WI N TER 2016
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Latino Community Crucial TO PROSPERITY AND GROWTH OF
THE ST. LOUIS REGION
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5 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE
LAUNCHING a Startup in St. Louis
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BUSINESS SUCCESSION
for Immigrant ENTREPRENEURS
LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dear Member/Readers, The Hispanic Chamber has had such a great start to the New Year already. With clear-cut goals and noteworthy events, we are confident in the strides we are taking to make the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce a prominent and thriving organization. Our Board of Directors and staff have been hard at work establishing tangible goals to provide our members with great value and we always strive to put our members first. Because of these efforts, we have established a restaurant training program, a Latina event, and an emphasis on business development for our members. It is our goal to have the HCC continue to offer support and value to all of our members from the small business owners to the corporate sponsors and to everybody in between. In February, we held our annual State of the Hispanic Chamber and we were eager to share how well the Hispanic Chamber has been doing and the great growth that we’ve been witnessing over the last year. In 2015, we added 81 new members and reached a total of 268 members. We are very proud of this number because this is an accurate list of members which continues to grow each month. Because of this continued growth, we are able to hire a Membership Coordinator who will focus on connecting more small business owners to the HCC. We’ve also hired a Business Counselor to help our Hispanic owned businesses to work smarter and not harder.
Art Exhibit Anhelos de Paz
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Things to Know before Launching a Startup in St. Louis
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In addition to our special events, we also have our monthly Educational Forum series, Café with Business, as well as our Business After Hours events. All of the information for these events is listed on our websitewww.hccstl.com. I encourage you to participate in these, as they are a great way to take advantage of your Hispanic Chamber membership, hone your skills and connect with business leaders in the community. Thank you for your continued support,
Karlos Ramirez Executive Director
“ IT IS OUR GOAL TO HAVE THE HCC CONTINUE TO OFFER SUPPORT AND VALUE TO ALL OF OUR MEMBERS FROM THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TO THE CORPORATE SPONSORS AND TO EVERYBODY IN BETWEEN.”
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Also in February, we held our annual Job Fair and were excited to have over 50 vendors sign up. Even with snow in the morning, we were still able to attract quality candidates for our vendors. Out of the job seekers that attended the Job Fair, 92% of vendors indicated that they were interested in 1-10 candidates that they met that day. This annual Job Fair continues to grow and we are eager to continue to connect top employers to qualified and diverse candidates.
Latino Community Crucial to Prosperity and Growth of the St. Louis Region
Business Succession for Immigrant Entrepreneurs Understanding and Protecting Your Credit Clean Up Your Online Brand the KonMari Way
By joining, the following individuals and companies have decided to make an investment in the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and our community at large. We encourage you to find out more about them and, whenever possible, to use their services. If you would like more information about any of these individuals or organizations, please contact us at 314.664.4432.
BTOB Brokers, LLC
Jose’peños Mexican Restaurant
CTS Group
Mario Santander
Fontbonne University
Midland States Bank
Global Learning Exchange Initiative
Regions Bank
Graybar
Towers Contracting
Hired Gun Video
Tsunami Waves Foundation
cover photo by: CHARLES TURNELL contributing author: VANESSA GARCIA
LATINO COMMUNITY CRUCIAL TO PROSPERITY AND GROWTH OF THE ST. LOUIS REGION A R T
E X H I B I T | A N H E L O S
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H I S PA N I C C H A M B E R O F C O M M E R C E O F S T. LO U I S
www.viviangutierrez.com Paintings by Vivian Gutierrez | Nicaragua/Costa Rica
CURATOR’S STATEMENT
I use Art as a way to promote understanding and appreciation among people from different backgrounds while inspiring and forging a foundation for sustainable development of relationships which is the heart of my work as an art curator. As a Latina, I represent the great diversity of Latin America in terms of race, social economics, and history and it has been my purpose to promote this richness to the St. Louis community while showcasing fine art by Latino artists. Working in collaboration with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has been a rewarding experience as we use its physical location as a platform demonstrating their commitment to Hispanic businesses and professional artists as well as serving as a cultural and educational venue.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Since the beginning of my artistic career, I have sustained a fundamental conviction to use my artwork as a language of hope. Without any market orientation, I have kept the intention to formulate a sensation of inner peace and tune into a person’s emotions, promoting empathy as a common cause. I have extensively used the feminine figure and her surroundings to articulate my message. My goal in this new set of paintings, titled “Anhelos de Paz,” is to portray women as Ambassadors of Peace joined together in one sentiment of hope with deep desire to express and elevate the ideals of peace among all people. Vivian Gutiérrez, artegutierrez.com.
