What’s Happening In The Region

October 29, 2010

Register Today For RCGA Breakfast With The Gazelles On Tuesday, November 16th Featuring Tim Eby And Alicia Shepard: NPR has been in the national news quite a bit in the past week, following dismissal of former NPR commentator Juan Williams. For insight into this important national and local news institution, plan to join us for the next RCGA Breakfast with the Gazelles featuring 90.7 KWMU St. Louis Public Radio General Manager Tim Eby and National Public Radio Ombudsman Alicia Shepard, at the RCGA offices on Tuesday, November 16th.

Tim and Alicia will speak on, “The State of Journalism Today and Public Radio’s Role.”

For more information about these and other upcoming RCGA Breakfast with the Gazelles programs, please contact RCGA Vice President for Membership Services Colin Stahlhut today at (314) 444-1145, or e-mail him at cstahlhut@stlrcga.org.

October 28, 2010

TIME Magazine Piece Underscores Importance Of Investing In Metro Area Clusters To Create Jobs, Exports: The latest issue of TIME magazine, now on newsstands, features an essay by Bruce Katz, founding director of the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution, called “City Centered.”

Both the issue’s cover story, written by Fareed Zakaria, “How to Restore the American Dream,” and Katz’ essay provide a thoughtful and comprehensive examination of how our nation can re-balance its economy to be more sustainable and inclusive and re-assert its economic leadership. Zakaria, editor of Newsweek International & host of CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS, spoke in St. Louis earlier this month as part of the St. Louis Speakers Series, presented by Maryville University.

Katz’s essay points to the critical role our nation’s metros, and their emerging industry clusters, will play in retooling and reviving the U.S. economy. In it, he writes, “The U.S. needs its metro powerhouses to lead the way as it makes a painful transition from an economy fueled by debt, speculation and excess consumption to one in which we grow in productive, sustainable and inclusive ways.” I am pleased to serve as a partner in the Brookings Institute’s Blueprint for American Prosperity Project.

Katz’s essay affirms many of the conclusions reached in the RCGA’s just-completed St. Louis Regional Economic Development Strategy and Campaign --- including the further refinement of St. Louis’ industry clusters, Plant & Agricultural Technology, Health Sciences & Services, and Advanced Energy Technology Sustainable Technologies Clusters, as well as the St. Louis Climate Prosperity Project, and the leadership by Dr. Bill Danforth and John McDonnell in the evolution of the Coalition for Plant & Life Sciences, CORTEX, and area incubators.

The essay at www.Time.com also features a taped interview with Katz. The page also features other important topics, such as TIME’s new collaboration with the National Building Museum and IBM on Intelligent Cities. Brookings serves as an advisor to that effort.

TIME reaches an audience of 24 million readers worldwide.

October 27, 2010

2011 InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum Open For Entrepreneurs Seeking Investment: Friday, November 12th is the deadline for businesses seeking investors to meet the early application deadline for the 2011 InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum.

InvestMidwest is the annual showcase for the best technology and high-growth companies throughout the Midwest and surrounding states. Entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply in time for the early November 12th deadline. Companies that apply by then will receive preferential consideration by the selection committees. The final deadline for applications is Friday, January 7th.

Now entering its 12th year, InvestMidwest, which will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, March 30th and 31st in the Kansas City metro area, continues to attract participation by growing Midwestern entrepreneurial companies seeking investment. The selected companies present to some of the nation’s top venture capitalists and angel investors. Companies that presented at InvestMidwest over its first 11 years have raised more than $400 million in equity investment. The host site is the Overland Park Convention Center, Overland Park, KS.

InvestMidwest will once again bring together some of the country’s leading venture capitalists, corporate investors and angel investors, who will gather for the presentations. Selection of presenting companies is based on a company’s value proposition, management team, products or services, marketing strategy, market opportunity and financial summary. Those firms selected will receive guidelines and guidance to ensure that their presentations meet the Forum’s professional standards.

