JUNE 24-30, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 3 NEWS CONTENTS A Conversation With ... SBJ interviews Doug Neidigh of the Ozarks Clean Fuels Coalition about advancing clean fuels technology. page 10 Energy & Environment Open for Business The first Springfield branch of a Kimberling City-based bank is open along the Medical Mile. page 4 Business Spotlight A mobile coffee trailer supports Springfield’s running community one drink at a time. page 6 From the Ground Up MSU’s College of Business is expanding Kemper Hall for the Construction and Management Program. page 37 Economic Impact Awards MSU president Clif Smart is selected as SBJ’s 2024 Lifetime Achievement in Business honoree page 42 Opinion Page Columnist Mark Holmes says trust is important to customers – and nurturing it can give a business a competitive edge. page 49 With state funding in hand, council considers single bid for bridge repairs by Karen Craigo · kcraigo@sbj.net A single bid was received by the city of Springfield for repairs and renovations to the historic Jefferson Avenue Footbridge, a landmark structure spanning 13 tracks of rail yard just north of Commercial Street. Springfield City Council is scheduled to vote June 24 on whether to accept the bid, submitted by Springfield contractor Branco Enterprises Inc. in the amount of $10.8 million and allow the project to move forward. Funded at the full amount, the bridge would have full paint treatment, instead of an overcoat, and maintain its south stair approach, instead of removing it. The bid included three lower-priced alternates, starting at $8.5 million. The lowest bid offered a paint overcoat instead of a full repaint with removal of the existing south stairs approach. The next highest bids offered a paint overcoat while keeping the approach TAWNIE WILSON CLOSED The view from atop the Jefferson Avenue Footbridge is currently offlimits, but with council approval, it could be available in fall 2025. See BRIDGE on page 43 New SWMO banking institution to debut this fall by Geoff Pickle · gpickle@sbj.net A new southwest Missouri banking institution, with several Springfield-area banking veterans on board, is set to open in early September with regulatory approvals in tow. Officials with Carthage-based Four States Bank announced in a news release this morning that the institution received regulatory approvals from the Missouri Division of Finance and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. It will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Four States Bancshares Inc., which has been cleared for approval to act as a bank holding company by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Jeff Williams, president and CEO, said in a release that 4SB is the first new bank charter approved in the state of Missouri in nearly 16 years. Executives at Four States Bank include: • Board Chair Gary E. Metzger, a banking veteran of 45 years who oversaw Liberty Bank in Springfield leading up to its 2015 acquisition by Simmons Bank. • Board director and President Williams, who has more than 30 years of southwest Missouri banking experience, most recently serving as Joplin region president for Liberty Bank and Guaranty Bank. • Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and board director Carter M. Peters, who previously served as CFO at Guaranty Bank. • Chief Credit Officer Cheryl Holyfield. • Chief Information Officer Nick Lofaro, who previously held the same title at Guaranty Bank. Other board directors named in the release are Logan Aguirre, J. Ryan Hamilton, Garry L. Robinson, Jerry D. Ross, Patrick Scott, Steven D. Simon, Stephanie Stenger and Brian A. Williams. Four States Bank will operate its Carthage headquarters at 213 Lyon St. The bank’s first branch is slated to open in September at 1232 S. Range Line Road in Joplin, and an application for a branch at 1496 S. Garrison Ave. in Carthage is pending, according to the release. Williams said via email that Four States Bancshares Inc. has raised more than $25 million in capital, the majority of which will be invested in the bank ahead of the planned opening this fall. “Four States Bank will have a strong team of experienced bankers,” Williams said in the email “We anticipate doing deposit and loan business with the individuals and companies that we have built relationships with in the past, along with referrals from our board members, investors and customers.” •
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