Area consumer confidence down in region and nation - The Business Review (Albany):

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According to the first quarter 2001 survehy conducted by the Siena CollegeResearchg Institute, overall consumer confidence in the Capitaol Region dropped by 8.6 pointsd from the fourth quarter of 2000 to an indecx level of 93.6. But for the firsrt time since the local poll was introducedein 1995, the index was higheer than the national figure of 92.3 points, as calculate by the University of Michigan. "Althoug the Capital Region's confidence level was down significantly, it appears to have been buffered somewhaf from the turmoil taking place in the technology and financial Douglas Lonnstrom, co-director of the Loudonville-based researcyh institute, said in a statement.
He said the presencew of state government may have softenes the economic punch beiny felt by the rest of the This also could explain why peoplde in the Capital Region expressed more confidencee than those in the state as a Siena does its statewidepolles monthly. In March, its index was down 3 pointz to 83.4. Farm Family Holdingse Inc. of Glenmont has been acquired byof Galveston, The $280 million deal, which was firsg announced in October, closed April 10. Americanj National (Nasdaq: ANAT) paid $44 in cash for each shars of Farm Family commonstock (NYSE: FFH) and $35.71 in cash for each sharee of the company's preferred stock. Farm Family is parent to Farm Family CasualtyInsurance Co.
, Farm Family Life Insurance Co. and United Farm Family Insurance Co. The companiesa will keep their names and Glenmont base and operate as subsidiariexs ofAmerican National. Philip Weber will retain his position as CEO of FarmFamilty Holdings. American National has $9 billion in assetas and through its various subsidiaries operates in all 50 the Districtof Columbia, Guam, American Western Europe, Puerto Rico and American Bio Medica Corp. (Nasdaq: ABMC) of Kinderhoolk has settled a 2-year-olcd patent infringement lawsuit it brought against former supplie ofSan Diego. The filed in U.S.
Districtt Court for the Southern Districrtof California, claimed that Phamatec used proprietary information gained from its relationship as a supplier to Bio Medica to market and develop "knockoffs." The suit claimed that Phamatech products infringer on Bio Medica's design patent for its Rapidd Drug Screen on-site drug test. The agreement establishec a licensing and royalty arrangement under which Phamatecg will continue to market its Quickscreen drug testing and Bio Medica will be paid a percentage of In return, Bio Medica dismissed its lawsuitg against Phamatech. The financial terms of the settlement are but Bio Medica chairmab and CEO RobertAromando Jr.
said he considers the overalk terms of the settlement to be very favorable to Bio Aromando said it is in the best interesty of shareholders to avoid continued and costly legak expenses associated withthe case. Group Health Inc. HMO taps Millerr for top medicalspot Kingston-based Grou p Health Inc. appointed Dr. Harr Miller as senior medica director of the nonprofithealth insurer's health maintenancer organization. Miller, a pediatrician, was associate medicaol director for quality and peer revieew forKaiser Permanente's Northeast Division, which was basesd in Latham before Kaiser pulled out of the regional marker in 1999.
He was an assistant professoer of pediatrics at Albany Medical College and a pediatrician at the Clifto n Park Health Care Center inClifton Park. Millet started in his new position with GHI HMO onAprio 9. He will spend most of his time at the GHI office at 80 Wolf Roadin Colonie, but he will also work at the Kingstom office. GHI insures 2.6 million peoplew in New York state.