FEB. 19-25, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 1 FEB. 19-25, 2024 · VOL. 44, NO. 32 $2.50 · SBJ.NET YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY SINCE 1980 BUSINESS OF THE ARTS The Aetos Center for the Performing Arts brings arts and opportunity to Nixa. PAGE 8 Nonprofit plans pocket neighborhood in Grant Beach by Mike Cullinan · mcullinan@sbj.net A nonprofit that began rehabilitating existing housing stock in the Grant Beach neighborhood several years ago has intentions to build roughly a dozen new homes by next year. The planned construction project helmed by the Drew Lewis Foundation Inc. intends to create a pocket neighborhood in Grant Beach and boost affordable housing availability, said the nonprofit’s CEO, Amy Blansit. The organization recently purchased 1.2 acres of mostly vacant land from J.L. Reynolds LLC at the northwest corner of Broadway Avenue and Poplar Street. The purchase price was $115,000, Blansit said, adding the nonprofit took out a loan with Legacy Bank & Trust Co. “We’ve been watching this property for some time,” she said, noting a “For Sale” sign had been on-site for around a decade. “We talked to them about what our idea was and what we wanted to do with the property, and they finally decided to sell.” The property sits roughly a half-mile south of the nonprofit’s home at The Fairbanks, 1126 N. Broadway Ave. Plaza Towers event center aims for spring launch by Mike Cullinan · mcullinan@sbj.net Renovations at Plaza Towers and its adjacent shopping center that started in late 2020 continue as a new amenity – a 200-person event center – is expected to open this spring in the 55-year-old office building. Marco Denis, president and owner of Springfield Property LLC, which owns Plaza Towers, said the size and scope of renovations and the addition of projects at the building, such as a first-floor restaurant and coffee shop, have contributed to swell the construction budget well beyond the original $7 million estimate. “We go way over budget – way, way, way over budget,” he said. “I may just want to keep that private.” Through his real estate company, Denis purchased the 10-story, 130,000-squarefoot Plaza Towers, 35,000-square-foot Plaza Towers Center and Jimm’s Steakhouse and Pub building for $13.3 million in September 2020, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting. He bought the properties, which sit on roughly 10 acres, from the family of Errett Sechler Jr., after the former longtime owner died in 2019. Base Construction & Management LLC is general contractor for the Plaza Towers work, designed by architect Esterly, Schneider & Associates Inc. Renovation of common areas and corridors, including replacement of all 20 restrooms in the building, comprises much of the interior work that Denis said is completed. Exterior renovations included a facade upgrade and LED signage on the roof, along with ongoing third-floor construction of a wraparound patio, dubbed C’est La Vie, that connects to the Sunshine Event Center. The event space consists of roughly 5,000 square feet with See HOUSES on page 29 See PLAZA on page 22 REBECCA GREEN PATIO PROGRESS Marco Denis, whose real estate company Springfield Property owns Plaza Towers, says outdoor bar and patio C’est La Vie is a work in progress. Property renovations far exceed original $7M budget, owner says Amy Blansit: Goal is to have at least half the development’s homes priced at $135,000. Drew Lewis Foundation seeks to build 12 houses by end of next year
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FEB. 19-25, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 3 NEWS CONTENTS Practitioners and patients seek groundbreaking approaches to mental health healing. page 11 Health Care Open for Business A boutique hotel concept makes its Queen City debut on Battlefield Road. page 4 No Ceiling Alex Erwin talks about her work in breast cancer research and her mother’s cancer diagnosis in the latest episode of this women leadership podcast. page 7 On the Job Reporter Mike Cullinan checks in with local marijuana industry players regarding 2023 sales activity. page 21 City Beat Workplace culture consultant wants business-friendly city page 10 Young donors bring new ideas to giving Developers: Rehab work with city is progressing but there’s room for more by Karen Craigo · kcraigo@sbj.net A local effort is providing insight into a national phenomenon: the change in giving behaviors among charitable donors under the age of 40. A study commissioned by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks Inc. and conducted by Habitat Communication and Culture LLC drills down on a 2023 finding published by Giving USA that said people under the age of 40 were giving at a lesser rate than same-aged donors had given in years past. The report conducted by Habitat is titled “Shaping Tomorrow: A Study of Young Donors’ Perspectives on Charitable Giving in Southwest Missouri.” In his introduction, Brian Fogle, past president of CFO, said the observation required some scrutiny. “Given the engagement and activism we have witnessed with that group, we probed a bit deeper and found the study did not include most crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe because those didn’t meet the traditional definition allowed by the IRS,” Fogle wrote. The goal of the CFO study, Fogle said, is to prepare for the next generation of donors by endeavoring to understand why they give, what causes and who they support and what motivates their giving. Insights were provided by 431 respondents to a digital survey, plus more than 75 area residents who participated in focus group conversations and eight nonprofit development professionals with experience in southwest Missouri. Survey respondents mostly came from the under-40 demographic, with about 17% of respondents ages 41-50 and about 20% ages 51 and over. by Karen Craigo · kcraigo@sbj.net Springfield needs more people to invest in blighted properties and bring them back into the housing stock, according to Brock Rowe, director of the city’s Building Development Services department. For his part, Rowe is working to streamline BDS’ services so that developers can do that work. The department handles inspections and permits, and often it’s the source of difficult news for developers or property owners. Rowe said he has made it his mission to bring his staff to its full capacity and make sure they are well trained so that interactions with the public can be seamless. What he’d especially like to avoid are circumstances where a developer can get a response from one inspector and a different response from another. It’s something that sometimes happens, Rowe said. “We’re more certified than we’ve ever been,” he said. “We’re trying our very best, but it’s difficult. Some inspectors can see things a little bit differently, but we’re trying to get everyone on the same page.” In an interview with Springfield Business Journal last month, Rowe said he had just hired two land-use inspectors, which brought his department to full staffing levels, with one exception: a project facilitator position that he was working to modify in order to get the right person in the right place. The job description called for an architecture degree, but Rowe figured someone with building code experience and an understanding of the permitting and inspection process would be better. “That’s not necessarily what an architect does,” he said. “I want to get the type of person in there that has an understanding of what the provided by COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE OZARKS INC. NEW IDEAS Habitat Communication and Culture’s Paige Oxendine and Spencer Harris explain how donors under 40 differ from those who came before. See GIVING on page 30 See REHAB on page 26 CFO study reveals changes in values and practices among donors under 40 Brock Rowe: Three BDS teams have been formed to work in designated areas of the city.
