COMO Business Times - The Sports Issue - August 2024

The bank of finally finding

Look, switching banks is a big decision, but after switching to The Bank of Missouri, I’ll never wonder if my bank can do more. The bank of not settling. The Bank of Missouri.

Switch to better.

Imight have been 5 or 6 years old. The ball wasn’t a true Wiffle ball. It was one of those softball sized plastic balls with about a hundred holes in it. Though my memory is foggy, I know it was in the yard at the First Baptist Church parsonage where we lived in Holt, Missouri. And I remember it as the first pitch I ever threw or tossed to my brother, Robert, who was ready with the plastic bat cocked and waiting to swing.

It was a line drive (or maybe a soft popup) and it smacked my nose. I’m sure I bawled (there is crying in baseball). I don’t remember the rest of the scenario. But it led to a future with hundreds of Jodie vs. Robert Wiffle ball games, with the actual, regulation-size Wiffle ball, on backyard and side yard legendary Wiffle ball fields in the tiny town of Belle, Missouri.

No matter if he was seven years older, or that I was seven years younger, we played to win. Maybe a modified rule or two (he only got two outs, not three), but it was serious stuff. Robert called the play-by-play, we both added crowd noise and on occasion, I’d follow the game with a write-up about our exploits.

I was the Kansas City Royals and Robert was the Orioles, Yankees, Angels, Twins ... whichever adversary was trying to take down the Royals. I mimicked Hal McRae’s righty stance and George Brett’s lefty batting stance and swing. (We were both switch hitters.) Whether competing on the Wiffle ball field or at the Strat-O-Matic table, we were immersed in the game that we loved and on paths that would lead to our lifetime vocations: Robert as a sports broadcaster — he became Bob Jackson and, for a while, BJ the DJ — and me as a sportswriter/journalist.

We took a timeout from life on June 29 to watch our Kansas City Royals play the Cleveland Guardians at The K, with a pregame ceremony to induct Bo Jackson into the Royals Hall of Fame. And when George Brett was introduced to make Bo’s induction official, well, this old baseball soul had a moment. (Again. There is crying in baseball.)

The day just so happened to come after the final day of big brother Robert/Bob’s working life: He was officially retired from his twenty-five-year career as marketing

and promotions director for the University of Central Missouri athletic department. In the twenty-plus years prior to that, he was The Voice of Jefferson City Jays football (old Hickman fans will remember George Shorthose and Pete Adkins), Lincoln University basketball (anybody remember Harold Robertson?), and then the UCM Mules and Jennies as sports director at KOKO radio in Warrensburg for 18 years. He called the dual NCAA Division II men’s and women’s national basketball championships in 1984.

Robert/Bob continued as the voice of the baseball Mules through the 2024 Division II World Series, with UCM falling short of the finals. In all, he called 168 NCAA-II baseball postseason games, sixty-four of which were national championship tournament contests — and four national championship games.

Now I welcome you to the Sports issue of COMO Business Times and COMO Magazine May you discover something new about COMO and, perhaps, let your muse take you on a soulful trip down memory lane.

JODIE JACKSON JR EDITOR jodie@comocompanies.com

hanging out at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. And just look at the scoreboard. The fans are really going wild for us.

Photo by Charles Bruce III.

The writer Jodie and the broadcaster Bob. Two brothers

Meet the Advisory Board for COMO Business Times

SHAWN

BROOKE

CBT ’s advisory board is made up of industry leaders and small business owners who help ensure CBT ’s content is relevant to our local business community.

Closer Look

ABBY DOES CHARCUTERIE

Whether for a large social gathering such as a wedding or birthday, or a casual picnic with friends in the park, Abby Hillman, a third-year student at Mizzou, dazzles clients with eye-popping and mouthwatering charcuterie creations through her business venture, Abby Does Charcuterie.

Since January 2024, Hillman has operated out of CoMo Cooks Shared Kitchen in e Loop. She has gained recognition for her elaborate grazing tables, charcuterie boards, and individual serving boxes.

“Charcuterie boards and grazing tables are incredibly versatile. I thrive on creativity, and virtually nothing is ‘o the table!’” she says. Hillman provides customization options to orders, accommodating event themes, allergies, and dietary restrictions or preferences.

