Mark Neville of FinVR "Sherlock" is software that combines augmented reality and financial
investing at warp speeds.
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The 2016 Regional Investors Breakfast
"If it's happening, it's happening in
St. Charles!"
Friday, June 17, 2016
7:00 - 8:00 am -
Networking
8:00 - 9:00 am -
Presentation
AMC Theatre 311 Lombard Street
St. Charles, MO 63303 |
There is no cost to attend but seating is limited.
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DID YOU KNOW?
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St. Louis' only premier hacking and information security conference. ShowMeCon will be hosted by St. Charles ethical hacking and information security firm, Parameter Security, on June 13 & 14, 2016, at Ameristar Casino Resort Spa.
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CHECK OUT
ST CHARLES
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Sheri Stephens and wedding planner Kristen Chamberlain visit with Travis Wilson at The Old Stone Chapel, located at 1106 South Main Street in Historic St. Charles.
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DID YOU KNOW???
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Over the last 5 years, St. Charles County accounted for more than 25% of Missouri's population growth, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. St. Charles County saw 7% growth, or 25,105 people, for the period 2010-2015. (Read more...) |
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MADE (Missouri Alliance for the Development of Entrepreneurship) is now accepting applications
for the 2016 Entrepreneurship Competition. Develop your business ideas into legitimate ventures. (Read more...)
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DID YOU KNOW?
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I-70 at 5th Street & Fairgrounds Improvement Project
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You can get more information and receive updates about MoDOT's Divergent Diamond project by clicking here.
You may also find information about other St. Charles street projects by clicking here.
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 Greetings!
We've all heard the quote, "You're only as good as the company you keep." This edition of our electronic newsletter is a prime example of the company we are proud to keep.
You will find stories in today's newsletter that are written by two very important allies.
This year, IEDC is celebrating the 90th anniversary of the economic development profession by proclaiming 2016 as the "Year of the Economic Developer." In addition, May 8-14 has been designated as "Economic Development Week." Our City has already issued a resolution supporting this cause and we are planning a number of events to celebrate this anniversary.
The City of St. Charles is proud of all the partnerships we have forged over the years. These alliances have created an atmosphere for businesses to grow and prosper which resulted in greater wealth for our citizens.
If your business is looking to grow in a community that understands the importance of cooperation, then look no further than St. Charles. Our Economic Development Department stands ready to partner with you for future success.
Thank you,
Mayor Sally Faith
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Drury Inn and Suites Construction Begins at Streets
Cullinan Properties has announced the upcoming construction of a new 7-story, 180-room Drury Inn and Suites hotel which will be joining the Streets of St Charles at the north end of the property along I-70.
The hotel will add a second parking deck to the mixed-use project which will feature 300+ spaces and will provide hotel guests convenient covered parking access directly connected to the lower level hotel entrance. Construction of the parking deck is already underway and the groundbreaking for the hotel is scheduled for early April, with an anticipated opening of both the hotel and parking deck in the summer 2017.
"When developing our master plan for Streets of St. Charles, we recognized the need for a quality hotel to complement the property, where business people could feel at home and families who visit
 the area could be comfortable as well," said Christopher M. West, Cullinan Properties Partner and Chief Operating Officer. "Drury Inn and Suites was the perfect partner to bring this vision to reality. St. Charles Mayor Sally Faith commented that the new hotel provides many benefits to the region. "Streets of St. Charles has proven to be one of the most successful developments in the area, and Drury's decision further demonstrated that," said Faith. "St. Charles is proud to be the home of Streets of St. Charles, and we're equally proud of our strong partnership with the Cullinan Properties team."
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Featured Article - Maximize Your Sales Potential Through Exporting!
Mike Downing, Director of Missouri Department of Economic Development
Over the past few years, Missouri has made great strides in creating opportunities for Show-Me State businesses to sell their products around the globe. In fact, over the past five years, Governor Jay Nixon has led successful trade missions to: - China (October 2011, $4.6 billion export agreement)
- Brazil (April 2012)
- the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Republic of Korea (March 2013, $1.9 billion export agreement)
- Western Europe (June 2014, March 2015 and June 2015)
- Eastern Canada (March 2014, $3.2 billion export agreement) Western Canada (August 2015)
- Colombia and Peru (February 2016, Colombia-$750 million bi-lateral trade agreement; Peru-$300 million bi-lateral trade agreement)
- Panama (March 2016, $200 million bi-lateral trade agreement)
- Israel most recently, last month
 These agreements help open the door for Missouri exporters to connect with buyers in foreign countries. And the results speak volumes to their success - over the past 10 years, annual Missouri exports have increased from $10.5 billion to $13.6 billion, a growth of nearly 30 percent.
What are the benefits of exporting? Currently, more than 95 percent of the world's consumers live outside of the United States, representing a vast untapped market for Missouri-made goods. Additionally, for every $1 billion that the U.S. exports, there are 6,250 jobs created or supported in the manufacturing sector. In other words, exporting is a huge driver of the local economy. 
How can businesses get started exporting? The Missouri Department of Economic Development International Trade and Investment Office (ITI) works to connect Missouri exporters with buyers in other countries. The office helps coordinate trade missions, trade shows, and other promotional activities. As one of the top trade agencies in the nation for best practices and for the number of international office locations (No. 3 nationally), this division also offers export counseling, market research, an online Missouri-made goods directory, and a variety of other services to help businesses get started on the path to exporting.
