We wish our readers a happy and prosperous 2009, as we celebrate our 90th year of publication of
St. Louis Commerce Magazine. We also want to share with our readers a change in format for this coming year. We are certainly not immune from the continuing challenges of the publishing world which goes far beyond St. Louis — witness format changes at publications like U.S. News & World Report, which is going from a weekly to a monthly magazine, and The Christian Science Monitor, which is going from daily publication to a weekly print edition and a daily online edition . In this regard, the interest of prudent stewardship of our member’s resources, but desiring to continue to have a high-quality, first-rate, business publication — we are going to publish on a
bi-monthly basis in 2009.
We will complement ongoing Commerce Magazine content with increased communications through our many online publications as well.
This edition’s cover story features the perspective of AmerenUE’s president and CEO Tom Voss. In recognizing that energy is a critical variable to economic competitiveness, Voss shares the agenda on which AmerenUE is focused on for energizing the St. Louis region.
Keeping with the theme of economic development, Commerce Magazine takes an in-depth look at the region’s economic campaign from a variety of perspectives; namely, the regional branding and the national media outreach efforts that are attracting enhanced interest in St. Louis, and a look at how our region is competing and winning deals in the industry sectors that are most promising for the St. Louis region.
A new feature in this edition of Commerce is a regular book review. This one focuses on national, award-winning author, Richard Florida in his new book “Who’s Your City?”
Recognizing that a competitive workforce is a principal part of economic competitiveness, we take a look at the future of education in St. Louis, from the efforts of the recently recruited superintendent of schools, Dr. Kelvin Adams and the three-person Transitional School Board, which was appointed by the Missouri State Board of Education in 2007, the key roles that public charter schools (such as Confluence Academy and KIPP), the remarkable Teach For America program, and the award-winning Parents as Teachers program are each having in enhancing education in St. Louis.
By way of personality profiles of business leaders in our community, this edition of
St. Louis Commerce Magazine features entrepreneur and construction CEO Sam Hutchinson, as well as life sciences entrepreneur Derek Rapp, CEO of the biotech firm Divergence. Finally, this edition’s “In the Spotlight” features Jan Holloway, senior vice president and chief of staff of Monsanto, the global leader in life sciences.
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
Publisher
St. Louis Commerce Magazine
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