SBJ presents annual Economic Impact Awards

Springfield Business Journal held the ninth annual black-tie event at the Oasis Convention Center, drawing a crowd close to 300.

The following honors were given:

• In the CPA firms category, BKD LLP took top honors, among other finalists Kirkpatrick, Phillips & Miller PC and Whitlock, Selim & Keehn LLP;

• In the commercial general contractors category, Carson-Mitchell Inc. took top honors, among other finalists DeWitt & Associates Inc. and The Killian Group of Cos.;

• In the engineering firms category, Olsson Associates took top honors, among other finalists Butler, Rosenbury & Partners Inc. and GeoEngineers Inc.;

• Shawn Askinosie, trial lawyer turned chocolate-maker, was named Entrepreneur of the Year, among other finalists Sheila Collins of Springfield Granite-Plus, and Paul Sundy, co-owner of Icon Nightclub, Big Whiskeys and Fedora Social House;

• Springfield-Greene County Library District was named Innovator of the Year for its efforts to help revitalize downtown with its new branch on Park Central Square, among other finalists Springfield-Greene County Park Board and Springfield Regional Arts Council; and

• Springfield Victory Mission Inc. was named Charitable Organization of the Year, among other finalists Ozarks Area Community Action Corp. and Ozarks Food Harvest Inc.

Perhaps the crown jewel of the evening, the 2008 Lifetime Achievement in Business Award was presented to oil and real estate mogul Jim D. Morris. Morris started small and turned challenges into success over the years, owning Morris Oil Co. and properties throughout Springfield and Branson.

Morris accepted the award from SBJ Publisher Dianne Elizabeth Osis and pointed to southwest Missouri as a vibrant region of opportunity that allowed him to succeed.

“I’ve achieved things I only dreamed about, and it all happened here,” he said. “I’m very humbled and thankful for this prestigious award.”

Click here for the special Economic Impact Awards publication that includes profiles and photographs of each honoree and finalist.