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Springfield Business Journal_2024-02-26

FEB. 26-MARCH 3, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 1 FEB. 26-MARCH 3, 2024 · VOL. 44, NO. 33 $2.50 · SBJ.NET YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY SINCE 1980 BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT A couple follow their bakery franchise dreams to Springfield. PAGE 6 Wilson Logistics Arena economic impact could hit $60M in 2024 by Karen Craigo · kcraigo@sbj.net Located on the site of the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds & Event Center, the 164,000-square-foot Wilson Logistics Arena opened Jan. 11, and officials estimate it will bring the economic impact of the fairgrounds to $60 million in 2024. In over a month of operation, the arena has hosted sold-out events, like the O’Reilly Auto Parts Outlaw Nationals Monster Truck Show on Jan. 26-27 and GT Arena Motocross Springfield on Feb. 3, said Aaron Owen, fairground CEO. There haven’t been many kinks to straighten out, Owen said. A concert by Russell Dickerson and Liz Moriondo that marked the official opening on Jan. 11 had long lines for alcohol. “We fixed that,” Owen said. “It’s not a problem anymore.” Those three events brought 17,200 people to the arena, Owen said, with good reviews from participants and guests. Some athletic events have also taken place in the early days of operation. Three Missouri USA Wrestling events were held over three weekends for wrestlers ages 5 through high school, and together they brought an by Karen Craigo · kcraigo@sbj.net Amid an ongoing discussion of the high percentage of renters versus homeowners in Springfield, one organization backs the choice to rent instead of own. “With higher mortgage rates, higher home prices and the lack of overall inventory, the economics of renting versus owning has never been more favorable,” said Brent Brown, board president of the Springfield Apartment & Housing Association and a multifamily housing developer and property manager through Greenway Development Group LLC. Commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield reported in January that the national average cost of a home mortgage is now $400 more expensive per month than the average rent, and this figure does not include taxes, insurance, upkeep and other nonmortgage home expenses. If all costs of homeownership were included, the report states, the monthly savings from renting versus owning would be close to $1,000 on average. High rental rates in Springfield often bring accounts of blighted properties and poor treatment of tenants – situations SAHA condemns and aims to help mitigate, according to Brown. But he notes there’s more to the rental story. Nationally, Brown said there is a shift in attitudes about rental housing, with a rise in renters among all demographics. U.S. Census Bureau data shows the number of renters nationally earning over $200,000 per year quadrupled from 2010 to 2022. A Springfield housing study commissioned by the city and released in December 2023 showed the local homeownership rate at 42% of its census-reported 79,100 households. That rate had declined by 17% from 2010 to 2020. In the state of Missouri, the homeownership rate is 71%, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Brown said SAHA’s membership includes owners, developers and other businesses in the rental housing industry, representing See ARENA on page 58 See RENTALS on page 49 PROGRESS: 2024 EDITION | ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT INSIDE Springfield’s rental picture marked by complexity Brent Brown, board president of the Springfield Apartment & Housing Association, says apartments are a key component of the city’s housing stock. Aaron Owen: The first three events at the area brought in over 17,000 visitors. Facility has hosted more than 23K visitors in first month and a half TAWNIE WILSON Developers say city needs a variety of housing types to meet demand

FEB. 26-MARCH 3, 2024 2 · SBJ.NET Leveraging AI Unlocking Global Talent Find your next hire at Purpose Connect purposeconnect.io purposeconnect.io

FEB. 26-MARCH 3, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 3 NEWS CONTENTS Internet service provider Brightspeed plans marketing ramp up as it gradually adds customers. page 9 Technology Open for Business A new 14 Mill Market vendor brings Korean cuisine to the Nixa food hall. page 4 No Ceiling Financial planner Paula Dougherty reflects on her career path and leadership development in the latest episode of this podcast focusing on women leaders. page 7 Cityscape Jack Stack brings business mindset to academia. page 47 Opinion Page Editorial Vice President Eric Olson says Branson timed it just right with its Chiefs partnership, and it could score marketing points for the Ozarks. page 57 Workforce hurdles, culture investments earn attention at manufacturing conference OTC sees Fast Track grant popularity rise by Mike Cullinan · mcullinan@sbj.net Broadening the talent pipeline while building and sustaining company culture were among challenges manufacturers shared with colleagues at a recent industry conference in Branson. Roughly two dozen presentations from panels and speakers comprised a portion of the Midwest Manufacturers Trade Show & Conference, held Feb. 20-21 at the Branson Convention Center. The third-annual event was organized by the Missouri Association of Manufacturers. Mark McNay, general manager and senior vice president at SMC Packaging Group, pulled double duty on Feb. 20, as he was a panelist for a pair of discussions focused on workforce issues. The Springfield-based company also has satellite offices in Kansas City; Conway, Arkansas; and Tulsa, Oklahoma. When it comes to hiring, McNay said dispelling the myth that manufacturing work is dangerous, dark and dirty is still a priority. “We need to somehow not only promote to kids but their parents that manufacturing careers can be great,” he said. “They can be well paid. There’s abundant opportunity, and by Mike Cullinan · mcullinan@sbj.net Officials at Ozarks Technical Community College saw student financial aid through the Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant program increase 263% in the 2022-23 academic year, exceeding $420,000 distributed to 170 students. It was a significant jump for OTC, as 52 students received aid in the 2021-22 academic year, totaling $115,846 through Fast Track, a financial aid program for adults that the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development administers. Statewide, over $2 million annually is available for applicants who are at least 25 years old or who have not attended high school or a postsecondary institution in the past two years, have not earned a bachelor’s degree and do not exceed income limits. Like at OTC, student participation increased statewide in 2022-23, as 658 students received over $2.4 million in financial aid through Fast Track. The state’s student tally was a 68% increase from the prior academic year, with OTC students comprising roughly 25% of the total. The Springfield-based college has been a proponent of the program since its 2019 launch after Gov. Mike Parson signed Senate Bill 68 into law. Fast Track is designed to ensure college tuition and fees are fully covered for up to four semesters when combined with other governmental financial aid. The program’s household income limits are $80,000 per year, for joint tax filers, or $40,000, for any other tax status. “We really saw this as a way to draw in adult learners because it just removed a huge barrier – the cost,” OTC spokesperson Mark Miller said. “That was even pre-pandemic, but you were still hearing about how employers could not find people to do these skilled labor jobs or shortage of nurses and things like that.” The grants seek to help nontraditional students get degrees in high-demand fields, such as health care, advanced manufacturing and computer science. Fast Track financial aid currently is available at dozens of public colleges, universities and vocational-technical schools throughout the state. Students at over 50 schools received Fast Track aid during the 2022-23 academic year, including Springfield-area institutions such as TAWNIE WILSON CULTURAL INVESTMENT Kevin Thompson with Cambridge Air Solutions talks about the importance of company culture as SMC Packaging’s Mark McNay and Jennifer Baker with Good Dads look on. See GRANT on page 48 Missouri Association of Manufacturers event sets record in third year College’s student aid via program jumps 263% for 2022-23 Mark Miller: Changes to Fast Track program in 2022 are helping more students. See MANUFACTURING on page 52

FEB. 26-MARCH 3, 2024 4 · SBJ.NET NEWS Mike Cullinan, Reporter and Jillian Smith, Editorial Intern New business, new location, new owner? Send your info to newbusiness@sbj.net The Gochu Ownership of HOA Management Specialists LLC, which manages homeowner and property owner associations, changed hands Jan. 1. The company was purchased by Clint and Jenna Toedtmann and Trey and Rachel Watson. Jenna is the daughter and Clint is the son-in-law of HOAMS founder Jean Harmison, who also operates association management company Club Management Services LLC. HOAMS manages 23 communities, with another five in the works, said Watson, who also is in real estate with Keller Williams Greater Springfield. She declined to disclose the financial terms of the HOAMS acquisition, adding the business employs two aside from the ownership group. The new owners say HOAMS will remain at 4730 S. National Ave., where Club Management Services also operates. Jenna Toedtmann has worked at HOAMS since 2019 as an account manager, according to her LinkedIn profile. Watson said HOAMS services include financial management, administrative support, vendor coordination and community engagement. Springfield’s third standalone shop of Atlanta-based fast-food chain Chick-fil-A opened Jan. 18 at 2355 N. Glenstone Ave. Brian Heberlie is franchisee of the 5,226-square-foot eatery, which employs roughly 100, according to company officials. Its menu includes chicken sandwiches, wraps, breakfast items, salads and milkshakes. Officials declined to disclose startup costs. The restaurant is next to a Whataburger store at the corner of Glenstone and Kearney Street, where the former Springfield Inn was demolished to make way for the new development. The land that is home to both eateries is owned by Naples C Store LLC, registered with the secretary of state’s office to Brad Thessing, a developer behind the project at the high-traffic intersection. Heberlie also is franchisee of the Chick-fil-A at 425 W. Sunshine St., according to its website. Another standalone store is located at 3700 S. Glenstone Ave., in addition to eateries inside Battlefield Mall and Missouri State University’s Plaster Student Union. Chef Leo Kim is a new face at Nixa food hall 14 Mill Market with his restaurant The Gochu LLC. Kim had a soft opening Jan. 4 for his eatery, which does business as The Gochu Handcrafted Korean BBQ Bowl. It fills space vacated late last year by Queen City Soul Kitchen. Kim said startup costs were around $25,000 but declined to disclose his one-year lease rate with Rich and Leah Callahan, who own the 203 E. Mount Vernon St. property. Born in Korea, raised in Argentina, trained in Los Angeles and now a resident of Nixa, Kim said he wanted to create a menu with wide appeal. The Gochu, which is Korean for chili pepper, includes bowls filled with rice or noodles and a choice of protein, as well as sandwiches, salads and teas. Bibimbap and pork belly kimchi are among menu options, with prices ranging $6-$16. Kim became a professional chef in 2004 and started as head chef at RA Sushi Bar Restaurant in California. He said he also was executive chef for three other restaurants in L.A. ☎ 417-766-8842  14MillMarket.com/TheGochu14Mill HOA Management Specialists Chick-fil-A ☎ 417-889-4626  HOAMS.com ☎ 417-427-2577  Chick-fil-A.com OPEN FOR BUSINESS Leo Kim KATELYN EGGER Foundation 24/7 Get quick and easy access to your accounts, remote deposits, external transfers, and receive text alerts! foundationcreditunion.com 417-895-2770 MORE PHOTOS AT SBJ.NET