Beyond her passion for crafting charcuterie boards, Hillman sees her work as a way of bringing people together over exceptional food. In addition to her signature o erings, she hosts both private and public group classes, where she shares her expertise in creating unique spreads. Past public events have included popular sessions like “Charcuterie and Sip Class” and “Boards & Bonds: A Date Night Charcuterie Experience,” tailored for beginners and intermediates alike. Her social media channels provide updates on upcoming events. For more information, visitors can check her website to book private events, explore her menu options, or view galleries of her work.

abbydoescharcuterie.com | @abbydoescharcuterie

NEUROSOOTHE MASSAGE THERAPY

NeuroSoothe Massage erapy is a haven for individuals seeking relief from chronic pain, TMJ dysfunction, and injury recovery. Owner Ryn Dunlap (they/ them) pursued massage therapy after graduating from e Healing Arts Center in St. Louis in 2019. Driven by a desire to create a safe, queer-friendly space, Dunlap relocated to Columbia from an unsafe part of the state, aiming to welcome everyone in need of relief and relaxation.

“Typically, when I have clients referred, they’ve been experiencing chronic pain for quite some time,” Dunlap says. “I’m known for helping provide relief through rm, speci c touch that focuses on the areas of dysfunction.”

NeuroSoothe Massage erapy o ers a personalized experience tailored to each client’s needs, backed by Dunlap’s extensive training in neuromuscular therapy, myofascial release, cupping, sports massage, and intraoral massage. In addition to formal education, they’ve worked with a variety of athletes, from football players to dancers.

Since its opening in August 2023, Dunlap has worked alongside their friend, Danielle Breedlove, to create a supportive and nurturing environment for their respective clients. ey add, “[We] started our businesses together with suites next to each other, and I’d love to give her a shout-out. Her business is Rooted Soul Integrative erapeutic Massage. We’ve been in this together since the beginning.”

1000 N College Ave. | neurosoothemassage.square.site CBT

Movers & Shakers

MORRISON RETURNS TO MIZZOU ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT

After nearly two decades in the Columbia financial and banking community, former Mizzou Athletics administrator Eric Morrison is returning to serve as the university’s deputy director of athletics/chief of External Relations, Mizzou Director of Athletics Laird Veatch announced in a news release on July 19. Morrison officially began his new duties on August 1.

Morrison, a Mizzou graduate who worked in the athletics department from 1998 to 2007 in various roles, has served as the president of Sundvold Financial for the last two years, overseeing the Columbia investment firm’s daily operations and staff. Morrison recently finished his oneyear term as board chair of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce and also serves on the board of directors for Shelter Insurance Companies, the Regional Economic Development Inc., and the Columbia Area Jobs Foundation.

“Our family is beyond excited to join the Mizzou team,” Morrison said in the release. “We are thankful to Laird and the institution for the opportunity and look forward to the work of supporting Mizzou’s student-athletes, coaches, and fan base.”

Veatch said he has known Morrison for many years and that the two have stayed in touch since their days working together in the Mizzou athletic department.

“He also remained closely engaged with Mizzou Athletics and his passion for the people and programs at Mizzou never wavered,” Veatch said in the release. “I am confident that Eric’s relationships within the Mizzou community will prove to be a unique advantage for our athletics programs and there could not be a better fit to lead our External Relations efforts,

which will provide many returns for years to come. A warm welcome back to Eric, Amy and their son Evan to the Mizzou Athletics family.”

athletics department shortly after earning his undergraduate degree in communications, first serving as a media relations associate before becoming the department’s coordinator for suite operations at Memorial Stadium and other athletics facilities. As the department’s director of External Relations under longtime athletics director Mike Alden, Morrison worked on multiple special projects, including parking allocations, facility seating plans, and the construction of Mizzou Arena.

Morrison is also a member of the Missouri 100 that advises and assists University of Missouri President Mun Choi as well as the Mizzou Alumni Association. Morrison is also a member of the COMO Business Times advisory board and is an alumnus of Under 40 Class of 2015.

COLUMBIA COLLEGE

Columbia College Board of Trustees Chair Rev. Dr. Brad Stagg has announced the appointments of two new members to the board. Dr. and René will serve four-year terms as trustees through 2028. Kateman brings more than 38 years of experience in communications, constituent relations, and fundraising to Columbia College’s governing entity, including nearly nine years as the college’s executive director of Development, Alumni and Public Relations. Most recently, he served as assistant vice chancellor for Advancement at the University of Missouri. Massey has been a part of the Columbia College community since enrolling as a student in 1980. She first served the college as a work-study student in Academic Affairs. She then began work full-time in the adult learning division, now known as Columbia College Global. She was associate dean for Adult Higher Education and served in that capacity until she retired in 2015.

CHRIS SMITH

President Mun Y. Choi has appointed Chris Smith as interim vice chancellor for advancement. Smith currently serves as assistant

vice chancellor and oversees advancement for colleges, schools and divisions at Mizzou. Smith has 20 years of advancement experience in education and health care. Her appointment follows the news that Jackie Lewis is stepping down as vice chancellor for advancement for a position at Marts & Lundy.

