Executive Vice President, Columbia Chamber of Commerce AGE: 41 JOB DESCRIPTION: I am responsible for working with the emerging needs of Columbia. First and foremost will be working in the areas of governmental affairs, economic development and our regional efforts. YEARS LIVED IN COLUMBIA: I lived here for four years, from 1988-1992. When I returned […]
I shudder whenever anyone talks about employment and job security in the electronics industry. With an interest in the history of electronics, I may have been among the least surprised when 3M recently announced it would lay off 240 “flexible electronic assembly” workers in its plant at 5400 Paris Road. This news represents a huge
From the RoundTable: 3M layoffs reveal crack in ‘quality of life’ foundation Read More »
Skip Walther, who has been practicing law in Columbia for 22 years, says his election as vice president of the Missouri Bar Association comes during a challenging time for the organization. Gov. Matt Blunt and Republican members of the General Assembly plan in January to renew their efforts to change the way judges are chosen
Innovation requires agility, and small businesses are agile. That’s why small companies hold three times as many patents as their larger, corporate counterparts. And it’s why our entrepreneurs are the true keepers of our nation’s competitive intellectual property. The bad news is that many businesses have intellectual property and have taken no steps to protect
Critics and advocates of Missouri’s system of selecting appellate judges squared off in a panel discussion at the Missouri Bar’s annual meeting in Springfield on Sept. 27. The Missouri Non-Partisan Court Plan, which has been adopted by numerous other states, is used to pick judges for the State Court of Appeals and State Supreme Court.
Missouri Bar hosts lively debate on choosing appellate judges Read More »
More than 700,000 businesses change ownership in the United States each year. But not without significant research and planning. The decision to become an entrepreneur is a big one. Deciding to do so by buying an already existing company can seem even more daunting. Start by closely examining whether the prospective business is the right
A box full of phone cards sits under the counter at Alejandro Sánchez’s Columbia grocery store, Los Tres Hermanos. For the first time in seven years, he has not sold the weekly allotment of 1,500 cards. Sánchez looks tired as he talks about how business at his store on Business Loop 70 has plummeted since
Increased enforcement of immigration laws having local impact Read More »
Ethanol fuels derived from corn do not provide a long-term solution to the energy dilemma we face today, a prominent energy author said recently at Westminster College. “Corn-based ethanol is not the answer,” said Paul Roberts, author of The End of Oil, answering a question from the audience after delivering the lecture on Sept. 26.
Ethanol produced from corn won’t solve energy issues in United States long term Read More »
The Roots ‘N Blues ‘N BBQ Festival generated an economic impact of nearly $6 million in Boone County, according to University of Missouri economist James Kaufman. The festival, sponsored by Boone County National Bank to celebrate its 150th anniversary, was held Sept. 7–8, and organizers estimate that it drew 70,000 people to downtown Columbia. Besides
The indistinguishable laughs and shouts of a large crowd swept down the hall in Columbia’s Upper Crust Bakery one bright Sunday morning, as patisserie customers, real-estate aficionados and environmentalists gathered in the back ballroom to witness evidence that Columbia was at last building the Bear Creek Prairie project (BCP), Missouri’s first conservation community. Glossy orange-and-blue
Bear Creek Prairie promises nature-friendly living Read More »
