Opinion: Why SBJ is recalibrating events for 2026

One of the most important disciplines in leadership – and in journalism – is the willingness to truly listen. Earlier this year, Springfield Business Journal made a very intentional choice to do just that. We asked our community to give us honest, direct feedback about our events through a series of four blind focus groups facilitated by Joey Powell with Dickerson Park Zoo. We learned that today’s marketplace is saturated with events. There are more programs, more fundraisers, more award nights and more calendar commitments than at any point in recent memory. They told us SBJ had a unique responsibility – and opportunity – to recalibrate. The feedback was not that events lack value, but that the right events, with better experiences for all, matter far more than having more of them. 

People asked us to make sure that when SBJ hosts an event, it has a clear purpose and earns its place on the calendar. When an event is not aligned to our mission, it stretches our capacity and takes time away from the work only SBJ can do: report the authoritative news people count on us to deliver. The takeaway was clear: offer fewer events and fewer awards while galvanizing the events that connect to our overall mission and make them better. And without purpose, our events felt like promotional opportunities. We are a news organization, not an event or promotional company.

This clarity shaped our 2026 event calendar, built around purpose, relevance and storytelling. Coolest Things Made in Missouri, held Feb. 23, 2026, at the Hilton Branson Convention Center, is a partnership with the Missouri Association of Manufacturers that allows us to highlight statewide innovation and tie directly into MAM’s annual convention. It’s a powerful example of SBJ stepping into a statewide spotlight while still delivering high-value business content.

SBJ’s People You Need to Know continues as one of SBJ’s most intimate and insightful programs. We are dropping the “12” as we have already shifted to a nimble and news-driven approach, spotlighting leaders whose stories matter now, rather than locking in an entire year at once. It’s a direct reflection of our commitment to timely journalism. Join us Dec. 16 at The Backlot at Alamo Drafthouse for a live interview with Gov. Mike Kehoe.

Among SBJ’s core programs, each event now aligns naturally with our mission. SBJ’s 40 Under 40, on April 8, 2026, at the Oasis Convention Center, is a narrative about the young professionals shaping the future of our region. It continues to be one of the clearest expressions of SBJ’s purpose: to identify rising leadership and help the business community see its own future more clearly.

SBJ’s Dynamic Dozen, held May 14, 2026, at The Old Glass Place, is a celebration of growth – but more importantly, an exploration of how growth happens. These stories about innovation, culture, leadership and resilience are exactly the kinds of stories our newsroom is built to tell. This program lets us bring the data, the narrative and the human element together on one stage.

SBJ’s Nonprofit Excellence Awards, on Aug. 4, 2026, at the Oasis Convention Center, represents a sector that is both an economic driver and a force for community well-being. SBJ has a long history of supporting nonprofits not only through this event, but by partnering with organizations, promoting their missions and strengthening their visibility throughout the year. This event is part of a larger, ongoing commitment.

One of the most meaningful updates to our 2026 lineup is the introduction of SBJ’s Business Leaders of the Year, held Sept. 1, 2026, at Juanita K. Hammons Hall. This program brings together the strengths of Most Influential Women and Men of the Year into a unified recognition model. People want to celebrate leadership, not categories. By shifting to a nomination process built on letters of recommendation rather than extensive questionnaires, we are removing barriers, broadening access and focusing on the heart of leadership: impact, character and contribution. And, we’re offering a clean slate of leaders that can be recognized by SBJ.

We close the year with SBJ’s Business Impact Awards on Nov. 12, 2026, at White River Conference Center, celebrating five organizations and teams whose work made meaningful economic contributions in the prior year, alongside the Dianne Elizabeth Osis Lifetime Achievement Award and an Entrepreneur of the Year.

As part of this evolution, we are thoughtfully retiring a few legacy programs while honoring their importance. Trusted Advisers has been a respected brand for years, and those professionals will continue to be recognized through ongoing news coverage rather than a once-a-year event. And Health Care Champions represents a sector whose importance extends far beyond a single program. The health care community deserves broader, more sustained recognition. I hope our region will pursue something larger and more collaborative, and SBJ stands ready to help tell those stories.

Across all these changes, one truth guides us: SBJ will do fewer events – and we will do them better. Thank you for your honesty, your candor and your trust.

Marty Goodnight is the publisher of Springfield Business Journal. He can be reached at mgoodnight@sbj.net.