FEB. 5-11, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 1 FEB. 5-11, 2024 · VOL. 44, NO. 30 $2.50 · SBJ.NET by Karen Craigo · kcraigo@sbj.net “I hope you don’t expect anything academic.” Those are the opening words from Jack Stack when he sits down for a Springfield Business Journal interview in the conference room of Drury University’s $27 million Enterprise Center that holds the Breech School of Business Administration. Stack doesn’t talk like an academic. He refers to the professors as teachers and the students as kids, and in an environment where people have been trained to weigh all aspects of an issue, he gets straight to the point. His directness is at home in the board room, but it can clank like a monkey wrench against the walls of the ivory tower. Stack, 74, is CEO and president of SRC Holdings Corp., an employee-owned remanufacturing corporation working in the agricultural, industrial, construction, marine and automotive markets. Since its founding in 1983, SRC has spun off 60 businesses and now employs 2,000 associates with a combined 4.4 million square feet of manufacturing and warehouse space. YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY SINCE 1980 NONPROFITS Hands-on volunteer opportunites build trust between agencies and donors. PAGE 11 Branson invests $6M in Chiefs partnership by Mike Cullinan · mcullinan@sbj.net A multiyear partnership inked last summer between Branson and the Kansas City Chiefs is an investment of $6.25 million from two of the city’s entities over a fiveyear period, officials say. Through the deal signed by officials with the city of Branson, Branson/Lakes Area Tourism Community Enhancement District and the Chiefs, Branson became the official vacation destination of the defending Super Bowl champions. The Chiefs are returning to the Super Bowl Feb. 11 to take on the San Francisco 49ers, seeking their third NFL championship in the past five seasons. Kirk Elmquist, executive director for the tourism district, which collects tax revenue used to market Branson and the lakes area, said the organization and city are investing $1.25 million annually – split 50/50 – over the length of the five-year partnership. He said being associated with an in-state sports organization, which is amid an unprecedented run of success on the field in its 64-year history, seemed like a natural partnership to strike for exposure with the team’s See CHIEFS on page 28 See EDUCATION on page 20 Remanufacturing Education City an early adopter of the NFL deal Jack Stack takes a turn in the great game of academia Kirk Elmquist: Branson’s marketing efforts in Chiefs deal include Kansas and Nebraska. TAWNIE WILSON INTO THE BREECH Jack Stack began a six-month term as interim dean of the Drury University Breech School of Business Administration on Jan. 1.
FEB. 5-11, 2024 2 · SBJ.NET THANK Y U! Sense of Community partners support local news coverage on KSMU Radio and Ozarks Public Television in six areas. Find Sense of Community stories and episodes at KSMU.org and OPTV.org. THE ARTS BUSINESS CIVIC ENGAGEMENT EDUCATION HEALTH SCIENCE Kaleidoscope Neighbor’s Mill Bakery & Cafe Sedalia Visitors & Convention Bureau Springfield Airport Springfield Art Museum Carnahan Evans Central Bank of the Ozarks/ Central Trust Company Justice Jewelers Larson & Miller Injury Law Mid-Missouri Bank The Coffee Ethic category available! Citizens Memorial Hospital & Foundation Mattax Neu Prater Eye Center Synergy Recovery & Counseling Centers Classic Wood Floors Sunbelt Environmental Services/ Sunbelt Solar Wild Birds Unlimited
FEB. 5-11, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 3 CONTENTS by Karen Craigo · kcraigo@sbj.net A local development group is working on a 20-acre commercial development in Ozark. The site is on undeveloped land just east of U.S. Highway 65 across South Street/Missouri Route 14 from the Ozark Town Center, the site of Walmart, Lowe’s and smaller retailers. Developer Brad Thessing of Thessing Commercial Properties LLC confirmed he is negotiating with multiple national retail tenants and has letters of intent signed after about a year of planning. He declined to disclose names of the companies, saying he prefers to let companies make their own announcements. He said the area was ripe for commercial development in the growing city. “[Highway] 65 carries a lot of traffic, and the site is in close proximity to a lot of different areas of the city,” he said. He said the plan is typical of large retail developments, with food services, general retail, medical offices, grocery and hospitality tenants, as well as a hotel. He said quick-service restaurants, small shops and larger retail could be among the offerings. The Missouri Department of Transportation is currently at work on a $30.3 million project that will widen U.S. Highway 65 in Ozark to six lanes – three in each direction – between Christian County routes CC/J and Route F, according to MoDOT’s website. An auxiliary lane is planned to be added in each direction to connect interchange ramps between routes 14 and F. The project is slated for completion in November 2025. Additionally, Thessing said the city and county have approved a plan to expand South Street to five lanes, including a turning lane. He said the three-way stoplight in front of Ozark Town Center will become a fourway stoplight leading to an interior road in the new development. The new infrastructure helped pave the way for the development. “It’s a great location with a lot of new infrastructure,” Thessing said. “Infrastructure is massively important to developments and tenants in terms of traffic flow.” Ozark Interim City Administrator Ben DeClue said the city previously invested $4 million for South Street infrastructure work, including A Conversation With ... CFO leader Winter Kinne details a new giving circle that is on pace to raise $250,000 this year. page 12 Nonprofits Open for Business A music therapy center relocates to a central part of Drury University’s campus. page 4 Spotlight A southwest Missouri business takes hunters on safari for “hunt and release” experiences. page 6 40 Under 40 SBJ reveals the 2024 class of young professional honorees. page 8 No Ceiling Heather Lyons-Burney talks about starting the first charitable pharmacy in the state in the latest episode of this women leadership podcast. page 9 Moxie Cinema’s longtime leader plans exit by April by Mike Cullinan · mcullinan@sbj.net The final credits are set to roll this spring on Mike Stevens’s time as executive director of downtown mainstay Moxie Cinema. Stevens has led the cinema best known for