Business briefs

Robinson Construction Company

Robinson Construction Company received an Excellence in Construction (EIC) Award from the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Heart of America Chapter for their work on the Missouri's National Veterans Memorial project in Perryville, Missouri. The award was presented at the ABC Heart of America Chapter Annual Banquet that was held Nov. 7 in Kansas City, Missouri. The winning projects, selected from entries submitted from across Missouri and Kansas, are judged on complexity, attractiveness, unique challenges overcome, completion time, workmanship, innovation, safety and cost. Robinson was also presented with their 14th Platinum Level Safety Training Evaluation Process (STEP) award, which recognizes construction companies' ongoing efforts and commitment to job site safety and consistent application of a quality safety program. Robinson Construction Company was also named an Accredited Quality Contractor (AQC) by ABC.

First State Bank & Trust Co., Inc.

First State Bank & Trust Co., Inc. appointed Marie Gill as community bank president in Portageville, Missouri. The bank promoted Callie Pinkston to loan officer at the Sikeston, Missouri, branch and Jeannie Johnson to loan officer at the Caruthersville, Missouri, branch. Additionally, Charles F. "Trey" Cain III now serves as south market president, an area encompassing Caruthersville, Portageville and Hayti, Missouri.

Square One Wellness, LLC

"The BLW Baby Food Cookbook," published by Rockbridge Press in Emeryville, California, released Oct. 22. In the book, local dietitian and pediatric nutrition expert Ellen Gipson, MA, RDN, LD, and dietitian Laura Morton, MS, RDN, LD, combine concepts of the baby-led weaning (BLW) feeding philosophy with sound nutrition information, sharing more than 90 recipes grouped stage-by-stage for months 6-8, 9-12 and beyond.

Cape Chamber

The Cape Chamber held their annual banquet Nov. 21 at the Drury Plaza Conference Center in Cape Girardeau. Earl Norman, chairman and chief executive officer of Benton Hill Investments, was honored with the Rush H. Limbaugh Award. Gary Rust, founder and chairman of Rust Communications, was recognized as the inaugural Drury Family Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award recipient. Coulter Insurance Group was named the 2019 Small Business of the Year and Greg Vaughn was the 2019 Ambassador of the Year.

BOLD Marketing

BOLD Marketing will launch Small Business Best Practices, a year-long program featuring monthly training sessions developed to help small business owners and employees take control of their marketing efforts, on Jan. 15. Small Business Best Practices will cover a range of topics, including brand development, marketing plan development, social media essentials, digital media ad placement, employee engagement strategies, recruitment and onboarding, alternative business funding and other highly-focused sessions. Participants will be trained how to think strategically about marketing efforts and then how to put it into action. The sessions are open to people associated with businesses of 75 employees or fewer.

Reliable Community Bancshares, Inc. and Bolivar Bancshares, Inc.

On Nov. 1, 2019, Bolivar Bancshares, Inc. executed a definitive agreement to be acquired by Reliable Community Bancshares, Inc., the parent company of The Bank of Missouri. Bolivar Bancshares, Inc., headquartered in Bolivar, Missouri, is the holding company for Bank of Bolivar. Its six locations in Bolivar, Springfield, Fair Grove and Marshfield are expected to join the 33 locations that comprise The Bank of Missouri. Pending regulatory approval, the transaction is anticipated to close in February 2020 with the branches of Bolivar, Springfield, Marshfield and Fair Grove becoming The Bank of Missouri in the third quarter of 2020. Bank of Bolivar is an independent bank with assets just over $300 million. The Bank of Missouri is headquartered in Perryville, Missouri, and is a locally-owned, independent community bank with $1.7 billion in assets.

Southeast Behavioral Health Hospital

Construction is underway at the site of a new behavioral health hospital in Cape Girardeau, which, when it opens in late 2020, will offer the most extensive inpatient psychiatric services between St. Louis and Memphis, Tennessee. Universal Health Services Inc. is partnering with SoutheastHEALTH to build and operate the $33 million hospital. The facility is near the intersection of South Mount Auburn Road and Highway 74, a short distance north of Southeast's Cancer Center. Kiefner Brothers Construction is the project's general contractor.

~Information summarized from Southeast Missourian business articles and contributions from B Magazine readers. To contribute business briefs for the next issue of B Magazine, email mpohlman@rustmedia.com.