JAN. 22-28, 2024 JAN. 22-28, 2024 · VOL. 44, NO. 27 $2.50 · SBJ.NET YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY SINCE 1980 SEEKING SHELTER Council considers funding for a permanent Council of Churches women’s shelter. PAGE 3 Reactions mixed on new labor rule by Mike Cullinan · mcullinan@sbj.net The U.S. Department of Labor finalized and issued a new rule earlier this month that impacts how businesses classify independent contractors. The rule intends to provide guidance on proper classification and seeks to combat employee misclassification, which the Labor Department said impacts workers’ rights to minimum wage and overtime pay, facilitates wage theft and allows some employers to undercut competition. Most federal and state labor laws apply only to a company’s employees. However, the rule announced Jan. 9 will require that workers be considered employees rather than contractors when they are “economically dependent on the employer for work.” It replaces a regulation by former President Donald Trump’s administration that had made it easier to classify workers as independent contractors. The new rule requires that a business classify an individual as an employee after taking into consideration six factors, including the worker’s opportunity for profit or loss, the financial stake and nature of any resources they invested in the work, and the degree of permanence of the work relationship. Local reaction to the new rule is mixed, as some industry officials believe it will have little to no impact on their day-to-day business. However, Mark Walker, president and CEO of Strafford-based trucking company TransLand, said the rule doesn’t make sense to him. “I get what they’re trying to do, but unfortunately it lumps every independent contractor into the same six-test formula,” he said. “It’s bad for our supply chain and it really undermines the livelihoods of thousands of truckers.” Walker said TransLand employs roughly 50 independent contractors, adding the company’s total workforce, including administration and other office staff, is 250. The response from Washington, D.C.-based trade association American Trucking Associations made it clear it intends to fight the rule, which is set to take effect March 11. “I can think of nothing more un-American than for the government to extinguish the freedom of individuals to choose work arrangements that suit their needs and fulfill their ambitions,” ATA President and CEO Chris Spear said in a statement. “More than 350,000 truckers choose to work as independent contractors because of the economic opportunity it creates and the flexibility it provides. “ATA will work with members of Congress and other stakeholders to defeat this ill-advised rule.” A small group of freelance writers and editors became the first to file a lawsuit against the DOL, claiming the Biden See RULE on page 21 Bridging the Care Gap by Mike Cullinan · mcullinan@sbj.net For the second time in as many years, legislation to support the child care industry that state officials say has bipartisan support is seeking passage in Jefferson City. The hopes are that a tax credit package intended to improve access and affordability of child care will cross the finish line this session, according to panelists at a Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce event on Jan. 11. Kara Corches, vice president of governmental affairs with the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, moderated the discussion, which centered on child care challenges. “This is one of our top priorities in the Capitol,” she said. “It’s an issue that we hear from members every single day about, and what we have found is that child care is not just an issue for working parents to figure out. This really is a statewide economic issue.” The economic impact to the state is significant. A 2021 report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimated Missouri loses $1.35 billion annually through See GAP on page 24 Mark Walker: Labor Department ruling undermines livelihood of truckers. PRIME CARE Kennedy Johnson, a teacher at Prime Kids Learning Center, watches over several of the nearly 100 children at the child care center inside Prime Inc.’s headquarters. TAWNIE WILSON Officials discuss child care hurdles, legislation at chamber event
JAN. 22-28, 2024 2 · SBJ.NET News releases and tips sbj@sbj.net Newsmakers Hires, promotions, awards and achievements newsmakers@sbj.net Open for Business Recent business changes, additions newbusiness@sbj.net Lists lists@sbj.net Guest Columnists eolson@sbj.net From the Ground Up Construction projects construction@sbj.net Complaints, Corrections, Clarifications ctemple@sbj.net Letters to the Editor ctemple@sbj.net HERE’S WHERE TO SEND IT. GOT NEWS? Editorial VP ERIC OLSON eolson@sbj.net 417-987-9519 Digital Editor GEOFF PICKLE gpickle@sbj.net 417-616-5856 List Researcher KAREN BLISS lists@sbj.net 417-849-4342 Reporter KAREN CRAIGO kcraigo@sbj.net 417-210-9030 CHRISTINE TEMPLE ctemple@sbj.net 417-379-8037 Executive Editor MIKE CULLINAN mcullinan@sbj.net 417-616-5851 Reporter MEET THE NEWSROOM
JAN. 22-28, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 3 NEWS CONTENTS The Springfield chamber is dissolving its political action committee to fund council candidates focusing instead on voter education. page 11 Government Open for Business The Arc of the Ozarks opens the first autism center in southwest Missouri. page 4 No Ceiling Mary Kromrey talks about her love and passion for outdoor trails in the latest episode of the women leadership podcast. page 7 Executive Insider Bolivar’s new city administrator comes to job after 25 years with the FBI. page 8 Opinion Page Guest columnist Andy Drennen gives ideas to help evaluate portfolios given the volatility in the stock market. page 27 Safe to Sleep gets 2nd chance at funding by Karen Craigo · kcraigo@sbj.net When the city of Springfield offered funding for emergency shelters for homeless people, three agencies applied, but only two – The Salvation Army and Women’s Medical Respite – were recommended by city staff for $1.9 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding at the Jan. 8 meeting of City Council. After an objection raised by the third agency’s CEO, a quickly assembled meeting Jan. 11 of the Council ARPA Review Committee found $1.1 million in undesignated funding for the third applicant, Council of Churches of the Ozarks Inc., which is seeking a permanent home for its Safe to Sleep shelter for women. The two previously recommended allocations are up for a vote at council’s Jan. 22 meeting. The new recommendation to fund the Council of Churches proposal will have its public hearing and vote at council’s two February meetings. Council presentation Council heard a recommendation from city staff at its Jan. 8 meeting to award $1.83 million in ARPA funds to The Salvation Army in Springfield to build a new Harbor House facility and nearly double its capacity to 100 beds, according to the staff report. Additionally, an award of $29,000 to Women’s Medical Respite would cover expenses related to its newly purchased five-bedroom house, which would increase its capacity to eight beds from five. The Council of Churches project, which would have shifted 50 existing beds to a new facility without adding any capacity, did not score high enough on the rubric established for the grant to be recommended for funding by staff reviewers, according to City Grants Administrator Bob Jones. Jones said the city allocated $7 million of its $40 million Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to projects related to housing and the homeless. Council allocated up to $1.9 million for the development of shelters for homeless people. The city’s Department of Planning and Development issued a request for proposals for homeless emergency shelter grants for agencies to acquire, construct, renovate or rehabilitate buildings to shelter people who are homeless. Three agencies responded with proposals. Jones said the proposals were evaluated by a five-member staff committee who used a ranking sheet. Numerical scores were based on evidence of experience with shelter operations, capacity, experience with federal grant funding, a cumulative increase in shelter beds, project readiness and other factors, for a total of 10 categories. The Salvation HEATHER MOSLEY SAFE TO SLEEP Barbara Smith settles in for the night in the church gym that functions as the Safe to Sleep women’s shelter of Council of Churches of the Ozarks. See SLEEP on page 23 ARPA committee recommends $1.1 million for shelter by Karen Craigo · kcraigo@sbj.net The text of the city of Springfield’s land development code was last revised in 1993, and mapping was updated in 1995. Forward SGF, the city’s 20year comprehensive plan adopted in November 2022, calls for an overhaul of the land development code, which determines land use regulations within the city limits. “It’s going to be a big undertaking,” said Bob Hosmer, planning manager for the city. City staff will get some help with the heavy lifting from community volunteers. An open house is set for 5:30-7:30 p.m. Jan. 25, at the Springfield Art Museum. City Planning & Development Department staff and consultants from Kansas City-based Multistudio and Asheville, North Carolina-based Urban3 will solicit public input and answer questions at information stations. The city invested $590,828 for the consultants, according to city spokesperson Cora Scott. According to city officials, the code update is planned for completion this year and will target Chapter 36 of the land development code, which provides zoning code and subdivision regulations. The codes must be reviewed for compatibility with those that regulate the design of streets, stormwater and other infrastructure. Forward SGF also puts an emphasis on a place type approach to land use. This approach considers how a parcel is used and, Randall Whitman: Some code revision involves mere cleanup and reorganization. Community input sought for land-use code update See UPDATE on page 30
JAN. 22-28, 2024 4 · SBJ.NET NEWS By Mike Cullinan, Reporter New business, new location, new owner? Send your info to newbusiness@sbj.net Autism and Neurodevelopmental Center Branson couple Ed and Dawn Smith turned an interest in vintage automobiles into a business with the July 28 opening of Classix Vintage Auto Rental in Branson. The Smiths operate a rental office for the venture at 673 State Highway 165, Ste. 22, in the Coffelt Country Craft Village. Declining to disclose lease terms, Dawn Smith said she and her husband invested roughly $250,000 in startup costs for Classix Vintage, which has five vehicles in its fleet available for rental. They are a 1956 Ford Thunderbird convertible, a 1958 Chevrolet Biscayne, a 1965 Ford Mustang, a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air and a 1928 Ford Model A. Prices are $150 for a two-hour rental and $263 for four hours with additional rental lengths available. The vehicles also are available to rent for special events, such as weddings and photo sessions. The owners are the lone employees for Classix Vintage, Smith said, adding they both previously worked in residential real estate for undisclosed companies. Highway 76 Strip in Branson gained its first Chick-fil-A eatery Dec. 14. Located near WonderWorks and Presleys’ Country Jubilee, the store operates at 2915 W. 76 Country Blvd. Kevin Hutcheson is franchisee of the 5,300-square-foot store, which includes 80 interior seats and seating for an additional 56 under an exterior canopy. Hutcheson, who also is the franchise owner for the Branson Chick-fil-A restaurant at 607 W. Main St., said the new shop employs a staff of 110. Officials declined to disclose startup costs. Its menu includes chicken sandwiches, wraps, breakfast items, salads and milkshakes. The family-owned chain, which was founded in 1976, operates more than 3,000 restaurants in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, with plans to expand by 2030 to Asia and Europe, according to its website. ☎ 417-202-4311 Chick-fil-A.com The Arc of the Ozarks opened its $10 million Autism and Neurodevelopmental Center on Jan. 2 at 2864 S. Nettleton Ave. The nonprofit, which purchased the clinic’s property – Empower: abilities’ former building – has partnered with Mercy Springfield Communities and Missouri State University to provide care at the 18,000-square-foot facility, which provides comprehensive diagnostic, treatment and advocacy services. Dr. Kyle John is medical director for the clinic, which Arc of the Ozarks Executive Vice President Tim Dygon said employs 59. Q & Co. LLC served as general contractor for the $2 million renovation of the building designed by Buxton Kubik Dodd Design Collective. Along with partners Mercy and MSU, Arc leadership secured $5 million in matching funds to start the center. The remainder of the $10 million comprises the building purchase, equipment and furnishings, and startup and operational expenses. Officials say the autism center is the first of its kind in southwest Missouri, joining six others statewide. ☎ 417-605-7100 TheArcOfTheOzarks.org Classix Vintage Auto Rental Chick-fil-A ☎ 417-544-0474 BransonClassix.com OPEN FOR BUSINESS Dr. Kyle John KATELYN EGGER LET US HELP YOU SIMPLIFY Streamline your subscription. If your company has two or more subscriptions, contact us today about our Custom Corporate Subscription program. Email subscriptions@sbj.net to get started today! Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays, for children ages 6-17. Call 417.799.7474 for your FREE assessment today. perimeterspringfield.com PROVIDING HOPE. TRANSFORMING LIVES. Your child is your world. Find hope on their behavioral health journey.
JAN. 22-28, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 5 Send your company’s new hires, promotions, awards and achievements to newsmakers@sbj.net or click “Talk to SBJ” on our homepage. Please include job titles and relevant career and educational experiences. We’ll publish high-resolution color photos attached as space permits. LET US KNOW by Eric Olson · eolson@sbj.net Banking & Finance Central Trust Co. hired Jarod Robillard as an assistant vice president and relationship manager. He’s worked two years as a financial planner and five years as a retirement consultant. Robillard holds a bachelor’s in finance and economics from Southwest Baptist University, as well as the certified financial planner designation. Achieve Private Wealth was named to Forbes’ list of the Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams. Determined by high levels of ethical standards, professionalism and success, the firm was chosen based on assets under management, industry experience, compliance record and best practices in working with clients. The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors recognized Tim Piatchek of Piatchek Retirement Consultants with its 2023 Quality Award in working with life insurance and annuities products. The honor recognizes exceptional client services, professional education, industry volunteerism and following NAIFA’s code of ethics. Health Care Dr. Todd Buzbee of Buzbee Dental completed training to become a diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine. The organization helps set standards for dental sleep medicine. Human Resources HR Advantage LLC hired Dana Baldwin as a human resources adviser. She has 20 years of human resources experience, particularly serving the financial, manufacturing, automotive and nonprofit sectors. Baldwin holds a bachelor’s in human resource management from University of Central Missouri, as well as a professional in human resources certification. Law Spencer Fane LLP attorney Shelby Wood was elected to the partnership role. He practices in real estate law, with specialty in superfund sites and contaminated properties, and holds a Juris Doctor from University of Iowa. Wood was among 10 attorneys selected firmwide. Media Henderson Media LLC won three national awards from TechBehemoths for search-engine optimization, web design and WordPress services. Out of 387 winners selected in the United States, Henderson Media ranked No. 4 in SEO, No. 7 in web design and No. 26 in WordPress design. Nonprofit The Network’s Leadership Council appointed Megan Buchbinder as chair and Callie Carroll-Swafford as vice chair. Buchbinder works as marketing director for the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau Inc. and Carroll-Swafford as vice president of business development for OMB Bank. The council also added six members: Bridget Bechtel of Sculpture Walk Springfield, Chelsea Davison of Buf Architecture Studio LLC, Michael Deschenes of Strategic Financial, Regina Hess of Springfield Cardinals, Katie Jackson of Servpro of Springfield/Greene County and Jason Nunn of Murney Associates, Realtors. The Connecting Grounds Associate Pastor Rue Lohn was named lead pastor, succeeding Christie Love. Lohn has worked with families in personal and professional roles for four years, including children’s and teens’ ministries and as a case manager for Burrell Behavioral Health. Abilities First hired Christopher Upton as director of vocational services. He’s directed the Adult Tendercare Center for adults with disabilities the past six years and worked there for more than a decade. At Abilities First, Upton helps people with disabilities find employment opportunities. Transportation Prime Inc. named Darrel Hopkins president, succeeding founder Robert Low. He’s worked for the company since 1994, including roles as controller and head of its leasing division. Low retained his CEO position. NEWSMAKERS Send announcements to newsmakers@sbj.net Baldwin Lohn Upton Buchbinder Hopkins Carroll-Swafford Buzbee Robillard Wood Piatchek
JAN. 22-28, 2024 6 · SBJ.NET NEWS Judges select SBJ’s Coolest Things by SBJ Staff · sbj@sbj.net Sixteen products manufactured across southwest Missouri were selected for inclusion in Springfield Business Journal’s third annual Coolest Things Made in the Ozarks awards program. The finalists reflect the diversity of the local manufacturing community. Statewide, there are nearly 7,600 manufacturing businesses employing more than 282,000 people, according to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center. A selection committee evaluated the products based on the uniqueness, innovation and economic impact of their products. The 2024 companies and products are: • 27North Inc., RexRover • All Roads Taken LLC, Adventure Badges • Askinosie Chocolate LLC, Davao, Philippines White Chocolate Bar • College of the Ozarks, Classic Pepper Jelly • Concepts by Design Inc., Custom cabinets, closets and millwork • Digital Monitoring Products Inc., XR550 Intrusion, Access Control and Fire Alarm Panel • Grimbeard Leather, Adventure Journal • Hiland Dairy Foods Co. LLC, Outlaw Run Ice Cream • L&W Industries LLC, Signal cantilever • Limo Land Inc., Limousines, executive vans and buses • Link Electronics Inc., The Automated Captioning Engine Series • Missouri Ridge Distillery LLC, Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey • Mother’s Brewing Co. LLC, Materfamilias Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout • Point One LLC, Billet Aluminum Engine Block • Tunetti Natural Soap, Jewelweed Bar Soap • The Coffee Ethic LLC, Single-origin coffee In addition to company awards, Carl Kicklighter, director of plant operations at Vital Farms Inc. was selected as Plant Manager of the Year. Public voting to select the Voter’s Choice Award is live through Feb. 16 at SBJ.net/ CoolestThings. The Feb. 12 edition of SBJ will feature profiles on the products. The Best in Show Award, selected by event attendees, will be determined at an awards ceremony on Feb. 29. The selection committee’s special awards will also be announced at the event. • This year’s top 16 products manufactured in the Ozarks, as well as special honors and an individual award, were chosen by a fiveperson selection committee: • Michael Eaton, executive director of the Missouri Association of Manufacturers. • Jerany Jackson, senior project manager at Great River Engineering Inc. • Brad Jones, co-founder of Carefully Crafted LLC. • Christine Temple, executive editor of Springfield Business Journal. • Sheri Walsh, CEO of Hiveminded Marketing LLC. Meet the Selection Committee Jackson Temple Walsh Eaton Jones Kicklighter by SBJ Staff · sbj@sbj.net The Missouri State University Board of Governors has named three finalists in the search to succeed President Clif Smart. The finalists’ names were disclosed Jan. 18 after a special meeting by the board the day prior, according to a news release. Smart, who las led MSU since 2011, is set to retire from the university this summer. The finalists are: • John Jasinski, MSU provost since 2022. • Roger Thompson, vice president for student services and enrollment management at the University of Oregon. • Richard Williams, president of Utah Tech University from 2014 through early 2024. “We were fortunate to attract an exceptionally strong and diverse pool of candidates for the position,” board Chair Lynn Parman said in the release. “Following interviews and thorough vetting, the search committee endorsed, and the board approved, three outstanding finalists.” The MSU Presidential Search Committee received 48 completed applications for the president role, according to the release. Eleven candidates were invited for in-person interviews, and after four finalists originally were named, one withdrew from consideration for personal reasons. Each of the finalists are scheduled for a twoday visit in Springfield and West Plains during the second and fourth weeks of February. • MSU board picks 3 pres finalists
Local women share their journey to the top of their professions and the challenges and triumphs they faced along the way. They’re rewriting the script on success and there’s no ceiling. My guest this week is Mary Kromrey. She’s the executive director of Ozark Greenways Inc., leading the efforts to maintain and grow the region’s trail systems. Her love of nature began in childhood. She got back to those roots in 2016 when she joined the nonprofit after two decades working with the YMCA. She says opening herself to the possibility that life could take an unexpected turn landed her the gig. Now, she is advocating for her vision of walkable and connected communities. In this conversation, Mary talks about growing a thicker skin in her leadership role, finding joy in work and nature, and ongoing projects to ungap the trail map. Below is an excerpt from the start of our conversation. —Christine Temple, Executive Editor Christine Temple: Springfield has over 110 miles of trails within our city, and you are leading those efforts to maintain and grow and expand those. Can you tell me about the work of Ozark Greenways? Mary Kromrey: Ozark Greenways is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and we were formed back in 1991. When you hear folks in our community talk about public/private partnerships, we very much embody that. We’re working off of a shared plan across our region that will be well over 200 miles when it’s completed. I call ourselves the main cheerleaders. We’re there to help support and advocate and educate across our region about why we think trails and connecting with the outdoors is important. Temple: How do you use the trails? Kromrey: The Jordan Creek Greenway Trail, that is one I use frequently, along with our great sidewalk system, to get around in center city. I still absolutely use my car. I do really enjoy hiking out at Fellows Lake. It’s just such a pretty spot and I think so many folks still don’t know about that wonderful recreational opportunity. It’s kind of like a parent who has kids, you’re not supposed to talk about who your favorite kid is – I shouldn’t say that I have a favorite trail. [Laughs] Temple: We won’t share this with any of the other trails. Springfield is just such a car-centric community. What does that look like and feel like to slow down and walk or bike in our community? Kromrey: I highly encourage folks to try it. Don’t think one day you drive your car every day and the next day you drive your bicycle every day. It’s a fun way to slow down and see your community and you see both the good and the bad. In the springtime, our community is so beautiful to walk or bicycle through with all of the dogwood trees and the redbud trees. I don’t notice that when I’m in my car as much. Temple: What are the barriers that are in the way to making our city multimodal? We’ve seen a number of pedestrian fatalities in this past year. There is a city initiative to remind people to follow the law and stop at crosswalks. Kromrey: Our community, especially if you look at the newer portions of our community, was built and designed in a very car-centric way. But if you look at some of our older neighborhoods, they’re more dense. The majority of them have a sidewalk if not on one side of the street, both sides of the street and there might even be some remnants of light commercial uses, which continues that encouragement of walking down to the corner to grab a gallon of milk. As our streets get wider, as our automobiles get larger, that makes it harder for somebody that’s walking and bicycling. A lot of people that are being struck by people driving cars, they are crossing in an area that is surprising to somebody on a roadway. You have to think, well, why are they crossing there? Is it because they’re lazy or maybe they’re exhausted and they’re walking for their transportation? Just approaching everybody that’s utilizing our transportation network and giving them the benefit of the doubt. And for us to see that person as a neighbor. LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE: SBJ.net/NoCeiling or wherever you find your podcasts UP NEXT: Jamie Dopp White River Valley Electric Cooperative Inc. PRESENTED BY Leadership Spotlight My advice to aspiring leaders: Take advantage of the opportunities presented to you. Seek out ways to add value and make an impact. Collaborate with others to reinforce connections and shared goals. Get organized. Be proactive. Seek to inspire others to do their best. AmericanNational.com Megan Trower Manager, Talent Acquisition MARY KROMREY Ozark Greenways Inc. TAWNIE WILSON
