Overheard

Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air, which offers flights at Springfield-Branson National Airport, is partnering with renowned performers Blue Man Group for a unique branding campaign. Launching March 13, the campaign will stamp the Blue Man Group brand on Allegiant cups, napkins, overhead bins, service carts, in-flight crew uniforms and the planes’ exteriors. Allegiant customers will be able to purchase tickets to Blue Man Group directly when buying tickets or flying the airline. The Allegiant brand, meanwhile, will appear in Blue Man Group’s nightly show at The Venetian Resort Hotel in Las Vegas via an aircraft featured during the performance and in an Allegiant-sponsored VIP room. Allegiant flies direct between Springfield and Las Vegas, Orlando, Fla., and Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fla.

Bass Pro in KC

Bass Pro Shops in late February opened its 49th Outdoor World store anchoring the 200-acre The Falls retail development in Independence, near Kansas City. The 180,000-square-foot, two-story store offers they typical outdoor gear and equipment, as well as an 18,000-gallon aquarium, a 30-foot climbing wall, a 15,000-gallon kayak demonstration pool, a 25-yard archery range, a laser rifle arcade, a marine and boat center, and a Islamorada Fish Co. restaurant. Bass Pro opened its first K.C.-area store nearly a year ago to the day in Olathe, Kan.

Republic’s Business of the Year

The Republic Area Chamber of Commerce has named the Republic contract office of the Missouri Department of Revenue the 2007 Business of the Year. The award was presented to license office agents Ron Mark and Alicia Tyler at 243 W. U.S. Highway 60, according to a DOR news release. Past recipients since 2000 are Mary Jackson, Countryside Bank, Edward Jones, Sharon Lakey Real Estate, First Baptist Church, Peggy King Advertising and, in 2006, The Republic Monitor.

First Lady Honoree

Cynthia Teas, co-founder of Camp Barnabas in Purdy, is one of five honorees in the state’s inaugural First Lady Awards. As part of Women’s History Month, the honorees will be recognized by Missouri First Lady Melanie Blunt at a ceremony March 4 at the Governor’s Mansion.

Teas, a Springfield Business Journal 2007 Most Influential Women honoree, is the First Lady Award winner in the Culture and Humanities category and the only southwest Missouri representative in the group. She and husband Paul own Camp Barnabas, a nonprofit Christian summer camp for children with disabilities. Teas previously was director of health services for Branson-based Kanakuk Kamps. A committee appointed by the Missouri Women’s Council selected the five winners from more than 300 nominees.[[In-content Ad]]