SRC exec Dennis Sheppard dies at 75

SBJ file

Dennis Sheppard held multiple executive roles at SRC Holdings Corp.

Dennis Sheppard's influence spread beyond SRC Holdings Corp. to the community at large. That's according to Jack Stack, his colleague at SRC Holdings Corp.

"He was probably one of the best business leaders this town has ever seen without being known," said Stack, the president and CEO of SRC.

Sheppard, who was SRC's general counsel for over 30 years and additionally served as chief financial officer and vice president of SRC Development Group Inc., died Sept. 19 at age 75, according to his obituary posted to GormanScharpf.com. Sheppard's cause of death was not disclosed in the obituary, but Stack said he had been ill for a number of years. 

"It's remarkable what a guy can achieve in such a short period of his life," Stack said.

Stack said Sheppard made a career in corporate law, and he was influential in the entrepreneurial endeavors of major companies in the Springfield area. He declined to name the companies Sheppard assisted, but he noted they are well-known businesses.

"He was fundamentally behind so many of the overly successful companies that exist in our community," Stack said. "Foundationally, this guy had such an impact on our community."

Sheppard was active in civic endeavors, as well, and his involvement included years as a board member and chair for Burrell Behavioral Health.

C.J. Davis, CEO of Burrell parent organization Brightli Inc., said in a statement provided to Springfield Business Journal that Sheppard "had an excellent reputation for calm, steady and strong counsel at Burrell Behavioral Health during a challenging time in its history."

"Dennis Sheppard was a compassionate and steadfast leader who supported Burrell’s mission of offering access to quality behavioral health care for all," Davis said in the statement. "We were extremely fortunate that Dennis lent his expertise, his time and his heart to our organization for more than two decades."

At SRC, Sheppard was a longtime board member and helped the company form its employee stock ownership plan, according to his profile on the company's website. 

Stack said a succession plan was created about two years ago for Sheppard and is scheduled to be announced at SRC's shareholder meeting in October.