FEB. 26-MARCH 3, 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 Elliott, Robinson & Co. LLP promoted Brittany K. Hopp to partner, Marissa L. Randolph and Briana Bates to managers, Chanel K. Lontoc to supervisor, and Regan Fish to senior accountant. Hopp, a member of the taxation practice and leader of the valuations practice, holds bachelor’s degrees in accounting and business administration from Drury University. Randolph is a member of the employee benefit team and holds a bachelor’s in accounting from Drury. Handling oversight of the firm’s accounting services practice, Bates holds a Master of Accountancy and a bachelor’s in accounting from Missouri State University. A member of the employee benefit team, Lontoc holds degrees in accounting, finance and business management from Drury. Fish, a member of the audit practice, holds a Master of Accountancy and a bachelor’s in accounting from MSU. Banking & Finance The Goldsmtih Oplotnik Team with Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) was named to Forbes Magazine’s 2024 list of America’s Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams. In partnership with Shook Research, the rankings are based on best practices, client retention, industry experience and credentials, compliance records, assets under management and revenue. Achieve Private Wealth of Ameriprise Financial Inc. earned the Ameriprise Client Experience Award for 2023. The firm was honored for consistent personalized and goal-based advice and is among practices that earned 4.9 to 5 ratings for client satisfaction. Paula J. Dougherty, a private wealth adviser with Ameriprise Financial, was named to the list of Forbes’ Best-in-State Women Wealth Advisors. She was recognized for assets under management, industry experience, compliance records and best practices in working with clients. Food service Greg Helbig, director of operations at Hiland Dairy Foods Co. LLC, received the Dairy Leadership Award from the Missouri Dairy Hall of Honors for dedication and leadership in growing the dairy sector in Missouri. He’s worked 38 years in the industry, beginning in Hiland Dairy’s quality assurance lab in 1985 before advancing to plant supervisor, corporate quality control manager and his current role of overseeing Hiland’s 23 manufacturing facilities. Helbig also is president of the Missouri Dairy Products Association and has served the Missouri State Milk Board and QCS Purchasing Group. Nonprofit Good Dads Inc. hired Frank Tristan as assistant director. He’s taught and coached for 20 years, most recently as head football and strength coach for Willard High School and head football coach at Western New Mexico University. Tristan holds a bachelor’s in business education from Evangel University and a master’s in secondary administration from William Woods University. The Southwest Missouri Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America named its 2024 officers and board members: President Drew Douglas, director of communications for the city of Nixa; President-elect Joel Alexander, media relations manager for City Utilities of Springfield; Secretary Charlotte Marsch, communications specialist for Citizens Memorial Hospital; Treasurer Mark Miller, college director of communications for Ozarks Technical Community College; Communications Director Macie Bequette, communications specialist for the city of Nixa; Membership Director Michelle Teter, media relations representative for Community Blood Center of the Ozarks; Student Liaison Mary Sue Hoban, director of communication and engagement at United Way of the Ozarks; and Past President Erin Hedlun, senior director of marketing and communications for Evangel University. NEWSMAKERS Send announcements to newsmakers@sbj.net Lontoc Dougherty Tristan Helbig Douglas Bates Hopp Fish Randolph Alexander Springfield | Joplin | St. Louis | Northwest Arkansas paragonarchitecture.com • 417.885.0002 We’re ready to bring your architectural and interior design projects to life. Our team has the tools and tenacity to be your “Sherpa,” guiding you every step of the way as we navigate your project from concept, design, construction, and beyond. Through innovative thinking and focused expertise, we strive to deliver quality designs that enhance your brand objectives — now and in the future. That’s the Paragon Approach™. EXPERIENCE THE PARAGON APPROACH™

FEB. 26-MARCH 3, 2024 6 · SBJ.NET by Eric Olson · eolson@sbj.net Sometimes, cake finds you. For Jordan and Adrienne Harvey, it was bundt cakes. And in the form of a franchise. But franchising was nothing new to the couple. Their experiences started with Auntie Anne’s pretzels in the mid-2000s. Adrienne Harvey’s family operated a franchise in the Dallas market, and after the two married and joined them in the business, they got the franchise bug and set out to launch something of their own. They had ordered Nothing Bundt Cakes for their young daughter’s birthday, and the cake left an impression years later. “Even that long ago, we knew that we loved the product. I think that’s important in any business,” Jordan says. Here’s the snag: No franchise rights were available in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. That sent the Harveys on a hunt for Nothing Bundt Cake rights in markets around the country. They researched far and wide, including some beach towns. But proximity to family in Dallas was top of mind. Then Springfield popped up on their radar. Somehow, it felt right, says Jordan, who had only once stepped foot in Missouri as a teenager for a baseball tournament. During discussions in their home and with corporate officials, the Harveys visited Springfield a half-dozen times and decided they were in. “We literally moved away to open this brand,” Jordan says. “It just felt like this is where we should be.” That was in 2020. Yes, that’s the year the Harveys uprooted their young family and planted in Springfield. All for the cake business. Their franchise opened in October 2020, in the Brentwood Center. The store was No. 404 in the Nothing Bundt Cakes system; now, Jordan says there are 579 stores, including entry in Canada. Looking ahead, the franchise is on an aggressive growth curve with planned stores in the 900s. One of those belongs to the Harveys. They’ve signed on to open a store in Joplin and are researching lease properties with hopes of being operational by year’s end. The company charges a $35,000 franchise fee, and the initial investment to open ranges from the $480,000s to nearly $700,000, according to the franchise page on NothingBundtCakes.com. It also collects 6% royalties and 5% for marketing weekly. The franchise assists in real estate selection, Jordan says, noting when he opened in Springfield, corporate identified 30 available properties, which he narrowed to three before choosing his spot near the Battlefield Road and Glenstone Avenue intersection. "I can’t imagine being anywhere else for what we do,” Jordan says, pointing to storefront