With this exhibit “Anhelos de Paz,” it is my intention to portray the role of women, especially Latinas as ambassadors of peace both in the everyday activities as well as in the workplace. Anhelos de Paz means Yearnings of Peace. All artwork is available for sale. —Ciléia Miranda-Yuen.
THE “LATINO EXPLOSION” IS A MISNOMER. WE ARE ALREADY HERE
We own neighborhood shops and grocery stores. We are service providers. We are in boardrooms, newsrooms and corporations. We are CEOs, philanthropists, Supreme Court justices and presidential candidates. But many of us know that the Latino community’s emergence into the national consciousness is a long time coming.
WE ARE A PART OF ST. LOUIS NOW AND WE ARE ST. LOUIS’ FUTURE
I’m working on a six-month consulting assignment for the Mosaic Project to connect with organizations across all sectors to find out what the people in our community need to live, work and play in this region. At the project’s end, I will deliver a set of recommendations on how our region can be bolder in welcoming Latinos in 2017. Here’s some data to consider: since 1980, the Latino population in the St. Louis area has increased 233 percent. According to data from the 2010 U.S. Census, there are more than 72,000 Latinos living in the St. Louis region. While our numbers in the region have increased, the region’s population has been in steady decline. In 1980, St. Louis was the 10th-largest metropolitan area in the U.S.
IN 2012, WE RANKED 19TH
St. Louis has the lowest immigration share of a top 20 city and second slowest population growth. Other metros in the top 20 averaged 40 percent faster economic growth over the past decade than St. Louis. Our region’s economic growth and prosperity depends on our ability
CILÉIA MIRANDA-YUEN Art Curator and Leadership Development Specialist. Celéia embraces multiple leadership roles in the workplace, and in the artistic, cultural and educational segments, with keen professionalism, visionary spirit, and charisma. Founder of the Latino Legacy Project, Ciléia Miranda-Yuen is the president of the leadership and diversity consulting company Genway International, and executive director of Belas Artes, where she promotes cross-cultural understanding and appreciation through art. CONTACT: cmy@belas-artes.net • 314-898-2256. 4
to attract and retain Latinos and other foreign-born people who are willing to make the St. Louis region their home. Compared to nativeborn U.S. citizens, immigrants are 60 percent more likely to start a business and they are three times more likely to be highly skilled. That’s why the St. Louis Mosaic Project, a non-profit organization that is part of the World Trade Center-St. Louis and the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, is putting an additional focus on Latinos this year. The Mosaic Project wants to make the St. Louis region the fastestgrowing, major metropolitan area for foreign-born people in the U.S. by 2020. We want these bright, creative and industrious individuals here.
THAT’S WHY I NEED YOUR HELP
Thirty-one percent of Latinos in our area are younger than 15 years old. It is more important than ever before to find ways to symbiotically share our cultura with St. Louis and make our region feel like home for those Latinos who grew up here, to those who came from Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and all across the Spanish-speaking world. I want to connect with you. Please let me know of initiatives, projects or ideas you may have on how we can make our region better for our community and make the future brighter for us all.
“ O ur region’s economic growth and prosperity depends on our ability to attract and retain Latinos and other foreignborn people who are willing to make the St. Louis region their home.” DANIELA VELÁZQUEZ is strategic communications and public relations consultant and principal at Mavend Media, LLC. Learn more about her services at www.danielavelazquez.com or connect with her at 314.384.6908 • dv@danielavelazquez.com or on Twitter @VDanielaV.
WINTER 2016 HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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44%
“ Small businesses reinvigorate economies and have the potential to create thousands of jobs.”
