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Brenda Dickey

Bob Hammerschmidt introduced Brenda on March 2.  Her cosponsor is Lisa Odom.

Brenda is a semi-retired associate professor of Education at Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, Miss.  She taught there for 10 years and was a literacy and assessment specialist, and still teaches some courses online.  Overall, she taught for more than 30 years.   

Brenda served on the Mississippi Governor’s Task Force on Teacher Preparation for Early Literacy.  She also is a member of the Independent Education Consultants Association and the School Counselors Association of Curriculum Development.

Brenda earned a doctorate of education at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va.  She also has been a missionary to Japan.


Brenda and her late husband, James, moved to north Springfield in 2018 to be near their daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren.
 
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Stacey Connell

Rachael Walsh introduced Stacey on March 2.  Her cosponsor is Lynette Weatherford.

Stacey is senior director of Human Resources at Community Blood Center of the Ozarks, where she’s worked for five years.  She has worked in Human Resources and been in the Ozarks for 28 years.

Stacey is a member of the Springfield Area Human Resources Association, where she has served on the Professional Development Committee.  She’s also served on the board and as secretary of the Christian County Developmental Disabilities Resource Board.  She’s a past member of Nixa Band Boosters and Nixa Girls Swim Team Boosters.

Stacey earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology at Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman State University) in Kirksville and is working on a master’s degree at Drury University.

Stacey and her husband, Jim, live in Nixa and have two children, ages 23 and 21, in college, one at Missouri State University and the other at University of Missouri.  She is also a rescue dog mom.

 
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Ron Bogart

Noah Alldredge introduced Ron on Feb. 9.  His cosponsor is Brandi Bailey.

Ron has lived in the Springfield area for 34 years.  He’s been chief executive officer since 2015 of Gold Mechanical on West Division Street in Springfield, a 150-employee company where he’s worked since 2012.  In 2019, he founded Legion of Longevity in Nixa, which employs health, nutrition and fitness experts to help clients meet personalized goals.

Ron previously worked for C&C Group in Springfield, Barnz B. Inc. in Nixa, Heartland Heating & Air in Springfield, Midwest Heating and Cooling in Springfield, and Dahmer Electric and Mechanical in Nevada.  As a boy, Ron helped raise cattle, hogs and hay on his family’s farm near Bronaugh.

Ron is on the board of Partnership Industrial Park West and a member of the MSU Construction Management Board.  Springfield Business Journal honored him as one of its Men of the Year in 2020, as a 40 Under 40 Award winner in 2004, and as a Dynamic Dozen Award winner in 2003.  He’s a past president of the Business Builders Breakfast Club, a past president of the Ozarks chapter of American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, and a past member of the Springfield Building Trades Certification Board. 

Ron has volunteered for Ozarks Greenways and helped Convoy of Hope with hurricane relief.  After applying for Rotary Club membership, he donated blood on behalf of the club and became a Paul Harris Fellow before being inducted.

At Evangel University, Ron earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 2007 and a master’s degree in Behavioral Science in Organizational Leadership in 2011, and is working on a Doctorate of Strategic Leadership.  He also taught business courses at Evangel for 10 years. 

Ron and his wife of 33 years, Nancy, live in Nixa and have four grown children.  In his free time, he has completed several marathons and triathlons since 2002.  In 2018, he ran 50 miles in 9 hours and 40 minutes to celebrate turning 50.  He’s also an avid hunter and fisherman.
 
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Tyler Moles

Luke Westerman introduced Tyler on Feb. 2.  His co-sponsor is Nate Dunville.

Tyler has been vice president of operations for the Discovery Center of Springfield since April 2021.  He oversees the operations, development and accounting staff.  He helped launch its current capital campaign by securing a $1 million Forbes STOP Award and $500 in NAP tax credits.  He secured funds for the first LU Interactive Indoor Playground to be open to the public in North America and recruited a staff to expand the center’s hours from two days to six days per week.

Tyler has been in Springfield for 15 years.  He worked for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks from 2014 – 2021 as director of development, then vice president of financial development, then president of its Think Big Foundation.  Previously, he worked for SRC Logistics for almost two years.

