Springfield Business Journal designers James Phinney and Heather Mosley clown around with SBJ’s Addy award following the Springfield Ad Club’s annual award ceremony Feb. 21 at Clarion Convention Center. SBJ won a silver Addy in the best newspaper self-promotion category for its “Get a Clue” campaign, promoting the company’s redesigned Web site, sbj.net.

Habitat for Humanity of Springfield Board President Barb Houser and Paul and Jean Hoon stand in front of property the Hoons donated for the Project ReHabitat program. Through the program, Habitat demolishes dilapidated houses in center city to make way for affordable Habitat homes.

The team from Taylor Marble gets ready to race its sander, modified to carry a basket of Webkinz.

Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield held its annual belt sander races April 21 at Carnahan-White Inc. Above, from left, Lindell Campbell and Galin Campbell of Galin Homes and Jon Bridwell of Ozarks Technical Community College show off the stock sanders that won third, first, and second place, respectively.

Fourteen members of Evangel’s chapter of the Christian Prelaw Society visit Jefferson City on April 8, along with faculty adviser Bryan Sanders, to visit the Missouri Supreme Court. The students observed oral arguments before the court, took a tour of the courthouse, met with Missouri Supreme Court Judge Mary Russell and met with two law clerks.

Missouri’s legislators show off their red garb Feb. 13 at the state Capitol in Jefferson City for the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement. The effort is designed to increase awareness of cardiovascular diseases, the No. 1 killer of women in the United States each year, according to AHA.

Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association installed its 2009 officers and directors at its annual banquet Jan. 23 at Hickory Hills Country Club. The 2009 SMBA officers are: Wallace Squibb, president; Brian Hamburg, president-elect; Brent Green, past president; Mike Cosby, treasurer; and Ginger Gooch, secretary. Above, Squibb addresses the crowd, noting that the two major issues facing the bar this year are follow-through with the Volunteer Public Defender program and the need for additional judges in Greene County.

Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association installed its 2009 officers and directors at its annual banquet Jan. 23 at Hickory Hills Country Club. The 2009 SMBA officers are: Wallace Squibb, president; Brian Hamburg, president-elect; Brent Green, past president; Mike Cosby, treasurer; and Ginger Gooch, secretary. Above, Green presents the annual SMBA President’s Award to criminal defense attorney Joe Passanise. The award, also given to attorney Chip Sheppard, recognizes extraordinary service to the bar.

Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association installed its 2009 officers and directors at its annual banquet Jan. 23 at Hickory Hills Country Club. The 2009 SMBA officers are: Wallace Squibb, president; Brian Hamburg, president-elect; Brent Green, past president; Mike Cosby, treasurer; and Ginger Gooch, secretary. Above, the efforts of 2008 SMBA President Green, left, are recognized by Brian Hamburg, the 2009 president-elect.

From left, Lori Holmes of Carnahan-White, Terry Speake of Beaman Electric, and Tom Foster and Wanda Johns of the Hershel Johns & WJ Johns Construction team display their modified sanders, which won third, first and second place, respectively.

Officials with Empire Bank and the Republic Chamber of Commerce cut the ribbon for Empire’s new Republic branch. The location, 1110 E. Independence St. in Republic, is the Springfield-based bank’s 17th branch and features a full line of retail banking services including a drive-through and automated teller machine.

GOLD Director Gail Melgren meets with State Rep. Sara Lampe, D-Springfield, during the group’s day at the state Capitol.

Gov. Jay Nixon meets with members of Missouri State University’s Greater Ozarks Leadership Development program March 10 in Jefferson City. The GOLD program is a regional leadership development program that discusses community development issues.

Valerie Savvenas and Sue Carrol Terry take a break from the March 24 Diamond Night event, a fundraiser for Boys & Girls Town of Missouri. The event at Highland Springs Country Club, which Savvenas and Terry co-chaired, raised nearly $40,000 to support treatment programs for area children with emotional or behavioral problems. The event included a silent auction with jewelry donated by nine local jewelers, along with dinner and dancing.

Evangel University sent 25 business students to the 50th annual Missouri Phi Beta Lambda State Leadership Conference March 27–28 in Jefferson City. Phi Beta Lambda is an educational association of postsecondary student members preparing for careers in business. Of the 25 Evangel PBL team members, 16 qualified to represent the Show-Me State at the National Leadership Conference in Anaheim, Calif., this June.

