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Building business
relationships is essential in St. Louis.“RCGA Vice Chair of Membership
Mike Zychinski, office managing partner of Deloitte & Touche, noted
that more than any city he has seen, people do business with people
they know.
To support this, the RCGA is committed to creating opportunities
for frequent business encounters, many of them informal and at unique
and interesting venues.
A glance at the organizations that hosted the RCGA’s Business After
Hours in 2003 shows that RCGA is on the right track.
Hosts for this year’s after hours opportunities to connect with
others were, in sequence: the Missouri Athletic Club; Casino Queen;
Weinhardt Party Rentals; the Missouri Botanical Garden; Merchandise
Mart apartments; City Place III; UMB Bank Pavilion at Riverport;
Anheuser-Busch Center (the former Soccer Park in Fenton); President
Casino; Mansion House; and the St. Louis Science Center (catered
by Wolfgang Puck).“December’s Business After Hours was held at the
Renaissance Grand Hotel.
“Business After Hours is extremely popular with our members who
want to make new contacts, meet new prospects and exhibit products
and services,” Zychinski said. “We’ll see between 200 and 300 members.”
Breakfast with the Gazelles is another program offered throughout
the year. It combines networking with the remarks of top business,
political and cultural leaders who discuss issues and ideas that
are important to entrepreneurs and those with the entrepreneurial
spirit.
“The meetings begin with an informal networking session from 7:15
a.m. to 8 a.m.,” noted Patricia Whitaker, IIDA, RCGA vice chair
of Business Services, and president of Arcturis. “It’s impressive
to see a crowd of 100 to 125 people so engaged in conversation.“The
program begins as soon as we get the crowd seated, and we adjourn
before 9 a.m.
Among the speakers in 2003: Richard Baron, Shaun Hayes, Suze Orman,
Gene Mackey, Karen Carroll, Blanche Touhill, Cindy Brinkley and
Walter Metcalfe Jr.
“The breakfasts are usually held at the RCGA,” Whitaker added, “but
when Blanche Touhill was our speaker in August, for instance, we
had it on UM–St. Louis campus, at the new performing arts center
named after her.”
Another popular event is the RCGA’s annual golf tournament.“Some
200 players enjoyed the 15th edition, held in June at Whitmoor Country
Club in St. Charles County.
Gerry Clark, senior vice president at Marsh Inc., has played in
all 15 and his company has sponsored all 15. He noted, “There must
be more than 800 tournaments in and around St. Louis each year,
but we believe the RCGA’s incorporates all the good things a tournament
should have: great prizes, always at a great course, always well
organized, and they serve both lunch and dinner. But the best thing
is that it shows camaraderie and enthusiasm by the business community
for the community.”
Doubtless, some duffers connect better with each other than they
do with the little white ball.
“The Leadership Circle is designed to allow top executives from
all kinds of companies of all different sizes to inter-relate,”
Zychinski said. “The members find common denominators at our events,
both about their businesses and their concerns about the region
as a whole. They also tell us they meet people they wouldn’t have
met otherwise.”
Jerry Mathews is executive director at Right Management, a career
transition and organizational consulting firm, part of a global
network of 330 offices.
He said, “Every event we participate in, we meet people we didn’t
know; the events tend to enable a broader reach. They really are
unique opportunities to develop peer relationships with senior executives—people
who are more likely to be decision makers.”
Leadership Circle members receive priority invitations to RCGA Town
Hall Forums, a VIP reception at the RCGA’s Annual Membership Meeting
and Dinner, and seminars and retreats like the New Business Realities
Speaker Series.“Each month, 10 to 15 Leadership Circle members are
invited for an informal breakfast with RCGA President and CEO Dick
Fleming.
Because we value their input and feedback, they have the opportunity
to discuss current issues within their respective industry, issues
for the region, and receive updates on RCGA initiatives.
They also receive complimentary tickets and invitations to a private
reception before each engagement of the St. Louis Speaker Series
at Powell Symphony Hall.
Finally, there’s the RCGA Leadership Exchange.“Some 100 regional
business, civic and elected leaders visited San Diego this year.
Previous trips have been to Cleveland, Baltimore, Seattle, Denver,
Toronto and Boston.
“It’s an opportunity to see St. Louis from a distance,” Fleming
noted. “Half the time we’re doing better than the city we visit,
but we always bring back great ideas.”