JAN. 22-28, 2024 8 · SBJ.NET by Mike Cullinan · mcullinan@sbj.net Thomas Relford traveled around the world for the FBI before settling in small-town Bolivar for what he calls his second career. He began as city administrator last year – a role he says lines up with childhood interests. “This is something I’ve always been interested in. Going back to a little kid, I knew the person who had that position in the town I grew up in,” he says of his hometown of Cameron, a city of roughly 8,500 residents north of Kansas City. It’s been over 10 months since the city of Bolivar hired Relford as its newest city administrator. His predecessor, Tracy Slagle, retired in January 2023. “I did the law enforcement thing for 25 years and I was interested in taking the skills that I learned in FBI and applying them to something different,” Relford says. “So far, I’ve really liked it.” Relford’s duties, which are authorized by city ordinance, include serving as the chief purchasing agent, budget officer, personnel officer leading 125 employees and liaison officer with the Board of Aldermen. He oversees a $14 million budget for the city which has a population of over 11,100 residents, a 4.2% increase from 2020, according to Census Bureau data. That makes it the fourth-fastest growing city in a 50-mile radius of Springfield, according to Springfield Business Journal list research. Although Relford has a master’s degree in public administration from Troy University, his current job is his first foray into city government. “It was a pretty steep learning curve, to be quite honest with you. The Board of Aldermen, they knew that when they hired me, but they gave me the chance,” he says. “Luckily, I have a really good staff who was patient, and I hope I was a quick learner and then I got up to speed as quickly as I could. I feel a lot more comfortable now than I did in month one.” As one of the department heads at City Hall, Bolivar Community Development Director Kyle Lee says he’s among those who meet weekly with Relford about infrastructure projects. “Even when things were new, he was a fast learner,” Lee says. “He builds trust by trusting people who are working for him and has a ‘give me the facts’ kind of view.” Lee says Relford also has developed and strengthened the relationship between the Board of Aldermen and city staff on issues including pay and benefits. “I’m really excited for Thomas to be here,” he says. “Do everything excellent – that’s kind of his perspective. We also try to do things as quick as we can, and I appreciate that always with someone that wants to identify the problems and just solve them and move on.” Relford says his leadership qualities largely developed over his FBI career, which wrapped in 2021 when he retired as the special agent in charge of the Albany, New York, field office. In that position, he oversaw daily operations, including investigations, tactical field operations and administration. Additionally, he served as a liaison to other local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. During his FBI career, Relford was stationed in Kansas City, New Orleans and Baton Rouge, as well as the agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. He also spent five years as a legal attache in Dakar, Senegal, and Nairobi, Kenya. Legal attaches work with their police counterparts in foreign countries to obtain information for the FBI on crimes and criminals that could harm U.S. citizens or interests. Relford, who earned a bachelor’s degree in business with an emphasis in finance from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1991, said he had good timing when he applied for the FBI in the mid-1990s. “The FBI had a big hiring search,” he says. “They’re always looking for people with that finance and accounting background. I just went through the process, which took about Thomas Relford EXECUTIVE INSIDER Ex-FBI official settles into Bolivar leadership role Retired FBI agent Thomas Relford is nearing the oneyear anniversary as Bolivar city administrator. I was interested in taking the skills that I learned in FBI and applying them to something different.”
JAN. 22-28, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 9 nine months to a year. In April of 1996, I went to Quantico and that’s where I started.” After graduating from Quantico, the FBI academy in Virginia, Relford was assigned to the New Orleans field office, where he was a street agent. He worked in the office for 12 years, handling cases dealing with gangs, drug investigations and public corruption. Then 9/11 happened. “It changed a lot of things at the FBI, so I started working a little more in international terrorism,” he says. He was then promoted to be a supervisor at the Baton Rouge office, roughly 90 minutes away from New Orleans. “In a small office like that, you’ll have a squad instead of like in a big office where you focus on one thing, like public corruption or violent crime or whatever,” he says. “They do kind of a myriad of things on a squad. I had pretty much everything except the foreign counterintelligence, international terrorism. I had mainly all of the traditional stuff you would think about within the FBI as far as criminal stuff.” After two years in Baton Rouge, Relford raised his hand to go overseas, which led to a stint in Africa with his wife, Marcy, and three children in tow. “The bureau has about 50 offices overseas. Basically, you just coordinate law enforcement, intelligence, operations and activity with the bureau counterpart in those countries,” he says, adding the offices are small extensions of the U.S. Embassy. “In Senegal, it was just me, another agent and a support staff.” In West Africa, Relford was frequently in traveling mode. “I had 14 countries that I was responsible for,” he says, noting his work primarily involved international terrorism, along with providing training and support to local law enforcement. “If I wasn’t in the car, I was on my way to Guinea-Bissau or some other country you had never heard of, dealing with issues that had a connection to the U.S., FBI, etc.” The time in Africa also provided an opportunity for his family to see the world, he says, adding his daughter graduated from high school in Nairobi. “That was another major reason that we took this chance is because we wanted our kids to experience something different than what you would think a normal kid from the U.S., at that time, would encounter,” he says. Investigations in Africa included hijacking of ships in Somalia, a bombing in Uganda and the 2011 kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan, an American held for ransom by Somali pirates for over three months before being rescued by Navy SEALs. “It was 24/7 living that. It was super exciting,” he says. “It was President Obama who personally called her family and let her know that she’s been recovered.” After leaving Africa, Relford served six years as assistant special agent in charge in the Kansas City office, which eventually led him to New York, where he retired after a 25year career. Relford moved back to Missouri to be near family, including two grandchildren. He says some of his past work experience applies to his new job. “I call it my second career,” he says. “A lot of the stuff I learned in the FBI being in leadership and we have budgets in the bureau – all the things that you deal with within the federal government – you also have on city government.” Noting Bolivar is on the cusp of a lot of growth, Relford says the city is facing challenges such as staffing needs and sales taxes that don’t align with the level of services and programs the city offers. To try and address that latter issue, the city has added a three-quarter cent sales tax to the April ballot. Officials estimate the tax, if passed, would annually generate $2.1 million. “It will be dedicated solely for the Fire Department and for the Police Department, and it’ll allow us to not have to worry about dipping into our reserves every year to fully fund everything that we have going on in the city,” he says. “We’re trying to stay on top of the growth.” • TAWNIE WILSON
JAN. 22-28, 2024 10 · SBJ.NET NEWS SPS board votes to close Robberson, Pershing elementary by Geoff Pickle · gpickle@sbj.net In back-to-back meetings held Jan. 16, the Springfield Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously to close Robberson Community School and the K-5 elementary section of Pershing School, a K-8 facility. At the special meetings held at Kraft Administrative Center prior to the board’s regular meeting that night, board members and district officials heard impassioned calls from residents to consider options other than closure. The staff recommendation before the board on Robberson was to close the elementary school at the end of the academic year, readjust boundaries and reassign its students to Boyd Elementary. Kevin Huffman, retired principal at Robberson, told the board members that Robberson’s wraparound services that include budget training and stress management initiatives for students and parents make the facility a true community school. “Teachers don’t want to leave Robberson. They want to get into Robberson,” he said. North Springfield Betterment Association President Jordan Cannefax spoke of the economic impact the 1100 E. Kearney St. school has on the north side of the city. “This institution is a driving force in the economic vitality of north Springfield,” Cannefax said. “The economic ripple effect will extend to businesses.” Parents of Robberson students spoke about the sense of community the school creates. “Robberson is probably the best school that you have in Springfield,” said parent Callie Coatney. “I’m a single parent with four kids, and if it wasn’t for that school, I’d be out of a job. “My kids have been to lots of schools here in Springfield, and none of them are like Robberson.” SPS’ Deputy Superintendent of Operations Travis Shaw told the board that the operational costs at Robberson are nearly $1.7 million. Robberson’s enrollment capacity of 343 students in grades K-5 is operating at 49%, with a forecast usage of 37% in 2028, according to past reporting. Speaking before the vote, board member Kelly Byrne said the successes presented at Robberson are about the people there, not the building itself. “I think that’s true with all of our buildings across the district. It’s about the people and not the buildings,” he said, noting those experiences would be able to transfer with students to Boyd. Board member Shurita Thomas-Tate agreed and also noted the cost of deferred maintenance at Robberson is too much for the district to bear. “What I know now is that Robberson is a wonderful school with wonderful kids and wonderful teachers. It’s a great community,” Thomas-Tate said. “But it’s about the people, and our teachers have the See SCHOOLS on page 25 Locally owned and operated by Doug and Andrea Windsor. ©2023 Five Star Painting SPV LLC, All rights reserved. 417-720-2376 | FiveStarPainting.com INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR PAINTING | COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL Command Family Medicine Just picked up my daughter from daycare with fever and earache. Can she be seen today? Come on by in 30 minutes and we’ll do a quick ear check in the car. ATTENTION: BUSINESS OWNERS Give your team members access to their PCP available to them via phone, email, or text and offer same or next day visits. This benefit will cut down on time off taken for employees with sick children. We will provide higher quality care at an affordable price. Your employees typically save 80-90% with wholesale prices on medications, labs and in-office procedures and will enjoy longer appointment times with the provider. COMMAND FAMILY MEDICINE Serving patients in Springfield and Branson command.md | 417-351-2900 1:12 PM provided by SPRINGFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS Unanimous decision on both schools follows impassioned community comments Robberson Community School is set to close at the end of the academic year. Kelly Byrne: School successes are brought on by people, not buildings.