showing independent films since 2010 – the same year nonprofit Downtown Springfield Community Cinema Inc. was formed to purchase the theater from founders Dan and Nicole Chilton. The couple opened the Moxie in 2005. After nearly 14 years at the helm, Stevens said he’s “ready for something new, like a new project, new challenge.” Plans call for a late April exit. “I’m going to miss being Moxie Mike, being the guy who’s kind of recognized for doing this, and you get some respect for that,” he said. “That’s going to be hard to let go, but I feel like I’ve been in it almost too long. Somebody else should get a shot at being Moxie TBD.” The Moxie’s volunteer board of directors is seeking a new leader for the movie theater at 305 S. Campbell Ave., Ste. 101. The application period for first consideration of the position concluded Jan. 31, but board president Stephanie Stenger said there is no hard deadline for finding a replacement for Stevens. She declined to disclose the number of applicants. “If he’s leaving the end of April, we hope to have the spot filled before that because we want Mike to be able to train,” she said. Stevens said giving the board several months’ notice should provide adequate time to find and train the next director. “Whether it’s operations, whether it’s finances, I’m just here to make sure that whoever I hand the baton to is kind of ready,” he said, adding the Chiltons helped him learn the job when he was hired in 2010. Timed exit Stevens said leaving the Moxie has been on his mind for a few years. “I’d been thinking about it for two or three years, but really the pandemic was no time to do that,” he said. “More recently, it just seemed like we were in a place where the ticket sales were starting to see some improvement, and we were on a good trajectory, and membership was doing well. TAWNIE WILSON MOXIE MOVEMENT Moxie Cinema’s board of directors, led by President Stephanie Stenger, right, is seeking a new executive director for the nonprofit art house theater as current leader Mike Stevens plans to depart this spring. See MOXIE on page 19 See OZARK on page 22 Move comes amid ticket sales uptick and theater membership dip City is peppered with residential, industrial and governmental projects 20-acre retail development coming to Ozark 14 Number of lots advertised in development area
FEB. 5-11, 2024 4 · SBJ.NET NEWS By Mike Cullinan, Reporter New business, new location, new owner? Send your info to newbusiness@sbj.net Center for Music Therapy and Wellness After opening a Nixa office in 2021, independent brokerage Gateway Real Estate added a second location on Sept. 28 in Republic at 229 U.S. Highway 60 West. Joy Bray, who co-owns the agency with business partner Ryan Kell, declined to disclose startup costs or the rate of the five-year lease they signed with landlord Lee McLean III. Gateway originally formed in 2015, when Bray and Kell worked with Keller Williams Greater Springfield. The owners have a combined 25 years in the real estate industry. Bray said Republic’s growth in population, businesses and single-family home construction were motivators to open an office in the town which is located in Greene County and a portion of Christian County. The 500-squarefoot office includes a reception area and conference room, Bray said, adding the 21-employee Gateway Real Estate serves the greater Springfield area and lists residential properties. A group of restaurateurs launched Mythical ’Wich LLC on Dec. 22. The sandwich shop that also offers all-day breakfast is located in downtown Branson at 113 E. Main St. The venture is owned by Brad Leighninger, Derrick Melugin, Jason Roberts and Tammy Zachary, the group behind Hollister pub Downing Street Pour House and barbecue restaurant chain Gettin’ Basted, which has locations in Branson and Nixa. The four also are franchisees in Lubbock, Texas-based Bahama Buck’s, a tropical-themed shaved ice concept they opened on Highway 76 in September 2023. Zachary said Mythical ’Wich’s startup costs were $120,000, adding the owners signed a five-year lease for $7,000 per month with landlord Nathan Maurer. The sandwich lineup at the 18-employee, 2,500-square-foot Mythical ’Wich includes The Cyclops, which is a meatball sub, and Holy Hand Grenade, a house-made pastrami hash covered in cheese, sauce and a fried egg. Sandwich and breakfast options range $10-$18. The Center for Music Therapy and Wellness LLC relocated its clinic Jan. 2 to a new location on the Drury University campus. Founded in 2002 as a private practice and student training facility, owner Julie Cassity, who also is a clinical instructor at Drury, said the center moved to Springfield Hall at 900 N. Benton Ave. to be a more central part of the campus and enhance accessibility. It formerly was at 1312 N. Benton Ave. in Congregational Hall. Cassity declined to disclose relocation and renovation costs or lease terms with Drury. The university-affiliated clinic employing eight occupies 3,000 square feet and has board-certified music therapists who work with clients including children with developmental disabilities, older adults, veterans and individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. She said the therapists serve over 300 clients weekly on and off campus in individual and group sessions, and she added Drury students also can work under the therapists’ supervision while pursuing their music therapy degrees. ☎ 417-873-7877 CenterForMusicTherapyAndWellness.com Gateway Real Estate Mythical ’Wich ☎ 417-241-6565 GatewayMo.com ☎ 417-544-0245 MythicalWich.com OPEN FOR BUSINESS Julie Cassity KATELYN EGGER LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED BY DOUG & ANDREA WINDSOR © 2023 Five Star Painting SPV LLC. All rights Reserved. Commercial & Residential Painting 417.720.2376 FiveStarPainting.com
