UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

I want to execute my own utilities from my bin folder without having to specify paths at run time - i.e. just enter name on command line - to do
this my search path needs to be set up at login time - when I do this the path is not getting set right apparently(?) - PATH echos OK but the search
path is not functioning(?) until I set it at the prompt -
For example:
--------------------------------------------------
login as: bstansel
Using keyboard-interactive authentication.
Password:
Last login: Thu Jan 31 10:52:06 2008 from administrator
Sun Microsystems Inc. SunOS 5.10 Generic January 2005
-bash-3.00$ echo $PATH
/usr/bin:/adminhome/bstansel/bin
-bash-3.00$ LookFor . skip
-bash: LookFor: command not found
-bash-3.00$ PATH=/usr/bin:/adminhome/bstansel/bin
-bash-3.00$ LookFor . skip
./gorm
-bash-3.00$
-bash-3.00$ cat .profile
# This is the default standard profile provided to a user.
# They are expected to edit it to meet their own needs.
export PATH=$PATH:$HOME/bin
MAIL=/usr/mail/${LOGNAME:?}
-bash-3.00$
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It looks like the profile is working OK - the PATH looks OK - but the
LookFor utility is not found until after PATH is (re?)set - at which time it is found - ???

AHA (All Help Appreciated)

Many Thanks