FEB. 19-25, 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 Element Springfield South After seven years running a barbershop in Rogersville, Kix Nelson, owner of Outlaw Gentlemen LLC, decided to add a second location on Aug. 22 in nearby Ozark. Doing business as Outlaw Gentlemen Barbershop, Nelson took over the 1,400-square-foot space at 127 E. Church St. formerly occupied by women’s clothing store Blush Boutique, which moved elsewhere in Ozark. Nelson signed a three-year lease with Alley Investments LLC but declined to disclose the rate or startup costs. Outlaw Gentlemen provides haircuts and mustache trims, Nelson said, adding his staff of four barbers also handle straight razor face shaves and beard grooming. Services range $15-$48. Nelson started his hair-cutting career eight years ago at Hudson Hawk Barber & Shop in Springfield, where he worked for 14 months before opening his Rogersville location in February 2017. Wellness studio Stretch Zone opened Oct. 23 at 2924 S. Lone Pine Ave. in the Battlefield Towers shopping center. Chris Blaine said he and his wife, Andrea, are local franchisees of the fitness company, which assists clients with stretching that is designed to enhance mobility, improve posture and reduce muscle tension. Stretch Zone has over 300 locations in 40 states, according to its website. Blaine declined to disclose startup costs for the Springfield studio, but the website said the initial investment for franchisees ranges $113,000-$226,000 in addition to 6% royalty and 2% advertising fees. Logan Strong is general manager of the 1,750-square-foot studio, which employs 10. Blaine said he and his wife additionally remain franchisees of Home Instead, which provides in-home care for seniors. The couple has exclusive rights with Stretch Zone for southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas territories, he said, adding they plan to open a second location this spring in Rogers, Arkansas. A Marriott International Inc. (Nasdaq: MAR) boutique hotel concept, Element Springfield South, opened Jan. 18 at 1100 E. Battlefield Road. Bryan Springfield Hotels LLC is owner of the 72,000-square-foot Element by Westin property that has extended- and long-term stay options for its 121 rooms, which officials say include fully equipped kitchens and oversized closets. Osage Beach-based Thomas Construction served as the general contractor for the project designed by H Design Group LLC. Sarah Sissel, Element Springfield South director of sales of marketing, said General Manager Jackie McVay leads the staff of 35 at the hotel, declining to disclose startup costs. Amenities include a saline pool, fitness center and Olive’s, a bar that offers a limited dining menu, including flatbreads and charcuterie. Bryan Properties previously planned to develop a Staybridge Suites at the site but pivoted amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The company took over ownership of the property in December 2018 after the 2016 demolition of the Courtyard Office Center. ☎ 417-290-9050 Marriott.com/sgfel Outlaw Gentlemen Barbershop Stretch Zone ☎ 417-324-9249 OutlawBarbers.com ☎ 417-444-5121 StretchZone.com OPEN FOR BUSINESS Sarah Sissel and Jackie McVay REBECCA GREEN MORE PHOTOS AT SBJ.NET EARN 5.49% Stop by our Springfield location or call to learn more about this account and our high-interest commercial checking account. 2540 East Sunshine St / 417-350-1311 / onemidwest.com APY = Annual Percentage Yield. Rate will be updated on the first business day of each month. The rate for the Midwest Premier Money Market account is indexed to the U.S. 1-Month Treasury Bill rate as published in the Wall Street Journal on the first day of the month. Account balances of $100,000.00 or more will receive a rate equal to the index. If daily account balance falls below $100,000.00, rate will be the index minus two percent (-2.00%) with a floor rate of 0.50% APY. The minimum balance required to open the account is $100,000.00. Limited time offer that may be withdrawn at any time. Fees may reduce account earnings. Withdrawal limitations apply. For accounts opened in the Springfield, MO market only. No brokered deposits accepted.
FEB. 19-25, 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 Blanca Aiello to outsourcing senior associate, Tristan Ollar to senior consultant and Lauren Hughes to a senior associate II position. Aiello provides payroll and tax return services and studied international business in Ecuador. Ollar handles revenue cycle services and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Missouri State University. Hughes works in tax planning, accounting and compliance, with bachelor’s in business administration from Missouri Southern State University. KPM CPAs & Advisors added Skyler Whitworth as a financial associate in its wealth management practice. She holds a bachelor’s in finance from MSU. Banking & Finance Kiera Strait was named branch sales manager for Arvest Bank in Hollister, and Kandace Plott transferred to a branch sales manager in Branson. Strait has 13 years of industry experience and is responsible for sales, consumer lending and operations. Plott, who previously served as branch sales manager in Hollister, has 10 years of industry experience. Education The Ozark School District Board of Education promoted junior high principal Phillip Link to executive director of human resources, a newly created districtwide role, effective July 1. He’s responsible for HR functions and serving as the district’s Title IX compliance officer. Link has spent his entire education career at Ozark Junior High School. Engineering Toth and Associates Inc. hired Tim Schiermeyer as a senior transmission planner. He has 20 years of industry experience and holds a bachelor’s in electrical and electronics engineering from California State University-Sacramento. Food service Phil Graves, of Springfield, was hired by Boulder, Colorado-based Meati Foods to work remotely as chief financial officer. He has experience building environmentally conscious brands, most recently as CEO for Wild Idea Buffalo Co., and previously worked as chief sustainability officer for Bass Pro Shops and as vice president of corporate development at Patagonia, where he founded its corporate venture fund, Tin Shed Ventures. Health Care Empower: abilities made several hiring moves: Juli Jordan as marketing director after 15 years in marketing and community engagement for SeniorAge; Davida Norwood from the Kansas City market as a human resources specialist; Justin Hughes as a case manager after working a year at Phoenix Home Care & Hospice; Leslie Berry as a quality assurance specialist; and Ki-Jana Blount as a consumer directed services specialist. The agency also added Dr. Debra Williams, a low-vision specialist, and Kristin Whitson, low vision clinic manager, in a partnership with Vision Rehabilitation Center of the Ozarks. Health Quality Innovators recognized Citizens Memorial Hospital in its 2023 awards program for successful evidence-based approaches to improve health care quality and outcomes. CMH was selected as a runner-up in the Collaboration category for the Patient and Family Advisory Council. Hospitality Oasis Hotel & Convention Center promoted Catering Sales Director Cassie Shurtz to director of sales. Prior to joining Oasis last year, Shurtz worked as sales and operations manager at The Barley House at Moon Town Crossing and held management positions for Lodge of the Ozarks and Raddison Hotel since starting her hospitality career in 2007. Service HM Dent Works added Jack LeGrand as a paintless dent repair technician and estimator. He graduated from the HM Dent Works Academy and has experience in customer service, vehicle damage estimating and paintless dent repair. NEWSMAKERS Send announcements to newsmakers@sbj.net Whitworth Plott Schiermeyer Link Hughes Aiello Strait Ollar Graves “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
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FEB. 19-25, 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. Alex Erwin is my guest this week. She’s the manager of scientific programs at Susan G. Komen. Her work involves bringing together industry leaders and patient voices to identify gaps in breast cancer research and needs in patient care. She moved back to the Springfield area after the birth of her daughter to be closer to family, and says she benefited from a post-pandemic shift to remote work that made the job at national nonprofit Komen possible. In this conversation, Alex talks about the impact of her mother’s breast cancer diagnosis on her work, and how emigrating to the U.S. from Russia as a child with her single mother has shaped her perspective and identity. She also discusses the ongoing focus of Komen on data collection, aiming to collect information from diverse patient populations to improve health outcomes. Below is an excerpt from the start of our conversation. —Christine Temple, Executive Editor Christine Temple: You lead the scientific programs and the research efforts for breast cancer at Susan G. Komen. What does your work entail? Alex Erwin: We work really kind of collaboratively across Komen, and one of the things that we do is bring the leaders in the research field and the patient voice together to try and identify gaps in the breast cancer field and also try and identify immediate needs that can help the breast cancer community. Temple: What are some of the projects that you’re working on? Erwin: One really great example of a project on our team that kind of leverages the patient voice and collaboration is our work around inflammatory breast cancer. This is an aggressive breast cancer that doesn’t really show a lot of the typical signs you think of with breast cancer. So, a lot of times there is no lump and it really looks more like a skin infection. And so kind of that presentation, combined with the fact that women are more likely to be younger when they’re diagnosed, just means a lot of times breast cancer isn’t on the radar, so it gets misdiagnosed or missed a lot. And it’s really critical because it’s also an aggressive cancer. So, by the time you’re seeing the symptoms, it’s already an advanced stage, and so it’s really critical to get the right treatment as soon as possible. Along with our nonprofit partners, we convened experts in the inflammatory breast cancer space along with patient advocates to really figure out what is the thing that would have the greatest impact for patients. And the answer was a resounding: We need a better way to diagnose this more consistently and more accurately because the approach for diagnosing this breast cancer really hadn’t changed for decades. Our group worked collaboratively to come up with a proposed new diagnostic scoring system, so a new way to diagnose this, and that was published. And then we also funded two of the leading inflammatory breast cancer centers in the world to validate the scoring system. Since the scoring system in the publication was pretty cumbersome to use – a clinician