Chamber Updates

Planting for the Future: Why Mentorship is Our Best Local Investment As we edge closer to spring, the conversations in our business community often turn to growth. Usually, we think of “growth” in terms of square footage, new equipment, or annual revenue. But if we apply the concept of Economic Gardening to our most valuable…

Celebrating 50 Years! Why Recognizing Milestones Matters In the daily grind of business, it is easy to focus solely on the next goal. But this past week, we had a powerful reminder of why we must occasionally pause. The Chamber had the honor of hosting a 50th Anniversary celebration and ribbon cutting for KRCU Public…

Revitalizing the SEARS Grand Site Exciting news for the Cape Girardeau business community! Tonight, Monday, March 2, the Cape Girardeau City Council is scheduled to hold a public hearing and move forward with a redevelopment agreement for the former Sears Grand building and surrounding area. This project, led by Drury Development Corporation, represents a significant…

New SCOTUS Ruling on Tariffs Means More Changes on International Trade Coming In a significant 6-3 decision on February 20, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the administration’s broad use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose sweeping tariffs. This ruling has immediate and profound implications for our business community here…

From Cape to Statewide: Codefi’s AI Powered Evolution It has been just over a decade since Codefi first opened its doors in downtown Cape Girardeau, sparked by a mission to prove that world-class tech innovation doesn’t require a Silicon Valley zip code. Today, we are thrilled to celebrate a massive milestone for this homegrown organization:…

SEMO REDI Releases Inaugural 2026 Regional Economic Report At last weeks First Friday Coffee The Southeast Missouri Regional Economic Development, Inc. (SEMO REDI) officially released the Southeast Missouri Economic Report 2026, a first-of-its-kind publication designed to provide a comprehensive, data-driven assessment of our 18-county region. For business leaders and community stakeholders, this report offers a…

Don’t Get Stuck in the “Groundhog Day” Rut “Okay, campers, rise and shine!” Every February, I love to revisit the classic film Groundhog Day, where Bill Murray’s Phil Connors is forced to relive the same day over and over. He steps in the same slushy puddle, has the same awkward conversations, and hears “I Got You…

Beating the Winter Blues The holiday lights are down, the “New Year, New Me” energy has faded, and we are left with the snow drifts and grey skies of winter. For many business owners, this time of year brings a noticeable dip in employee morale and productivity, often called the “Winter Gloom.” As leaders, we…

The Antidote to the Mid-January Slump Monday, January 19, 2026, marks an interesting intersection on our calendars. To many, it is “Blue Monday”, statistically cited as the day when the cold weather, the arrival of post-holiday bills, and the fading of New Year’s resolutions converge to create a seasonal low in morale. But more importantly,…

Setting your Business New Year’s Resolutions We all know the statistic: most New Year’s resolutions are abandoned by mid-February. In our personal lives, this might mean an underutilized gym membership. In business, however, the cost of abandoned goals is much higher, it means stagnated growth and missed opportunities. As we look toward 2026, I challenge…