The 2011 forum will feature high-growth companies on three tracks: one track will be for life and bio-sciences; one will focus on clean technology and alternative energy, and the final track will feature general business and technology.

InvestMidwest over the last 11 years has been held in alternative years in St. Louis and in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Last year’s event in St. Louis featured 44 companies.

The 12th annual InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum is supported by a diverse group of public and corporate sponsors. Organizational sponsors are: the RCGA; KCSourceLink; Missouri Venture Forum; The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce; and the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation (KTEC).

If any RCGA Leadership Circle members have clients or otherwise know of emerging companies interested in presenting their business cases for venture funding, please contact InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum Executive Director Christine Walsh at (314) 444-1151, e-mail her at cwalsh@stlrcga.org, or visit www.investmidwestforum.com.

October 26, 2010

RCGA Urges A "NO" Vote On Proposition A: On Tuesday, November 2nd Missouri voters will have the opportunity to vote on Proposition A, an initiative that would mandate a vote in the City of St. Louis next April to retain or phase out the earnings tax over a period of 10 years. The 1% earnings tax is levied on those who reside or work in the City of St. Louis, and currently generates roughly 1/3 of the City's general revenue. The City would be mandated to have another vote every 5 years, even if the tax is retained by voters next April.

The RCGA's Public Policy Council and the RCGA Executive Committee have approved a resolution in opposition to Proposition A. (To view a copy of the resolution, please click here.) The fiscal stability of the City and its ability to continue to provide essential public services are vital to maintaining and developing both the City and the regional economy. The ballot initiative does not provide for a revenue replacement mechanism, and the loss of 1/3 of the City's general revenue could cripple its ability to deliver basic services, such as police and fire protection! Further, the requirement of a retention vote for the tax every 5 years could adversely impact the City's bond rating, both now and in the future. For more information on Prop A, please click here.

The RCGA is committed to its mission of developing and sustaining a world-class economy and community for the St. Louis region, and therefore opposes the statewide initiative petition regarding the City earnings tax, and will encourage and facilitate further regional discussions on ways to enhance the City's fiscal stability and economic growth.

October 25, 2010

Robert J. Baer Endowed Scholarship In Public Policy Administration Announced: I was pleased to join St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley, and University of Missouri-St. Louis Vice Chancellor Martin Leifeld this past Friday morning in announcing plans to honor Bob Baer for his lifelong commitment to the St. Louis region by establishing an endowed scholarship in his name in Public Policy Administration at UMSL. We made the announcement at the Metro Board meeting Friday morning. The St. Louis Beacon featured an article about this announcement on Friday. Please click here.

Bob Baer

Bob’s record of public service spans decades and includes leadership roles as executive director of the Bi-State Development Agency (now Metro), president of the Police Board of Commissioners, chairman of the St. Louis Regional Complex Sports Authority, and president of Metro. Bob retired last week from Metro after nearly 3 years as the agency's president and chief executive officer. He is succeeded by John Nations, who until recently was mayor of Chesterfield.

The University has asked former St. Louis Mayor Vince Schoemehl to spearhead the effort to raise significant contributions to fund the endowment. Mayor Slay and County Executive Dooley have agreed to be co-chairs of the effort. The Robert J. Baer Endowed Scholarship in Public Policy Administration will be the premier Public Policy award at UMSL and will serve as an invaluable recruiting tool to ensure that more of our region's public servants stay in the region for their education. Please contact Brenda McPhail, Associate Vice Chancellor for University Advancement, at 314.516.6503, or bmcphail@umsl.edu, if you are interested in contributing.

Public Policy Administration is an interdisciplinary program that has received national recognition. Graduates of the program go on to hold managerial and analytic positions in the public and nonprofit sectors.

October 20, 2010

November/December St. Louis Commerce Magazine To Announce Top 50 Winners, As Well As Saluting Peabody Energy & Express Scripts: Our annual special edition of Commerce Magazine will announce the 2010 Greater St. Louis Top 50 award recipients. This is the 15th year that the St. Louis top companies are being honored in what has become an annual civic tradition dating back to the inaugural program in 1996, which the RCGA and RubinBrown LLP are pleased to co-present. Additional corporate and media sponsors of the Top 50 program are: Ameren; Edward Jones; M&I Bank; Thompson Coburn; the St. Louis Post-Dispatch; STLtoday.com; NewsRadio 1120 KMOX; and Commerce Magazine.