would have to find the article, they’d have to tally up the scores to get to that to help them in their diagnosis – we wanted to make this more accessible so that clinicians and physicians had the same access to these criteria that the leading centers were using. We worked collaboratively within Komen and with our partners to develop an online version of this tool so now providers can have it in hand in the clinic while they’re seeing patients to hopefully aid them in that diagnosis. We launched the online version of the scoring system last fall. Temple: What made you want to get into the field of science? Erwin: I had always been really interested in science, but I think a lot of people owe it to really great educators. So, even in our community, I had great high school teachers at Willard and at Missouri State, and I think one thing that really kind of tied things together was that they would give us really ambitious projects to work on. Just them entrusting us to try and figure out these big problems, I think, also gave us permission to think more ambitiously – maybe we could help address some of the critical needs and unsolved problems in science. LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE: SBJ.net/NoCeiling or wherever you find your podcasts UP NEXT: Paula Dougherty Achieve Private Wealth, Ameriprise Financial Services LLC PRESENTED BY ALEX ERWIN Susan G. Komen TAWNIE WILSON Leadership Spotlight Team members feel valued, understood, and motivated when their leader is courteous, kind, and considerate of their feelings. Whether it’s taking care of aging parents, grappling with a medical diagnosis, or being a new parent, everyone has a season in life when they need their leader to show them grace and empathy. These traits can also be instrumental in resolving conflicts in a peaceful, productive way. AmericanNational.com Jennifer Henry Senior Events and Engagement Specialist SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 7
FEB. 19-25, 2024 8 · SBJ.NET by Karen Craigo · kcraigo@sbj.net With a flick of a wand and a flash of smoke, the Aetos Center for the Performing Arts hosted its first show – by illusionist Mike Super – one year ago, on Feb. 18, 2023. Located on the campus of Nixa High School, the center known to locals as The Aetos – Greek for eagle, Nixa’s mascot – was built through voter support of a 2019 bond issue that brought a 41-cent levy increase. Its cost was $15.2 million. Officials say the project doubled the size of the district’s performing arts space with an 1,100-seat auditorium, plus a set-building shop, media room, concession/ticket office and lobby. The project also included the renovation of the old auditorium and band and choral rooms into new rehearsal and performance spaces, with the theater room doubling as a black box theater space and a dressing room for traveling shows. And just like that, Nixa had a venue that could host national touring productions but would serve first and foremost as the home of the district’s band, music and theater programs. Zac Rantz, the school district’s chief communication officer, serves as the booking agent and marketing manager for The Aetos, in addition to his other responsibilities. Rantz said he has checked around, and he can’t find another model quite like Nixa’s, at least at the high school level. “We’re making it up as we go,” he said. “We’re trying to figure out what works. As this evolves, we’ll decide what we need to do as far as the future goes.” According to Rantz, engaging the imagination is a familiar trait in the Nixa district. “We say, ‘What else can we do?’ We ask that with a lot of things,” he said. He cited two examples: the alternative high school, called SCORE, or Second Chance of Receiving an Education, a program for at-risk students that was founded in 1999, and the John Thomas School of Discovery, a magnet school focused on science, technology, engineering, the arts and math. Rantz said it’s the Nixa way to look at a project and figure out how to push it further and make it usable beyond the intended purpose. And that’s how The Aetos, a regional arts center, was born. Economic impact The Aetos has already made an impact on the community, with 10 touring shows in 2023. The goal is to bring in 10-15 touring shows a year, Rantz said, and they are evaluated for their suitableness for a local audience, even as booking agents gauge Nixa and the center to make sure the venue is right for them. In 2023, 5,467 tickets were sold to national shows, and audience members came from 17 states and Canada, Rantz said. Citing a 2023 Forbes article that estimated audience members spend $38.40 in a community in addition to ticket prices, he said The Aetos injected $225,000 into the local economy in 2023. Rantz said every show is a little bit different in its pricing considerations, and some shows have individual sponsors, which makes a difference. If a booking cost is $25,000 and staff costs run $5,000 – a typical arrangement – seats might be priced at $50, so selling 600 seats would be a break-even proposition. “If we think the show is going to sell more, then I would be able to price it a little lower,” he said. Higher prices may be offered for a VIP meet-and-greet, and lower ones may be charged for balcony seating. Rantz said the goal of the district is to break even on operations at The Aetos, and not to profit from productions in the community-funded space. “If we can support the local economy as a school district by bringing in these types of shows, we benefit, too, as a school district,” he said. “We run it like a business, but we don’t have to run it like a for-profit business. We’re investing in the local community and the region.” Learning opportunities Allison Fleetwood teaches theater at Nixa High School and serves as head of operations for The Aetos. “We’re doing something that no other school district is doing, so our expectations were really up in the air,” she said. “I am thrilled with the outcome of the past year.” Community members have come out to support productions, she said, and in the process, the district has been able to promote its arts programs. The center also serves as an educational laboratory for students, she said, noting high school students are hired to work backstage and on lighting and sound during the touring productions. “They’re learning those skills, but they’re also working with different types of people,” “We’re making it up as we go.” —Zac Rantz “We’re doing something that no other school district is doing, so our expectations were really up in the air.” —Allison Fleetwood The Aetos brings arts, education and training to Nixa Artistry Takes Flight TAWNIE WILSON BEHIND THE SCENES From left, technical director Cory Glenn, booking agent Zac Rantz and head of operations Allison Fleetwood coordinate the nationally touring shows that visit The Aetos.
