Andre Borrelli stands with his hands crossed over his chest, neck arched, so he can take in all of the work near the ceiling in the under-construction Courtyard by Marriott hotel lobby in the former H-H Building at 400 Broadway in Cape Girardeau.

Borrelli is a plasterwork specialist with Borrelli Plastering & Sons, based in St. Louis.

He said the work he did at 400 Broadway was well within his skill set, but presented challenges.

Many areas were damaged, partially broken or entirely missing, he said -- and the damage wasn't uniform.

As to how many linear feet of work he did, "well, it's hard to tell," he said.

Restored ornamental designs are seen in plaster along the ceilings of the lobby in the former H-H Building on Wednesday in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

"So many areas, there was just nothing," he said. "Portions of it were OK, others were not."

He was on the job for nine weeks straight, he said, and another two months of work was done in his shop, for a total of about five months.

In the shop, workers cast 180 pieces, including the decorative capitals to cap off more than 10 columns in what will be the lobby area.

Then Borrelli himself came in with the pre-cast pieces, installed them, and worked with his hand tools -- knives, mitre rods, even tools similar to dental picks -- to fill in the areas that needed work.

He did on-the-spot, position molding in some areas, he said.

Andre Borrelli points out ornamental designs he restored in the lobby of the former H-H Building as he gives a tour Wednesday in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

Another spot, he built a mold on site, then refined that mold and cast another one so the plaster pieces would come out with defined edges.

The ornamental plaster design includes, from top to bottom, corbels, which are bracket-like structures, Borrelli said.

Then a row of "egg and dart" is beneath the corbels, then a friese panel and bottom molding.

Underneath the corbels and the beams are coffers, or small recessed areas, he added.

"There's a lot going on over there," he said.

Restored ornamental designs are seen in plaster along the ceilings of the lobby in the former H-H Building on Wednesday in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

A design Borrelli called "lamb's tongue" runs along some sections.

"This is what I do," Borrelli said. "But because there are different layers, there's a lot going on."

But he's done crown moldings for the likes of Ralph Lauren and Estee Lauder, he said.

These designs, while intricate, are common in ornamental plaster, he added.

"But look at the treasure they exposed," Borrelli said. "Look how beautiful this will be. I love that they chose to preserve this rather than take it down or cover it up."

Andre Borrelli points out ornamental designs he restored in the lobby of the former H-H Building as he gives a tour Wednesday in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

Developer Jeff Maurer of Mayson Capital Partners LLC said while leading a recent tour of the building that the plasterwork was rediscovered during initial renovation work.

Maurer had said the lobby will have an ornate, old-world feel, and as guests move to the back, the atmosphere will transition to a more industrial look, according to earlier reporting by the Southeast Missourian.

The hotel is expected to open in late summer, Maurer said Friday.

Telemedicine at SoutheastHEALTH

SoutheastHEALTH recently announced a new partnership with Avera eCARE services to bring technological advancements in care for critically ill patients. SoutheastHEALTH's new virtual intensive care unit program (eICU) combines predictive analytics, data visualization and advanced reporting capabilities to help deliver vital information faster to bedside caregivers, according to the release. Remote providers are able to view real-time patient information such as cardiac monitors, lab results and medications, as well as care notes via electronic medical record interface.

"With the current shift to value-based care, it's critical for SoutheastHEALTH to prioritize both quality and cost of care. Achieving this double aim has its challenges," Ken Bateman, CEO of SoutheastHEALTH, said in a news release. "The impressive clinical and financial outcomes Avera has achieved through their eICU program reveal how connected technology and remote monitoring programs can not only improve clinical outcomes, but also help patients and families of southeast Missouri get the personalized care they need, when they need it. The program is one more example of how our healthcare system is continuously pursuing clinical excellence through collaborative partnerships."

According to the release, the not-for-profit Avera eCARE is based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and has worked since 2004 to connect specialists to patients in areas where immediate access to these services does not exist.

May 2018 jobs report

The Missouri Department of Economic Development's jobs report for May 2018 showed the state's unemployment rate remained at 3.6 percent in May, and total nonfarm payroll employment edged up by 400 jobs.

