Retired Evangel president to lead chamber fundraising campaign

Retired Evangel University President Robert Spence is leading a new Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce fundraising campaign designed to add new programs and services for members.

Chamber officials currently are recruiting around 100 volunteers for the 10-week project dubbed The Reach Campaign. The kickoff for the campaign is scheduled Sept. 14 at Hickory Hills Country Club.

Chamber President Matt Morrow said the organization is eyeing 35-40 specific initiatives in the areas of economic and workforce development, business advocacy and tools to help companies grow.

“We do those things now, but there’s a whole lot of programming we could bring to the table,” Morrow said, declining to disclose specific goals. “As we launch new programming coming out of this, we’ll make a point of identifying this is the kind of thing we can do today because of the support of The Reach Campaign.”

During the campaign, volunteers would seek sponsors for specific programs, he said, declining to disclose a target investment mark.

Spence was the chamber’s first pick to lead the campaign.

“We talked about really wanting to set the right tone,” Morrow said. “He embraced it wholeheartedly.”

Spence will be joined by five vice chairs:
    •    Ann Marie Baker of UMB Bank;
    •    Steve Edwards of CoxHealth;
    •    Sally Hargis of Ozarks Coca Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Co.;
    •    Jerry Harmison of  Harmison & Pearman PC; and
    •    Bill Kirkman, the retired chief operating officer of BKD LLP.