5TO KNOW THINGS BEFORE LAUNCHING A STARTUP IN ST. LOUIS ACCORDING TO THE SBA, THERE ARE ALMOST 28 MILLION SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE US. 44% OF THE MEMBERS OF THE HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS ARE SMALL BUSINESSES. SMALL BUSINESSES REINVIGORATE ECONOMIES AND HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO CREATE THOUSANDS OF JOBS. UBER AND AIRBNB ARE EXCELLENT EXAMPLES OF HOW STARTUPS CAN REVOLUTIONIZE ENTIRE INDUSTRIES. Popular Mechanics named St. Louis as the best Startup city in America in 2015. The article identified our city as part of ‘the next wave of cities building an ecosystem that turn innovators into entrepreneurs’. While not exhaustive, the list below names some of the key players in this ecosystem, along with some leanings from having launched a startup (Listo Movie App) in the city. 6
In my experience sharing the app idea helped get traction. It is very difficult to launch a company completely by your own – eventually you need to share ideas to get resources. You might as well start early. 2. YOU DO NOT NEED TO OWN AN OFFICE TO GET STARTED St. Louis has some of the best co-working spaces in the country. The HCC has state of the art Technology Center, available to members of the Chamber. There are other options that do not require a long-term commitment such as T-Rex, Industrious (Downtown), Cortex and Tech Artista (Mid-town), Nebula (South City), among many others. 3. ST. LOUIS HAS A WORLD-CLASS START-UP SUPPORT SYSTEM Our city is home to some of the best support groups for entrepreneurs, from the Arch Grant startup global competition (an organization that provides $50,000 equity-free grants and pro bono support services to entrepreneurs who locate their early-stage businesses in St. Louis) to ITEN (a network of entrepreneurs that connect your business to relevant resources) and many others.
4. CHOOSE YOUR TEAM WISELY A TEAM CAN MAKE OR BREAK A COMPANY A good partner should bring something to the table that you do not have, complement your strengths and weaknesses. It is very important to hash out all the details of a partnership early. Investing in a legal team that can help draft operating agreements will pay out. This is not unique to St. Louis, but is very relevant for startups. 5. T AKING THE FIRST STEP IS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT LAUNCHING A STARTUP The saying that ‘every journey begins with a first step’ is very true for startups. Creating a business plan is a good first step – it will help think through different aspects of the company and assess feasibility. You do not have to have all details sorted out, but it is important to determine which areas of the business you have expertise and which ones you will need help with. The road to a successful startup takes many turns and it is a journey where there is not a defined roadmap. According to the SBA, less than 4 of every new 10 firms will make it past 10 years. Starting a new business is by no means a ‘safe bet’. Ensuring that you are taking advantage of every resource available in St. Louis will help you get closer to the prize.
1. TALK TO OTHERS ABOUT YOUR IDEAS Entrepreneurs often fear that sharing their ideas with others will mean someone taking their concept and ‘running with it’. There are ways to mitigate these risks. A Non-Disclosure Agreement is one of them. This is a document where both parties are agreeing to not share the terms of your conversation with the other party without permission.
ROBERTO GARCIA is a Sr. Brand Manager with Vi-Jon Laboratories, where he leads the Germ-X brand. He is also the Founding Partner of Listo, the HCC of Metropolitan St Louis’s recipient of the “Emerging Business of the Year” Award in 2015. LISTO is a smartphone app that is revolutionizing the global entertainment industry by allowing people to watch movies and TV shows in their preferred language, anywhere in the world.
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“ During the past two decades, Hispanics grew their numbers of entrepreneurs almost ten times faster than the U.S. population overall.”
BUSINESS SUCCESSION FOR IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS
ACCORDING TO A U.S. HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PROJECTION, APPROXIMATELY FOUR MILLION U.S. BUSINESSES WERE LATINO-OWNED IN 2015. THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU FIGURES THAT IN 2012 HISPANIC OWNERS ACCOUNTED FOR NEARLY 12 PERCENT OF ALL NON-FARM U.S. BUSINESSES, UP FROM 8.3 PERCENT IN 2007. During the past two decades, Hispanics grew their numbers of entrepreneurs almost ten times faster than the U.S. population overall. These statistics are illustrated in “Better Business: How Hispanic Entrepreneurs Are Beating Expectations and Bolstering the U.S. Economy,” a report published in April 2014 by The Partnership for a New American Economy and the Latino Donor Collaborative. The figures illustrated in the “Better Business” report show that one critical group is most responsible for that explosive growth: Hispanic immigrants. Many immigrants arrive aspiring to the American Dream, but without much familiarity with the American system such as the economy, taxes and education. Entrepreneurs typically have a significant portion of their financial resources – and a disproportionate amount of their family’s source of income – tied up in the family business. The success of the family business is often dependent on the concentration of wealth in this manner. Thoughtful financial planning is required to address potential future events, including retirement, incapacity, or death of the entrepreneur; and estate planning is necessary to ensure that the entrepreneur’s legacy will pass timely to the benefit of his/her intended heirs. The first step in estate planning for business owners is to consider the most appropriate method of transferring the business. The most common choices open to a closely-held business owner include: selling the business outright, transferring the business to family members, or using a buy-sell agreement.
Outright sale of the business is a good option for business owners who need to generate liquidity or retirement income. An entrepreneur who decides to sell a business will need to determine the best time to sell, what the company is worth, and how to find potential buyers. Transfer of the business through a revocable trust is an effective means of passing ownership of the business to a family member. The business owner would establish a trust agreement, often naming himself as both trustee and beneficiary during his lifetime. The business owner then transfers ownership of the business from himself to his trust and he continues to run the business as usual. The trust agreement should include the name of the intended successor trustee and future beneficiaries. It should also include thoughtfully drafted provisions concerning the operation of the business and how ownership decisions would be made in the event of the untimely death or disability of the entrepreneur. Using a revocable trust in this manner helps to avoid the potential complications, delays, and expenses otherwise arising from the transfer of a business through the probate of the owner’s Last Will and Testament. Buy-sell agreements are best for an entrepreneur who has identified a person they think would be well suited to run the company in the future. The business owner can make plans together with the designated individual pertaining to his/her purchase the business interest upon a triggering event. The buy-sell agreement will usually specify the method for determining the purchase price of the business interest.
One of the most common pitfalls with a buy-sell agreements is failing to make arrangements for how the purchase/sale will be funded. Life insurance is an effective means of creating a sum of money at the owner’s death that will be used to pay his family or his estate the full value of his interest in the company. When using life insurance with a buy-sell agreement, either the company or the individual co-owners buy life insurance policies on the lives of each owner. Assuming all goes as planned, the business would be continued by the new owner and decedent’s family would receive the funds needed to help sustain them.
contingency plans in place with trusted individuals to secure assets, manage a business, and care for dependents in the event that his ability to remain in the U.S. is limited.
Entrepreneurs should discuss the pros and cons of each of these choices with their tax accountant, estate planning attorney and financial advisor. And before deciding which plan might be best for the business, the owner must be familiar with the business and personal goals of family members and key employees.
Ownership of International Property: Identifying assets located both inside and outside the U.S. is important in planning for your estate and potential tax exposure. The nature of the property and where it is located influences the “situs” of that property, how your estate planning documents should address each asset, and what the possible tax exposure will be. Addressing these details in advance can help avoid potential future complications or unintended consequences.
All entrepreneurs need good financial and estate planning, but immigrant families face additional complexities associated with the nuances of the immigration process, international tax rules and crossborder estate planning. In addition to the design and implementation of a business succession plan, the entrepreneur must establish a comprehensive plan addressing the estate planning needs pertaining to all other assets, liabilities and other sources of income and expense. Not every attorney specializes in both international law and estate planning. Immigrant entrepreneurs must consider consulting a professional well versed in the nuances of cross-border estate planning. Key considerations for immigrants to discuss with an estate planning attorney include the following: Legal status in the U.S.: Citizenship and residency status can influence important tax considerations and exemption amounts. Legal status can be a big concern for all immigrants, as even legal permanent residents can be subject to deportation under certain circumstances. An immigrant business owner is well-advised to have
How long you plan to remain in the U.S.: In addition to taking steps to align legal status with residency intentions, immigrants need to establish or update estate planning documents accordingly. Each country has its own laws pertaining to estate and trust planning. Individuals who intend to remain in the U.S. permanently should likely establish a comprehensive U.S. estate plan and either simplify or eliminate the need for ancillary probate of a foreign Will.
The Value of Your Estate: In 2016, U.S. citizens currently enjoy an exemption for estate taxes if the value of the estate is less than $5,450,000. However, many immigrants may not realize that this estate exemption amount only applies to U.S. citizens and permanent residents, not to non-resident aliens. Individuals not “domiciled” in the U.S. may only be entitled an exempt amount of $60,000. This exempt amount may be higher if a gift and estate tax treaty between the U.S. and the immigrant’s home country applies. Many immigrant families could unknowingly face material estate tax liabilities, but proper planning can help reduce or eliminate this tax exposure. The potential pitfalls are many; and the rules are complex. Advance planning can secure your legacy, reduce tax exposure, and avoid complications associated with business succession and future estate administration.
