JOE GAMBILL ENTERS RACE FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONER

Joe Gambill, who recently retired as plant manager for Biokyowa, filed Tuesday for the Republican nomination for 2nd District associate commissioner in Cape Girardeau County.

"I believe in the resources of our community and its people. I want to be part of the leadership of this county to see that we provide a bright future for our young people," said Gambill in announcing his candidacy.

"We need leadership in planning, management of resources, finances and economic development. My life has been spent in these areas in private industry, now I want to take the challenge of applying what I have learned to bettering our community."

Since moving to Cape Girardeau in 1971 to manage the Marquette Cement Plant, Gambill has been active in business and civic affairs. Earlier this year, Gambill received the Rush H. Limbaugh Sr. Service Award for his leadership and outstanding commitment to community service.

He is running for the seat currently held by E.C. Younghouse, who announced last week that he would not seek a fifth term. The 2nd District includes all of Cape Girardeau, except for Ward 17.

One other Republican, John Ferguson, has filed for the seat. Andy Juden Jr., a Democrat, also filed for the associate commissioner post Tuesday.

Stressing his management experience, Gambill pointed out that he has managed industrial plants in Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Florida, California and the Bahamas. He managed the Marquette plant in Cape Girardeau until 1980, and in 1983 he joined Biokyowa as plant manager. He is a consultant in environmental and community affairs to Biokyowa.

"As a manager over industrial manufacturing operations, planning is critical for growth and profitability," said Gambill. "We have five year, or short term planning, and 5 to 15 year, or long term planning, for our business. Business planning is critical to cutting costs, improving efficiency and staying competitive. The county needs to adopt a similar planning strategy to facilitate economic development, improve efficiency of operations and delivery of services, and capital improvements."

If elected, Gambill said he would bring his business experience, management and planning skills to county government to insure tax dollars are used wisely.

Said Gambill: "The business of government needs to be business. We need to foster an environment in this county that will encourage the expansion of existing businesses and bring new industry that will provide good wages for our community. With strong management, we can strategically target our resources to provide incentives for business such as low taxes, solid infrastructure, and an excellent quality of life."

In order to have good fiscal management, Gambill stressed that planning is essential.

"I am a fiscal conservative, but being fiscally conservative does not alone guarantee efficiency and good management," he said. "Too many times government is penny wise and pound foolish because of the lack of good planning. With proper planning, which includes staying abreast of trends on the state and national government, we see that Cape Girardeau County has a financially secure future."

Gambill is a member of the Cape Chamber of Commerce, where he has served two terms on the board and currently serves as a member of the Industrial Relations Committee.

In 1990, he was appointed by the city council to the Planning and Zoning Commission, and earlier this year was named by the county commission to serve as a commissioner of the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority. He also serves as chairman of the Industrial Development Authority and as chairman of the Cape Girardeau Area Industrial Recruitment Association.

He is a member of the Cape Girardeau Lions Club.

Born in Crandon, Wis., Gambill received a bachelor's degree in mining engineering from the Wisconsin Institute of Technology in 1953. He served in the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division-parachute artillery.

He and his wife, Rosemary, are members of St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church. They have five children: Susan Wessel, Rose Ann Reisdorph, Joe Gambill Jr., Margaret Chamberlain, and Kathleen Sebby.