This is a big week for Southeast Missouri State University and the entire Cape Girardeau region. Monday, October 25 th through Saturday, October 30 th , is Homecoming week for the University. This is an exciting annual tradition that provides lots of opportunities for alumni and the general public. These include Alumni Coffee and cookies, many fraternity and sorority gatherings, the Copper Dome Dinner, Academic Hall dome tours, the Homecoming parade, and, of course, Saturday’s football game

Should you really start your holiday shopping now? We are aware of the worker shortage facing our country. And now, supply chain issues are also prominent. During the pandemic, consumers shifted much of their spending habits away from services to more tangible products. As a result of issues related to COVID and this shift in spending, there are hundreds of thousands of containers stuck on ships at the Long Beach and Los Angeles ports. In a continuing effort to bring goods to market, the Los

The recently released September jobs report showed U.S. job growth fell to the slowest pace in 2021. The economy added 194,000 jobs representing the smallest monthly gain since December 2020. The unemployment rate dropped to 4.8% as many workers exited the workforce. A decline in public sector jobs, primarily in schools, was the biggest factor in the weak numbers. Many people believe the spread of the Delta variant of COVID has kept a certain percentage of potential workers on the sidelines.

Location, location, location – the phrase is well-known in real estate AND in economic development Missouri is in a great geographic position with its location in the center of the United States. This should be a huge advantage in economic development. We are rich in many transportation resources including rivers, rail, highways, airports, and river ports. Within 500 miles of the state of Missouri is 43% of the U.S. population, 41% of buying power, and 44% of both wholesale trade and

What are Intrapreneurs and are they good for your organization? In the last several years, the term “Intrapreneurs” has become more widely known. Intrapreneurs are employees within an organization who are not likely to start their own enterprise, but who apply the essential principles of entrepreneurship to their positions in the business. About five years ago, Forbes Magazine examined the traits of Intrapreneurs and their benefit to the companies in which they work. I believe once you

As the competition for workers remains fierce, employers are looking outside traditional labor pools. In the Cape/Jackson metro area, there are more open positions than available workers. We are urging employers to look at various non-traditional sources for help. A couple of these methods are gaining support and having some results here and in other areas of the state. Missouri is home to many veterans looking to re-enter the workforce when they complete their service to our country. These

This is certainly one of the largest regional events in the area drawing tens of thousands over an eight-day period. Yes, it's fair week in Cape Girardeau. After last year’s event was cancelled, this marks the 166 Annual SEMO District Fair. The United States was an agricultural nation in its infancy and fairs were organized to encourage farmers to develop new and better techniques in growing crops and raising livestock. SEMO District Fair Board has shared economic data related to the event.

My guess is you’ll find these numbers as surprising as I did. They are certainly important to be aware of and understand. The non-profit sector is big business in the United States, the state of Missouri, and right here in Cape Girardeau County. Some eye-opening information is contained in a study of the economic impact of the non-profit sector conducted by the University of Missouri – Kansas City just prior to the pandemic. Nationally, there are more than 1.4 million nonprofits with $2.26

According to Zig Ziglar, “The only thing worse than training employees and losing them is not training them and keeping them.” Professional development is an important ongoing part of business success. It should permeate all levels of organizations large and small. And while most employers would agree with the importance, many have come up short with sustained implementation. And in today’s tight labor market, it is even more important Let’s look at this from two perspectives; employer and

It is mandated by the U.S. Constitution, happens every ten years, and the results are used for many purposes. Of course, I’m talking about the U.S. Census. The Census Bureau just released the raw numbers for the 2020 count. This data is used to determine seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, define legislative districts nationally, and at the state level, and to help determine how more than $675 billion dollars in federal funds are distributed. While these raw numbers don’t include a lot