Recent employment figures released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that in the first quarter of 2003, St. Charles was tied for second place for job growth among the nation’s top counties. At a time when the country as a whole was experiencing 0.3 percent job loss, employment in St. Charles County, which touts itself as “Missouri’s Technology Triangle,” grew 4.6 percent. Placer, Calif., a suburban area between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe, posted the nation’s highest job growth at 4.9 percent.

Smith, Moore & Co., one of the oldest brokerage firms in St. Louis with a 90-year history, has announced plans to move and consolidate its downtown headquarters and Clayton branch office in mid-February. Both offices will relocate to the 24th floor of the Sevens Building at 7777 Bonhomme Ave. in Clayton. The new office will be equipped with enhanced client-interactive computer systems, providing clients Web access to information about their portfolios plus modernized statements and streamlined quotation services.

A new program sponsored by the University of Missouri Outreach and Extension and the Missouri Small Business Development Centers offers a free five-day workshop to help dislocated workers learn how to start a business. “FastTrac NewVenture for Dislocated Workers” is a program that gives practical advice on creating, managing and growing a successful business. Activities include a combination of small-group exercises, guest speakers, idea sharing among participants and connections to business counselors and mentors. The program will be presented from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 20, 21, 22, 28, and 29 at the Chesterfield Enterprise Center. Participants must be certified by a Missouri Career Center as a dislocated worker, a process that takes two weeks. To find the closest Career Center, call the Missouri Career Information Hotline at 800-392- 2949, or visit the Web site at www.outreach.missouri.edu/career_ options. For more information or to register, contact Carole Price, St. Louis County Extension Center, 615-2911.

… Also, did you know that St. Louis’ largest tropical reef is located in downtown Clayton? The 800-pound saltwater reef and the myriad of sea creatures that call it home occupy a 12-foot wide, 500-gallon aquarium in the lobby of Clayton on the Park. The aquarium and reef was the brainchild of developer and owner Bob Saur, who wanted a unique focal point for the contemporary lobby of the high-rise.

BACK TO NETWORK HOME