FEB. 12-18, 2024 FEB. 12-18, 2024 · VOL. 31, NO. 30 by Mike Cullinan · mcullinan@sbj.net It’s been a long professional road for Prime Inc.’s Darrel Hopkins, but the veteran executive at the Springfield-based company is driving along some slightly different territory these days. Hopkins, who was hired 30 years ago as the company’s controller, is now its president after founder Robert Low relinquished the role last month. Low, who founded Prime in 1970 in Urbana, where it remained until 1980 when it moved to its current headquarters in Springfield, maintained his CEO role amid the leadership change. The promotion wasn’t a total surprise to Hopkins, who in 1997 additionally took on the role of director of the company’s Success Leasing Inc. program, which provides trucks and access to maintenance, fuel purchasing and other services. “Gradually, I just picked up responsibilities all over the company,” he said. “Over time, Robert started to involve me in more and more things.” Still, Hopkins said discussions with Low about becoming president were low-key and took place quickly. “I would say literally about a month before I was promoted, I was talking to Robert,” Hopkins said. “(Robert) goes, ‘Well, you’re the guy.’ And I said, ‘Well, I’ve never heard it from you.’ So even though other people have hinted, I don’t take anything for granted.” He added, “I do feel like Robert was investing time into me for a number of years, so he truly helped develop me – as did some other folks in the building – to where they felt like it was the right time to make the announcement.” In an emailed statement to Springfield Business Journal, Low said he plans to remain directly involved in the management of Prime as CEO, adding he was pleased to promote Hopkins. “I am confident in his leadership and proud of his passion and love for the industry and Prime,” he said. “Darrel has a wealth of experience and knowledge that he has gained throughout his tenure at Prime, successfully leading multiple departments as both controller and director of Success Leasing.” Low was unavailable to answer questions for this story by press time, according to officials. $2.50 · SBJ.NET YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY SINCE 1980 Brand New by Karen Craigo · kcraigo@sbj.net These days, a lot of people and organizations are having similar discussions, according to Marcus Aton. Aton, owner of Aton Development LLC and a founding board member of Better Block SGF, said the conversation he’s picking up on is about regionalism, and that’s also the focus of Future Ozarks Foundry, a work group he has convened to look more closely at how the principle could work in southwest Missouri. Often, a regionalism conversation centers on the successes found in northwest Arkansas, a corridor building an image around the natural beauty of the Ozarks, a vibrant arts culture and a labyrinthine network of mountain bike trails. Aton said he looks at northwest Arkansas and sees a smaller population and an area that at one time didn’t offer much. “They’ve really become this big economic, cultural driver for that whole corner of the state,” he said. “I think there’s a lot of people who look at that and ask, couldn’t we do something like that in southwest Missouri?” Aton said he believes southwest Missouri has better bones than its neighboring region to the south. “There’s a lot more to build on here,” he said. “I feel like with a little bit less effort than northwest Arkansas had to put into their initiatives, we could be just as good, if not better.” Branding focus The Future Ozarks Foundry is interested in creating an image for the region, Aton said – branding, in other words. Aton and his fellow group members – about 45 turned out for a presentation and discussion In the Driver’s Seat See FOUNDRY on page 8 See PRIME on page 32 EXECUTIVE CHANGE Darrel Hopkins, a 30-year-employee, is the new president at Prime Inc. after being promoted last month by founder Robert Low. TAWNIE WILSON Prime Inc. controller ascends to president Robert Low remains CEO of the trucking company he founded in 1970. Future Ozarks Foundry looks to build regional identity Marcus Aton: Group wants to give people permission to be proud of where they’re from. SPECIAL EDITION INSIDE
FEB. 12-18, 2024 2 · SBJ.NET New this year! THE DYNAMO AWARD honors a company that has shown a 20+ year record of success. DOZEN 2024 PRESENTED BY Nominate in the following categories: Fastest-growing local companies: Nominate outstanding companies with consistent yearover-year revenue and employee growth. Individuals leading the growth of their companies: Nominate the C-suite, human resources and sales/ marketing professionals who are steering their company’s growth. LAST CHANCE nominate by Feb. 14! NOMINATE these dynamic companies and individuals now!