FEB. 19-25, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 9 Fleetwood said. “The stage manager for one show may have completely different expectations from the next show. How do you deal with people? That’s a life skill.” Student Seth Coker said he has worked in multiple positions at The Aetos. “I usually work with other students to create a flawless experience for not only the audience, but the performers as well,” he said. Coker said he intends to pursue a theater education and career, and gaining experience at The Aetos has helped him grow as an artist. Illyria Bogner, another student, said she has worked in various areas for touring productions, and has also run lights and audio for band and choir concerts. “There are many benefits to working in a theater such as The Aetos,” she said. “I get hands-on experience with professional shows as a student in high school, which is an incredible opportunity. Another benefit, of course, is I get paid, which is always a bonus. But I’m also getting connected with all sorts of people in the entertainment industry. I am learning all about how professional technicians work and even how performers work.” Bogner said she is headed to the University of Central Missouri in the fall to double major in art and theater. Robin Nemanick, manager for illusionist Mike Super, said The Aetos is a phenomenal venue – one that she and Super were glad to be coming back to on Feb. 17, a year after their first visit. “They’re a new venue, but they’re doing everything right,” Nemanick said. “We’re very lucky to be able to work with them.” She noted Super enjoyed talking with students at The Aetos. “It’s very important for Mike and our crew to help along with any questions and kind of teach some things about the industry,” she said. “They’re our future – they may be working on some of our shows one day.” Community involvement Nixa residents have always been good about supporting student performances, according to Craig Finger, director of bands at Nixa – and now they are rewarded with a facility that maximizes the quality of the sound of both the band and choir through a removable acoustical shell. Rantz estimated the cost of the shell was close to $240,000, but Finger said it’s a difference-maker, keeping sound from getting lost in the wings and ceiling, and focusing it toward the audience. “I give the school district a lot of credit,” Finger said. “It took a financial commitment to do that, but it makes it the envy of many, many programs across the state.” Emily Burcham, co-founder with husband Jeremy of Meridian Title Co. LLC, said she was delighted to become involved in The Aetos with a naming-level sponsorship for the performance hall. Rantz said the $300,000 agreement provides naming rights for five years. “When the school talked to us about The Aetos and what was getting ready to happen, we wanted to step up to the plate and support not only the Nixa community, but the whole southwest Missouri region,” she said. “We knew it was going to be a national venue that was going to bring in a lot of great shows, and we wanted to be part of helping the arts grow. It was a great opportunity to give in a big way to really help this platform take off.” Other donors are Bewley Custom Homes LLC, sponsoring the landing; 14 Mill Market, sponsoring the lobby; and United Plumbing LLC, sponsoring the bathrooms. Sponsorships totaled $78,000 in 2023. • AIN’T NO LIE The Boy Band Review appeared at The Aetos on April 29 in a benefit for Care to Learn. provided by THE AETOS CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS provided by THE AETOS CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS REMEMBERING THE KING Priscilla Presley proved to be the biggest draw yet at The Aetos with a nearly sold-out show on Jan. 22.
FEB. 19-25, 2024 10 · SBJ.NET NEWS Springfield outlaws cashprize gaming machines Workplace culture consultant targets dysfunction in city by Karen Craigo · kcraigo@sbj.net Enforcement began right away within the city of Springfield to quash entertainment devices offering monetary prizes. Springfield Police Department Chief Paul Williams said enforcement would begin immediately after Springfield City Council’s unanimous Feb. 12 approval of an ordinance outlawing the devices that have been taking hold throughout the city, both in gaming parlors and in convenience stores and smoke shops. The ordinance states each device on a violator’s premises will constitute a separate offense. For a first offense, a violator will be subject to a minimum fine of $500. For by Karen Craigo · kcraigo@sbj.net “We need to make the city of Springfield easier to work with.” That was the opening salvo in remarks by Don Harkey, owner and CEO of People Centric Consulting Group LLC, at the Feb. 12 meeting of Springfield City Council. Appearing during the public comment section of the meeting, Harkey emphasized that the city needs to create a climate that supports growth, rather than placing barriers in the path of entrepreneurs. “There’s a growing number of entrepreneurs who are frustrated with the city who are sitting on the sidelines,” he said. “Many of those entrepreneurs are investing in other cities.” It’s a concern some members of council say they’ve heard before. For example, Councilmember Derek Lee, an engineer, said he had firsthand experience with matters being pushed to the city’s legal department instead of to the department that might best handle them. Limited to a five-minute presentation, Harkey offered a story from his business as an example of the problem he sees in communication between the city and businesses. Over a year ago, he decided to hang a 2-foot-wide sign outside his office at 429 W. Walnut St., and he was told by the city that he would need $3 million worth of insurance coverage to do so. Harkey said he learned the city had changed the insurance requirement to $1 million in 2019, but he was unable to locate See GAMING on page 34 See DYSFUNCTION on page 24 KAREN CRAIGO At the Rountree neighborhood Rapid Robert’s convenience store, four of the newly banned gaming devices remained operational the morning of Feb. 13, with workers saying they were unaware of the new city law. Police begin enforcement without delay, chief says hese days, the health bene ts o ered by employers can be just as important as the hiring salary. O ering health insurance doesn’t just bene t your employees, but makes you, the owner, more competitive in today’s job market. Call for a free consultation. Occupational Medicine | Immediate Urgent Care Direct Primary Care Plan (DPC) | Supplemental Insurance 1308 N. Glenstone Ave.| Springfield, MO 65802 | 417-832-1117 Knows the secret... to providing a ordable healthcare 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. 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! Don Harkey: Some businesses opt against Springfield due to frustrations.
