Business Notebook: If the shoe fits ... Local doctor wants people all over the world to connect with each other through Chuck Taylor Tuesdays

It's a hashtag on Instagram, it's a community builder and an icebreaker, and it's international now: Chuck Taylor Tuesdays.

A few years ago, Eric Becking, owner of The Becking Clinic weight-loss center in Cape Girardeau, had a brainstorm. He loved wearing his Chuck Taylor tennis shoes on the weekends, and thought, what if he started wearing them to work?

And Chuck Taylor Tuesdays came to be.

Beyond the catchy name, there's a deeper experience he wants people to share, Becking said.

"It breaks down social barriers," Becking said. "People start talking about the shoes and it totally just creates a connection that wasn't there before."

Green is the color of these Chuck Taylor shoes worn by the Dr. Eric Becking family Wednesday. "Green symbolizes energy and growth," Becking noted.Fred Lynch

Becking said he loves the shoe brand, which was founded in 1923.

He dresses professionally, he said, three-piece suit, briefcase, the whole nine yards, and he wondered how the Chucks would affect his overall look.

Turns out, his tennis shoes have served as an icebreaker and a community builder.

"There aren't too many things out there with this kind of history," Becking added.

Becking said he's talked with older people who remember wearing Chucks to play high-school basketball, younger people who love the brand, and lots of other people in between.

Chad Crow

"I've always been a rallier-type person, on the search for an awesome vehicle to reach a lot of people for good things," Becking said. "I've become a massive advocate. It creates fun. Since I'm a doctor, I'm always looking for ways to promote health and quality of life."

Becking added, "I'm wearing my yellow ones today, and I can't help but smile."

The movement is international now, he said, and related a story about encountering a man from Bangladesh at a local coffee place, and they got to talking about their Chucks.

His friends in Bangladesh started posting with the #ChuckTaylorTuesdays hashtag, Becking said.

"I have friends in Los Angeles, Texas, Germany, all over the place," he said, and they recruit more people.

Stephanie Burger

"The concept is finding something in common that's fun that has really no negative connotation," Becking said. "It's not about politics, religion, sports, nothing competitive about it, it's straight up just a fun thing."

"Every Tuesday, if you have Chucks, that's the day to wear them," Becking said. "It creates fun, and common ground. Like, now we can just connect."

CarGO expands operations

CarGO director of business development Shad Burner said the Cape Girardeau-based ride-hailing and delivery service CarGO launched Wednesday in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.

"We think it'll take a bit to grow, but we think there's potential in that market," Burner said of Poplar Bluff. "It's not as big as Cape, but it certainly has some characteristics of a regional hub."

Burner said CarGO's business model functions well in small- to mid-size markets, and even as the business continues to grow in Cape Girardeau, the company is looking to expand to other communities in Southeast Missouri, and potentially beyond.

On launch day, Burner said, 14 restaurants and 20 drivers participated in Poplar Bluff.

Reminder

Wednesday is Administrative Professionals' Day.

Jackson license office contract awarded

The Jackson license office's management contract will go to Semo Tags LLC, according to a recent news release from the Missouri Department of Revenue.

Semo Tags LLC has not previously held the management contract in Jackson, according to Michelle Creach, public information officer with the DOR, but they do operate the Sikeston, Missouri, License Office in Scott County.

All local license offices are overseen by the Missouri Department of Revenue, but each is operated by an independent contractor, the release stated.

More information is available at dor.mo.gov/offloc.

Ribbon cuttings

Lutheran Family & Children's Services will hold a ribbon cutting at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at 3178 Blattner Drive in Cape Girardeau. This event will celebrate its 150th anniversary.

Business licenses

Kara Keys applied for a license to operate Images Salon, a salon offering hair, skin and nail services, at 97 N. Kingshighway. Keys bought the salon from Janet Kluesner. Opening date was listed as June 1.

People on the Move

Kirk Hovde has joined Banterra Bank's board of directors, according to a recent news release. Hovde is current managing director and head of investment banking for Hovde Group in Chicago.

Prior to joining Hovde Group, Hovde was with Deloitte & Touche LLP in Chicago. He is a Chicago native and earned a bachelor's of business administration, double majoring in accounting and finance, investment and banking, from the School of Business and the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He is a certified public accountant in Illinois, has his Series 7, 24, 63 and 79 FINRA licenses and has passed Level II of the CFA program.

Chad Crow, senior vice president/senior relationship officer, recently celebrated 15 years of service with Farm Credit Southeast Missouri, according to a recent news release.

Crow began his Farm Credit career in 2003 as a loan officer at the Sikeston, Missouri, branch office before his 2006 promotion to vice president/branch manager. In 2016, he became a member of the senior leadership team and began a new role as chief operations officer. Upon transitioning from SVP/COO to SVP/senior relationship officer in early 2017, Crow's primary responsibility became directly assisting the Sikeston, Jackson, Mississippi County and Dexter branch offices in their credit, operations, and business development on a daily basis, according to the release.

Stephanie Burger, HR administrator and senior accountant, also marked 15 years of service with Farm Credit Southeast Missouri.

Burger's career with Farm Credit began in 2003 as VP/Insurance, overseeing and assisting the risk management specialists throughout the association. In 2006, she became a loan officer in the Sikeston branch office, and in 2010 transferred to the central office as a staff accountant. She recently was promoted to her current role, according to the release.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630