Ingram's August 2022

GROUND-SHAKING BUSINESS ACQUISITIONS OVER THE PAST YEAR HAVE ONLY SOLIDIFIED MISSOURI’S PLACE IN THE NATION’S ECONOMY. Leading Industries

Two Missouri companies—more spe cifically, a pair of investor-owned Kansas City companies—made national finan cial headlines last year by acquiring new owners: Cerner Corp., the largest em ployer in that market, and Kansas City Southern Railroad, the nation’s smallest Class I rail system, but the only one serv ing Mexico and both the Gulf and the Pacific ocean. And what did the loss of bragging rights for the city and state do to reduce Missouri’s profile in two key industry sectors? Precisely bupkis, to use a tech nical term. In fact, the acquisition of Cerner and its population-health IT platforms, and KCS, with its integration into Canadian Pacific to become a cross-continental sys tem serving the Northern Hemisphere, have actually elevated the state’s role in those vital pillars of the regional economy. The best part about strengthening the positions of two such prominent players is the assurance that they’ll be here to reinforce one of the stellar attributes of business in Missouri: It’s surprisingly diversity. When you factor vehicle mak- ers, their suppliers, transportation and logistics, life sciences, a booming IT sector, advanced manufacturing, finan cial services, and defense spending, you come up with a state economy

that ranks No. 4 nationally in its div ersification, according to the Missouri Department of Economic Development. Economic indicators hint at recession this year or into 2023, but unless it’s a deep one, this state’s diversity will allow residents and companies to continue benefitting from lower costs of living, unmatched centrality of location, and a skilled workforce. Among those key business sectors: Biosciences: St. Louis and Kansas City are well-known for being key nodes in global and national life sciences research and commercialization, and the 250 mile Animal-Health Corridor starts in Columbia and runs west into Kansas. St. Joseph, less than an hour north of Kansas City, is a major force in animal health research, manufacturing and dis- tribution. Combined, that corridor is home to operations from companies that acco unt for 60 percent of global animal health revenues. And the Kansas City area recently moved into the ranks of communities boasting a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive-care center. Advanced Manufacturing: Does it get any more advanced than the F/A-18 Su per Hornet or the F-15EX fighter jets

for the nation’s military? That question answers itself. Boeing’s presence with the plane’s production line is a powerful testament to the affordability and work force quality that is part of the state’s business DNA. Financial/Professional Services: Only one state is home to TWO of the nation’s 12 Federal Reserve Banks. You guessed it: It’s Missouri. The banks in St. Louis and Kansas City complement other financial services giants that have a footprint here, including Bank of America, U.S. Bank, and Regions Bank. Locally headquarter ed banks, including Commerce Bank, Central Bank, and UMB Bank, have been spreading their wings to become regional players well outside the state’s borders. And the banks are solid: Only nine states have earned AAA rankings from all three rating agencies, and Missouri is one of them. Health Care Services and IT: Cerner, now rebranded as Oracle Cerner, is still one of the nation’s biggest names in electronic health-care management and IT—that’s what made it so appealing to the Texas-based Oracle, and it continues to operate two major campuses in the Kansas City area. Major health systems (see the healthcare feature on page 26)

DISTRICT 4: MID-MISSOURI

DISTRICT 5: SAINT LOUIS AREA

DISTRICT 6: SOUTHWEST MISSOURI

DISTRICT 7: SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

Counties: Boone, Callaway, Camden, Cole, Cooper, Gasconade, Howard, Maries, Miller, Moniteau, Morgan, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski District Population: 572,472 Biggest City (population): Columbia (121,230) Other Population Centers: Jefferson City, Rolla, Fulton, Camdenton, Osage Beach Major Employers: University of Missouri, State of Missouri, Central Bancorp, Fort Leonard Wood

Counties: Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, Montgomery, Saint Charles, Saint Louis, Warren District Population: 2,142,376 Biggest City (population): St. Louis (308,174) Other Population Centers: O’Fallon, St. Charles, St. Peters, Florissant, Chesterfield, Union, Wentzville, Wildwood Major Employers: Ascension Health, BJC Healthcare, Emerson Electric, Edward Jones, Anhueser-Busch/InBev, Evernorth

Counties: Barry, Barton, Bates, Benton, Cedar, Christian, Dade, Dallas, Douglas, Greene, Henry, Hickory, Howell, Jasper, LaClede, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton, Ozark, Polk, Saint Clair, Stone, Taney, Texas, Vernon, Webster, Wright District Population: 1,107,218 Biggest City (population): Springfield (167,051) Other Population Centers: Joplin, Branson, Nixa, Ozark, Clinton Major Employers: Leggett & Platt, Cox Health, Jack Henry & Associates, Missouri State University

Counties: Bollinger, Butler, Cape Gi rardeau, Carter, Crawford, Dent, Dunklin, Iron, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Oregon, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, Saint Francois, Saint Genevieve, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard, Washington, Wayne District Population: 491,372 Biggest City (population): Cape Girardeau (39,566) Other Population Centers: Farming ton, Poplar Bluffs, Sikeston, Bloomfield, Perryville Major Employers: St, Francis Medical Center, Southeast Missouri State University