FEB. 5-11, 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 Accounting Brian Collier of KPM CPAs & Advisors earned his certified public accounting license through the American Institute of CPAs and was promoted to senior with the firm. Specializing in tax services, he holds a bachelor’s in accounting from Missouri State University. Compound Planning – a digital family office for entrepreneurs, professionals and retirees – hired CPA Kristin Carter as head of tax advisory. She previously worked as senior vice president and chief tax officer for Central Trust Co. and has 16 years of tax compliance and planning experience. Banking & Finance The Ozark Highlands Group of Morgan Stanley was named to Forbes’ 2024 list of America’s Best In-State Wealth Management Teams. In partnership with Shook Research, the selections are based on in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings to measure best practices, client retention, industry experience, credentials and compliance, as well as assets under management and revenue. Equipment Elkins-Swyers Co. Inc. hired Brendan Sebern as customer relations manager and product specialist. He has eight years of industry experience in voter election products and services. Health Care Citizens Memorial Hospital hired April Donovan as a family nurse practitioner at the Ash Grove Family Medical Center. With 16 years of industry experience, she also provides health care services to long-term care residents of the Ash Grove Healthcare Facility and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from South Dakota State University. Law Carnahan Evans PC appointed Shawn P. Battagler and James E. Meadows as shareholders. With a practice focused on corporate and rural electric cooperative law, Battagler has experience as a managing member of Andereck Evans LLC, where he practiced 1999-2022, and he holds a Juris Doctor and bachelor’s in political science from University of Missouri-Columbia. Meadows is a member of the firm’s litigation and business law groups and holds a Juris Doctor from University of Missouri-Columbia and a bachelor’s in political science and government from Drury University. Marketing ADsmith Marketing & Advertising promoted Hillary West to vice president of media services/client relations and Amy Hietter to director of brand strategy. West has 20 years of experience with the firm and is responsible for directing traditional media services with the marketing and creative team, leading assigned accounts, establishing financial goals, and mentoring and acquiring new talent. Hietter, in her second stint at ADsmith – working for a national firm in between, leads team members in strategic planning and branding, and creates and executes marketing plans for clients. Nonprofit Nixa Area Chamber of Commerce named its 2024 board officers and added board members: Rich Callahan of 14 Mill Market, president; Summer Lampe of Xtreme Exteriors, vice president; Kristen Haseltine of Show Me Christian County, secretary; David Liss of Nixa Public Schools, treasurer; and Eric Albers of Insight Design Architects and Tricia Chapman of Nixa Public Schools, directors. NEWSMAKERS Send announcements to newsmakers@sbj.net Donovan Meadows Hietter West Haseltine Sebern Collier Battagler Carter Community leadership starts here. Drury University’s Master of Nonprofit and Civic Leadership can be completed in 18-24 months through online and synchronous courses. You will learn from highly qualified faculty and community leaders. Applied learning will elevate your approach to leadership, problem solving and nonprofit advocacy. Learn more about the program at drury.edu/MNCL BE THE CHANGE Earn your Master of Nonprofit and Civic Leadership College of Graduate Studies CORRECTION The Civil Rights Act forbids discrimination, harassment and retaliation within private businesses based upon a team member’s religion or national origin. An editing error in the Jan. 15 column, titled “Minimum wage, joint employer lead law changes in early ’24,” misapplied the law’s application to federally funded programs and activities.
FEB. 5-11, 2024 6 · SBJ.NET by Amanda Layman · Contributing Writer The concept of H.A.R.T. hunting is structured just like regular hunting, with one key difference: It doesn’t result in a dead animal. The concept arose when brothers-in-law Michael Croston and David Telle of Ava were on a bear hunt in Yaak, Montana, talking about how “hunt and release” may one day replace full-harvest hunting. Croston, an avid hunter, guide and cattle rancher, had enjoyed hunting from a young age – but had no need for the resulting surplus of meat and couldn’t continue to justify killing large animals. “I just got burned out on it,” he recalls. “But the hunt has always been in me.” Croston pitched the concept of a hunt and release business to Telle, and Telle said, “I think you should do it.” Starting in 2020, Croston spent a year researching ways to simulate a full-harvest hunting experience outdoors. After extensive trial and error, he developed the H.A.R.T. system. H.A.R.T. stands for Hunt and Release Technique, a patented method of hunting that shoots blanks and uses cameras mounted on traditional weapon systems to gauge the accuracy of each shot. “If you’re skilled enough to get close to the animal and the crosshairs are on the vitals, when you make the shot, that’s a successful H.A.R.T. hunt,” says Croston. The U.S. hunting and trapping industry, at $923.9 million in annual revenue, has decreased over the past five years due to negative stigma and consumer disinterest, according to IBISWorld data. “The hunting community is declining,” says Telle, who believes H.A.R.T. hunting is one way to keep the tradition and industry alive. Hunters have played a major role in conservation efforts in the United States. It’s especially true in regard to the deer population, which, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, often grows too quickly for the habitat to support it. However, the practice of hunting large, often endangered animals, is counterproductive to conservation – and that’s where a business like H.A.R.T. hopes to make a difference. By giving hunters access to big game hunting experiences without harming animals, H.A.R.T. empowers seasoned pros and a new generation of hunters to enjoy the hobby in a new way. Africa’s influence Croston originally launched Big H.A.R.T. Adventures as an informative website where people could learn about the H.A.R.T. technique and buy merchandise. Meanwhile, a separate site, HartHunts.com, was designed to enable hunters to connect with landowners where they could conduct hunts. “Then I went to Africa, and everything changed,” says Croston. With its massive biodiversity and high number of animal species, Africa is a hunter’s paradise – but traditional full-harvest hunting presents conservation issues. Further, photo tourism is good for the economy in these countries, but the environmental impact of transporting, guiding and feeding photo tourists presents challenges as well. “H.A.R.T. bridges that gap by bringing in a new demographic at a higher price point than photo tourism and lower than full harvest. It utilizes more private land than public land, which is getting hit hard by photo tourism,” says Croston. Croston currently is sustaining the business with revenue generated by the guided hunting tourism side of the business, i.e. Big H.A.R.T. Hunts