CAPE GIRARDEAU CHAMBER BOARD RETREAT FRIDAY

The past year has been one of noteworthy accomplishments for the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce.

Doug Groesbeck, district manager, Union Electric at Cape Girardeau, and current chairman of the chamber board reported recently that the majority of priorities, goals and objectives within the 1998 Business Plan had been met.

"We're near 100 percent of completion of what we set out to accomplish," said Groesbeck, in a monthly report to the board.

Accomplishments, discussions of 1999 goals and priorities and election of officers, and updates from city, school, university and economic development representatives are on the agenda for the chamber's board of directors annual retreat.

The group will meet Friday at the Lone Star Industries Natatorium, following the December First Friday Coffee this week.

The monthly coffee will be held at 7:30 a.m. Friday at the Show Me Center on Southeast Missouri State University campus.

"We'll hear from a number of speakers during the morning session at the retreat Friday," said John Mehner, president of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce. "We'll introduce our brainstorming ideas and new officers during the afternoon session."

The local chamber is one of the top five chambers in the state in membership, exceeding membership of all Missouri cities of 50,000 or less population, with a membership of about 1,200.

Cape Girardeau also stacks up well compared to all other chambers in the state -- third behind Kansas City and Springfield.

"Our membership is more than anticipated at this time of year," said Mehner. "We projected the membership at 1,140 going into the new year."

New to the board this year will be: Gordon Brookman, Edgewater Glass; John Abercrombie, Capaha Bank; Jim Sexton, St. Francis Medical Center; Dave Blanchard, Dana Corp.; Steve Leus, Lone Star Industries; and Cathy Swan, JCS Tel-Link.

Bart Ozbun, vice president and financial counselor-in-charge of the local Merrill Lynch investment office, is chairman-elect and will assume the chair's post in January.

Retiring board members this year include James Wente of Southeast Missouri Hospital, who served as chairman of the board two years ago; Alan Gregory, Gregory Construction; Kim Swartz, Capaha Bank; Steve Green, Union Planters Bank; Don Hill Jr., Capetown RV Sales; Jay Knudtson, NationsBank; and Howard Meagle, KFVS12.

Among Friday speakers will be Cape Girardeau Mayor Al Spradling; Dr. Dale Nitzschke, president of Southeast Missouri State University; Dr. Dan Tallent, Cape Girardeau public schools superintendent; and Mitch Robinson, executive director of the Area Industrial Recruitment Association.

Spradling is first speaker of the day, at 9 a.m., and will discuss improvements in the city. Nitzschke will speak at 10 a.m , and will be followed by Talent at 11 a.m.

Robinson, who will discuss economic development and recruitment, will speak at 11:30 a.m.