Hands-on Service: Good Dads program at Watkins Elementary School

Springfield Southeast Rotarians volunteered at the Good Dads Strong Schools program at Watkins Elementary School on Dec. 12. Rotarians Jennifer Baker, Kyle John, Kevin Rice, Robert Hawkins and Dan Emrie rose early to support the holiday event.

Fathers and their children were greeted with special Good Dads stickers that kids and dads could wear with pride during the day at school and work. The morning featured refreshments including donuts and beverages while families worked together to create festive paper Christmas trees.

Several excited children won holiday prizes through a random ticket drawing. The event culminated in everyone joining voices for "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," strengthening bonds between the fathers and their children.

Text and photos by Dan Emrie

Holiday Party

by Dan Emrie; photos by Jeff Cumley

The Davis-Harrington Welcome Center at MSU was transformed into a festive wonderland for Springfield Southeast Rotary Club's annual Christmas celebration on Thursday, Dec. 4.

The event was very well attended and members mingled amid the harmonies of a live choir performing seasonal favorites, savored festive food and refreshments, and participated enthusiastically in a gift certificate giveaway featuring prizes from local merchants.

he evening's success reflected the thoughtful planning of Fellowship Activities Committee co-chairs James Robinette and Mike Vann, along with their dedicated team.

Club members helped prepare Rotary float for Christmas parade

by Dan Emrie

Springfield Southeast Rotarians joined other Springfield Rotary clubs on Dec. 6 to prepare the Christmas Parade float!

On Saturday morning, Jason Hynson brought his entire family to join fellow Southeast members Tom Willadsen and Dan Emrie in constructing the Springfield Rotary Clubs' Christmas parade float. Members representing all Springfield Rotary chapters collaborated to transform cardboard boxes into festive gift packages, refresh the paint on the Rotary Wheel, and assemble the display.

Look for the finished creation in the Springfield Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 13, and show your support by attending! We need your cheering section there!

Club supports plans for Route 66 Birthplace Plaza

by Past President Michael Wehrenberg

Our club is proud to support the momentum behind the Route 66 Birthplace Plaza, a once-in-a-century project that will welcome visitors from around the world. Community opportunities to engage with the artists and the vision behind this landmark are happening now, and you will not want to miss them. With the Route 66 Centennial approaching in 2026, Springfield has an exciting chance to shine on a global stage.

This project will shape the experience of hundreds of thousands, possibly millions, of visitors to the place you call home. That is exactly what makes the Route 66 Birthplace Plaza so meaningful.

Our team met with Christine K. Schilling in late November to explore designing and installing a Route 66 map using her distinctive mosaic technique. Her work is remarkable, and we are excited to see how her artistry will help define the character of the plaza.

On Dec. 3, we walked the site with Juan Garaizabal as planning continues for his Ghost of the Colonial Hotel sculpture. Reaching this point has taken hundreds of hours of work, along with the right partners and the right timing. The City of Springfield and Missouri State University have been essential in moving this vision forward. It is especially fitting that the plaza will rise on the very footprint of the original Colonial Hotel.

We are also preparing a way for anyone to have their name carved into the brick pavers of the plaza so that the community can leave its mark on this significant project. Details are coming soon, and it will be an opportunity many will not want to miss.

As we look ahead, I believe every business and organization in Springfield should begin planning for the Route 66 Centennial Kickoff on April 30, 2026. John Sellars recently shared with me that in April 1926 the entire business community joined together to create special offers and place newspaper ads welcoming more than 3,000 Rotarians to what was then the largest gathering of Rotarians ever held. Springfield pulled out all the stops for those visitors.

There is no reason our 2026 community cannot rise to the same level of hospitality. This will be a rare moment for Springfield to be seen on a global stage. Think of Route 66 themed products/service or even using your electronic and static reader boards to say welcome. It doesn't have to be a million dollar idea, but when our collective community bands together, all of the small things will result in something extremely significant.

Many other communities would love to have this opportunity. It is up to us to make the most of it.

Welcome new member Andrea McKinney

Sal Agosta introduced Andrea on Nov. 20. Her cosponsor is Bill McNeill.

Andrea is a senior vice president, wealth management advisor, and certified financial planner at Central Trust Company, where she’s worked for 15 years. She began her career in municipal finance before changing to trust and private banking.

Andrea has lived in Springfield for 50 years. She’s also lived in New York City and Washington, D.C. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics at University of Kansas and an MBA at Missouri State University.

Andrea is a member of several professional organizations, including Greene County Estate Planning Council, Financial Planning Association of Kansas City, Professional Advisors Council, Philanthropy Missouri, Estate Planning Council for CoxHealth Foundation, and is an estate planning advisor for Mercy Health Foundation. She’s a graduate of Leadership Springfield and Missouri Leadership Challenge.

Andrea is a former member of Springfield (Downtown) Rotary Club. Her community service also includes being a volunteer, board member and/or past president of several organizations, including Junior League of Springfield; Springfield – Greene County Library Board of Trustees and Foundation Board; Greenwood Laboratory School PTA; American Heart Association; Springfield – Greene County Park Board; Isabel’s House Crisis Nursery; and MSU’s MBA advisory board. The Springfield Business Journal honored her as one of the area’s Most Influential Women and on one of its 40 Under 40 lists.

Andrea and her husband, Greg, live in northeast Springfield. They have a son who is a freshman at Missouri State University. They all love to hop in their car and travel to historical small towns and explore the great outdoors. She also enjoys playing tennis and golf.

Welcome new member Tracy Powell

Carrie Henry introduced Tracy on Nov. 13. Her cosponsor is Joe Daues.

Tracy is the director of Sales and Marketing at Hotel Vandivort. She had nearly 15 years of sales and marketing jobs before taking that job in 2024. She says she firmly believes God placed her in that job with purpose, because the hotel’s culture and deep community involvement perfectly align with her values. She takes great pride in helping create memorable experiences for visitors.

Tracy grew up in Springfield and attended Missouri State University – West Plains and Lindenwood University, playing volleyball at both. Fore more than 10 years, she’s shared her passion for volleyball as a club coach, mentoring athletes between ages 12 and 18. Her favorite group to coach is the 14-year-olds because that’s a time of tremendous growth, both mentally and physically. She finds deep purpose in helping her players build confidence, character, and faith. She also likes the athletes to see the love of Christ reflected in her leadership.

Tracy’s community service includes the Sertoma Club and the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassador Committee, where she served a term as co-chair. In that role, she led ribbon cuttings and celebrated businesses and leaders on some of their most exciting days. She will serve on the Board of Directors for the Springfield Hotel Lodging Association beginning in 2026. In this position, she will support collaboration between hotels, tourism partners, and the broader business community.

Tracy says faith and community remain at the center of everything she does. Outside her career and volunteer work, she is a proud mom to three pups – Dexter, Dolly, and Dwight – who fill her life with joy and laughter in their home in east Springfield.

Welcome new member Kody Redwing

Jordan Russell introduced Kody on Nov. 6. His cosponsor is Michael Wehrenberg.

Kody is the co-founder and president of Ozarks Capital on Ingram Mill Road in Springfield. That company, which began in 2025, specializes in mergers and acquisitions, financial consulting and private capital, particularly in manufacturing, distribution and construction. Kody previously worked for seven years at The Vecino Group, a real estate development, design, and construction company, first as an analyst and then as chief financial officer and president. Before that, he worked for eight years in commercial banking with an emphasis in commercial loan underwriting and origination.

Kody grew up in Warsaw, Mo. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Finance at Missouri State University in 2012.

Kody was a member of Springfield Rotaract Club from 2012 to 2018. His community service includes being a YMCA youth basketball coach. He enjoys sports, traveling, and reading.

Kody’s wife, Rebekah, is the development director at Rescue One in Springfield. They live in southeast Springfield and have two young sons, Owen and Jackson.

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Welcome new member Ryan Olson

Jon Bell introduced Ryan on Oct. 2. His cosponsor is Jordan Russell.

Ryan is a partner at Husch Blackwell, where he practices business law. He’s been an attorney for 12 years and previously was a Greene County assistant prosecuting attorney. He’s also a former adjunct professor at Drury University. In addition, he owns Maxon Fine Jewelry.

Ryan studied Finance and Banking at the University of Missouri in Columbia and earned his law degree at Washington University in St. Louis. Husch Blackwell honored him as a Pro Bono Champion for more than 40 hours of pro bono work in both 2024 and 2025. Ryan’s community service also includes being a board member of Springfield Little Theatre. He’s a former member of Rotaract Club of Springfield.

Ryan and his wife, Jessica, live in east Springfield and have two children.

District 6080

Springfield, Missouri