SBJ names three individual award winners from area’s fastest growing companies

Last edited 9:05 a.m., May 5, 2026 [Editor's note: A title has been corrected.]

New to Springfield Business Journal’s Dynamic Dozen awards this year are three individual honors awarded to employees working at the 12 fastest-growing companies in the Ozarks.

After the companies were announced in March, an application and judging process began to name the inaugural winners for the Heart of the Team Award, Culture Champion Award and the Visionary Award.

The 2026 Visionary Award winner is Ron Bogart, CEO of Gold Mechanical Inc.

This award celebrates an individual whose forward-thinking leadership has transformed their organization, industry or community. This visionary is someone who sees beyond the present, inspires innovation and drives meaningful progress through bold ideas and strategic foresight.

The 2026 Culture Champion Award winner is Kevin Grinder, director of marketing at Toth and Associates Inc.

This award honors an individual who actively shapes and elevates the culture of the organization. The culture champion is someone who fosters inclusion, collaboration and purpose, creating an environment where people feel valued, motivated and empowered to thrive.

The 2026 Heart of the Team Award goes to Connie Merritt, office administrator at Toth and Associates Inc.

This award honors an individual whose dedication, reliability and excellence operate quietly in the background – yet make a significant impact. These are the unsung heroes who don’t seek the spotlight but whose work enables others to shine.

These individuals will be honored May 14 during an awards ceremony at The Old Glass Place.

In addition to individual honorees, a countdown of company rankings to No. 1 will be held. The D12 companies, in alphabetical order, are as follows:

• 360 Fire Protection LLC
• Alps Pharmacy
• Big Whiskey’s Concepts LLC
• Convoy of Hope
• Gold Mechanical Inc.
• Good Company
• Mercy Springfield Communities
• OMB Bank
• Phoenix Home Care & Hospice
• The Arc of the Ozarks
• Toth and Associates Inc.
• Valiant Management Group LLC

Profiles of the companies and individuals will appear in a publication debuting at the event and distributed in SBJ’s May 18 edition.