YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
Last night was a record-breaking evening.
A record of about 500 people attended Springfield Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 event at Oasis Hotel & Convention Center. The 2018 class of 40 Under 40 raised the most charitable funds since the event’s inception in 1999. That’s $17,615 to support Children’s Miracle Network’s pediatric patients at CoxHealth, the local CMN hospital.
Through a few different fundraising methods – including a partnership with Jersey Mike’s where 100 percent of sandwich purchases went to CMN – honorees raised about $15,000 prior to the event, with the donations last night adding more than $2,000 to the tally. Sun Solar LLC CEO Caleb Arthur fundraised the most at $2,060.
“This over $17,000 is going to mean a lot,” CMN Executive Director Tim Siebert said at the event, accompanied by a child who experienced kidney failure.
Another interesting fact, this year’s 40 young professionals bring the grand total of 40 Under 40 honorees to 800 in the 20 years SBJ has given this award. Often, the independent judges who select each year’s honorees also are 40 Under 40 alumni – which seems to make the award even more special and reinforces the thought that it takes one to know one. Community success takes community, after all.
The honoree’s friends, family and co-workers filled the grand ballroom at the convention center. From my station at the check-in table near the entrance, it was fun to see the attendees and honorees enjoy networking before and after the event. There were proud parents, gushing siblings, supportive co-workers and laughing friends.
It was not only a ground-breaking evening, but also a very uplifting one filled with people connecting in a positive way – and joining together for an important cause.
The Republic School District is on track to open its Intermediate School for fifth- and sixth-grade students for the 2025-26 academic year.