3 top honors presented to nonprofits at SBJ event

Three organizations received top honors in their categories for their impact on the community during Springfield Business Journal's second-annual Nonprofit Excellence Awards.

SBJ hosted an award ceremony last night at Oasis Hotel & Convention Center. SBJ in 2024 started hosting the event that was last held in 2020, continuing the awards that were started by Dan Prater, Drury University's founding leader of the Center for Nonprofit Leadership who now serves as a senior manager at Forvis Mazars LLP.

Winners last night were unveiled in the categories of small, medium and large nonprofits, based on their operating budgets. Large is defined as a nonprofit with an annual operating budget of over $3.5 million, with midsize between $500,000 and $3.5 million, and small with budgets up to $500,000.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield Inc. received the top honor in the large nonprofit category. The Arc of the Ozarks was a finalist.

In the midsize category, top honors went to Child Advocacy Center Inc., and the finalists were Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks Inc. and The Victim Center Inc.

Hospice Foundation of the Ozarks Inc., which is currently under a rebranding process to Hospice Foundation for Outreach Inc., won the top award in the small nonprofit category. GYN Cancers Alliance and Women's Medical Respite were finalists.

Individual awards were presented to the following:
• CEO/Executive Director of the Year: Susan Stephanchick of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks Inc.
• Board Member of the Year: Corey Kilburn, serving Springfield Little Theatre, Foundation for Springfield Public Schools and Springfield Regional Arts Council Inc.
• Employee of the Year: Cosette Grooms of Harmony House

Hurts Donut Co. co-founder and CEO Tim Clegg delivered a keynote address at the event, which was emceed by Springfield Public Schools Superintendent Grenita Lathan.

Profiles of the honorees will be published in SBJ's Aug. 18 print edition.