Description
In this oral history interview, Jim Pennekamp describes his role in various economic development organizations in the St. Louis metro area and Madison County, including the Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation, the St. Louis Regional Commerce and Growth Association, the Tri-Cities Area Chamber of Commerce (now called Southwest Madison County Chamber of Commerce), the Greater Alton Twin Rivers Growth Association (now called the Riverbend Growth Association), and University Park at SIUE. He also describes growing up in New Jersey and Brussels, Belgium, his participation in the anti-Vietnam War movement in the 1960s and 70s, and his early career as a deputy juvenile officer in Jefferson County. He also reflects on changes in Madison County and the broader region in the second half of the twentieth century, particularly related to globalization and the transition from an industrial to a service-based economy.