Tyler describes himself as “a poet, treasure hunter, adventurer, event planner, charity fundraiser and a lot of other things.”  His volunteer service includes being a member of the Westside Optimist Club, a member of the Sertoma Club, an ambassador for the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Department of Natural Resources' Regional Advisory Council.  He was honored as a Springfield Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree in 2016 and an SBJ Man of the Year in 2022.  He also was a voting member for Country Music Association awards from 2007 to 2012.

Tyler graduated from Harrisonville High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in music and technology at Central Missouri State University (now UCM) in Warrensburg in 2005.  He and his wife, Michelle, live in east Springfield and have two children.

 
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Jeffrey Zimmerman

Michael Wehrenberg introduced Jeffrey on Jan. 12.  His co-sponsor is Nick Altrup.

Jeffrey has been dean of Drury University’s Breech School of Business since July 2022.   He moved to Republic from Carl Junction after serving as dean of Missouri Southern State University’s Plaster College of Business in Joplin for five years.

Jeffrey earned a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Economics at State University of New York in Albany, and master’s degrees in Economics at both West Virginia University and Purdue University.  After completing his Ph.D. in Economics at Purdue University, Jeffrey started teaching at University of New Hampshire in Durham in 1990.  Over his career, he’s taught various economics and finance classes, published research, and presented seminars at numerous conferences.

Jeffrey began his career in college administration as a department head and, later, dean of Methodist University’s Reeves School of Business in Fayetteville, N.C., from 2001 to 2011.  He then was dean of Indiana Institute of Technology’s College of Business in Fort Wayne from 2011 to 2017.  He also has served as a reviewer for institutional level accreditation for universities and colleges in the Midwest.
 
Jeffrey has been a Rotarian since 2004 in clubs in Fayetteville, Fort Wayne and Joplin.  He’s served on numerous boards of credit unions and nonprofit community groups at each of his stops, including Watered Gardens Rescue Mission, United Way of Southwest Missouri and Southeast Kansas, Ronald McDonald House of Northeast Indiana, Indiana Muscular Dystrophy Association, and Community Concerts of Fayetteville.

Jefferey and his wife, Beth, have been married for 35 years and raised four daughters: Emily, Mollie, Olivia and Hannah.  He says he is excited to continue his Rotary journey, to become involved in our community, and to try new golf courses!
 
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Stephanie Murphy

John Horton introduced Stephanie on Dec. 1.  Her co-sponsor is Tammy Young.

Stephanie is a vice president at Central Bank of the Ozarks.  She’s the relationship manager for private banking clients, who she says are “typically high income, high net worth” doctors, business owners or executives in their companies.  She offers “a catered approach to accessing personal and commercial products” and guidance on investments.  She’s worked at Central Bank for three years and has been in banking for 15 years.  She was recently honored as one of the top women leaders in finance in this area.

Stephanie moved to Springfield in 2002.  Before going into banking, she was a corporate recruiter for the University of Phoenix.

Stephanie grew up on a farm near Billings, where her family raised beef cattle and she helped her father with his two-way radio business, which sold and serviced radios for police, ambulance crews, and firefighters.  Because of that experience, she is proud that she was able to install her first car stereo by herself.  She still loves to visit and work on the farm but says those visits make her appreciate her day job.  Her mother, father, brother and sister still live in the Billings area.

Stephanie holds a Business Administration degree from Vatterott College.  She’s volunteered with the Miller Lions Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks, Ozarks Counseling Center and other charitable organizations.  She’s also active in the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business Council, and The Network.

Stephanie lives just east of Springfield with her husband, Matthew.  They recently celebrated their 13th wedding anniversary and have a dog named Bear who loves to go on walks, go hiking, and is eager to jump in the car and go just about anywhere.   She is a proud aunt of two nieces and two nephews.
 
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Catherine Upp

Catherine's father, Mark Walker, introduced her on Nov. 10.  Her co-sponsor is Lori Barnes Miller.

Catherine has been the development director for the OTC Foundation since June.   She’s worked for nonprofit private and community organizations for more than 12 years, including Habit for Humanity in Springfield and Spur, a public policy organization in San Francisco, near where she grew up.  She says her dad’s community work in her formative years deeply influenced her passion to give back.  Her recent jobs have focused on fundraising.  She also has worked in wineries. 