We hope you and your colleagues in your firm are able to join us as we present the 2010 Ameren Corporate Citizenship Award to Peabody Energy and Peabody Energy Chairman & CEO Greg Boyce, and the 2010 Spirit of St. Louis Technology Award to Express Scripts and Chairman, President & CEO George Paz, at the Greater St. Louis Top 50 Awards Gala & Dinner on Thursday evening, November 11th, at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch Hotel.

For reservations for the Greater St. Louis Top 50 Dinner, please contact RCGA Vice President for Membership Services Colin Stahlhut today, at 314.444.1145, or email him at cstahlhut@stlrcga.org.

A sampling of other featured articles in the upcoming November/December issue of Commerce include: a cover story on the recently-completed international design competition for the Arch Grounds and next steps; an in-depth piece on the new Regional Economic Development Strategy and Campaign; an article on the State of the Construction Industry and key construction projects in the St. Louis region; announcement of the AGC Construction Keystone Awards; and a piece on the new state-of-the-art SIUE Health Sciences building.

October 19, 2010

“Start-Up Connection” On Thursday, November 4th Continues Focus On Talent, Entrepreneurship And Innovation: The 2010 “St. Louis Start-Up Connections” program continues with the next event to be held on Thursday, November 4th, from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at IT Enterprises (ITe), 4633 World Parkway Circle (off Natural Bridge Road near the University of Missouri at St. Louis). Start-Up Connections are timely open houses that bring together entrepreneurs, tech professionals, CEOs, students, transitioning talent, scientists, investors and policy-makers to share ideas and information about science and technology start-ups.

2010 Start-Up Connection sponsors included the RCGA, the BioGenerator; CORTEX; Innovate St. Louis; IT Entrepreneur Network (ITEN); Polsinelli Shughart; Nidus Center for Scientific Enterprise; Tech Electronics; and RCGA’s St. Louis Plant and Life Science Network.

For reservations and more information about this Start-Up Connections program on November 4th, please contact Susan Sampson at Innovate St. Louis, at (314) 444-1154, susan@innovatestl.org or click on www.startupconnection.org.

October 18, 2010

I-64 Project Named Top 10 Finalist In The 2010 America's Transportation Awards Competition: The I-64 reconstruction project has been named a Top 10 finalist for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's 2010 America's Transportation Awards competition. The award is given to recognize transportation projects that have a great positive impact on the people and businesses in a community.

The I-64 project was the largest highway improvement in Missouri's history, with a budget of $535 million. Ten miles of the highway in St. Louis were redone over three years, with the western half closed for the first year, and the eastern half closed for the second year.

All project goals were met, as the construction project was completed nearly one month ahead of schedule and $11 million under budget. A survey showed that 95% of Missourians were satisfied with how the project work was carried out.

The I-64 project is now in the running for the grand prize, which will be chosen by a team of national transportation experts, as well as the people's choice award, which will be determined by online voting through today, October 18th.

The winners of both awards will be announced on Sunday, October 31st and will receive $10,000 towards a charity or scholarship. Please Click here to vote for the I-64 project in the people's choice award contest.

October 13, 2010

Greater St. Louis Top 50 Awards Gala To Honor Peabody Energy, Express Scripts And 2010 Top 50 On Thursday Evening, November 11th: We hope you and your colleagues in your firm are able to join us as the RCGA and RubinBrown present the 2010 Ameren Corporate Citizenship Award to Peabody Energy and Peabody Energy Chairman & CEO Greg Boyce, and the 2010 Spirit of St. Louis Technology Award to Express Scripts and Chairman, President & CEO George Paz, at the 15th annual Greater St. Louis Top 50 Awards Gala & Dinner on Thursday evening, November 11th, at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch Hotel.

