Chamber Updates

Transportation and Workforce Investments A proposed $860 Million dollar investment to expand I-70 was the main headline following Governor Parson’s State of the State Address last Wednesday. This will certainly be a critical long-term investment to help transportation in the State of Missouri, but another proposal from the Governor is a key topic of need…

Are You Falling for Performance Punishment? Staffing shortages, steady and growing business activity and the need to do more with less. This is a common topic of discussion among business owners and manager. As you do you best to manage expectations and get the most out of your team, watch out for the management pitfall…

Technology Advancement in AI and the Impact on Business Business has always been impacted and many times enhanced with the advance of technology. As digital technology advances continue at a rapid pace, new innovations in areas like Artificial Intelligence or AI can mean new opportunities and even threats to business as usual. Growing up as…

New Year’s Resolutions for Business 2022 is a wrap and 2023 is ready to begin. Looking forward to the new year ahead now is a wonderful time for business owners and leaders to think about New Year’s Resolutions. New Years resolutions is a common tradition for individuals to set goals as they start anew with…

Jobs & Workforce Update The November jobs reports shows a year over year decrease in unemployment including a slight increase Total employment for the Cape Girardeau MSA. On the surface those numbers look good but a look at the total Civilian Labor Force tells a more important story. In the November Jobs Report issued by the Missouri…

Workforce Opportunities for Rural Communities Apprenticeships are proven to be beneficial for both employers and workers. As workforce challenges continue to face our region, it is critical that we explore opportunities like apprenticeships to help solve those challenges. The Missouri Chamber Foundation is launching the Workforce Opportunities for Rural Communities, or WORC, grant initiative and…

Graduation and Keeping Alumni Local This Saturday, December 17, 2022, Southeast Missouri State will hold it’s fall commencement with just over 1,000 students expected to complete their degrees and move into the workforce. We have talked many times about the impact that students have on the local and regional economy but today we will focus…

Learning from Consumers this Holiday Season The National Retail Federation (NRF) is predicting a healthy holidays shopping market with estimated spending in the U.S. between $942.6 billion and $ 960.4 billion. How consumers choose to spend their money can be informative as we look to grow the region. The Thanksgiving holiday has become the unofficial…

Small Business Grant Program Opens Wednesday The State of Missouri has allocated $10 Million for a one-time Small Business Grant Program that is designed to aid those still recovering from the pandemic. If your business was in operation prior to January 1, 2020, and experienced a loss in year over year revenue you may be…

Election Day and Beyond Tomorrow is election day and exercising your right to vote is an important part of being a citizen, but for business owners and leaders the need to be engaged and connected doesn’t end there. Engaging in the political process as a business leader can sometimes be challenging and uncomfortable. Questions about…