Missouri Economic Development CEO tours Bootheel

The Chief Executive Officer of the Missouri Partnership, Christopher Chung, visited the six Bootheel counties on Feb. 13 and 14. Chung spent two days learning about the economic development assets of the region. He met with business and community leaders, economic developers, county officials and major employers from around the Bootheel.

The tour was hosted by the Southeast Missouri Economic Development Alliance (SMEDA).

On Feb. 13, at a reception and dinner sponsored by the Dexter Chamber of Commerce and the Stoddard County Industrial Development Authority, Chung told 25 regional leaders, the Missouri Partnership is a newly created economic development marketing entity funded by the Missouri Department of Economic Development and the Hawthorne Foundation. Its mission is to promote Missouri to business and industry as a great location for new operations/factories, thus creating jobs and stimulating capital investment.

"I sincerely applaud the regional approach taken by the Southeast Missouri Economic Development Alliance - as well as its local partners in Scott, Mississippi, New Madrid, Dunklin, Pemiscot and Stoddard Counties - in promoting your region of Missouri," said Chung. "Acting regionally makes tremendous sense for the purposes of business recruitment and marketing. Yet, there are too many communities across the United States that still have not recognized this, let alone that have worked together to form the kind of cooperative effort that SMEDA represents."

The Missouri Partnership model, the privatization of business and industrial attraction, is patterned after successful programs being used in some high growth states. It has a first-year budget of about three million dollars and will have a staff of nine marketers, researchers and support personnel when in full operation. The office will be located in the St. Louis area to accommodate access to domestic and international air travel and support services.

The Director of SMEDA, Buz Sutherland, accompanied Chung on his visits to Dunklin, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Scott and Stoddard Counties. Sutherland said, "The Missouri Partnership's charge is to 'sell' the state of Missouri to US and international corporate decision makers. The fundamental component of any successful sales campaign is product knowledge. This was our first opportunity to introduce Mr. Chung to our 'little corner of paradise', so that he may most effectively 'sell' the Bootheel."

As the Missouri Partnership marketing staff is hired, SMEDA will invite them on similar tours to learn about the many economic development assets of the Missouri Bootheel.

"At the end of the day, economic development remains a very 'human' business that depends on strong interpersonal relationships," said Chung.

Bobby Greer can be reached via email at bgreer@dailystatesman.com