As stated by the great philosopher Bob Dylan, “A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night, and in between he does what he wants to do.”
It is the what that exemplifies the character of a man. The leadership, the passion, the success, the commitment, the support, the service, the empathy and the vision are what defines the Men of the Year.
This year marks the sixth year Springfield Business Journal has recognized 20 men with this distinction. There are now 120 men in this club and growing each year. It is a powerful yet intimidating recognition. It is one that I strive to live up to. I owe a great gratitude to a number of men and women who have provided me opportunities to serve, lead and give back to the community.
For me, it was a very humbling honor to be included in the same club as Jim Anderson, Clif Smart, Robert Spence, John Wanamaker, John Bentley and the list goes on and on. All of these men are great leaders and have contributed so much to our community. They have not only impacted the community in their successful careers, but have touched so many people through their countless hours of community service. There is no question about what they have accomplished, what impacts they have made or what lives they have touched.
This year’s group of 20 men is no different. As I reflect on their names, I can’t help but visualize and recall the untold number of ways they have impacted our community and region. This group includes tremendous leaders in business, education, government, health care, tourism and nonprofit organizations.
These are good men who will be recognized for their past success in creating jobs and new businesses, educating students, keeping us safe and providing entertainment as just a few examples. But it is also about what they have done through their service, leadership and commitment to help others.
Thank you SBJ for choosing to recognize individuals who make a difference by improving the lives of people in the Ozarks. SBJ has honored women for many years with the Most Influential Women designation, and proudly so. It takes generations of strong men and women to make a community great. Our region has experienced and benefitted from the success and actions of strong men and women, and I am excited to see what our young professionals will continue to accomplish in the future.
If you are still asking what you can do, just look around and continue to nominate great men who continue to do great things. These men are out there because the work is never finished.
Congrats again to the 2016 Men of the Year. Act as if what you do makes a difference, because it does.
Allen Kunkel can be reached at allenkunkel@MissouriState.edu.
