HISTORY OF THE ORGANIZATION

In 1977, Barbara Riverwoman, Mary Ann McGivern and several otherwomen decided to respond to the military - industrial complexas personified by the McDonnell Douglas corporation. Shareholderresolutions were drafted and conversations started with the machinists.

At the end of the decade, a proposal was submitted to the FordFoundation, which subsequently provided a $29,000 grant with theunderstanding that staff would be hired and analysis made of theimpact of military spending in St. Louis. Mary Ann and Susan Jordanjoined the staff, and Bill Ramsey was recruited from North Carolina.

1980s.

In the early 1980s, SLECP moved into its Skinker Office, and ChuckGrunther was hired to run the staff. As an engineer who had workedfor McDonnell Douglas he had an appropriate perspective for thesize and culture of military spending in the country. With theelection of Ronald Regan, a new special challenges developed -how to help the nation understand the folly of the star wars initiative,as well as appreciate the complexity and waste associated withmilitary contracts during a time of explosive defense spending.

In the second half of the decade, Chuck left to pursue teachingand Mary Ann and Virginia Nebitt joined the staff. They continuedto analyse the economic dependance on the military economy beingexperienced by the St. Louis region. Emerson Electric, GeneralDynamics, McDonnell Douglas and more than 700 other prime defensecontractors collectively accounted for around 74,000 people (6.4percent of the workforce) and 2.3 billion (8.4 percent of thewages).

1990s.

In July 1990, McDonald Douglas announced plans to eliminate 4500jobs in St. Louis. Then in 1991, with the cancellation of theA-12 project, another 5000 people were terminated. The cold warwas clearly over. The St. Louis Economic Conversion Project joineda regional advisory committee to oversee a government supportedEconomic Adjustment and Diversification Program.

An economic adjustment plan was prepared, surveys of workers anddefense contractors conducted, and a variety of special projectsbegun. SLECP helped prepare several federal grants, and devotedspecial attention to a St. Louis Technology Transfer and ManagementAssistance Program, and a Business Assistance Network. Lance McCarthy joined the staff with a focus on finding investors for distressedsites in the inner suburbs.

In the mid nineties, SLECP entered into a contract with the St.Louis Development Corporation in order to help small manufacturerswithin the City to improve communication and collaboration amongstthemselves. This followed an active effort by SLECP to defineprojects that could be built into the 1994 St. Louis EmpowermentZone application. The $10,000 award from the City’s EnterpriseCommunity program resulted in formation and initial support forthe St. Louis Manufacturing Association.

After a slower time period in the late nineties, Chris Stolz andMarie Andrews were hired. With their assistance, concern returnedto the issue of missiles in space, a high priority project inthe mind of the new Bush Administration. Drug interdiction effortsin Latin America were also examined.

Marie left in 2001, and Chris left in the summer of 2002, movingwith his wife to a new service opportunity in Burundi. ChrissyKirchoefer left the Board to provide part time staff support inthe summer. She was joined in the fall by Catherine Marquis-Homeyer.