Columbia Board of Realtors chief executive officer Brian Toohey says new home sales in Boone County are up 16 percent this year, while permits are down 15 percent. He also says existing home sales in Columbia are down 18 percent. Mr. Toohey joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable.” Mr. Toohey was born in St. Louis and lived briefly in Atlanta before his family moved back to St. Louis. He earned his degree in political science from Fulton’s Westminster College and earned his MBA at William Woods University in Fulton. Mr. Toohey also tells listeners that more college graduates are staying in the Columbia area:
(LISTEN): Columbia Board of Realtors chief executive officer Brian Toohey appears on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable”
Columbia Board of Realtors chief executive officer Brian Toohey says new home sales in Boone County are up 16 percent this year, while permits are down 15 percent. He also says existing home sales in Columbia are down 18 percent. Mr. Toohey joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable.” Mr. Toohey was born in St. Louis and lived briefly in Atlanta before his family moved back to St. Louis. He earned his degree in political science from Fulton’s Westminster College and earned his MBA at William Woods University in Fulton. Mr. Toohey also tells listeners that more college graduates are staying in the Columbia area:
MacLellan: State Farm has gradually moved 1,000 jobs from Columbia to other cities
The retired Landmark Bank board chairman says the insurance industry is no longer one of Columbia’s top three largest employers.
Jeff MacLellan, who’s studied economic trends in Columbia for 30 years, says State Farm has quietly moved 1,000 jobs out of Columbia, over several years.
“They consolidated into Phoenix, Dallas and Atlanta. And those were operations jobs primarily that they had here, or management. And they’re pretty much gone. There are a few people here I think that work remotely. But basically that was a 1,000 person employer who is no longer here,” MacLellan says.
He says insurance is still a major employer, noting Shelter has about 1,000 jobs in Columbia.
Mr. MacLellan joined host Fred Parry for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Round Table.” MacLellan says financial services has replaced insurance as Columbia’s third-largest employer. He says that’s primarily due to explosive growth at Veterans United Home Loans (VU), which has several thousand employees in Columbia.
“As probably biggest the success story in terms of a company starting here and growing. I mean they have, what, 3,500 employees,” MacLellan says.
“Well it depends on who you ask but some people say nationwide they have as many as 5,000,” Parry responded.
“Right, I think it’s 3,500 here,” MacLellan tells listeners.
Big turnout for new east Columbia restaurant
Hundreds of people turned out for the opening day for the new Chicken Salad Chick in east Columbia. Zimmer Radio’s Elizabeth Delgrosso reports people began lining up outside the restaurant near Highway 63 and Broadway at 5 am Tuesday, trying to be one of the first 100 guests in Columbia to receive one free chicken salad …
Columbia’s Chicken Salad Chick to open next week
Columbia-area residents and commuters heading to Jefferson City will soon have another dining option near heavily-traveled Highway 63 and Broadway. Chicken Salad Chick has announced that they will hold a grand opening for their new restaurant on Brickton next Tuesday, which is April 26. Atlanta-based Chicken Salad Chick says the first 100 guests in Columbia …