VIRGIL ELFRINK TO HEAD RCGA

Virgil Elfrink of Cape Girardeau has been elected president and Jackson Mayor Carlton Meyer vice president of the board of directors of the Regional Commerce and Growth Association.

The two were chosen at the August meeting of the 21-member board, which is comprised of nine at-large members and representatives of various counties and communities in the region.

Elfrink succeeds Ken Engelhart of Marble Hill as president of the board.

Other officers elected were Marble Hill Mayor Shirley Cooper as secretary and Charles Daniel as treasurer.

Other RCGA at-large board members are Bob Hafford, Gene Penzel, Ernie Beussink, Troy Wilson, Carl Penzel and Martin Jansen.

Other board members and the entities they represent are: H.B. Rice, Chaffee Chamber of Commerce; Kent Puchbauer, Jackson chamber; Ron McCulley, Scott City chamber; Pete Burns, Sikeston Development Council; Mayor Shirley Young, Scott City; Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep, Cape Girardeau County; Don Wieland, Fredericktown chamber; Lawrence Seyer, Oran chamber; Gene Leuckel, Van Buren chamber; Engelhart, Marble Hill chamber; and Pat Todd, Piedmont chamber.

Walt Wildman, executive director of the RCGA, said that during the last year the major accomplishment has been progress toward securing an Interstate 66, a plan originated by the group two years ago for a new east-west interstate.

Areas of interest for the coming year, said Wildman, are regional tourism, Tri-State Coalition for Highways, and a look at the regional education system as it relates to economic development.