in Africa, while developing a H.A.R.T. Hunts app that will connect landowners to hunters all over the world and will gamify the experience of H.A.R.T. hunting. Customers can find and book experiences on the Big H.A.R.T. Adventures website using a range of search filters: animal, location, fee, date range, fitness level and hunting method. Hunts range from $5,000 for five days in South Africa to $45,000 for 21 days, and others depending on the duration and type of hunt, including hippopotamus, leopard and cape buffalo. H.A.R.T. gives customers access to global hunting locations and experiences, often in South Africa. H.A.R.T. hunts reduce effort, time and cost to hunters as well. According to Telle, the typical startup costs for a new hunter can be $1,000 or more, which includes a rifle, scope, ammunition, license, hunter safety program, and the fuel and food needed on the hunt. “You get the entire hunt but don’t have to gut the animal, quarter it up, pack it out, and carry it for miles,” he says of the H.A.R.T. experiences. Digital gaming Since its launch in 2021, Big H.A.R.T. Adventures has run relatively smoothly, Croston says, with revenue tallying $300,000 last year. H.A.R.T. acts as a tool to connect hosts and hunters with experiences and the H.A.R.T. hunting technology. One challenge for Croston was getting the website up and running. As a rancher, he quips, “I’m more comfortable around cattle than computers,” so hiring and working with the right development team was critical. They settled on Springfield-based Moonbeam Development. Croston’s plan for the H.A.R.T. mobile app includes virtual trophy rooms for hunters to share their successes with others. “It’s going to be a game-changer, where hunters can have a record of their trips that they’ll remember forever,” says Croston. But despite the business potential for these ventures, Croston is primarily focused on simply providing access to more opportunities for outdoor recreation for people who don’t have the luxury of owning land or being near public land. “We are at a turning point concerning wildlife management,” he says, referencing human population growth, habitat loss and increasing public acceptance of sport hunting. Croston believes H.A.R.T. is the future of wildlife-related recreation. “This business is about providing opportunity – to readily find a place to escape modern-day life and be within oneself,” he says. “Testing your physical and mental strength, decompressing from the week, and enjoying and appreciating nature and the natural world are all benefits.” • BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Big Hunt, No Harm Big H.A.R.T. Enterprise LLC dba H.A.R.T. Hunts Owner: Michael Croston Founded: 2021 Phone: 406-851-1314 and 833-475-5550 Web: BigHartAdventures.com and HartHunts.com Email: hartteam@bighartadventures.com and info@harthunts.com Services/Products: Hunt and release experiences and a hosting platform for landowners to rent their land to hunters 2023 Revenue: $300,000 Employees: 3 Michael Croston: Next up is app virtually connecting landowners with hunters. Southwest Missourian introduces ‘hunt and release’ concept to safari hunters provided by H.A.R.T. HUNTS provided by H.A.R.T. HUNTS H.A.R.T. Hunts takes guests on “hunt and release” adventures, often in South Africa.
NEWS FEB. 5-11, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 7 by Geoff Pickle · gpickle@sbj.net The leadership of Mission University has its eyes on the future with a recent rebranding announcement. The north-side Springfield higher education institution on Jan. 25 unveiled its name change from Baptist Bible College. Indiana-based Caylor Solutions served as consultant for the naming process, which yielded around 11 ideas before the choice of Mission University, said college President Mark Milioni, noting Springfield branding and marketing firm Longitude LLC worked on the school’s new branding design. “It sets us up for the future,” Milioni said in an interview with Springfield Business Journal after the announcement, noting the new name reflects a desire to attract a broader Christian audience. “Our name kept our pool of potential students to kind of a small group. It’s an opportunity for us to open the door to a lot more people.” The 75-year-old Christian school that partners with the Baptist Bible Fellowship International currently has 360 students. That’s down from 371 in the fall, but Milioni said the numbers are encouraging. “Most colleges have a 10%- 20% loss, so we actually did pretty good this year,” he said of attrition between the fall and spring semesters. Milioni said students at Mission University typically choose from around 25 degree programs offered through its three major divisions: ministry studies, the college of education and the college of business. “The trustees, faculty and students are excited to be a part of this next chapter in the school’s history, as it continues to attract students seeking higher education within a variety of fields,” said Benjamin Newhouse, a member of Mission University’s 10-member board of trustees, via email. Students also have the opportunity to utilize partnerships Mission University has with schools like Indiana Wesleyan University and Cox College, allowing them to further expand their education while living at Mission’s 628 E. Kearney St. campus. That’s one of the selling points, he said, for students and parents alike. “Most of our students, a majority of our students, are from small towns and small high schools,” Milioni said, noting parents like the idea of a Christian institution with NOT-FOR-PROFIT COOPERATIVE FINANCIAL INSTITUTION 417-895-2770 foundationcreditunion.com Contact us today! Serving you since 1933 Local The north-side Springfield school unveils a new name and campus renovation plans Baptist Bible College makes way for Mission University TAWNIE WILSON Mission University President Mark Milioni says students and their parents are drawn to the school for its Christian-based values. Benjamin Newhouse: Name change better reflects the school’s transformation over the years. See MISSON on page 29
