Heard on the Street

NFIB & B2B. The business-to-business online marketplace EqualFooting.com announced June 15 a strategic partnership with the National Federation of Independent Business. NFIB will introduce EqualFooting.com members to its organization via a special introductory membership offer, and EqualFooting.com will become NFIB's exclusive e-commerce provider of industrial supplies and equipment, offering discounts and rebates to NFIB members, according to an EqualFooting.com release. Fortune magazine in 1999 dubbed NFIB the second most influential lobby group in Washington, D.C., a fact that is not lost on its new B2B partner. "NFIB adds additional value to our small business network by acting as a powerful advocate on both state and federal levels," said EqualFooting's chief business development officer, Aaron Martin. "We are honored to form an alliance with a respected national organization such as NFIB." NFIB President Jack Faris returned the compliment, noting that EqualFooting's "focus on leveling the playing field fits squarely with NFIB's mission to give small businesses a voice and, ultimately, additional power."

MAKING ITS FIRST MILLION. Congratulations to Ozark Greenways Inc., whose "Greenways for the Future" capital campaign has reached $1 million. (The first million is always the hardest.) The landmark achievement will be feted June 23 at an invitation-only celebration at the home of John and Carolyn Gerdes.

COLLABORATION. St. John's and Cox health systems are bringing mobile positron emission tomography to Springfield, providing the first metabolic imaging service in the region through Ozarks Magnetic Imaging Inc. PET is a noninvasive diagnostic technique and will be provided in an outpatient/mobile setting, according to a joint release from Cox and St. John's. PET aids diagnosis of disease by directly measuring biochemistry and metabolic activity. "Since the precursors to disease are typically biochemical in nature, PET offers a unique dimension to diagnosis and disease management," said Robert Sonnemaker, St. John's nuclear medicine physician. PET can reduce the time to diagnosis, enabling earlier treatment and eliminating inappropriate therapies or unnecessary surgeries. "This technology will allow physicians to better diagnose and focus treatment plans," said James Wolski, MD, Cox nuclear radiologist. "It provides improved quality of care for cancer patients as it allows for earlier assessment of tumor response to therapy."

AND THE PITCH ... The Ozarks Mountain Ducks will welcome Junior Achievement of the Ozarks to Price Cutter Stadium June 26 for Junior Achievement Night With the Ducks. Junior Achievement will receive a $1 donation for every full-price ticket purchased at the Ducks box office prior to the JA Night game. The gates open at 6 p.m. and the game begins at 7:05. For advance tickets, call the box office at 581-BUNT.

EXCHANGED. Way2Bid Inc., the Springfield-based Internet solutions provider, announced June 14 the development of a full-service online bidding and purchasing marketplace based on the Oracle exchange platform. The Way2Bid Exchange, scheduled to open this summer, will create an online community of vendors and buyers from schools, government and private industry according to a Way2Bid release. Secure, sealed bidding on the exchange is based on Way2Bid's interactive Internet bidding and purchasing software. Membership in the exchange is free; vendors will pay a "success fee" only when they are awarded a purchase. Registration applications are available at www.way2bid.com.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS. A recent study of customer expectations and electronic customer service contacts found that online customers have higher expectations than offline customers and companies aren't meeting those expectations. The study, performed by the International Customer Service Association and e-Satisfy.com, found that "only 36 percent of online customers are completely satisfied with their electronic contacting experience ... (and) poor handling of online contacts results in a high level of negative word-of-mouth: dissatisfied online customers tell twice as many people about their experience than satisfied customers," according to a summary on e-Satisfy.com. The full study is available for purchase at www.icsa.com/public/pubs.

HAVE YOU HEARD? If you have an interesting tidbit that might make a good Heard on the Street item, please send it to Clarissa French at the Business Journal by e-mail: cfrench@sbj. net; fax: 831-5478; or post: PO Box 1365, Springfield, Mo. 65801.