This is very hard to accurately gauge but very important to the economic success of any area. Business climate is what I’d like to address this week. It is comprised of several different things and how they interrelate. An area’s business climate is the general economic environment related to government, politics, business activity, labor union relationships, tax policy, inflation, lending institutions, workforce, and more. National, state, and local policy have impact on the overall business

Wednesday, October 3, was a big day for several local manufacturers and many local students. We’ve been talking about the challenges facing local manufacturers in their quest to hire workers. Manufacturing Day was another step in the right direction. It is a statewide event held at regional campuses. The Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center served as host to seven area companies and more than 250 students from grades seven and eight, and high school juniors and seniors. The companies

One of the most important factors of a successful chamber of commerce is a strong on-line presence. A powerful and effective website is a must for our industry. Not only is it important to our membership, it serves as one of the front doors to our region. Our website, capechamber.com , offers tremendous value to our membership and great information for everyone. Two of the most frequently used areas are the Business Directory and the Calendar of Events. The Directory is used by both members and

Did you know more than 11% of the private sector workforce in Cape Girardeau County is employed in the field of manufacturing? Almost 4,000 people work in more than 180 manufacturing facilities in our county. The average weekly wage for these jobs was a little more than $1,000 in 2017 accounting for more than 203 million dollars ($203,000,000) in payroll. That’s a lot of buying power and a significant piece of our local economy. The types of products manufactured locally may surprise many of you

Are chambers of commerce part of a national or state governing structure? This is a question I hear regularly. The simple answer is …. NO. The Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce is a stand-alone, not-for-profit membership corporation with a more than 100 year history. We exist for, and because of our membership. Unlike many other non-profit groups, we are not a subset of a national group. But wait a minute. Isn’t there a U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a Missouri Chamber of Commerce and

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 steam and having positive results in other areas of the state and country. Missouri has many veterans looking to re-enter the workforce. These workers have a proven work ethic and a variety of

What started as in idea in 1975 has become a valuable tool in the area’s economic development infrastructure. The Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority is located in Scott City on the Cape Girardeau County / Scott County line. A cornerstone of the Port’s development came in 1985 when more than 70% of voters in the two counties approved a one quarter cent sales tax that sunset in 1990. The slackwater harbor was completed in 1989 and the general cargo dock followed in 1990. Both Burlington

The Chamber wants to be sure YOU understand how glad we are to see you! Since 1873, students and faculty alike have made their way to the campus of Southeast Missouri State University to begin a new semester and a life changing experience. This year will be no different. On behalf of the regional business and professional community, we want to welcome you and express our appreciation for all you bring to strengthen our area. Our partnerships with the University are numerous and our relationships

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 intrepreneurs and their benefit to the companies in which they work. I believe once you

Keeping our young, talented workers in the area is so important to the stability and future of our workforce. Several years ago, the Chamber began a young professionals group as a result of input from our existing members. Many said their young workers struggled with ways to meet people and get involved in the local area. They wanted to make a difference and get more grounded in the community. The result was our formation of the Chamber Young Professionals. The Chamber Young Professionals (or