Economy

Each year, less than 20% of Southeast Missouri State University graduates will live and work in the Cape Girardeau area.

In addition, many students graduate with very limited experience in their chosen profession. In a world where a capable and trained workforce is the key to area growth, this is not desired information. Thanks to a partnership between the Chamber and Southeast Missouri State University, this issue is being addressed.

Location, location, location – the phrase is paramount in real estate AND in economic development.

The state of Missouri is in a great geographic position with its location in the center of the United States. This should be a huge advantage in economic development. We are rich in many transportation resources including rivers, rail, highways, airports, and river ports. However, our transportation infrastructure is struggling.

Over the past 18 months, there have been several notable expansions from our existing businesses. These include an almost completed 60,000 square foot manufacturing facility in the Greater Cape Girardeau Business Park by Idyllic Enterprises and SI03, 30 – 35 new jobs at Schafer’s Electrical Enclosures, 150 new jobs from AT&T, and numerous hospitality and restaurant projects. Even several of our new businesses are results of working with existing developers.

On this edition of Going Public, we talk with Stacy Dohogne Lane, Community Director with Codefi and the Marquette Tech District Foundation. She tells us what Codefi is and about some of the business start-ups that have gotten off to a successful start because of Codefi.

After expanding their services in Cape Girardeau to Poplar Bluff, transportation network company CarGO has announced their future move into Farmington.

With the company averaging about 10,000 rides and food deliveries in Cape Girardeau in a month, the move comes as part of a process by CarGO to spread into other markets.

Shad Burner, director of business development for CarGO, says they looked at the demographics of Farmington, and saw that there was a natural mixed market for the company.