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2016 Men of the Year Honoree: Jim Hodge

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As a business consultant for more than 30 years, Jim Hodge has served clients in locales as close as Missouri and Arkansas to as far away as Russia and the Middle East.

“Through these experiences, I have had the opportunity to lead, develop and connect with a wide variety of diverse ethnicities and cultures,” says Hodge, managing partner of executive outsourcing consultancy EOS LLC. “I attribute many of the leadership qualities and abilities I have today to these unique experiences.”

EOS LLC provides leadership in the roles of CEO, chief financial officer, chief operating officer and executive-level sales and marketing. But no matter the continent on which Hodge works, he strives to lead by example.

“If you as a leader aim to always walk the walk and talk the talk, others will want to follow your leadership. You will build a strong team of supportive and dedicated team members, and together you will accomplish many great things,” he says.

Focusing on people as individuals is part of Hodge’s leadership style. He believes each person has their unique strengths and challenges and to be a great leader, one must acknowledge and develop each team member accordingly. This, in turn, will create a stronger, more efficient team.

This approach is especially important with millennials, Hodge says.

“They, more than any other generation, value being viewed as their own individual person,” he says. “They recognize they bring unique skills to each role they play in a company.”

Hodge knows as this generation develops, they will become the leaders of tomorrow’s communities. It is important to devote time and energy into developing them along the way, he says. As a native Springfieldian, Hodge is committed to making the area the best it can be.

“I believe it is our responsibility as community leaders to seek out and develop ways to make our community even better,” he says.

Hodge is a former board member of Springfield Little Theatre and Marionville-based residential care facility Ozark Methodist Manor, has served as president of the Springfield Executive Breakfast Club and is an original member of the nonprofit Greater Ozarks International Trade Association. He is a current board member for The Victim Center.

With his business partner, Brooke Bigham, Hodge created The Senior Forum, a weekly talk show on KWTO AM 560 aimed at an older demographic. And he is especially proud of his work within the Missouri Department of Corrections as a mentor for individuals who struggle with addiction as they prepare for re-entry after serving their sentences.

 “Our prisons are full of moms, dads, brothers, sisters and grandparents who have made some wrong choices,” he says, noting mentoring them through the difficult journey allows them to get back to supporting and loving their families. “It is about breaking the cycle of addiction to drugs and alcohol, which, in turn, can break the cycle of violence and domestic abuse that is often present in these same households.”

For this work, Hodge was honored last year with a Silent Hero Award from Gov. Jay Nixon.

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