FEB. 12-18, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 3 by Karen Craigo · kcraigo@sbj.net For some in business, there’s nothing quite like sealing the deal or inking the contract – yet for the creators and hosts of new local business podcasts, life is about something more. Real estate developer Mitch Jenkins has taken up the mic – occasionally with his wife, Amanda, at his side – to explore what his podcast description labels “self-belief, mindset, faith and the practicalities of business and real estate.” In The Mitch Jenkins Podcast, which launched in December 2023, he interviews business leaders and athletes to discuss what has propelled them to success. In January, Pavel Bosovik debuted his podcast Suits & Shoes: What It Takes. In it, Bosovik, founder and CEO of expedition vehicle manufacturer 27North Inc., talks to a range of accomplished people about how they achieved their goals. And in July 2023, Angie Mullings and Tonya Murfin, broker-owners of separate real estate businesses, joined to offer their Simply Authentic Podcast, which in each episode’s introduction challenges listeners to dream big and be their most authentic selves. The two sometimes invite a variety of guests from the community and sometimes discuss each week’s theme among themselves. For all three programs, the podcasters have their foundation in business, but all raise their sights to take in a broader view of what it takes for their listeners to thrive. Different approaches Before the launch of Bosovik’s podcast, he was a guest on the Jan. 18 edition of The Mitch Jenkins Podcast. On the episode, No. 5 for Jenkins, the two share their reasons for branching out from their careers to begin interviewing guests for insights. Jenkins’ mission is to get to the why motivating each of his guests. Bosovik explained that he grew up without mentors. “I had a lot of questions,” Bosovik said. “What does it take to walk in a certain person’s shoes?” His follow-up question, he said, was, “What does it take to be in their clothes?” And that’s a question he meant in every sense. “What kind of clothes do they wear? What kind of shoes do they wear?” he told Jenkins. “I’m going to do a podcast on suits and shoes tailored to what to wear quite literally. What does it take to wear those outfits?” On the episode, Jenkins offers his own why. “I want to inspire and help people realize that they are no different than the people that are on this podcast,” he said. “They, too, were created and designed for incredible things. If through this podcast we can peel back the layers of the onion to help people understand what those things are, then they, too, can implement it in their lives.” Dream big Though rooted in real estate, Mullings and Murfin’s Simply Authentic goes beyond professional life, and this year’s theme for the show is on reinventing the self. Guests so far in 2024 have included a nutritionist and a financial planner, and a future episode will look at physical health. “It’s wellness in all aspects,” said Mullings, who is a real estate broker through Century 21 Integrity Group. She and Murfin each individually considered starting a podcast when a mutual friend suggested they join forces. “What does make this a little bit unique is we’re both broker-owners of different companies who came together, and that’s pretty unusual in our business,” Mullings said. “Brokerages typically stay in their own lane, but we both had a desire to share our expertise with people.” Jointly, the two have more than 50 years of real estate experience, Mullings said. “Our mindset is very important to us – the things we do, our routines,” she said. “We wanted to give back and empower people to dream big and be more.” In the beginning, Mullings said the focus was on entrepreneurship – how to start out in business and achieve, especially as women in the field. “Now, the people we have lined up are coming in and talking about making yourself better – improving your life, improving your goals, your dreams,” she said. “We’ve kind of done a little shift.” Murfin, a broker-owner of Southwest Missouri Realty, said in seven months, the two have learned a lot from the people they’ve interviewed. “The future really just holds us continuing to fulfill ourselves with what we’re putting out on the platform and making sure we think the content is fulfilling to others,” she said. NEWS CONTENTS Read about the 16 finalists for this year’s SBJ manufacturing award. page 11 Coolest Things Made in the Ozarks Open for Business Wheels are turning at a new southside indoor cycling studio. page 4 Business Spotlight Nixa Hardware & Seed celebrates 125th year page 6 From the Ground Up Voter-funded Lawrence County justice center nears completion page 27 Opinion Page Publisher Marty Goodnight shares his journey to lead SBJ – and his belief that dreams can come true in Springfield, Missouri. page 31 Beyond Business REBECCA GREEN RECIPE FOR SUCCESS Mitch Jenkins and his wife and occasional co-host, Amanda, put the finishing touches on a new episode of The Mitch Jenkins Podcast. See PODCASTS on page 26 Professional life a launchpad for local podcasters
FEB. 12-18, 2024 4 · SBJ.NET NEWS By Mike Cullinan, Reporter and Jillian Smith, Editorial Intern New business, new location, new owner? Send your info to newbusiness@sbj.net Sit and Spin Studio Abigail Emery, owner and lone employee of Bloom Well Family Wellness, relocated her clinic Aug. 14 to 1339 E. Republic Road, Ste. D. She said relocation and renovation costs were around $20,000, adding she signed a three-year lease for the 2,400-square-foot office with landlord Roddy Hughes for an undisclosed rate. The clinic formerly operated at 3256 S. Fremont Ave. Emery specializes in prenatal and pediatric chiropractic care and offers an anti-inflammatory and nutrition program called Shape ReClaimed. Other services include craniosacral therapy, dry needling, cupping, gua sha and acupuncture. New patient exams with adjustments cost $95. Monthly memberships are $50 for an individual and $45 per person for families and include an additional 10% off any other service. Emery earned a Doctor of Chiropractic degree in 2016 from Logan University and worked for Loehr Chiropractic and Acupuncture LLC before starting Bloom Well in 2022, according to LinkedIn. A new health care option arrived in Republic with the Oct. 10 opening of Complete Care Clinic LLC at 1173 E. Hines St. The direct primary care clinic’s owner Steve McClanahan said the venture fills 3,500 square feet inside the building that houses Hines Street Pharmacy, which he