CAPE'S TOP FOUR EMPLOYERS BOOST LOCAL ECONOMY

Southeast Missouri Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center are in the business of medicine; Procter and Gamble Paper Products Co., manufacturing; and Southeast Missouri State University, education.

But all four share one thing in common: They rank as the Cape Girardeau's area's largest employers, providing a big boost to the local economy.

They provide about 5,000 jobs and carry a combined payroll of about $142 million.

"Obviously, they are tremendous leaders in terms of employment and economic impact," said John Mehner, president of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce.

"But the other thing about all four of those entities is the tremendous community companies that they are," he noted.

They support numerous civic projects and charitable organizations. "They are all super corporate citizens," said Mehner.

In terms of payroll, the largest is the sprawling Procter and Gamble manufacturing plant, which opened north of Cape Girardeau in 1969. The plant manufactures Pampers and Luvs disposable diapers, and Always, a feminine hygiene product.

The plant's payroll exceeds $50 million a year, the largest payroll in the Southeast Missouri area. The plant employs about 1,300 people.

In addition, P&G spends about $145 million a year in purchases from Missouri suppliers for goods and services for use at the local plant and at the company's other facilities.

"We are very proud of the contribution the plant and its people have made, not only to the Procter and Gamble Co., but also to Cape Girardeau and the surrounding area," said Larry Stahlman, the plant's public affairs manager.

"Our employees have been major supporters of United Way, Adopt-A-Schools and many other worthwhile charitable and civic organizations," he pointed out.

In terms of jobs, Southeast Missouri Hospital ranks at the top. It has 1,387 full- and part-time employees. This year's payroll is expected to total about $30 million, said Jerry Sanders, the hospital's assistant administrator.

That $30 million provides a significant impact on the local economy. "They (economists) say for every dollar in salary, it rolls over seven times in the community," noted Sanders.

That means that the hospital's payroll amounts to a $200 million-plus shot in the arm for the local economy, he said.

Southeast is in the middle of a five-year, $30 million construction program as it expands its hilltop complex. That's benefiting the economy in terms of construction dollars and jobs, Sanders said.

Sanders said that both hospitals help attract doctors to the area, which also provides an economic boost.

St. Francis Medical Center has 1,336 full- and part-time employees, and a payroll of about $27 million.

"We have probably 270 different types of jobs. It's like having your own little city," said Bob Owen, the medical center's director of human resources. "We have our own police department, our own engineering, our own little food service."

Owen said the hospitals and the whole health care industry are a benefit to industrial recruitment.

"Some of the industries we have here would not be here without the schools and the health care facilities," he noted.

Southeast Missouri State University has 935 full-time employees. It also employs 31 part-time and 117 temporary employees, as well as 1,233 students and 100 graduate assistants.

The school has a $34.9 million annual payroll, amounting to $2.9 million a month.

A university study three years ago showed the school had a $90.5 million economic impact on the region, with $48.9 million coming from direct spending and $41.6 million from indirect spending.

"Not only does the university have over 900 employees, but it also has a large student workforce," said Ken Dobbins, Southeast's executive vice president.

More than 7,000 students are enrolled at Southeast this semester. As consumers, they spend money on goods and services, which aids the Cape Girardeau economy, Dobbins said.

In addition, university sporting events, concerts at the Show Me Center and other school-sponsored events draw people to town. While here, they go out to eat or shop, and may spend the night in a motel, further aiding the local economy, he said.

Many students work in area businesses during their college careers. Students can gain valuable business experience while businesses can make use of students' skills, he said. "It really is a two-way street."