Lane also remained active in business, serving as president of an aircraft corporation and a bridge company.

The bridge company insists on Øresundsbron, a compromise between the two languages.

Not long after, Ellet left the project after a bitter financial dispute with the bridge companies.

This event deterred investors, and the bridge company could not raise enough money to start construction.

The recent whirlwind of events had caught the bridge company unaware.

Johnson ran the bridge company well, and remained as president of the corporation for several years.

The virus has spread to all levels, hitting designer lines and bridge companies alike.

The bridge company relented and planning began almost immediately.

"There have been so many price pressures put on all the bridge companies," Ms. Tompkins said.

Austin was an executive of a graphite, a lead and a bridge company in Detroit, Michigan.