ROYAL
CONNECTION
The Duke of York Urges Two-Way
Trade.
“In the last few years, St. Louis’ local economy has
become more internationalized and the region has become
more important to the United Kingdom as a trade partner,”
says Sir Thomas Harris KBE CMG, UK Director-General
Trade & Investment USA & Consul General. “So it seemed
appropriate for The Duke of York to come see it for
himself.”
That’s just what His Royal Highness, The Duke of York
Prince Andrew, did for two days in October, in his role
as the United Kingdom’s Special Representative for International
Trade and Investment.
In the course of on-site visits to GKN Aerospace Services,
the Boeing Leadership Center, Missouri Botanical Garden
and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and at a luncheon presented
by the RCGA in cooperation with Boeing and GKN, what
the Duke saw was tangible evidence of the significant
and ongoing two-way trade between the region and the
UK.
In fact, the UK is the biggest foreign employer in Missouri
and the State’s third largest trading partner. There
are approximately 40 British subsidiaries operating
in Missouri, including 17 in St. Louis. Among them are
Wrexham PLC, British Petroleum PLC, BTR PLC, Britax,
Securicor, Unilever and Pinnacle, and in the St. Louis
region, GKN, Bunzl, Phillips Auctioneers, and Bull Moose.
In the other direction, the most recent figures (2002)
indicate Missouri companies export a total of nearly
$336 million in goods and services annually to the UK.
The top Missouri investors in the UK are Hallmark, Aquila,
Anheuser-Busch, Boeing, Emerson, Monsanto and Enterprise
Rent-A-Car, which opened its first British office in
1995 and most recently opened a branch in Northern Ireland.
Another St. Louis company, Tripos, a five-time awardee
of the St. Louis Regional Technology Top 50, will establish
a $40 million facility in Cornwall, England, employing
80 Ph.D.-level researchers. Prince Andrew will officiate
at its grand opening, Sir Thomas notes.
“We say trade is important, and we back that up with
bringing the Prince to your country,” Sir Thomas says.
The recent visit was the Duke’s first to St. Louis,
where he was greeted at the Special UK-U.S. Trade and
Investment Luncheon by St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay,
Missouri Governor Bob Holden and RCGA President and
CEO Dick Fleming, who presented the Duke with an official
St. Louis Cardinals jacket.
In his introduction, Fleming recognized the British
companies that are “important contributors to the regional
economy, and on the flip side, companies based in St.
Louis with substantial presence in the UK.”
The Duke built upon that theme, noting his role as the
UK Special Representative was twofold: to develop relationships,
but also to promote the UK outside the UK and attract
and retain investment there. “It is a pleasure to come
to St. Louis to reinforce this message,” he said.
The U.S. and UK “are not just fair-weather friends,”
the Duke told the audience of more than 300 St. Louis
area business, civic and elected leaders—including Governor
Bob Holden and Mayor Francis Slay. “The strength and
depth of our relationship is in sharper focus now due
to international events. We hope the military and diplomatic
relationship can be reflected in our business and investment
relationships.” The goal, he said, is “long-term partnerships,
not just dipping in and dipping out.”
The Duke said more than 5,700 U.S. companies are invested
in the UK and 40 percent of the investment in Europe
is from U.S. companies, which are mostly invested in
the UK. “The UK is the most attractive inward investment
in Europe, and the largest investor in the U.S., at
$218 billion,” he said. “Fifteen percent of Europe’s
total investment is in the U.S.” He added, the trade
balance is nearly equal, with the UK shipping $45 billion
in exports to the U.S. and receiving $41 billion in
imports from the U.S. annually.
“People don’t realize the UK is here at all!” said the
Duke, noting the presence of British companies Dunkin
Donuts and BP Oil and “all those yellow school buses
provided by Stagecoach, a British company.”
Accompanying the Duke was a delegation of British companies
interested in meeting potential business partners. “They’re
all on the cutting edge of their fields and have much
to offer,” the Duke said. “They recognize the opportunities
in St. Louis and will encourage other UK companies to
follow.”
Perhaps the Duke will follow soon as well. “He is very
devoted to promoting closer business links,” Sir Thomas
says. “It helps that he likes America and Americans.
He’d come more often if we’d let him.” |
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