Whether running one of her businesses, planning a civic event or acting as role model to her four young children, Kristi Fulnecky is a woman in motion.
A graduate of Indiana University School of Law in 2001, she founded Springfield-based Fulnecky Law LLC in 2007 after passing the Missouri Bar Exam.
She spent four months studying for the two-day test, simultaneously raising three children who at the time were 4, 2 and 1. She counts passing the exam as one of her proudest accomplishments.
Another, which she says demonstrates her leadership abilities, is the establishment of her own law firm.
"It takes courage and personal motivation to start your own business, particularly at the professional level. I have based my firm's practice areas on my previous experience in Native American law derived from working at the U.S. Department of (the) Interior in Washington, D.C.," says Fulnecky, a Comanche tribal member.
Last year, she launched another business, Fulnecky Enterprises LLC, a minority and female-owned company that provides writing and management assistance services to businesses that contract with the federal government.
Fulnecky, a member of Springfield Business Journal's 2008 class of 40 Under 40, believes that community and philanthropic involvement are important. Her commitment to Springfield Symphony Orchestra has been extensive. Fulnecky is a founding member and former chairperson of Crescendo, young patrons of the orchestra. In March, she was co-chair of the symphony's first gala that raised more than $74,000 for its endowment. She is set to serve as chairwoman of a new committee the symphony is developing to lobby and track state arts legislation.
"I believe the symphony's success has contributed to Springfield's culture, which has also made this community more
attractive to people relocating from larger cities," she says.
Fulnecky has served on the board of directors for the Springfield Ballet, for which she wrote a five-year business plan. Another volunteer role will be as a member of St. John's Foundation Capital Campaign Cabinet.
"This new leadership committee is comprised of Springfield professionals who ... will assist in raising money for capital projects, such as a heart hospital and a redesigned children's hospital," Fulnecky says.
Other involvement with the hospital has included serving on St. John's Clinic Culture Club board of directors, whose purpose is to plan events that allow physicians and their spouses to socialize and network. And in 2008, Fulnecky was sponsorship chairwoman for the American Heart Association's Heart Ball that raised more than $110,000 in committed sponsorships. Through her law firm, and individually with her husband, Fulnecky continues to support AHA's Go Red for Women event and the Heart Ball.
"By demonstrating personal success, I have and will continue to serve as a role model for my four children," she says. "Also, I believe my active involvement in the community and serving on boards gives other young people inspiration and a desire to get involved."[[In-content Ad]]
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