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This year RCGA plays host to the annual American Chamber of Commerce Executives Conference representing cities large and small throughout the U.S. and Canada. We’re excited for this sold-out event as the schedule includes Andy Taylor as a keynote speaker, plus a special visit from one or our region’s most famous authors. St. Louis corporate sponsors: Ameren, Edward Jones and Anheuser-Busch are also on board to welcome this prestigious group of 1,000. And so to our fellow chamber executives from throughout North America, in this special edition of Commerce Magazine, we bid you welcome.
And speaking of big groups in St. Louis, learn about Boeing’s impact on the region. For a number of years, it has been common in the media and business community to hear mention of, “when McDonnell Douglas left.” This month’s cover story will hopefully set to rest the notion that McDonnell Douglas, in fact, did not leave. Rather, by virtue of its merger with Boeing, we now have a world headquarters in our region that is the global leader in defense aerospace manufacturing.
In fact, the St. Louis-based Boeing Integrated Defense Systems (with its world HQ here in St. Louis) is a $31 billion company with more than 80,000 employees worldwide. Were it a separate corporation, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems would rank
No. 54 in the Fortune 500.
Jim Albaugh, CEO of IDS, and Regional Executive Pat Finneran are not only excelling at growing a major corporation, but they also are continuing the McDonnell Douglas legacy of civic contribution—both financially and through their leadership in the community.
In addition to St. Louis’ continuing aerospace leadership, this issue also examines a unique education program aimed at improving the St. Louis public schools, along with other school districts nationally facing similar obstacles. Teach For America is a 15-year-old national initiative that actively recruits college graduates from top tier universities throughout the nation who hold a passion for public education. St. Louis has 60 teachers involved in the program. After a rigorous selection process, Teach For America educators undergo an intense training program that allows them to better understand urban educational environments and the specific needs of many students who attend such schools.
In another Commerce article, the St. Louis region is becoming evermore “green” conscious as bicycle trails are taking advantage of former railroad right-of-ways. Dedicated bike lanes have already been, or soon will be, constructed on area bridges spanning the Mississippi, Missouri and Meramec rivers.
The Great Rivers Greenway District was established in November 2000 upon passage of Proposition C in St. Louis City, St. Louis County and St. Charles County. The River Ring, an interconnected system of greenways, parks and trails that will encircle the St. Louis region, eventually will be comprised of a 600-mile web of more than 45 greenways, covering an area of 1,216 square miles. Grab your bike and enjoy the ride.
Finally, in the spotlight this month, we showcase Missouri Foundation for Health CEO, Dr. James Kimmey. The MFH is an independent, nonprofit foundation with assets totaling $1.1 billion. It is the largest health foundation in the state and the third largest in the country. Its focus is to fill the gap for the uninsured and underinsured in our state.
We hope you enjoy this issue of St. Louis Commerce. As always, we welcome your feedback and invite your suggestions for future story ideas to dfleming@stlrcga.org
RICHARD C.D. FLEMING
President and Chief Executive Officer
St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association
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