FEB. 5-11, 2024 8 · SBJ.NET NEWS SBJ unveils new class of 40 Under 40 by SBJ Staff · sbj@sbj.net Springfield Business Journal’s 2024 class of 40 Under 40 represents 40 accomplished and still-rising professionals in southwest Missouri. Since its 1999 debut, the awards program has honored individuals under the age of 40 for their professional and civic work. This year’s honorees, in alphabetical order, are Haley Armstrong, Next Level Solutions; James Ballard, Commerce Trust Co.; Brandi Bartell, Phoenix Home Care & Hospice; Josh Beaird, The Whitlock Co. LLP; Josh Beecher, Josh Beecher Studios LLC; Jessica Bower, Springfield Little Theatre; Haiden Bowman, Mercer Global Advisors Inc.; Taylor Bryson, Nixa Public Schools and Boys Choir of Springfield; James Case, City Utilities of Springfield; Lisa Cillessen, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Pharmacy and Jordan Valley Community Health Center; Jared Davis, Own Inc.; Drew Douglas, city of Nixa; Heather Finnell, Citizens Memorial Hospital; Rachel Fortenberry, Fortified Elder Law LLC; Thomas Ganaden, State Bank of Southwest Missouri; Abby Glenn, Central Bank in Springfield; Victoria Gorham, Grooms Office Environments; Jana Greig, Burrell Behavioral Health and Brightli Inc.; Whitney Grieshaber, Ozarks Technical Community College; Ricky G. Haase, Olsson Inc.; Jessica Harmison-Olson, Maxon Fine Jewlery; Colten Harris, city of Springfield; Alexandra Henson, Carnahan Evans PC; A. Breanna Jain, Eustasis Psychiatric & Addiction Health; Brandon Jenson, Missouri Department of Economic Development; Brandon Keene, Springfield Police Department; Colby Keeth, Spectrum Accounting LLC; Tom Masterson, Springfield Public Schools; Hannah McClelland Ruder, Hannah McClelland Media LLC; Nick Meinhardt, Mercy Springfield Communities; Elise Mitchell, Therapist Support Network LLC; Crystal Monahan, InSite Interior Planning & Design; Ryan Morris, CoxHealth; Sunni Nutt, Essential Yoga Studio LLC and Boys & Girls Club of Springfield Inc.; Dakota Paris, Douglas, Haun & Heidemann PC; Hannah Porter, Walnut Grove Schools; Matthew Sibet, Reliable Toyota-Lexus-BMW-Audi Superstore; Ashley Silva, Community Foundation of the Ozarks Inc.; Sara Walraven, CASA of Southwest Missouri; and Kirsten Whitehead, Paragon Architecture LLC. The new class will be celebrated during a 5:30 p.m. ceremony April 2 at White River Conference Center. • This year’s honorees were selected by an independent panel of judges: • Alyea Alldredge, executive director of the Mercy Health Foundation and a 2023 Most Influential Women honoree. • Jimmy Liles, Nixa city administrator and a 2023 Men of the Year honoree. • Stephanie Matthews, vice president and business development officer at Simmons Bank and a 2023 Most Influential Women honoree. • Genevieve Nelson, therapist with Counseling Solutions LLC, adjunct faculty at Missouri State University and a 2023 40 Under 40 honoree. • Zac Rantz, chief communication officer for Nixa Public Schools, a 2012 Men of the Year honoree and 2015 Dynamic Dozen sales and marketing executive honoree. Meet the Judges Liles Nelson Rantz Alldredge Matthews 2024 Springfieldian goes to Ollis The businessperson and civic leader receives award during the Springfield chamber’s annual meeting by Geoff Pickle · gpickle@sbj.net Businessperson and civic leader Richard Ollis is this year’s recipient of the Springfieldian Award, an honor given annually to an individual with strong community service, excellence in their field and dedication to improving quality of life for Queen City residents. The award presented Jan. 26 marked the culmination of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting at the Oasis Hotel & Convention Center. The Springfieldian Award is the chamber’s top honor, and Ollis joins past recipients that include attorney and community volunteer Joe Carmichael, Great Southern Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq: GSBC) President and CEO Joe Turner, developer Warren Davis, Springfield Underground leader Louis Griesemer and Hamra Enterprises founder Sam Hamra. Speaking on stage at the event, Ollis credited his time after high school in the U.S. Navy for preparing him on his career path. “When I was out on the John F. Kennedy washing dishes and cleaning bathrooms, I couldn’t have imagined being here tonight,” he said. Ollis also thanked his family and his team at Ollis/Akers/Arney, for which he serves as CEO. The multigenerational insurance firm was founded in 1885. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned along the way, it’s to surround yourself with great people and be supportive of them,” he said at the event. “If we’re supportive of one another, we can make our community great.” Speaking in an interview with Springfield Business Journal after the chamber’s annual meeting, Ollis encouraged those who are early in their careers to push for excellence, even if honors like the Springfieldian Award appear out of reach. “We all go through life’s journey. It’s pretty amazing to me as I look back that that happened,” he said. “I just happened to be at the right place at the right time with a little bit of initiative and ambition.” At Ollis/Akers/Arney, Ollis succeeded his now-retired father, Ron, in various leadership roles along the way. “He is very fond of Springfield, Missouri, and the surrounding community,” Ron Ollis said in a video that played at the event prior to the announcement. “I think he wants to improve the community the best he can.” Richard Ollis recently completed his tenure as a twoterm member of Springfield City Council. He’s a founding board member of the Restore SGF homeownership initiative, and he’s served as past board chair for the Springfield chamber and on boards such as the Springfield-Branson National Airport, Commerce Bank and the Safety Council of the Ozarks. Mayor Ken McClure was among those interviewed for the video played at the event. He said Ollis has three qualities that make him deserving of the Springfieldian Award. “The first that I found is a vision,” McClure said. “The second is the ability to articulate that vision, and finally the ability to figure out what steps need to be taken to carry out the vision.” Ollis spoke of his time on council in an April 2023 SBJ article. He said he considers an overarching win of his time on council that body’s focus on quality of place. That theme informed the $26 million Grant Avenue Parkway project to create a multimodal north-south route from Bass Pro Shops to downtown, as well as the daylighting of Jordan Valley Creek and the planning that is underway at Lake Springfield. “I’m proud of our efforts, both publicly and privately, to create a quality of place that people want to live, work and raise their family in,” he said at the time. The annual Springfieldian recipient is chosen by a selection committee at the chamber after nominations are submitted. • provided by SPRINGFIELD AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Richard Ollis accepts the award during the Springfield chamber’s annual meeting, held Jan. 26 at Oasis Hotel & Convention Center.
FEB. 5-11, 2024 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. Heather Lyons-Burney is my guest this week. She was one of the founders of Faith Community Heath and My Neighbor’s Charitable Pharmacy. She’s also a clinical associate professor at the UMKC School of Pharmacy. Heather was the first pharmacy resident at CoxHealth – and she’s continued blazing trails throughout her career. In 2021, she led the efforts to develop the first charitable pharmacy in the state. She says there are many challenges in the pharmacy industry, but she’s optimistic that a charitable model could be a part of the solution. In this conversation, Heather talks about her passion for helping patients and how she’s driven by curiosity. Below is an excerpt from the start of our conversation. —Christine Temple, Executive Editor Christine Temple: Last year, you joined a prestigious group of local philanthropists by receiving the Humanitarian of the Year award from Community Foundation of the Ozarks, and that was for your work creating My Neighbor’s Charitable Pharmacy in Branson. What is a charitable pharmacy, and what was the need that you saw that made you want to go on this journey? Heather Lyons-Burney: I was a founder for Faith Community Health clinic, which is a clinic that helps to take care of those who are uninsured, primarily in and around the Branson community. So, you think about a tourist-driven economy, and a lot of people either aren’t offered insurance or are unable to take advantage of their employers’ insurance due to income restrictions. A community group came together, developed Faith Community Health as a primary care solution. From the beginning we felt that it was important to have team-based care and to offer prescription medications. You can diagnose all day long, but if they can’t afford the medicine, you’ve done nothing. We started investigating other states: What’s happening in other states with this type of charitable model? We realized that Missouri didn’t have this kind of model. There was no way to designate it as a charitable pharmacy, meaning that you don’t charge for medications and you don’t bill insurance. The Missouri Board of Pharmacy was very amazing, very supportive, and said, we love what you’re doing and what you want to do; we just don’t have the regulations for this. We worked with our legislators, we worked with that Board of Pharmacy, and we were able to help put together language – got passed in 2021, like the easiest thing ever to get passed through the legislature. [Laughs] In February of 2023, we’re able to open the state’s first Class Q charitable pharmacy. We are the first in the state, and as of right now, I believe, the only one in the state. It’s kind of a big lift. This isn’t an easy thing to turn on because you’re never making money. You really need that community support behind it and a willing group of people to make it go. Temple: This whole concept is an entrepreneurial idea, but like you said, it doesn’t make the profit. What really drove you to say, I want to make this happen; I want to take this on for the benefit of others? Lyons-Burney: I love that you said that it’s an entrepreneurial idea because I talk to my students about that, too. It doesn’t have to be this great Silicon Valley idea or this amazing TikTok whatever. It can be something that benefits your community. I started my career as a pharmacist, and I did residency training, worked in the hospital at Cox afterwards, loved every minute of that. Had the opportunity with my husband to then own and operate what started as one and ended as three community pharmacies. Even from the beginning, I had a lot of people that just gave me autonomy and freedom and leash and to say, yeah, go for it if you want to try this. I wasn’t necessarily afraid to fail. As I go back, my parents were young parents when I was born, they weren’t college educated, just hardworking people, but supportive, and kind of gave me that leash. I was the oldest, too. That kind of led to that spirit of, well, let’s just go for it. I really recognized from the neonatal unit, my experience there to my community pharmacies, recognizing that it was hard sometimes for people to get access to medications and to take them and access to primary care. That helped develop the clinic in recognizing that we have to treat that whole person again. You got to give them the medication and give them the why behind it. All we’re doing is giving people those tools. I have seen just amazing transformation in patients that literally have come full circle in their health because of the tools. LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE: SBJ.net/NoCeiling or wherever you find your podcasts UP NEXT: Alex Erwin Susan G. Komen PRESENTED BY HEATHER LYONS-BURNEY Faith Community Heath and My Neighbor’s Charitable Pharmacy TAWNIE WILSON Leadership Spotlight I am a firm believer that you do not have to be a manager (or even want to be a manager) to be a leader. You can lead in any role because inspiring others is not exclusive to those with a manager title. Take the initiative to help a peer if you see them struggling, communicate with your manager that you’d like to mentor a new hire, or advocate for someone and their ideas when they aren’t even in the room. AmericanNational.com Katie Little Director, P&C Training & Development SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 9
FEB. 5-11, 2024 10 · SBJ.NET NEWS Which product should get the 2024 Voters’ Choice Award? Go to SBJ.net/CoolestThings or scan the QR code to cast your vote, purchase tickets and get additional event information! VOTE NOW! A. RexRover, 27 North Inc. B. Adventure Badges, All Roads Taken LLC C. Davao, Philippines White Chocolate Bar, Askinosie Chocolate LLC D. Classic Pepper Jelly, College of the Ozarks E. Custom cabinets, closets and millwork, Concepts by Design Inc. F. XR550 Intrusion, Access Control and Fire Alarm Panel, Digital Monitoring Products Inc. G. Adventure Journal, Grimbeard Leather H. Outlaw Run Ice Cream, Hiland Dairy Foods Co. LLC I. Signal cantilever, L&W Industries LLC J. Limousines, executive vans and buses, Limo Land Inc. K.The Automated Captioning Engine Series, Link Electronics Inc. L. Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey, Missouri Ridge Distillery LLC M. Materfamilias Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout, Mother’s Brewing Co. LLC N. Billet Aluminum Engine Block, Point One LLC O. Jewelweed Bar Soap, Tunetti Natural Soap P. Single-origin coffee, The Coffee Ethic LLC Join us in celebrating the Coolest Things Made in the Ozarks and Plant Manager of the Year: Carl Kicklighter, Director of Plant Operations, Vital Farms, Inc. Supporting Sponsor: Consulting Sponsor: PURCHASE TICKETS Feb. 29 | 5:30 PM Barley House at Moon Town Crossing A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P 2024 PRESENTED BY
