J. Willard Gibbs

Q: How is your new job similar to, and different from, your previous position?

A: I ran a team of individuals there, and it’s the same here. I run a team of individuals, and I’m a member of that team – I’m an equal with everybody else.

The difference is that instead of being one division within many, this is a standalone operation. That’s kind of fun, in that it puts me much more in touch with clients, which is one of the reasons I came here.

Q: What is your major goal for the company for the coming months?

A: My goal is to enhance the business, continue the growth that we have had and heavily pursue community and charitable activities. Through the next year or so, we’re going to be much more visible. We’ve got a lot more people in the field.

Q: Why did you decide to pick up and move to Missouri? What drew you here?

A: I looked at the overall performance of the company, which was very good. I also looked at the strength of the Springfield economy and compared that to where I came from, and there are dramatic differences between the two. Although people who have been here a long time may complain, I come from an area where the economy is not doing well and hasn’t done well for years. So for us to come here and see the growth going on – the development downtown, the new apartments, the urban renewal – that did it.

Q: And how has your introduction to the area been so far?

A: Coming to a new city, it was the warmest welcome I’ve had. We’ve had people over to the house, and we’ve introduced ourselves to a lot of people. Everyone has been very friendly and very helpful. In my hometown, they were friendly as well, but when you move to a new place, you never know what you’re going to get. Springfield has opened its arms to us.

Q: What would you like the Springfield community to know about you?

A: For me personally, I want people to know that I have high passion for my family and my faith. My family and I are heavily involved in the church, and I think those two things are critically important to me. On the business side, they should know that my drive and my initiative is really centered around always providing solutions to my clients.