Over the past several years the St. Louis region has discovered an extraordinary potential for plant and life sciences through the emergence of the BioBelt industry cluster. Complimenting this industry sector is the information technology cluster. Not only is IT enabling extraordinary productivity gains within the overall economy, but it is also playing a very unique and critical role in advancing the life sciences sector. In a recent research report on the bio-technology industry, Ernst & Young life sciences strategy consultant Brian Sager writes: “From agriculture to fine chemicals, from drug discovery to health, companies are migrating and integrating their scientific approaches and business aspirations to create broad platforms for new products and markets. Fueled by—and contributing to— developments in information technology and nanotechnology, these hybrid markets are true bellwethers of the information age, generating enormous quantities of information at multiple scales of time and space.” Complimenting the April special issue of St. Louis Commerce Magazine on the BioBelt is this month’s special issue on IT. Back in 2000, with the help of Dr. Michael Porter of Harvard, the St. Louis region assessed its highest potential industry sectors. The five that emerged with the future greatest potential for St. Louis were: plant and life sciences, information technologies, financial services, transportation and distribution and advance manufacturing. In a very real sense, IT cuts across each of these sectors. In this special edition of St. Louis Commerce, Laurie Burstein interviews three of our region’s top IT leaders—Monsanto Chief Information Officer Mark Showers, past CIO with SBC and now with his new title of entrepreneur Ed Glotzbach, and CIO for Edward Jones Richard Malone. These industry leaders and their colleagues are helping to drive the IT industry across the region by forming the Coalition for Information and Communication Technology. RCGA Economist Bryan Bezold gives a sense of the IT sector’s contribution to the regional economy. He notes that 40,744 jobs in IT related fields support another approximately 47,600 jobs in other industries elsewhere in the region (a job impact of over 88,000), and that jobs in IT-related industries pay significantly more than the region- wide average. With the input of a variety of IT leaders in the region, St. Louis Commerce also highlights a sampling of key players in the industry. Christine Imbs examines the role that IT is playing in providing improved healthcare. Brian R. Hook covers how seven diverse companies are using IT to drive business. Bill Beggs Jr. chronicles how the region is nurturing IT entrepreneurs with the emerging IT incubator at the University of Missouri- St. Louis and the Technology Entrepreneur Center in downtown St. Louis. Other stories highlight the IT workforce, IT education and a newly created institution called Innovate St. Louis. Its mission is to enhance the region’s entrepreneurial climate. And finally in our spotlight this month, meet the CIO of Emerson, who was recently recruited back to St. Louis. Find out why Steve Hassell did not plan on a career in computers. We hope you enjoy reading this issue of St. Louis Commerce Magazine. As always, please send your comments and suggestions to us at dfleming@stlrcga.org. RICHARD C.D. FLEMING President and Chief Executive Officer St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association

August 2006 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cover Story: Rich Malone, Ed Glotzbach and Mark Showers Jim Brasunas Day Veerlapati - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - www.stlrcga.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - www.technologygateway.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gregory Lanza, M.D. and Samuel Wickline, M.D. Mike Behr James Crane, M.D. Niche