BUSINESS MEMO: BIG ON SMALL BUSINESS

St. Louis and Kansas City are big on small business.

According to a survey of large metro areas to be published in the October issue of Entrepreneur magazine, St. Louis ranked second only to Portland, Ore., among the best cities for entrepreneurs. Kansas City came in 10th.

Missouri officials praised the rankings, saying they were an indication of how strong Missouri's economy is. Only one other state -- North Carolina -- had more than one city in the top 10.

Tremendous growth in all sectors of business can be observed throughout the St. Louis region, Gov. Mel Carnahan said. And in Kansas City, development and revitalization efforts continue to pay dividends in terms of new businesses and greater opportunities for existing businesses.

Entrepreneur's study, done in conjunction with Dun & Bradstreet, recognized the St. Louis region's blend of large corporations that provide small businesses with a steady flow of subcontract opportunities.

It also gave St. Louis high marks for its resiliency and ability to change with the times.