Council of Churches hires new CEO

SBJ file photo

Jaimie Trussell starts Aug. 3 at Council of Churches.

Council of Churches of the Ozarks Inc. hired a new CEO to lead the nonprofit with a budget exceeding $6 million.

Jaimie Trussell is scheduled to start Aug. 3, according to a news release, succeeding the Rev. Mark Struckhoff, who retired late last year. Struckhoff led the organization since 2010, and Rick George, CCO’s chief operating officer, was CEO in the interim.

"CCO has been such a force for good in our community for so long — and I love everything it represents," Trussell said in the release. "In a time when we need more than ever to come together as people of faith, to do the work we have been called to do — I can't think of anything more important we as a community could be doing than helping this organization continue to care for those in need."

Trussell comes to CCO from Adult & Teen Challenge USA, where she's worked since March 2019 as chief development officer and vice president of marketing. Like Council of Churches, Adult & Teen Challenge is a faith-based nonprofit.

Trussell also has past experience at Missouri State and Drury universities, as well as Convoy of Hope. She was a member of Springfield Business Journal's 2019 class of Most Influential Women.

At CCO, she'll be in charge of a nonprofit with a $6.2 million operating budget and some 59 employees, according to SBJ list research as of Feb. 3. Known for its Crosslines food pantry, CCO also provides shelter and clothing to people in need, among other services, according to its website.

An official with CCO was unable to immediately provide salary information for Trussell by deadline. A 2017 filing with the IRS shows Struckhoff had $75,452 in reportable compensation from the organization. The form also reports $62,291 in other compensation from the organization and related organizations.