June 2009 Promote the Positive
- Next Generation Consulting, one of the nation's leading young professional consulting firms ranked Springfield 17th in the small cities category on the organization’s list of top cities for young professionals.
- Ozarks Technical Community College summer enrollment is up 15.1% from 2008. A total of 4,007 students are enrolled in summer courses at OTC.
- Passenger numbers at Springfield-Branson National Airport are up 17% for the month of May over last year. All airlines showed positive growth. Allegiant’s growth was most significant; Allegiant’s passenger numbers were up over 50% from May of 2008.
- From March to April 2009, Springfield’s labor force decreased by 576 and added 2,609 jobs while the number of unemployed decreased by 3,185, moving the unemployment rate down 1.4% over last month to 7.0%
- HB191 was signed by Missouri Governor Jay Nixon. The law provides increased tax credits for employers who create new jobs at higher than average wages and include health care benefits, increased incentives for capital formation for small businesses in low-income and underserved communities, expanded job training programs and an elimination of the corporate franchise tax on companies with assets of $10 million or less.
- Springfield-based BKD, LLP has acquired KBA Group, LLP, a Dallas accounting firm. BKD is ranked among the 10 largest CPA and advisory firms in the country.
- The U.S. Department of Energy has selected a team of Missouri State University researchers to participate in a five-year, $15 million grant project to develop materials for next-generation energy production.
- Drury University broke ground on its 65,000 square foot O’Reilly Family Event Center. The $13.5 million arena will be the first Gold LEED certified arena in the country. Contractor is Killian Construction; designer is H Design Group, LLC. Completion is scheduled for August 2010.
- Arc of the Ozarks broke ground on a $1.5 million expansion, the Catherine R. Morris Education and Training Center. Contractor is Rich Kramer Construction; architect is Windsor Warren. The project is expected to be completed in February 2010.
