Five local businesspeople to receive Missourian Award

Local honorees in the 15th annual awards are Donald J. Babb, CEO at Citizens Memorial Hospital in Bolivar; Robert Glazier, retired publisher of Springfield! Magazine; Chris Hamon, CEO of White River Valley Electric Cooperative in Branson; Larry O’Reilly, retired chief operating officer at O’Reilly Automotive; and Louis Schaefer, Branson mayor 1995–2007.

Other honorees are John William Boone, a Columbia pianist in the early 1900s; Edmonds Grey Dimond, founder of the University of Missouri at Kansas City School of Medicine; Herbert M. Kohn, a Kansas City lawyer; Donald W. Magruder, retired director of Anheuser-Busch’s employee assistance program; David W. Ostlund, the first executive director of the Missouri Park and Recreation Association; Bob W. Roth, president and CEO of Hillyard Inc. in St. Joseph; David T. Turner, president of Hawthorn Bank’s east region; and Frank Viverito, president of the St. Louis Sports Commission.

The honorees will be recognized at a ceremony Sept. 27 at Capital Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City, according to Bill Mathis, of MathisJones Communication. Tickets are $125 each. For more event information or to buy tickets, call (636) 938-1100. Event proceeds benefit American Heart Association.

Last year, eight southwest Missourians were honored:

Springfield-Greene County Park Board Director Jodie Adams, retired surgeon Dr. Charles Bentlage, CoxHealth internist Dr. Loren Broaddus, Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce President Rob O’Brian III, Springfield Business Journal Publisher Dianne Elizabeth Osis, retired Detroit Tool Cos. executive John T. Russell, Oxford HealthCare President Karen R. Thomas and City Utilities General Manager John Twitty.

After 14 years of the event, there are 128 Missourians, including Walt Disney, Sam Walton, John Q. Hammons and Johnny Morris.