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Governor Nixon and John Clark- Masterclock
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For a great example of a local company that has fully embraced its export potential, look no further than St. Charles-based firm Masterclock. This company has participated in several international trade shows over the years to promote its products and meet with international buyers. Selected as the 2014 Governor's Exporter of the Year, Masterclock currently has active customers in more than 95 countries on six continents.
To learn more about the benefits of exporting and find international trade show opportunities, visit ded.mo.gov/exports.
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Retail Sales Records Continue to Grow in County
St. Charles County has reported that annual retail sales hit a record high for 2015. The result showed sales climbed 5.21% to $5,666,398,392 in the County; up from $5,385,652,114 the previous year.
Mayor Sally Faith welcomed the news stating the results are an indication of the strength of the region. "Our cities and county continue to lead the area for growth and investment. It is a demonstration that our overall growth plan is working."
Vehicle sales, which accounted for 15% of the expenditures, were the largest category of non-perishable goods in last year's total.
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MOD Opens at Streets of St. Charles
Cullinan Properties, Ltd. announced the opening of MOD, a trendy women's boutique opened on March 3rd at the Streets of St. Charles. This marks the fourth location for MOD, the sister store of Marta's in Ellisville. MOD is owned by sisters Tania Rakel and Lauren Gaska, and their mother, Marta Gaska, who opened Marta's nearly 30 years ago. The trio opened the first MOD in Edwardsville, Illinois in 2013 and went on to expand just six months later to O'Fallon, Missouri. In 2014, MOD opened a new shop adjacent to Marta's in Ellisville. The boutique specializes in affordable fashion for women of all ages, and merchandise in all stores includes clothing, shoes and accessories. The MOD brand can be found at both the Marta's locations in Ladue and Ellisville. MOD is located on Beale Street, next to Picasso's Coffee. Co-owner Tania Rakel stated, "We are very excited to have our next MOD location open at The Streets of St. Charles! This spot has great character and we decided to bring style to it with affordable fashion. The vibe of the shopping center is outstanding and a great place for shopping, dining and entertainment!" "The addition of MOD to Streets of St. Charles broadens visitors' shopping experience at the property, providing them with yet another unique opportunity to find great fashion and accessories they might not see elsewhere." said Kathleen Brill, Vice President, and Director of Leasing for Cullinan Properties. "After shopping, visitors can enjoy a massage, a great meal or cocktail at one of our restaurants, as well as a movie at AMC Theaters. Streets of St. Charles is an ideal destination for an afternoon or evening of shopping, dining and entertainment."
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Featured Article - IEDC Celebrates its 90th Anniversary and the Year of the Economic Developer
Jeffrey Finkle, President and CEO, International Economic Development Council (IEDC)
For those of you who may not be familiar with our organization, IEDC  was formed through the merger of the American Economic Development Council (AEDC) and the Council for Urban Economic Development
(CUED) in 2001. The AEDC was originally founded 90 years ago, and CUED was established 49 years ago. Through the merger, IEDC became the world's largest membership organization serving the economic development profession, and today boosts over 4,700 members. From public to private, rural to urban, and local to international, our members represent the entire range of economic development experience, and our programs and services are designed to specifically help practitioners build strong and sustainable communities.
Ostensibly, the field of economic development has become more complex over the past 90 years. Today, practitioners need to be ever more nimble, applying cutting-edge techniques to make their communities more resilient in this volatile economic development landscape. Through professional development and training, networking and advisory services, as well newsletters and publications, we provide the tools for economic developers to fine tune strategies and enhance their capacity for innovation.
By declaring 2016 as the Year of the Economic Developer, we hope to raise awareness of the important contributions that practitioners make in our communities. Through the newly developed 52 Weeks in Economic Development series, we are paying homage to various practitioners throughout the year. And while we already acknowledge the best in economic development annually at the IEDC Annual Conference with IEDC's Excellence in Economic Development Awards program, we have additionally created Economic Development Week as an event to celebrate the achievements of economic developers everywhere. The event will occur for the first time May 8-14 and will spotlight the significance and value of economic development. We encourage you to promote economic development in your area, and some guidelines on how to celebrate the week in your home town are described here.
Moreover, you can quickly and effectively connect and celebrate with other practitioners throughout Economic Development Week by sharing information about your events with photos and videos on Twitter, making sure to use the hashtag #YearofEconDev. You can also share your messages on Facebook, and LinkedIn.
We are proud of our achievements at IEDC and recognize that none of it would be possible without the hard work of our members across the globe. We hope that you will join us in celebrating your achievements with the broader economic development community during this phenomenal year!
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Property Showcase - 3555 Franks Drive
Needing an exceptional property that is flexible enough to address your office, industrial and/or commercial needs? Check out 3555 Franks Drive offered by Cissell Mueller.
This nearly 15,000 square foot complex provides easy access to both Interstate 70 and Highway 370. The former call center operation is zoned industrial, provides 90 parking spaces, a dock door and opportunity to purchase additional acreage next door. 
Priced to move, this single story facility is listed at $900,000 or can be leased at $10/ sq. ft Full Service.
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St. Charles Entrepreneurs Invited to Workshop at OPO Startups
 St. Charles entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to learn about pricing strategies in a three-part workshop series presented by Missouri Venture Forum's (MVF) volunteer trainer, Jim Elder. Workshops are from 10:30 until noon at OPO Startups, 119 S. Main Street in St. Charles. Schedule and topics include: April 12: Pricing, Profits and Customer Value April 19: Research-Based Communications (Influencing Price Sensitivity) April 26: Pricing and Competition Elder, an experienced business executive and past assistant professor, is president of Allegra Design Web Print and past chair of the Department of Entrepreneurial Studies at Lindenwood University.
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 Sincerely,
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