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Welcome new member Victoria Sprenger

Meredith Bosso introduced Victoria on Feb. 13.  Her cosponsor is Carrie Henry.

Victoria is the head of Human Resources for USA Rare Earth, a company based in Stillwater, Okla., with a mission “to establish a U.S. rare earth magnet supply chain supporting the future state of energy, mobility, and national security,” according to its website.  She’s worked remotely for that company for two years.  Victoria previously worked in Human Resources at Paperwise, Little Sunshine’s Playhouse & Preschool, and FORVIS (formerly BKD) in Springfield; and Oracle Health (formerly Cerner) in Kansas City.

 Victoria earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration and an MBA at Missouri State University, and holds senior human resources certifications through Society for Human Resource Management and HRCI.  Her volunteer service has included various roles with the Junior League of Springfield and international officer positions with her national sorority, Alpha Delta Pi.

Victoria met her husband, Jon, a native of Springfield, while working in Virginia early in her career.  They’ve lived in Springfield for 10 years and have two little children and two high-strung pointers.  She enjoys traveling with her family, and experiencing the world through the eyes of her children.
 

Hands-on Service: Pittman Elementary School's Good Dads Program

Four Springfield Southeast Rotarians helped with the Good Dads program at Pittman Elementary School on Feb. 7, 2025.  The volunteers are Dan Emrie, Kyle John, and Doug McNeal.  President-elect Jennifer Baker, founder and director of Goods Dads, also was there.

Dan, Kyle, and Doug helped with the program by greeting dads and kids, handing out raffle tickets, putting on stickers and generally helped people feel welcome. They also handed out supplies, helped serve breakfast (coffee and donuts), and did a little cleanup.

Our volunteers plan to return to Pittman at the next Good Dads program there on April 11.  We hope to recruit three or four more Rotarians who could help from 7:00 - 8:00 that day.

(Photos by Dan Emrie.  Click on a photo to enlarge it.)
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Welcome new member Tad Peters

Jeff Cumley introduced Tad on Jan. 23.  His cosponsor is Ken Williams.

Tad is a Major with the Springfield Police Department, and serves as Acting Police Chief when the need arises.  Tad has held positions in almost every possible area in his 27 years with Springfield PD.  He now leads both the Uniform Operations Bureau and the Investigations and Support Services Bureau.

Tad began his career in law enforcement in 1993 as a part-time dispatcher for the Central Missouri State University Police Department in Warrensburg while attending college.  He became a Warrensburg Police officer in 1995, and joined the Springfield Police Department in 1997.

Tad has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration from CMSU (now Central Missouri University), a master’s degree in business and organizational security management from Webster University, and completed the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command, the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP), and the FBI National Academy.

Tad’s volunteer service includes board of director positions with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks, Leadership Springfield, and The Victim Center.  He is also a member of the Greene County Domestic Violence Board, the Missouri Supreme Court’s Commission on Racial and Ethnic Fairness, and the Springfield-Greene County Family Violence Task Force.


Tad has been married to Stacy for 25 years and they have two children.  Their son, Avery, is a sophomore majoring in Mechanical Engineering at Missouri S&T in Rolla.  Their daughter, Ella, is a freshman at OTC working toward an associate’s degree in accounting before she moves to University of the Arts London (England) to pursue her dream of a career in Production Arts for the Screen.  The family lives in Republic.

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Murphy ryan new rotary member

Welcome new member Ryan Murphy


Kyle John introduced Ryan on Dec. 5.  His cosponsor is Luke Westerman.

Ryan is a lawyer who specializes in workers’ compensation law.  He founded the Ryan E. Murphy Law Firm in 2010 and has handled thousands of workers’ compensation cases.  He wrote and published “Third-Party Practice and Subrogation” for Missouri Workers’ Compensation Law, and regularly speaks as an expert on workers’ compensation law.  He worked for Placzek and Francis Law Firm in Springfield for 5 years before starting his own law firm. He is a member of several local, state, and national associations of attorneys.

Ryan grew up in St. Louis and graduated from Chaminade High School in 1996.  He earned a Bachelor’s degree in biochemistry 2001 and a Law degree in 2004 at University of Missouri.
  

Ryan lives in east Springfield.  He has two teenage daughters, Layla and Rachel, and enjoys spending leisure time with them and his girlfriend, Laura.  He also enjoys pickleball and recently took up bird hunting. 
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Welcome new member Lauren Southern


Natalie Murdock introduced Lauren on Dec. 5.  Her cosponsor is Jeff Cumley.

Lauren is an Assistant Vice President and Private Banker at Simmons Bank in Springfield.  In that job, she rolls out the red carpet for the bank’s high-net-worth clients.

Lauren earned a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership at Drury University.  She’s also completed programs in wealth management, coaching, and leadership development.  Outside the bank, she serves on the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce’s Voice of Business Committee, the City of Springfield’s Public Building Corporation board, and a Forward SGF Place team. Lauren also chairs the Professional Development Committee at the Rosie Network, served as a troop Scoutmaster, volunteers at her children's school, serves on her Parish Council, and helps plan area-wide faith-based women’s conferences in Springfield.

Lauren lives in Ozark.  She says she is blessed to be a mom of a large family and prides herself on living fully and joyfully.  She enjoys attending her children’s many sporting events and sipping coffee with friends.  She also loves to watch, coach, and play volleyball.  She stays active in body and mind, believing firmly in lifelong learning and physical fitness.  
 
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Welcome new member John Bell

Jordan Russell introduced John on Nov. 21.  His cosponsor is Candice Reed.

John has been a Wealth Management Advisor at U.S. Bancorp Investments since January 2018.  He is a Certified Financial Planner.  From 2015 to 2018, he was a Private Banking Relationship Manager at U.S. Bank.  He previously worked for Fidelity Communications (now Sparklight).

John attended Fontbonne University, where he played basketball, for his freshman year and then earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2014 after three years at University of Missouri.  He also earned a Masters of Business Administration at Missouri State University.   

John volunteers for Big Brothers Big Sisters, Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri, and Springfield Public Schools.  He’s a former member of Springfield Rotaract Club.

John is married to Emily, a teacher at Wanda Gray Elementary School.  Their children are Emmett, 7, and Elliot, 4.  In his spare time, he plays golf and pickleball.
 
Rubelee travis new rotary member

Welcome new member Travis Rubelee

Angela Smith introduced Travis on Nov. 21.  His cosponsor is Bob Hammerschmidt.

Travis is Scout Executive of the Ozark Trails Council of Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America).  The council has about 3,400 child, youth and young adult members between ages 5 and 21; a budget of approximately $1.6 million; and 12 employees.

Travis has been a professional Scouter since 2003.  He started in the South Plains Council in Lubbock, Texas; then moved to the East Texas Area Council in Tyler; then spent two years in the Old North State Council in the Greensboro/Winston-Salem, N.C. area; and then served as Associate National Director of the Order of the Arrow at BSA headquarters in Irving, Texas.  Before moving to Springfield in June, Travis was Director of Field Service for the Heart of America Council in Kansas City.   

Travis is a native of Texas and a fan of the Dallas Cowboys.  He earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics at Texas A&M.  He and his wife, Katy, have been married since 2007.  The have two children, Sara, 14, and Ryan, 11, who are both Scouts, and Travis is one of their troop leaders.