THE PECKS

Broadway Christian Church announces the appointment of its new lead pastor, Sarah Taylor Peck, and associate pastor, Andrew Taylor Peck. Sarah has more than twenty years of ministry experience. Andrew complements Sarah with community engagement and spiritual development. Church officials say the couple create a vibrant and nurturing atmosphere for all members of Broadway Christian Church. Their first worship service was Sunday, July 14.

STACEY LAFEHR-YODER

Columbia Insurance Group (CIG) has announced that Stacey LaFehr-Yoder joined the executive team as vice president of corporate governance and administration on June 24. She will lead enterprise risk management, internal control, and the strategy management functions. Todd Ruthruff, CIG president and chief executive officer, says LaFehr-Yoder “helps bridge gaps, drive efficiency, and

develop pathways for all those around her to deliver exceptional value.” LaFehrYoder has built a twenty-fiveyear career in accounting, auditing and operations. She joins CIG after serving most recently as the vice president of claim operations at a large US based property and casualty insurance carrier.

VALORIE LIVINGSTON

First State Community Bank welcomes Valorie Livingston to its team as the assistant vice president business development officer. Livingston brings twenty-nine years of business management and development experience to FSCB, with three years in banking. Beyond her professional achievements, she is an ambassador of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, and she played a significant role in The Boys and Girls Clubs of Columbia.

MICHAELA FLORES

The Columbia Housing Authority’s (CHA) Moving Ahead after school and summer program coordinator, Michaela Flores, has been selected as an ambassador for the Missouri After School Network (MASN). She stepped into the role of MAP program coordinator in May 2024. The MAP after school and summer program serves over 100 CHA youth annually. Flores has been part of CHA’s leadership for seven years. CBT

MASSEY

KATEMAN

THE PECKS

LAFEHR-YODER

FLORES

Briefly in the News

NATIONAL WINNER

CACC Culinary Student

Places First at National SkillsUSA Event

Sydney Bliss, an upcoming senior at Rock Bridge High School, placed rst in the SkillsUSA Baking and Pastry Arts national competition for high school students in Atlanta in June. Bliss is getting ready to start her third year in the CACC Culinary program this fall. She received several full-ride scholarships to culinary schools in the United States. Bliss is the third student from CACC to win the SkillsUSA National Baking Competition.

FINANCIAL

Senior Real Estate Tax Relief Application Period Under Way

Applications are now being accepted for the Boone County Senior Real Estate Tax Relief Program. Eligible Boone County taxpayers who wish to participate in the program can apply until October 1, 2024. Applications and information about the application process can be accessed online by visiting ShowMeBoone.com and clicking the Boone County Senior Real Estate Tax Relief Program link at the top of the page.

Applications are also available in-person at the Boone County Collector of Revenue’s o ce on the rst oor of the Boone County Government Center, 801 E. Walnut St. Completed

notarized applications along with required supporting documents should be submitted to the Collector’s O ce between the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Notarized applications can also be mailed to the Collector’s O ce at 801 E. Walnut St., Room 118. Applicants should allow for up to thirty days for

their applications to be reviewed and for noti cations of approval or denial. e Boone County Senior Real Estate Tax Relief Program was established in response to enabling legislation from the Missouri General Assembly and voter approval of Boone County Proposition 1 on April 3, 2024.

COMO LEADERSHIP

City Announces

Brian Schaeffer as Next Fire Chief

Brian Schae er has been hired as Columbia’s next re chief. He will begin that role on August 19. Schae er was among a group of four nalists for the position.

“Brian is bringing invaluable experience to this role,” City Manager De’Carlon Seewood said in a news release. “He has demonstrated his ability to be forward-thinking about priorities and commit to levels of service the Columbia Fire Department continually strives to achieve.”

Schae er previously served as the assistant re chief and re chief of the Spokane, Washington Fire Department from 2005 to 2024. Schae er’s education includes a Master of Leadership Education from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Missouri, Kansas City, and a bachelor’s degree of science in re science from Sterling College in Kansas City, Missouri. He also is a graduate of the Fire Service Executive Development Institute (FSEDI).

“I am excited to begin this new role in an extraordinary community like Columbia,” Schae er said in the release. “ e Columbia Fire

Department is passionate about providing the best service to its community. I am honored to continue to uphold those values and help nd innovative ways to protect the health of our residents and re ghters.”

NONPROFIT IMPACT

Coleman Joins Day Dreams Foundation as Executive Director

Adonica Coleman is joining Day Dreams Foundation as the organization’s new Executive Director, e ective July 8, 2024.

