BUSINESS LEADERSHIP NETWORKING LOOKING TO ESTABLISH A CHAPTER IN CAPE GIRARDEAU

The Missouri Business Leadership Network wants to establish a chapter in Cape Girardeau.

The Missouri group, headquartered in St. Louis, was established two years ago as a means to engage employers in a focused effort to market the benefits of hiring qualified individuals with disabilities.

"We're in the process of surveying area employers concerning their interest in the leadership network," said Miki Gudermuth, executive director of SEMO Alliance for Disability Independence (SADI), who introduced the program at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce First Friday Coffee Friday.

Prior to the Business Leadership Network (BLN) program, S&W Productions, which sponsored the monthly event, announced it recently produced a video, "Welcome to Cape Girardeau," and distributed copies to those present.

The new video, which contains information about Cape Girardeau and its history, is available by contacting Linda Job, 888-855-8993, or via e-mail at linda@swvideo.com.

The Business Leadership Network program was initiated nationally in 1994, by the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities as an effort to market the benefits of hiring qualified individuals with disabilities.

"More than two-thirds of people with a disability want to work," said Linda Baker Oberst, a disability representative form the Missouri Governor's Council on Disability. "But only about a third of those have jobs."

Oberst, who was a guest speaker at the Friday coffee, said that one in five Americans have a disability of some sort.

"This is a big employee source," said Tom McVay, a University of Missouri-Kansas City staff member who works with the program in the western portion of the state. "Many businesses need good workers," he said.

The Missouri Governor's Council on Disability has brought several employers and service providers together to initial a BLN.

"The BLN provides training and resources to help participating companies establish workforce's that are diverse and inclusive of talented workers with disabilities," said McVay.

A number of companies, some with facilities in the Cape Girardeau area, area taking a state leadership role in developing and expanding the BLN.

These include: Bank of America, as the lead company, A.G. Edwards &I Son; & AmerenUE; First Star Bank; and St. Louis Bread Co. , and Schnucks Grocers.

Schnucks in Cape Girardeau uses some workers with disabilities.

"Ability is the bottom line when we hire a new associate," Steve Meadows, of Schnucks Customer Service in Cape Girardeau, told the group.