YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
As senior vice president and general manager for SMC Packaging Group, Mark McNay knows a thing or two about leading. Over the past 40 years, McNay has left his mark on the Springfield community through SMC and his seemingly endless volunteer work.
During the day, he’s worked to identify potential leaders and provide them with the environment to advance. He says leading by example and finding answers through development, engagement and consensus, are key to achieving better, meaningful results in a tightly knit team.
“The real leadership moments came when we were able to show them how to believe in themselves,” McNay says.
Outside of the office, he considers himself a “serial community volunteer.” Born into a family dedicated to serving others, McNay has been involved with the YMCA his entire life thanks to his father, a longtime company executive.
“I’ve always believed being involved in one’s community is not about building a resume of affiliation. If one is committed, it’s all in,” he says.
McNay’s list of community involvement is extensive, including the Boys and Girls Club of Springfield, Springfield’s Board of Public Utilities, Rotary Club of Springfield-Southeast and the board of Mercy Health Foundation and Central Bank of the Ozarks. McNay says in nearly every case, he has found himself headed down the path of leadership in these organizations. He also was a graduate of the fourth ever Leadership Springfield class.
When asked how he has influenced the success of others, McNay wasn’t sure if he could answer.
“My influence on the success of others is like destiny yet to be written,” he says. “Having said that, if the people I have had the opportunity to work with show consistent application of humility, listening, respect for others, genuineness of spirit and a bias for action – then I feel that my influence was felt.”
Alongside committee co-chairwoman Sally Hargis, McNay helped pull together a coalition to support a quarter-cent sales tax initiative for the Springfield-Greene County Parks Department in 2001 and 2006. The ballot initiative passed with over 65 percent voter support during a time when residents were worried about additional taxes and there was a general mistrust of government, he says.
McNay explains the tax allowed for the purchase of new park land, better stormwater management, the building of a botanical garden and the expansion of the Ozark Greenways trail network.
By 2010, McNay’s work to make a better Springfield continued with the city’s strategic plan. His co-chairwoman this time around was Robin Melton, who died in a plane crash shortly after their work began. McNay forged ahead in her honor. After thousands of hours and hundreds of community volunteers, the team created Field Guide-2030 to focus on building community leadership and social capital for Springfield’s future.
McNay’s proudest moment was serving as commencement speaker for his son’s Greenwood High School class of 2017.
“What has stayed with me after the event was that I was officially sending off a group of young men and women which I had coached, scolded and cheered for over 13 years,” he says. “They had grown into engaged citizens with very, very bright futures ahead of them.”
Guest columnist Donnie Brawner says many entrepreneurs stray from their original business ventures, which is often a recipe for success.