also owns. McClanahan said he wanted to expand health care services in Republic and added startup costs were $20,000. Nurse practitioner Courtney Davenport leads the three-employee clinic’s staff, he said, adding Complete Care offers members same-day appointments with no copay, at-cost prescriptions and bloodwork. Membership prices range $85-$95 monthly for individual adults and $180 per month for couples. Services include physicals, vaccinations, lab testing, cancer screenings, chronic disease management, and women’s and reproductive health options. Additionally, the clinic offers weight loss programs, skin biopsies, IV infusions and platelet-rich plasma injections for joint pain. The closure of one indoor cycling venture served as the impetus for a former customer, Madeline Fluty, to start her own with the Jan. 27 launch of Sit and Spin Studio LLC. Fluty and her husband, Michael, co-own the business, which occupies 1,500 square feet at 4728 S. Campbell Ave., Ste. 124. The studio offers daily spin classes led by a staff of eight, she said. It’s a firsttime ownership venture for Fluty, who is also among the instructors at Sit and Spin and maintains her full-time job as spa manager at Botox & Co., a medical spa in Chesterfield Village. Startup costs for Sit and Spin were $70,000, she said, adding the couple signed a three-year lease for an undisclosed rate with Lakewood Property Management LLC. Individual classes are $20, monthly memberships with unlimited classes are $100, and a four-class pass is $60. Fluty said she formerly took classes at the Springfield franchise of CycleBar but decided to pursue Sit and Spin after the 3-year-old studio shuttered last year. ☎ 417-522-3539 sitandspinstudio@gmail.com Bloom Well Family Wellness Complete Care Clinic ☎ 417-344-1544 BloomWellChiro.com ☎ 417-735-0055 CompleteCareClinicMo.com OPEN FOR BUSINESS Madeline Fluty KATELYN EGGER Recreational VEHICLE LOANS Warm weather is on the horizon, finance your summer fun with Foundation Credit Union! Contact Us 417-895-2770 foundationcreditunion.com
FEB. 12-18, 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 FORVIS LLP promoted Justus Brashers, Riley Johnson, Eli Wells and Jacob Wunderlich to senior associate positions. Brashers and Johnson provide audit services and each earned degrees in accounting from Missouri State University – Brashers a bachelor’s and master’s and Johnson a bachelor’s. Wells leads audit engagements and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from University of Central Missouri. With a bachelor’s in accounting from Arkansas Tech University, Wunderlich provides accounting services. Banking & Finance Nathan Roetto, a vice president, financial adviser and portfolio manager at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, earned his certified financial planner certification from the Certified Planner Board of Standards Inc. With Morgan Stanley since 2020, Roetto met the board’s experience and ethical requirements, completed financial planning coursework and passed the CFP examination. Health Care Dr. Michael W. Etches joined Citizens Memorial Hospital’s Willard Medical Center. A psychiatrist, he has worked for CMH since 2021 and specializes in treating mood, panic and bipolar disorders, memory deficits, ADHD, depression, anger issues and geriatric wellness. Etches holds a Doctor of Medicine from Avalon University School of Medicine in Curacao and completed a psychiatry residency at the University of Central Florida. Nonprofit Better Block SGF’s 2023 Placemakers Awards went to Erin Danastasio for Placemaker of the Year and the Fassnight Creek Greenway Trail Community Mural for Placemaking Project of the Year. Danastasio was recognized for her work as executive director of the Hatch Foundation and the annual Celebrate SGF festival, while the trail was honored for Ozark Greenways bringing together artist Linda Passeri and volunteers to paint a mural in the Jefferson Avenue underpass. The Kitchen Inc. appointed its 2024 board of trustees executive officers: President Kim Tilley, vice president of operations for support services at Mercy Hospital Springfield; Vice President Rob Fridge, project manager at Spectra Composites; Secretary Eric Latimer, fire operations division chief for Springfield Fire Department; Treasurer Jen Albers, senior managing consultant at FORVIS LLP; and past President Ellen Hammock, vice president of operations at CoxHealth. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources awarded a nearly $2.6 million Onsite Wastewater Treatment Grant to H2Ozarks to provide financial assistance to homeowners with on-site wastewater concerns. The funds cover the headwaters of the James River in the Springfield region and reach into Barry, Christian, Greene, Lawrence, Polk, Taney and Webster counties. The Child Advocacy Center hired Emily Hertzog as director of development. She previously served as development director for the Springfield-Greene County Library District and as director of education and development at the Springfield Regional Arts Council Inc. The Arc of the Ozarks named Michele Fields as a senior development specialist and Julie Jones as assistant development director. Fields is responsible for fundraising, event planning, grant writing and raising awareness of the organization’s mission. She’s worked 35 years in public relations, sales and marketing and has 14 years of experience in the developmental disability field. Jones is responsible for donor engagement, community relations, advocacy and fundraising, and has 28 years of experience in marketing and community relations. Technology Serial entrepreneur Dan Cobb was appointed as board chair of the Missouri Technology Corp. He has 40 years of technology industry experience and co-founded software firm HealthMedX, which later sold to Netsmart Technologies. NEWSMAKERS Send announcements to newsmakers@sbj.net Wunderlich Etches Fields Danastasio Jones Wells Brashers Roetto Johnson CONTACT US TODAY | 417-866-6199 | NESBITTCONSTRUCTION.COM Commercial & Industrial New Construction & Remodeling The experience to meet your needs BUILT TO LAST DELIVERING INNOVATIVE, HIGH-QUALITY SOLUTIONS THAT EXCEED OUR CLIENTS’ EXPECTATIONS. EXPERIENCE THE NEXT GENERATION OF COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION. BUILD BETTER WITH NESBITT CONSTRUCTION. MICHAEL NESBITT
