16 · SBJ.NET APRIL 8-14, 2024 MEN OF THE YEAR 2024 TAWNIE WILSON TAWNIE WILSON After more than 20 years as a professional musician, Ryan Hurn traded travel and performing for insurance and securities. “As a result of my unusual background, I have a great amount of experience and knowledge in running and marketing an independent small business and managing irregular cash flow effectively,” says Hurn, a financial services professional with New York Life. “The advanced education I’ve since obtained enables me to work with clients in conventional settings, but my past professional experiences leave me well equipped to work with clients in a variety of unconventional settings and situations.” Hurn – a drummer with a bachelor’s degree in music performance and jazz studies from the University of North Texas – toured and recorded with artists and organizations as varied as Ann-Margaret, the B-52’s and Emmy winners The Texas Tenors to the Boston Pops and the Salt Lake Symphony. In 2008, he hit the seas and spent four months performing aboard Cunard’s Queen Victoria. Hurn didn’t escape the family business. With six family members in education, Hurn says teaching is a gene he inherited, having spent five years as an adjunct professor at Evangel University – which explains his penchant for pulling out a whiteboard to illustrate how a financial product works. The first time he did this – to explain how mutual funds work to a young client investing in his first IRA – the client suggested Hurn continue this kind of education. “At the end of the 30 minutes, the client asked if he could take a picture of the diagram, smiled, shook my hand and thanked me several times for taking the time to explain everything to him, and that that was the first time he ever understood those concepts,” Hurn recalls. “He then advised me that I should do that with every client, because he had never worked with someone that easily explained such difficult concepts.” Hurn, who holds the certifications of a chartered financial consultant and is a candidate for CFP certification, mentors people new to his industry in study groups and one-on-one sessions, and he’s active outside of work in such groups as Rotary Club of Springfield Sunrise and Springfield Sertoma. Hurn’s career switch took a leap of faith during an otherwise stressful time. “I began this process in the spring of 2020 after having left my former profession and income of 20 years at the beginning of a pandemic and with a newborn baby,” he says. “This was the same year in which I lost my best friend, and my wife lost her father. Frankly, it was the most difficult year in our lives, but with her unwavering support, I never gave up on my business, my education or my certifications.” For Hurn, leadership shows itself in simple gestures, from encouraging a struggling colleague to listening intently when someone needs a sympathetic ear. “In my view, we most effectively lead others not by the values we profess to hold but by the values we live in the conduct of our business and personal lives.” —Tresa McBee, Contributing Writer In His Words Family: My wife, Janelle, is the K-4 music teacher at Mathews Elementary in Nixa, where my oldest daughter is a first grader. My youngest begins preschool in the fall. Words to live by: No one gets out of this game of life alive, so we might as well play the best game possible while we’re waiting. Dream dinner party guest: Christ. Strange but true fact: A few days after my wife and I learned she was pregnant with our first, I shared a flight from Vegas to Houston with Flavor Flav. We spoke afterward while I was getting a picture, and I mentioned the good news to him. It’s a source of humor in our family that the first person we told we were having a baby was Flavor Flav. With more than 15 years of experience as a leader in Missouri churches, Ryan Goeden admits it was intimidating to be elected seven years ago as lead pastor at New Life Church in Springfield. Then 31 years old, Goeden says he was younger than every member of the staff and church board, noting New Life was struggling both financially with a $70,000 deficit and in attendance. “To start changing the climate and turning the ship around, I wanted to instate a clear, simple vision: to change the atmosphere, fix the finances and love the people,” he says. Goeden became hypervigilant with finances by routinely running a report of every dollar spent, making the worship experience more enjoyable by adding perks such as free coffee, and helping people know Jesus better by starting a preservice prayer meeting to corporately pray for the church’s needs. “By remaining laser-focused on these three items, I was able to confidently lead the staff, board and members of the church in a positive direction,” he says. In his lead pastor role, Goeden also has turned attention to community projects that would have a local and global impact. Those include the church raising $20,000 to eliminate school lunch debts at several Springfield schools as well as providing $30,000 for children in Myanmar to access food resources. “Last year, New Life Church provided $20,000 to purchase Christmas presents for Ukrainian refugees,” he says. “We wanted to love and provide a hand up to these families who have endured unimaginable conditions and life transitions.” Bill Powers, principal of Kickapoo High School, is a member of New Life’s congregation. Powers also is a board member at the church, noting he has witnessed firsthand Goeden’s leadership, dedication and unwavering commitment to improving New Life and the Springfield community. “Throughout his tenure as both a youth pastor and lead pastor at New Life, Pastor Goeden has demonstrated an exceptional ability to bring people to help know Jesus better, foster inclusivity and inspire positive change in our church and the surrounding area,” Powers says, noting Goeden consistently seeks out opportunities to uplift and support individuals and organizations within the community. “His compassionate nature, genuine concern for others and unwavering integrity make him an exemplary role model.” Goeden says being a leader is a relentless pursuit to finish what he starts while also having a vision that is bigger than himself. “Our team dreams and discusses future plans, then once we have landed on a direction, it is my responsibility to keep it in front of us until the goal is achieved,” he says. Aside from his New Life role, Goeden has served since 2020 as a presbyter for the Southern Missouri Ministry Network, where he oversees 30-plus churches in the greater Springfield area to provide support and accountability to pastors in Assemblies of God churches. “I mentor local pastors in the area and meet with them to brainstorm ways to help generate atmosphere, streamline systems, lead board and staff members, design sermon series and assimilate guests,” he says. —Mike Cullinan, Reporter In His Words Dream dinner party guest: Tina Fey. She is one of the funniest people alive. Strange but true fact: I believe that preachers can learn a lot from stand-up comedians. If you really think about it, we do a lot of the same things. At the end of the day, we are both trying to keep people’s attention for long periods of time. Childhood dream: The quarterback for the University of Nebraska’s football team. Honestly, if they called me today I’d probably take them up on the offer still. Critical trait in employees: A steady hand. I need people who can handle a lot that can come at them without losing their cool and making bad decisions. Ryan Hurn New York Life Insurance Co. Ryan Goeden New Life Church
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy