Business briefs

__THE OTHER SIDE HAS NEW LOCATION__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — The Other Side relocated to 1125 Herschel Bess Blvd., Suite 1 in Poplar Bluff. A ribbon cutting was held with the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce.

__SECOND WINNER OF 1ST50K ANNOUNCED__

The second winner of the 1st50k, a competition for early-stage technology-based startup businesses, has been selected. Local business incubator Codefi announced in January the St. Louis-based startup Impress Software is the winner and will receive a startup grant worth $50,000 and pro-bono support services. The startup, co-founded by Kyle Miller and Stephen Myers, is “tackling the increasingly complex problem that individuals and companies face assessing and matching talents and skills” during recruitment, according to a news release. “Impress will offer companies an automated toolset to match internal and external talent and skills to projects and positions, focusing on granular details that typically require one or more interviews to uncover,” said Myers in the news release. The 1st50k Competition Committee still is in conversations with other finalists from this round of competition and may announce additional awards or investments in the future. The 1st50k is endorsed by Arch Grants Global Competition in St. Louis and is designed to bring tech-based businesses to the region. Winners of the competition agree to locate or relocate the business to Cape Girardeau at least one year. This round included applicants from 20 countries and 27 states. The next 1st50k competition is underway. Applications are due May 1.

__USA MORTGAGE OPENS IN CAPE__

USA Mortgage, 1353 N. Mount Auburn Road, Suite C in Cape Girardeau, owned by Doug Schukar, is a mortgage company that opened Jan. 4.

__JACKSON CHAMBER PRESENTS AWARDS__

The Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce and the Jackson Industrial Development Company held its annual banquet and installation on Jan. 15 to recognize business and industry leaders. Awards went to Harold’s Jeweler, Small Business of the Year; United Land Title, Business of the Year; PMS, Industry of the Year; Shelly Kaiser, Ambassador of the Year; David Reiminger, R.A. Fulenwider Award; and David Bloom, Community Service Award. The chamber also announced the newly installed executive board: Jeff Martin, president; Wade Bartels, vice president; and Kyle Thompson, secretary/treasurer.

__BONNE TERRE CHAMBER PRESENTS AWARDS__

BONNE TERRE, Mo. — The Bonne Terre Chamber of Commerce held its annual awards and recognition ceremony on Jan. 16. Gary and Carol Inman were named the Daily Journal Citizens of the Year, the Park Hills Daily Journal reported. Other awards went to Bruce and Julie Pratte, Hometown Hero Award; Jim Eaton, KTJJ-KREI 110 Percent Award; Amy Keller, KFMO-B104 Business Leader of the Year Award; Matt Weber, Froggy 96 Elite Service Award; and Sue Wilke, Bonne Terre Chamber Lifetime Hall of Fame Award. Special chamber awards went to Doug Goergens for the Bonne Terre Mines and Jarrod Keen for the Bonne Terre Drag Strip. The evening also included the installation of a new board member, Susan Mullins, for 2016. Bill Cotton will remain chamber president this year and Kevin Andres will retire from the board. Amy Keller will be the new vice president and Samantha McDowell will remain treasurer. Other board members remaining are Julie Pratte, Marty Umfleet, Dave Bahr, Kevin Bess, Katie Bockman and Paul Williams.

__SEMO ONLINE BACHELOR’S, MASTER’S PROGRAMS RANK AMONG THE BEST__

Southeast Missouri State University’s online bachelor’s and master’s degree programs have been ranked among the nation’s 2016 Best Online Programs by U.S. News & World Report, according to a news release from Southeast. The university’s online bachelor’s degree programs are ranked 58th nationally. Also ranked by U.S. News in January were Southeast’s online MBA program and its online graduate business programs, graduate criminal justice program and graduate education programs. U.S. News assessed schools based on four general categories: student engagement, faculty credentials and training, student services and technology, and peer reputation. For the complete U.S. News & World Report rankings information and accompanying profile data, visit www.usnews.com/online.

__SEMO MBA PROGRAM RANKED MOST AFFORDABLE IN MISSOURI__

Southeast Missouri State University’s master of business administration program was ranked in January as one of the Top 50 Affordable MBA Programs in 2016 by Top Management Degrees. Southeast’s MBA ranked No. 8 nationally and the most affordable MBA in Missouri, with more than 180 students currently pursuing the degree, according to a news release from Southeast. The ranking looked at more than 500 schools in the United States that hold accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International.

__SIMPLY PRETTY SALON OPENS IN P.B.__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — The Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting for Simply Pretty Salon, a new business owned by Erin Bridgewater at 2889 James Blvd.

__THREE RIVERS PROCEEDS WITH SPORTS COMPLEX__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — The board of trustees for Three Rivers College approved the college’s proposal for the Libla Family Sports Complex, a 3,000-seat, 60,000-square-foot gymnasium on the Poplar Bluff campus. The facility will replace the Bess Activity Center as the new home of the college’s Raiders and Lady Raiders basketball teams. The Libla Family Sports Complex also will be convertible into a three-court facility suitable for holding practices and regional high-school tournaments. It will incorporate training and locker-room facilities for the Raiders and Lady Raiders, office space and a Three Rivers Athletics Hall of Fame.

__FRANCESCA’S OPENS IN WEST PARK MALL__

Francesca’s Collections Inc. is a new retail store at West Park Mall in Cape Girardeau. Kal Malik is managing officer of the store, which specializes in apparel, jewelry and gifts. Francesca’s opened Feb. 1.

__AUTO PARTS STORE OPENS IN CAPE__

Wellfit Parts Int’l Co., 2616 Gerhardt in Cape Girardeau, owned by Jessie Lee, buys and sells auto parts. It opened Jan. 15.

__REALTY BUSINESS OPENS ON KINGSHIGHWAY__

SEMO Home Realty, 980 N. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau, owned by Elaine Edgar, is a real-estate sales business that opened Jan. 1.

__VINUITY ADDS 50 JOBS AT SOUTHEAST INNOVATION CENTER__

The Missouri Department of Economic Development on Jan. 26 announced that Vinuity, an IT services company, is adding 50 jobs over the next three years in Cape Girardeau that will be based out of the Douglas C. Greene Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Southeast Missouri State University. The company will use a combination of existing area tech talent, student workers on the path to official degrees and certifications in the field and underemployed individuals to fill the positions, according to a news release. Vinuity will actively recruit in the rural areas surrounding Cape Girardeau, and employees have the possibility of working from home. Vinuity started in St. Louis in 2014 to deliver technology service solutions such as professional software development, database administration and application support to clients. Software development, database administration and quality assurance are the primary skills needed for the new positions.

__SEMO ONLINE HEALTH MANAGEMENT RANKS HIGH__

Southeast Missouri State University’s online health-care management programs have been ranked among the top 10 Best Online Healthcare Administration Degrees for 2015-2016 by Affordable Colleges Online. Southeast’s online health-care management programs at the bachelor’s master’s and certificate levels were ranked seventh nationally and the highest among Missouri institutions, according to a news release from the university.

__POPLAR BLUFF CHAMBER PRESENTS AWARDS__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — The Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce honored Steve Whitworth as 2015 Citizen of the Year during a banquet on Jan. 23, the Daily American Republic reported. Longtime city council member Betty Absheer, completing her final term, and Volunteer of the Year Debby Norris also were recognized during the event.

__CPA MARKS 30 YEARS__

Beussink, Hey & Roe PC, Certified Public Accountants, celebrated the firm’s 30-year anniversary on Feb. 1. Practicing primarily in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois, the firm’s 12 professional staff and eight support staff serve more than 2,000 clients in the region. They provide tax, accounting, financial planning and bookkeeping services.

__BOLLINGER COUNTY CHAMBER HONORS BUSINESSES__

MARBLE HILL, Mo. — The Bollinger County Chamber of Commerce named H&R Block the Chamber Veteran Business of the fourth quarter of 2015. Odie Lingle purchased the H&R Block franchise in 1978. He now owns and operates the Jackson office and operates a branch office in Marble Hill as well. Lingle is an enrolled agent, licensed to practice before the IRS, and employs seven other tax professionals in his two offices. Additionally, the Rising Star Business of the fourth quarter of 2015 was The Hideaway Cafe. Linda and Randy Smith have owned and operated the cafe since 2011. The restaurant is at the junction of highways A and O in Bollinger County and has served the area for 29 years.

__INDIAN GRILL TO OPEN IN CAPE__

Tandoor Indian Grill, 3049 William St. No. 155 in Cape Girardeau, is an Indian restaurant owned by Vishnu Subramani. The anticipated opening date is March 7.

__CAPE CHAMBER PRESENTS AWARDS__

The Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce presented awards at its annual banquet on Jan. 30. Awards went to the late Paula Myers, Ambassador of the Year; Realty Executives of Cape County, Small Business of the Year; and Dennis Vollink, president of Drury Southwest, Rush H. Limbaugh Award. Additionally, Bob Neff was introduced as the chamber’s 2016 chairman of the board.

__BROUSSARD’S MOVES TO NEW LOCATION__

Broussard’s Cajun Cuisine moved in January from 120 N. Main St. in Cape Girardeau to 114 N. Main St. Hunter and Stephanie Clark, who have owned Broussard’s since 2004, reopened the restaurant in its new location on Jan. 20. The Clarks aimed to feature an old-world New Orleans style and a rustic, bayou feel in their newly updated and renovated space. The relocation provided space to increase the number of tables by about 33 percent. The new location has upper- and lower-level dining space, a balcony with the potential for outdoor seating and a banquet room. The restaurant originally opened in 1986 as Broussard’s Town Pump, after Baron and Kathy Broussard bought The Town Pump, the restaurant that resided there for 14 years.

__PERRYVILLE CHAMBER PRESENTS AWARDS__

PERRYVILLE, Mo. — The Perryville Area Chamber of Commerce presented awards during its annual dinner on Jan. 28. Awards went to Stephanie Richardet, Ambassador of the Year; The Spillway, Business of the Year; and Ed Schumer, Citizen of the Year.