Briefcase

Association names new operating officer

The Lawrence-based Golf Course Superintendents Association of America has named Julian Arredondo its new chief operating officer, effective March 1.

Arredondo currently is the association’s chief financial officer. He replaces Chuck Borman, who is leaving to become the executive director of the Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Assn.

Arredondo, who has worked for the association since 1993, will supervise several of the organization’s major programs. Steve Mona, the association’s chief executive, said the organization will launch a search to find a new chief financial officer to replace Arredondo, but no timeline has been set to fill the position.

Topeka

Payless lowers outlook

Topeka-based Payless ShoeSource lowered its fourth-quarter and 2002 fiscal year earnings guidance due to lower-than-expected holiday sales.

The company now expects fourth- quarter earnings of 10 cents to 20 cents per share, down from a prior estimate of 28 to 48 cents per share. For the full year, the company expects earnings of $4.52 to $4.62 per share, down from a prior estimate of $4.70 to $4.90 per share.

Shares of the company’s stock on the New York Stock Exchange rose $1.34 Thursday to close at $51.57.

Telecommunications

Verizon, Sprint claim No. 3 in long distance

Both Verizon Communications and Sprint Corp. are clamoring to claim third place in the long-distance telephone industry.

New York-based Verizon Communications pronounced itself No. 3 this week, citing an industry survey that gave it a bigger percentage of long-distance households than Sprint.

But Overland Park-based Sprint, which has long held the third spot behind AT&T Corp. and WorldCom Inc., disagrees. Citing the same survey, conducted by TNS Telecoms, Sprint said it was still No. 3 based on the measure that really matters — revenue share.

The TNS study, a quarterly survey of residential telephone consumers, found that as of the third quarter of 2002, Verizon had 10.4 percent of long-distance households, and Sprint had 8.3 percent.