SCA hires city workforce spokeswoman as new director

Last edited 2:27 p.m., July 19, 2017

The Springfield Contractors Association named a new executive director to succeed its retiring leader.

Megan Short, previously the city of Springfield’s communications coordinator for the Department of Workforce Development and the Ozark Region Workforce Development Board, started working at the SCA on July 6. She succeeds Kathy Baer, who will stay on at least through year’s end to help Short transition into the role. Baer then plans to retire, though a date has not been set.

“Coming from workforce, I’ve been able to see how important construction is to the area,” Short said. “Without construction, you can’t have economic development.”

The SCA board selected Short out of 37 applicants to lead the 352-member organization, she said.

Baer became interim director of SCA in January 2015 after the retirement of longtime leader Sheryl Letterman, the organization's director since 1986. The construction industry promotional and advocacy organization announced it was seeking a new director in April.