Open for Business

Tommy Bieker opened Downtown Pest Control Inc. at 404-C W. Walnut, on July 1. Bieker, who has been a certified pest exterminator for four years, works with fellow exterminator Scott Dunn, who has eight years of experience. Bieker said he didn’t finance the $15,000 in start-up costs. His pest treatments for homes cost $250 to $300, and he charges $50 for monthly business treatments. Bieker is an Army soldier and currently going through Officer Candidate School at Ft. Leonard Wood. “I was preventive medicine, well I still am actually, in the National Guard and … one of your duties is pest control,” Bieker said. “That’s kind of how I got started on this road.” Hours are 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through Friday, with 24-hour on-call service.

Ozarks Christian News

John and Lila Sacoulas published the first issue of Ozarks Christian News on June 1. The Sacoulas, with 20 years of experience in publishing, cover nondenominational Christian news in southwest Missouri. They raised $25,000 in pre-sold advertisements to launch the monthly newspaper. The initial paper was free and had 24 pages but will cost 25 cents starting in October and will have 28 pages starting in November. The couple works out of their home at 107 Cedar Glade Road in Ozark and publishes at Missouri Color Web in Springfield. Ozarks Christian News circulates 15,000 copies and is dispersed via 200 area racks. Twenty part-time volunteers contribute to the paper, which has a Web site at www.ozarkschristiannews.com.

Ion Wave Technologies Inc.

Ion Wave Technologies Inc. moved to 3045 S. Scenic on Aug. 1. The three-year-old company, owned by 30 local investors, writes and markets Web-based software for schools and government groups. Co-owner and COO John Alexander said he, CEO Darren Henderson and six employees moved from their 1,600-square-foot office in the McDaniel Building to their new 5,100-square-foot office because they needed the space. Ion Wave is leasing the property from Rankin Co. LLC for an undisclosed amount. Hours are 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Contact Cory Smith with your Open for Business submissions. He may be reached by e-mail, by fax at (417) 799-0603 and by phone at (417) 831-3238.