parking, high traffic flow and the adjacent tenant draw. The 2,150-square-foot space has a small but highly decorated and colorful retail showroom, with baking, frosting, crafting and dishwashing areas in the back. He says production of the bundt cakes – which are baked in a fluted tube pan that is circular with a hole in the middle – is done in house with 25 mostly part-time staffers. The best sellers are white chocolate raspberry, chocolate-chocolate chip and red velvet – and he says the $5.50 individual-size “bundlets” are moving the most. “Most bakeries when they’re opening, that’s the bread and butter,” Jordan says. The franchise’s recipe guidelines also introduce seasonal flavors, like pumpkin spice, that are sold up to six weeks, and popup flavors, like Oreo and Reese’s, that last two weeks on the menu. Two sizes of larger cakes serve eight to 20 people, he says, and those are often purchased for special occasions, like birthdays and anniversaries. The home office staff of Springfield-based Andy’s Frozen Custard is familiar with the larger, 10-inch cakes. As part of Nothing Bundt Cake’s promotions program, each of Andy’s 40 corporate employees choose a cake during their birthday month for Jordan and his team to deliver to their downtown office. “We usually run a minimum of three employees a month,” says Christy Every, Andy’s executive administrative assistant, of the cake orders. “Some choose to share with other employees in the office, and some choose to take home and share with their families. It goes both ways.” The partnership from one sweets company to another has been ongoing for 18 months, Every says. That’s around 60 cakes, now, each priced at $39-$49 – but the delivery fee is waived in the corporate program. Every selected the white chocolate raspberry for her past birthday. “That’s my favorite. I shared with the staff,” she notes, with a laugh. “We’ve also ordered cakes from him for other events in the office, our Christmas party and things like that. We like to support other businesses in town when the opportunity is there.” BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Cake,Meet Franchise Nothing Bundt Cakes Owner: Harvey Trio LLC Founded: 2020 Address: 2906 S. Glenstone Ave. Phone: 417-512-5050 Web: NothingBundtCakes.com Email: springfield-mo@nothingbundtcakes.com Services/Products: Specialty bundt cakes in a variety of sizes and flavors 2023 revenue: Would not disclose Employees: 25 Jordan Harvey operates the Nothing Bundt Cakes franchise that he and his wife, Adrienne, own in Springfield. TAWNIE WILSON A Dallas couple follow their bakery franchise dreams to Springfield, and now a Joplin store is on the way

FEB. 26-MARCH 3, 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. Paula Dougherty is my guest this week. She’s a certified financial planner and private wealth adviser leading the Achieve Private Wealth office of Ameriprise Financial Services. Starting out in the field in the mid-1990s, Paula says she had to learn how to trust herself and step outside her comfort zone to build a book of business. Today, her office is one of Forbes’ Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams and she was named to Forbes’ 2024 Top Women Wealth Advisors list. She says her work is about relationship building and being steadfast in financial advice to clients, even in a crisis. In this conversation, Paula talks about building an office culture that matched her values and her journey to develop her own style of leadership over her nearly 30-year career. Below is an excerpt from the start of our conversation. —Christine Temple, Executive Editor Christine Temple: I want to go back a few years to 22-year-old Paula and cutting your teeth on this industry of financial planning and advising. Tell me about what starting your business was like. Paula Dougherty: I came out of college probably like most people, not exactly sure what I wanted to do. I had an idea that I wanted to run a business because my dad had always been a small-business owner, so I was familiar with that concept and I was familiar with money. I was invited to interview at what was at that time American Express Financial Advisors. I really did not know a lot about the industry, but it sounded interesting to me. I got to work with several different advisers and see how they ran their business and get a feel for the business, although I still did not know what I was getting into. My 22-year-old self thought I was done with school and college. And then I heard others talking about these licenses, the Series 7 and the 63. What I found out was in order to progress in the industry, you had to have certain licenses. I took those and passed those and that set me off on my journey of understanding – looking back – that this business is constant learning and changing. I was then told that I had to go out and get clients because I didn’t have a single one. And I thought, well, my natural market is college kids, which were my friends and their parents, and they knew how old I was and that I was new in the business. It was a hard start. Somehow, somebody had faith in me. I remember the first person that decided to give me a check. I still have a copy of it. I was so shocked and surprised that someone would just trust me with their money. Temple: You mentioned your dad is a business owner and you had that view of finance, but for you to have that belief in yourself to ask someone to believe in you, can you tell me more about where that came from and what were those conversations in your own mind to psych yourself up to make that call or to ask someone to trust you? Dougherty: Someone asked me recently, “What would you tell your younger self?” It’s such a different environment now because I see so many women that have so much more confidence. I’m not saying that it’s still not challenging, it’s just different because so many doors have been opened. So, if I were to say to myself then, you’re not going to believe how much the industry is going to change, I probably wouldn’t believe it. But also, I would say just tell myself just to trust more in yourself. I think we always have stories that are going on in our head and this narrative and they’re not necessarily true. Someone asked me once, “Would you talk to other people the way you talk to yourself in your head?” I thought, no, I wouldn’t. I’d be much kinder and gentler. That really