BUSINESS MEMO

Thurmonds purchase Jackson day-care center

JACKSON -- Jeff and Sherry Thurmond have purchased the Ginger Bread House Day Care Center at 608 Rosamund in Jackson.

The day-care center was founded by Beverly Banks 23 years ago and is licensed for 66 students, ages 2 through 12.

Sherry Thurmond has a year's experience working in a day-care center.

The center is open from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

D&K signs letters of intent to buy bulk of firm's stock

D&K Wholesale Drug Inc., headquartered at St. Louis, and Pharmaceutical Buyers Inc. have signed letters of intent for D&K to acquire 80 percent of the common stock of Pharmaceutical Buyers.

Under the letter of intent, D&K would acquire about 50 percent of PBI's common stock and an institutional investor, which would provide financing for the transaction would acquire 30 percent of PBI common stock.

D&K is a full-service regional wholesale drug distributor supplying customers in 17 states throughout the Midwest and Midsouth from facilities in St. Louis, Cairo, Ill., and Lexington, Ky.

D&K completed the acquisition of the Northern Drug Co. of Duluth, Minn., in October. In March, D&K acquired Krelitz Industries Inc., a wholesale drug distributor to customers throughout the upper Midwest.

PBI is a Boulder, Colo.-based group purchasing organization, with more than 1,900 members in 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.

The PBI transaction is expected to be completed next month, subject to negotiation and execution of definitive agreements as well as customary closing conditions.

Solar Press shifts European production to U.S. facility

Solar Press Inc., an international direct-mail printing and packaging company specializing in card packs, will discontinue operations in Belgium and start producing for European customers from its U.S. facilities.

The direct-mail markets in Europe continue to develop at record pace, according to Solar Press chairman and CEO Frank C. Hudez, who added that after five years in Belgium, Solar Press has found it can serve its European customers by providing access to more economical multi-product U.S. manufacturing capabilities.

Solar Press, headquartered in Naperville, Ill., has a large operations at Perryville.

New Hampton Inn opens in Dallas-Fort Worth area

A new Hampton Inn opened recently in the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport area.

The new 80-room hotel is at Texas 183 and Esters Road in Irving, just west of the Drury Inn Hotel. The Drury Inn and Hampton are operated by Drury Inns Inc., which now operates four hotels in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The newest hotel, about five minutes from the airport, was constructed by Drury Southwest Inc., based in Cape Girardeau.

Drury Inns Inc. operates more than 70 Drury Inn, Pear Tree Inn by Drury, Thrifty Inn, Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels in 12 states.

Statewide leadership program seeks applicants

Greater Missouri Focus on Leadership, a statewide program for women in Missouri, is accepting applications for its 1996 program.

"We are seeking outstanding women to be part of this program," said Margaret Michael, executive director of the group. "Our focus will continue to be to move women into top leadership posts throughout the state and to create avenues for women to influence and participate in solutions to important policy issues.

The 1996 program includes four, three-day interactive sessions at various sites across the state, including Cape Girardeau. Other sessions will be in the Jefferson City-Columbia area, Kansas City and St. Louis, with dates to be announced later.

Greater Missouri was founded in 1988.

Applications for the 1996 program are available by calling (314)-534-4433, or by writing Great Missouri, 4144 Lindell Blvd., Suite 226, St. Louis, Mo., 63108.

United Parcel Service lands JCPenney contract

United Parcel Service of America Inc., has landed a $1 billion, five-year contract for delivery services from JCPenney.

The agreement calls for UPS, headquartered in Atlanta, to be the preferred carrier for JCPenney's small package or air deliveries, as well as part of its ground shipments.