FEB. 12-18, 2024 6 · SBJ.NET by Karen Craigo · kcraigo@sbj.net Nixa Hardware & Seed Co. is celebrating its quasquicentennial in 2024. It’s a big word, but these days it’s also a big store, especially compared to its origins in a 1,200-square-foot wooden building off Main Street in Nixa’s downtown. Founded by F.M. Wasson in 1899, the business that is marking its 125th year is owned and operated by the fifth generation of Wasson’s family, and it has grown hundredfold, with 120,000 square feet under roof, according to the company’s anniversary announcement. Shortly after its opening, the store relocated to a slightly larger building on Main Street, where it carried an array of tools, but also windmills, horse-drawn wagons, ice boxes, firearms, dynamite and Ford Model T vehicles, hoisted to the display floor by a hand-pulled rope elevator, according to Springfield Business Journal reporting from the 100th anniversary in 1999. Today, Nixa Hardware still carries tools, but it also offers pet supplies, clothing, paint, feed, tools, plumbing and electrical items, beekeeping supplies, power equipment and a fireplace center. It boasts a small engine repair shop, fireplace installation and a fleet of factory-trained service teams and delivery drivers. Seed production A full half of the business is devoted to processing and selling seed, according to store manager Jeremy Pryer. Varieties include field grasses, as well as legumes and summer annuals. Owner Larry McCroskey says a lot of customers don’t know about the company’s 500-acre research and production farm outside of town. Producing its own seed allows Nixa Hardware to sell directly to the consumer without the markups of intermediary wholesalers. “We clean seed, and we’re probably the oldest seed cleaner and seed conditioner in the state of Missouri – I can’t think of one that’s older,” McCroskey says. When asked how seed cleaning works, McCroskey starts at the beginning. “Course you combine it in the field, bring it in, then you go over a series of one, two, three, four different cleaners, and they separate by size, by shape, and by bushel-weight or density,” he says. “You run it through screens, and the bottom screen would be the catcher, and it would let anything smaller fall through. It’s catching good seed.” Screens above the catcher, called scalpers, remove leaves and sticks, he says. McCroskey says some of the seed is grown locally, by the company and by area farmers, while some lawn seed is grown in the company’s production fields in Oregon. “I remember the first bag of lawn seed I sold,” McCroskey says. “I said, ‘You mean you want a whole bag?’ And now we grow it not by the trailer load, but by the multitrailer load.” Seed customers are varied, McCroskey says; they include farmers from throughout the region, as well as farmers’ cooperatives from out of state, wholesalers and corporate buyers. “I’ve sold two trailer loads of seed to the Hanes underwear company,” he says. The store also continues to serve individual customers, whether that’s in its garden center or its hardware aisles. Growing community The typical customer has changed in 125 years. When the store first opened, Nixa had a population of about 500, largely farmers. The latest census estimates showed a burgeoning population of nearly 25,000. Nixa historian Wayne Glenn, a friend of McCroskey’s for 50 years, says the company has stood the test of time by rising to meet the changing needs of its customers, who are homeowners and gardeners instead of farmers. “Suburbia has helped them sell a lot of their product,” Glenn says. “But they have competition, and so the fact that they have done so well for so long in fighting the competition or meeting the competition tells you about their service and the quality of their product.” His friend agrees service is important, but he notes lower prices are the main takeaway. “We’d rather be associated with price – as a one-step operation – rather than service,” McCroskey says. “Service is a code word for higher prices. The reason why people drive 100 miles to us is because of price.” It’s different than what one might expect from a family-owned store, but there’s reason for the pricing, McCroskey says. “We try to buy truckload on everything,” he says. “But the shelf hardware, we can’t buy a truckload of the small items. We get those through cooperative buying.” Ace Hardware is one of the cooperatives supplying the smaller items in the store. But McCroskey says Nixa Hardware produces its own feed formulations, fertilizer and wood pellets for stoves. “We sell all that direct, one step,” he says. In fact, McCroskey says, the company makes and sells products that are ultimately repackaged by wholesalers and sold by some of their national competitors. The store boasts a 30,000-square-foot garden center, mostly under shade cloth for the comfort of shoppers. Pryer, who has been with the company for two decades, says the garden center offers a wide variety of plants. “On the homeowners’ side of things, we do have a nice garden center – lots of selection, plants, good pricing and also bulk merchandising,” he says. Authentically Nixa, the store continues its tradition of being a place where locals can be spotted chatting in its aisles. It’s a vibe that harks back to its origins. A black-and-white photo hanging above the entrance shows a group of men positioned around a stove, and Glenn says Nixa City Council once held its meetings in the old store. Away from the public, in the hallway leading to administrative offices, family photos line the walls, starting with founder F.M. Wasson. Wasson passed the business to his nephew, Efton Hawkins, who won a flip of a silver dollar to determine whether he or his brother Herbert would run the farm supply business. McCroskey’s dad, Mack, began working for the company in 1935 and later married Efton’s daughter, Averiel. Larry McCroskey remembers starting in the business in the third grade, when he swept floors for ice cream money. Today, his three daughters and their husbands work for the company. • BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Seeds of Change Nixa Hardware has grown along with its city over 125 years Nixa Hardware & Seed Co. Owner: Larry McCroskey Founded: 1899 Address: 510 W. Mount Vernon St., Nixa Phone: 417-725-3512 Web: NixaHardware.com Email: sales@nixahardware.com Products: Seed, power equipment, stoves, plants and garden supplies, and farm supplies 2023 revenue: Would not disclose Employees: 70 CELEBRATING 125 YEARS Nixa Hardware & Seed Co. owner Larry McCroskey, left, and manager Jeremy Pryer plan to celebrate the company’s anniversary throughout the year. REBECCA GREEN