started to change the narrative in my head that you’re not going to be perfect. You’re going to fail. And that failure is actually better than a string of successes because I think if you can fail fast and fail forward and learn from it, you’re going to learn so much more and become such a bigger, better person out of that. LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE: SBJ.net/NoCeiling or wherever you find your podcasts UP NEXT: Christina Ford The Rebound Foundation PRESENTED BY PAULA DOUGHERTY Achieve Private Wealth, Ameriprise Financial Services LLC TAWNIE WILSON Leadership Spotlight New or aspiring leaders benefit from having mentors who offer guidance, feedback, and support. Mentors are experienced, successful leaders who have gone through similar challenges and opportunities as you, who can help you learn from their mistakes, avoid pitfalls, and discover new possibilities. To seek mentors, look for people who inspire you, share your values, and have the skills or knowledge you want to develop. AmericanNational.com Kimberly Clark Assistant Vice President, P&C Claims SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 7

FEB. 26-MARCH 3, 2024 8 · SBJ.NET NEWS YMCA CEO exits nonprofit by Geoff Pickle · gpickle@sbj.net The CEO of the Ozarks Regional YMCA has exited the nonprofit. Kathryn Custer, who led the local YMCA for nearly six years, is no longer employed by the organization, according to a statement provided Feb. 16 to Springfield Business Journal by the Ozarks Regional YMCA Board of Directors. “Kathryn Custer resigned from the Ozarks Regional YMCA. We thank her for her service and wish her the best of luck in the future,” the statement reads. The statement did not disclose a reason for Custer’s exit or her last day on the job. Custer’s LinkedIn profile, which indicates she exited the Ozarks Regional YMCA in January, states: “Actively seeking executive roles to apply my skills in leadership development, fiscal management and community engagement. Let’s connect and explore how I can bring my wealth of experience to benefit your team.” Attempts to reach Custer for comment were unsuccessful by press time. Custer became the Ozarks Regional YMCA’s CEO in 2018, when she succeeded the retiring Steve Gimenez, according to past reporting. A veteran in the national YMCA system, Custer was named the Ozarks Regional YMCA’s chief operations officer in 2017, and she has experience as executive director of the Jorgensen Family YMCA in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Danielle Wise, vice president of development for the Ozarks Regional YMCA, said the organization is working with its board and the Missouri State Alliance of YMCAs to bring on an interim CEO who is currently serving another YMCA organization in the country. “We do not have plans in place as of now for a search committee, and no job description has been created for the permanent position,” Wise said via email. Custer’s exit is the latest in a series of transitions for the Ozarks Regional YMCA in the past year. As CEO, Custer helped oversee the Ozarks Regional YMCA’s sale last year of its Ward Downtown branch building to Phelps County Bank, as well as the purchase of the Yellow Bonnet building, also in downtown Springfield. The Ward building, located at 417 S. Jefferson Ave., sold to Rolla-based Phelps County Bank in May 2023 after the Y closed down shop at the facility less than two months earlier, according to past reporting. The YMCA in the summer bought the Yellow Bonnet building downtown at 323 N. Patton Ave. Wise said the YCMA’s staff, leadership and school-age services now operate in the building. “The association is working on plans to provide programming and community activities in the Yellow Bonnet space in the future,” Wise said. The Ozarks Regional YMCA, which has a 2024 operating budget of $11.3 million and 541 employees, had 16,605 members as of Jan. 31, said Wise. “This is a decrease of approximately 690 members since closing the Ward Downtown facility at the end of March 2023,” she said. “Members had the option to transfer to Pat Jones, and many did.” The Ozarks Regional YMCA also has branch locations in Monett, Lebanon, Ozark, Cassville and Dallas County, according to its website. • Kathryn Custer led the local YMCA for nearly six years. Danielle Wise: Nonprofit is working to bring on interim CEO. Kathryn Custer led the local organization for nearly six years South-side Italian restaurant shutters by Geoff Pickle · gpickle@sbj.net A south-side Italian restaurant in business since late 2019 has closed its doors. Archie’s Italian Eatery, 1410 E. Republic Road, announced the closure in a Feb. 17 Facebook post. “This will be our last day open for business, but we are ready to make it the best. We would love to spend this last day with our community serving you the best pizzas, salads and pasta,” the post reads. Springfield Business Journal observed signage posted to the door of the restaurant indicating it’s “permanently closed.” Owner Archie Donoho said on Feb. 21 that he closed the business due to health issues, including three surgeries in the past two years. “It’s getting to be too much,” he said. “I can’t do it anymore.” Archie’s Italian Eatery opened in December 2019 at the former home of OssoBuco Italian American Bistro, Frida Mexican Cuisine and Bar, and Argentina Steakhouse, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting. Donoho previously served as general manager of the Springfield location of Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, which closed in 2019. • Pair of golf car companies combine in local acquisition by Geoff Pickle · gpickle@sbj.net Ozark-based Clear Creek Golf Car and Vehicles LLC has acquired a local competitor. The company announced in a news release Feb. 19 that it purchased Ozark Golf Cars and Utility Vehicles. The deal closed Jan. 15 for undisclosed terms, said Trey Hathcock, marketing director for Clear Creek. The acquisition brings Ozark Golf Cars owner Spencer King and team on board with Clear Creek. King has joined Clear Creek in a leadership role, and eight employees from Ozark Golf Cars have combined with the workforce of Clear Creek, which now employs 122, said Hathcock. “Due to the success of both of our companies, it only made sense to merge with Clear Creek Golf Car,” King said in the release. “For years, we were direct competitors with Clear Creek, but