MEMO

SUPERVALU INC. HONORED FOR SAFETY PERFORMANCE

SuperValu Inc. has been recognized for outstanding safety performance for the 12-month period ended March 1 in the operation of the Scott City Division Tractor Fleet.

The Liberty Mutual "Gold Award," presented during a special ceremony at SupeValu in Scott City, is the most prestigious recognition Liberty Mutual makes to its policyholders in the area of loss prevention.

Liberty Mutual Group, a provider of workers' compensation products and services, and an insurer in the property and casualty industry, assists SuperValue in developing safety training, routine safety inspections procedures and safety formats.

LOCAL ACCOUNTING FIRM JOINS NEW CPA NETWORK

Beussink, Hey, Martin & Roe, P.C. has singed an agreement to become part of a new network, CPAConnect.

The new network is a companion network of Accounting Firms Associated Inc., an association of major independent accounting firms.

Members of CPAConnect will be able to tap into the expertise, resources and wide range of specializations of leading CPAs and consultants across the country.

Beussink, Hey, Martin & Roe is a full-service firm of professional accountants and business advisers serving companies and their owners in the Cape Girardeau area. Since the company was founded in 1986, the staff has grown from six to more than 15.

LUTHERAN BROTHERHOOD EARNS HIGHEST RATING

Lutheran Brotherhood of Minneapolis has received an "A++ rating from the A.M. Best Co., an independent insurance analyst.

The rating is the highest given by Best and is based on 1994 financial results and operating performance.

In addition, Lutheran Brotherhood has received AAA ratings from both Standard & Poor's and Duff & Phelps for its claim-paying ability.

Lutheran Brotherhood, a fraternal benefit society that offers a broad range of financial products to Lutherans, is represented in Southeast Missouri by Kenneth E. Volkerding and Richard Cairns.

SPARTECH REPORTS BOTH RECORD SALES AND EARNINGS

Spartech Corp., which includes two operations in Cape Girardeau -- Spartech Plastics, 2500 Spartech Drive, and Spartech Compounding on Nash Road -- reported record sales and earnings for both its third quarter and the first nine months of fiscal.

Third-quarter net earnings were $3.8 million, up 23 percent from the $3.1 million of the same quarter a year ago. Sales were $90.9 million during the quarter, up 30 percent from the $69.9 million a year ago. This all translates into 16 cents per fully diluted earnings per share, up from 13 cents per diluted share a year ago.

Net earnings for the first nine months were $10.9 million, or 45 cents fully diluted earnings per share, compared to $8 million and 34 cents fully diluted earnings per share a year ago.

"Spartech Plastics, our rigid-sheet and rollstock group, continues to experience one of its most challenging, but rewarding years, in history," said Bradley B. Buechler, Spartech president and chief executive officer. "We expect our favorable earnings to continue during the last three months of the fiscal year."

INTEREST RATES UNCHANGED

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Reserve Board is leaving interest rates unchanged amid signs the economy is pulling out of its springtime stall.

The central bank's decision was announced late last week after a meeting of policy-makers behind closed doors in Washington. The federal funds rate, the interest that banks charge each other for overnight loans, remained at 5.75 percent.

At the panel's last meeting July 6, the Fed cut the funds rate for the first time in nearly three years, and expectations for future reductions sparked a big rally on Wall Street.