FEB. 12-18, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 7 NEWS OWNER/DEVELOPER FOR LEASE RETAIL • 2,400 sq ft 2803 W. Chestnut Expressway • 3,200 sq ft 2811 W. Chestnut Expressway • 5,600 sq ft 2845 C W. Chestnut Expressway OFFICE/WAREHOUSE • 1,250 sq ft 2755 W. Chestnut Expressway • 2,000 sq ft 2335 E. Chestnut Expressway A108 1630-H E. Bradford Parkway Springfield, MO 65804 417.831.3885 teri@wehrjohnson.com www.wehrjohnson.com Boys & Girls Clubs plans groundbreaking for teen center by Mike Cullinan · mcullinan@sbj.net Construction is set to commence this month on a multimillion-dollar teen center for a nonprofit along the Grant Avenue Parkway. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield Inc. has scheduled a Feb. 15 groundbreaking ceremony to kick off work on The Risdal Family Center for Great Futures, according to a news release. The two-story, 32,000-squarefoot building will be constructed at 804 W. Catalpa St. and is intended to serve middle and high school youth with after-school programming in areas including education, workforce readiness and the arts. Ross Construction Group LLC is general contractor for the project designed by architect Buxton Kubik Dodd Design Collective. Amenities for the center will include a gym, dance and fitness studio, games room, esports lounge, kitchen, dining space, art room, office spaces, study rooms, library and an art gallery, according to the release. The center also will include a health clinic and dedicated space for providing free mental health services. Land has been moving at the site in recent days, with trees removed to make way for the development plans. Through the project, BGCS anticipates doubling its current reach among middle- and high school-aged students, with plans to serve around 1,000 youth annually. The center is projected to open in early 2025, according to officials. “Serving the kids who need us most is our mission, and this community project does just that,” BGCS CEO Brandy Harris said in the release. “There are so many middle and high school students that need safe, empowering spaces to go after school.” The nonprofit originally announced the project in 2022, at which time the teen center was planned as a three-story, 44,000-squarefoot building, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting. Nonprofit Foster Adopt Connect Inc. intended to occupy the third floor, leasing space from BGCS. However, Foster Adopt Connect Executive Director Brandi VanAntwerp said last year the organization decided to stay in its Youth Connect Center, which opened downtown in late 2022 and provides community services for ages 13-18. Amber Alcorn, BGCS director of strategic communication, said Foster Adopt Connect remains a strong partner and will be involved with programming at the teen center. When the teen center was announced, BGCS officials set a $12 million goal for the facility’s capital campaign, which includes three years of operating expenses. Despite a smaller building than originally planned, rising construction costs resulted in the campaign’s goal remaining the same, Alcorn said, adding more than $7 million is currently committed to the project. BGCS in 2022 received $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding from the city and $2 million from Greene County for the project. That’s in addition to over $3 million raised to date through private donations, including an undisclosed amount from Jon Risdal, a longtime supporter and current BGCS board member. That donation resulted in naming rights for the facility. The teen center will be adjacent to Nordic Landing, a roughly $10 million development designed as a low-income affordable housing option. Debbie Shantz Hart, co-owner of DHTC Development LLC, the developer of the 41-unit, nearly 40,000-square-foot apartment complex at 810 W. Catalpa St., said it is set to wrap by first-quarter 2024, according to past reporting. Hart said the project should receive a certificate of occupancy by March. • “APlus is there to walk us through the process. We’re not just on our own to figure out the software.” Any time we open a new store there are new settings, documents, and things to get enrolled. The whole APlus team has been so helpful getting our new stores launched. APLUSPAYROLL.COM | (417) 890-6404 Eric Matzat President Palen Music Center
FEB. 12-18, 2024 8 · SBJ.NET FROM THE COVER Council hears update on Historic City Hall renovation by Karen Craigo · kcraigo@sbj.net A $16.5 million renovation now underway aims to restore architectural features inside and outside of Springfield’s Historic City Hall. City Council members in a Feb. 6 luncheon heard an update on the restoration of the 133-year-old building, formerly a United States customhouse and post office. Representing J.E. Dunn Construction Group Inc., David Atkisson explained the construction manager at risk model in place for the project, noting the goal is to align the project’s scope and budget. “It’s always a challenge on projects,” he said. “It’s been a challenge on this project with escalating costs over the last few years.” Atkisson said the CMAR model helps. “The only time that’s harder than now to align scope and budget is after design is complete, and so being on board early to help with that now is an advantage,” he said. “We’ve been looking at a lot of alternates, options, cost breakouts to understand really where the dollars in the scope of the project go. “The purpose of all of this is to provide certainty of outcome for the city. The last thing you want is a competed design that’s been bid out and that’s over budget or has some major scheduling challenges once it’s too late. But with the team assembled early, we can help with that, to provide that certainty.” The estimated cost of the project includes $10.5 million in approved funding and $6 million more in proposed funding. City Architect Jennifer Swan said council already OK’d a mix of $4 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds, $6 million in level property tax bond funds and $432,000 in level property tax payas-you-go funding. The additional $6 million would comprise $4.5 million in general fund carryover, $1 million in level property tax contingency funds and $500,000 in additional ARPA funds. Swan outlined critical project markers, including winterization, completed in January. Hazardous material abatement is expected to be completed before the end of winter. This summer, construction documents are scheduled to be completed, a guaranteed maximum price will be established, and construction will commence, according to the schedule. The building is scheduled to be occupied in the first quarter of 2026, and plans