Economic Impact Award honorees are selected by an independent panel of judges who fill different roles in the southwest Missouri business community.
Barbara Bettlach is co-owner of Harter House grocery stores in Springfield, which have more than 130 employees. She is semi-retired but still enjoys working in her stores several days a week. Bettlach is a board member of nonprofit The Kitchen Inc. Harter House stores host an annual memorial fundraiser for The Kitchen in honor of her husband, Jerry, and her brother, Jim Trimble. She is an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan.
Lisa B. Crump is market conduct administrator at American National Property & Casualty Co., where she conducts regulatory compliance audits. She has been named the Insurance Professional of the Year by Ozarks I-Day and Insurance Association of the Ozarks. Crump also holds the Market Conduct Management designation from the Insurance Regulatory Examiners Society and is a board member of City Utilities of Springfield.
M. Brent Jones is a lender relations specialist in the Springfield branch office of the U.S. Small Business Administration. Jones, who has a bachelor's degree in finance from Oklahoma State University, provides training and lender counseling about SBA's programs. He is a 33-gallon blood donor to the American Red Cross, and he plays the saxophone in the orchestra at Ridgecrest Baptist Church.
Andrew Lear is a certified public accountant and partner with accounting firm BKD LLP, where he specializes in auditing, consulting and tax services for businesses in the manufacturing, wholesale and retail industries. Lear, who holds a bachelor's degree in business form the University of Kansas, also is chairman of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and has served as adjunct faculty for Drury and Missouri State universities.
Joe Tucker is a certified public accountant and principal shareholder of Tucker & Co. PC. A graduate of Missouri State University, he has 30 years of public accounting and tax experience. Tucker is a member of Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce and serves as treasurer of the Springfield Contractors Association. He also is past president of the Greene County Estate Planning Council and is a member of the Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants.[[In-content Ad]]
