Governor Joins GSL To Sign Intern And Apprentice Recruitment Act, ICL Breaks Ground On $400M Advanced Manufacturing Facility, And More
Not rendering correctly? View this email as a web page here
ATTRACTING TOP TALENT: MISSOURI GOVERNOR JOINS GSL, REGIONAL LEADERS, TO SIGN INTERN AND APPRENTICE RECRUITMENT ACT
At a ceremony at the offices of Greater St. Louis, Inc. Tuesday morning, Missouri Governor Mike Parson signed the Intern and Apprentice Recruitment Act, which was passed overwhelmingly by both houses of the Missouri General Assembly in May. He was joined by GSL CEO Jason Hall, Graybar President and CEO Kathleen Mazzarella — a GSL board member — and state Representative Brad Christ (St. Louis County), among other leaders.
“Missouri is committed to growing and developing a workforce that is prepared to meet the demands of the future,” said Parson. “We are proud to rank first in the United States for on-the-job-training, and House Bill 417 will help increase apprenticeship opportunities, strengthen our workforce, and give Missourians the skills and on-the-job training they need to be successful in their chosen careers.”
ICL BREAKS GROUND ON $400M ADVANCED MANUFACTURING FACILITY
GSL Chair’s Council Member ICL, a leading global specialty minerals supply company with its U.S. headquarters in the metro, kicked off construction of its new $400 million advanced manufacturing facility this week in south St. Louis. Greater St. Louis, Inc. joined ICL executives to welcome U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, Missouri Governor Mike Parson, Warner Baxter, executive chairman of Ameren Corporation and GSL board member, and others, to celebrate the new facility.
IL & MO COME TOGETHER FOR THE 2023 BI-STATE SOFTBALL SHOWDOWN
Legislators from both Missouri and Illinois stepped up to bat at Busch Stadium Monday night during the 2023 Bi-State Softball Showdown, a friendly competition hosted by Greater St. Louis, Inc. that celebrates the bipartisan cooperation that makes the metro so strong. “We are very fortunate that our bi-state, bipartisan delegation works together to drive pro-growth policy in both state legislatures, and we want to take a moment to celebrate their efforts to move our metro forward,” said GSL CEO Jason Hall.
2023 CHAMPIONS HELP MAKE ST. LOUIS A MORE INCLUSIVE PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK
The St. Louis Business Journal is honoring 14 individuals and organizations for their work throughout the metro to promote diversity around race, sexual orientation, and disability. Honorees represent both public and private entities — including executive-level members of the GSL Chair’s Council Edward Jones, World Wide Technology, and Washington University in St. Louis — and are working to make the St. Louis metro a more inclusive place to live.
St. Louis Startup Week returns Sept. 18 - 22, offering a week of entrepreneurial events that develop, connect, and celebrate St. Louis’ startup ecosystem. Opportunities abound for sponsors, speakers, and startups, with events ranging from workshops to happy hours. Events are open and accessible to all, with the majority free of charge.
Missouri Technology Corporation is investing in four St. Louis-based startups in its third round of capital awarded through federal funds. GSL helped secure $125 million for MTC this past legislative session — $95 million of which are federal funds — in Missouri’s fiscal year 2023 budget to boost innovation and entrepreneurial growth in the metro, a major policy priority.
Murals are popping up all over Midtown St. Louis, a sign of growth and development in the area. CITYPARK, renovated lofts, local coffee shops, new restaurants, and more all contribute to the revitalization taking place. “We’ve got a lot of things coming,” said Danni Eickenhorst, owner of the Fountain on Locust and Steve's Hot Dogs, a GSL Investor member. “Keep an eye on us.”
PNC Foundation, the charitable arm of GSL Chair’s Council Member PNC Bank, has awarded a total of $250,000 to local arts organizations to foster more — and more diverse — audiences. Grantees include the Black Rep, St. Louis ArtWorks, Dance St. Louis, and Opera Theatre of St. Louis, a GSL Investor Council member.
AS HIP HOP TURNS 50, METRO RADIO STATION'S EARLY ROLE IS CELEBRATED
Hip hop celebrates 50 years on Friday, Aug. 11, and East St. Louis radio station WESL played a critical role in its early development. Back in 1979, WESL was the first station in the country to play “Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang, which became rap music’s first commercial hit. GSL Chair’s Council Member the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tells the story of how the metro helped take hip hop to the masses. Local music lovers will be sure to hear “Rapper’s Delight” later this month as Sugarhill Gang will perform at the Evolution Festival in Forest Park Aug. 25-26.
As employers explore work flexibility, CommercialSearch compared 70 U.S. cities across a variety of indicators to determine the best locations for hybrid workers. Coming in at #2, St. Louis offers one of the most abundant cultural and entertainment scenes, affordable coworking space, and, notably, the highest score for quality of life.
In the annual 2023 Best of the Midwest: Startup City Rankings, M25 and Midwest Startups ranked St. Louis a top 15 city for startup and venture capital growth. The venture firm calculated startup activity, access to resources, and business climate, with St. Louis coming in ahead of Cincinnati, Kansas City, and Cleveland.
Over at theSTL.com, we publish stories that shine a light on the innovative, tenacious, big-hearted people living throughout the St. Louis region. Weekly featured stories showcase the STLMade movement — people, businesses, and ideas moving the region forward. Are you proud to be STLMade? Join us.
