FOUR VISIT GERMANY TO COURT BUSINESS

JACKSON -- Two Cape Girardeau County officials recently traveled to Germany as part of an industrial recruitment effort to land 100 to 110 manufacturing jobs for the county.

Making the trip were county Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones and county Assessor Jerry Reynolds, and Mitch Robinson, executive director of the Cape Girardeau Area Industrial Recruitment Association, and state industrial recruiter Phil Tate. Tate is director of the Department of Economic Development's business expansion and attraction group.

The trip lasted from Feb. 26 to March 3 and included business discussions in Munster, Germany.

County officials typically don't go on such recruiting trips, but Jones said Monday he and Reynolds made the trip at the request of a company that is considering putting a manufacturing operation in the county. Officials declined to disclose the name of the firm for fear of jeopardizing the recruitment effort.

The delegation made a presentation to the international company's board of directors. "We did our part," said Jones.

The company's board of directors could make a decision within a few weeks, he said.

Reynolds said tax breaks would be considered as part of the industrial recruitment effort.

Reynolds welcomed the chance to travel overseas to promote economic development for the county. "Anytime I can do anything to help get business into the county, I'll do it," he said.