Talking Shop with Mitch Robinson, executive director of the Cape Girardeau Area Magnet
He's the director of Cape Girardeau Area Magnet, but those closest to Mitch Robinson also know him as a University of Kentucky basketball fan and the chairman of the local CrimeStoppers organization. A native of Owensboro, Ky., Robinson first came to Southeast Missouri in 1993, when he was hired as director of the Cape Girardeau Area Industrial Recruitment Association. The name was changed in 2004 to Cape Girardeau Area Magnet to reflect that the organization isn't just focused on recruiting manufacturing plants but also is interested in drawing retail businesses to the area. Business reporter Brian Blackwell sat down with Robinson last Friday to learn more about his views on the region's future growth, his involvement in CrimeStoppers and his love of basketball.