their values are clear, and they are awesome, and that’s what excites me the most. I’m eager to see what the future holds.” Ozark Golf Cars, which was founded in 2005, in 2019 purchased King Karts in Clinton and sells E-Z-Go and Yamaha golf cars, along with the Cushman utility/industrial line. “Spencer King built and ran a great business for nearly 20 years. He brings some great relationships, along with a lot of knowledge and experience, over to the Clear Creek family,” said Brian Cheever, CEO of Clear Creek, in the release. “The addition of the E-Z-Go and Cushman product lines is huge for Clear Creek, but we are equally excited that Spencer will be coming on board as a Clear Creek team member, as are his employees, who are also exceptionally good at what they do.” For Clear Creek, the Ozark Golf Cars deal is the fourth acquisition in three years, according to the release. Clear Creek in September purchased Russellville, Arkansas-based Pappy’s Outdoors, according to past reporting. That followed recent purchases of Oklahoma City-based Justice Golf Car and a Club Car distributor in Little Rock, Arkansas. Clear Creek now has 11 stores in three states, according to the release. • 122 People employed by Clear Creek Golf Car and Vehicles

FEB. 26-MARCH 3, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 9 TECHNOLOGY Expanding Connectivity Brightspeed boosts fiber internet subscribers with plans to increase local marketing efforts by Mike Cullinan · mcullinan@sbj.net Last year’s conclusion of a nearly $150 million multiyear fiber expansion project by City Utilities of Springfield left local officials pleased with the result even as the internet provider that originally partnered with the utility changed hands. CU officials say the fiber project, which began in December 2019, is one of the larger economic development projects in Springfield’s history, bringing gigabit internet to over 118,000 home and business addresses in town. SpringNet, a division of CU, installed over 1,000 miles of fiber-optic cable across the city, providing access to highspeed internet. Installation work wrapped in March 2023, near the three-year estimated goal – an accomplishment that CU General Manager Gary Gibson said was even more impressive amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The project’s originally announced $120 million cost was an estimate based on preliminary designs, Gibson said. “Once we did the detailed design, it looked like it was going to be approximately $150 million for the total bid. We came in at about $148.5 million total for the project,” he said. Provider change The project began as a partnership with CenturyLink Inc. (NYSE: CTL), which in September 2020 rebranded to Lumen Technologies Inc. (NYSE: LUMN). SpringNet Director Jeff Bertholdi said the two companies entered into a utility lease agreement, in which CU handled installation of the lines, and Lumen leased the lines and provided internet services via Quantum Fiber, its platform for fiber-based connectivity. In October 2022, Lumen sold its incumbent local exchange carrier business in 20 states, including Missouri, for $7.5 billion to internet service provider Brightspeed LLC, of Charlotte, North Carolina, according to media reports. Officials declined to disclose financial terms for the 30-year lease agreement, but the initial lease period is 15 years, followed by three autorenewal periods every five years. Bertholdi said no terms of the agreement altered with the change in providers, as Brightspeed now leases the network and builds system drops to all homes and businesses that request service. According to officials, AT&T is the only other local fiber internet provider, although Mediacom, T-Mobile and Nixa-based Total Highspeed LLC are among other companies offering internet service in the Queen City. When Brightspeed became the provider in October 2022, they inherited roughly 7,500 users in Springfield from Lumen, said Steve DeCaspers, vice president of marketing. It has since grown the users, which he noted as primarily residential, to 11,400 addresses, a 52% increase. That equates to just under 10% of homes and businesses in the coverage area. He declined to disclose the breakdown of residential to business customers but added the company has primarily focused on home connections at this point. “We think there’s significantly more growth opportunity for us in Springfield. Those numbers are meeting expectations,” DeCaspers said. “Our expectations are growing though, as we get to know more about the market, more about how to deliver the right customer experience and the right value.” Boosting its marketing efforts to grow subscribers is in the works, he said, noting the company has primarily done direct marketing to residents’ mailboxes and email inboxes, as well as digital efforts on websites. He declined to disclose the company’s marketing budget. “We do have plans to engage and ramp up our local marketing in 2024, and you will see Brightspeed’s presence in the community increase beyond those direct and digital channels into some community events, some outdoor advertising, etc.,” DeCaspers said, adding he has several billboards on his future project list. Brightspeed is actively deploying fiber internet in 17 states and has fiber broadband customers in its entire See FIBER on page 15 Gary Gibson: COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated need for high-speed fiber solutions at home. Steve DeCaspers: Brightspeed subscribers are up over 50% since late 2022. FIBER ACTIVE A nearly $150 million project was completed in spring 2023 after SpringNet, a division of City Utilities, finished installing over 1,000 miles of fiber across the city. HEATHER MOSLEY

