Mahatma Gandhi, Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, Johannes Gutenberg, Abraham Lincoln, William Shakespeare – what do these men have in common?
In the eyes of history, each is considered a great man.
Great men are not in name only, but also in contribution. In their own right, each has changed human history, improved society or contributed monumental works. Each will be forever remembered.
Writing about great men requires a modicum of philosophical thought. I’m reminded of Scottish philosopher Thomas Carlyle’s “great man theory.” Carlyle wrote, “The history of the world is but the biography of great men.”
While the greatness of some men is remembered in history books, the contributions of others take place away from the spotlight. The 20 men who occupy Springfield Business Journal’s third annual Men of the Year list are great.
Men such as Dr. Robert Steele are great while at work, behind the scenes as president of Mercy Hospital Springfield. Men such as Jeff Layman are great at home, as a father for four children and role model to numerous foster children. Men such as Shane Nelson are great in the community, helping raise more than $20,000 in one night for Care to Learn Ozark.
In the 1860s, English philosopher Herbert Spencer countered Carlyle’s arguments saying great men don’t make a great society, but rather a great society produces great men.
If true, southwest Missouri must be a pretty great place to live having produced the likes of the gentlemen on this year’s list. However, don’t just take my word for it, but the word of the community who nominated each of these individuals.
Nominees are asked to expound on how they’ve demonstrated leadership in their endeavors, how they influence the success of others, their leadership in civic a ffairs and their proudest accomplishment to date. Applications are then scored by an independent panel of judges who sift through dozens of pages in search of these great men.
This year’s list includes, mayors, former mayors, doctors, teachers, bankers, financial analysts and builders.
Despite their differing career paths, the 20 men have something in common – -their dedication to this community.
For the third year running, SBJ has partnered with the Good Samaritan Boys Ranch for a silent action prior to the 12:30 p.m. luncheon. Bidding starts at 11:30 a.m. and helps the Brighton-based ranch provide a safe, caring home to boys from a broken or nonexistent home.
It’s men helping boys grow up to be great men.
If you know a great man, it’s never too early to nominate for next year’s awards.
Log on to
sbj.net/nominate to let us know.
Please join the entire staff of SBJ in congratulating these great men and celebrating their achievements in and for our community.
Features Editor Emily Letterman can be reached at eletterman@sbj.net.
