Chamber's top awards given to Rust, Shivelbine's at event

A publisher who turned a small weekly into a communications company that now owns 48 newspapers, and a company that has been putting musical instruments into the hands of Southeast Missouri students for more than half a century are the newest recipients of Cape Girardeau's highest business awards.

Gary Rust, chairman of Rust Communications, received the Rush H. Limbaugh Sr. Award, and Shivelbine's Music Store was named the city's Small Business of the Year during ceremonies at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's annual dinner and dance Friday night at the Show Me Center.

Rust Communications includes 13 daily newspapers, 35 weekly newspapers and Concord Printing. Syndicated columnist and attorney David Limbaugh, a grandson of Rush H. Limbaugh Sr., presented the prestigious award to Rust, a former legislator and champion of conservatism he views as a mentor.

A Shivelbine family member has been playing in the Cape Girardeau Municipal Band for the past 80 years, said presenter Buz Sutherland of the Small Business Council.

"They take very seriously their responsibility ... to give back to the community every way they can," he said.

Freck Shivelbine accepted the award on behalf of the company.

The late Rush H. Limbaugh Sr. was a practicing attorney in Cape Girardeau for more than 75 years and was the award's first recipient. The chamber established the award in 1989 to recognize exceptional effort on behalf of the community over an extended time.

Go-Getter Award

Also honored Friday night was Cathy Schlosser, who received the Go-Getter Award for the sixth straight year for her work with the chamber's membership committee.

Rust Communications newspapers are read by more than 2 million people in seven states and have won hundreds of state and national awards over the past two decades. The company was named the chamber's Industry of the Year in 1993.

A fine athlete who played baseball and basketball for the University of Missouri, Rust transferred to Washington University in St. Louis to marry his high school sweetheart, art student Wendy Kurka. He graduated at the top of his business class while working two part-time jobs.

In 1970, Rust was operating a furniture store business in Cape Girardeau with his father and brother when he decided to run for Congress, announcing his candidacy with the slogan "Citizenship is not a spectator sport." David Limbaugh worked on that campaign.

Losing the race led to Rust's career in newspapers. Believing that the political reporting during the campaign was unfair, he bought a weekly newspaper called the Bulletin-Journal. The newspaper published editorials that expressed his views about the world and government. His column, Rustlings, combined news about local events and people with views from the many other publications he read endlessly.

At 4 a.m., Rust often could be found reading at truck stops because they had good light and hot coffee.

Rust soon was appointed to an open seat in the Missouri House of Representatives and was re-elected three times. David Limbaugh worked as a legislative intern for Rust.

In 1978, competition in the Cape Girardeau newspaper business led him to leave the General Assembly to concentrate on his business. In 1986, he bought the Southeast Missourian newspaper, which in the ensuing years became the flagship of the increasingly far-flung communications company.

In February last year, Rust turned over day-to-day operations of Rust Communications to two of his sons, Jon and Rex Rust.

Four of the Rusts' six children were present to see their father receive the award.

Currently Rust serves on the Southeast Missouri State University Foundation Board and the University of Missouri Publications Board among others. He is president of the Suburban Newspapers of America, chairman of the Missouri Associated Press and a member of the Missouri Commission on Civil Rights.

Among many past honors and activities are the highest award given by the Suburban Newspapers of America, an award as Outstanding Young Man of the Community, the vice presidency of the Missouri Jaycees and presidency of his children's PTA.

Several of the company's publishers from Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Idaho, Tennessee, Arkansas and Missouri attended the ceremony.

Honoring Shivelbine's

Shivelbine's Music Store Inc. has been providing music equipment to the area more than a half-century. It was founded in 1949 and quickly expanded in the 1950s to include pianos and organs. The store was the only location in Cape Girardeau to sell phonograph records for a number of years. The Magnavox television and stereo franchise was added in 1963.

In 1969, the store moved to its current location at 535 Broadway. Lesson studios were added, and an expanded selection of musical products was offered.

Shivelbine's now employs 21 full-time and 12 part-time employees.

School band instruments and services have been a mainstay of the business. Store representatives call on more than 100 schools in Southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois and Northeast Arkansas, where they work with band directors to start beginners and provide service with repairs and accessories.

The company recently expanded operations to Marion, Ill., with the purchase of an existing music company.

Shivelbine's, which is 75 percent locally owned, sells products internationally through its Web site and also sells selected items on E-bay.

The company has experienced a growth of 28.59 percent during the past five years.

Key employees have active memberships in the Lions Club, Downtown Merchants Association, Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, Girl Scouts, the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, Old Town Cape Board of Directors, the Historical Association of Greater Cape Girardeau and the City of Roses Festival Board of Directors.

The small business has contributed thousands of dollars to various civic groups and churches and also loans equipment for fund raisers.