INVESTING IN THE REGION By Debra Solomon Baker PHILL DRITSAS president, Fleming & Company Pharmaceuticals Manage a company from the confines of an office? No way. Not Phill Dritsas. The leader of Fleming & Company Pharmaceuticals describes himself as hands-on, intense, and, above all, passionate. He has been with Fleming for less than one year, but already Dritsas is envisioning the growth of the $20 million company into a $100 million enterprise. Fleming, he says, is much like a boutique winery. The privately-held company is a specialty operation devoid of bureaucracy and hierarchy, where specific, important consumer needs are met. Fleming’s focus is on the development and manufacture of innovative prescription and over-the-counter therapies. Products include Extrendryl allergy and cold relief medicine and the popular Ocean Premium Saline Nasal Spray. The entire operation is based out of Fenton. Founded in 1960 by Tom E. Fleming, the company is now owned and operated by Deborah Fleming Wurdack and her sister Tommye Fleming. Dritsas plans to expand the product categories, prepare for pending approval of new products in clinical development with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and dramatically expand the company’s marketing and selling capabilities. Given Dritsas’ track record, one can hardly doubt that he will succeed in his plan. He has, after all, been building businesses for more than two decades. Most recently, in his role as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Upsher Smith Laboratories in Minnesota, he helped grow the company from sales of a few million into a $200 million operation. However, Dritsas will not grow his new company blindly. Already deeply impressed with the caliber of his employees, he vows to keep their best interests at the heart of decision making. “We will grow, but we will not put 80 people’s lives at risk,” says Dritsas, who divides his time between St. Louis and Minneapolis, where his four children live. “We will fund our future from the profits we generate.” The employee-centered culture that exists at Fleming is, in large part, what Dritsas loves about his new company. “This is not a sterile place, where people just look at spreadsheets,” he says. “It’s easy to look at just investments and returns, but we really think, ‘how is this going to affect our people?’ I don’t know of many companies that do that.” LEADERSHIP CIRCLE INSIGHTS From a business standpoint, what is the most attractive feature of St. Louis? “From a business standpoint, the most attractive feature of St. Louis is the quality of the workforce.” Neil Smit president and CEO, Charter Communications Inc. “The St. Louis area offers big-city amenities and small-town values; there’s just an extraordinary sense of community and family. For a business like Dierbergs that’s community focused and customer-service driven, those values translate to invaluable assets within a work force. Friendliness, teamwork, pride in a job well done—the characteristics we find in our Associates, and value as a company, are woven into the values of this community.” Greg Dierberg president, Dierbergs Markets Inc. “Our central location, coupled with an excellent pool of talented people who are attracted to the quality of life in this region—cultural attractions, educational institutions, healthcare facilities and affordable housing—make St. Louis a great place for business. Few cities have such a compelling combination of these benefits. Bryan Cave's ability to grow globally to better serve the needs of our clients by attracting and retaining the talented people we need has been enhanced by St. Louis’ location and quality of life.” Don Lents chairman, Bryan Cave LLP

March 2007 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cover Story: Cultivating St. Louis Southwestern Illinois College Baisch and Skinner Inc. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - www.stlrcga.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dr. Ganesh Kishore City Grocers Carl Hausmann Andy Ayers, Riddle’s Penultimate Café and Wine Bar - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -