FEB. 12-18, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 31 I didn’t plan to live here. I was recruited out of college, and Springfield was supposed to be a pit stop on a number of pit stops in the late 1990s on my way to a thrilling, sky-rocketing career in the newspaper industry. That sentence sounds old. However, this story ends well, and life has ironically illuminated a perfect pathway for me. This journey is summarized by my wife Shallina’s first gift to me in 2013 when we started dating – a bright yellow T-shirt emblazoned with the words, “Springfield, MO – Where Dreams Come True.” She heard me lament that this wasn’t the plan. Why was I still here? And this gift was her answer. I knew then she has been the key reason dreams come true around these parts for me. Since then, I’ve had three of these same shirts and they serve as a silent reminder, imparting invaluable lessons on resilience and the boundless potential that defines Springfield and its neighboring communities. A sign in our home also echoes this sentiment. We celebrate our 10-year anniversary in June, and we have mastered the most important journey of our lives: blending a family of seven in a way I never could have imagined. Yes, dreams come true in Springfield, Missouri. How did I get here? I was a kid from Kansas simply wanting a job offer before I graduated so I didn’t have to move back in with my parents. The job offer came from Springfield News-Leader Retail Sales Manager Debbie Kiser in spring 1998. Yes, I started here in Springfield going door to door in Nixa and Ozark as a wet-behind-the-ears sales representative doing his best. It was here that I discovered my why – to contribute to business owners’ success by solving problems through creative solutions so that I could help make their dreams come true. My first stint here wasn’t long. Dreams were not coming true. I quickly reached my capped earning potential, and I left for Kansas City nine months later. This brain got drained to go to a bigger market for more money and more opportunity. And I wasn’t disappointed. I advanced to vice president of advertising at the Kansas City Star by age 32. Despite success, I returned to Springfield for family reasons in 2008 as director of sales for the News-Leader until 2014. Following this, I pursued various ventures, including serving as Springfield Business Journal’s associate publisher, alongside Jennifer Jackson in 2016. Jennifer significantly impacted my career trajectory. Feeling stagnant in technology, I worked for Classy Llama for three years with some of the smartest people I’ve ever met before reconnecting with Jennifer at SBJ last year. My initial month as SBJ publisher has been invigorating. Meeting each team member, delving into our collective why, and understanding individual strengths and challenges have set the stage for growth. We have added a marketing director, are reimagining events and diving back into the community while reconnecting with so many wonderful colleagues and friends. The future of SBJ gleams brightly in its 44th year of publishing. Business is thriving, our team is solid, and our business authority in the market stands unwavering. With 25 years in media, 16 in Springfield, and three solely dedicated to digital marketing and e-commerce, I am poised to steer SBJ into the next era. I believe in the power of user experience and will apply this to redefine your interactions with us, setting an unparalleled standard in the business news landscape in this region. Expect surprises, delight and, above all, the highest level of trust demonstrated in all we do – earned through local, unduplicated, fair and honest news coverage. Yet, this journey is not mine alone. It is ours. I invite you to join me on a coffee roadshow, a caffeine-fueled connection where your thoughts, aspirations and suggestions will shape the future of SBJ. As we embark on this exciting chapter, remember: SBJ’s success hinges on yours. Together, let us continue to be your trusted business authority, fostering dreams and shaping a prosperous future for Springfield. Marty Goodnight is the publisher of Springfield Business Journal. He can be reached at mgoodnight@sbj.net. Will the AI revolution lead to job losses? Dreams do come true in Springfield The start of the Roaring ’20s was an age of prosperity in the United States. For the first time, ever more people lived in cities than in rural communities. Radio connected people across the country until TV made its debut seven years into the decade. Power steering was invented in 1926 and now, a century later, cars drive themselves. What a difference 100 years makes. Common job titles in the 1920s – like stenographers, draymen, raftsmen, launderers – are perhaps a foreign language to those entering the workforce today. In contrast, LinkedIn’s 20 trending job titles for 2023 include virtual reality architect, data protection consultant, drone operator, digital health coach, cybersecurity analyst, AI ethicist and chief happiness officer. All of which were likely to have been a foreign language to workers 100 years ago, especially the last one. We can only wonder what the world will look like three or four generations from now and what kind of jobs will exist. A hundred years from now, will robotic surgery look as primitive as the introduction of the electric stove? While many think artificial intelligence is the greatest thing since sliced bread (invented in 1928), there are those who fear AI will displace workers and even pose an existential threat to humanity. The datafication of the soaring 2020s could offer the same multiplier effect on human evolution as the electrification age of the roaring 1920s. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, manufacturing jobs experienced tremendous gains as the economy transitioned to wartime production during World War II, which began in 1939. Jobs in manufacturing continued to grow for the next 40 years before peaking in 1979 at roughly 19.4 million jobs. Over the next 40 years, manufacturing jobs have been in a steady decline and currently sit at 12.98 million jobs as of December 2023, per the BLS. Over that same 40-year period following the beginning of World War II, all other major U.S. job categories experienced growth. The biggest job gainers were concentrated in education and health services, professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and trade, transportation and utilities. Supply chain weaknesses exposed by COVID-19, geopolitical tensions and government incentives are leading to the reshoring of American manufacturing. According to a study by The Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte, manufacturers will need to fill 4 million jobs by 2030. The study states that if more workers do not pursue modern manufacturing careers, an estimated 2.1 million jobs could go unfilled. Not filling those jobs would prevent manufacturers from expanding or engaging in new projects. Deloitte estimates the cost of not filling those jobs to be as high as $1 trillion in 2030. This data suggests that there is a void to fill, and advances in AI, robotics and automation are not going to replace the need for skilled workers. America will need more manufacturing workers over the coming years, not fewer workers. The need locally is so great that in 2020, Ozarks Technical Community College broke ground on the Plaster Center for Advanced Manufacturing, a $40 million project that features state-of-the-art programs in robotics, fabrication, mechatronics, automation, drafting and design, and 3D printing. OTC offers a combination of over 100 degrees and certificates of achievements in various trades. Technology is rapidly changing industries. Perhaps the only workers at risk of getting left behind are those who do not adapt. Staying up to date on industry trends and learning how to enhance different skill sets may be the most valuable tool a worker can possess. So, will artificial intelligence lead to job losses? History shows that advances in technology have only added jobs, and there’s no reason to think that this time will be any different. A retooling of the workforce is needed and underway. And, based on history, there’s a possibility that your young child’s future job has yet to be invented. Andy Drennen is a certified financial planner and senior portfolio manager at Simmons Private Wealth in Springfield. He can be reached at andy.drennen@simmonsbank.com. FINANCE IN FOCUS Andy Drennen PUBLISHER’S PERSPECTIVE Marty Goodnight OPINION WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU Springfield Business Journal welcomes responses from readers. Letters to the editor should be brief, preferably under 300 words, and may be edited for clarity, style and length. No anonymous letters will be printed. Send letters to sbj@sbj.net. Please include your full name and the city where you reside. The Soaring 2020s provided by 5 POUND APPAREL
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