Today's number: 16,748,604

North American automotive production in 2002, up 5.9 percent from 2001 and the third-largest total ever, Ward's Automotive Reports expects.

The Associated Press

Today's mover

Jude Hehman has joined Paul Hemmer Cos. as building service coordinator in the building service group. Mr. Hehman will be responsible for business development and service management for the company's building care program. Before joining Paul Hemmer Cos., he founded the Hehman Properties Building Management Services Co. He attended Thomas More College.

Shirley Dees

Today's career tip

Trust is usually viewed as a character trait. But after a year of corporate scandals, leaders are beginning to see that trust has an important role as a discipline to be managed and enhanced in a workplace setting. Developing a strategy to do that, Robert Galford and Anne Seibold Drapeau say in The Trusted Leader: Bringing Out the Best in Your People and Your Company, is easier said than done. A key building block is trust in the leader. "It is a trust that you will extend a level of care for their well-being," the authors say. "Employees believing in this trust, in return, show at least some loyalty to you."

John Eckberg

Today's money tip

Think of a total market index fund like this: You bet on every horse in the race. The stronger, front-runner horse gets a little bigger wager, but dark-horse gives a bigger payoff. Someone in the race is going to win, and you are guaranteed to get some payout if you stay in the race long enough.

Amy Higgins

Today's Company: Creative Shapes Inc.

Furniture That Works: A niche producer of custom office furniture, Creative Shapes was founded in 1986. The company crafts work surfaces, tables, desks and cabinets from laminated wood material at its Camp Washington shop. Three of its five employees are craftsmen.

New Tools For The Trade: In November, Creative Shapes was purchased by Victoria Archable, a former corporate sales and marketing executive. She plans to enhance the company's processes, invest in additional technology and automation, and do more marketing of the company's products and services.

Shaping Tristate Offices: Creative Shapes sells both to end users and furniture/design professionals. Its customers include Great Oaks Institute of Technology, Beechmont Ford, McCluskey Chevrolet, Working Environments, Loth MBI and Contract Interiors.

Jenny Callison