Heard on the Street

NEW SHIFT. Alliance Blue Cross Blue Shield is adding 29 claims-entry jobs and an evening shift at its Springfield operations center. The local operation opened in 1990. In 1997 Alliance moved its claims operations here from St. Louis. The recent consolidation will bring total employment at the Springfield location to 210. Recruitment has begun for the new jobs, which start at $8.28 an hour.

AXIOM MERGER. Springfield's Axiom Partners Payroll Network Inc. merged June 1 with Denver-based National Payroll Systems Inc. Former Axiom owners Ron Lombardo and Sandy Mangnall will continue as managers of the Springfield office at 901 St. Louis St. , Ste. 801. Axiom was opened in 1994. The company, a payroll processing and payroll-tax preparation business, recently opened offices in Portland, Ore.