SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 13 APRIL 8-14, 2024 MEN OF THE YEAR 2024 TAWNIE WILSON Tim Dygon, executive vice president of The Arc of the Ozarks, says his career, spanning nearly two decades with The Arc, is more than a job to him, but “a mission that pays dividends beyond my personal or professional accomplishments.” During his time at The Arc, a nonprofit that offers services to support individuals with disabilities and their families, Dygon has seen the organization’s exponential growth from 200 employees to over 1,600, serving an expanded community with an operating budget exceeding $105 million. In 2021, he helped open an autism clinic in Branson, providing 100 multidisciplinary evaluations per year as well as occupational and speech therapy and applied behavior analysis. “I have had the fortunate privilege and opportunity to be involved with incredible growth with The Arc of the Ozarks,” he says. “However, my most proud accomplishment is opening an Autism and Neurodevelopmental Center in Springfield.” Over 10 years ago, Dygon helped establish a partnership with Missouri State University and Mercy to develop expanded services for individuals with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders. “Waitlists for diagnostic services can be as long as two years for families looking to have their child evaluated,” he says. “I knew we had to do something more to ensure the families residing in Springfield had access to diagnostics and therapies for their children.” This led to Dygon in 2022 playing an instrumental role in securing a $5 million grant to help establish an autism center in southwest Missouri. “Acknowledging the magnitude of the project, I recognized the importance of humility in assembling a team of individuals whose talents surpassed my own,” he says. “This experience epitomizes my commitment to leading with humility, recognizing that the mission transcends any individual leader.” The 16,000-square-foot center opened in January, and with this expansion, is projected to provide a 500% increase in multidisciplinary evaluations per year in the region. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dygon was put to the test. With the health care and nonprofit sectors under duress, he didn’t hesitate to work alongside his team, providing essential care services amid staffing shortages. “While urging our staff to remain on the front line, I personally reported to the office and actively participated in the day-to-day operations,” he says. “By aligning my actions with my words, I aimed to instill confidence and commitment in our team.” Dygon’s influence stretches into civic leadership, where in 2022 through a four-year appointment to the Missouri Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorders, he helped play a pivotal role in developing a comprehensive Autism Roadmap for Missouri. Now in the second phase, Dygon says the goal is to furnish a guiding framework for medical experts, educational professionals, parents/individuals with autism, and state government entities. As Dygon looks to the future, his eyes are set on expanding care for children with autism and neurodevelopmental disorders even further: “I truly believe this is only the beginning of even bigger things to come in 2024 and beyond.” —Nicole Chilton, Contributing Writer In His Words Family: I am a proud girl dad with three girls, Brookyln (10), Addison (8) and Emerson (6). I have been married to my wife, Candace, for 18 years. All three of my girls play competitive soccer. I absolutely love watching my girls play a sport they all love. Words to live by: Embrace the suck. Adversity, when met with resilience and grace, becomes a catalyst for transformation. Reading: “Believing is Seeing,” by Michael Guillen. Through the lens of science, Guillen explores the enigmatic dance between faith and reason. Tim Dygon The Arc of the Ozarks JUST PLAYING BALL IS A GAME CHANGER IT TAKES LITTLE TO BE BIG WWW.BIGBRO.COM
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