 W. Route 120, SIS/344-1900 • WOODSTOCK: 118 Cats Street. 815/338-29QO . WOODSTOCK DRIVE-UP: Roof A7 and CAn.m . 407 Unco,n Avenue, 312/639-2350» CRYSTAL LAKE; 55Q£rystal Point Drive, 81S/4SS-4300 CARV DRIVE-UP: 60 Northwest Highway, 312/639-0222 owecwoc STORE WIDE SALE in ALL 14 DEPARTMENTS^ STARTS... December 26 at 10 A.M. VE Christmas Merchandise 1/2 Price Bird Feeders 20% Artificial and Silk Flowers 33 Vb % Fireplace Accessories 331/3 % Glass Fireplace Doors r 10% Kitchen Corner . 331/3 % Gifts and Brockman Ceramics . 331/3% Books 30% Cactus Gardens, Saucer Gardens & Terrariums . 331/3 % Barbecue Grills and Accessories 30% Statuary and Fountains 50 % Casual Furniture Floor Samples 30% Porch and Patio Lights 1/2 Price Toro Power Equipment Special Sale Prices Wall Hangings and Pictures 20% Garden Shop and Greenhouse All Baskets, Pots, Plant Hangers, Plant Food 331/3% Landscape Department--Complete Plans 20% Fresh Flowers (Sale ends Jan. 2, 1983) 33 V3 % Sorry, No F.T.D. or Floral Tributes on Sale Green Plants 20 % Kero-Sun Total Savings with Free Goods & Dollars Off Is *53.77 While Supply In Stock Lasts...Sale Ends Jan. 9, 1983 SHARE OUTLOOK Mr. and Mrs. Don Howard, owners of Mr. Don's Cleaners, McHenry, and 200 other launderers and drycleaners took a look at their industry and the economy during the annual "State of the Industry" dinner sponsored by the Illinois State Fabricare association. The dinner, held at the Merchants and Manufacturers club in Chicago's Merchandise Mart, presented in­ dustry and fashion experts to share their outlooks from local and national vantages. ' _ LOWER BILLS For the third time in as many months, Commonwealth Edison company customers will see a credit on their bills reflecting fuel cost reductions. The typical residential customer using 500 kilowatthours per month will save $1-42 in Chicago and $1.36 outside of Chicago on the December bill. The reason for the lower bills, according to the company, is to reflect the reduced fuel costs of September, October and November which has been made possible by Edison's use of nuclear fuel. ^ owe r woe Routes 14 & 176 Crystal Lake, (815)459-6200 Hours: Sun. 10-5; Mon.-Fri. 9-5:30; Closed Christmas & New Years Day J HOW 10 SUBSCRIBE 10 IHE McHENRY PLAINDEALER The McHenry Plaindealer 381 2 W. Elm Street McHenry, II. 60050 • 3 YEARS • $40.00 • 2 YEARS - $28.50 • 1 YEAR-$16.50 • 6 MONTHS $8.50 • PAYMENT ENCLOSED Name Address . . City Prices gpod in McHenry County