From the Editor: Economic Impact Awards celebrate success

Categories for the annual Economic Impact Awards vary from year to year. This year, we’re honoring certified public accounting firms, commercial general contractors and engineering companies along with our annual awards – Charitable Organization of the Year, Innovator of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year.

Each of those awards is designed to celebrate the people and the organizations that are making the Springfield-area business community bigger and better.

“These are the individuals and the companies that make the news,” says SBJ President and Publisher Dianne Elizabeth Osis. “If they weren’t out there making business happen, Springfield Business Journal and Joplin Tri-State Business would have no reason to exist.”

Nominations for those six awards were solicited from the community. In the accounting, contracting and engineering categories, our independent panel of judges (see page 2) rated each entrant on revenue and employment percentage growth between 2006 and 2007, and considered each applicant’s answer to an essay question about how they – or their company – affect the local economy beyond the raw numbers.

The annual awards for innovation, charitable organizations and entrepreneurs are scored a little differently.

For those awards, judging goes beyond the numbers to look at issues such as how innovations will affect a particular industry, the numbers of people served and challenges faced during startup.

While all of our finalists and honorees are worthy of recognition, perhaps the biggest honor we bestow during the Economic Impact Awards banquet is the Lifetime Achievement in Business Award. This year’s recipient, Jim D. Morris, also was chosen by the judges’ panel, joining past honorees John Q. Hammons, Jack Stack, Ralph Manley, Charlie O’Reilly, Larry Wallis, Edwin C. Rice Jr., Tom Finnie and Jim Anderson.

Morris grew up in a small town in the Missouri Bootheel, working his way to success in real estate, oil and farming. In addition to his many professional accomplishments, Morris is a generous philanthropist, and Springfield Business Journal is proud to recognize his efforts on both fronts.

“He has done well in business in southwest Missouri, and he has given back to the community,” Osis says of Morris, noting that it makes him a perfect fit for Lifetime Achievement in Business honors.

The Economic Impact Awards also mark a special occasion – SBJ’s anniversary.

“Business is about people, and we love telling their stories. It never gets old,” Osis adds.

As we celebrate this 28-year milestone, join with us in congratulating this year’s award finalists and recipients on all they’ve accomplished. [[In-content Ad]]