Presented each year since 1996, the Top 50 Awards program and dinner salutes outstanding businesses, entrepreneurs, and organizations in all sectors throughout the region. The entire group of Top 50 awardees will be announced in the November/December issue of St. Louis Commerce Magazine, on area newsstands on November 1st. Growth in the number of employees; revenue growth; acquisitions and expansion of facilities; and their overall contributions to the St. Louis regional economy were among the criteria used to select the 50 St. Louis-based companies.

In addition to Greater St. Louis Top 50 title sponsor, RubinBrown, corporate and media sponsors of the Top 50 Awards program are: Ameren; Edward Jones; M&I Bank; Thompson Coburn LLP; KMOX NewsRadio 1120; the St. Louis Post-Dispatch; STLtoday.com; and St. Louis Commerce Magazine.

For reservations and more information about attending the Greater St. Louis Top 50 Awards Gala & Dinner, please call Lori Meier at the RCGA today at (314) 444-1147, or e-mail her at lmeier@stlrcga.org.

October 12, 2010

Register Today For RCGA Breakfast With The Gazelles This Thursday, October 14th Featuring Lindenwood’s Dr. James Evans: Plan to join us for the next RCGA Breakfast with the Gazelles featuring RCGA Board member Dr. James Evans, President of Lindenwood University, this Thursday, October 14th, beginning at 7:15 a.m., at Lindenwood University’s Anheuser-Busch Leadership Room, 4th Floor, Spellmann Campus Center, 209 S. Kingshighway, in St. Charles.

His topic is “Lindenwood University: A Decade in Review.”

While on the topic of RCGA Breakfast with the Gazelles, we hope you can join us for the November program when we will welcome 90.7 KWMU St. Louis Public Radio General Manager Tim Eby and National Public Radio Ombudsman Alicia Shepard, at the RCGA offices on Tuesday, November 16th.

Tim and Alicia will speak on, “The State of Journalism Today and Public Radio’s Role.”

For more information about these and other upcoming RCGA Breakfast with the Gazelles programs, please contact RCGA Vice President for Membership Services Colin Stahlhut today at (314) 444-1145, or e-mail him at cstahlhut@stlrcga.org.

October 7, 2010

2nd Annual Deloitte/Washington University Leaders In Business Summit Focuses On “Calibrating For The Recovery”: RCGA presented John Zogby, founder and chairman of Zogby International and renowned political pollster, as the keynote luncheon speaker this past Tuesday at the Deloitte/Olin School of Business at Washington University Leaders in Business Summit. This full-day program, entitled, “Calibrating for the Recovery,” was held at the Charles F. Knight Executive Education & Conference Center on the University campus. Zogby discussed major economic trends and the upcoming elections to over 170 c-level regional business leaders, faculty members and students.

The overall purpose was to exchange points of view on the strategies many businesses are implementing to navigate the issues and opportunities of these volatile economic times. This forward-looking exchange featured thought-provoking presentations and panel discussions by highly accomplished leaders in business on a wide range of topics, from the latest economic recovery efforts and energy policy convergence to corporate social responsibility and sustainability.

RCGA prepared the attached “State of the Region” brochure for this summit, building on the conference themes of economic recovery, corporate social responsibility, energy, sustainability, and the U.S. Financial System.

Just a brief sampling of the speakers were: Ameren CEO and incoming RCGA Board Chairman Tom Voss; Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President and RCGA Board member Jim Bullard; RCGA Board members Energizer Holdings CEO Ward Klein and Solutia CEO Jeff Quin; as well as AT&T Senior Vice President for Public Affairs and Chief Sustainability Officer Char Lene Lake; and Edward Jones Managing Partner Jim Weddle.

October 6, 2010

Register Today For RCGA Breakfast With The Gazelles On Thursday, October 14th Featuring Lindenwood’s Dr. James Evans: Please plan to join us for the next RCGA Breakfast with the Gazelles featuring RCGA Board member Dr. James Evans, President of Lindenwood University, on Thursday, October 14th, beginning at 7:15 a.m., at Lindenwood University’s Anheuser-Busch Leadership Room, 4th Floor, Spellmann Campus Center, 209 S. Kingshighway, in St. Charles.

