New Victory Mission director to start next month

After a year’s search, Springfield Victory Mission Inc. has a new executive director coming on board.

Jason Hynson is scheduled to start Nov. 1. He’ll succeed the Rev. Jim Harriger, who retired at the end of January after informing the board of his decision in October 2015. Development Director Jim Edge served as director in the interim.

Edge said this morning Hynson was narrowed down from a field of 30 candidates interviewed by Springfield-based pastoral-leadership consultancy The Hardy Group. The hiring of the new director was first reported by the Springfield News-Leader.

Hynson is wrapping up his work as executive director for Lake of the Ozarks summer camp organization Wonderland Camp, where he’s been for nearly five years.

In the February article, “Nonprofits in leadership transitions,” Springfield Business Journal reported Victory Mission had a budget of $2.7 million, down from $3.5 million last year, and around 49 employees. Victory Mission Community Involvement Coordinator Laura Rush said those numbers have declined since, but she was unsure by how much. The nonprofit’s office manager could not be reached for comment by deadline.

Victory Mission provides a food pantry, addiction treatment program and culinary education through Victory Trade School. It also operates the Cook's Kettle restaurant.

Harriger served as executive director for 23 years.