We asked our Cape Girardeau City Council candidates to tell us a little more about their background to introduce themselves to voters.

- MAYOR -
  

Matt Hopkins

WORK EXPERIENCE: Technology & Networking- Account Representative

EDUCATION: Graduate of Cape Central High School and Southeast Missouri State University with BS in Finance and Management

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: 8 years Ward 5 City Council member, Mayor Pro Tem 2 years. Lions Club Member-Currently Secretary, Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce member-past Board Member, Graduate

Leadership Cape, Cape Jaycees Past President, Cape Area Magnet Board-former Chairman. Grace United Methodist Church Board Member, President of Methodist Men

Harry E. Rediger

WORK EXPERIENCE: 38 years in management with JCPenney. Store Manager in Cape Girardeau for 20 years

EDUCATION: BA Degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University, Major in Business Administration

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Most recently Member of Saint Francis Medical Center Board of Directors, Past Chairman of Saint Francis Board of Directors (1997-2007), Member of Cape Planning & Zoning Commission (1989-Present)

Served 2 terms as Chairman of Cape P & Z

Past member –Cape Girardeau School Board (1995-1997)

United Way Board of Directors (19 years-3 time Campaign Chair)

Board Member of USBank 1997-Present)

FAMILY: Wife Fran; Children Cindy Propst, Kathy Sedlacek, Dr. Douglas Rediger, Michelle Burris; 6 Grandchildren

We love Cape Girardeau and have chosen to make it our home for the past 33 years. I have served our community through numerous Not-for-Profit agencies and entities. I have served on the Cape Girardeau Planning & Zoning Commission for 20 years and have been very active in promoting street and infrastructure improvements through our successful Transportation Trust Fund.

It is my desire to continue to serve all the citizens of Cape Girardeau as its Mayor. We have had great leadership in recent years and I want to be involved and lead our city in these next years to continue to develop population growth, economic expansion, jobs and the quality of life for all our citizens.

We love Cape Girardeau and have chosen to make it our home for the past 33 years. I want to enhance our community pride, improve community beautification and reduce litter in Cape Girardeau. All quality of life issues are important to me. I will work toward economic expansion and job growth. I am a team player and plan to work closely with our neighboring cities and county to grow our position as the economic hub of our region. I am a fiscally responsible person and will maintain a conservative approach to all budgets and capital expenditures.

- WARD 1 -
 

John Voss

WORK EXPERIENCE: Procter & Gamble Paper Products, Inc.

EDUCATION: B.S. Engineering Management, University of Missouri – Rolla      

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Boy Scouts of America, Past President, Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors, St. Paul Lutheran Church

FAMILY: Wife Janice, sons Justin, Jordan and Jackson

I have been fortunate enough to have been able to live and work in many places during my life, and I made a choice to return to Cape Girardeau. Not many places in 

the world are as unique and special as Cape. Having been born and raised in Cape, in Ward 1, this is home for me, and I want to work to make it the best community in Missouri. If the voters of Ward 1 will provide me the opportunity to serve another 4 years, I would like to see the completion of the Parks and Storm water initiatives, the development and passage of TTF-4, continued improvement of the city’s financial condition, compensation increases for our employees, implementation of the Comprehensive Plan, progress on the DREAM initiative Strategic Plan, and more. I am humbled by the opportunity to serve, and want to continue to give back to this community that has given me so much.

Teresa Robinson

WORK EXPERIENCE: Office Manager/tax professional

EDUCATION: SEMO

FAMILY: Husband: Thomas Robinson, Children: 2 sons: Thomas Robinson and Corey Robinson

I would like the opportunity to represent the people of Ward 1 while serving on the City Council.

- WARD 2 -
 

Meg Davis-Proffer
 
WORK EXPERIENCE: A seasoned sales & marketing professional, I excel at developing marketing and business development plans, generating leads, deploying programs to business, and accelerating revenue with limited marketing budgets
 
EDUCATION: Bachelor of Science, Southeast Missouri State University,
Leadership Cape Class of 2005 
 

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Old Town Cape Board member & promotions committee
"Heart to Heart", formally "Go Red for Women", American Heart Association
United Way promotions committee
Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce Chamber Young Professionals steering committee 2004-present
Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce Council of Chairmen 2008
Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce Media & Communications Council 2006-2008
Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors March 2004- April 2009
Leadership Cape Alumni Association 2005 -2008

FAMILY: I am recently married, and I have been a Cape Girardeau resident all of my life. I also have many family ties to the area, with most of my immediate family residing in Cape. I moved to the downtown area 5 years ago, and have become increasingly involved in community affairs, especially as it relates to revitalizing downtown.
 
I believe in representing downtown's residents and businesses. I have always been an advocate of a thriving and progressive downtown, and I believe that I would be the perfect individual to represent their needs and concerns. With my tenacious and no-nonsense attitude, along with my tireless work ethic and drive, I will spur the kind of action and change that is absolutely imperative to move Cape Girardeau progressively forward.

Stafford L. Moore

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: House of Prayer Community outreach services, River Corridor Connection Administrator, Rites of Passage Education (R.O.P.E.) pre/ teenage boys mentoring group

FAMILY: Married to Shelly Moore for 29 years and we have 3 sons 

As a leader in the community, at work, and in my church I have pushed and prodded individuals to step up and step outside of their comfort zone in order to continue their personal growth and develop. Additionally, I remind myself and those around me not to complain about problems they are not willing to help resolve or change. To complain only, makes one a part of the problem and not part of the solution. With that said, at this stage of my life I am willing to step out of my comfort zone, it’s time for me to grow and develop a little more.  No more complaining, it is time to be part of the solution and not the problem. Cape Girardeau is a great place to live; the southeast side is a wonderful community. We have some problems that we need to fix and believe me, we can fix them!  I am will work with Cape City officials and community leaders to solve some of these issues and restore hope and some pride back to this area.

I want to represent the people of this community (Ward 2) with a vision of what can be, if we work together and take the responsibility for making the changes we want to see.  I hear what’s being said by the people that live in this ward, I know what they want and I understand what we need.

For the past several years I have worked in the community through my church, with other churches, with small grass roots groups, and during special /annual community events. All of which I will continue to do, but  I see this position  as an opportunity to have a greater and more effective involvement in this area with the potential to bring about long  lasting  systemic results and changes.

- WARD 6 -
  

Kathy Swan

WORK EXPERIENCE:

JCS Wireless – Business owner (1975 - present)

Saint Francis Medical Center – Registered Nurse - Medical/Surgical, Progressive Care, Employee Health, Infection Control, Administrative Supervisor

(1970 – 1996)

Southeast Missouri State University – Clinical nursing instructor (1975-1976)