Call it old-fashioned Missouri pride, friendliness or community spirit, there's something undeniably special about the people and places of mid-Missouri.

From the main campus of the University of Missouri-Columbia to the State Capitol Building in Jefferson City, mid-Missouri is the state's main center of education and government. Although both cities are constantly bustling with the business of higher education and state government, they somehow manage to retain the sense of small-town charm and friendliness that permeates the surrounding rural communities.

Even the most casual visitor quickly gets a sense mid-Missouri is an excellent place to raise a family or start a business.

"People who move here say they want to know their community," says Paul Land, vice president-commercial division of Plaza Real Estate Services in Columbia. "They want to know where their children are going to school. They want a sense of community. Columbia is big enough to be anonymous when you want to be and small enough that you can really make a difference if you want to get involved."

With a low cost of living and a highly educated workforce, mid-Missouri communities like Columbia and Jefferson City are extremely attractive to new business start-ups.

"We have a great entrepreneurial spirit here," Land says. "The typical start-ups are with people who've reached middle management in their companies. They don't know if they're going forwards or backwards with their careers, so they decide to start their own businesses. Columbia is a great fit for those kinds of people."

As the hub of state government and education, mid-Missouri has a vibrant economy that's highly resistant to recession. Unemployment rates, particularly in Columbia, are among the lowest in the nation yet new businesses somehow manage to find the employees they need. Mid-Missouri is attracting the attention of national retailers and numerous businesses from Kansas City and St. Louis are expanding their operations into the region.

Within the pages of this special section, we can only begin to scratch the surface of what this beautiful region has to offer. Mid-Missourians are undoubtedly proud of what they're accomplishing and completely dedicated to continuing the pursuit of quality growth and development.

We invite you to explore these pages and learn why so many people consider mid-Missouri an area of unlimited potential. If you've never been to mid- Missouri, we encourage you to spend some time getting to know its people and places. We think you'll agree, the heartland of Missouri has a lot to offer.