Tornado Severely Damages Show-Me Institute Headquarters

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By Brenda Talent | Read Time 2 minutes minutes

On Friday, May 16, a devastating tornado struck the St. Louis area, claiming lives, damaging homes and businesses, and leaving many across our region reeling. The Show-Me Institute’s headquarters at 5297 Washington Place was severely damaged. The roof and most of the third floor were torn away, and the building is now uninhabitable. It is possible that the structure will not withstand the storms expected early this week.

Photo: The back of the Show-Me Institute’s headquarters on May 17, 2025

By God’s grace, all of our team members are safe and unharmed. Over the weekend, staff worked tirelessly to recover essential equipment, documents, and other critical items before more rain arrived. I am deeply grateful for their quick action and dedication during this difficult time.

We are now working to secure a new location and restore operations so we can continue to serve the people of Missouri. But today, our thoughts are with those in the broader community who are suffering far more. Many of our neighbors have lost their homes, their livelihoods, and, in the most tragic cases, their loved ones.

To those families and individuals affected, we offer our heartfelt condolences. The path to recovery will be long for many, and we are keeping you in our prayers.

As we move forward, the Show-Me Institute remains committed to our mission of advancing liberty and opportunity in Missouri. We are thankful for the support of our community and will continue our work with resilience and purpose, even as we begin to rebuild.

 

About the Author

Before joining the Show-Me Institute, Brenda Talent served as counsel to the Saint Louis law firm Bryan Cave. She has argued cases before the Missouri Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of Missouri, and has litigated cases in the Missouri Administrative Hearing Commission, the U.S. Tax Court, and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. As part of her tax practice, Talent defended clients against the Internal Revenue Service and the Missouri Department of Revenue. She first joined Bryan Cave in 1985, where she developed specialties in tax litigation and Missouri state tax law, becoming a partner in 1992. Talent won the David J. Dixon Appellate Advocacy Award from the Missouri Bar Foundation, and advocated taxpayer issues before the Missouri General Assembly. Talent served as a captain in the United States Army Judge Advocate General Corps from January 1982 until October 1985. For much of that time, she was a commissioner on the Army Court of Military Review, the highest appellate court in the Army. Also during that period, she attended Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., graduating with an LL.M. in tax law in 1985. She graduated from the University of Florida, which she attended on an ROTC scholarship, and the University of Chicago Law School. Talent has lived in Missouri for almost 30 years. She and her husband, Jim Talent, a former U.S. senator and congressman, live in Chesterfield and are the parents of three children.

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