Catherine earned an undergraduate degree in Political Science, Studio Art and Urban Development from Clark University in Worcester, Mass., in 2014.  She also earned a Master’s degree in Nonprofit and Civic Leadership from Drury University.

Catherine came to visit Springfield in June 2020 for what she thought would be a short stay, but she fell in love with the Ozarks – specifically less traffic and lower rents than California, Andy’s frozen custard, a new love of golf, and being able to spend more time with her niece and nephew.  Then she met a guy through a dating app and fell in love – after they battled COVID-19 together at a cabin in northern Arkansas over New Year’s Eve 2020/New Year’s Day 2021.

Catherine serves on the boards of Better Block SGF and TransLand trucking company.  She married Jeff Upp on Oct. 22, 2022.   Their spare time is taken up by art, photography, golf, hiking, visiting wineries, exploring breweries, taking their Great Pyrenees-poodle mix, Maisie, to the dog park, weekend trips around the Ozarks and Midwest, Mizzou basketball, and binge-watching suspense thrillers and Marvel shows.
 
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Colby Newman

Bill McNeill introduced Colby on Oct. 13.  His cosponsor is Lisa Blumenstock.

Colby has been general manager of Hickory Hills Country Club since the spring of 2021.  He moved to Springfield from Grosse Pointe, Mich., where he was assistant general manager since 2020 and executive chef since 2017 at Grosse Pointe Yacht Club. 

Colby was a chef for several years before moving to Grosse Pointe.  He was executive chef at Amarillo (Texas) Country Club for three years, executive chef at Crush Wine Bar & Deli in Amarillo for two years, executive chef and founding owner of The Happy Plum restaurant in Amarillo for two years, and a chef at two restaurants in Kansas City for four years before that.  He is a graduate of Scottsdale Culinary Institute, later known as Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts – Scottsdale, in Arizona. 

Colby and his wife, Lauren, have one child.  They live just east of Springfield.
 
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Jim Hoovens

Noah Alldredge introduced Jim on Sept. 29.  His co-sponsor is Judy Bilyeu.

Jim has been in the t-shirt screen printing business for 27 years.  He’s been co-owner and director of operations for Wise Guys Screen Print on East Chestnut Expressway since 2009. 

Jim has lived in Springfield for 40 years.  He’s a native of Webb City, where he was the starting quarterback in the late 1970s.   He played football for two years at Pittsburg State (Kan.) University before earning a bachelor’s degree in business communications at Southwest Missouri State University (now MSU).

Jim and his wife, Cristal, have been married for 18 years.  They have two children and two grandchildren.  In his free time, he enjoys fly fishing and golf, and claims two holes-in-one.   
 
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Jeff Stanford


Randy Mayes introduced Jeff on Sept. 22.  His co-sponsor is Brent Dunn.

Jeff is the Springfield regional director for First Priority of America, where he’s worked since August 2011.  First Priority strives to spread the messages of the Gospel; Jeff oversees campus outreach clubs at middle schools and high schools.  He’s also a sales and service representative for the local office of Geico Insurance, where he’s worked since June 2020.

Jeff is a native of the Austin, Texas, area, where he graduated from Pflugerville High School.  He earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Liberty University in Virginia.  He and his wife, Brandi, have two children, and live in Nixa.  He volunteers with the Faith and Business Network and 100 Fold.
 
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Benjy Lampert

Robert Hawkins introduced Dr. Benjamin "Benjy' Lampert on Aug. 25. His co-sponsor is Jennifer Baker.

Benjy spent 42 years as an anesthesiologist -- a pain management specialist. He was section chairman at the Mercy Center for Pain Management in Springfield and served on the Missouri Board of Registration for the Healing Arts, including a time as chairman in 2015. He also was a research investigator for several national multi-institutional clinical studies on different ways to treat and eliminate pain in people. He earned an undergraduate degree and a medical degree at the University of Alabama.

On the side, Benjy is a land developer, photographer, and trumpet player in the doctors' band in Springfield.

Benjy's wife, Lori, is pastor of the Downtown Church on Jefferson Avenue at Walnut Street. They have 3 children and 5 grandchildren.