YWCA METRO ST. LOUIS UNVEILS
PHYLLIS WHEATLEY BRANCH EXHIBIT
The YWCA Metro St. Louis has unveiled a new exhibit that celebrates the contributions of the YWCA Phyllis Wheatley Branch to the St. Louis community. Named for Phyllis Wheatley, a revered former slave who became America’s first published black author, the branch was organized in 1911 by black women to address the needs of black girls, women and the community.
The “Persistence of Spirit: The Phyllis Wheatley Branch of YWCA Metropolitan
St. Louis” exhibit will remain on permanent display at the Phyllis Wheatley Heritage Center at 2711 Locust St. in midtown
St. Louis, which served as the branch’s home from 1941 until 1994. The exhibit panels depict black life beginning in the early 1900s and highlights YWCA landmark programs that have transcended the decades.
“Growing up in segregated St. Louis, Wheatley was central to our everyday lives,” said noted civil rights attorney Margaret Bush Wilson. “Because of segregation, we couldn’t have our cultural or social events at white public establishments, so Wheatley was our gathering place.”
At the time that Wheatley was established, there were only four other cities with black YWCA branches. Located in the middle of the black community within Mill Creek Valley,
the branch stood as a testament to black pride, hope, aspirations and achievements. Early services included pageants, job service, self-improvement classes, athletics, and clubs for business men and women.
MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN REACHES MILESTONE
WITH SIX-MILLIONTH HERBARIUM SPECIMEN
The Missouri Botanical Garden has reached a milestone by adding its six-millionth plant specimen to its herbaria, one of the largest and fastest-growing libraries of plants in the world. The milestone was reached when Anthurium centimillesimum, a gigantic aroid species from Ecuador, was brought into the Garden’s permanent collection of pressed and dried plant specimens.
The Garden’s herbarium includes about five-and-a-half million vascular plants (flowering plants, ferns and conifers) and 500,000 bryophytes (mosses, liverworts and hornworts). The bryophyte collection is also one of the largest of its kind in the world.
“The importance of these ‘libraries’ of plants cannot be overstated,” stated Robert Magill, vice president of science and conservation at the Garden. “There are an estimated 300,000 recognized, named species of plants, with perhaps an additional 100,000 species still to be discovered. Herbaria are vital resources that allow botanists to organize information about this enormous diversity of plant life. Without a system of documentation that includes actual samples of the plants, it would be nearly impossible to make conclusions about the roles and relationships of plants, or to even verify the discovery of a species new to science.”
Thomas Croat, P.A. Schulz curator of botany, collected the new specimen in late 2007 while he was on a collecting trip in Ecuador’s Pichincha province in an area of tropical premontane rain forest. The new Anthurium is a member of the aroid or Araceae family, also known as the Philodendron family. Croat has been collecting plant specimens in the wild for more than 41 years as part of the Garden’s science and conservation team.
20 AGELESS, REMARKABLE ST. LOUISANS
REDEFINE WHAT IT MEANS TO GROW OLD
St. Andrews Resources for Seniors System honored 20 remarkable senior citizens at the sixth-annual Ageless-Remarkable St. Louisans gala at the Chase Park Plaza’s Khorrasan Ballroom. The gala event celebrates the commitment, vivacity and generosity of these individuals and their amazing contributions to the St. Louis community. With varying backgrounds, talents, and vitality, the honorees are defying the stereotypical idea that individuals fall into “restful retirement” as they grow older.
The honorees include a holocaust survivor, a beloved restaurant owner, a former USO volunteer, the owner of a well-known architecture firm and the former dean of the Washington University School of Medicine.
“Year after year, our Ageless-Remarkable St. Louisans continue to amaze us, and this year is no exception,” stated Mary Alice Ryan, president and CEO of the St. Andrew’s Resources for Seniors System. “We applaud their zest for living life to the fullest at any age, and we are honored to have the opportunity to recognize them for their many incredible contributions.”
In its sixth year, Ageless-Remarkable
St. Louisans is the primary fundraising event for the St. Andrew’s Resources for Seniors System. Proceeds benefit the St. Andrew’s Charitable Foundation, which helps to
provide housing and supportive services to low-income and at-risk seniors in the
St. Louis area.