say it will house the mayor’s and city clerk’s offices, purchasing and finance departments, and council meeting rooms and chambers. Steven Telscher, senior project manager with architectural firm Sapp Design Associates Architects Inc., identified four preservation zones throughout the building. They range from Zone 1, which encompasses historical features that will be retained or rehabilitated to a high level, to Zone 4, which includes areas of the building where previous alteration has happened and nearly all historical materials are lost. In the middle of those are elements that may be character defining and should be See RENOVATION on page 26 A new entryway is among the plans for the renovation of the Historic City Hall. provided by CITY OF SPRINGFIELD in early January – are dedicated to promoting southwest Missouri regionalism. If that sounds like a story that’s been told before, it has. Springfield Business Journal reported in January on another effort to foster collaboration and a regional identity in the form of a new nonprofit to be led by business executives in the region. Dean Thompson, executive director of regionalism and economic development for the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, is pulling together area CEOs to head up the nonprofit, which plans to focus on workforce, quality of life and branding. The effort grew out of a Community Leadership Visit to northwest Arkansas, including the cities of Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers and Springdale, where a similar organization has created a brand around progress and outdoor opportunities. It’s a model he said many Springfieldians left feeling enthusiastic about. “There are a lot of people working in the branding space,” Thompson said in a recent interview. “I would say instead of branding, the question is what’s our image? What’s our vibe? That means different things to different people.” In addition to pinpointing an identity, a focus must be on fixing problems, according to Thompson. “Where are our gaps, and how are we going to chip away at them and conquer them?” he said. For the Foundry, the initial idea was to form a nonprofit, Aton said, but after receiving advice from experts at the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, they have chosen to organize as a limited liability company instead and find nonprofit partners to fundraise for. “This year, at least, we’re going to stick with the grassroots movement and work on having an annual summit, plus bimonthly meetings around the region,” Aton said. More than a logo Dustin Myers, a founder of Springfield branding agency Longitude Design, is active in the Future Ozarks Foundry. Longitude has created a logo for the effort. It depicts gently curved mountains with a sun rising over them and a river flowing past. The logo is labeled simply with “The Ozarks,” though another version takes a stab at a tagline the group is pondering, “Heart of the USA.” The font and the colors are reminiscent of midcentury logos of the National Park Service. While a logo and a slogan are branding considerations, Myers made it clear that branding is a much larger concept. “When we describe branding, your brand is really your reputation – not a logo or a marketing message,” he said. “We want to show people the best of what it is to be in the Ozarks.” Through developer group Flyover Developments LLC, Myers and his business partner, Jeremy Wells, are co-owners of The Ozarker Lodge, a 102-room restored Branson hotel that opened last summer and in October was named Best Independent Hotel by the hospitality industry organization Independent Lodging Congress. “That’s kind of the vision with the Ozarker Lodge,” he said. “Let’s take a property and just try to celebrate the best that this area has to offer – do something at a higher-quality level than what we sometimes see.” The property is on the site of the former Fall Creek Inn and Suites, but it has been revamped into a more elegant destination with upscale rooms, a wine bar and an outdoor gathering space where guests can enjoy food trucks and concerts from the pool. The idea is to take a bit of classic Ozarkiana and infuse it with a contemporary spirit. Myers said the region is full of talent, natural beauty and innovative businesses. “As a region, really the Midwest in particular is known as flyover country,” he said. “I think that one of the ways we can help retain talent as well as just draw good people to the area is to create an awareness of who we are.” It’s something Longitude does regularly with its customers, he said. “When we do that with clients, it’s important to identify what makes us special, and then be able to communicate that in a unified voice,” he said. Aton said that’s the key objective of the Foundry. “We have to be able to declare an identity,” he said. “Some places can very obviously hang their identification on something – even just a sports team. In a midsized city, it’s not always super clear, the thing you can identify with or connect to. You have to choose it, the way Bentonville just chose that they were going to be the world capital of mountain biking. We can do that – we can choose a better future for ourselves.” In addition to Aton and Myers, the Foundry’s leadership team includes Tyler Head of business coaching service Dryve Leadership, Layne Hunton of Throughline Architecture LLC, Wells of Longitude and Doug Austin of ad agency consultant Austin Amplifies. Stepping up While Aton said he has seen a groundswell of energy around embracing an identity, no one has stepped forward yet to take that step, and that’s where the Foundry comes in. “If we’re starting at a place that’s fine or acceptable – maybe in some places good – it doesn’t take a lot of effort to improve upon that,” he said. “Where you live, whether you like it or not, is part of your identity. We want to try to lift that up and elevate that perception. “We want to give ourselves permission to be proud to be from the Ozarks.” Myers said he would love to see others in the region take hold of the energy that is coming together through the Future Ozarks Foundry, private enterprise and other initiatives. “We’re excited that other people are seeing the need for this and getting involved,” he said. “We’re just so excited to see where it goes.” • Foundry: New organization plans to host annual summit Continued from page 1 The Future Ozarks Foundry’s logo aims to unite regional efforts. provided by FUTURE OZARKS FOUNDRY Dean Thompson: Solving problems and filling gaps should be part of the identity issue.
