SBJ founder inducted into Missouri Newspaper Hall of Fame

Springfield Business Journal founder Dianne Elizabeth Osis is among four journalists who were inducted into the Missouri Newspaper Hall of Fame on Sept. 20.

Osis was honored at a ceremony held during the Missouri Press Association's 158th annual convention and trade show. The event this year was in Springfield at Hotel Vandivort.

"This is one of the best days of my life," Osis said at the event.

SBJ owner Jennifer Jackson, Osis’ daughter, said in a video presentation at the event that she "can't think of anybody more deserving of recognition than my mother."

"My mother did touch every facet of what it took to put a weekly publication together. She sold advertising, she wrote stories, she laid out the paper, she typed on a typesetting machine, she worked in a darkroom, she physically drove the pages to be printed," Jackson said in the video. "One of the things that impresses me most about what she has done is her continuous dedication to the people that worked at SBJ."

Osis retired from SBJ in January 2017 after founding the publication in July 1980, according to past reporting. She remains a board director for the company, which started as Top’s Executive Journal, aka The Ozarks’ Pulse, before becoming SBJ in 1983.

Jackson succeeded Osis as publisher in 2011. Jackson in January was succeeded as publisher by Marty Goodnight, who plans to buy the business in 2026.

MPA officials previously credited Osis with her pioneering work in journalism.

"Osis’ work as one of the first female business journal publishers in the nation broke barriers and paved the way for other women in the industry," MPA officials said in a summer news release. "Her commitment to journalism and mentorship of aspiring journalists continues to have a lasting impact, fostering growth and success of countless individuals during her career."

The other inductees are Doug Kneibert, former editor of the Sedalia Democrat; Mike O’Brien, former editor and columnist for the Springfield News-Leader; and Michael Stair, former city editor for The Joplin Globe.

Kneibert served as editor of the Sedalia Democrat for more than 20 years and is described by MPA officials "as a kind and sympathetic mentor who provided even-tempered guidance. Through his efforts, the Democrat provided a quality of news coverage unmatched by many larger newspapers."

O’Brien "has been a driving force in keeping southwest Missourians informed and entertained thanks to his nose for news, informative columns, photography work and remarkable knowledge on how to present a story that grabs readers’ attention," MPA officials say. He exited the Springfield News-Leader newsroom as associate editor in 1987 but continued as a columnist for another 20 years.

Stair, who had a nearly 60-year career in journalism, "knew how to get the best out of reporters in the newsroom. For a newspaperman like Stair, his is a life spent in journalism in service to his community," according to MPA officials. He retired in 2023.