FEB. 5-11, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 11 NONPROFITS by Karen Craigo · kcraigo@sbj.net Locally, over 3,000 charitable organizations are vying for donor dollars and volunteer hours to support their missions. Dan Prater, senior managing consultant with FORVIS LLP, noted the importance of getting their message out. “It’s critical,” said Prater. “There’s a sea of nonprofits, and even the best are not necessarily understood.” People may know an organization helps children, he said, but they may not know there are distinctions among the missions of Big Brothers Big Sisters and Boys & Girls Clubs, for instance. “They may have similar demographic reach, but they often do something di erent or have a special nuance,” he said. Cause IQ, a company that researches nonprofits, pegs the number of nonprofits in the Springfield metropolitan statistical area at 3,102 as of January. Those organizations employ 35,616 people, Cause IQ reports, and they bring in more than $6 billion in revenue each year with combined assets of $10 billion. Some of those nonprofits are large, like CoxHealth and Convoy of Hope. Organizations with less than $1 million in revenue make up 2.2% of combined nonprofit revenues, while those with more than $100 million in revenue account for 70.4% of nonprofit earnings, Cause IQ finds. To gain a portion of the community’s annual spend, the organizations must first gain donors’ trust. “With trust, you can do anything,” said Greg Burris, president and CEO of United Way of the Ozarks. “Without trust, everything is four times harder. Nonprofits are constantly working to build and maintain trust.” Case study A January Facebook post by Castaway Animals Rescue E ort reported a crisis. “If it’s convenient, can you please bring by a bag of cat litter?” the post asked. “We are at near-critical levels at the adoption center AND the sanctuary and would love to avoid dipping into our emergency rescue funding if possible.” The post included photos of three sweetfaced cats the donation would benefit: Pancake, Sabrina and Khari. Less than a week later in the adoption center, CARE communication manager Rob Hardy gestured to a 5-foot pile of litter bags in the storage area. Donors had come through with multiple stacks of 40-pound bags – but wouldn’t cash have been more convenient? Not really, Hardy said. “We would much rather the community be able to help out when they can,” he said. “A lot of the supporters do come in from time to time to help, and when they do, then that gives them a little extra motivation. It’s always nice seeing some of our CARE alumni come through here.” On the scene since 1992, CARE’s supporters have had many chances to see its mission up close. “There are so many ways people can be part of our organization,” he said. “We try to make it as easy as possible, because we are not city or state funded, and everything we do is from donations.” CARE has an annual budget of about $150,000, he said, and its main goal is to rescue animals from death row at Springfield-Greene County Animal Control. Its website says that tallies up to about 1,000 animals each year. While other rescues take in abandoned or stray animals from the general public, CARE does not. “Our primary e ort is for the animals that are about to be euthanized,” Hardy said. “We remain at capacity.” CARE has a clear story to tell, and its social media pages are filled with personality profiles and pictures of adoptable animals, plus photos of families leaving the adoption center with a new member in tow. Di erentiators Prater said it is important for a nonprofit to define what makes it di erent but also to communicate its unique value proposition. He cited the findings of a Stanford University study completed a couple of years ago. “High-net-worth individuals tend to give money to organizations they think they know the most about,” Prater said. “People don’t give to organizations they’ve never heard of, and they don’t give to organizations they’ve heard of but don’t understand.” According to the Community Foundation of the Ozarks’ 2023 “Shaping Tomorrow” study in partnership with Habitat Communication and Culture LLC, 88% of donors said transparency is important to their decision to support an organization. Additionally, 89% of respondents indicated that it is important for them to trust nonprofits will e ectively use their funds before they make a decision to give. To connect with donors, Prater said, an organization must be clear about why it exists, what it’s doing and why people should care. Burris said there are generational di erences to giving, with younger donors wanting to be involved in the mission. “We tend to find the younger generations want to have an experience. They don’t want to write a check and send it in and say, ‘I’ve done my part,’” he said. Data show trust is on the decline among younger donors. Research published in the Chronicle of Philanthropy in 2022 says only 47% of Gen Z trust nonprofits, compared with 67% of Baby Boomers – highlighting the importance of the challenge in messaging for charitable organizations. Burris says nonprofits must tell their own story. “Any nonprofit that doesn’t understand how to tell its story well is probably at risk,” he said. Prater said nonprofits face steep challenges. “They aren’t public relations specialists. Building Trust Nonprofits must communicate their value proposition, industry expert says SeeTRUST on page 17 REBECCA GREEN HELPING THE HELPLESS CARE volunteer Marilyn Williams cuddles one of the youngest recipients of nonprofit services – a yet-unnamed 2-day-old retriever puppy.
