Entrepreneur follows in family's footsteps

Moore, 33, bought the Springfield-based drug- and alcohol-testing firm and its assets, including eight vehicles, from Alan and Crystal Conner for an undisclosed price. The Kingsley Group brokered the sale, which closed Jan. 5.

Moore’s entrée into entrepreneurship came on the heels of a decade-long stint with St. John’s Health System, where he was most recently development director for the St. John’s Foundation for Community Health. Prior to that, he worked as a business manager and director of operations for the hospital’s medical research program.

Moore, whose last day with St. John’s was Dec. 22, is originally from Canada, where his father owned a propane business. He also married into a family of business owners.

“People oftentimes would ask me, ‘Why aren’t you owning your own business like the others in your family are?’” Moore said. “I had a lot of satisfaction in my work at St. John’s. … I had no reason to leave.”

But the Drury University alumnus said his lifelong dream of owning a business caught up with him late last year when his father-in-law, Wayne Scheer, brought the opportunity to his attention. Scheer is a broker with The Kingsley Group and a longtime supporter of Moore’s entrepreneurial aspirations.

“It was a good time for transition, and I think Mickey’s the guy for the job,” Scheer said. “I think he’ll take the business to higher levels.”

‘It was a match’

Within two weeks of learning that ESS was available, Moore and the Conners were seated at a table hashing out the details of the forthcoming sale.

“It was a match,” Alan Conner said. “I have a lot of respect for Mickey, and he knows I’m there for him and want him to succeed. That was my baby, and I wasn’t going to turn it over to anybody.”

Conner said he bought ESS seven years ago, when the failing company was on a collision course with bankruptcy. Within 10 months of acquiring ESS, Conner said he turned the then home-based business around and started laying the groundwork for what is now one of the largest drug-testing companies in the Midwest.

ESS serves more than 1,200 clients in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Illinois and Iowa from offices in Springfield, Joplin, Lebanon, Rolla and Sedalia, Moore said. The company, which employs 15 people, helps public agencies and private businesses establish drug- and alcohol-testing policies and collects samples for testing – both on-site and at ESS’ office, 2055 S. Stewart Ave., Ste. F. ESS also provides pre-employment, random and post-accident drug and alcohol testing.

Moore wouldn’t disclose revenues, but in April 2006, Conner told Springfield Business Journal that ESS’ yearly revenue had exceeded $1.2 million. In a recent interview, Conner said revenues were growing at an annual rate of about 40 percent.

Going forward

Moore said he’s evaluating the business and its competition before making any expansion decisions.

“I am as much interested in servicing our current clients as I am in growing the business further, initially,” he said. “The people we work with should see very little change.”

After an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Congress last year, Conner remains interested in acquiring new businesses.

“I’m basically the person who likes a challenge,” Conner said. “Good entrepreneurs know when to exit, and now I’m looking … for new conquests.”

At St. John’s, Jennifer Battagler has been promoted to director of philanthropy – Moore’s former position – from special projects coordinator, a post she held for two years.