Judges select 2006 EIA finalists

There are two Economic Impact Awards categories – services and retail/wholesale – as well as awards for Nonprofit of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Innovator of the Year and Lifetime Achievement in Business.

Presented alphabetically in each category, the finalists are:

• Services: Burrell Behavioral Health, Empire Bank, and St. John’s Health System;

• Retail/wholesale: Country Bunny, The Carpet Shoppe and O’Reilly Auto Parts;

• Nonprofit of the Year: Developmental Center of the Ozarks, Family Violence Center and Springfield Victory Mission;

• Entrepreneur of the Year: Cruisin ’66; and

• Innovator of the Year: Missouri Winter Games and Oxford HealthCare.

Former Springfield City Manager Tom Finnie is the recipient of the 2006 Lifetime Achievement in Business Award.

The awards will be presented at a July 27 banquet in the White River Room at Bass Pro Shops. A 6 p.m. reception in the second-floor Sportsman’s Gallery will start the evening’s festivities, with the awards ceremony and dinner to follow at 7 p.m.

Tickets are available for $45 each or $320 for a table of eight. Tickets may be ordered online, or by calling Circulation Director Diana Weber at (417) 831-3238.