Business Notebook: United Way launches group for small businesses

Local small businesses are being asked to invest in the United Way of Southeast Missouri via the new Live United 365 Small Business Circle.

Businesses can become members of the group by donating $365 a year. This can be accomplished through direct contributions, employee gifts or "purchase with a purpose" events. An example of the latter is Oct. 21 at Missouri Running Co. in Cape Girardeau. A percentage of that day's purchases will be given to United Way.

For participating, businesses can increase their visibility and connect with other business owners while helping the United Way meet its $1 million fundraising goal for 2014.

For more information, contact Nicholle Hinkle, director of donor relations, at 334-9634 or nicholle.hinkle@unitedwayofsemo.org.

Southeast's cybersecurity program continues to grow

In an increasingly digital world, it becomes more important for businesses and individuals to protect their private information from thieves and hackers.

That is why Southeast Missouri State University is offering a cybersecurity major that has been expanding since its inception.

"Last spring, I believe we had just over 100 students in the program," said Dr. Brad Deken, chairman of the Department of Polytechnic Studies. "I've heard we could be as high as 200 now. But if I had to make a conservative estimation, I would guess about 120."

Deken said it is tough to know exact enrollment numbers because many freshmen who might be declared as cybersecurity majors aren't taking classes in the program yet because of prerequisites. Cybersecurity majors take three main types of classes to learn the trade when their core courses are completed.

"You have networking classes ... that show how everything is connected together and how things communicate," Deken said. "Networking is talking about the hardware and how it's connected."

Students also take computer science courses to learn about software, web development and database coding. Then come the more specific cybersecurity courses.

Drury opens new hotel outside St. Louis

Founded in Cape Girardeau in 1973, Drury Hotels Co. has opened a new Drury Inn & Suites in Brentwood, Missouri.

The 210-room hotel is near Interstate 170 and Brentwood Boulevard at 8700 Eager Road in the St. Louis suburb.

The company also recently ranked highest in the J.D. Power 2014 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study. That placed Drury as third-highest in the U.S. hotel industry.

Group to promote Mississippi River corridor

A consortium of community leaders from 10 states along the Mississippi River, called the Big River Strategic Initiative, has formed a partnership with the National Geographic Society on a geotourism alliance, according to a report by the Delta Regional Authority. The purpose of the partnership is to promote travel to the region.

The Authority has designated $300,000 to promote the corridor as being scenic and friendly to tourists.

Business licenses

* STS Repair LLC at 2148B William St., owned by Roger Brown, Scott Coleman and Israel Quintal, is expected to open Thursday.

* Expansion LLC at 37 Doctors' Park, Suite 3, owned by Tiffany and Zachary Sikes, opened Sept. 1.

* 36 Restaurant & Bar LLC at 36 N. Main St., owned by John E. Klein and Vanessa Klein, is expected to open Wednesday.

Reporter Tyler Graef and the Arrow contributed to this report.