St. Louis Metro Breaks Job Growth Record, $25M Centene Donation Makes New Urban League Center Possible, and The Future of Aerospace is STLMade
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St. Louis Metro Breaks Job Growth Record
A new report from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics tells a success story about St. Louis’ workforce — it’s growing significantly. With an addition of 31,000 workers over the past year, the metro has landed among the country’s top 10 regions for job growth, a spot it hasn’t seen in decades.
“Driving job creation is at very heart of the STL 2030 Jobs Plan and the work we do to shape inclusive economic growth,” said Jason Hall, CEO of Greater St. Louis, Inc. “This news shows the rest of the country that the momentum building in St. Louis is real and demonstrates the positive impact of working collaboratively and speaking with a unified voice in support of inclusive economic growth. This type of growth is how we will move the metro forward and win this decade.”
WashU-Founded Firm Is Innovating Alzheimer’s Research
A St. Louis company is pushing Alzheimer’s research forward faster. C2N Diagnostics, founded by researchers from Washington University in St. Louis, an executive-level member of the GSL Chair’s Council, is shaping the way blood biomarker tests can be used in diagnosing the disease, which is helping to improve both care and treatment.
Mercy to Invest $650M in New Wentzville Hospital Campus
Mercy — an executive-level member of the GSL Chair’s Council — will invest $650 million to build a new, 425,000-square-foot hospital campus in Wentzville. The state of Missouri has green lit the 75-bed facility, which will have a 28-bay emergency department and provide more accessible care to patients in St. Charles, Lincoln, and Warren Counties.
$25M Centene Donation Makes New Urban League Center Possible
The new, state-of-the-art, 45,000-square-foot Centene Connection Community Center in North St. Louis County will offer childcare, housing, educational empowerment services, and more to the local community, thanks to a major donation from Centene Corporation to the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, a GSL Investor Council member. The grand opening of the facility took place this week.
“We really jumped at the opportunity...and it’s been just amazing to see that vision come to life over the past year,” said Sarah London, CEO of Centene, an executive-level member of the GSL Chair’s Council.
The building will enhance the ability of the Urban League to deliver vital services and transformative programs to North County residents, said the organization’s President and CEO, Michael McMillan. “This building is going to help transform the Urban League Movement, our presence in North County, and it also helps to show the magnitude of the relationship between Centene and the Urban League.”
Tuesday, Aug. 6, is the Missouri Primary Election. If you are a Missouri resident, GSL encourages you to vote and make sure your voice is heard. Visit MO's Voting Center.
GSL has endorsed Mike Kehoe for Missouri Governor and Wesley Bell for Missouri’s 1st Congressional District. Read why.
New Funding for Edison Agrosciences Advances STL Agtech
STLMade Edison Agrosciences has closed a new financing round that will advance R&D for the agtech startup, which cultivates sunflower plants for a sustainable, domestic source of natural rubber. Investors include the Missouri Technology Corporation, a public-private partnership that funds innovation and entrepreneurial growth for the state of Missouri and the metro.
Community-building nonprofit WEPOWER is launching a 10-week business accelerator development program for Black and Latinx entrepreneurs. Participants of the Industry Agnostic Acceleratorwill benefit from business coaching, professional services such as accounting and marketing, and access to capital. Applications are due Friday, Aug. 9.
St. Louis Shows the World that the Future of Aerospace is STLMade
A delegation from the St. Louis metro spent last week in the United Kingdom, promoting the region as a leading U.S. Aerospace & Defense market with significant workforce, cost, location, and infrastructure advantages. The group attended the Farnborough International Airshow 2024 in the United Kingdom, the world’s leading airshow visited by companies from all over the globe.
Organized by Greater St. Louis, Inc. and St. Louis Development Corporation, the trade mission included business attraction meetings, events, and networking opportunities, including a trip to Sheffield, where the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre serves as the example for the forthcoming Advanced Manufacturing Research Center – St. Louis, as laid out in the STL 2030 Jobs Plan.
One Play, 24 Parks: Shakespeare Festival Brings Art to All
Twenty-four parks across the St. Louis metro will enjoy an innovative production of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” this summer, as St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s touring company takes the play on the road. The production will travel daily to parks across both Missouri and Illinois, bringing art equitably across communities.
New Ronald McDonald House Welcomes Families to St. Louis
St. Louis’ newly opened Ronald McDonald house will allow families from all over the country access the world-class healthcare available here. With 72 bedrooms, a commercial kitchen, cafeteria, game and family rooms, and more, the facility houses families for free while their children receive the care they need at any area hospital.
When father-and-son team Barry and Denny Foster opened Main & Mill Brewing Company, they also ushered in a new era for now-thriving Festus Main Street in Jefferson County.
