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, 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.

The recipient of the Lifetime Achievement in Business award will be announced Monday in SBJ’s Daily Update and print edition.

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 Manager Diana Weber at (417) 831-3238.