Missouri Chamber: State faces economic challenges

This story has been edited to omit Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce president John Mehner's name as a presenter. While he did introduce the speakers, he did not make a presentation on behalf of the Missouri State Chamber of Commerce.

Missouri's Chamber of Commerce and Industry conducted its first regional initiative in Cape Girardeau on Thursday to discuss the state's future.

Nearly 20 people gathered at the Drury Lodge to hear Karen Buschmann, vice president of communications at the state chamber, and Ted Abernathy, leader of the initiative, speak about their findings.

John Mehner

The initiative is part of the chamber's "Missouri 2030: An Agenda to Lead," which is formed around discussing Missouri's sustainability and how business leaders intend to help the state become a leader in economic growth over the next 15 years. Abernathy cited a recent survey of more than 1,000 employers.

Missouri's job growth from 1994 to 2014 increased 12 percent, he said, while its manufacturing jobs have fallen 29 percent. The number of 25- to 44-year-olds remaining in the state fell 6 percent during that period.

Missouri still is a low-cost place to do business, with a higher dollar value compared to most other states, Abernathy said.

"Seventy-one percent did not state health care as their biggest concern, but they're scared to death of it," he said.

Also, concerning student readiness for the workforce, of 1,050 people surveyed, 42 percent thought college graduates were ready to enter the workforce, and fewer than one-third of business owners thought Missouri businesses could attract top-talent employees.

These were just a few of the numbers shown during Abernathy's portion of the presentation.

Buschmann condensed the information at one point, summarizing that Missouri is declining in growth and "middle of the pack" in performance. That's why the Missouri 2030 agenda is being discussed.

"This really is about the trends [in moving forward], to see what is going to happen," Abernathy said.

He said although Missouri has its low points, there are many redeeming numbers. Trends such as urbanization, global independence, technology and a rising talent bar are things Missouri business owners need to look at.

In November, Forbes calculated the best states for business and careers, with Missouri ranking No. 31. Neighboring states Illinois and Kentucky ranked No. 33 and No. 40, respectively.

After the presentation, Abernathy and Buschmann asked business owners and legislators to discuss what they thought are the main problems Missouri businesses face.

The top two were workforce readiness and transportation infrastructure.

State Reps. Donna Lichtenegger, R-Jackson, and Kathy Swan, R-Cape Girardeau, shared their ideas and opinions.

Swan discussed programs that improve regional partnerships between schools and employers, and Lichtenegger proposed that schools focus on more specific career-readiness degrees, such as engineering and welding, versus women's studies and general studies.

Attendees Jeff Glenn and David Monier said relationships between schools and industry are encouraged, but the businesses won't follow through with calls or school officials aren't open to business professionals' suggestions.

Buschmann specified the goals for the initiative are to improve educational results and workforce preparedness, build a more competitive business climate, improve 21st-century infrastructure, encourage future business growth and provide statewide business leadership.

"[The most important aspect of today is to realize] that it is a collaborative effort. It is going to take all of us working together, and that there's not just one idea, it's a collection of ideas, and even more important than generating the ideas is sticking with it to see them through to completion," Buschmann said. "I was also grateful that [attendees] were upfront about the challenges and everyone seems to want to roll up their sleeves and get to work on it."

The next Missouri chamber meeting will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Jan. 14 in Kansas City, Missouri.

smaue@semissourian.com

388-3644

pertinent address:

Drury Lodge, 104 South Vantage Drive, Cape Girardeau