Business Notebook is a weekly wrap-up of business news in Southeast Missouri. To submit news, reach business editor Jay Wolz at business@semissourian.com.

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. — For the second time in less than a year, the Tidy Cats brand production facility in Bloomfield has announced a significant plant expansion.

"We have begun two new projects," Tiffany Gildehaus at the Nestle Purina North America offices in St. Louis told the Southeast Missourian last week.

Those projects, which represent an $83 million investment in the Bloomfield plant, will enhance the facility's packaging and warehousing capabilities.

In February 2019, Purina announced a 110,000-square-foot, $115 million expansion in Bloomfield, bringing the total expansion investment to nearly $200 million by 2021.

The company says plant expansion is necessary to accommodate demand for its Tidy Cats LightWeight cat litter and Tidy Cats scoop cat litter.

"The factory's head count will increase by approximately 30 people once projects are completed," Gildehaus said in an email statement. "The factory is still actively hiring, primarily in our maintenance department."

The hiring website is www.nestlepurinacareers.com.

In addition to its Bloomfield plant, Purina has Missouri facilities in Springfield, St. Joseph and St. Louis, where the company has been headquartered for more than 125 years. The Bloomfield facility has been in operation since 1976.

Local realty firm rebrands itself

Realty Executives of Cape County announced through social media Friday it has rebranded itself as Realty Executives Edge.

The real estate agency noted that over the past 17 years, it has moved "well beyond" Cape Girardeau County, having also completed real estate transactions of all types in Scott, Perry, Ste. Genevieve, Bollinger, Stoddard and St. Francois counties, as well as several others.

Government awards lease contract

Rust Communications Inc. has been awarded a contract from the General Services Administration for lease of 6,646 square feet of office space on the upper level of the Rust Center for Media, 325 Broadway in Cape Girardeau.

The lease, which is a renewal of the Federal Public Defenders office space, is for a 17-year term, 15 years firm, in a total amount of $1.9 million.

People on the Move

Christy Benton

River Radio in Cape Girardeau has announced the retirement of Christy Benton, who has served as the general manager for the Cape Girardeau market for the past three years. Benton will be succeeded by Mike Renick, who has been the operations manager for the River Radio family of stations and program director for K103 and SEMO ESPN 1220.

Mike Renick

Before becoming general manager, Benton was the business manager for the entire River Radio family of stations, including those in the Southern Illinois and Poplar Bluff markets. She was employed by Max Media, owner of River Radio, at KBSI/WDKA for five years before moving into radio 16 years ago this month.

"I am excited about my retirement, of course, but I am also excited for the future of River Radio in Mike's hands," Benton said. "He brings great leadership and knowledge to the position, and his depth in the community is a great asset."

Renick graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with a degree in mass communications with a radio emphasis. An employee of River Radio for nearly 20 years, Renick is a member of the Cape Girardeau Lions Club and fronts the Mike Renick Band.

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Paul Mills

Paul Mills of the Cuba Financial Group in Cape Girardeau was recently promoted to the position of wealth adviser within the organization and will help the firm's senior adviser team advise and manage client relationships.

He will also assist the team in developing and implementing retirement planning strategies for physicians and retirees and will also provide comprehensive financial planning services for millennial clients.

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Damian Dyer

Dr. Damian R. Dyer has joined the Occupational Medicine Clinic at Immediate Convenient Care Cape Girardeau, a service of Saint Francis Healthcare System.

Dyer is a medical review officer and a certified Department of Transportation medical examiner, specializing in the initial evaluation, treatment and follow-up care of workers' compensation injuries or illnesses.

He received his medical training at the University of Louisville in Kentucky, gradating in 2004. He completed his internship at that institution in 2005, and his residency at West Palm Beach Department of Health in Gainsville, Florida, in 2018.

Immediate Convenient Care is at 1702 N. Kingshighway.

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Christopher Martin

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Christopher Martin has joined the Kneibert Clinic in Poplar Bluff as a licensed clinical social worker. The clinic is affiliated with the Saint Francis Healthcare System.

Martin specializes in behavioral health and has seven years of experience working with youth at community mental health facilities and working with youth and families at the Missouri Department of Social Services Children's Division.

He earned his associate degree from Three Rivers Community College and a Bachelor of Science in social work from Southeast Missouri State University in 2012. He also holds a master's degree in social work, which he obtained from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2015.

Chamber notes

A ribbon cutting, hosted by the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce, will take place at 11 a.m. Tuesday at American Legion Post 158, 319 N. High St. in Jackson. The event will commemorate renovations to the building, which was heavily damaged June 21 by a severe storm.

The Jackson chamber's monthly Business After Hours gathering will be from 5 until 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the American Legion building.

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The next Jackson chamber Women's Impact Network (WIN) luncheon will be from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Thursday at the Jackson Civic Center, 381 E. West Deerwood Drive. Kriste Martin, owner of Perfect Fit Bra Boutique, will present a program on "Everything You Need to Know About Finding the Right Bra for You and Why."

Tickets, which include lunch, are $20 and must be prepaid. Registration can be made through the chamber office. The registration deadline is today.

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The Scott City Chamber of Commerce's next Morning Coffee will be from 7:15 until 8 a.m. Thursday at The Front Porch Rental Hall, 1408 Main St. in Scott City. Mandi Brink from the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority will be on hand to talk with chamber members about current and future port activities.

At their January meeting, Scott City chamber members elected two people -- Bob Janota and Kyle McDonald -- to serve three-year positions on the chamber's executive board.

Commercial construction

A building permit application has been submitted by West Broadway Properties of Cape Girardeau to perform interior and exterior renovations at 1704 Broadway, which formerly housed Ken's Cleaners and a convenience store. The estimated cost of the renovations, according to the application, is $800,000. The project contractor is listed as Boulder Construction of Cape Girardeau.

Business license applications

Valaree Rutherford of Cape Girardeau has filed a business license application to operate An Elegant Touch Travel at 309 N. Frederick St. in Cape Girardeau. According to the license application, the full-service travel agency was scheduled to open Feb. 1.

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SDC Financial LLC of Nashville, Tennessee, submitted a business license application recently to occupy a space within the CVS Pharmacy, 2161 William St., to serve as an outlet for Smile Direct Club. The business, which will open in early March, will provide digital scanning services of customers' teeth, which will then be used for off-site production of "invisible" teeth aligners.

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