FEB. 12-18, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 9 NEWS Leadership Marshfield program kicks off this month by Mike Cullinan · mcullinan@sbj.net This week marks the beginning of a new program in Marshfield that officials hope can enhance leadership skills of participants while also educating them on opportunities and challenges in their community. Feb. 12 is orientation day for the first cohort of Leadership Marshfield, an initiative organized by local business leaders and the University of Missouri Extension office in Marshfield. The program runs over seven dates through October, with participants meeting monthly – except for July and August. The last session will include a graduation ceremony and banquet. Each session will be planned as a full day of learning, said Blair Gann, one of the initiative’s organizers, who also is assistant vice president of commercial lending at Central Bank in Marshfield. She said the class sizes are intentionally small to foster group interaction and create the best learning environment possible. “We were originally going to take 10, but we decided that we really couldn’t cut anyone out, so we just went ahead and let all 12 in,” she said, noting all participants must fill out an application and commit to attend at least five of the sessions, including those in February and October. The inaugural class comprises Mallory Barnes, Al Berry, Aubren Dudley, Rebecca Lawrence, James McConnell, Kathryn McConnell, Melissa Mall, Kelsey Ragsdale, Deborah Reece, Julie Rideeoutte, Leah Shelby and Jennifer Steen. This first year’s tuition is waived for participants due to sponsors covering the costs, Gann said. Organizers sought out companies over the past few months with several providing either $1,000 or $500 for gold and silver memberships, respectively. Gold memberships are Central Bank, city of Marshfield, Donco 3 Construction LLC, Marshfield Area Chamber of Commerce, The Seymour Bank and Tyler Pipe Co. Southern Bank and Webster Electric Cooperative are silver members. Monies collected cover class materials, logo gear, field trips, continental breakfasts, lunches associated with each session and the graduation banquet in October. “Other communities charge, but we didn’t want to create a barrier for people who couldn’t afford a $500 tuition cost,” Gann said. “We asked businesses to front that at least this first year. Then, we will see how it goes after this year.” Gann said the memberships also give the businesses representation on the Leadership Marshfield advisory board. “We’re using them to help us program the days too, so it’s not just like they’re telling us what to do, but they’re actively participating,” she said. “We are leaning heavily on our advisory members to help us do what they think is important. We want them to be involved so we can best benefit these students.” Finding inspiration Gann said she visited with officials in Lebanon and Camdenton about their leadership programs and studied information from Leadership Springfield’s website for inspiration. “We just kind of put it together from there, how we thought that it fit into our community,” she said, noting like those other programs, Leadership Marshfield lasts nine months. “We need a program where people can go around and meet all the leaders of Marshfield so that they feel more comfortable just networking with them and providing solutions if they have them.” While specifics about each session are still under development, Gann said attention will be paid to areas such as health, education, finance, community service and natural resources. The March session will focus on city and county government, an effort being spearheaded by Marshfield City Administrator Sam Rost. The city official said he’s working on a PowerPoint presentation he calls an introduction to Marshfield municipal government that will include an organizational chart with all the departments and how they function. “It’s going to be this 100,000-foot view,” he said, noting the session also will include visits to facilities such as the Police Department and a water tower. “People want to know what the inside of a water tower looks like. They often think the whole thing is just full of water.” For Rost, he hopes Leadership Marshfield spurs participants to get more engaged in the growing community. Marshfield’s population was 7,686 in 2022, up 3.1% from 2020, according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data. “We’ll also show them how they can get involved, whether it’s simply coming to the meetings, following meeting information on our website, or if they want to put their name in a hat to volunteer on a committee or commission,” he said. “We want people to get as involved as they want to be. Get involved in person and not just on social media.” See MARSHFIELD on page 32 Oracle discloses Springfield layoffs in state filing by Geoff Pickle · gpickle@sbj.net Austin, Texas-based technology services provider Oracle Corp. (NYSE: ORCL) has informed the state of Missouri of planned layoffs at a CoxHealth facility in Springfield, but the jobs may not be lost. The Feb. 1 Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act filing by Oracle indicates 124 employees were notified Feb. 1 of the layoffs that become effective April 1. They work at 1115 E. Primrose St., a CoxHealth-owned building. “Client is transitioning the health information technology operations that have been provided by Oracle back to the client,” the WARN notice reads. “The Springfield client location is not shutting down, but Oracle’s ITWorks operations at the Springfield client location are shutting down as part of this reduction in force. “It is our understanding that the client has already made offers of employment to all of the affected employees.” Cary Nabors, manager of public relations for CoxHealth, confirmed via email that the health system is looking to hire the impacted employees. “CoxHealth has made offers of employment to all affected employees, and given how integrated they are into our system, it will not impact the employees’ day-today work,” Nabors said. “Oracle decided to make a staffing change that impacted employment of more than 100 staff members in Springfield and Branson.” CoxHealth late last year announced it was switching to Verona, Wisconsin-based health care software firm Epic Systems Corp. for electronic health records from Oracle, according to past reporting. Nabors said the Oracle WARN notice is unrelated to that change. • Blair Gann: Program’s first-year tuition for participants is being waived. Inaugural class tops out at 12 for first cohort Sam Rost: Residents should get involved in community beyond social media.
