Cape Chamber president John Mehner: Startup businesses 'critical' to economic development

Start-up businesses have become “a critical part of economic development,” Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce president John Mehner said Friday.

Mehner was one of three panelists who spoke to chamber members at First Friday Coffee about economic development efforts.

Alyssa Phares, senior director of sales and strategy for the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Chris Carnell, co-founder of Codefi, a business incubator that has sparked development of startup technology companies, were the other panelists at the gathering, held at Isle Casino Cape Girardeau.

Mehner said there is a need for skilled workers. The area’s low unemployment also hampers efforts to recruit employers, he said.

The chamber is studying ways to keep high school and Southeast Missouri State University graduates here in the workforce, Mehner said.

Codefi has played a major role in economic development, according to Mehner.

Carnell said Codefi focuses on startup businesses and tech companies. Through its efforts, 160 jobs have been created, he said.

According to Carnell, the region lacks skilled computer programmers, which are in high demand in today’s economy.

“We just need to get people interested in computer programming,” he said.

Development of a “youth coding league” is teaching middle-school students the skills of computer programming. By the fall, the league will have expanded to 40 area schools involving 1,000 students, Carnell said.

Mehner said Cape Girardeau also benefits from being home to Southeast Missouri State University. The school aids economic development, particularly in “this new entrepreneurial world,” he said.

Phares said conventions, sports tournaments and tourism efforts are the least understood component of economic development.

She said the convention and visitors bureau seeks to market Cape Girardeau to draw people to the area.

“We’re marketing outside of Cape Girardeau,” she said.

According to Phares, the Cape Girardeau area would benefit from having a major museum or attraction that would draw visitors traveling along Interstate 55.

Mehner told the chamber crowd economic development involves more than recruiting new businesses. It also seeks to retain existing businesses.

“Saving 50 jobs is at least as important as recruiting new businesses,” he said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641