BUSINESS MEMO

The Holiday Inn at Cape Girardeau recently received the "Quality Excellence Award" at the Holiday Inn Worldwide Franchise Conference in San Diego.

The award is based on hotel excellence in all areas of operation, including customer service.

Renee Tlapek is general manager of the local Holiday Inn, which is owned and operated by MidAmerica Hotels Corp. headquartered in Cape Girardeau.

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John Deere recently introduced three new tractors manufactured in the U.S.

"The new units the 40-horsepower 5200, a 50-horsepower 5300, and the 60-horsepower 5400 are the only 40- to 60-horsepower tractors assembled in the U.S.," said Jerry Strack of Strack Implement Co., who attended a Nashville meeting where the new tractors were unveiled. "I am proud that John Deere realized how important it is to have the only U.S.-assembled 40- to 60-horsepower tractors."

The tractors are assembled in a new plant on an 80-acre site near Augusta, Ga.

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Halfway through the 1992 income tax filing season, only 640,000 Missourians have filed returns.

"Of that figure, 185,178 returns were filed electronically," said Nova L. Felton, public affairs officer of the Missouri District Internal Revenue Service office at St. Louis. "All taxpayers can file returns electronically this year since not only refund returns but also balance-due returns can be submitted."

Electronic filing allows federal tax information to be transmitted over telephone lines directly into IRS computers. Taxpayers can expect their refunds with three weeks from the IRS-received date. Paper returns typically take from six to eight weeks for processing.

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MARBLE HILL The Federal Communications Commission has amended its FM table of assignments to include Marble Hill, effective April 14.

"Any qualified person may file an application to obtain a construction permit from the FCC to build a new station, providing they apply for it prior to May 14," said Jim Price of Sterling Communications Inc., Chattanooga, Tenn.

More information concerning the new FM frequency (97.3 mhz) is available by contacting Sterling Communications, P.O. Box 80484, Chattanooga, Tenn., 37451-7484, telephone (615)-899-9393.

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A Customer Satisfaction Training Seminar will be presented April 7 by the Better Business Bureau.

The seminar, sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Area Vocational-Technical School, Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce and the Missouri Small Business Development Center of Southeast Missouri State University, will be held at the University Center from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Cost of the seminar is $35 per person, which includes the seminar, training manual and continental breakfast.

Additional details are available by calling (314)-334-0826.

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A Southeast Missouri windshield repair service has changed its name.

"We have changed the name from SEMO NOVUS Windshield Repair to NOVUS Windshield Repair," said Vernon Schoen.

Vernon and Linda Schoen are owners and operators of the franchised company, which repairs stone-damaged windshields.

"We changed the name to let customers know that we are now, and always have been a member of the worldwide NOVUS windshield repair franchise network," said Schoen.

There are more than 600 NOVUS franchises in the U.S.

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The Travelers Protective Association (TPA) of America, Post M, recently elected officers and directors.

They are: Leon Dickerson, president; Norman Sebastian, vice president; Clyde Wallis, secretary-treasurer.

New board members are past-president David Wallis and new president Leon Dickerson. Other board members are Robert Hartle, Leonard Ludwig, Jerry Henley, Danny Dewrock and J.W. McBride.

Delegates to the TPA state convention in May will be Hartle, Dickerson, Sebastian, Henley, C. Wallis, D. Wallis, James Taylor and Perry Grindstaff.

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ST. LOUIS The Drury Inn hotel of Fenton recently held an open house to celebrate renovation of the hotel.

All 108 rooms of the four-story hotel have been refurbished with new decor and updated designs.

Drury Inns Inc., a Missouri-based firm, operates more than 60 hotels in 11 states.

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ST. LOUIS The Union Electric Co. Board of Directors has declared a quarterly dividend of 56 cents a share on common stock. The dividend is payable March 31 to stockholders of record on March 9.

The board also declared regular quarterly dividends on all classes of preferred stock, payable May 15 to stockholders of record on April 20.

Union Electric has donated its fifth video cassette in a series of eight to schools in the immediate area. The tapes, a series featuring latest developments in science, medicine, and engineering, will become part of the schools' libraries.

Schools receiving the tapes include Notre Dame, Cape Central, Chaffee, Delta, Jackson, Oran and Scott City high schools and Guardian Angel School at Oran.

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Shoney's Inc. reported record revenues and a 40 percent increase in earnings per share for the first quarter of 1992, which ended Feb. 16.

Revenues for the 16-week quarter increased 8 percent, to $297,517,000 from $275,460,000 for the same period a year ago. Net income increased 48 percent, to $8,952,000 from $6,064,000 the same period a year ago. Earnings per share were up 40 percent to 21 cents per share compared to 15 cents per share for the first quarter of 1991.

"This is our 131st consecutive quarter of record revenues," said chairman and chief executive officer Leonard H. Robert. "Not many companies can boast of that kind of performance. We are very optimistic about the rest of this year in looking at the trends established during the first quarter.

The company opened 35 new restaurants during the first quarter, nine company-owned and 26 franchised units. Shoney's has 1,729 restaurants with 736 company-owned and 993 franchised facilities, including two at Cape Girardeau a Shoney's and a Captain D's.

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Stereo One Inc. will offer cellular telephone services in late April as an agent of Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems Inc.

The appointment will allow Stereo One to activate Southwestern Bell cellular subscribers, offer the full line of Bell cellular service, and install and service cellular telephone equipment.

Stereo One, in its new facility at 345 S. Kingshighway, has 12 years experience in mobile electronics sales and installation and service. It will offer an expanded selection of cellular telephones and accessories in addition to its existing Alpine line of cellular, security and mobile audio products.

The firm has a four-car installation bay and fully-equipped service department.