12 · SBJ.NET FEB. 5-11, 2024 FOCUSNONPROFITS What is the Community Foundation of the Ozarks’ Generosity Collective? It is a high-impact giving circle. If folks are not familiar with the concept of a giving circle, that’s not something that Community Foundation created. It means that it is several unrelated parties all contributing a little bit to a charitable fund and then collectively giving their money away. Giving circles are a growing trend nationally. Tell me about some of the stipulations, like the annual investment and how many folks can be a part of it? We are capping membership at 100 members this first year, and it is a $2,500 membership or donation. As of (Feb. 1), we have roughly 46 [members]. Because it is coming to Community Foundation, it’s a charitable contribution to be part of the Generosity Collective. We are modeling this after a really successful e ort born out of our Joplin Regional Community Foundation called the Philanthropic Society. They are about four and a half, five years ahead of us here in Springfield. Similar structure, same membership amount. They also originally had capped it at 100 members; they now have a waiting list. The idea of giving circles, as you mentioned, is a rising trend. Philanthropy Together is tracking those, and they believe there are about 2,500 giving circles in the U.S., and that growth has really been over the past couple decades. They think it’s going to get to 3,000 by next year. Why is this a popular way to give? One, I think people are more opinionated about the way that they give or what they want to give to than maybe they were even 15 or 20 years ago. We all have more information at our fingertips than we used to have. With giving circles, you very much have a stake in the group that’s getting your money, so you have a vote; you have a voice. At $2,500, if we were to get 100 members, [that’s] $250,000, I can’t give $250,000 away; I can’t give $25,000 away. But being able to contribute something that I can, and then collectively to be able to give large chunks away, you see a higher impact. For nonprofits, my hope is that it encourages a di erent kind of giver. Also, larger chunks of money being granted to our nonprofits is a good thing. It’s sometimes just as much work for a $500, $1,000, $2,000 donation as it is for a $20,000, $25,000, $50,000 donation. In addition to annual funding, I read on the website 10% of funds are going to an endowment to help this support live and grow. How does the fee structure work? Same admin fee that Community Foundation charges other funds, so it’s 1.15% annually based on an average daily balance of the fund, much like a financial institution would be. That’s our all-inclusive administrative fee to manage both the account that will be giving the money away in 2024 and then also the endowment long term. You mentioned that the members will have a vote, so they’ll each have one vote to decide within a democratic process of choosing the charities. Do the charities have to apply for funding? They will. The Generosity Collective Advisory Board has taken the 66 red flags and blue ribbons out of the Community Focus Report and whittled those down to 10 areas of interest. The first thing that will happen after membership closes, at the end of February, the membership will vote on the top four. Then Community Foundation will put out a call for grant applications for nonprofits serving those four particular areas of interest. There will be a grant committee made up of Generosity Collective members that will read those grant applications and those four areas of interest and bring it down to two or three finalists in each particular area. We will ask those nonprofits that are finalists to do some sort of, I’m calling it an iPhone video, smartphone video. The Generosity Collective members will view all those videos and then vote for a finalist in each of the four interest areas. That is the rough plan for year one with hopes and plans to give money away in November 2024. On the trend of charitable giving, the U.S. had strong years of charitable giving, according to Giving USA, in 2020 and 2021, and then 2022 saw what they’re calling an unprecedented drop in giving, about 10% adjusted for inflation. What are you seeing now, and what’s your sense of why giving dropped? We don’t have 2023 numbers o cially yet. I do think inflation plays a part in that. When life is just more expensive, folks have to cut somewhere. One of the reasons that we also wanted to launch Generosity Collective into the world is for the first time in 2022 we also saw the number of households that were giving decrease, which is kind of a scary thing to think about for our nonprofits. I feel like in 2020 and 2021, the pandemic really showed what nonprofits can do and need to do for a community when those kinds of things happen. You also had the stimulus money flowing into society, and a lot of folks who maybe didn’t need that were able to give that back to nonprofits. But we also know that the data only tells part of the story because when tax law changed several years ago, the standard deduction was doubled. For many households, they may still be giving, but it doesn’t appear on their taxes because there’s no need for them to itemize anymore because the standard deduction went up. Although nonprofits will tell you that they have seen a decrease in giving, it’s really kind of a complicated nonprofit philanthropy giving landscape, but something that Community Foundation is paying a lot of attention to and nationally philanthropy groups are paying a lot of attention to. Here’s hoping Congress, Treasury and IRS are also paying attention. winter kinne President & CEO, Community Foundation of the Ozarks Inc. A CONVERSATION WITH ... KATELYN EGGER Excerpts from an interview by Executive Editor Christine Temple, ctemple@sbj.net 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.
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