His topic is “Lindenwood University: A Decade in Review”

Breakfast with the Gazelles is held each month. Registration and continental breakfast open at 7:15 a.m., with the program itself running from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

For more information about this and other upcoming RCGA Breakfast with the Gazelles programs, please contact RCGA Vice President for Membership Services Colin Stahlhut today at (314) 444-1145, or e-mail him at cstahlhut@stlrcga.org.

October 5, 2010

RCGA Sponsoring SLU Awards Program Saluting Peabody CEO Greg Boyce & Sen. Kit Bond: Peabody Energy Chairman & CEO Greg Boyce will receive the International Visionary Award and U.S. Sen. Kit Bond will receive Saint Louis University's Boeing Institute of International Business Globalist Award this Thursday evening, October 7th, at 5 p.m., at the John Cook School of Business, at this annual International Business Awards Ceremony & Reception. RCGA is pleased to sponsor this event.

This event is free and open to the public, but reservations are required and can be made at this website: http://www.slu.edu/x17553.xml. For reservations and more information, please call the University at 314.977.3898.

October 4, 2010

First Annual American Arts Experience-St. Louis & SciFest 2010 Illustrate Region’s “Perfectly Centered, Remarkably Connected” Brand: The region’s “Perfectly Centered, Remarkably Connected” brand was built on over 700 c-level interviews, assessing what are “the drivers for companies to locate jobs, expand jobs and/or make investments in the greater St. Louis region?” The bottom line from that extensive brand research was that the unique combination of the St. Louis region’s world class quality of life institutions --- research institutions, arts and cultural institutions, educational institutions, and HQ corporate leadership --- together combined to give St. Louis a competitive advantage in the recruitment and retention of talent and companies, and this a major economic development competitive edge.

So it is that the juxtaposition of the American Arts Experience – St. Louis and SciFest 2010 is a vivid illustration of why we at the RCGA talk about St. Louis as being “Perfectly Centered, Remarkably Connected,” and how the heart of our brand platform is the quality of life institutions in St. Louis --- such as our universities and research institutions, and our nationally-ranked cultural and arts institutions. The month of October is appropriately showcasing both through these through two major events.

For 17 days and nights, beginning this past Friday, thanks to generous underwriting from Emerson, the American Arts Experience – St. Louis will fill concert halls, museums, theaters, universities and outdoor spaces in the St. Louis area with dozens of performances and shows by renowned American artists and companies in disciplines ranging from symphonic music to jazz and singer-songwriters, theater by American playwrights and dance by American companies to major American visual artists.

Designed as a collaboration among the region’s cultural institutions, participants include the Saint Louis Art Museum; Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra; Sheldon Concert Hall and Art Galleries; Repertory Theatre of St. Louis; Jazz at the Bistro; the Touhill Performing Arts Center; and many, many more.

RCGAand St. Louis Commerce magazine are pleased to join KETC-TV Channel 9, St. Louis Public Radio, and HEC–TV as media sponsors.

Looking to next year, the American Arts Experience – St. Louis is planned to be an annual festival each October celebrating all mediums of American arts. Two weeks ago, at a major national event in D.C. at the Smithsonian, Partners for Livable Communities announced that it will be convening a national symposium here in St. Louis in October 2011 on the connection of regional economic competitiveness and the quality of a community’s arts and cultural institutions. Planning for the national symposium has begun and will integrate a number of 2011 American Arts Experience – St. Louis events into the agenda of the national symposium for visiting arts, business, governmental, and journalist attendees from throughout the nation.

More to follow on the Partners for Livable Communities national symposium to be held in conjunction with next years’ American Arts Experience – St. Louis.

For a full calendar of events at the 2010 American Arts Experience – St. Louis, please visit www.americanartsstl.org.

