One could say SL’s Sept/ Oct issue is dedicated to dreamers. 

From “Passion Projects” with Michael Staenberg and Steve Schankman to COCA’s multimillion dollar expansion, going above and beyond to chase a dream is at the core of this issue’s message. Our Publisher Craig Kaminer addresses the opportunity that comes with being a dreamer in his Publisher’s Letter: 

“I am not sure when it happened, but dreamers are not very popular in the news these days. Maybe it’s because of the political climate or the perceived economic burden dreamers place on society? From my point of view, the world needs more dreamers -- more people willing to challenge the status quo and set out on a lifelong journey to do and create something remarkable.

Even with few fans in the stands at the 2020/21 Tokyo Olympics, the stories of athletes and their families who have sacrificed so much to make their mark on their sport and be forever acknowledged in the history books is so moving. The performances are great, but the stories, the dreams, and even the heartbreak brought me to tears daily. Dreamers -- in this case athletes -- must work hard to achieve their dreams. They’re not lazy or expect something for nothing. The dreams are powerful -- and with the support of all of us -- have the capacity to change the world.

I don’t know about you, but I was glued to the television to witness the privately funded space launches of Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos which has ushered in the possibility of civilian space travel and the colonization of neighboring planets in the years to come. I held my breath on liftoff -- hoping not to see a repeat of the Challenger explosion which I watched from my first job at the University of Michigan in 1986 and which set back space exploration for generations. I raced to my computer to watch the 1963 speech by John F. Kennedy when he predicted the day when humans would walk on the moon. How can you not be fascinated by the new technologies, new materials, and human desire to do what no one has done before? But as human nature would have it, there are naysayers who feel the expense is a waste despite knowing that the innovations will result in advanced manufacturing techniques, new fuel sources, better understanding of meteorology in our fastly deteriorating atmosphere, and breakthroughs in healthcare not even imaginable today.

It has been fun learning about space travel and Olympic sports. Like other areas outside my wheelhouse, coming at them as an “amateur” opens my mind and allows me to see things I wouldn’t normally see. In fact, what I learn from other industries helps me make connections to my own business, our great city, and pushes me to rethink challenges from different angles. Take the Richard Branson space story -- he’s trying to democratize space by making it an experience available to the public, not just to astronauts or billionaires. Makes me wonder about how we can democratize business, government, healthcare, and so much more so that everyone has the opportunity to experience life in a personalized, simple, and empathetic manner, not just those who have the means.

Recently, I read a story about a company called Saildrone, which designs and manufactures wind and solar powered autonomous surface vehicles to collect ocean data cost effectively. This sparked my curiosity, not just in the simplicity of the sailing of the drones, but the complexity of the drones’ missions. Case in point is an impressive mission to Antarctica, which took seven months and covered 12,500 miles with waves in excess of 60 feet. Sail drones are packed with hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of scientific equipment that measure things like currents, dissolved oxygen levels, water temperature, acidity, and salinity, while operating at a fraction of the cost of traditional research vessels. They also utilize sonar and acoustic instruments to pinpoint animal life and produce data on fish stocks.

This is a significant leap in technology. Eventually it’ll allow 100 % monitoring of weather and marine conditions, eliminating today’s environmentally inefficient and, at times, unsafe monitoring by ship. Even more impressive is that the technology is a result of the integration of many different technologies. For example, rather than being made of cloth, the sails of drones replicate wings of airplanes. 

While sail drones are being used to revolutionize the marine industry, healthcare companies are applying digital tools to solve complex problems in our own backyard. One illustration of this: developing just-in-time insights by capturing real-time data via remote monitoring in the home allows clinicians to assist patients with chronic conditions proactively. Less than six months ago I signed up for a trial of the Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitor which measures my blood sugar every five minutes without ever having to prick my finger. In just two months my A1C dropped from 8.6% to 6.4%, and I am on track to achieve remission from Type 2 diabetes which I have struggled with for 20 years.

I can’t wait to see what the new National Geospatial Agency and geospatial companies moving to St. Louis to locate near the NGA will accomplish. Undoubtedly, St. Louis will be ground zero to many breakthroughs for generations to come. So get ready! 

In this issue, we focus on the new COCA expansion, it’s breakthrough facilities, instructors, donors, and world class alumni; Michael Staenberg’s new Factory at The District with musical collaborator Steve Schankman anchoring the live-music scene in Chesterfield Valley; and the photography of retired CEO Dick Miles. While we are a decidedly luxury lifestyle media company, more than anything we are dedicated to dreamers who think bigger, expand our comfort zones, and make St. Louis better.

Be an observer of what’s happening around you...from the perspective of a dreamer. Reflect on how things that, while at first glance might seem random, may have applicability to something at work or in your personal life. The great thing about embracing a dreamer’s mindset is it creates an openness to learn new things and takes us down paths that lead to opportunities we didn’t know existed. It’s amazing what one question, one dream, or one passion can achieve.”

To read for yourself about SL’s compilation of dreamers, get your Sept/ Oct issue now: https://www.sophisticatedstlouis.com/mag/subscribe