FEB. 19-25, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 11 HEALTH CARE by Nicole Chilton · Contributing Writer As mental health care evolves, pioneering treatments are making strides toward transforming the way practitioners and patients address mental wellness. From the therapeutic realms of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing and Cereset to the new use of federally approved psychedelics like esketamine, these modalities offer groundbreaking approaches to healing. After witnessing a murder while on vacation and grappling with the ensuing trauma, Whitney Gillenwaters found solace and stability through EMDR therapy after returning home to Springfield. “My therapist recognized immediately that EMDR would be helpful for me, and I was able to get an appointment within a few days,” she said. EMDR, which underwent its first clinical trial in 1989, has been found to help people work through traumatic memories, according to trauma expert Wanda Holloway of Burrell Behavioral Health. Patients are led to think about their trauma for a short time while also doing something else that distracts them, like following a therapist’s finger movements with their eyes. This dual attention can make the traumatic memory feel less intense and less upsetting for patients, she said. “EMDR logically allows them to release the fears attached to their traumatic experience and let them look at it from the experience from a distance, versus feeling stuck or frozen,” said psychologist Holloway. Gillenwaters describes the experience as nothing short of magical. She said, “I recognize there is a solid scientific basis to the process, but it really felt magical the way all the very strong emotional reactions I was still having surrounding memories of the violence I had witnessed slipped away and seemed to get physically smaller in my mind.” Holloway said EMDR has shown effectiveness across a spectrum of conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression. She was first trained in EMDR following the 2011 Joplin tornado when a humanitarian assistance program was sent in to train community professionals. After seeing the rapid effectiveness, Holloway said she became certified through the EMDR International Association and now is an approved consultant and international trainer. “We have a waitlist of about 80 people to get that treatment,” said Holloway, who serves as Burrell’s outpatient clinical provider supervisor. “It continues to grow, and a lot of people are interested and have heard a lot of positive results.” With hundreds of EMDR counselors listed in the Springfield region with the EMDR International Association, Holloway recommends patients perform due diligence on the practitioner’s training and certifications. “We’re dealing with the brain, which is such a powerful tool,” she said, noting EMDRIA.org has a searchable database of certified therapists. Holloway said next steps for EMDR involves group settings and virtual care platforms. Harmonizing the mind Cereset, a blend of the words cerebrum and reset, is a new treatment company using patented BrainEcho technology and represents another noninvasive modality gaining popularity in the area. Launched locally in mid-2023 by Diana Eul, a licensed professional counselor, Cereset Springfield focuses on aiding individuals to reach mental equilibrium and wellness by optimizing their brain wave patterns. Eul said the technology utilizes electroencephalography to capture brain wave activity, which is then transformed into sound through Cereset’s BrainEcho algorithm. The unique sound, crafted with vocals and instruments by a Nashville-based group, is played back to the individual through earbuds while they relax in a chair. This process allows the brain to recognize its own patterns in the sound, facilitating a return to equilibrium. “The brain wants to be in balance,” Eul says. “What we’re doing with the brain echoing is allowing the brain to hear its own brain wave, recognize where it’s out of balance, and reset.” Eul first learned of the technology during an International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals conference in 2021 and immediately wanted to learn more. After going through a protocol designed to help treat insomnia, Eul said she was convinced. “After my third session, I went to bed at 8:30 p.m. and awoke the next morning, Practitioners and patients navigate new frontiers of mental health care See MIND on page 17 TAWNIE WILSON Mind Matters Burrell Behavioral Health psychologist Wanda Holloway demonstrates eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy.
