State chamber picks locals for leadership development program

Two locals were chosen by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the organization's annual leadership program.

Ron Bogart, president of Gold Mechanical Inc., and Ryan DeBoef, chief of staff of Missouri State University, are among 30 people statewide slated to participate in Leadership Missouri, according to a news release.

“We designed Leadership Missouri to elevate the talent of our state’s leadership pool and establish a forum for sharing ideas and best practices," chamber President Dan Mehan said in the release. "Right now, Missouri needs strong leadership to help us confront important economic competitiveness issues. We need leaders who can work across industries and regions to unite our state."

Leadership Missouri this year is hosting its 30th annual class. The program was not held in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The seven-month program starts June 16 in St. Louis, with class members also slated to travel to Kansas City, Joplin, Jefferson City, Cape Girardeau and Chillicothe before concluding in Osage Beach, according to the release. Programming is designed to enhance leadership skills and deepen participants' knowledge of the state.

The two locals, Bogart and DeBoef, both were members of Springfield Business Journal's 2020 class of the Men of the Year.