Here is the complete list of extraordinary seniors:
Ilse Altman
Judith Aronson
Willis Atchison
Gladys Barker
Vince Bommarito
Carrie Brown
Carlene Davis
Ann Jennings DiFranco
Mary Gassaway
J. Robert Green
Newell (Jim) Knight Jr.
Sally Levy
Carolyn Losos
Gregory McKee
Bill Peck
Margaret Scott
Barbara Sprick
Ollie Mae Stewart
Clarence “Turk” Turley
Earl Wilson
VINCENT J. BOMMARITO HONORED
AT FOOD ARTS CELEBRATION
Vincent J. Bommarito, CEO of Tony’s restaurant, was one of only 20 restaurateurs recently honored at Food Arts magazine’s celebration of 20 years of Silver Spoon Award winners. The black-tie affair was hosted in New York by Michael and Ariane Batterberry, founders/publishers of Food Arts and Food & Wine. A select group of restaurants provided food for the event, including Mia Dona, Fiamma, Daniel, P*ONG, Jean Georges, the Plaza Hotel and Adour.
Bommarito won a Silver Spoon Award in 2002 for “sterling performance,” honoring Bommarito’s 50+ years of leadership and service as he transformed Tony’s from a modest spaghetti house in the 1940s to a fine dining establishment. Other winners of the Silver Spoon Award have included Julia Child, Wolfgang Puck and Paul Prudhomme.
“What an honor it is to be recognized with so many restaurant legends,” stated Bommarito. “We work to earn our reputation every day with every guest.”
CANNON DESIGN
HONORED AS FIRM
OF THE YEAR
BY NEW YORK STATE AIA
Cannon Design has accepted the American Institute of Architects’ New York State 2008 Firm Award from the AIANYS Honors Awards Jury. Established in 2005, the award recognizes notable achievements in design, community
service, education and service to the profession and the AIA over a period of 10 years by an architectural firm within the state. The jury selects and honors only one firm in this statewide annual competition. Cannon Design’s nomination was initiated by the AIA Buffalo/Western New York chapter.
URBANFUTURE RECEIVES GRANT FROM
MONSANTO FUND FOR TUTORING PROGRAM
UrbanFUTURE has received a $30,000 grant from the Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic division of Monsanto Company, to expand its IMPACT Tutoring Program, which focuses on improving students’ academic skills. With Monsanto Fund’s generous grant, UrbanFUTURE will help students prepare for the rigors of math and science in the classroom and ultimately for their careers.
“Monsanto’s donation will not only help to expand one of UrbanFUTURE’s most important endeavors, but will also help us deliver intense remedial work tailored to the academic needs of each student we serve,” stated UrbanFUTURE President Frank Van Bree.
UrbanFUTURE operates out of two
St. Louis public schools—Fanning Middle School and Mann Elementary School—both of which are located in the South Grand neighborhood. An independent audit has shown that when students and their parents remain committed to the UrbanFUTURE program for one year,
students will show a two- to three-year gain on average in reading level.
MASTERCARD WORLdWIDE WINS 2008 CONNECT NONSTOP AVAILABILITY AWARD FOR NETWORK RELIABIlITY
MasterCard Worldwide has earned the 2008 Connect NonStop Availability Award for processing reliability. This is the fourth time in five years that MasterCard Worldwide has earned the honor,
formerly known as the International Tandem User Group NonStop Availability Award.
“MasterCard is pleased to once again accept this award, as it serves as recognition of the dedication and talent of our technology team, which oversees our operations with 25,000 MasterCard financial institution customers in 210 countries,” stated George Spies, group executive of service delivery at MasterCard Worldwide.
Connect and Hewlett-Packard co-presented this year’s award and bestowed the top honor on MasterCard over a global set of entrants. Connect is a worldwide community of information technology professionals who utilize the full spectrum of Hewlett-Packard enterprise products and services.
GREAT RIVERS GREENWAY DISTRICT
OPENS THREE NEW TRAILS
The Great Rivers Greenway District, the region-wide public organization leading the development of a regional interconnected network of greenways, parks and trails around
St. Louis, has completed three new trail projects.
The District held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the first trail project of Shady Creek and Deer Creek Greenway in Webster Groves and Maplewood, Mo. The 1-mile trail extends from Deer Creek Park to the on-street Bike
St. Louis route at Big Bend and Oxford. The trail features a new steel bridge with 30-foot-tall trusses and flat surface access for the disabled.
