St. Charles County Business Record, MO articles from May 2004

St. Charles County Business Record, MO archives from May 2004

St. Charles Business Briefs April 3, 2004.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Mike Trask Will the last one leaving the building . . . The Economic Development Center of St. Charles County has been working with MCI to try to find tenants for the vast amount of vacant office space at the telecommunications...

St. Charles builders react to steel crisis.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Rachel Brown The steel industry is in turmoil, and the steel-dependent construction industry is paying the price. With so much new development under way in St. Charles County, local construction general contractors, subcontractors...

Proposal would make developers use erosion professionals.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Erin Conroy Lake Saint Louis officials plan to present to the Board of Aldermen this summer a proposal that would require developers to submit erosion control plans created by a certified erosion control professional. "We've...

Interview with top real estate agent.
May 4, 2004... Byline: Wm. Stage Having sold her first home in 1999, the St. Charles County Board of Realtors named Susie Johnson top agent for residential sales for the years 2001 through 2003. She serves and has served on the boards of various...

Auvi Technologies to announce sales strategy.
May 4, 2004... Byline: staff Today digital audio/visual designer and developer Auvi Technologies in St. Charles plans to announce its U.K. channel sales strategy through its first partner, Firebox.com, the online gadget, gifts and games retailer. The...

Venture capital forum on Wednesday.
May 4, 2004... Byline: staff Presenters from 18 entrepreneurial growth companies from all over the Midwest will gather for the opening reception of the InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 5, at the Chase Park Plaza in...

O'Fallon Chamber of Commerce to hold trivia night.
May 4, 2004... Byline: staff The O'Fallon Chamber of Commerce will host its annual trivia night at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 8, at O'Fallon Civic Hall in Civic Park. Cost is $120 for a table of eight or $15 per person. There will be cash prizes for table...

Blossom antique shop opens in Frenchtown.
May 4, 2004... Byline: staff Chandeliers dripping in crystals - or flowers - hang from the ceiling. Iron bed frames, unique mirrors, interesting lamps and wicker furniture are carefully arranged throughout the small shop. Pictures and vintage posters are...

321 Studios president to testify at congressional hearing.
May 4, 2004... Byline: Kathleen T. Brady 321 Studios President Robert Moore has been asked to testify at a May 12 congressional hearing for HR 107, legislation known as the Digital Media Consumers' Rights Act. The congressional hearing will take...

T.R. Hughes hosts sixth annual Wing Ding.
May 5, 2004... Byline: staff T.R. Hughes Inc. will host this year's St. Charles County sixth annual Wing Ding, a buffalo wings cooking contest, from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 17, at the Bass Pro Shops Sportsmen's Warehouse in St. Charles....

St. Charles County housing nearly doubles in March.
May 5, 2004... Byline: Kathleen T. Brady That the economy is really picking up speed is one conclusion that can be gathered when looking at St. Charles County housing permits in March. Housing permits for March 2004 nearly doubled compared to last year's...

Organization workshop offered for small business.
May 5, 2004... Byline: staff Pat Eberhardt from Getting Organized, a St. Peters-based firm, will hold a "Becoming a Professional Organizer" workshop from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 22, at the Hampton Inn on Dorsett and Highway 270. The workshop...

Commentary: Political rehabilitation needed for successful tort reform.
May 6, 2004... Byline: Mike Nixon There is no such thing as a perfect piece of legislation. Some will oppose a given phrase in the text, others will call the bill extreme, and some will claim the proposed law does not go far enough to satisfy their...

St. Charles Chamber of Commerce comes to support of car dealership.
May 6, 2004... Byline: Mike Trask Leaders of the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce have come out in public support of a car dealer's effort to move his business to a more viable location in the city. Charlotte Sparks, chamber president and CEO, presented...

Population growth in St. Charles County tops in state.
May 6, 2004... Byline: Kathleen T. Brady Current population numbers show the migration of the areas' work force from St. Louis County to St. Charles County. That's what St. Charles County business development guru David Leezer said in reference to...

U.S. Postal Service to debut Lewis & Clark stamps.
May 6, 2004... Byline: staff According to a Missouri Arts Council newsletter, the U.S. Postal Service will debut three new Lewis and Clark stamps May 14 at the first-day ceremony at the Frontier Park Trail by the Lewis & Clark Monument in St. Charles....

Open house to be held for Kimberly Road project.
May 6, 2004... Byline: staff Residents are invited to an open house from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday, May 10, at St. Peters City Hall to review plans for the Kimberly Road project as well as the conceptual plans for an adjacent mixed-use development along...

SBA releases Web-based loan application.
May 6, 2004... Byline: staff The U.S. Small Business Administration's new Web-based loan application solution is now available to participating lenders, creating an electronic gateway that will save lenders substantial time and resources when submitting...

Commentary: State chamber dislikes tort veto.
May 7, 2004... Byline: Daniel Mehan Dear Editor: The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry was extremely disappointed in Gov. Bob Holden's veto of HB 1304 [tort reform], legislation that would have provided much-needed civil justice reform for...

Clayco Construction hires project director.
May 7, 2004... Byline: staff John R. Rippy has joined Clayco Construction Co. as project director. A resident of Wentzville, Rippy brings to Clayco more than 25 years of experience in building controls and mechanical systems. In his new position, Rippy...

Bridgeway Counseling Services adds to board of directors.
May 7, 2004... Byline: staff Bridgeway Counseling Services welcomes the following new members to its board of directors: Nancy Schneider, owner of Ronan Signs in St. Peters, is vice president of ESPW of St. Charles; membership chair of the Women's...

SBA creates contracting opportunities for disabled veterans.
May 7, 2004... Byline: staff The U.S. Small Business Administration announced a new procurement program that will boost federal contract opportunities for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. The interim rule will be published soon and is...

State Dept. of Economic Development encourages global business opportunities.
May 7, 2004... Byline: staff In observance of World Trade Week, May 17 to 21, the Missouri Department of Economic Development will help communities stay informed about where the hottest market opportunities exist and learn about resources and networking...

Realtors' chapter recognized for `best practices'.
May 7, 2004... Byline: Mike Trask The National Association of Realtors has been keeping an eye on the activities of its St. Charles County association. As a result, the county association chief executive officer will travel to Washington, D.C., next week...

DeVry University offers local educators tuition-free courses.
May 7, 2004... Byline: staff As part of its commitment to lifelong learning, DeVry University is providing area educators a way to continue their education tuition free. Through DeVry's Educator Fellowship Program, qualified Missouri and Illinois high...

State Dept. of Economic Development reports strong growth.
May 7, 2004... Byline: staff The Missouri Department of Economic Development reported on Wednesday that a variety of economic indicators, such as job growth, unemployment and new businesses, are reflecting strong growth trends in the state. The...

Nurses association meets in Troy.
May 7, 2004... Byline: staff The Missouri Nurses Association, District No. 15 (St. Charles, Lincoln, Warren counties), will hold a dinner meeting at 6 p.m. on Monday, May 24, at Stefanina's, 180 Main St. in Troy, Mo. Winners of the annual scholarship and...

SBA selects new leader of St. Louis District office.
May 7, 2004... Byline: staff The U.S. Small Business Administration selected Maurice Dube to head its St. Louis District SBA office. Maurice Dube, who currently serves as the deputy district director of the Maine SBA District office in Augusta, will...

MO House passes Senate workers' comp bill.
May 10, 2004... Byline: staff Last week, the Missouri House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 932, a workers' compensation reform bill that would tighten the definition of accidents and occupational disease, among other things. The bill will be sent...

St. Charles' TIF districts receive mixed grades.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Mike Trask St. Charles' tax-increment financing districts have a mixed record of success thus far, according to a recent report by the city's finance director. By far the most successful TIF in St. Charles is the one commonly...

Athena Award for leadership presented to St. Charles businesswoman.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Kathleen T. Brady She considered not going. She thought for sure one of the other women nominated would win. But that's Grace Harmon for you: very giving, yet very humble. Harmon of Growing Families Inc. and Harmon...

Lear Corp. receives excellence awards.
May 10, 2004... Byline: staff Lear Corp., the world's largest automotive interior systems supplier, received four Ford Motor Co. World Excellence Awards for its superior performance in 2003. The World Excellence Awards provide annual recognition based on...

MO Dept. of Economic Development warns of credit union scam.
May 10, 2004... Byline: staff The Missouri Department of Economic Development posted a warning on its Web site about a potential scam involving an organization called "Heartland Credit Union," which may be advertising in Missouri newspapers soliciting...

Mastercard announces strong 1Q performance results.
May 12, 2004... Byline: staff MasterCard International announced strong performance results for the first three months of 2004. It generated a gross dollar volume of $331.9 billion, resulting from 3.7 million transactions by MasterCard cardholders in the...

Recent tax trends show county's economy picking up.
May 12, 2004... Byline: Mike Trask Even St. Charles County, for all its growth during the past couple of decades, has not been immune to downturns in the nation's economy. That was evident last year when county sales tax revenue grew by only 2.5...

Missouri gets $1 million for jobs, job training.
May 12, 2004... Byline: staff Missouri Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond and Rep. Kenny Hulshof announced the U.S. Transportation's approval of $1 million in federal dollars for the Job Access and Reverse Commute state programs. The Job Access program funds...

Missouri ranks in upper tier for business climate.
May 12, 2004... Byline: staff According to the America's Best Cities & States: The Annual Gold Guide to Leading Rankings, Missouri ranked 20th for its positive climate for entrepreneurs, 20th for its general business climate and 23rd in quality of life...

Bank of Old Monroe opens second branch in St. Charles County.
May 12, 2004... Byline: James Monahan There has been plenty of outward growth in St. Charles County in recent years, but the Bank of Old Monroe has expanded its operations by moving into the county. Founded in 1906 in downtown Old Monroe, the bank...

Quilogy's wireless prescription drug solution helps out.
May 13, 2004... Byline: staff St. Charles-based Quilogy created a wireless prescription drug solution for Massachusetts Medical Society in response to an Institute of Medicine study that found 44,000 to 98,000 annual patient deaths were attributed to...

U.S. Mint changes nickel for Lewis & Clark commemoration.
May 13, 2004... Byline: staff During the next two years, the U.S. Mint will produce four new pictures on the back of Jefferson nickels to commemorate the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804. The first version, already shipped out, features a design similar...

Citigroup to acquire Principal Residential Mortgage Inc.
May 13, 2004... Byline: staff Citigroup announced on Wednesday that it will acquire Iowa-based Principal Residential Mortgage Inc., one of the largest independent mortgage companies in the United States. The transaction includes approximately $6.9 billion...

Builder seeks commercial developer for Bellemeade.
May 13, 2004... Byline: Mike Trask Taylor-Morley Homes plans to choose a commercial developer for its Bellemeade development in St. Peters within the next two months, according to Julie Kennedy, president of property management for the company. The...

Ergonomics important to bottom line.
May 13, 2004... Byline: James Monahan When a worker complains of a bad back or a sore arm, it might be a good idea to listen. The cost of investing in ergonomically correct office equipment is far less than costs resulting from a disabling injury. ...

St. Charles Community College selects Paric as construction manager.
May 14, 2004... Byline: staff The St. Charles Community College board of trustees has selected O'Fallon-based Paric Corp. as construction manager to build the next phase, Phase 4, of the college campus. Paric was the construction management firm for Phase...

Big Dog Motorcycles drive into town.
May 14, 2004... Byline: staff Big Dog Motorcycles, the leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance cruisers, will stop at Wentzville May 24 during its annual 10-day POW/MIA fund-raising journey to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C....

MO's Purchasing Managers' Index highest since 1994.
May 14, 2004... Byline: staff Missouri's Purchasing Managers' Index reached its highest level since 1994 in April. The state's PMI score increased to 72.9 from 67.9 in March, according to the monthly Mid-American Business Conditions Survey, conducted by...

SSM St. Joseph Health Center honors nurses.
May 14, 2004... Byline: staff The eighth annual Lee Oppeau Excellence in Nursing and Rookie of the Year awards were presented during the National Nurses' Week celebration May 6 to 12 at SSM St. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles and SSM St. Joseph...

St. Charles welcomes new businesses.
May 14, 2004... Byline: staff The following are new businesses in St. Charles: All Auto & Air, 2239 N. Third St.; Assured Title Co., 1475 Fairgrounds; Gateway "A" Creations L.L.C., 3398 Carriage Crossing; Mac's C'Mon Inn, 138 N. Kingshighway St.; Michael...

Commentary: Context must be considered to understand legal apologies.
May 14, 2004... Byline: Mike Nixon Last summer, University of Missouri law professor Jennifer Robbennolt conducted a study that demonstrated the favorable effects of avoiding long and costly lawsuits by having defendants issue formal apologies to...

New image, more equipment gained from O'Fallon Brewery's semipublic offering.
May 14, 2004... Byline: Rachel Brown O'Fallon Brewery is dedicated to a clear mission - to be profitable as the second-strongest local microbrew brand of beer behind Schlafly Beer. By investing in a new corporate image and equipment to expand production...

County Recorder of Deeds goes high-tech.
May 14, 2004... Byline: James Monahan While the area prepares to celebrate the bicentennial anniversary of the explorers Lewis' and Clark's start of their historic journey, a county government office is touting its technological advances. The St....

Commentary: Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital honors emergency medical staff.
May 14, 2004... Byline: staff A letter to the editor: Next week the entire country will be celebrating National Emergency Medical Services Week (May 16-22, 2004). It's a time set aside by the American College of Emergency Physicians to salute the more...

Clayco Construction adds Ridgway as construction administrator.
May 14, 2004... Byline: staff Lake Saint Louis resident Angela M. Ridgway has joined Clayco Construction Co. as construction administrator in Mission Control. Clayco's Mission Control tracks all designs, documents, meetings and changes, serving as the...

Commerce Bank presents 2004 Community Service Award.
May 14, 2004... Byline: staff Anita L. Hockett was awarded the 2004 Community Service Award sponsored by Commerce Bank at a luncheon held on Friday, April 30, at Whitmoor Country Club. A grant of $7,500 funded by the William T. Kemper and Commerce...

New Better Business Bureau officers announced.
May 14, 2004... Byline: staff Michael Ferman, partner of Rubin, Brown, Gornstein & Co. L.L.P., was elected chairman of the Better Business Bureau board of directors at its annual meeting May 3. Ferman, vice chairman for the past year, succeeds Kevin F....

St. Peters Chamber of Commerce welcomes new members.
May 14, 2004... Byline: staff The following are new members of the St. Peters Chamber of Commerce in April/May: GE Financial Advisors, Gary Huber; Alderman Rocky Reitmeyer, Ward 1; Arts Council of St. Charles County, Nancy Pruitt; AXA Advisors, Richard...

St. Charles Chamber of Commerce welcomes new members.
May 14, 2004... Byline: staff The following are new members of the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce in April/May: Client Services Inc., Stephanie Barron; Cord Moving & Storage Co., Charles Wormek; Custom Mortgage Solutions Inc., Monique Padgett; Foresters,...

Missouri chamber offers low-cost 401(k) option.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Amy Amour While no company in Missouri is required to offer a 401(k), or retirement package, for its employees, many companies utilize a strong 401(k) program as an added benefit to draw and retain good employees. But small...

St. Charles Business Briefs: May 17, 2004.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Mike Trask Boeing celebrates production of 7,000th missile Boeing recently celebrated the production of the 7,000th Harpoon missile at its facility in St. Charles City. Boeing unit Integrated Defense Systems delivered the...

Sacks named Small Business Person of Year.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Kathleen T. Brady It's very simple, really. We learned it in kindergarten, and we learned it in church: Treat others the way you want to be treated, and always tell the truth. That's what Richard Sacks, owner of The Sacks...

Legislators pass bill to address insolvent unemployment insurance fund.
May 18, 2004... Byline: staff On Friday, Missouri legislators passed House Bill 1268, a bill that would help rectify the state's bankrupt unemployment insurance system. The bill, which awaits the governor's signature, combines a conservative employer...

Savor food-beer-wine tasting scheduled in June.
May 18, 2004... Byline: staff The St. Peters Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Savor food-beer-wine-tasting event from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 23, at St. Peters City Hall. Live music from Mid Life Crisis will entertain guests. The...

Interview with St. Charles architect.
May 18, 2004... Byline: Wm. Stage Since 1990, S.J. Hollander Architect P.C. has maintained a continuous architectural practice in the city of St. Charles. Recently completed projects include Frontenac Bank and First State Bank in St. Charles, Jim Trenary...

Medical Transportation Management named 'outstanding business'.
May 18, 2004... Byline: Mike Trask It's that time of year when local governments and chambers of commerce hand out awards to deserving businesses. The latest to do so is the Lake Saint Louis Chamber of Commerce, which last week presented its 2004...

Layoffs continue at MCI Weldon Spring campus.
May 19, 2004... Byline: Mike Trask MCI emerged from bankruptcy last month, but all is not yet rosy for the telecommunications provider, now headquartered in a suburb of Washington, D.C. Last Friday, approximately 200 workers based at the company's...

LMI Aerospace 1st quarter reports decline; officials remain positive.
May 19, 2004... Byline: Kathleen T. Brady While its first-quarter report looks dreary, the company remains hopeful for the second quarter and 2004 year end, according to LMI Aerospace Inc. President Ron Saks. "Our first quarter 2004 results fell below...

The Newberry Group CEO represents eastern Missouri at conference.
May 19, 2004... Byline: staff Brenda Newberry, president and CEO of St. Charles-based The Newberry Group, will be one of three representatives from eastern, western and central Missouri knowledge-based companies who will share their insights about the...

SSM Medical Park celebrates birthday.
May 19, 2004... Byline: staff This June marks the one-year anniversary of SSM Health Care's opening of its $30 million comprehensive ambulatory care facility at 1475 Kisker Road in St. Peters. The public is invited to attend the birthday celebration from...

Commerce Bank rolls out small-business free checking.
May 19, 2004... Byline: staff Commerce Bank has recently unveiled its Small Business Free Checking product to help make the process of managing business finances easier and more convenient for its small-business customers. The offer includes free debit...

Better Business Bureau reports status of two local businesses.
May 20, 2004... Byline: staff The Better Business Bureau announced an unsatisfactory rating for All Aboard Auto Transport Inc., located at 2 Rheims Court in Lake Saint Louis for failing to respond to 15 complaints since 2002 involving damage to...

St. Peters school tops fund-raiser for Olive Garden.
May 20, 2004... Byline: staff Warren Elementary School in St. Peters was one of the top fund-raisers among 37 participating schools in Arkansas, Illinois and Missouri for Olive Garden's 10th annual Pasta For Pennies fund-raiser, which benefits The...

MEMC Electronic named top supplier by X-FAB Semiconductor.
May 20, 2004... Byline: staff MEMC Electronic Materials Inc. in St. Peters announced Wednesday that it received the 2003 Supplier of the Year Award from Erfurt, Germany-based X-FAB Semiconductor Foundries for its high-level of overall quality, delivery,...

Nat'l Federation of Independent Business provides legislative session update.
May 20, 2004... Byline: Kathleen T. Brady The cutthroat competition of CBS's "Survivor" can't hold a candle to the antics of the Missouri legislators this year, said Brad Jones, director of the National Federation of Independent Business in Missouri. ...

St. Charles Chamber of Commerce holds business awards.
May 20, 2004... Byline: Mike Trask Getting a new business started and turning it into a successful venture is no easy task. But challenges, no matter what they are, can be overcome, local business owner Brenda Newberry told more than 200 people who...

Commentary: Governor's letter raises issues about military-civilian cooperation.
May 21, 2004... Byline: Mike Nixon Even his consistent critics had to admit last week that Gov. Bob Holden's questioning the use of Missouri National Guard troops in Iraq did carry some merit. Holden is the first governor in the United States to voice...

St. Louis Home Builders Assn. requests that Wentzville allows prepayment of water/sewer tap fees.
May 21, 2004... Byline: Amy Amour The city of Wentzville projects that it will see 1,300 to 1,500 new homes built this year; new homes have already exceeded estimations for the year with 629 completed homes in the first quarter of 2004. Last year 1,027...

Ameristar casinos plans to stay course in St. Charles.
May 21, 2004... Byline: Mike Trask Ameristar Casino officials are keeping an eye on the proposals to build new casino developments in St. Louis City and south St. Louis County, but they are not contemplating any major changes because of them. "We're...

St. Louis-based Rolwes Co. honored with builder award.
May 21, 2004... Byline: staff Rolwes Co. has been honored with the prestigious Builder of Integrity award by the Quality Builders Warranty Corp. The award acknowledges the firm's excellent services, integrity and quality construction. QBW, one of the most...

St. Peters hospital chief of anesthesia elected president of MSA.
May 21, 2004... Byline: staff Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital chief of anesthesia Dr. John Menius was elected president-elect of the Missouri Society of Anesthesiologists. He will serve as president starting in April 2005. The organization's mission is...

St. Charles Community College honor society takes top awards.
May 21, 2004... Byline: staff St. Charles Community College students of the Alpha Xi Chi, the campus chapter of Phi Theta Kappa international honor society of the two-year college, received the 5-Star Chapter award, the highest noncompetitive honor...

Quilogy hosts Webcast `field trip' for county students.
May 21, 2004... Byline: staff Another Webcast "field trip," sponsored by Partners for Progress and hosted by Quilogy, was conducted for local students in the county in May. The interactive broadcast session, titled "Capitol Deliberations, Exploring the...

St. Louis based e-WomenNetwork hosts business exchange with founder.
May 21, 2004... Byline: staff e-WomenNetwork will host a business exchange from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, June 4, at Greenbriar Hills Country Club, 12665 Big Bend Blvd. in St. Louis. The business exchange will feature Sandra Yancey, CEO and founder...

State's Div. of Workforce Development reports successes in 2003.
May 21, 2004... Byline: staff A new report concludes the Missouri Department of Economic Development's Division of Workforce Development has improved efficiencies and is successfully meeting an increased number of goals in serving Missouri's workers and...

Willenberg promoted to facilities services manager at Coldwell Banker Commercial.
May 21, 2004... Byline: staff Coldwell Banker Commercial CRA L.L.C. promoted Paul Willenberg of St. Charles to facilities services manager. With more than 16 years of maintenance experience, Willenberg has been with Coldwell Banker Commercial for the past...