JANICE WOLTERS is Senior Vice President, Wealth Advisor for Enterprise Trust. She offers comprehensive wealth management services to help clients achieve their financial goals by working closely with individuals, families and accounting and legal practitioners in the design, implementation, and monitoring of a broad range of personal trust, investment management and financial planning solutions. Janice can be contacted at 314.889.2047 / jwolters@enterpriseturst.com.
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WINTER 2016 HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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CLEAN UP YOUR ONLINE BRAND THE KONMARI WAY IF YOU HAVEN’T HEARD ABOUT HOW THE KONMARI METHOD IS TAKING CLOSETS EVERYWHERE BY STORM THAN YOU ARE STUCK IN A WORLD OF CLUTTER – PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, SPIRITUALLY AND EMOTIONALLY – THAT PREVENTS YOU IDENTIFYING PRIORITIES, IMPLEMENTING YOUR PRIORITIES AND ULTIMATELY DECLUTTERING YOUR MIND TO FOCUS ON WHAT MATTERS MOST.
UNDERSTANDING AND PROTECTING YOUR CREDIT THESE DAYS IT’S HARD TO IMAGINE LIVING WITHOUT USING SOME TYPE OF CREDIT. MAINTAINING GOOD CREDIT CAN HELP YOU REACH YOUR SHORT AND LONG TERM FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL GOALS. PROSPECTIVE LANDLORDS AND EMPLOYERS MAY REVIEW YOUR CREDIT REPORT WHEN YOU SUBMIT A JOB OR APARTMENT APPLICATION. SO, THE FIRST STEP IS UNDERSTANDING YOUR RIGHTS AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT GO ALONG WITH OBTAINING CREDIT. HERE ARE A FEW TIPS TO HELP YOU LEARN ABOUT AND PROTECT YOUR CREDIT. • Get a copy of your credit report. You are entitled to a free credit report once per year. You can order your credit report from www. annualcreditreport.com. This is the only online source authorized to do so. Beware of other sites that may look and sound similar. • Make sure your personal information on your credit report is accurate as well as the credit information being reported about you. If it is not accurate you can contact the credit reporting agency and write a letter disputing the error. Keep a copy of the letter for your records. The credit reporting agencies are required to conduct an investigation within 30 days of receiving your letter. • Before you co-sign for another individual (family member or not) make sure you know and trust that that person will uphold the financial obligation. If they don’t, it can have a negative impact on your credit.
• Check your bank, loan and credit card statements each month. If you see items you are not familiar with, contact the company immediately! This could indicate identity theft and the quicker you contact the bank, lender or credit card company, the better your chances are of stopping the fraud. • If you do suspect you have been a victim of fraud, notify one of the credit reporting agencies and place a “fraud alert” on your credit report. You only need to place one call because the credit reporting agency you call is required to notify the other two. These are just a few things to keep in mind when it comes to safeguarding your credit. You can learn more about understanding credit as well as other Financial Education topics at Midwest BankCentre by contacting Alex Fennoy, Sr. Vice President — Community & Economic Development Director. NMLS#699281.
ALEX D. FENNOY is Senior Vice President and Community & Economic Development Director for Midwest BankCentre in St. Louis, Missouri. His work focuses on the development of community outreach programs in the area of lending, investment, financial education, and volunteerism throughout the St. Louis region. His charge is also to lead Midwest BankCentre in revitalizing our communities through partnerships with community groups, to create signature products and services that meet local credit needs, and to provide accessible and convenient banking services. He has enjoyed a twenty-three year career in banking, mostly focused in commercial lending. 314.633.6761 • afennoy@midwestbankcentre.com. 10
If you haven’t heard of the KonMari method, it’s a system about decluttering that focuses on keeping only the items that spark joy in your life. And though the book that reveals the system, The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo, is all about organizing your belongings at home, it ultimately creates momentum to declutter every facet of your personal and professional life.
