EIA: A night to remember

Last night was one for the record books.

Last night was special.

Last night we honored Springfield business.

Last night we saw Johnny Morris tear up at the microphone.

Last night Springfield Business Journal celebrated 35 years and counting.

If you missed last night’s Economic Impact Awards, you missed one helluva party.

A look back at Year One

The year was 1980. American athletes missed the summer Olympics in the Soviet Union. The Iran hostage crisis was regularly featured in the nightly news – on three network channels – and classics such as “Caddyshack” and “The Empire Strikes Back” were on the big screen.

The Johnny Morris EIA Interview

There stood Johnny Morris shoulder to shoulder with Bass Pro Shops’ flagship store manager Mickey Black. On the store’s centerpiece staircase, they were reviewing a Fourth of July message going out to customers two days before America’s annual independence celebration. Swarms of people passed by and circled around, maybe even brushed against Morris, the man whose visions over four decades created today’s atmosphere.

Need funding? Join the crowd

Someone has an idea for the next big something, but they don’t have the money to invest into the project to make it possible. Where do they turn?

A Day in the Life in Video

The concept of the Day in the Life series is to take readers behind the scenes. This year, Springfield Business Journal photographer Wes Hamilton added another dimension to the coverage.

My Day with the Mayor

I can’t say I knew what to expect for my first Day in the Life feature at Springfield Business Journal, although the concept seemed pretty straightforward: spend a day with real estate agent and Branson Mayor Karen Best. I had interviewed a few mayors before, but hadn’t really “shadowed” anyone since my junior year of high school. Maybe not knowing what to expect was, pardon the pun, best.

My Day with the Ad Man

Michael Stelzer is a pretty interesting dude. Yes, “dude” is informal, but after spending a day following him around, it somehow feels like a fitting tag.

My Day with the Moxie’s Leading Man

I can very clearly remember the first time I went to Moxie Cinema.

My Day with the Chocolatier

Shawn Askinosie is much more than just a chocolate maker.

As a lover of all things chocolate, I expected to taste some of Shawn’s work as I followed him May 5 for Springfield Business Journal’s annual Day in the Life series. What I didn’t expect was his level of commitment.

D12 showcases Springfield spirit, generosity

If you followed the hashtag #SBJD12 on Twitter last night, you shared in the excitement. If you didn’t, you missed one heck of a party.

The DoubleTree Hotel played host to more than 200 people for the 2015 Springfield Business Journal Dynamic Dozen awards honoring the area’s fastest growing companies and the individuals who drive growth across the region. The game-show themed night included audience trivia from emcee Eldon Combs, host of “The Trivia King Show” on Jock 98.7 FM, music from “The Price is Right” and a countdown of businesses from 12 to one.