JAN. 22-28, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 11 GOVERNMENT Advocating for Business by Karen Craigo · kcraigo@sbj.net As the April 2 election approaches with seven candidates vying for three seats on the Springfield Public Schools Board of Education, the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce is looking to educate its members on their positions. The chamber discontinued endorsements of school board candidates prior to the 2023 election. Instead, a forum was held in March 2023 to introduce all candidates to a live audience. Morrow said the chamber never endorsed candidates for Springfield City Council directly. “About 15 years ago, the chamber and the Home Builders Association were both concerned about the quality of the work that was happening on City Council and the lack of engagement around growth and development issues in particular,” he said. That spurred creation of the Springfield Good Government Committee political action committee in 2008, he said. “Neither of those organizations was in the business of endorsing candidates for City Council, but both wanted to help,” he said. Now, the chamber is engaged in the slow process of dissolving the PAC, which it shares with the Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield, Missouri, and which in the past provided monetary and campaign support to Springfield City Council candidates. On the most recent financial statement filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission, donations to the PAC came from local and chain businesses, ranging from roughly $100 donations by Texas Roadhouse and Locke and Stache Media LLC to $4,671 from Great Southern Bank, the highest donation of the quarter. “At the time, the big challenge was you had people who would be great members of City Council and good community servants, but they didn’t know the first thing about running a campaign and didn’t really want to,” he said. By helping with their campaigns, he said, the organization eliminated a barrier to entry into politics for those candidates. Over the PAC’s 15-year history, Morrow said checks to candidates got smaller, and the financial support they received from a broad base of supporters in the community got larger. “I think our board really evaluated that and spent a couple of years, really, thinking through that work,” he said. “The last time that the Springfield Good Government Committee was involved in elections was last year, and every candidate they endorsed and supported won.” In 2023, the Good Government Committee funded the successful campaigns of three council candidates. According to Missouri Ethics Council reports, Citizens for Ken McClure, who was elected mayor, received a monetary donation of $5,000 and three in-kind donations totaling $14,974 for research and canvassing. Citizens for Callie Carroll received a $5,000 monetary donation and in-kind contributions of $11,349 for research and canvassing. Citizens for Derek Lee also received a $5,000 donation, plus $11,349 in-kind for research and canvassing. The 2021 election also saw Good Government Committee funding for candidates, with $20,000 in monetary donations and $3,000 in-kind provided to Brent Brown for Springfield, who lost the election to Craig Hosmer; $16,000 in monetary donations and $6,500 inkind to Committee to Elect Matt Simpson; and $19,000 in monetary donations and $8,110 inkind to Committee to Elect Heather Hardinger. Citizens for Ken McClure received $20,000 in monetary donations and $3,000 in-kind. Simpson, Hardinger and McClure won in the council election. The chamber will remain active on the recruitment side, Morrow said. “We still want to recruit business-minded candidates, but the same barriers don’t exist today that existed then. There are different kinds of barriers now,” he said. Endorsements no more For Springfield school board elections, the chamber had endorsed candidates for some 20 years, ending in 2022, according to Morrow. “That was a member-driven process, and it was really driven by the fact that there were school board candidates who had kind of a single-issue focus and were really narrow in that sense, and it was hurting our ability to attract businesses here,” he said. Through endorsements, Morrow said the chamber identified for its members the candidates most in line with issues of importance to the business community. “In more recent years, what we were hearing was that the way people approach their decision-making about who they’re looking to vote for is different than the way they did it in the past,” Morrow said. “They were less interested in things going into a closed-door session with a lot of work happening and an endorsement coming out the other end.” A shift to an education-based model provided by SPRINGFIELD AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE VOTER EDUCATION Springfield chamber Education Task Force Chair Elizabeth Wente, left, and Vice Chair Sarah Hough, right, ask 2023 SPS Board of Education candidates about their positions related to business. Matt Morrow: Chamber will continue to engage in recruitment and education of candidates. Chamber changes approach to elections See ELECTIONS on page 17
12 · SBJ.NET JAN. 22-28, 2024 FOCUS GOVERNMENT You’ve been in your position since late 2022. What accomplishments have you made in the role so far? Assembling a team that brought in a dramatic change in culture. Bringing that culture of innovation, private sector mentalities when we’re dealing with the public, being empathetic to businesses that are trying to either locate here or expand their facilities in Branson, a true open for business mindset. We’ve made some key personnel changes. That really has sent a message, I think, to the business community that we really want to work with them. As far as the open for business mentality, have there been businesses that have announced expansions or openings within Branson that you feel will make a particular impact? At our last Board of Aldermen meeting, we had the final approval for a huge economic development project that’s going to bring new attractions to Branson. So, we’re always going to be primarily tourism focused. But we’re open in particular to more year-round attractions to help build on the shoulder seasons and really encourage people to come here all year round to keep that employment level consistent. The company’s name is Philcrest, and they’re bringing a huge facility called Mammoth Fieldhouse to Branson, which is going to be on Gretna Road. It probably will open in about 14 to 16 months. It’s a multirecreational facility, restaurants, libations, a Top Golf-like experience, along with some putting experiences and lots of pickleball courts. It’s the first big project that we’ve had in a long time in Branson. What about housing within that picture? More companies, more jobs equal more need for workforce housing and that’s been a struggle. There is a new apartment complex opening within the next couple of months, Bluff View Apartments. How is the city focusing on those efforts? We just had a roundtable recently with some folks from the chamber, area developers, the Springfield [Home]builders Association. First thing we have to do is, internally, we have to fix our systems and processes and make sure local government isn’t getting in the way of expediency and, of course, working within the confines of the laws and the codes that are in place. But we’ve got to make sure that we are welcoming, that we’re helping people get to yes within the confines of the rules. We’ve done a really good in-depth analysis of that, and we’ve found some of the snags. But the biggest thing is for the city to be open to incentivize. The biggest challenge we have in Branson is our geology and how expensive it is to dig underground when it’s solid rock right beneath the surface. That is many times cost prohibitive to a lot of people. So, what can we do from the city side to help offset some of those costs? We’re having real meaningful conversations with developers right now on a