12 · SBJ.NET FEB. 19-25, 2024 FOCUS HEALTH CARE This fall will mark the 10-year anniversary of the UMKC School of Pharmacy satellite campus at MSU. Tell me about the impact of the program. We have faculty in town, one at Jordan Valley, one at MSU Care, one at Mercy, one at Cox, and then one down in Branson. And in most of those places, obviously with the exception of Cox and Mercy, our faculty are the only pharmacists in those sites. I think Jordan Valley is one example of an impact. When we hired our first faculty, Lisa Cillessen, she improved some of their metrics for chronic disease illness. Then when COVID hit, they put her in charge of developing the infusion centers for monoclonal antibodies. The same is true at MSU Care, where we have Brandi Bowers, and she works with the underprivileged in Springfield and has been really a leader in that clinic. So, they’ve really set the tone. Community Partnership of the Ozarks actually funds an internship off their grants for our students. It allows our students to go out and do things like opiod education, safe medication use. That’s been a pipeline for national awards for our students. In terms of our students, we’ve done really well in that department up until the last couple of years. There’s a nationwide decline in applicants to pharmacy school, and we’ve seen that as well. Up until two years ago, we were traditionally running 23 to 30 students; we’re seated for 30 students. And in the last two years, we haven’t hit the 20 mark. Hopefully that’ll turn around. We graduate upwards of 96% from here. They have no problem finding jobs. We have a first placement rate of around 98% or so. The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy said applicants and graduates to pharmacy schools is the lowest in 40 years. But then at the same time, they cited a stat of almost 61,000 job postings for pharmacy positions in 2023, an 18% increase over the year before. What are the factors causing this issue? About 2016 or so, admissions to pharmacy school peaked. Everything then is on a fouryear delay. Our attrition is somewhat regulated by our accreditors; they want us to make sure we get the right students in the right seats and make sure we are invested in student success so they graduate. It’s not unusual for schools of pharmacy to have 90-plus percent of incoming classes graduating. So, 2019, the peak in graduations occurred, and that was pre-pandemic. And the pandemic did a lot that our profession had been trying to do for years. It really educated the lay public on what does a pharmacist really do. We get out and see patients and talk to patients about their medications. We look out for medication safety in terms of drug interactions, wrong dosing, wrong drug. Obviously, the public found out what we did in a big sense and have kind of overwhelmed that aspect of pharmacy. You saw, I think it was this fall up in Kansas City, some pharmacists walking out. That’s an illustration of the work environment that is in the commercial community pharmacy, Walgreens, CVS. Those are not good places to be introduced to pharmacy because of the work environment, the stress and the staffing issues. My message to young adults is there are more places to be a pharmacist than just the corporate community stores or even hospitals. To me, that’s the beauty of pharmacy. Are the changes within the industry, in terms of more of the locally based pharmacies closing and moving more to that commercial retail model, reducing some opportunities? The independent community pharmacy is under some stress, and there’s a lot of reasons for that. Sometimes the corporate pharmacies have moved into small, rural communities. There definitely is a challenge there in terms of the job market. The one thing that I push back on when people are like, “Oh, well, there’s not enough jobs,” your statistics show that that’s not true. Just about 18 months ago when I looked at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, they were forecasting from 2022 to 2032 to have a 0% growth in pharmacy. They are now projecting a 3% growth. There’s already a shortage. We will be graduating probably less than 10,000 students across the country for the first time since the 1990s by next year. There are plenty of jobs and there’s plenty other emerging practice settings where I think that it’s a great time to get into pharmacy. What makes you most excited about the profession today? The excitement for me is seeing the numbers come back for enrollments, and they will. When you’re in academia as long as I’ve been, you see trends and cycles. The other thing is that medicine and the technology surrounding health care is changing at light speed. The opportunities that are going to be there for pharmacists are just mind-blowing. Just a few years ago, the mere perception of going into a pharmacy and getting a test for an infection was super high level. Now, we do it at home. Being able to administer those kind of tests or interpret them, the ambulatory care setting or the clinic setting that pharmacists work one-on-one with patients, I just think it’s an exciting time for pharmacy. Springfield and the surrounding community have been wonderful for us. We collaborate heavily with MSU, but other educational institutions here in Springfield have been marvelous for us. (Ozarks Technical Community College) basically took our prerequisites and created a degree pathway for their students. We recently, the last two years, have gotten into getting our students to vaccinate the MSU community for influenza. President [Clif] Smart and his team have really made it seamless for us to exist here. paul gubbins Associate Dean, Vice Chair and Professor, University of MissouriKansas City School of Pharmacy at Missouri State University A CONVERSATION WITH ... REBECCA GREEN Excerpts from an interview by Executive Editor Christine Temple, ctemple@sbj.net 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
SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 13 FEB. 19-25, 2024 FOCUS HEALTH CARE AREA'S LARGEST 55+ COMMUNITIES Rank Name Address Telephone • Website Email Number of Units Residents Rental Rates (Monthly) Services Top Local Executive(s), Title(s) Year Established Locally Owner 1 MARANATHA VILLAGE 233 E Norton Road, Springfield 65803 417-833-0016 • MVLife.org maranathavillage@mvlife.org 242 320 $569‐$3,060 Outings & activities, housekeeping, 24/7 nurse, church & Bible studies, lawn care, trash Brian Miller, CEO 1973 Maranatha Village Inc 2 CREEKSIDE AT ELFINDALE 1601 S Fort Ave, Springfield 65807 417-831-3828 • ElfindaleRetirement.com jstorey@vhsmail.com 216 200 $2,128‐$4,695 Exercise, recreational, educational & spiritual programs, scheduled group transportation, meal delivery Jessica Saad, executive director 1987 Vetter Senior Living 3 CORYELL COMMONS1 248 E Monestary St, Springfield 65810 417-616-2552 • CoryellCommons.com coryellcommons@tlcproperties.com 159 150 $750‐$1,800 Shuttle bus, on-site management, security patrol Sam M Coryell, president of TLC Properties 2016 Coryell Commons LLC 4 THE MONTCLAIR 1000 E Montclair St, Springfield 65807 417-886-2100 • DialSeniorLiving.com 157 140 $2,710‐$3,700 Meals, housekeeping, transportation, 24-hour staff, activities Amanda Edwards, executive director 1988 Dial Senior Living 5 VERANDA VISTAS 565 W Bryant St, Springfield 65810 417-851-1755 • VerandaVistas.com vistas@tlcproperties.com 120 118 $1,125‐$1,825 On-site maintenance & management, security patrol, online payments, keyless entry, shuttle bus Sam M Coryell, president of TLC Properties 2019 Veranda Vistas LLC 6 THE WATERFORD AT IRONBRIDGE 1131 E Lakewood St, Springfield 65810 417-881-5088 • WaterfordAtIronbridge.com 118 112 $2,400‐$3,890 Weekly housekeeping, on-site health care, transportation, activities Kelly Snyder, executive director 2001 Sonida Senior Living 7 THE GARDENS INDEPENDENT LIVING & CONDOS 2730 S Nettleton Ave, Springfield 65807 417-889-7600 • TheGardensMo.com bcrawford@ba.org 113 130 $2,590‐$3,790 Housekeeping & linens, three meals/day - restaurant style, recreational activities, community outings, transportation, cable, utilities paid Heather Brown, executive director 2006 Bethesda Senior Living Communities 8 KICKAPOO PRAIRIE RETIREMENT CONDOS 3840 S Jefferson Ave, Springfield 65807 417-496-7770 • Reed-PropertiesInc.com reedpropertiesinc@mail.com 102 125 $950‐$1,350 All exterior & interior maintenance, snow removal, water, sewer, trash Bill Reed, owner & Jeremy Reed, manager 2002 Kickapoo Prairie Retirement Condos LLC 9 THE TOWNSHIP SENIOR LIVING 4150 W Republic Road, Battlefield 65619 417-881-7800 • TownshipSeniorLiving.com info@townshipseniorliving.com 83 78 $2,700‐$3,900 Landscaping, wellness checks, activities, transportation, all-day restaurant dining, 24/7 nursing & care Denise Wilkinson, executive director 2019 O'Reilly Development Co LLC 10 RIVER OAKS RETIREMENT COMMUNITY 5500 S Kickapoo Ave, Springfield 65804 417-496-7770 • Reed-PropertiesInc.com reedpropertiesinc@mail.com 74 129 $1,950‐$2,250 Trash, lawn irrigation, interior & exterior maintenance Bill Reed, owner & Jeremy Reed, manager 2013 River Oaks Retirement Community LLC 11 TERA VERA 2715 S Kimbrough Ave, Springfield 65807 417-616-2628 • TeraVeraLiving.com info@teraveraliving.com 63 58 $2,575‐$3,550 On-site management & maintenance, security patrol, trash, lawn care, shuttle bus Sam M Coryell, president TLC Properties 2016 Tera Vera LLC 12 SPRINGHOUSE VILLAGE OF SPRINGFIELD EAST 3877 E Farm Road 132, Springfield 65802 417-708-3403 • SpringhouseVillage.net 62 65 $5,300‐$6,600 Assistance with grooming, bathing, dressing, toileting, medication management, meals, housekeeping, laundry, maintenance, transportation Karen Dobson, executive director 2021 Foster Senior Living 13 THE CASTLEWOOD SENIOR LIVING 1538 N Old Castle Road, Nixa 65714 417-724-8188 • CastlewoodSeniorLiving.com info@castlewoodseniorliving.com 51 49 $3,340‐$3,700 Landscaping, wellness checks, activities, transportation, all-day restaurant dining, 24/7 nursing & care Courtney Darby, executive director 2017 O'Reilly Development Co LLC 14 IRONBRIDGE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY LLC 1121 E Lakewood St, Springfield 65810 417-496-7770 • Reed-PropertiesInc.com reedpropertiesinc@mail.com 50 58 $795‐$1,550 Interior/exterior maintenance, trash Bill Reed, owner & Jeremy Reed, manager 2006 Iron Bridge Retirement Community LLC 15 NORTHPARK VILLAGE BY AMERICARE 4449 N Hwy NN, Ozark 65721 417-581-3200 • AmericareUSA.net ozark@americareusa.net 15 17 $2,970‐$3,340 Wellness screenings, housekeeping & maintenance, emergency call system, pharmacy delivery, 24/7 nursing staff Erin Malotte, administrator 1998 Americare Senior Living 16 CHARLESTON PLACE 1717 E Republic Road, Springfield 65804 417-496-7770 • Reed-PropertiesInc.com reedpropertiesinc@mail.com 14 19 $1,250‐$1,350 Interior & exterior maintenance, trash Bill Reed, owner & Jeremy Reed, manager 2006 Charleston Place LLC 17 BRIAR STREET CONDOMINIUMS 1333 E Briar St, Springfield 65804 417-496-7770 • Reed-PropertiesInc.com reedpropertiesinc@mail.com 10 14 $1,300 Interior & exterior maintenance, trash Bill Reed, owner & Jeremy Reed, manager 2015 Reed Rentals LLC 18 REDREX RETIREMENT CONDOMINIUMS 1573 E Redrex St, Springfield 65804 417-496-7770 • Reed-PropertiesInc.com reedpropertiesinc@mail.com 8 10 $1,250 Interior & exterior maintenance, water/sewer/trash included Bill Reed, owner & Jeremy Reed, manager 2010 Reed Rentals LLC Ranked by number of units. Retirement communities are historically intended for individuals 55 years or older, though several listed accept 50-plus residents. Springfield Business Journal relies on individual businesses to be truthful and accurate in their representation of the information listed. To be considered for future lists, email lists@sbj.net. 1 Includes Coryell Commons & Coryell Commons Heights. Researched by Karen Bliss Karen Bliss © Copyright 2024 SBJ. All rights reserved. This material may not be republished, rebroadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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