In addition, the Saint Louis Science Center’s SciFest 2010, the 3rd installment of its international popular science festival for the masses, will be held at the Saint Louis Science Center, beginning Tuesday, October 12th, through Sunday, October 17th. SciFest 2010 brings with it some of the globe’s greatest scientific minds and most timely and interesting science and technology topics. More than 20,000 people attended SciFest last year.

Monsanto is the overall presenting sponsor of SciFest, as is the Monsanto Urban Farm, grown on site at the Science Center, which is thriving and ready for festival-goers. Principal sponsor of SciFest 2010 is Pfizer. Associate sponsors are: Barefoot Wine & Bubbly; Big Shark Bicycle Co.; St. Louis Blues; Cardinals Care; Missouri American Water Co.; Innoventor; Purina Pet Care; and St. Louis Pet Lovers Coalition. RCGA and St. Louis Commerce magazine are once again pleased to be marketing sponsors for the festival.

Festival goers will have the opportunity to hear the ARDA Ensemble of The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra perform under the stars in the James S. McDonnell Planetarium, learn about the science behind the science fiction in the movie Avatar, and discover how someone traveled down the Mississippi River on a raft made entirely of plastic bottles. The SciFest Extravaganza, a unique cocktail party, is a wonderful entrée into SciFest 2010.

Tickets to the Extravaganza include admission to the event on Friday, October 15th, plus admission to all 6 days of SciFest 2010.

Tickets to SciFest may be purchased at scifeststl.org.

October 1, 2010

Homerun For BioScience Day At The Ballpark & BioBelt Wins National EDA Grant: This past Monday’s (September 20th) special event at Busch Stadium -- BioScience Day at the Ballpark -- raised $8,500 to fight world hunger. A number of organizations participated in the BioScience Day at the Ballpark Expo to highlight the St. Louis region’s leadership in bioscience and the potential it brings for new industries, an educated workforce and jobs.

The Expo was held inside the stadium, where fans had the opportunity to learn more about the economic and humanitarian impacts of BioScience from the Danforth Plant Science Center, SCOPE, Monsanto, The Coalition for the Plant and Life Sciences, Novus International, Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures and Ameren/PurePower. Fans arriving at the NW corner of the stadium were invited to tour MOBIO’s new Mobile Unit and learn more about how BioScience is expanding throughout Missouri.

The rain stopped just in time for the opening ceremony, which included an on the field recognition of Danforth Center Chairman Dr. Bill Danforth and members of our Junior Board of Directors who have worked tirelessly to help organize the Center’s World Food Day commemoration on October 15th & 16th. The ceremony closed with first pitches tossed by Danforth Center President Dr. Phil Needleman and U.S. Sen. Kit Bond in recognition for all he has done to make the I-70 corridor of Missouri the "Silicon Valley" of Biotech.

Throughout the game fans signed up to package more than 200,000 rice/soy protein meals for the starving in sub-Saharan Africa during the Danforth Center’s World Food Day Commemoration to be held on October 15th and 16th. As a thank you, they received a voucher for a discounted ticket to a future Cardinals baseball game. Also during the game, children had the opportunity to decorate and write personal messages in the food packaging boxes that will be shipped to Africa.

Efforts to enhance the BioBelt tech transfer and commercialization capacities in plant and life sciences received a major boost this past Thursday through a $1 million Economic Development Administration grant.

Congratulations to our RCGA “office mates” Donn Rubin and Ben Johnson, along with Eric Gulve, president of the BioGenerator, and our other Coalition for Plant and Life Sciences colleagues on this successful effort.

The grant was awarded to a collective of area research and business entities headed by the Coalition for Plant and Life Sciences and BioGenerator — area organizations working to help the region capitalize on the scientific innovation taking place here.

"We have great science in St. Louis, particularly at the medical schools and in plant sciences," noted Coalition for Plant and Life Sciences Executive Director Donn Rubin. "But we've not done a great job commercializing that science. Our goal is to create the ecosystem, to build the infrastructure around the research, to capture the economic benefit."