10 · SBJ.NET FEB. 26-MARCH 3, 2024 Springfield Business Journal Executive Editor Christine Temple discusses the technology industry with Myke Bates, CEO and co-founder of Hearo Technologies LLC, which develops remote support systems for people with disabilities; Maranda Provance, director of development for digital agency Mostly Serious LLC; and Simoriah Stogner, senior manager of technology services at Jack Henry & Associates Inc., a technology provider for financial institutions. An excerpt from the start of the podcast follows. Christine Temple: You all represent different sectors of the tech industry. Can you talk about some of the advancements in your field that are most impacting your work? Maranda Provance: I think this is probably happening across all the sectors, but AI is definitely the big thing that stands out. People are trying to find the best ways to integrate it into their workflows. We do AI trainings at Mostly Serious, and we’ve had a lot of interest from companies looking for custom training specific to their employees and how they can best utilize across their company. Myke Bates: As far as AI goes, I’ve been a little bit of a curmudgeon. I get it. GPT hit the scene and it’s the most incredible thing on the face of the earth, right? But I can’t help but be bothered a little bit by just the oversaturation and the buzz-wordiness of AI. I feel like I’ve just naturally been a little bit on the outside of learning it but went through an exercise in the past week or so when we’ve been applying for a grant. I’ve been using ChatGPT for well over a year now, but seeing the capabilities in that custom GPT realm, that’s so huge. I feel like I’m a year late to the party going, yeah, I totally see this. Simoriah Stogner: For my sector, we’ve had some challenges with the acceleration of digital transformation. So, when you think about how personal service and experiences have accelerated toward self-service with our industry – so thinking about financial services providers – the more that digital transformation was adopted in the financial fintech services area, as well as just banking, we started to see fragmentation happening. We found that 20 to 30 different accounts are being managed by each individual American consumer. All of that is triggered from this digital transformation where we’re experiencing fragmentation. Bates: How many? Stogner: Twenty to 30 accounts per person. So, we’re talking about banking, checking, savings, investments, business management, personal account management, all of those different things could be associated to one individual human. Generally, I would say the obsession for self-service drove this big digital transformation opportunity, and then that created fragmentation in our marketplace. So, that fragmentation then made it even more challenging for our consumers to see a complete picture of their financial portfolio. Bates: I’m blown away by the 20 to 30 accounts. Provance: Just in financial tools? TECHNOLOGY Sponsored By Each month, we gather around the table with a different group of Springfield business leaders to discuss industry trends, workforce and company operations. Join us as we get a behindthe-scenes look into our business community from the C-suite. From left: Myke Bates, Maranda Provance and Simoriah Stogner Myke Bates REBECCA GREEN SBJ.net/CEORoundtable or wherever you find podcasts LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE PODCAST HIGHLIGHTS: • Uses for artificial intelligence by area companies. • Barriers to adoption of AI products and technologies. • The future of spatial computing and Web 3.0. • Shortages in tech talent and local solutions to the problem. • Efforts to increase diversity in tech. FOCUS TECHNOLOGY

SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 11 FEB. 26-MARCH 3, 2024 Stogner: Yes. Check out your personal portfolio. If you’re managing an IRA or a 401(k) account or you’re managing stocks, all of that stuff adds up. And potentially we have the ability to select different financial services or different providers for each of those pieces of our portfolios. Temple: So, while all of us are counting up our accounts, I want to go back to AI because it does seem like the self-service digital transformation that you’re talking about, AI is allowing more of that, too. People are getting access to more information and they’re able to do more themselves with this co-pilot type technology. Can you talk about the ways or how you have seen businesses utilize AI and opportunities in the future? Provance: What we are seeing a lot with our customers, and actually working on some projects with current customers, is providing ways to be able to use a ChatGPT-style communication that knows their documents. We’ve talked to companies about this in the realm of (human resources), big corporations that have a lot of policies, a lot of documentation, and have a hard time staffing enough people to manage support calls for their employees, providing a customized ChatGPT-style bot that knows their policies, that knows their HR documents, and people could maybe start there first. Again, pointing back to that desire to self-service. Temple: So, essentially the AI bot will just learn from specific information that you feed it, so you can ask, how many sick days do I get in my second year of employment? Provance: Yes, exactly. Provance: And then on the customer-facing side, too, so we’re working with some visitors bureaus and they want to give people a tool to be able to plan their trip in the area they’re promoting, so we can feed it the documents specifically on that visitor bureau site and allow the person to get a much better response than they would just going to straight ChatGPT, or even just using the web browsing. And then it also helps that business point that person back to resources on their site and potentially businesses that they promoted and have deals with. Maranda Provance and Simoriah Stogner REBECCA GREEN REBECCA GREEN The obsession for self-service drove this big digital transformation opportunity, and then that created fragmentation in our marketplace.” —Simoriah Stogner, Jack Henry & Associates Spencer Fane LLP | spencerfane.com 2144 East Republic Road, Suite B300 Springfield, MO 65804 © 2024 Spencer Fane LLP. The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertisements. With a team of more than 30 attorneys and business professionals, the Spencer Fane Springfield office is positioned to advise clients on a wide range of legal issues. Industries • Banking and Financial Services • Health Care • Hospitality and Lodging • Real Estate • Construction • Manufacturing • Energy • Education • Media and Entertainment Legal Services • Labor and Employment • Litigation • Business Transactions • Lending/Borrowing Transactions • Bankruptcy, Restructuring, and Creditors’ Rights • Tax and Estate Planning • Tax Credits Financing • Regulatory I can’t help but be bothered a little bit by just the oversaturation and the buzz-wordiness of AI.” —Myke Bates, Hearo Technologies FOCUS TECHNOLOGY AI is definitely the big thing that stands out. People are trying to find the best ways to integrate it into their workflows.” —Maranda Provance, Mostly Serious

