Business memo 11/08/04

Area firms, agencies share excellence award

Several area companies and state agencies were recently awarded the Excellence in Innovation in Employment Award at the 2004 Governor's Conference of Workforce Development. The award, which recognized a transportation project formed by the partnering companies, was shared by Gilster-Mary Lee, Workforce Development Solutions, Workforce Investment Board of Southeast Missouri, East Missouri Action Agency and Division of Workforce Development. The program started in 2000, when the partnership formed with the goal of placing people in long-term positions while making transportation to the job less of a barrier. Now the project has 11 vans running all shifts and transporting more than 155 riders to and from various Gilster-Mary Lee facilities.

SBDC to hold business counseling sessions

The Small Business Development Center of Southeast Missouri State University will conduct counseling sessions for area small businesses in Cape Girardeau, Perryville and Sikeston, Mo. Counselor Gil Degenhardt will be available for free one-hour sessions by appointment at:

Sikeston Chamber of Commerce from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Nov. 16. To make an appointment, call (573) 471-2498.

Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 17. To make an appointment, call 335-3312.

Southeast Regional Planning Commission in Perryville from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 18. To make an appointment, call (573) 547-8357.

-- From staff reports