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After Whaley’s retirement, new leader settles in at Ozark Greenways

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Terry Whaley retired from his 22-year role as director of Ozark Greenways Inc. effective Nov. 1, according to a news release, and Mary Kromrey was promoted to the lead.

“He is the quintessential trailblazer,” Kromrey said of Whaley.

Whaley joined the nonprofit just four years after it was founded in 1991 to develop a comprehensive public trail network in Greene County. Today, the Ozark Greenways’ website boasts 72 miles of greenway trails and 81 miles of on-street routes.

“An overwhelming majority of all of the trails are because of his leadership and his ability to work across sectors,” Kromrey said.

Kromrey said she aims to continue the partnerships with government and business partners to build more public trails.

“There are a few mile gaps here and there,” she said, “that if we got those filled would connect our Wilson's Creek Greenway, our South Creek Greenway and our Jordan Creek Greenway.”

Kromrey has a background in building healthy lifestyles in the Ozarks. She joined Ozark Greenways in February 2016 as development and civic engagement specialist, and previously was executive director of the Y School Age Services for the Ozarks Regional YMCA – where she still serves as a wellness instructor.

She holds a master’s degree in health promotion and wellness management from Missouri State University. She’s also a co-founder of Healthy Living Alliance and an active member of the Missouri Council on Activity and Nutrition, which advocates and educates statewide on policies and programs to decrease childhood obesity rates, according to Springfield Business Journal reporting.

Currently president of the Junior League of Springfield, Missouri Inc., Kromrey also was a member of Leadership Springfield’s 32nd class and one of SBJ’s 40 Under 40 in 2015.

Ozark Greenways celebrated a milestone this month, with the reopening of a portion of the Galloway Creek Greenway. The part of the trail that connects under the highways 60 and 65 interchange closed in May 2016, due to construction on U.S. Highway 65.

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