Rod Jetton talks candidly about charges

It’s old news, really. But in the context of awarding a sales and marketing honor, I had to ask Rod Jetton about allegations that he battered a woman during a sexual encounter in 2009 and how the process has affected his career – one that was in the public eye for eight years as a state representative and four years as House speaker.

Jetton pleaded guilty to a lesser misdemeanor charge in May 2011, more than a year after Poplar Bluff-based Schultz & Summers Engineering Inc. hired him to lead its marketing efforts. Jetton’s impact on the company has been evident as 2011 revenues came in at a record $6.2 million. By comparison, the year before Jetton’s arrival, the company posted $3.5 million. Attend Springfield Business Journal’s March 1 Dynamic Dozen awards ceremony or read the March 5 issue to learn Jetton’s role in moving those numbers.

During our interview for the Dynamic Dozen issue, Jetton spoke candidly about the legal situation.

On his job prospects before SSE made an offer:

“I had been trying to get a job and no one would hire me. It was pretty bleak.
“For a time there, nobody wanted to talk to me. … It meant a lot to me that (co-owner Stan Schultz) was willing to put confidence in me … and that he trusted me. I told him about my assault case and those charges, and he had known about them and looked into them. He knew I hadn’t been perfect, but he knew the kind of person I was and was able to stick with me. I appreciate that a lot today, now that all that’s behind me.”

On the misdemeanor guilty plea and $1,200 paid to be released of probation:

“You don’t like it, but that’s how the legal system works. I said I was guilty, and I paid the court costs and my probation was over. It was a little bit unique.”

Then he really opened up, speaking about the lessons learned personally:

“I’ve made mistakes and put myself into precarious positions, especially with a lady, that allowed accusations to be made. I was raised by a Baptist preacher. I knew better to be messing around with a girl like that – I’m not putting her in a bad light, but I shouldn’t have been messing around like that with any lady, so I clearly made mistakes that opened myself up to accusations. It cost me quite a bit with my reputation and there were some very dark days. But being able to work at SSE and having somebody look at you and say, ‘I’ve got confidence in you and I surely need your help.’ And after I was working here for a while, they kept thanking me for being here and saying how much they appreciated me being here. …
“The rest of the world was throwing me overboard and saying, ‘You’re a loser; get out’ – and I had made mistakes. Politics is a rough sport and you make enemies, and when you make a mistake, your enemies pounce on it. You can’t blame them. I’m not blaming anybody. I made my own mistakes; it wasn’t their fault. It was my fault. But it was a very good education. It helped me get back to my faith and helped me get my life back on the right track. But being at SSE was a big part of that. It allowed me just to get back to what I did with my real estate company and what I did in politics, which was basically sell and market things, and bring out the good points of our services. That kind of took my mind off of all my problems and troubles and let me focus on enjoying life.”