Peace Economy Project History
1970s
In 1977, Barbara Riverwoman, Mary Ann McGivern, and several other women decided to respond to the military-industrial complex, as personified by the McDonnell Douglas corporation. Shareholder resolutions were drafted, and conversations started with the machinists. By the end of the decade, a proposal was submitted to the Ford Foundation, which subsequently provided a $29,000 grant with the understanding that staff would be hired and an analysis made of the impact of military spending in St. Louis. Mary Ann and Susan Jordan joined the staff, and Bill Ramsey was recruited from North Carolina.
1980s
In the early 1980s, the St. Louis Economic Conversion Project (SLECP) moved into its Skinker office, and Chuck Guenther was hired to run the staff. As an engineer who had worked for McDonnell Douglas, Chuck had an appropriate perspective on the size and culture of military spending in the country. With the election of Ronald Reagan, a new special challenge developed: helping the nation understand the folly of the “Star Wars” initiative and appreciating the complexity and waste associated with military contracts during a time of explosive defense spending.
In the second half of the decade, Chuck left to pursue teaching, and Mary Ann McGivern and Virginia Nesmith joined the staff. They continued to analyze the economic dependence on the military economy experienced by the St. Louis region. Emerson Electric, General Dynamics, McDonnell Douglas, and more than 700 other prime defense contractors collectively accounted for around 74,000 people (6.4 percent of the workforce) and $2.3 billion (8.4 percent of the wages).
1990s
In July 1990, McDonnell Douglas announced plans to eliminate 4,500 jobs in St. Louis. Then, in 1991, with the cancellation of the A-12 project, another 5,000 people were terminated. The Cold War was clearly over. The St. Louis Economic Conversion Project joined a regional advisory committee to oversee a government-supported Economic Adjustment and Diversification Program.
An economic adjustment plan was prepared, surveys of workers and defense contractors were conducted, and a variety of special projects began. SLECP helped prepare several federal grants and devoted special attention to a St. Louis Technology Transfer and Management Assistance Program and a Business Assistance Network. Lance McCarthy joined the staff with a focus on finding investors for distressed sites in the inner suburbs.
In the mid-nineties, SLECP entered into a contract with the St. Louis Development Corporation to help small manufacturers within the City improve communication and collaboration among themselves. This followed an active effort by SLECP to define projects that could be built into the 1994 St. Louis Empowerment Zone application. The $10,000 award from the City’s Enterprise Community program resulted in the formation and initial support for the St. Louis Manufacturing Association.
After a slower time period in the late nineties, Chris Stolz and Marie Andrews were hired. With their assistance, concern returned to the issue of missiles in space, a high-priority project in the mind of the new Bush Administration. Drug interdiction efforts in Latin America were also examined.
2000s
Marie left in 2001, and Chris left in the summer of 2002, moving with his wife to a new service opportunity in Burundi. Chrissy Kirchoefer left the Board to provide part-time staff support in the summer of 2002. She was joined in the fall of 2 by Catherine Marquis-Homeyer. Chrissy left the staff to pursue other interests in summer 2004.
The organization’s name was changed to the Peace Economy Project (PEP) in October 2002. The new focus of research became the St. Louis area-based military division of Boeing Company, the area’s second-largest employer and the nation’s number two military contractor.
Andy Heaslet joined PEP in the summer of 2007 as coordinator for the organization. Andy left in 2010 to start his own bike delivery business, and Tila Neguse came on board as the executive director. During her time at PEP, Tila wrote a grant proposal that funded and supported PEP’s youth initiative, the Student Activist Coalition of St. Louis, which would later become its own organization, Young Activists United St. Louis.
2010s
In the summer of 2012, Tila left to become a peace lobbyist with the Friends Committee on National Legislation in Washington, D.C. Sylvester Brown stepped in as the interim Executive Director to keep the systems running smoothly. In this role, he created the Peace, Poverty, People, and Our National Priorities public information campaign, which brought together several St. Louis organizations to discuss sequestration and the need to protect social programs from budget cuts.
As of February 2013, PEP continued to focus on sequestration, advocating for protecting discretionary spending for social programs and cutting the Pentagon budget. Jasmin Maurer joined PEP as the Executive Director, while Sylvester Brown continued to serve as a board member.
In August 2014, the shooting of Michael Brown shook the nation and the city of St. Louis. In the Ferguson aftermath, many organizations increased their focus on gun violence, police militarization, racism, and other issues highlighted in those protests. PEP was no exception.
Following Ferguson, PEP joined both the Don’t Shoot Coalition and the Drone Free St. Louis coalition to work against increased police militarization, surveillance, and armament. PEP also received a small grant from the Deaconess Foundation in 2015 to research youth violence in St. Louis. The research was completed in Fall 2016.
2020s and Beyond
In recent years, Peace Economy Project has expanded its efforts to address the root causes of violence and economic inequality, particularly in the St. Louis region. PEP continues to advocate for reducing military spending and redirecting those funds toward social programs that benefit communities. The organization has also focused on key issues such as nuclear disarmament, peacebuilding, and economic justice.
PEP’s current work includes the “Move the Money” campaign, which pushes for a local commitment to redirect funds from military and defense spending to social services, education, and community infrastructure. The organization is also engaged in the Valentine’s Day Campaign to advocate for an end to violence and the strengthening of police accountability, domestic violence laws, and gun legislation.
Additionally, PEP has launched the “From Arms to Renewables” webinar series, which explores the redirection of national defense budgets toward renewable energy and sustainable projects. This initiative aligns with PEP’s mission to promote a peace economy by prioritizing investments that support long-term social and environmental well-being over militarization.
Through its fellowship program, PEP continues to train and empower the next generation of advocates and leaders, equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to drive meaningful change in their communities. The organization remains committed to its founding principles, working tirelessly to build a more just, equitable, and peaceful society.