Missouri State University's longtime athletics director plans to retire in June 2009. Bill Rowe has been director of athletics since 1982 and, starting as a student, has been associated with the school for more than 50 years. His past roles include head baseball coach, athletics business manager and assistant athletics director. During Rowe's tenure, the men's and women's intercollegiate teams have made 46 trips to the NCAA championships. He was inducted into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994, the Springfield Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2004, the release said. "He has given his heart to this university," MSU President Michael Nietzel said of Rowe, adding that he is discussing a way for Rowe to continue to serve MSU in some capacity after he retires. The search for Rowe's replacement will begin in October. MSU Vice President for University Advancement Brent Dunn will chair a search committee, with plans to announce a new athletics director in the spring.
Eagles Open JQH
The first band JQH Arena will open its doors to is multi-Grammy award-winning group The Eagles. The band will bring its national tour to Springfield on Nov. 13 to open the new arena; MSU takes control of the facility Oct. 24, while the men's and women's basketball teams begin their home seasons Nov. 22 and 23, respectively. Randy Blackwood, the university's executive director of athletics and entertainment facilities, said much of the credit for the event goes to Springfield businessman and concert promoter Mike Ingram. Ingram, owner of Fireworks Across America, is close friends with Les Garland, one of the co-founders of both MTV and VH-1, and used that connection to bring the band to JQH. Eagles tickets - $85 to $185 - are available at www.missouristatetix.com or by phone at (417) 836-7678, with season-ticket holders having first dibs. Current MSU students will get a $25 discount due to a sponsorship by the Student Activities Council.
Chestnut & 65 Overhaul
The Missouri Department of Transportation held a public viewing Sept. 23 of preliminary plans for the U.S. Highway 65-Chestnut Expressway interchange.
Preliminary plans call for:
• Converting the intersection to a diverging-diamond interchange;
• Reconfiguring the northbound 65 off-ramp to have two left-turn lanes onto Chestnut, the southbound 65 off-ramp to have two right-turn lanes onto Chestnut, and the southbound 65 on-ramp to have two lanes onto 65; and
• Adding signals and right-turn lanes at the intersection of Chestnut and Ingram Mill Road, the release said.
No timetable for the project is set, but work could begin as early as spring 2009, the release said. The project will be paid for with private funds and contributions from MoDOT, the city of Springfield's transportation sales tax and Greene County.
Taking Aim
Associated Industries of Missouri's board of directors has named Ray McCarty its new president. McCarty had been the organization's interim president since mid-August. He previously was executive director of AIM's Taxpayers Research Institute of Missouri division. AIM represents about 1,200 Missouri employers.
This installment of Springfield Business Journal’s Architects & Engineers Project Report showcases 26 endeavors by area design and engineering professionals.
