Who's Who: Jason Coalter

Vice president of Cape Girardeau Printing Co.

"Never a dull moment. My work is a little bit like a circus -- new opportunities are always popping up."

WHERE HE'S BEEN: Thirty-year-old Coalter is originally from Cape Girardeau, and is married to wife Lesley. They have a four-year-old son, Jake. As well as being VP of Cape Girardeau Printing Co., he is owner of The Hamlet Group -- historic preservation of commercial structures; co-owner of C&H Group apartments and townhomes; co-owner of The Wright Group advertising, marketing, sales promotion; co-owner of Coalter Investments commercial/residential real estate; partner of Coalter & Felty Investments -- rebuilding/improving housing in South Cape; partner of Centurion Development residential real estate and historic preservation. He is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University. "

WHERE HE'S GOING: In five years, Coalter sees himself "growing the advertising and printing businesses, real estate investments and more historic preservation projects. It is so rewarding to take a home or building that most think should be torn down and make it brand new. There is so much character and integrity in these structures and I want to share that with the community. I think service plays a major role in the future. More people use the phrase "great customer service" as a campaign slogan, rather than actually implementing ways to provide it. While most of the printing industry has been laying off or cutting working days/hours, Cape Girardeau Printing has been hiring and increasing daily productivity. We believe in service and quality and we provide it. We invest in the newest, most efficient, highest-quality products while maintaining a competitive price.

You have to take away the customer's burden and continually exceed their expectations. The most fulfilling thing about it is showing our customers how to brand themselves through media. We magnify their success by making it tangible. More and more companies are going to value this as competition gets tougher.

Real estate investment is becoming more and more competitive. People are looking for passive income and ways to supplement their retirement. This is both good and bad. Managing property is very difficult and many real estate investors end up selling property at a loss or in a distressed state. If you can focus more on the quality of tenant and continue to improve the residence as you would your own, it can pay good dividends in the future. However, many people spend income over and above their payment and 'milk' the house of its quality, resulting in blighted and distressed areas. The quality of tenant diminishes as the house does. Our lending institutions have tightened up and borrowers must be solid financially in order to secure financing, which is a good thing for blighted areas."

On working in the community, Coalter says, "I would like to work with local professionals and the city to take a more proactive approach to revitalizing South Cape and the downtown area. We should take great pride in our city, not just certain parts of it. This is the grassroots of Cape Girardeau and it should be preserved and respected."

WHY HE WAS CHOSEN: "Jason, as a young man, had a vision -- he wanted to make a difference in Cape's rental situations -- and he has done a tremendous job of this," wrote Beth McFerron. "He has bought properties in areas that most people would not invest in, and not only does he purchase these homes, he remodels them to be like a home he would live in."

"He has a special interest in the development of the downtown area and loves the city of Cape Girardeau," wrote Jason's mother, Debbie Coalter. "Jason believes in community service and has worked diligently. He has been very successful and devoted to his community and business."

Jason's community involvement: Past board member of Cape Area Family Resource Center; Rotary Club "Paul Harris Fellow"; Saint Francis Medical Center Friends board member; Cape, Perryville and Farmington chamber of commerce member; invested several million dollars toward improving the quality of housing for families in South Cape; NRA life member.