Compiled by Lauri Johnson
"TASTE OF ST. LOUIS" RETURNS
SEPTEMBER 21-23
Entertainment St. Louis, Made U Look and Art Dimensions are
pleased to announce the return of the US Cellular Taste of St.
Louis to the downtown area on Sept. 21-23, 2007, at the Gateway
Mall on 9th Street and Market Street.
This year’s event will feature a Family Zone, Macy’s Restaurant
Row, the Saint Louis Bread Co. Culinary Championship, National
Act Concerts, the Marketplace, ArtDimensions’ Village, the Ford
Experience Tour and more. All of this will take place free to
the public.
Mike Kociela, producer and partner of Taste of St. Louis, says,
“Last year was such a community event, not only was the corporate
support phenomenal but the amazing crowds made it feel like
we had been producing this event for many years. I was happy
to see the 2006 Taste go so well and look forward to many years
of success.”
AMERICAN RED CROSS TEAMS UP WITH GRAINGER
AND ANHEUSER-BUSCH TO RECRUIT CORPORATE PARTNERS FOR LOCAL DISASTER
RELIEF
The American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter has teamed up
with Grainger and Anheuser-Busch to launch Ready When the Time
Comes, a new partnership designed to recruit corporate employees
in St. Louis to serve as Red Cross volunteers during a large-scale,
local disaster. Ready When the Time Comes enables the Red Cross
to recruit and train volunteers from local companies and organizations
so they can be mobilized quickly. Program volunteers receive
free, specialized training in crucial disaster response, such
as shelter operations, large-scale feeding efforts and damage
assessment.
Last May, local corporations participated in a full-scale shelter
drill at St. Raphael the Archangel School in south St. Louis,
one of 600 local facilities designated as a potential Red Cross
shelter during times of disaster. The shelter drill featured
trained employees from Grainger, Anheuser-Busch, Citigroup,
Fleishman-Hillard, Lohr Distributing Company and State Farm
working alongside veteran Red Cross volunteers. More than 100
people participated in the simulation, which focused on registration
procedures, cot set-up and distribution of bedding, food preparation
and delivery, and administration of physical/mental health services.
Ready When the Time Comes was introduced by the American Red
Cross of Greater Chicago and W.W. Grainger Inc. in 2001. Since
that time, the program has expanded as a national pilot and
is being introduced in 16 markets.
SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS AIRPORT WELCOMES
FIRST LIGHT JET IN THE MIDWEST
In May, the Spirit of St. Louis Airport became home to the first
Eclipse Very Light Jet delivered in the Midwest. The new arrival,
a privately owned aircraft, is only the 14th jet of its kind
delivered in the United States.
Previously known as a microjet, a very light jet is a small
aircraft approved for single-pilot operation with a maximum
take-off weight of less than 10,000 pounds. These jets are lighter
than what are commonly called business jets and typically seat
between three and seven passengers plus one crew member.
Currently Spirit of St. Louis Airport is home to more than 440
aircraft, including 135 corporate jets, and employs over 3,000
people at more than 150 businesses.
AMERINET RECEIVES NATIONAL AWARD FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT
Amerinet Inc., a national healthcare purchasing organization,
has been named the recipient of the 2007 Champions for Change
Award by the Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E). The
award honors organizational partners that demonstrate successful
accomplishments in “greening” their organizations and have assisted
their associated healthcare facility clients with improving
their environmental performance, according to H2E.
“Amerinet is at the forefront of a fundamental shift in the
healthcare industry,” stated H2E Executive Director Laura Brannen.
“By introducing healthier and more responsible products and
practices, Amerinet is helping healthcare facilities everywhere
to operate in ways that protect the health of patients, workers,
communities and the environment. This is a revolution that benefits
everyone.”
H2E is an independent not-for-profit organization focused on
improving healthcare’s environmental performance.
FLEISHMAN-HILLARD'S E.R.A.S.E. PROJECT
WINS SILVER ANVIL AWARD
Fleishman-Hillard Inc. was awarded the prestigious 2007 Best
of Silver Anvil Award from The Public Relations Society of America
for launching a program aimed at improving the health of underserved
children with asthma in New York City.
The society hailed Project E.R.A.S.E. (Eradicating Respiratory
Asthma in Schools to Help Children Excel) as a “breakthrough
program” that dramatically improved the children’s health and
performance in and out of school, all at no cost to the families
or the City,” according to a statement from the Public Relations
Society of America. The program features medical specialists
who make “school calls.”
