2025 Men of the Year: Get to Know the Men

Other than home and work, where is your favorite place to be in the Springfield area?

“Highland Springs Country Club.” —Lonnie Funk

“I enjoy spending time outdoors, either walking at the Springfield Conservation Nature Center or enjoying one of the many beautiful Ozark Greenways trails.” —Stephen Hall

“We enjoy visiting all the local coffee shops that Springfield has to offer.” —David Kelly

“Barnes & Noble.” —Samuel Knox

“Hickory Hills Country Club thanks to the team lead by Michael Cho! —Joseph D. “Chip” Sheppard III

“The Springfield Underground holds a special place for me. It’s where I built the bones of our company, one of those projects that felt like it mattered not just technically but strategically. There’s something about being down there -- it’s quiet, focused and all business. It reminds me of how far we’ve come and what’s possible when you’re willing to do things a little differently.”
—Kevin Waterland

“Driving to Branson, especially during the fall when the foliage is nice. I like all the outdoors – walking on the shore of Table Rock or at Nathanael Greene Park.” —Dr. Kofi Asare-Bawuah

What trait is most critical to you in an employee?

“Pride in performance and common sense.” —Lonnie Funk

“To work to understand and believe in the true mission of the organization and then help champion it. Perhaps this sounds a bit grandiose, but I have found it to be the best way to inspire people, offering them a worthy cause that they can be proud of being a part of.” —Colten Harris

“Some basic traits like faithfulness, loyalty and integrity and in recent years I have come to appreciate hard work, commitment and production. Helpful traits today also include having common sense in regard to social media, and how you treat others.” —Mark Milioni

“Critical thinking skills. The ability to analyze issues from all angles and not take things at face value.” —Mark Walker

What are you reading?

“‘Elon Musk’ by Walter Isaacson. Isaacson may very well be the best biographer in America today. I’ve tried to read all of his biographies over the last couple years.” —Michael Cho

“The message and advice in the Bible never become stale; it’s the most valuable book in my library.” —Douglas L. Healy

“‘Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska’ by Warren Zanes. He wrote and recorded it in his bedroom in 1982.” —Mark Kastner

“Anything by John Maxwell.” —David Kelly

“‘Unreasonable Hospitality’ by Will Guidara.” —Dan Patterson

“‘The Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren, in a mentoring relationship with a young leader. —Philip Rothschild

“The book that gave Ronald Reagan the passion to make a difference: ‘That Printer of Udell’s’ by Harold Bell Wright. Very Jesus-centered spiritual book of action.” —Joseph D. “Chip” Sheppard III

“I’m rereading ‘The Ideal Team Player’ by Patrick Lencioni.” —Mark Walker

“Our leadership team at SPS is currently reading ‘Atomic Habits’ by James Clear. The book reminds us that tiny changes can lead to remarkable results and encourages us to focus on building good habits while breaking bad ones.” —Stephen Hall

Share your childhood dream.

“In the summertime, I always dreamed of pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals. The rest of the year, I wanted to be a cross between Evel Knievel and one of the Dukes of Hazzard.” —Mark Applegate

“I always wanted to help people and as I got older, I knew I wanted to help kids. My pediatric rotations were the ones I enjoyed most in medical school!” —Dr. Kofi Asare-Bawuah

“To be a trust fund baby. Unfortunately, I am no longer a baby ... and I don’t have a trust fund.” —Cory Collins

“I wanted to move to Los Angeles and pursue acting. In junior high, I set a goal to become a broadcast news reporter. In journalism school, I discovered my interest in advocating for important causes through communication and public relations.” —Stephen Hall

“To become a major league baseball player.” —Mark Walker

“I wanted to date Charlie’s Angel Farrah Fawcett.” —Philip Rothschild

What’s trait is most critical in a leader?

“Trustworthiness. Your word has to mean something and people have to be able to trust your work. As an employee and as a leader, you have to be sincere, do what you say you will do and always follow through.” —Dr. Kofi Asare-Bawuah

“Ability to listen and then properly communicate.” —Lonnie Funk

“Someone who is not simply confident but someone who knows who they are and is capable of being authentic, it is pretty hard not to follow the leaders that do that.” —Colten Harris

“Servant leadership is required to be an effective leader. If you are not willing to serve, you will struggle to lead.”
—Douglas L. Healy

“Stewardship. Leaders should see themselves as stewards of the organization and its influence, acting with integrity and responsibility while prioritizing the needs of both the organization and its stakeholders.” —Brad S. Johnson

“Foremost is character, but character made up of kindness, empathy, honesty and transparency.” —Mark Kastner

“The ability to truly listen. Great leaders seek to understand before being understood.” —David Kelly

“The willingness to connect and invest in the discovery of the best and brightest – sometimes found in underserved communities. It may come in the form of a mentorship, scholarship or sponsorship.” —Samuel Knox

“Emotional intelligence. This is having a discernment to know beyond what you see and hear. Being able to read the room and understand how people think and will respond is vital to successful leadership.” —Mark Milioni

“There is no single most critical leadership trait as different situations call upon a leader to adapt and exhibit traits appropriate to and called for the situation.” —Dan Patterson

“The willingness to serve others.” —Mark Walker

“Humility. A real leader doesn’t need to be the loudest voice in the room. They need to listen, serve and set the tone for trust. Leadership is earned through consistency and integrity, not titles.” —Kevin Waterland

“Empathy. If you can’t relate to where your team is coming from, it’s impossible to lead them where they need to go.” —Michael Cho

What are you listening to?

“Jimmy Buffett’s ‘Margaritaville’ – XM 24. Always!” —Cory Collins

“‘Man’s Search for Meaning,’ published in 1946 by Viktor E. Frankl, a story of his survival as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps. I listen to a lot of motivational subjects searching for ways to harness the power of the mind to achieve goals while helping others, which form the foundation of my profession, my real estate ventures, my tea business and my charity fund, Stand for Springfield.” —Andy Drennen

“Listening (again) to Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Nebraska.’” —Mark Kastner

“The Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast.” —David Kelly

“A podcast series by John Hope Bryant.” —Samuel Knox

“I read Reddit posts about AI and technology all night, and I listen to podcasts about the same all day. It keeps me sharp and plugged into what’s next. But when it’s time to relax – especially on road trips – it’s the Small Town Murder podcast all the way.” —Kevin Waterland