By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson hints that St. Joseph might reap benefits from his recent trade mission to Germany and the Netherlands.
Parson says St. Joseph came up in the conversations he had with European business leaders.
“It’s pretty good when you go over to Germany and you go over to the Netherlands and all of the sudden, you’re talking about other areas beside St. Louis and Kansas City and some of the other parts and you’re talking about St. Joseph, Missouri and the opportunities that you have for future growth,” Parson tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.
Parson says he spoke with business leaders about St. Joseph and the region in general.
“I think there’s going to be some great opportunities. I think there will be a few things out of there,” Parson says. “I think there’s another opportunity up here in northwest Missouri that’s an agriculture issue It will be a good opportunity. I think there’s an existing company you have here, there’s a good chance to expand.”
Parson and the Missouri delegation spoke with executives of companies with investments in St. Joseph: Boehringer Ingelheim, Schuetz Container Systems, and BASF.
Discussions about St. Joseph didn’t just take place with businesses already familiar with the city. Parson says he always tries to sell the whole state when on a trade mission, not just Kansas City and St. Louis.
“One of the things we really do when we go overseas, is just try to market all these other towns in our state, especially when you go overseas,” according to Parson. “They need to know about a St. Joe. They need to know about a Springfield, some of the other cities that have a lot to offer for new business expansion. We talked to a few people. We got a few things that I can’t discuss right now, but it’s good news for St. Joe.”
A visit to the Boehringer Ingelheim headquarters in Germany was scheduled during the trade mission.
“It was a good meeting,” Parson says. “I think that company’s rock solid. I expect future good things to come out of there.”
While the governor shies from talking specifics, Parson says there could be an announcement forthcoming tied directly to the trade mission.