Burris to retire from United Way

Last edited 2:17 p.m., Jan. 18, 2024 [Editor's note: The salary range has been updated.]

Greg Burris, the near five-year president and CEO of United Way of the Ozarks, plans to retire June 30.

The United Way Board of Directors announced in a news release this morning it is launching a national search for the nonprofit’s new leader. Board Chair Joan Barrett said the search committee will comprise board members and community members, led by board Vice Chair David Agee of law firm Husch Blackwell LLP.

Burris was hired to lead United Way of the Ozarks in August 2019. He had been running the nonprofit’s Give 5 volunteer program he founded while serving as the Springfield city manager. After his retirement, Burris said he will continue to serve as the part-time executive director of Give 5, the civic matchmaking program that introduces local retirees to community volunteer opportunities.

Reached this morning, Burris said it was time for new leadership at the nonprofit.

“I just feel like I’ve done what the board has asked me to do in terms of setting the strategic direction for the organization,” he said. “What is required to take the organization to the next level is going to require a skill set that I just don’t have. I’ve set up the organization to have the right foundation for going forward and being successful.”

He noted United Way’s next leader will need strong fundraising skills and be able to execute the strategic vision of building community ownership through energizing volunteers and donors.

Burris recently led United Way through a revision of its funding model, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting. Burris called it the 60-30-10 formula, with 60% of funding going to programs focused on working upstream – at the root of problems – to reduce need long term. Another 30% is designated to crisis response – downstream needs, like housing and feeding people, and the final 10% toward innovative nonprofit programs.

“It has been my great honor and pleasure to lead the exceptional UWO team. I have learned much from them,” Burris said in the release. “We are blessed with a top-notch board of directors, and we get to partner with community supporters and many dedicated nonprofit partners who perform inspirational work every day. What could be better than that?”

Board Chair Barrett, who is vice chancellor of student affairs at Ozarks Technical Community College, said Burris first approached the board about his plans for retirement about a year ago. She said he was waiting for the right time to leave, ensuring both nonprofit leadership and the board were in a solid position.

“We thank Greg for steering United Way of the Ozarks into our next era,” Barrett said by phone this morning. “In recent years, United Way has adopted two areas of focus where, frankly, there hadn’t been. It was a wider girth of good work, but instead of making it so vast and general we decided to focus. That focus came with championing children and pathways out of poverty.

“Greg led the reengineering of our community investment process to fund programs that address upstream challenges and focusing on root causes of issues. It’s really an exciting time for the organization and for donors because we’ve got that strategy in place. We’re looking for leadership to take that strategic plan and really take it to the next level and execute.”

The salary range is $85,000-$125,000., according to Burris.

“We’re trying to make this an attractive, competitive search,” Barrett said.

Burris was hired as Springfield’s city manager in 2008 and served in that role for nearly a decade before joining the United Way. Prior to that, he had a 25-year career at Missouri State University, where he left the role of vice president for administrative and information services and chief information officer.

He said during his time leading United Way, he’s most proud of the work done during the COVID-19 pandemic, including digitizing the nonprofit’s signature employer-based annual giving program.

“At the same time, we were tasked with helping to support not only our nonprofit partners, but we worked in conjunction with Community Foundation of the Ozarks and Community Partnership of the Ozarks to support all nonprofits regionally,” he said. “Based on the success of that model, elected officials at the city and the county asked us if our three organizations would help coordinate the response from the faith community, which is where the Have Faith Initiative came from.

“All of that combined with how we worked together to support the community and help nonprofits survive a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic – I'm very proud of that.”

Burris said he is not seeking another full-time position, instead focusing his efforts on growing the Give 5 volunteer match program.

“I’m going to try not to overcommit myself,” he said. “I'm kind of the role model for overcommitment."