MEMO

The Education-Business/Industry Summit, held at Southeast Missouri State University last September, won recognition at the 1994 American Economic Development Council Sales Literature and Promotional Materials Awards Competition.

The summit received an honorable mention award in the special events category, which covered entries such as meetings, seminars, marketing tours and other events designed to develop prospects and promote economic development. Four awards were given in each category.

The award was announced at the council's annual conference in Chicago.

Total construction activity was up in March in Missouri.

The F.W. Dodge Division of McGraw-Hill, an authority on the construction market, reported total construction for March at $620,664,000, up 45 percent over the $427,697,000 figure for March of 1993.

Total construction in the state for the first three months of 1994 is up 20 percent, from $1,024,968,000 in 1993 to $1.234,954,000.

Nonresidential construction in the state during the first quarter, which includes commercial, manufacturing, and other buildings not designed for shelter, was reported at $421,041,000, up 4 percent from the $405,036,000 total during the first quarter of 1993.

Residential construction for the quarter was up 32 percent, at $601,717,000, compared to $456,970,000 during the same period in 1993.

Nonbuilding construction, which includes streets, highways, bridges, river and harbor developments, airports and a few other projects, was reported at $212,196,000 for the quarter, up 30 percent from the first-quarter total of $162,962,000 in 1993.

The Missouri Surgery Center Inc., 300 S. Mount Auburn Road in Cape Girardeau, and the Visiting Nurse Association of Southeast Missouri, headquartered at Kennett, have joined the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri (BCBSMo) Alliance preferred-provider network.

"Our Alliance network is enhanced with these providers," said Ruth Meyer Hollenback, regional vice president/chief operating officer of BCBSMo's Southeast Missouri Region.

There are now 76 hospitals and about 4,000 physicians in the Alliance network, which has ore than 550,000 members in Missouri.

Union Electric has declared a quarterly dividend of 59.5 cents a share of common stock, payable June 30, to stockholders of record June 8.

The Board also declared regularly quarterly dividends in all classes of preferred stock, payable Aug. 15, to stockholders of record July 20.

The St. Louis- based company, which serves 1.2 million customers in Missouri and Illinois, has paid cash dividends since 1906.

Shareholders of Farm & Home Financial Corp. have approved a proposal to merge with the St. Louis-based Roosevelt Financial Group.

Farm & Home officials said last week that the merger of Farm & Home with Roosevelt is still subject to approval by federal regulators. They hope to complete the transaction by the end of June.

Farm & Home Financial Corp. is a $3.4 billion holding company whose principal subsidiary is Farm & Home Savings Association, headquartered at Nevada, Mo.

A "New Product Development Symposium" will be held Thursday, May 19, at Drury Lodge in Cape Girardeau.

The workshop, which will include topics on the practical value of patents, trademarks and copyrights, is being sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, Cape Girardeau Bar Association, and the Small Business Development Center, along with the St. Louis law firm of Herzog, Crebs & McGhee.

Cost of the seminar is $45. Reservations are required. Additional information is available by calling the chamber, 335-3312.

Westvaco Corp., a major U.S. manufacturer of paper, packaging and chemicals, headquartered in New York, has announced it will build a $25 million printing and packaging converting plant in the Czech Republic.

The plant will be located about 75 miles east of Prague in Svitavy, and will serve expanding consumer packaging demand in Central Europe.

"This new state-of-the-art plant reflects Westvaco's commitment to serve its customers as they expand their business by entering new markets," said John A. Luke Jr., president and chief executive officer of Westvaco.

Construction of the new plant will get under way within three months, with an expected opening during the fall of 1995.

Westvaco has a large paper and packaging plant at Wickliffe, Ky., about 45 miles from Cape Girardeau.