The District opened an extension to the popular River des Peres Greenway, from Morganford to Interstate-55, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new trail parking lot on Germania Boulevard near Eugene Avenue. The nearly 1-mile trail is an extension of the existing 4-mile River des Peres Greenway and includes a new pedestrian plaza and additional pedestrian signals and crosswalks along the route.
The District also opened a new three-quarter mile trail that connects the Missouri Research Park in St. Charles County to the Katy Trail State Park. Conveniently located for fast highway access to the Katy Trail State Park, the new trail is approximately midway between the Weldon Spring and Greens Bottom trailheads. Eventually, the Missouri Research Park Trail will connect to the Busch Conservation Area and the Dardenne Greenway.
SAINT LOUIS ZOO RECEIVES $2.5 MILLION GIFT
FROM THE WACHOVIA FOUNDATION
Visitors arriving at the Saint Louis Zoo can look forward to a world-class welcoming experience, thanks to a $2.5 million gift from The Wachovia Foundation. Dramatic changes at the Zoo’s south entrance on Wells Drive will improve vehicle traffic, pedestrian safety and the overall aesthetic experience as visitors arrive at the Zoo.
“This major renovation, to be called the Wachovia South Arrival Experience, has been our goal for a number of years,” stated Jeffrey P. Bonner, president and CEO of the Saint Louis Zoo. “It is paramount that we ensure our visitors’ access and safety, and at the same time set the stage for a unique wildlife experience. With the generous help of The Wachovia Foundation, and in conjunction with Wachovia Securities, we will bring a new awareness of animal conservation to our visitors. We think this will become
one of the most admired public spaces at the Zoo.”
A naturalistic new bridge will span Wells Drive, allowing for pedestrians, strollers and wheelchairs to pass from the south parking lot to the Zoo entrance without conflicts in traffic. To accommodate the bridge, the Zoo’s iconic Z-O-O sculpture will be moved to a prominent spot on the parking lot, and the Wells Drive pavement will be lowered.
Guests will first notice sculptures of African wildlife set in an island of greenery, rock outcroppings, footpaths, waterfalls and pools. Honey locust trees will be trimmed to resemble acacia trees, the “flat tops” in Africa that are trimmed by foraging giraffes and elephants.
The south parking lot will be transformed into a greener place with a 30 percent reduction in asphalt and a modest reduction in parking spaces. About 5 percent of the lot will be surfaced in permeable paving to allow for landscaping, and green space will be increased to 40 percent. The project is scheduled to be finished in 2009.
POLSINELLI LAW FIRM MERGES WITH
THOMSON & KILROY
The law firms of Polsinelli Shalton Flanigan Suelthaus PC and Shughart Thomson & Kilroy PC have announced that the firms will merge in January 2009. While both firms are headquartered in Kansas City, Polsinelli has a significant presence in the St. Louis region with offices in downtown St. Louis; Clayton, Mo.; and Edwardsville, Ill. The name of the newly merged firm will be Polsinelli Shughart.
“We’re very excited about this merger,” stated Randy Gerber, Polsinelli’s managing director of the St. Louis region. “We have 100 attorneys and 180 employees in the St. Louis metropolitan area. We are all thrilled to have the additional intellectual capital that will be in the new firm.”
With approximately 480 attorneys, Polsinelli Shughart will become the second-largest law firm in Missouri.
BUTTERFLY HOUSE EARNS ACCREDITATION
FROM ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS & AQUARIUMS
The Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House has been granted accreditation by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ independent Accreditation Commission. The commission’s goal is to establish, uphold and raise the highest zoological and aquarium industry standards through
self-evaluation, on-site inspection and peer review.
“The Butterfly House was granted AZA accreditation because it meets high standards in every aspect of its operations,” stated Jim Maddy, president and CEO of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums.“St. Louis should be proud to have one of the top zoos in North America as a valuable
community asset.”
The Butterfly House underwent a thorough on-site investigation by a team of trained zoo and aquarium professionals to ensure that it meets ever-rising standards for animal care, veterinary programs, conservation, education and safety. The association requires its members to successfully complete this rigorous accreditation process every five years.
“Visiting the Butterfly House is more than
a great day out with the family,” Maddy
added. “It’s an opportunity to connect
with nature. And, every visit you make to an accredited zoo or aquarium supports wildlife conservation.”