FEB. 12-18, 2024 10 · SBJ.NET 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! Voting ends Feb. 16! 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
SUSTAINABLE HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS 909 E Republic Rd c200, Springfield, MO | (417) 973-0840 | higginbotham.com Contact a member of our team today to learn how the Missouri Association of Manufacturers and Higginbotham Insurance are addressing the insurance needs of Missouri manufacturers. Thomas Jensen Dawson Nimmo Alan Fay
FEB. 12-18, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 13 Building blocks for race car engines, security systems for major banking institutions and award-winning bourbon and chocolate – that’s just a sampling of the products featured in this year’s Coolest Things Made in the Ozarks class. Our region has a strong manufacturing base. In fact, the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center found that in the Ozark region – seven counties in our region including Greene – manufacturing was the fastest-growing industry in recent years, gaining over 2,700 jobs since 2018 to total nearly 20,000 positions. These products and companies featured in this issue display Ozarks ingenuity at its best by solving complex problems, meeting needs and even providing a little joy into the every day. For this award event, we asked manufacturers to submit one of their products to be evaluated by a selection committee. We met and picked the 16 finalists you’ll read about in this issue based on impact, innovation and uniqueness. Now it’s up to readers to select the Voters’ Choice winner at SBJ.net/CoolestThings through Feb. 16. Event attendees will also be able to pick a Best in Show after meeting the manufacturers and seeing their products up close at the event on Feb. 29. New this year, we’re honoring a Plant Manager of the Year. Read more about Carl Kicklighter of Vital Farms on page 25. We hope you enjoy this special edition as we uncover the stories of these cool products made right here in the Ozarks. Springfield Business Journal Executive Editor Christine Temple can be reached at ctemple@sbj.net. Showcasing the best in Ozarks ingenuity Editor’s Note Christine Temple PRESENTING SPONSOR CONSULTING SPONSOR Insurance and Financial Services SUPPORTING SPONSOR This year’s top 16 products manufactured in the Ozarks, as well as special honors and an individual award, were chosen by a five-person 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 Walsh Eaton Jones Why?Finalists answer why their product is the coolest thing made in the Ozarks. RexRover, 27 North Inc. The new expedition truck seamlessly blends adventure and luxury. Custom cabinets, closets and millwork, Concepts by Design Inc. Products seamlessly merge traditional craftsmanship with modern innovation, creating uniquely beautiful, functional spaces. Signal cantilever, L&W Industries LLC It presents a high degree of skill and craftmanship from design to manufacturing to inspection – which results in a high-quality, reliable product. Materfamilias Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout, Mother’s Brewing Co. LLC Materfamilias presents a harmony of flavors and aromas combining the artisty of our brewers, U.S. distilleries and Missouri coopers using local timber. Adventure Badges, All Roads Taken LLC We’ve created a product that encourages everyone to take a chance on adventure. XR550 Intrusion, Access Control and Fire Alarm Panel, Digital Monitoring Products Inc. Protecting our nation’s most secure, vital secrets is pretty cool – especially when it’s all stemming from a family-owned business started right here in the Ozarks just 49 years ago. Limousines, executive vans and buses, Limo Land Inc. Limos aren’t designed on the car factory floor anymore. At Limo Land, we take a brand new $100,000 car and, believe it or not, cut it in half. Billet Aluminum Engine Block, Point One LLC It’s the foundation for the fastest-accelerating vehicles on the planet – 11,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragsters that can hit 330 mph in under four seconds. Davao, Philippines White Chocolate Bar, Askinosie Chocolate LLC It’s unique because we make our own cocoa butter, and you won’t find that in any other place in the U.S. And it tastes great. Adventure Journal, Grimbeard Leather They make people smile. The Automated Captioning Engine Series, Link Electronics Inc. We are developing artificial intelligence technologies for the broadcast industry and bridging communication gaps for the Deaf community. Jewelweed Bar Soap, Tunetti Natural Soap Natural products, especially those we can source locally, should not be more expensive than those manufactured and imported from other countries. Classic Pepper Jelly, College of the Ozarks The fact that our students can make a jar of jelly and it helps pay for their four-year education is a huge piece that makes it unique and very special. Outlaw Run Ice Cream, Hiland Dairy Foods Co. LLC It’s not just made locally with local dairy farmers’ milk, but also local with a tie-in to Silver Dollar City, which is a staple in our Branson community. Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey, Missouri Ridge Distillery LLC It’s a multinational and international double gold medalwinning single-barrel bourbon. Single-origin coffee, The Coffee Ethic LLC Springfieldians are special, and they deserve an elevated coffee experience.
sbj.netRkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy