Being invited to serve as a guest columnist for the Springfield Business Journal’s annual Economic Impact Awards publication is a very special honor. Before sharing personal perspectives on an earlier award, I would like to salute this year’s honoree, Peter Herschend, whose accomplishments and community involvements fulfill in an incredible way all the criteria expected of the person named Lifetime Achievement In Business winner. Peter is most deserving of this recognition and we all applaud him for what he and his family have done.
When I was informed in 2012 that I had been elected to receive the award, my response was one of surprise. Perhaps my reaction was similar to that of other recipients – there are so many others who should be recognized, how was I selected? I was deeply humbled to be included in the list of people who had worked to make Springfield a better place by helping expand businesses and engage in what may be the most practical form of philanthropy – provide employment opportunities.
All of us realize the person being honored could not achieve the goals and objectives that can be quantified without a great team of associates whose diligence and dependability are essential to the success of the organization of which we are a part. The motivational picture of a turtle upside down on top of a fence post with the simple statement, “He did not get there by himself,” is a relevant reminder of the importance of those around us. My recognition certainly could not, and would not, have occurred without the outstanding faculty, staff and students at Evangel University.
Another reflective thought that has remained with me since my time of receiving the award was the significance of a college president being selected, thus drawing attention to the contributions that our higher education community makes to the business vibrancy of our region. For a city the size of Springfield to have more than 40,000 post secondary students enrolled in our various colleges is truly remarkable. Students who have grown up in Springfield as well as those thousands who come from other cities help bolster our economy as they pay their college costs and support restaurants and a myriad of other businesses. Higher education support tends to stay local with an ever widening ripple effect.
Finally, the Lifetime Achievement Award that I was privileged to receive spoke volumes to me and to thousands of others who did not grow up in Springfield. Many cities create a perception that there is no place for participation or leadership unless a local multi-generational genealogy can be certified. That has not been my experience in Springfield, Greene County or southwest Missouri.
My reflections confirm my belief that a spirit of cooperation and collaboration permeate the atmosphere in the Ozarks. I have found an openness to people who come here, no matter where they have come from, if they have a desire to get involved in community life and unite with others to help improve the quality of life for all. Expanding and growing businesses benefits everyone. Awards such as those given by the SBJ are based on performance, not pedigree.
Robert Spence can be reached at robert.h.spence@gmail.com.