The firm’s New York office developed the project on a pro bono
basis. Project E.R.A.S.E. was selected as the best of the 48
public relations programs receiving Silver Anvils.
Fleishman-Hillard and its clients also received six Silver Anvil
Awards and seven Award of Excellence honors for clients that
include Abbott Laboratories, The Magic Johnson Foundation, AT&T,
Hallmark Cards, National World War I Museum, St. Louis RCGA,
Bayer Animal Health, Cathay Pacific Airways, Dannon Company,
Nationwide Insurance and United States Potato Board.
GREAT RIVERS GREENWAY DISTRICT RECEIVES
LIFESCAPE PROGRESS AWARD
Partners for Progress, an organization of CEOs representing
30 major companies in the St. Charles County region, has awarded
its first LifeScape Progress Award to The Great Rivers Greenway
District. The award was presented to David Fisher, executive
director of The Great Rivers Greenway District, at the Partners
for Progress Gala at the St. Charles Convention Center.
The Great Rivers Greenway District, which is leading the development
of a region-wide system of interconnected greenways, parks and
trails known as The River Ring, is being recognized as a strong
advocate of community participation, neighborhood involvement
and regional, collaborative partnerships.
REGION’S FINEST COMMUNICATORS HONORED
WITH 2007 BRONZE QUILL AWARDS
The St. Louis chapter of the International Association of Business
Communicators recognized some of the region’s finest business
communicators for their outstanding work and successful communication
solutions during the 2007 Bronze Quill Awards ceremony. Nearly
200 people attended the event at the Randall Gallery to celebrate
the 97 projects that earned awards during this year’s competition.
Among the biggest winners were Paradowski Creative, Buck Consultants,
Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Common Ground Public Relations, Falk
Harrison Creative, Fontbonne University, Commerce Bank, Fleishman-Hillard
International Communications and St. John’s Mercy Health Care.
For a complete list of this year’s winners, please visit www.iabcstl.org.
More than 145 projects were submitted to the competition, making
this year one of the most successful years in local Bronze Quill
history.
HOK INTERIORS GROUP “BRANDS” NEW FOCUS
ST. LOUIS HEADQUARTERS
HOK Interiors Group has taken branding to a new level by applying
it to an office suite that the firm designed for FOCUS St. Louis’
downtown headquarters. Located in the Old Post Office building,
FOCUS St. Louis’ new digs were designed to reflect its mission
and values.
“Our previous headquarters didn’t offer a prominent presence
on the street to help us promote our values,” stated Christine
Chadwick, executive director. “The Old Post Office was a more
dynamic location, but its sheer immensity and grandeur could
also overwhelm our small office. So we turned to HOK Interiors
to design space that defines FOCUS- St. Louis, yet respects
the strict standards that attend finishing space in a 123-year-old
National Historic Landmark.”
HOK gave FOCUS-St. Louis a round-the-clock presence in the Old
Post Office building. The nonprofit organization’s mission of
“developing leadership, influencing policy and promoting community
connections” is plainly painted on the interior glass walls
of the office. At night, the FOCUS-St. Louis logo is continually
projected by light upon a back wall, making it highly visible
from the street.
BOEING COMPANY AWARDS GRANTS TO PARENTS
AS TEACHERS NATIONAL CENTER
The Boeing Company has awarded two grants to Parents as Teachers
National Center, an award-winning parent education program serving
families with children from birth to age 5. The two grants,
one for $25,000 and the other for $10,000, will support efforts
to serve diverse populations in Missouri.
The $25,000 grant will be used to train 65 parent educators
to deliver parenting support to families around St. Louis in
culturally sensitive ways. The $10,000 grant will support Parents
as Teachers’ Heroes at Home programs at Fort Leonard Wood and
Whiteman Air Force Base, two military installations in Missouri.
As part of its Heroes at Home program, Parents as Teachers National
Center customized its flagship child development curriculum
to address the unique parenting challenges facing young military
families, including reunification, deployment and frequent relocation.
The Boeing Company, the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial
jetliners and military aircraft, contributed $20.8 million to
education in 2006.
THOMPSON COBURN MERGES WITH CHICAGO-BASED
FIRM
Local law firm Thompson Coburn LLP has announced plans to merge
with Chicago-based law firm FagelHaber LLC, creating an expanded
practice with more than 330 attorneys in St. Louis, Chicago,
Southern Illinois and Washington, D.C.
“Thompson Coburn has been looking for a way to enter the Chicago
market in a meaningful way, and this merger is a major step
forward in our strategic growth plan,” stated Tom Minogue, Thompson
Coburn’s chairman. “FagelHaber enjoys an excellent reputation
in the Chicago legal community and serves a distinguished client
list. Joining with FagelHaber will immediately make Thompson
Coburn a significant participant in the Chicago legal community.”
The combined firm’s Chicago office will initially be known as
Thompson Coburn Fagel Haber. In addition to providing Thompson
Coburn with an immediate presence in Chicago, the merger also
enables FagelHaber, a 40-lawyer firm, to significantly expand
its presence throughout the Midwest.
PHARMACY STUDENTS CHOSEN FOR TRAINING
IN CLINICAL RESEARCH
Three St. Louis College of Pharmacy students are among 13 healthcare
students recently selected to participate in the Predoctoral
Interdisciplinary Clinical Research Training program offered
by the Washington University School of Medicine. Renee Marchand
of Glen Carbon, Ill.; Nicholas Herrmann of Hinckley, Ill.; and
Kenneth D. Smith Jr., of Clarksville, Mo., began their intensive
two-month training in June.
In addition to taking courses in research design and data analysis,
the pharmacy students are working with faculty mentors from
St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School
of Medicine on research projects related to pharmacogenetics
and medical informatics. The curriculum, known as the “T32 program,”
is part of the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research, which is designed
to train individuals in the health care professions to become
outstanding patient-oriented researchers.
ENTERPRISE RENT-A-CAR ANNOUNCES ENVIRONMENTAL
INITIATIVES
Enterprise Rent-A-Car has announced that it now has more fuel-efficient
cars on the road than any other rental car company. The company’s
focus on fuel-efficient vehicles is part of a comprehensive
environmental stewardship program that includes the use of FlexFuel
vehicles and gas/electric hybrids, a commitment to alternative
fuels research and donations to environmental causes.
“We want our customers to know that when they choose Enterprise,
they get more than just a rental car. They also are getting
our commitment to making a positive difference in those parts
of the world we touch with our business, now and in the future,”
stated Andrew C. Taylor, chairman and CEO of Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
According to Enterprise, 47 percent of the cars in its fleet
average at least 28 miles per gallon and 28 percent average
at least 32 mpg. A third of the vehicles in Enterprise’s U.S.
fleet qualify for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s
SmartWay certification mark for vehicles that emit relatively
low levels of regulated pollutants and greenhouse gases such
as carbon dioxide. The fleet also includes more than 3,000 gas/electric
hybrid vehicles that are powered by a combination of gas and
battery-generated electricity.
Here are some additional highlights of Enterprise’s environmental
initiatives:
In February, Enterprise’s founding family, the Jack Taylor family
of St. Louis, gave $25 million to create the Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Institute for Renewable Fuels at the Donald Danforth Plant Science
Center in St. Louis.
In 2006, Enterprise launched an initiative with The National
Arbor Day Foundation and the U.S. Forest Service to underwrite
the planting of one million trees a year over the next 50 years
in national forests around the country.
Enterprise manages vanpool businesses in several large metropolitan
areas, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston and Dallas.
Starting this year, Enterprise will print all customer rental
contracts on recycled paper with 30 percent post-consumer material.
The company began printing its magazine, Free Enterprise, on
recycled paper earlier this year.
AMERICAN SUBCONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION
HONORS PAYNECREST ELECTRIC AND COMMUNICATIONS WITH AWARDS
PayneCrest Electric and Communications has won two awards from
the American Subcontractors Association Midwest Council. The
firm earned a Best MEP Subcontractor Award for an unprecedented
fourth year and also received the ASA Member Safety Award.
PayneCrest was recognized in the “A” tier of the awards program,
which consists of contractors with annual revenue of more than
$11.5 million. The firm has been nominated for the Best MEP
Subcontractor Award in five of the past six years. On April
4, 2007, PayneCrest achieved its one-millionth consecutive man
hour (582 consecutive days) without recording an injury reportable
to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
RADIOLOGIST BESTOWS $100,000 FOR SCHOLARSHIPS
William A. Kamm, M.D., a retired radiologist, decided to endow
a scholarship fund, not at his alma mater, but at the community
college he feels is providing a quality education and filling
slots in his field of medicine.
Southwestern Illinois College Foundation is the recipient of
Kamm’s philanthropy. His gift of $100,000 allowed for the establishment
of two annual Radiologic Technology scholarships, and is the
single largest monetary donation from a private donor for scholarships.
Kamm established the scholarship at SWIC because he believes
the college’s two-year RT program is one of great merit, as
evidenced by the many students sent to him for practical training.
“The SWIC students I worked with over the years were very competent.
Their expertise and training made my work much easier,” Kamm
said.
Kamm, a graduate of the University of Illinois, College of Medicine,
practiced radiology at Memorial Hospital from 1963 to 1988 and
had a private practice in Belleville from 1963 to 2001.
Kamm sat on the college’s RT program advisory committee for
20 years, chairing for 12, and helped with the accreditation
process.
HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION DONATES $12,500
TO CONSTRUCTION CENTER
The Home Builders Association has presented $12,500 of a $25,000
commitment to the Regional Union Construction Center, located
in the St. Louis Enterprise Center in Wellston, Mo.
The funds will be used to increase the long-term viability of
emerging minority- and women-owned union construction firms
in the St. Louis area. The Regional Union Construction Center
is a not-for-profit corporation with a mission of growing successful
minority construction contractors. The center will become a
business incubator for minority construction contractors.
The HBA is a local trade association of nearly 1,400 member
firms representing the residential construction industry.
BRYAN CAVE OPENS OFFICE IN HAMBURG,
GERMANY
Bryan Cave LLP has announced that it plans to open an office
in Hamburg, Germany, with a target opening date of Aug. 1. The
Hamburg office, the firm’s second European location, will be
led by Michael Leue, currently a partner with the German firm
Buse Heberer Fromm. Initially, a group of four lawyers will
staff the Hamburg office, with additional partners and associates
joining in the near future.
“The opening of offices in Milan and Hamburg underscores our
commitment to Europe,” stated Don Lents, chairman of Bryan Cave.
“Michael Leue and his team provide us with a great start in
the German market. I am confident that Michael, together with
our partners in Milan and London, will help Bryan Cave continue
to grow our capabilities throughout Europe.”
MIDAMERICA ST. LOUIS AIRPORT ANNOUNCES
10,000TH
PASSENGER FOR 2007
MidAmerica St. Louis Airport announced that 10,000 origination
passengers had already traveled through the airport as of May
3, 2007. The 10,000th passenger, Mary Lou Forche of Evansville,
Ind., boarded an Allegiant Air flight bound for Las Vegas with
her husband.
The number of travelers this year was reached six weeks earlier
than last year, according to the airport. For the past three
years, MidAmerica has experienced increased passenger service
and the 10,000 passenger level again qualifies the airport as
a primary non-hub airport with the FAA. The qualification carries
with it FAA grant authorization of at least $1,000,000 for capital
projects.
The capital improvement grants from the FAA “will enable the
airport to continue to grow, create more jobs and give passengers
more opportunities to travel,” according to St. Clair County
Chairman Mark Kern.
In addition to daily operations with Scott AFB and military
flights, the airport also has been designated as a port of entry
by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which allows the airport
to handle international cargo flights as well as offer passenger
service.
Also at MidAmerica this past spring, Allegiant Air LLC celebrated
its two-year anniversary of providing nonstop service to Las
Vegas. The Las Vegas-based airline inaugurated service from
the MidAmerica St. Louis Airport to McCarran International Airport
in Las Vegas on April 29, 2005. During the past year alone,
Allegiant has carried more than 27,000 customers to and from
Las Vegas.
“We are very pleased with the performance of the Southern Illinois
market over the last two years,” stated Maurice J. Gallagher,
Allegiant Air’s president and chief executive officer. “We look
forward to a continued successful relationship between Allegiant,
MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, the local communities, travel
agents and all of our customers.”
IMPERIAL MANUFACTURING TO BRING NEW
JOBS TO ALTON
Clark Properties Inc. has announced an agreement with Imperial
Manufacturing Group, a Canadian company based in Richibucto,
New Brunswick, to bring its U.S. headquarters to Alton, Ill.
Michael Clark, president of Clark Properties, said that Imperial
will house its U.S. corporate offices, a manufacturing operation,
and warehouse and distribution facilities in the Alton Center
Business Park.
“Based upon our areas of distribution in the United States,
Alton is an ideal location to place this facility,” stated Normand
Caissie, president of Imperial Manufacturing Group. “The size
of our new headquarters will help us to boost production and
increase our efficiency. We also are very pleased with the workforce
experience we have had in the area, already employing a large
percentage of our workforce from the River Bend community.”
Founded in 1979, Imperial Manufacturing Group specializes in
equipment for the heating, air conditioning, ventilation and
building products industries.