The rate was 3.7 percent in May 2017, and has been 3.6 percent since March 2018.

The estimated number of employed Missourians was 2,937,194 in May, while the number of unemployed was 108,288, a news release stated. The jobless total has been edging down since January.

For comparison, the seasonally adjusted U.S. unemployment rate was 3.8 percent in May. Missouri's unemployment rate has now been below the corresponding U.S. figure for 37 consecutive months.

Total nonfarm payroll employment was up by 400 jobs, following a 500-job gain reported in April.

Gains and losses were reported in individual industries in May. Private service-providing industries reported a net gain of 1,100 while manufacturing showed a net loss of 1,900. Local government employment was up by 1,000 in May.

Over the past year, total nonfarm payroll employment in Missouri has grown by 34,300, just over 1 percent. Professional and business services employment added 12,500 jobs over the year, with health care and social assistance adding another 8,000. Trade, transportation, and utilities employment was up by 6,900 jobs over the year, while construction employment was down by 1,500.

Ribbon cuttings

Comfort Keepers At Home Help will celebrate its new office space with a ribbon cutting at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday at 1918 N. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau.

Art Van Furniture will celebrate its grand opening with a ribbon cutting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at 43 S. Main St. in Cape Girardeau. A grand opening celebration will be held from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday.

Hair Design Studio is celebrating its one-year anniversary with a ribbon cutting and open house, beginning at 6 p.m. Friday at 625 Broadway in Cape Girardeau.

People on the Move

Bob Smith

Bob Smith, president and CEO of Farm Credit Southeast Missouri, reached 40 years of service with Farm Credit, the company's board chairman recently announced.

Smith began his Farm Credit career with the Federal Intermediate Credit Bank of St. Louis as a PCA/FICB representative on June 5, 1978. He joined the Sikeston PCA in August later that year as a field representative at the Dexter branch under CEO Bob Wright. In April 1982, Smith was promoted to VP credit and transferred to the Sikeston PCA Central Office.

On April 1, 1992, when the PCA and FLCA went under joint management with Ron Milbach as CEO, Smith was named SVP/chief credit officer and served in that role for another 24 years until being named president and CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2016.

Over the years, Smith has worked through several iterations of what is now Farm Credit Southeast Missouri: Sikeston PCA; Production Credit Association and Federal Land Bank of Southeast Missouri; Progressive Farm Credit Services; and now Farm Credit Southeast Missouri.

Ginny W. Ginithan

Saint Francis Healthcare System recently announced Ginny W. Ginithan as director of Radiology and Womancare.

In her new role, Ginithan will serve as a member of the Saint Francis Leadership team and will be responsible for planning, coordinating and supervising all functions within Radiology and Women's Health Services to ensure patients receive care in accordance with Saint Francis policies, procedures and objectives, according to the announcement. She will also perform a variety of regulatory, fiscal and administrative duties and oversee Radiology and Women's Health Services staff.

She comes to Saint Francis from Northwest Texas Healthcare System, where she has been director of Diagnostic Imaging and Cardiology Services since 2012. She has previously served as director of Imaging Services and interim director of Cardiac Services at Lourdes Hospital in Paducah, Kentucky.

Ginithan earned her master's degree in organizational management with an emphasis in business law and her bachelor's degree in occupational education with an emphasis in management at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas. She also holds a radiology technology certification of registry.

Kristan Lawless

Saint Francis Healthcare System recently announced Kristan Lawless as director of human resources.

In her new role, Lawless will be responsible for all functions of the health-care system's human resource department, including talent acquisition, retention and fostering employee relationships in a manner consistent with the goals and principles of Saint Francis Healthcare System, according to a news release.

Before joining Saint Francis, Lawless served as director of human resources at Greene County Medical Center in Jefferson, Iowa, and as human resource manager at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames, Iowa. She has also worked in human resource positions at Mercy Health Systems, Aurora University and Pharmaceutical Systems Inc., among others.

Lawless earned her Master of Public Administration at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Before that, she earned her Bachelor of Human Resource Management at Judson University in Elgin, Illinois.

She is a member of the Society for Human Resources Professional Management, American Society for Hospital Human Resources Association and Iowa Society Hospital Human Relations Association.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630