Leadership Springfield selects next Signature Class

Last edited 12:54 p.m., May 18, 2021

Leadership Springfield announced the next 80 people who will participate in the organization's flagship program.

The list, which spans multiple industries, is slated to participate in Signature Class 41 and 42 this fall, according to a news release. Leadership Springfield spokesperson Ashley Clair said there have been 1,309 Signature Class participants to date, including those announced this week.

The selections for Signature Class 41, in alphabetical order, by first name:
• Aaron Scott, Community Foundation of the Ozarks Inc.;
• Ashley Clair, Leadership Springfield;
• Blayne Radford, Ozarks Technical Community College;
• Brandon Bowenschulte, UMB Bank;
• Brent Baker, City Utilities of Springfield;
• Brittany Washam, Jack Henry & Associates Inc.;
• Bryan Lenox, Sturdy Real Estate;
• Casey Wilkerson, Springfield Police Department;
• Celestine Copeland, Northwestern Mutual;
• Christine White, U.S. Bank Wealth Management;
• Craig Millington, Mid-Missouri Bank;
• Daniel Collins, 37 North Expeditions;
• Dave Puckett, Wood & Huston Bank;
• Dustin Bobbitt, BKD LLP;
• Erica Little, Springfield-Greene County Health Department;
• Erin Shaw, Ozark Regional YMCA;
• Jamie McGranahan, Abilities First/Art Inspired Academy;
• Jeff Kennedy, Nixon and Lindstrom Insurance;
• Jordan Hicks, Bug Zero;
• Josh Inmon, Juanita K. Hammons Hall/Drury University;
• Juli Pascoe, BKD;
• Kami Bailey, The Whitlock Co.;
• Kara Turner, Central Bank of the Ozarks;
• Keke Rover, Council of Churches of the Ozarks;
• Keri Franklin, Missouri State University;
• Kristen Thompson, Burrell Behavioral Health;
• Melanie D’Anna, Mercy;
• Melanie Stinnett, TheraCare Outpatient Services;
• Melissa Coy, Associated Electric Cooperative Inc.;
• Saki Urushidani, city of Springfield;
• Sam Butler, Nabholz Construction Corp.;
• Sarah Nenninger, Drury;
• Sean Taylor, Wil Fischer Cos.;
• Spencer Harris, Mostly Serious;
• Stacey Funderburk, United Way of the Ozarks;
• Stacey Connell, Community Blood Center of the Ozarks;
• Steve Wright, Empower: abilities;
• Tara Horton, MSU;
• Trevor Collins, Andy B’s; and
• Zach Adams, Mercy.

The selections for Signature Class 42, in alphabetical order, by first name:
• Amy Derdall, City Utilities;
• Becky Conroy, Barnabas Foundation;
• Ben Beranek, MSU;
• Carly Pierson, MSU;
• Clay McGranahan Jr., The Arc of the Ozarks;
• Dani Lacio, Drury;
• Danielle Palmer, nForm Architecture LLC;
• Erica Smith, BKD;
• Erin Hedlun, Evangel University;
• Heather Anderson, Springfield Police Department;
• James Ballard, Commerce Trust Co.;
• Jessie Hughey, The Bank of Missouri;
• John Davis, Heim, Young & Associates;
• Johnathan Saunders, city of Springfield;
• Joshua Freeman, OTC;
• Joshua Brock, KPM CPAs & Advisors;
• Kristen Kelley, Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce;
• Kyle Hubbard, Arvest Bank;
• Maggie Rollwagen, Abilities First Missouri-CQ?;
• Mark Foos, Springfield Police Department;
• Melissa Adler, Springfield-Greene County Library District;
• Meredith Roberts, Associated Electric Cooperative Inc.;
• Micheala Steinmetz-Benton, OTC;
• Millie Schuchmann, Junior League of Springfield;
• Nancy Williams, Habitat for Humanity of Springfield, Missouri Inc.;
• Neil Frost, The Whitlock Co.;
• Robert Petrowsky, Carnahan Evans Cantwell & Brown PC;
• Ronald Woodard, Springfield Public Schools;
• Ryan White, Central Bank of the Ozarks;
• Samuel Gardner, Mercy;
• Stephanie Rice, Vision Clinic;
• Teresa Frederick, MSU;
• Terri Howard, Ryan Lawn and Tree;
• Terri Copeland, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management;
• Tez Ward, Simfoni Community Development Corp.;
• Tiffany Nichols, State Bank of Southwest Missouri;
• Tim Chitwood, BKD;
• Tina Moore, CoxHealth;
• Tyree Davis IV, Community Partnerships of the Ozarks; and
• Yvania Garcia-Pusateri, SPS.

Through Signature Class, participants engage in a community-based leadership development program that includes sessions on such topics as Springfield’s needs, problems, resources and opportunities, according to the release.

“This time navigating a global pandemic has reinforced what we know – community leadership is more important than ever before, and Leadership Springfield is committed to offering leadership development and community engagement opportunities for Springfield," said Carrie Richardson, the group's executive director, in the release.

Applications for the next Signature Classes are slated to open in January 2022. Participants are selected by a committee of board members and advisers, with care taken to be inclusive of professional background, leadership experience, race, gender and industry, according to the release.