Compiled by Lauri Johnson
The St. Louis region and its companies make the national news.
COMPUTERWORLD RECOGNIZES MONSANTO
AS A TOP "GREEN" INFORMATION TECH COMPANY
Monsanto has been ranked No. 11 among the top companies in the country that practice "green" computing, according to Computerworld's Top 12 Green-IT Users list for 2008. The magazine recognized Monsanto, the only agriculture company on the list, for reducing energy consumption in computer equipment and for using technology to conserve energy and to lower carbon emissions.
"On behalf of Monsanto and its employees, we're honored and excited to receive this great recognition," stated Mark Showers, chief information officer for Monsanto. "A strong environment is essential to our business success and our mission of making farmers more productive and more efficient. Monsanto has a good track record of being on the cutting edge of technology, and we're pleased we can continue that trend by keeping energy efficiency in mind at all times within our IT organization."
The magazine highlighted Monsanto's new $21 million, state-of-the-art data center in Creve Coeur, Mo., completed in the fall of 2007. The center's energy-efficient design saves more than 25 percent of the energy that would be consumed by a conventionally designed data center. Monsanto expects to receive Leadership in Energy Efficiency and Design certification for the facility this spring.
Computerworld also applauded Monsanto's focus on server consolidation and virtualization, noting that over the past three years, "Monsanto has eliminated 334 servers, and it is running just 16 Windows- and Linux-based machines today." The company also has committed to purchasing 10 percent of the total energy consumption at its headquarters from renewable sources such as wind power.
ARMSTRONG TEASDALE DISTINGUISHED FOR
SUPERIOR CLIENT SERVICE
Armstrong Teasdale LLP is one of the top 50 law firms for delivering outstanding service to clients, according to The BTI Client Service A-Team 2008, a research report published by The BTI Consulting Group Inc. in Wellesley, Mass.
The report delineates the more than 250 law firms that clients ranked by name as delivering superior client service. BTI conducted more than 250 interviews with corporate counsel at large and Fortune 1000 companies, investigating various aspects of client service.
ARCHITECT MAGAZINE TOUTS ST. LOUIS
In the December issue of ARCHITECT magazine, Margot Carmichael Lester has written an article titled "St. Louis, Mo." about the appeal of St. Louis and the popularity of redevelopment projects in the city's core.
"Home to American icons the Gateway Arch and Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis is getting a new, edgier reputation thanks to a rise in biotechnology and medical research at Washington University," writes Lester. "But this is just one reason biotech and pharmaceutical companies are setting up shop here; there are also the area's central location, good economy, and dual appeal as college town and Midwestern urban hub."
Lester notes "leaders are trying to balance St. Louis' rich architectural history with the needs of its promising future."
The piece includes comments from Clark Davis of HOK, Robert Wagstaff of Rosemann & Associates, and Eugene Mackey III of Mackey Mitchell Associates, as well as profiles of notable projects that include the Old Post Office, Skyhouse, the 14th Street Mall Revitalization and Chaifetz Arena.
For the full story, visit http://www.architectmagazine.com and check out the past issues section for the December 2007 magazine.
FORTUNE PICKS THREE LOCAL COMPANIES FOR Ò100 BESTÓ LIST
Edward Jones, Scottrade and KPMG LLP have been named to FORTUNE magazine's 11th annual 100 Best Companies to Work For list that appeared in the Feb. 4th issue.
Edward Jones ranked No. 4 and claimed the highest spot among
St. Louis firms. The magazine noted that at Edward Jones, ÒSome 70 percent of employees in the St. Louis home office got a 6.5 percent raise last year as the brokerage firm opened 1,000 new offices in the U.S.Ó
Scottrade ranked No. 58 in its first appearance on the list. As for why it's so great, FORTUNE points out that Scottrade CEO Rodger Riney "looks out for young talent," hiring 200 college interns every year.
KPMG moved up 26 places this year to rank No. 71 on the full 2008 list and No. 23 among large-sized companies.
"Generous time off (five weeks' vacation after one year) and flexibility are appreciated here; 75 percent of employees said they are encouraged to balance work and family life," according to FORTUNE.
SCOTTRADE'S PATTERSON RECOGNIZED FOR
EXCELLENCE IN
INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP
Computerworld magazine has named Ian Patterson, Scottrade's chief information officer, as one of its 2008 Premier 100 IT Leaders. The annual awards honor information technology executives who have guided the effective use of information technology to improve business performance, according to the magazine.
