Industries and Employers
Wanted: Great Minds Across Every Discipline
Calling all self-starters, entrepreneurs, skilled laborers and strategic thinkers: We want you in St. Joseph. We’re a city offering hands-on, top technology for skilled manufacturing, healthcare, animal health and many other fields. We’re located alongside major interstate highways, a great university and community college, a top-ranked technical school, an award-winning healthcare system and so much more. Read on to find out why our industries and employers are proud to call St. Joseph home — and why we were named one of the fastest growing MSAs in Missouri. (Hey, we’re not messing around.)
- Business Clusters
- Largest Employers
- Skilled Manufacturing
- Chamber of Commerce
- Mosaic Life Care
- Hillyard Technical School
- Missouri Western State University
- Kit Bond Science and Technology Incubator
- St. Joseph School District
- Rosecrans Memorial Airport
- Buchanan County
- City of St. Joseph
- Small Business Development Center
SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURS
Think it, plan it and do it, right here. St. Joseph is committed to the success of small businesses and entrepreneurs. There are many incentive programs available for small businesses that provide cost reductions for initial development. Some of these programs also reduce annual operating costs. The tax structure in St. Joseph and surrounding Buchanan County is lower than many other nearby municipalities, and utility fees are also offered at a lower cost than other metro areas. For personalized help and support, check out the local office of the Missouri Small Business Development Centers. (Did we mention weekly and monthly networking opportunities are everywhere? Start here: http://saintjoseph.com.)
HEALTHCARE
St. Joseph residents enjoy access to quality and excellence in healthcare. Mosaic Life Care is not only St. Joseph’s largest employer, but also demonstrates a commitment to the wellness of the local community with the newest technology and the highest level of care to patients. Mosaic has won the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, among many other accolades. Northwest Health Services offers healthcare, dental and mental health services across all income levels at several convenient locations. Behavioral and mental health is an open door at Family Guidance Center, a regional leader in the field. A commitment to integrated, total wellness ties our organizations, employers and healthcare educational opportunities to one shared goal.
EDUCATION
St. Joseph is a city encouraging lifelong learning, exploration and curiosity. From an excellent start in private or public K-12 schools to a variety of options for post-secondary education, St. Joseph claims a strategic location for accessing educational opportunities. Missouri Western State University is located in St. Joseph, offering many graduate and undergraduate paths. Metropolitan Community College now offers courses in St. Joseph. Our location allows for an easy to drive to a number of other colleges and universities, including Northwest Missouri State University and Benedictine College. Hillyard Technical School provides hands-on, skilled training across fields like surgical technology, welding, radiography and precision machine technology. In St. Joseph, you’ll find a day or evening class you’ll thrive in — and plenty of fellow learners who share your passion.
SKILLED MANUFACTURING
A strong work ethic and family values make St. Joseph a favored location for skilled manufacturing companies. St. Joseph is home to global firms in several industries, including specialized equipment production, animal health pharmaceuticals and battery production and distribution. In addition, St. Joseph was named as one of the top 100 leading locations for 2014 by Area Development Magazine, claiming a top 20 spot in the “Top Small Cities” and “Top Midwest Cities” lists. Get all the details here: http://choosesaintjoseph.com/business-clusters/skilled-manufacturing/
MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT
Military career opportunities go align well with St. Joseph’s location, resources and patriotic spirit. Rosecrans Memorial Airport is located just five minutes from downtown St. Joseph, just across the Missouri River in Kansas. Rosecrans is the home of the 139th Airlift Wing, Missouri Air National Guard and the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center. The ROTC program is active at Missouri Western State University, and many veterans’ groups and organizations are active participants in community and civic events. In the government sector, opportunities to connect abound. (U.S. Congressman Sam Graves has an office location in St. Joseph, as one example). At the City and County level, active participants are always wanted. State extension and conservation offices are also providing St. Joseph-based leadership to many initiatives.
FOOD PROCESSING AND PRODUCTION
St. Joseph has a rich history of food processing and production. Aunt Jemima and Saltine Crackers are just two of the famous invented in St. Joseph, and many food brands continue to call our city home: Tyson Foods, Chase Candy Company, Triumph Foods, LifeLine Foods, Daily’s Premium Meats and Ventura Foods are all located in St. Joseph. With an outstanding transportation network, a skilled workforce and below-average utility costs, the city is an ideal place for food processing.
ANIMAL HEALTH
Animal health and nutrition is a $19 billion dollar industry. St. Joseph sits at the heart of the animal health corridor, a section of the Kansas City region that boasts nearly half of the 10 largest global animal health companies. Two of those companies are Boehringer Ingelheim and Nestle Purina, and each have research headquarters and major expansions located right in St. Joseph. (Find several other smaller but still innovative businesses within this industry who call St. Joseph home at www.choosesaintjoseph.com). In fact, we’re part of the Midwest’s Agricultural Research Triangle — meaning we actively share research knowledge in animal health across multiple universities. The Kit Bond Science and Technology Incubator, located at the MWSU campus in St. Joseph, helps launch new bioscience companies and is just one of many reasons this sector is so vibrant and progressive in our city.
LOGISTICS AND WAREHOUSING
A moderate cost of living and a strong work ethic are just two reasons that St. Joseph is a hub of the logistics and warehousing industry. Just 35 minutes from the Kansas City International Airport and located at the crossroads of two major interstate highways, St. Joseph offers a prime location for warehousing and distribution. Businesses are able to save time and costs related to transportation and logistics, and company managers appreciate the ability to build a relationship with the community. More reasons include available space, such as Eastowne Business Park, and competitive utility rates. Success stories include BMS Logistics, Nor-Am Cold Storage and Silgan Containers, among others.
RETAIL
Retail thrives in our city, from cozy boutiques to well-known names. Downtown offers eclectic vintage shops, used books, home interiors and truly one-of-a-kind fashions. Across the city you’ll find an open door to well-known favorite establishments (Target, Best Buy, Starbuck’s and Sam’s Club for example). The airy and modern East Hills Shopping Center offers shopping and dining options in and around the site. You’ll also find a welcome mat at local favorites like Katherine’s Gifts, Jamie’s Secret Garden and Lanham Music … and so many more. Local campaigns like Shop St. Joseph help boost the retail spirit. Come find out for yourself why we’re pretty proud of having “just about everything” without the traffic and the hassles of bigger cities.