The December newsletter of the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau paints a gloomy travel picture. All five statistical indicators of annual travel show double-digit slides through October. The CVB tracks information center visits, tourist inquiries, Web visitor sessions, total contacts and airport passengers. Tourist inquiries took the greatest hit, dipping 15 percent compared to last year. With 651,852 passengers, airport travel is down 11 percent year-to-date. On the bright side, hotel statistics have gains in room supply, up 2.3 percent, and average daily rate, up 3.3 percent. Room sales are about flat, but revenue per available room, at $36.59, is down 2.7 percent.
Hogan Land Title Namesake Dies
Jack Edward Hogan, owner of Hogan Land Title Co., died Dec. 2 at age 78. Hogan joined what was then called Thieme-Hunt Abstract Co. in 1953. He bought Ralph Hunt's interest in the company in 1959 and the remaining interest in 1972, and he changed the name to Hogan Land Title six years later.
Hogan was considered a "pioneer in the title insurance industry," according to his obituary. He developed technology and wrote software for the industry before it was commercially available. Hogan Land Title today employs 68 and has seven closing offices, according to Springfield Business Journal's list of the area's largest title companies, published in May. The company offers title insurance, escrow services, construction disbursing, 1031 exchanges and reverse exchanges.
Funeral services for Hogan were held at Christ Episcopal Church.
An Entrepreneurial Network
Drury University and the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce are teaming up to train, promote and fund local entrepreneurs. Drury's Edward Jones Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the chamber's young professionals group, The Network, will begin hosting entrepreneurship events for Network members Jan. 8 with "Moving your idea forward ... in Springfield," by Dawn Hiles, executive director of the Edward Jones Center. The discussion runs 6-8 p.m. in Drury's Reed Auditorium in the Trustee Science Center. The events will help attendees learn what entrepreneurship opportunities are available and how to get started with a new business venture.
Slice of Nice
At a time when school districts across the country are feeling the pinch in a slowing economy, Chicago-based U.S. Cellular is offering a unique school-funding challenge. Calling All Communities, which began Dec. 3, invites area residents to nominate their favorite local school through Jan. 15 with $100,000 going to the top schools. The catch: only U.S. Cellular customers who activate, renew or add additional lines are eligible to vote.
Ten schools will share $1 million donated by U.S. Cellular, the nation's sixth-largest wireless carrier, serving 6.2 million customers. Visit www.uscellular.com/callingallcommunities for official program rules.
Logistics company Premier Truck Group is building a new truck sales and repair facility in Strafford, using precast contract, metal framing, thermoplastic polyolefin roofing and standing-seam metal in its construction.
