LIMBAUGH AWARD GOES TO JOE GAMBILL

Joe F. Gambill joined a small and prestigious group Friday night.

Gambill, recently retired manager of Biokyowa, Inc., was named recipient of the Rush H. Limbaugh Sr. award.

The award was presented by the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce during the chamber's annual dinner/dance held at the Show Me Center on the Southeast Missouri State University campus.

Also honored at the chamber event were chamber president John Mehner, who received the "Go-Getter" award, presented by the chamber for a member's outstanding work with the organization's membership committee, and KBSI-TV, which received the chamber's "Small Business of the Year" award.

New and outgoing directors were recognized at the meeting by Harry Rediger, outgoing chairman of the board.

The Limbaugh award was presented by David Limbaugh, a grandson of 102-year-old Rush Limbaugh Sr., for whom the award is named.

Gambill, who still serves as consultant to the Biokyowa firm and is active in chamber and community activities, was the sixth recipient of the Limbaugh award. The award was established in 1989 by the chamber to recognize an area business person who has expended exceptional effort on behalf of the community for an extended period of time.

Limbaugh, an attorney for more than 75 years here, was first recipient of the award. Others include longtime radio and television station owner, the late Oscar Hirsch; businessman and former mayor Howard C. Tooke; businessman Harry Rediger and last year's recipient, businessman Charles Hutson.

The presentations highlighted the annual dinner and dance meeting of the chamber, which attracted more than 700 people.

Steven Engles of Engles Communications, Inc., which acquired KBSI-TV in 1989, accepted the chamber's third Small Business of the Year Award, presented by the Chamber's Small Business Research Committee.

Engles said he was surprised that KBSI-TV was named Small Business of the Year.

"We knew that we were a finalist for the honor," he said. "But we were a finalist for the award last year, too. To stand up here and receive this award is a great honor for the station and its 39 employees."

Previous winners of the award include Advance Business Systems in 1992 and Bluff City Beer last year.

KBSI-TV started broadcasting in September 1983 as the area's first independent television station. The company grew quickly in revenue and audience share, but in 1987, Media Central, Inc, the corporate owner of eight TV stations, including KBSI, declared bankruptcy, noted Engles.

"The station floundered through the next three years," said Engles, and in December 1989, Engles Communications acquired the station from the federal bankruptcy court.

"We started remodeling," said Engles, adding that the master control area and commercial production studios were remodeled and equipped with state-of-the-art technology.

While the equipment remodeling was under way, KBSI invested in new programming to attract family, children and sport audiences.

KBSI is family-owned, said Engles. "It's family programmed and has a family-style atmosphere at work."

The company purchased telecast rights to Southeast Missouri State University, Southern Illinois and Murray State basketball and football, and other sports events.

"This has paid off in phenomenal growth," said Engles. "With our inclusion on cable systems, we reach an audience of more than 350,000 viewers in five states. We've grown in number of viewers and advertisers. Over the past four years we have grown more than our three TV competitors combined."

Engles said being active in community affairs also has paid big dividends for KBSI-TV and the communities its serves.

"We're involved as sponsors in Riverfest, Southeast Missouri District Fair, Fourth of July activities and many other events in Cape Girardeau," he said. "We're also involved with special activities at Murray and Paducah, Ky., Mt. Vernon and DuQuoin, Ill., and Poplar Bluff, Mo."

Rediger, who was chairman of the chamber board of directors in 1993, reviewed some of the accomplishments of the chamber during the past year.

"We had a good year in 1993," said Rediger. "We made the final payment on our chamber building during the year, and we sold the old Florsheim shoe factory site. Growth in the city flourished during the year, and we feel it will continue through 1994."

Rediger, in his final act as chairman, passed he gavel to Ollie Miller, who is new chairman of the board.

Miller said among major goals of the chamber for 1994 would be new growth, membership, economics and community betterment.

"One of our top priorities is the Mississippi River bridge project," said Miller. "We're also offering our support to the I-66 highway project and the Regional Commerce and Growth Association (RCGA)."

Miller also announced that Rediger will be serve on the I-66 Project board as a chamber representative.