Business Notebook 7/29/13

Businesses in Cape Girardeau win awards for Great Race parties

Two local businesses won awards for their parties celebrating the visit of the 2013 Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty to Cape Girardeau on June 25, according to a news release from the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Pastimes Antiques, 45 N. Main St., won the Welcome Party award.

"The Great Race literally stopped in front of our store, so hosting a Welcome Party was a positive experience for the business, our customers and our dealers," Kyleigh Baliva of Pastimes Antiques said in the release. "Some of the dealers even brought in specific race-related items to help us spread the cheer. We are proud of Cape Girardeau for coming together as a community to welcome the great racers."

Mississippi Mutts, 1231 Broadway, won the Pit Stop Party award.

"Our Pit Stop Party was an opportunity to get the community excited for the event," Sherry Jennings of Mississippi Mutts said in the release. "It benefits us to participate in this kind of stuff because it brings in new people and keeps our customers excited."

Cape Girardeau won the 2013 Best Overnight City award after more than 5,000 spectators attended the stop on Main Street, according to the news release.

It was the first time in the Great Race's 30-year history that racers followed a route through Cape Girardeau.

Register now for 2013 Corporate Games

The Cape Girardeau Department of Parks and Recreation will sponsor the 2013 Corporate Games from Sept. 15 through 27 in Cape Girardeau, according to a user-submitted story by the city of Cape Girardeau Public Information Office.

The annual event's participants are from Cape Girardeau area businesses, employee-based organizations and not-for-profit organizations.

The Corporate Games consist of a variety of games, including tug of war, bowling, soccer, poker, swimming relays, darts, dodgeball, a trivia contest and a mystery event, the story said.

Small businesses or organizations have the option of partnering with another business or organization to form a team. Entry forms are available at the Arena Building, Osage Centre, Shawnee Park Center and Central Municipal Pool or online at cityofcape.org/parks, according to the story. Deadline for team entry is Aug. 23.

Business classes teach how to manage cash flow

A three-part series will teach participants a basic approach designed to help business owners and managers and the financial management community understand how a business manages cash flow, according to a news release sent by Richard Proffer of the University of Missouri Extension Small Business Technology Development Center of Cape Girardeau County. The series also will teach the sources and uses of cash and how to accurately project future cash flow of a business.

Proffer, regional business specialist for the University of Missouri Extension, said in the release that Justin Pobst, the instructor of the classes, places emphasis on practical application, not theory.

Pobst of Southeast Missouri State University is the training coordinator for the Greene Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, a former lender and Small Business and Technology Development Center counselor.

Classes will begin at 6 p.m. with refreshments and will take place at the University of Missouri Extension Center, 684 West Jackson Trail, in Jackson.

The first class, "Understanding Financial Statements," will be Aug. 14; the second class, "How to Control Cash Flow," will be Aug. 21; and the last class, "Predicting Future Cash Needs," will be Aug. 28.

Registration is limited to 30 participants. To register, call 243-3581.

Noranda Aluminum announces expansion

Noranda Aluminum Holding Corporation, a North American producer of aluminum, will expand its smelter in New Madrid, Mo., according to a news release from Gov. Jay Nixon's office.

The capital expansion includes a $45 million capital investment and is expected to create 29 jobs, the release said.

This is the second major investment announced by Noranda in the New Madrid facility in the last three years.

The New Madrid smelter was founded in 1968, and has become one of the largest employers in Southeast Missouri, employing more than 1,000 workers, the release said.

According to the release, the facility expansion will allow Noranda to meet greater product demand by increasing the facility's capacity to produce redraw rod, which is used in many electrical infrastructure applications.

Drury Hotels highest guest satisfaction rank

Drury Hotels ranked highest in its category of hotel chains for guest satisfaction from J.D. Power and Associates, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

J.D. Power and Associates' 2012 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study surveyed more than 61,700 hotel guests in categories including reservations, check-in/check-out, hotel facilities and costs and fees, the newspaper reported.

Drury Hotels in Cape Girardeau and surrounding areas all are included as award-winning by J.D. Power and Associates, according to a reservation agent from Drury Hotels.

Wine from Alto Vineyards wins medals

Alto Vineyards in Alto Pass, Ill., earned the highest number of gold medals in the Illinois State Fair Wine Competition and the Michigan Great Lakes Great Wine Competition, according to a news release sent by Erin Downs of Alto Vineyards.

The vineyards won a Governor's Cup for its Vidal Blanc and six gold medals, including three double gold awards, in the Illinois State Fair Wine competition, and five gold medals in the Michigan Great Lakes Great Wine Competition, according to the release. In addition, they earned 10 silver and nine bronze medals.

Paul Renzaglia, owner and winemaker of Alto Vineyards, said in the news release, "The [Shawnee Hills] AVA brings another dimension to help validate our region as a unique and viable growing area in the United States. Grapes from the Shawnee Hills can be comparable to Napa Valley or any well-known region, and has the potential to push Southern Illinois wine to new levels of respect throughout the winemaking world."

Judges in the Illinois State Fair Wine Competition used blind evaluation of wines using a 20-point score card, assigning points for color, aroma, palate, finish and overall impression, the release said. The point totals resulted in the corresponding medals, as well as best of class designations. All gold-medal winning wines were considered for top awards, including Best of Show and Governor's Cup trophies for Illinois-grown red, white, rosé, fruit and dessert/sparkling wines.

VanMatre wins highest award

VanMatre Buick GMC Cadillac was presented with General Motors' highest honor, the Mark of Excellence award, for the fourth consecutive year, according to an email from Mark VanMatre.

VanMatre Buick GMC Cadillac has been a Cape Girardeau family business since 1980.

Buchheit Trucking wins highway safety award

Buchheit Trucking Service won the Great West Safety award for outstanding achievement in highway safety for the 1 to 5 million miles division March 27.

The trucking service was awarded in cooperation with American Trucking Associations and presented by the Missouri Trucking Association and Great West Casualty Company.

Thrivent Financial named top company

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans was named to the 2012 Ward's 50 Top Performing Insurance Companies. This is the ninth consecutive year Thriven has been named to the list.

Ward Group evaluates company performance based on the criteria of five-year average return on average equity, assets and total revenue and five-year growth in revenue and surplus.

Thrivent Financial is represented locally by the SEMO Associates Team, which includes Jayne Schrader, Rick Ronsick and Kendra Troncale at 2201 Walton Drive, Ste. E, in Jackson and Kendra Troncale, Tony Troncale and Thomas Frasher at 212 N Progress Drive, Ste. 10, in Perryville, Mo.

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is a not-for-profit Christian organization whose members are joined in a movement of being wise with money, living generously and changing lives.

oratory at St. John's Hospital in Springfield, Ill.

Pertinent address:

400 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

45 N. Main St., Cape Girardeau, MO

1231 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

684 West Jackson Trail, Jackson, MO

Highway 127, Alto Pass, IL

New Madrid, MO

511 S Kingshighway Cape Girardeau, MO

600 Daugherty St Scott City, MO

104 Vantage Dr, Cape Girardeau, MO

410 Kiwanis Dr Cape Girardeau, MO

1625 N Kingshighway St Cape Girardeau, MO

835 SW End Blvd Cape Girardeau, MO

1920 Whitener St Cape Girardeau, MO