Chamber Updates

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…

Tricks and Treats to Keep the Last Two Months of the Year Productive It’s the last day of October and that means we only have two months or approximately forty workdays left before 2023 begins. In the spirit of Halloween, it’s time to think about some tricks and treats that can help make the end…

September Unemployment and Decline in the Labor Force Last week the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC) released the September jobs report which showed a slight decrease in overall unemployment in Missouri down to 2.4%. Locally in the Cape Girardeau-Jackson statistical area our number held flat at 2.6%, slightly above the statewide average. While…

Infrastructure Important to Business Activity Two weeks ago, the Cape Girardeau community experienced the impact of a critical infrastructure failure when a large water main broke causing problems with the entire water system and creating the need for a boil water advisory. Water infrastructure, just roads, sewers, electric and gas utilities are one of the…

#SupportYourLocalChamber Day Wednesday October 19th is “Support Your Local Chamber Day” an annual event promoted by the U.S. Chamber to promote and recognize the value that local Chambers of Commerce bring to their communities and region. A chamber of commerce is a group of businesses and organizations that support the interests of its members. Each…

International Trade is Good for Business The Missouri Department of Economic Development International Trade and Investment Office will be visiting Cape Girardeau and Southeast Missouri last week providing an opportunity for area businesses to look at new markets for expansion. The International Trade and Investment Office is a team of experts representing the state of…