St. Louis City is home to a hub for innovation and economic growth, Cortex, which was recently celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by the Central Region Small Business Transportation Resource Center (SBTRC). The event brought together distinguished speakers such as U.S. Representative Cori Bush, St. Louis County Councilwoman Shalonda Webb, St. Louis Economic Development Partnership CEO & President Rodney Crim, and Chairman, President, and CEO of St. Louis Development Corporation Neil Richardson.
The Central Region SBTRC offers services to disadvantaged business enterprises and small businesses in the civil transportation industry in Missouri and surrounding states like Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, and Mississippi. This includes providing support to minority and women-owned businesses. The Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC) operates the Central Region SBTRC in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Utilization.
The ribbon cutting ceremony and luncheon were held to celebrate the opening of the new SBTRC office in Cortex and to highlight the important work being done to assist small businesses in the region. With local leadership in attendance, the event marked a significant step towards fostering economic development and inclusivity in the area.