• Communicate who you are and what you do professionally
Many businesses experience marketing campaigns that send mixed signals to their internal and external audiences. This also applies to our digital presence and how people perceive us online. Have you reviewed your online profiles on LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, etc., or even how your e-signature communicates the professional image you want? The goal here is to deconstruct and build the foundation for your online brand and the message you want to convey to current and prospective customers. Apply the four KonMari steps outlined below to declutter your online brand:
• Help or inspire your audience
PURGE One of the basics of the KonMari method is the purge. You are to ruthlessly discard what is unnecessary before you start organizing anything. Take no prisoners. For example, start with your contact list. When was the last time to updated and deleted your contacts? You may be surprised that it will encourage you to call someone you haven’t spoken to in years. We all know that the key to business success is keeping and maintain strong relationships. What about all those LinkedIn groups you joined because you thought they might be helpful (but they weren’t)? Remove yourself. Apps that seemed useful but just clutter up your devices? Uninstall them. Getting notifications from a million pages you don’t actually want to follow anymore? Unfollow them. What about all those social media platforms where you created an account and never used? Channel your energy into something that is productive. If your target audience isn’t there and it won’t yield the kind of exposure you need, it’s just taking up space. Drop it like a bad habit. MAKE SURE IT SPARKS JOY Once you’ve discarded the clutter from your online profiles like LinkedIn, cleaned up your Outlook contacts, and in-box of e-newsletter subscriptions you no longer read, take time to evaluate what you have left. With KonMari you’re supposed to discard anything that doesn’t bring you joy. Everything you keep should do one of the following:
• Your professional experience and expertise • Help you better reach your audience • You demonstrate skill and knowledge relevant to your industry • Make it easier for you to provide your audience with valuable content • Enable you to be better at your job • Connect you with people likely to help you reach your goals ORGANIZE With the KonMari method, you don’t organize one entire room and then move on to the next. Instead, you organize by category, something you can do with your online brand. Below are suggestions of places to address: • Your contacts: When was the last time you reviewed, removed or updated your contact list? • Your LinkedIn profile: Does it read like a resume or does it illustrate your professional experiences and how you can help other business owners grow their businesses? • Your Facebook page: Your personal page should be just that... personal. Even if it is personal, whatever you post is there in cyberspace forever so only post items you wouldn’t be embarrassed if your parents saw it. The same holds true for Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and every other social media platform from our past and yet to be identified in the future. Keep your standards! Be professional! • Your e-signature: Does is tell your contact information, company logo, etc. Anything else should be eliminated. APPRECIATE YOUR ONLINE BRAND How you care for your belongings is also important with the KonMari method. In keeping with this system, take the time to back up your files and maintain your various online profiles, tools, social media platforms, etc., with up-to-date information. We can all use a little KonMari in our lives. It’s a system that makes simplicity and joy paramount. Use it to get your online brand organized and keep it that way.
ANN MARIE MAYUGA is a partner with AMM Communications, LLC, and is a member of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis. Founded in 2008, AMM Communications LLC, public relations, marketing and training agency of St. Louis, Missouri, provides PR, business development, crisis communications, content marketing, internal communications, executive training, marketing, media relations, reputation management, and search consulting. AMM Communications works with small- and mid-sized businesses nationwide. From 2010-2012, the agency was voted as one of the top 25 St. Louis public relations firms by the readers of Small Business Monthly. For more information, please navigate to www.ammcommunications.com or call 314.485.9499.
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C O R P O R AT E S P O N S O R S PLATINUM
Anheuser-Busch, Inc. Centene Corporation
Nestlé Purina
Regional Business Council United Way
SILVER
BRONZE
FRIEND
Anthem Armstrong Teasdale LLP Ballpark Village BMO Harris Carrollton Bank Central Bank of St. Louis Citrus Springs Commerce Bank CTS Group Dot Foods, Inc. Enterprise Rent-A-Car Facilitec Corporate Furnishings Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Fontbonne University Garcia Properties Graybar Guarantee Electrical Company Home Depot
LHM Southern Illinois University—Edwardsville Lindenwood University Stinson Leonard Street, LLP LUXCO, Inc. St. Louis College of Health Careers Madrina’s St. Louis Community College Magnolia Hotel St. Louis Post-Dispatch Major Brands Strategic Staffing Solutions McCormack Baron Salazar, Inc. Success Promotions Midland Sates Bank Talisen Technologies, Inc. Midwest BankCentre TheBANK of Edwardsville Mississippi Lime Company The Laclede Group Missouri History Museum Thompson Coburn LLP Montgomery Bank University of Missouri NextGen Information Services, Inc. USA Mortgage Pangea Group ValDivia Enterprises People’s Health Centers Washington University Ranken Technical College Weber Chevrolet Creve Coeur Regions Bank Webster University Republic Services