Progress 64 West

10/13/2026

🌎 Global insights. Local impact. Join us this Friday!

Treasury yields, inflation, interest rates and Federal Reserve policy are making headlines—but what do they mean for your business and our region?

Progress 64 West welcomes Paul Christopher of Wells Fargo Investment Institute for “Beyond the Headlines: A Global Market Outlook.”

Join fellow business and community leaders for lunch and a timely conversation about the economic forces shaping investment, growth and local decisions.

📅 Friday, October 16, 2026
🕦 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
📍 DoubleTree Hotel, Chesterfield Missouri Police Department

Come early for a quick meet and greet at 11:15 AM

Make time for a conversation that can inform your next decision. Reserve your seat today!

🎟️ Register here https://www.progress64west.org/events-1/beyond-the-headlines-a-global-market-outlook-with-paul-christopher-october-16th-2026

10/04/2026

Exciting happenings in downtown Chesterfield!

An open house was held Sept. 24 at Chesterfield City Hall to showcase layout options for the grand entry that will turn a hillside connecting Downtown Chesterfield with Central Park

10/01/2026

🏁 What a great day for Progress 64 West!

Today, our members climbed aboard a chartered bus and headed across the river for a special behind-the-scenes experience at World Wide Technology Raceway.

Thanks to our friend Curtis Francois and the Raceway team, we had the opportunity to tour this incredible regional asset, learn more about the facility and its impact, enjoy lunch together, and spend some quality time connecting outside of our usual program setting.

And then came the grand finale… 🏎️💨

Go-kart racing!

Let’s just say the competitive side of a few Progress 64 West members came out pretty quickly. 😄 A little speed, a little friendly rivalry, and a lot of laughs made for the perfect way to cap off the day. Andy Warden took home the trophy. And our own President, Debbie Shaw-Franke, well, she was the “safest driver”. Our chairman Tony Long faired extremely well with a respectable mid pack!

A huge thanks to executive director, Kathryn Schellhase for organizing such a fun trip!

Events like this are what Progress 64 West is all about — bringing business and community leaders together, experiencing the assets that make our region special, and building relationships along the way.

A huge thank you to Curtis Francois and everyone at World Wide Technology Raceway for rolling out the welcome mat and giving us a day to remember.

Great people. Great conversations. And one heck of a finish. 🏁

09/25/2026

Celebrating 100 Years of the Spirit of St. Louis

Progress 64 West was proud to attend the kickoff for the upcoming 100th anniversary of Charles Lindbergh's historic flight in the Spirit of St. Louis.

What began with the vision and financial support of St. Louis business leaders in 1927 became an achievement that changed aviation—and captured the world's attention. One hundred years later, the centennial is being used not only to celebrate that history, but to inspire the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, engineers and explorers.

Plans for 2027 include celebrations here in St. Louis and internationally, a Centennial Charter Flight retracing Lindbergh's journey toward Paris, participation in the Paris Air Show, and significant STEM and innovation initiatives for young people.

For Progress 64 West, there's an important message in this anniversary:

St. Louis helped change the world once. There's no reason we can't do it again.

We look forward to supporting this extraordinary celebration of our region's history—and, more importantly, the innovation still ahead.

09/11/2026

Today, Progress 64 West joins our community and our nation in remembering September 11, 2001.

We honor those whose lives were lost, the families forever changed, and the first responders and everyday Americans who answered tragedy with extraordinary courage and service. Twenty-five years later, we remember not only what happened that day, but how Americans came together in the days that followed.

We remember. We honor. We are grateful.

09/04/2026

Building our region’s workforce starts by showing the next generation what’s possible.

This October, Ranken Technical College will host Industry Days across the region, giving students firsthand exposure to manufacturing, skilled trades and the career opportunities that are helping drive our economy.

Progress 64 West is proud to support Ranken’s work because workforce development is economic development. Our ability to attract and grow businesses depends on having skilled people ready for the jobs of today—and tomorrow.

The Industry Days series travels across Missouri before culminating October 15 at Ranken’s Main Campus in St. Louis.

These events do more than introduce students to the trades. They connect education, employers and opportunity—building the workforce pipeline our entire region needs.

We look forward to highlighting each stop along the way.

Skilled people. Stronger businesses. A brighter region.

09/04/2026

On Monday, we celebrate Labor Day—and the people whose work moves our region forward.

At Progress 64 West, we know that a strong economy starts with a strong workforce. From healthcare and education to manufacturing, construction, hospitality, technology and small business, it is people who ultimately turn investment and opportunity into progress.

As we work to strengthen the I-64 corridor and the greater St. Louis region, attracting businesses is only part of the equation. We must also continue creating a region where talented people want to live, work, build careers and raise families.

This Labor Day, we celebrate the people behind our region’s progress—and recommit ourselves to building opportunity for the workforce of tomorrow.

People. Opportunity. Stronger communities.

08/31/2026

What does it mean to be a truly welcoming region?

As St. Louis works to attract new businesses, investment, talent and residents, perhaps we need to think beyond individual projects and ask a broader question:

How do we create a collective culture of hospitality that supports our economic development and population stabilization efforts?

On September 25, Progress 64 West welcomes Robert F. O’Loughlin, Chief Executive Officer of Lodging Hospitality Management, for a conversation about entertainment districts, destination development and regional growth.

From the transformation of St. Louis Union Station to investments throughout our region, Bob brings a unique perspective on how hospitality, tourism, placemaking and community engagement can contribute to a stronger St. Louis.

Economic development may help bring people here. But the experience we collectively create — our hotels, restaurants, attractions, neighborhoods, businesses and how we welcome people — can help determine whether they want to come back, invest, work, or ultimately call St. Louis home.

Can hospitality become part of our regional economic development strategy?

Join us for the conversation.

📅 September 25, 2026 | 11:30 AM–1:00 PM
📍 DoubleTree Hotel, Chesterfield, MO

08/25/2026

New commentary: Does St. Louis understand what it already has? BioSTL is doing more than supporting startups — it's connecting institutions, innovators, investors and global partners to turn existing strengths into economic opportunity. Read a concise take on whether the city needs to build something new or simply recognize what’s already here. Read more: https://wix.to/cFM76bD

BioSTL is doing far more than supporting startups. By connecting St. Louis institutions, innovators, investors and global partners, it is helping turn our existing strengths into economic opportunity. The question may not be what St. Louis needs to create next—but whether we fully understand what ...