INDUSTRIAL RECRUITMENT ASSOCIATION FOR REGION OFFERS JOB FOR DIRECTOR

JACKSON - The board of directors of the Cape Girardeau Area Recruitment Association voted Monday to hire an executive director. If the person accepts the position, he will start working June 1.

The board did not reveal the name.

"We have offered it to a gentleman and will give him time to say he will definitely take the position," said Cape Girardeau Mayor Gene Rhodes, chairman of the board.

Rhodes said the person chosen was scheduled to leave his current position May 1. He anticipates receiving a firm commitment within a week.

"This guy has very good references and we all feel very comfortable with him. He looks very good to us," said Rhodes.

The association board began advertising for an executive director earlier this year and received seven applications for the position. The board decided at a meeting on April 5 to interview three people.

But one of the three found another position and another withdrew his name from consideration. Only one person was interviewed on April 12, and after reviewing references, a decision was made to hire him.

Rhodes explained that each board member had called one or two of the applicant's references, and those contacted had excellent comments about the person.

Rhodes added that as part of the process of reviewing applications, each board member has prioritized applicants. All seven board members ranked the person they have offered the job to as their top choice.

The Cape Girardeau Area Industrial Recruitment Association has been in the planning stages for almost a year, in an effort to have area cities working together on bringing jobs to the area.

The association is a joint venture of the cities of Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Scott City, the Cape Girardeau County Commission and the Cape Chamber of Commerce. The city of Cape and the county have two representatives serving on the board of directors, while the other three entities have one member each.

Rhodes praised the board members for their efforts in getting the association organized and in hiring an executive director.

"Something like this is not easy," said Rhodes. "A lot of people have been involved in it and there are a lot of personalities. ... They are working together well and not trying to rush the process. We have been working to get the best possible person on the job that we could and look forward to having a successful association."

Other members of the board are: Cape Girardeau City Councilman Melvin Gateley, Jackson City Administrator Carl Talley, Scott City Mayor Larry Forhan, Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep, Joe Gambill and John Mehner.

The office will be located in the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce building.