12 · SBJ.NET FEB. 26-MARCH 3, 2024 FOCUS TECHNOLOGY AREA'S LARGEST TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES Rank Name Address Telephone • Website Email Employees Local Companywide Revenue 2023 Local Companywide Accounts Served Locally Services Top Local Executive(s), Title(s) Year Founded Locally 1 NEXT LEVEL SOLUTIONS 2135 E Primrose St, Ste A, Springfield 65804 417-838-0131 • NLSNow.com info@nlsnow.com 163 264 $51,000,000 $51,000,000 WND Information technology solutions, data & analytics, experience design Chris Sawyer, CEO/co-founder; Michael Smith, COO/co-founder & Ellen Caldwell, CFO 2018 2 JMARK 1550 E Republic Road, Bldg C, Springfield 65804 417-863-1700 • JMark.com jmarkit@jmark.com 90 125 $10,630,000 $28,894,000 90 Managed services, outsourced IT, network infrastructure, cybersecurity, backup/disaster recovery Thomas Douglas, CEO & Chris Huels, president 1988 3 PITT TECHNOLOGY GROUP LLC 1900 N Le Compte Road, Bldg 15, Springfield 65802 417-831-7077 • PittTechnology.com info@pitttechnology.com 48 49 $9,700,000 $9,700,000 301 Managed technology, 24/7 IT support, SD-WAN, cloud solutions, cabling, audio, video & lighting system integration, business phone Doug Pitt, co-owner & Kevin Waterland, co-owner/general manager 1991 4 CKC DATA SOLUTIONS LLC 1450 N West Bypass, Springfield 65803 417-812-5251 • CKCDataSolutions.com service@ckcdatasolutions.com 43 45 $6,500,000 $7,000,000 97 Structured cabling for data & fiber optics, electronic security with access control, burglar/fire alarms, internet protocol cameras, network design Brent Reagan, CEO; Travis Taylor, chief operations officer & Zac Brewer, chief information officer 2013 5 CPI TECHNOLOGIES 2103 W Vista St, Springfield 65807 417-889-5665 • CPI-Technology.com ecrane@cpitec.com 40 55 WND WND WND Managed IT, VoIP phone systems, interactive displays, signage, document management software, cabling Erik Crane, president/CEO 1992 6 PEARSON-KELLY TECHNOLOGY 2013 W Woodland St, Springfield 65807 417-877-0003 • PearsonKelly.com hello@pearsonkelly.com 37 45 $7,750,000 $8,500,000 85 Managed IT, consulting & projects, Microsoft 365 licensing, data backup & recovery, business phone, surveillance cameras Chelsey Bode, CEO/owner; Lee Flood, president & Tyson Johns, director of finance 2004 7 PCNET 2026 E Phelps St, Springfield 65802 417-831-1700 • PCNetInc.com sales@pcnetinc.com 32 32 WND WND WND Managed IT, cybersecurity, IT consulting, unified communications/VoIP, cloud, backup & disaster recovery Marty Roach, president 1987 8 ALTEC SOLUTIONS GROUP INC 1860 W Arbor St, Springfield 65807 417-881-4101 • AltecUSA.com michael@altecusa.com 26 26 WND WND WND Managed IT, cybersecurity, VoIP, security cameras & access control, cloud, help desk, disaster recovery planning Michael Van Matre, CEO & Dusty Hardcastle, general manager 2001 9 XEROX - DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS OF SPRINGFIELD INC 1736 E Sunshine St, Ste 100, Springfield 65804 417-883-2416 • DocumentSolutionsInc.net greg@documentsolutionsinc.net 24 24 WND WND WND Business consultation & total cost of ownership analysis, managed print solutions, document capture & management, cloud-based solutions, fleet management Gregory Tigges, owner 1994 10 ACIS IT SOLUTIONS 1950 S Glenstone Ave, Ste G, Springfield 65804 417-823-7100 • AcisITSolutions.com sales@acisitsolutions.com 20 20 WND WND WND Managed IT, remote management, network security & design, structured cabling installation & fiber Travis Schnelle, president 1999 11 KPM TECHNOLOGY LLC 1445 E Republic Road, Springfield 65804 417-875-1100 • KPMTechnology.com info@kpmtechnology.com 17 17 $5,000,000 $5,000,000 185 Managed IT, VoIP, cybersecurity, cloud backup & disaster recovery, firewall, networking, WiFi, servers, workstations, routers, switching, WAN, compliance Wayne Dipper, managing partner; John Rispoli, member; Robert Eckert, chief technical officer & Rick Mizer, chief security officer 1999 12 MOSTLY SERIOUS 4064 S Lone Pine Ave, Springfield 65804 417-501-6552 • MostlySerious.io info@mostlyserious.io 15 18 WND WND 35 Customer research, digital strategy & marketing, custom website design & development, e-commerce, artificial intelligence training, strategic planning Jarad Johnson, CEO & Spencer Harris, president 2010 13 LOSH NETWORK SERVICES 2037 W Woodland St, Springfield 65807 417-887-0404 • Losh.com info@losh.com 15 16 WND WND WND VoIP, business phone systems, managed IT, wireless data solutions, network cabling, server management Mark Losh & John Kelsey, co-owners 1990 14 PALADIN MANAGED SOLUTIONS LLC 507 E Kearney St, Springfield 65803 417-799-9595 • PaladinManaged.com dmihalevich@paladinmanaged.com 13 13 $3,500,000 $3,500,000 WND Office & production print systems, managed network & print services, Cisco and Teams integrated VoIP phone systems, production label & wide-format printing Donald Mihalevich, CEO & Brian Peltier, COO 2016 15 DAZZEE IT SERVICES 1015 State Hwy 248, Ste A, Branson 65616 417-334-0494 • Dazzee.com sales@dazzee.com 12 18 $2,550,000 $2,550,000 51 Managed IT & cybersecurity, managed compliance, network infrastructure, IP telephony, cloud backup, data analytics Shane Naugher, president & Sharena Naugher, director of marketing 2000 16 TIERONE 3036 S Fremont Ave, Springfield 65804 417-551-9888 • TierOneSolutions.com info@tieronesolutions.com 11 14 $25,058,869 $25,058,869 238 Voice, cloud, security & connectivity, data center, back-office support, project management Richard Reding, managing partner 2014 Ranked by number of local employees, local revenue, then total employees. Technology companies are defined as firms that provide managed technology and web services to clients in multiple industries. Springfield Business Journal relies on the individual businesses to be truthful and accurate in their representation of the information listed. SANS: SANS:SysAdmin, audit, network and security. VoIP: VoIP:Voice over internet protocol. SD-WAN: SD-WAN:Software defined, wide area network. vCIO: vCIO:Virtual chief information officer. WND:Would not disclose. Local is defined as Springfield and its 50-mile radius. To be considered for future lists, email lists@sbj.net. 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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