Patterson was selected from a group of nearly 800 nominees who were evaluated by Computerworld editors and a panel of outside judges.
BUSINESSWEEK.COM NAMES WENTZVILLE ONE OF AFFORDABLE SUBURBS FOR 2007
Wentzville, Mo., has been named one of the 50 Best Affordable Suburbs
in the U.S. for 2007, according to BusinessWeek.com's national report.
According to the Web site, Wentzville's current population is 27,188, median home price is $204,800, median household income is $59,997, unemployment rate is 3.4 percent, commute time is 28.6 minutes, and violent crime index is 3.
Working with Sperling's BestPlaces, BusinessWeek.com searched for relatively affordable communities in each state with low crime and unemployment rates, decent schools, reasonable commutes, and good shopping and entertainment options, according to the Web site.
WALTON CONSTRUCTION'S KAIMAN NAMED
ONE OF "40 UNDER 40"
Tom Kaiman, operations manager for Walton Construction St. Louis, was selected as one of 40 young professionals nationwide to receive Building Design+Construction's third annual 40 Under 40 Award. The honor is bestowed to professionals 40 and younger in the design and construction industry.
Currently, Kaiman, 28, supervises a 40-person team working on 11 projects in three states with a total construction value of more than $100 million. Since joining Walton in 2003, Kaiman has developed project management protocols and reports that the firm has implemented on a national level. Kaiman also created an internal project management-training program.
CHARTER NAMED OPERATOR OF THE YEAR BY CABLEWORLD MAGAZINE
CableWorld magazine named Charter Communications Inc. the 2007 Multi-System Operator of the Year. The magazine cited a number of noteworthy accomplishments as rationale for choosing Charter to receive this recognition. Charter has addressed its nearest-term debt maturities; rapidly expanded its telephone footprint to take advantage of the triple play offering; and developed a consistent, data-driven marketing plan. Charter CEO Neal Smit recently presented Charter's progress at the Breakfast with the Gazelles.
HEARTLAND REAL ESTATE BUSINESS SPOTLIGHTS
MERCANTILE EXCHANGE AND DOWNTOWN CHESTERFIELD
The December 2007 cover story of Heartland Real Estate Business showcases The Mercantile Exchange in downtown St. Louis and the Downtown Chesterfield development in Chesterfield, Mo., as two projects that are "poised to change the face of their respective markets."
"The Mercantile Exchange (MX) is a historic renovation and adaptive reuse project set to transform downtown St. Louis, which is in the midst of a renaissance in commercial development," writes Dan Marcec about the project undertaken by the Pyramid Companies and Spinnaker Real Estate Partners.
The $450 million redevelopment will turn a five-block area into a neighborhood of high-end condominiums, apartments, office space and retail space that will include a hotel and parking spaces. At the center of the development, the ill-fated St. Louis Centre also will be renovated.
Also featured is Sachs Properties' Downtown Chesterfield, a mixed-use development that will initially consist of two Class A office buildings and four retail and restaurant buildings at the intersection of Chesterfield Parkway West and Interstate 64.
"Locally based HOK designed Downtown Chesterfield, which is characterized by walkable, scaled streets carefully organized in a town center theme," writes Marcec. "Another key part of the development is the abundant green space that connects the various components, which includes two lakes."
The entire article can be found at http://www.heartlandrebusiness.com in
the archives.
SHULMAN NAMED ONE
OF THE BEST CEOS
IN AMERICA
Institutional Investor magazine picked Steven J. Shulman, chairman and CEO of Magellan Health Services Inc., for its ranking of the Best CEOs in America. It is the first appearance on the list for Shulman, who was included in the healthcareÑmanaged care sector.
Shulman joined Magellan in 2002 and has since led the company's development into a specialty healthcare management organization that provides services in behavioral health, diagnostic imaging and specialty pharmaceuticals.
VANDIVER WINS AWARD FROM ENTERPRISING WOMEN
Donna Vandiver, president and CEO of The Vandiver Group Inc., has been selected to receive a 2008 Enterprising Women of the Year Award from Enterprising Women magazine.
"I am honored to have been selected by fellow business women and entrepreneurs across the country," stated Vandiver. "Enterprising Women magazine is a valuable resource for business women and it's exciting to be included in such an esteemed group."
Award recipients must demonstrate that they have fast-growth businesses, mentor or actively support other women and girls involved in entrepreneurship, and stand out as leaders in their communities, according to the magazine's Web site.
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