LOCAL CHAMBER ENJOYS GROWTH

The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce is one of the top five in the state in membership.

Today, the local chamber is No. 4. By 4 p.m. Tuesday, chamber officials are expecting it to climb to No. 3.

Membership totals maintained by the Missouri State Chamber of Commerce show Cape Girardeau at 1,150 members.

The North Kansas City Chamber is the largest chamber in the state with more than 3,000 members, following a merger with Platte City a few years ago, said Bob Orenstein, vice president of membership marketing for the state chamber. Both of those communities are in the fast-growing northern part of the Kansas City metropolitan area north of the river and near Kansas City International Airport.

Springfield, with 1,800 members, is second on the list, then Jefferson City at 1,200, Cape Girardeau at 1,150 and Columbia at 1,100.

The next highest is Joplin, at 850.

The St. Louis area is divided into a number of chambers which run from 400 to 650 members.

The St. Louis Regional Commerce & Growth Association, another organization that serves businesses and industries and has headquarters in downtown St. Louis, counts over 3,000 members, but it covers a dozen counties in Missouri and Illinois.

"We should jump into third position following our annual one-day, membership blitz," said John Mehner, president of the Cape Girardeau Chamber. "We usually sign 60 to 70 new members during the blitz."

The local chamber is No. 1 in Missouri in its population category.

"We have an excellent chamber here," said Mehner. "Everyone works together and we strive for excellence in our organization every day."

The chamber has a total of 15 committees and numerous sub committees. More than half of the membership serves on a committee, board or task force, keeping members involved.

"Working Together, We Thrive in '95" is the theme for the Tuesday blitz, which starts with a kickoff breakfast at 7:30 a.m. at Drury Lodge.

Rozan Bonsignore of MVP Communications and Michele Tomlison of Boatmen's Bank are co-chairpersons for the drive.

Bart Ozbun of Boatmen's Bank's Investment Service will be guest speaker for Tuesday breakfast.