Biz

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The ways of doing business have changed dramatically over the past 20 years, but one thing has remained the same: Some companies survive, some don’t.

In L.A., many don’t. In just the last year alone, no less than a dozen major public companies have been swept away by larger acquirers adding to a growing list that includes First Interstate, Ahmanson, Carter Hawley Hale and Glendale Federal.

There are more to come, with the pending acquisitions of Atlantic Richfield Co., Dames & Moore and Marshall Industries. Some speculate that it’s only a matter of time before Northrop Grumman is snatched up as well.

When measuring L.A.’s overall economy, the loss of these and other companies has had remarkably little effect thanks mostly to the continuing strength of the area’s largely anonymous small and mid-sized businesses. Still, it has left L.A. with somewhat of a ghost town image, especially downtown.

In looking back at the last two decades, the Business Journal has assembled 20 businesses large and not-so-large that have had a significant impact on L.A.’s business scene and also reflected the changing times.

Some of those profiled over the following pages don’t exist anymore snatched up by larger players or dismantled because of a failure to adjust to marketplace changes. Still others never recovered from bad decisions.

Arco went from the dizzying triumph of opening the Alaska pipeline in 1977 to takeover bait for BP Amoco a deal that will cost Los Angeles one of its most prominent corporate citizens.

Walt Disney Co. sputtered its way into the ’80s before Michael Eisner breathed new life in the operation even though it now faces challenges on several fronts.

Jacoby & Meyers became one of the most famous law firms in the nation by marketing itself as the Kmart of the legal profession.

Chiat/Day made a worldwide name for itself with a single commercial aired during the 1983 Super Bowl, and in the process it helped usher in the personal computer age.

And Century City-based Univision, after struggling through the early ’90s, became the nation’s leading Spanish-language television network with programming directed at the huge Latino market in L.A.

Taken as a whole, these 20 profiles serve as a road map of success or failure in L.A. business. As the folks at TBWA Chiat/Day might have said (until their high-profile ad campaign for Nissan was scrapped), enjoy the ride.

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