Past presidents of the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association gather March 6 for a special luncheon at the SMBA offices. The 19 former leaders on hand, listed in chronological order, were Kenneth Reid, 1963; Ray Whiteaker, 1970; Vincent Tyndall, 1979; Andy Dalton, 1981; Bill Francis, 1988; Topper Glass, 1989; Jerry Redfern, 1990; Bruce McCurry, 1991; Fred Hall, 1992; Ron Baird, 1993; Virginia Fry, 1994; Don Woody, 1996; Mike Cully, 1998; Gary Cunningham, 2000; Rodney Loomer, 2001; Richard Owensby, 2002; Linda Thomas, 2003; Cliff Brown, 2006; and Brent Green, 2008. The group met with current SMBA President Wallace Squibb and President-elect Brian Hamburg; Squibb made a presentation about bar projects and priorities.

Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association installed its 2009 officers and directors at its annual banquet Jan. 23 at Hickory Hills Country Club. The 2009 SMBA officers are: Wallace Squibb, president; Brian Hamburg, president-elect; Brent Green, past president; Mike Cosby, treasurer; and Ginger Gooch, secretary. Above, 2009 SMBA president Squibb, left, receives the gavel from 2008 President Brent Green.

The team of “Cobra’s” won first place in the Best Contraption on Wheels category during this year’s downtown Springfield St. Patrick’s Day Parade, for its Double Bike with Pot o’ Gold. The group, named in honor of the cobras that were allegedly released in the city in 1953, also won the award for Best Irish Group or Family.

From left, Chris Upp, director of quarry operations for Conco Quarries, presents a $5,000 donation to Willard Parks & Recreation Director Kevin McDonald and Mayor Jamie Schoolcraft during a Feb. 27 ceremony. The donation will fund continued expansion of Willard parks amenities, such as the currently under construction Willard Aquatics Center.

Missouri State University students and Habitat construction managers dismantle the donated house on East Lynn Street during an eight-hour workday.

Ozarks Technical Community College dental hygiene student Debra Montgomery, center, received the first scholarship from the Frances Collins Memorial Endowment. Montgomery is pictured with OTC Foundation Executive Director Cliff Davis, left, and former dental technician Deane Collins, who established the endowment in honor of his late wife, Frances, who was Springfield’s first registered dental hygienist.

John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts’ Chateau on the Lake Resort & Spa raised $3,100 at its annual Breakfast with Santa fundraiser in December to benefit K-Life Taney County, a charity that provides mentoring and activities for teens. At the check presentation are Ted Martin, K-Life board president; Stephen Marshall, Chateau on the Lake vice president/general manager; Jonathan Atkins, K-Life area director; and Dot Crain, K-Life business administrator. K-Life is an interdenominational Christian ministry of discipleship and fellowship for youth and their families. The group offers kids weekly clubs, small-group Bible studies, and mission and ski trip opportunities.

The city of Springfield and Springfield Regional Arts Council received the 2009 Creative Community Award during a Feb. 11 presentation in Jefferson City. From left, State Rep. Charlie Norr, D-Springfield, Springfield City Councilwoman Cynthia Rushefsky and SRAC Executive Director Sandra CH Smith gather in the Capitol rotunda for the award ceremony.

Shawn Askinosie’s wife, Caron, dishes out samples of the dark chocolate at the East Commercial Street factory.

Makenzie Blevins, front left, had her wish granted as part of United Auto Workers/General Motors' nationwide celebration of the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s 10,000th wish. Thompson Buick-Pontiac-GMC-Cadillac-Saab presented UAW/GM's $7,000 donation, during a Jan. 20 ceremony, to pay for Blevins’ wish: a trip with her family to Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. On hand for the presentation are, from left, Makenzie Blevins, who has polyarteritis; her younger brother, Tucker; Make-A-Wish Foundation Springfield Program Center Director Jackie Barger; Chris Blevins, Makenzie’s father; Lynn Thompson, co-owner of the Thompson dealerships; Makenzie’s mother, Suzanne; and older sister Jordan.

Information clarified on Feb. 4. It initially did not state that the donation came from United Auto Workers/General Motors.

Askinosie Chocolate founder Shawn Askinosie is joined by special guests Philippine Consul General Blesila Cabrera, center, and trade representative Glenn Penaranda at a Jan. 30 release party for his newest chocolate bar made with cocoa beans imported from Davao, Philippines.

Ryan Couts of Meek’s – The Builder’s Choice hoists his trophy at Incredible Pizza during a Nov. 18 fundraising event organized by the Home Builders of Greater Springfield Charitable Foundation. Couts was the overall go-kart race winner at the event, which attracted about 125 people and raised $7,500 for the foundation.

Co Chairs, Bethany Marcol & Michelle Enno of Relay For Life of Springfield & Allison Kraft from the American Cancer Society presented Elvin Dunn from the E*Plex an appreciation award for their generous donation of the entire Ozark Empire Fairgrounds E*Plex for the May 14th event that was rained out at Hillcrest High Schools track and field.  The 2010 event raised $420,000 to fight cancer.

Submitted by OTC

Submitted by OTC