Business memo 11/24/03

Hospitals honored in statewide contest

The marketing and communications departments at St. Francis Medical Center and Southeast Missouri Hospital both received statewide recognition for public relations and communications projects produced during the last year.

More than 340 entries from hospitals throughout the state were considered.

Awards were presented earlier this month at the Missouri Hospital Association Annual Convention and Trade Show in Osage Beach.

Southeast Missouri Hospital received six awards, including first place for the redesign of its Web site in the new media/Web site projects category; first place for "Online Health" television advertising for wound care services and also for cardiac/pulmonary rehabiliations service; first place in the writing category for "The History of Southeast Missouri Hospital"; first place in internal publications/routine for "InformMed," employee newsletter; and third place in the external publications/routine category for "Vim & Vigor," a quarterly magazine.

St. Francis Medical Center received five awards, including first place in the television advertising category and first place in the total campaign television advertising for the Women's Heart Advantage; second place in television advertising for the level III NICU series; second place in the annual report category; and second place in the research project category for recruitment focus group.

Two electronic stores merge as Q Audio

Electronics stores Q Audio and Sound Design in Cape Girardeau have merged under the name Q Audio. A new store recently opened at 623 S. Silver Springs, Suite 200. There also is a location in Poplar Bluff.

Jeff Smith, the previous owner of Sound Design, remains on staff at Q Audio to serve customers.

The merger "makes us the largest custom-only electronics store in the area," said Bill Green, president of Q Audio. "We've increased the brands that we carry and have more lines of products."

Q Audio has operated in Cape Girardeau since 2000. Sound Design was in business for a decade.

Chartwells awarded national account of year

Chartwells, the dining service at Southeast Missouri State University, was awarded the 2002-2003 National Account of the Year award from its parent company.

Chartwells provides residential, retail and catering food services for the university.

The award was announced during a celebration for the parent company, Compass Group. Chartwells at Southeast was also awarded the Regional Account of the Year in July; it was the third consecutive honor for the local group.

Chartwells can be found on 200 U.S. college campuses. It provides more than 20,000 meals in a week at Southeast.

-- From staff reports