SCHATTDECOR BUILDS FIRST
NORTH AMERICAN FACILITY IN ST. LOUIS COUNTY
German-based Shattdecor, a global printer of saturating grade papers for the laminate industry, announced plans to construct a manufacturing facility in the City of Maryland Heights. The building will be constructed in two phases: Phase I will be a 93,500-square-foot building with Phase II consisting of a 48,000-square-foot expansion. The company evaluated manufacturing sites in North Carolina, Illinois and St. Charles, Mo., before choosing Maryland Heights.
“This project represents true new investment in St. Louis County by a German-owned company,” stated St. Louis County Executive Charlie A. Dooley. “This Foreign Direct Investment is a positive step in continuing to cultivate the manufacturing base that
St. Louis County has traditionally provided to the regional and state economy.”
The company’s real property investment in the project is expected to total $22 million, and an estimated 107 manufacturing jobs will be created during the total project period.
“Bringing a high-quality international company which manufactures a high-tech product into our region is a great win for St. Louis County. The more than 100 new jobs and over $6 million in new revenue to the taxing jurisdictions help our local economy thrive and grow,” stated St. Louis County Economic Council President & CEO Denny Coleman.
Schattdecor is a global market leader in printed décor paper with manufacturing operations in Germany, Poland, Italy, Russia, China and Brazil.
CENTER FOR EVERGREEN ENERGY SYMPOSIUM
By Linda F. Jarrett
Last November, researchers, industry professionals, and policy makers from across the country converged in St. Louis for a symposium on biodiesel feedstock sponsored by the Center For Evergreen Energy, a partnership of the RCGA, the Danforth Center, and other biofuels companies.
Titled “High Yield Pathways for Production,” the symposium was held to facilitate a discussion about what was needed to address gaps in research and policy for the biodiesel industry. This aligns with the goals of the Center for Evergreen Energy.
“This was our first big event since receiving some start-up funding,” says Meredith Turk, Regional Chamber and Growth Association project manager for new ventures and capital formation. “The symposium focused on biodiesel feedstocks and what areas need to be addressed in policy, research, and industry in order to achieve ideal biodiesel production.”
Turk says the symposium was broken down into three areas, Microalgae, Near-Term Feedstock Opportunities, and Feedstock Opportunities on the Horizon.
Speakers for the session were Dr. Richard Sayre, director, Enterprise Rent-A-Car Institute for Renewable Fuels; Dr. Mike Edgerton, ethanol and quality traits technical lead, Monsanto Company; and Robert Hendricks, senior technologist, NASA Glenn Research Center.
Sayre spoke on “Microalgae: The Third Term Biofuel System,” and the new techniques available to remove oil from algae.
Edgerton’s topic was “Creating Virtual Acres: Near-Term Feedstock Opportunities.” “He discussed how Monsanto is working to increase crop yields,” Turk says.
Hendricks spoke about long-term feedstocks, which are feedstocks that are more in feasibility and research phases rather than commercialization.
“It is important to collaborate on these issues, and the Center for Evergreen Energy’s aim was to bring many experts together to synthesize this information,” she says.
“It is unlikely that renewable biofuels of any type will be produced from a single or even a few sources. Instead, different geographical regions and different climatic conditions will determine which feedstock is most appropriate. This workshop addressed the issue of feedstocks for biodiesel fuels and will, hopefully, be useful in setting policies for research and development by the biodiesel industry,” says Dr. Roger Beachy, president of Donald Danforth Plant Science Center.
The eventual outcome will be a summary of the ideas presented at the symposium and discussed in the breakout sessions.
The breakout sessions were facilitated by Dr. Robert Duncan, vice chancellor of research at the University of Missouri; Beth Calabotta, manager, oilseeds technology at Monsanto; and Lawrence Taylor, director, Aziotics LLC.
“The outcome is to provide a ‘path forward’ for achieving high yield biodiesel production. The aim is that researchers, industry professionals, and policy makers alike will be better able to address the ‘gaps’ to achieving a high yield of biodiesel production from the ideas discussed by participants at the symposium.” Turk says.
A joint venture between the RCGA and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, the Center was born in 2006 with the goal of making St. Louis a regional hub for biofuels technology.
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