Gordon Elliott accepts the 2013 Springfieldian award from Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce Past-Chairman John Wilson, right, and Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo.
Photo provided by SPRINGFIELD CHAMBER
Elliott named 2013 Springfieldian
SBJ Staff
Posted online
The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce has named businessman and hotelier Gordon Elliott as the 2013 Springfieldian.
Elliott, CEO of Elliott Lodging and Oak Ridge Properties, was selected during the chamber's annual meeting Jan. 25.
Elliott owns and operates 17 hotels and 15 apartment complexes, and through his companies, has revived distressed locations such as the Best Western Route 66 Rail Haven. He also has housed the homeless and natural disaster victims in his properties, according to a news release.
“There was a time when he even bought a house off the courthouse steps for an employee who was going to lose it,” said Todd Elliott, Gordon Elliott's son, in the release.
A 1965 graduate of Missouri State University, Gordon Elliott also is a founding partner of certified public accounting firm Elliott, Robinson & Co. LLP, a former City Council member, a past chairman of the Board of Public Utilities and a past chairman of the MSU Board of Governors.
“Every month there are critical decisions that you want people you trust to weigh in on, and Gordon is one of those people I call," MSU President Clif Smart said in the release.
The chamber began honoring Springfieldians annually in 1957 with the selection of Durward G. Hall, and last year, chose Mary Beth O'Reilly, founder and chairwoman of the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks.
Past honorees: 1957 – Durward G. Hall 1958 – Ed Baxter 1959 – Eugene F. Johnson 1960 – Lester E. Cox 1961 – G. Pearson Ward 1962 – Max Van Hook 1963 – E. L. Anderson 1964 – Thomas H. Baird Jr. 1965 – E. A. Martin Jr. 1966 – J.H.G. Cooper 1967 – James A. Jeffries Sr. 1968 – Flavius Freeman 1969 – Don C. Dailey 1970 – G. Frank Knox 1971 – William E. Everheart 1972 – Dr. L.E. Meador 1973 – Del E. Caywood 1974 – Thomas F. Zimmerman 1975 – Dr. Joe Kuklenski Jr. 1976 – James F. Payne 1977 – James K. Cook 1978 – John K. Hulston 1979 – William V. Turner 1980 – John Q. Hammons 1981 – Lester L. Cox 1982 – C. Arch Bay 1983 – Ralph Foster 1984 – Bill Henderson 1985 – Gene Everett 1986 – Lee McLean 1987 – Don Wessel 1988 – Ed Deck 1989 – Dr. John E. Moore Jr. 1990 – Rev. Dorsey E. Levell 1991 – Ray F. Aton 1992 – Mary Kay Meek 1993 – Michael J. Williamson 1994 – Chris W. Nattinger 1995 – Robert E. Roundtree 1996 – Ben A. Parnell 1997 – Charlie O’Reilly 1998 – Jan Horton 1999 – Kenneth L. Carter 2000 – Jack Stack 2001 – John L. Morris 2002 – Tom Finnie 2003 – Roseann Bentley 2004 – Dr. Robert Spence 2005 – Jim Anderson 2006 – Ralph K. Manley 2007 – Kenneth E. Meyer 2008 – Annie Busch 2009 – Bill Foster 2010 – Brian Fogle 2011 – William H. Darr 2012 – Mary Beth O'Reilly
This installment of Springfield Business Journal’s Architects & Engineers Project Report showcases 26 endeavors by area design and engineering professionals.