project-by-project basis. The door is wide open to have conversations on incentives, especially for workforce housing. J1 housing is another project that we’re working on. That should break in the spring. What are some of the incentive programs you’re looking at? Offsetting some of the utility installation costs, that really seems to be one of the most prohibitive areas. You’ve got to bore and dynamite through rock to be able to install some of those systems; we’ve got to be wide-eyed about that. I think taxpayers in Branson are going to be willing to invest in smart, good development that we’re in a shortage of right now. Branson had a record 10.2 million visitors in 2022 and 2023 was tracking to be about the same. What do you think are the biggest drivers of tourism? I’ve heard some businesses are betting on natural elements becoming more of a draw. You’re so right. The market that we’re going to be looking at tapping into more in 2024 is our potential trail development program. We want to be talking about outdoor recreation, whether it’s extreme biking or extreme trails. That’s really, I think, an untapped market for our city. And again, why fight the topography? Why not embrace it like what’s been happening in northwest Arkansas? Branson signed a sponsorship deal this summer with the Kansas City Chiefs to become the team’s official vacation destination. Tell me more about the impact that you’ve seen from that, and what was the investment to make that partnership happen? We split it 50/50 with the Taney County [Office of] Economic Development. Our investment was $600,000 per year. I’ll tell you the best thing that probably could have happened to us through all this was, as much as people might be annoyed by, it was the Travis Kelce/Taylor Swift partnering. It really exposed Branson by default to so many in Swift Nation. That’s exciting to see people starting to engage and starting to look at just Missouri, in particular, people who haven’t been NFL football fans before paying attention for the first time. Just having Branson be top of mind for people or people to just think, gosh, I’ve heard about Branson and I just don’t know what’s there. This is not your grandfather’s Branson anymore. With that $600,000 annual investment as part of a $1.2 million overall deal, how will you determine whether you are recouping your investment? Because this is not your only effort to market Branson. The Chiefs have a very sophisticated and dynamic marketing department as well. They’re going to be using their own key performance indicators to help us. But our CVB in Branson also has great tools that they can utilize to help to measure that, geofencing, all different kinds of data and tools that they’re going to be using to find how many unique visitors we’re receiving. What are your KPIs? We haven’t developed those yet. That’s something the CVB does for us. cathy stepp City Administrator, City of Branson A CONVERSATION WITH ... REBECCA GREEN Excerpts from an interview by Executive Editor Christine Temple, ctemple@sbj.net Our IT isn’t just about technology. It’s about you. 417-831-1700 / pcnetinc.com Learn More About Managed IT Services
SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 13 JAN. 22-28, 2024 FOCUS GOVERNMENT The truth about investing in election years Many investors believe they can time their investments with presidential elections and beat the stock market. The Presidential Cycle Theory is one of many versions of this approach. It was introduced by Yale Hirsch in the 2019 “Stock Trader’s Almanac,” and it claims that stock markets do poorly in the year after a presidential election because the new president is focused on fulfilling general campaign promises. Year two is similarly weak. Years three and four, the president usually is thinking about reelection, so they pivot to the economy – for example, job growth initiatives and tax proposals – designed to put more money in voters’ pockets. And therefore, markets respond favorably. Makes sense, right? According to this method, an investor should get out of the stock market during the two years after an election, and then get back in until the next election. For many presidencies preceding this theory, it seems to work. But anyone trying this after the 2008 election of Barack Obama would have missed big gains the first two years, only to see poor performance the last two years. The markets followed the same pattern during his second term. In addition to that example, the more you dig into actual results, the less this theory holds up. In fact, an October 2023 Forbes article titled “How Do Elections Affect the Stock Market?” claims the opposite of the Presidential Cycle Theory – proclaiming the first two presidential years are best, and years three and four are the bad market years. But in the end, even this article advises investors to focus on portfolio diversification, ignore short-term fluctuations in favor of long-term investing, take advantage of higher interest rates, and other tried and true investing basics – nothing about timing elections, or Christmas, or 12-month averages, or any of the many other market timing strategies that have come and gone. What about the idea that one political party or the other has the economic mojo to make stock markets purr? Statistically, there’s no difference. In fact, some market watchers tend to prefer nothing happens in Washington, D.C., based on the fair observation that politicians can tend to cause more problems than they solve. So, some say a divided, gridlocked government is best. But as always, there are enough exceptions to render that rule of thumb useless as well. We love to look for patterns, especially if we believe there will be a reward for finding them. But the capital markets are so enormous and complex, they defy all attempts to find a magic formula. Every time someone thinks they have it, it evaporates. Sometimes, it evaporates partly because someone finds a trend, word gets around, everyone piles on and the very tactic that looked like a winner is forever disrupted. Here’s the great news: You don’t need to outguess the stock market for it to grow your money. Any company strong enough to make it onto the major stock exchanges, and therefore into your investment funds, is there because it managed to profit in most economic conditions. As long as it continues to innovate and adjust to maintain profitability, its stock shares will mostly grow. If it fails to keep up, it will eventually drop out of the markets and out of your portfolio. In that way, the stock market is a self-regulating success club that will grow your money about 75% of the time. The other 25% can be troubling, but if you hold on through the downturns, markets always recover. So, you can include stock investments in your long-term financial planning without worrying about beating the market, because no one really does that consistently. And you can stop searching for that ever-elusive market timing strategy, in an election year or otherwise. Market timing simply does not work. Instead, create a budget and stick to it; save steadily based on a financial plan that you update regularly; invest to match your risk tolerance, timeline and long-term goals; and plan for sufficient stable cash sources for short- and midterm needs in case of market downturns. And of course, for other great reasons, be sure to vote. Certified financial planner Kenny Gott is president at Piatchek & Associates and author of the book “Bottom Line Financial Planning.” He can be reached at kgott@pfinancial.com. INDUSTRY INSIGHT Kenny Gott Now hiring scan or visit bit.ly/TOTHcareers 1550 E Republic Road Springfield, MO 65804 (417) 888-0645 AN EXCITING PLACE TO WORK! According to a recent independent survey. 98% EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION SCORE Electrical | Structural | Civil Land Surveying | GIS Cycle Theory The capital markets are so enormous and complex, they defy all attempts to find a magic formula.
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