Day Dreams Foundation’s mission is focused on eliminating nancial barriers to participating in extracurricular activities and to foster healthy lifestyles, goal setting, academics, teamwork, and respect for others among children aged 5 to 18. Coleman is the owner of A2D Events and the creator of e Como 411. She is the host of the weekly talk show, “ e Daily Blend with AC” and is the current chair of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce. Her community work includes work with Granny’s House, the BOLD Academy, and REDI.

NONPROFIT IMPACT

VAC Launches Back to School Distribution

Voluntary Action Center (VAC) has launched its Back to School Program to support Boone County families by distributing backpacks lled with essential school supplies through August 30.

is year, VAC is transitioning to the distribution of backpacks lled with school supplies directly from its o ce at 403 A Vandiver Drive. “ is new approach allows us to better accommodate the diverse schedules of our clients, ensuring that every family has ample opportunity to access the essential resources their children need for a successful school

year,” the organization said in a news release. “Our Back to School Program not only provides necessary materials like backpacks and supplies but also supports families in easing the nancial strain associated with backto-school expenses.”

e Back to School Program is designed to assist Boone County residents with children entering kindergarten through grade twelve and who meet the income eligibility criteria of 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. Interested families can call 573-874-2273 or visit the VAC o ce to verify eligibility and receive assistance.

HOMECOMING

Anderson Departs ESPN for Mizzou

Anchor of ESPN’s agship SportsCenter program for 25 years, John Anderson, will join the University of Missouri School of Journalism’s faculty as the Leonard H. Goldenson Endowed Chair in Radio and Television Journalism beginning January 2025. Anderson’s last SportsCenter episode aired Friday, June 28.

Anderson is a 1987 Mizzou graduate. After getting his start at the Missouri News Network’s KOMU-TV as a Mizzou student-journalist, Anderson served in local television news for more than a decade before landing at ESPN. He joined ESPN in 1999, kicking o his tenure as one of the network’s longestserving anchors and earning four Emmy Awards. CBT

Will Charter Schools Solve a Problem Boone County Doesn’t Have?

BY BRIAN TOOHEY

SCHOOLS CAN BE AN ESSENTIAL

decision driver people consider when they buy a home, even when they do not have school-age children. In Columbia, homebuyers de nitely factor in school attendance areas when they purchase a home, which can drive up prices in certain parts of the city, as an intrinsic value is placed on schools.

is is one of the reasons why it has become such a complex issue when Columbia Public Schools (CPS) redraws attendance maps to accommodate new schools in a growing city. To have good schools and a strong school district to maintain property values in a community, there needs to be adequate school funding. Lately, it seems that Columbia Public Schools’ funding has been under attack due to property tax freezes, state funding limits and requirements, and now charter schools authorized in Boone County. Does Boone County really need charter schools, and should the community have had more say before charter schools were enacted?

During the most recent legislative session and unbeknownst to most Boone County residents, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signed Senate Bill 727, allowing charter schools in Boone County. e need for charter schools has been debated for many years. Charter schools are publicly funded but are privately managed, taking fund-

rate, with 38 percent of them closing due to academic performance or nancial issues between 1998 and 2018.

Public schools are an easy target to criticize. Not everyone has been happy with Columbia School’s performance results over the past few years, and some question the e ects of the district’s COVID-19 response on student achievement. Overall, Columbia is fortunate to have the current public school system in place. CPS does o er a specialized curriculum at some schools in the areas of arts, STEM, and career education that you won’t nd in public school systems anywhere near

ing away from public schools and creating a duplicate school system. Charter schools are already allowed in Kansas City and St. Louis school districts, and there is a history of nancial mismanagement and an inability to stay accredited. Some charter schools also receive additional funding from wealthy foundations.

Charter schools provide parents and students with choices regarding where their children attend school and the type of curriculum o ered. ey don’t have to obey the same requirements as public schools and can be selective on which students they accept, leaving some students out because of special needs or other reasons. Charter schools in Missouri also have a high failure

CPS’s Early College Program allows students earn dual credit for high school and toward their associate degree through Moberly Area Community College. is program helps students advance through college and saves students and families thousands of dollars in higher education expenses. Boone County residents are also fortunate to be able to live in a county with several school districts. is gives parents an additional choice in deciding which public school is suitable for their children to attend and where they choose to buy or rent a home.

To maintain the opportunities local students currently have, Boone County schools need to maintain current funding and should be receiving additional funding from the state based on teacher salary requirements in SB 727 and bussing requirements. e recent property tax freeze enacted for Boone County Seniors will already reduce CPS funding, and now charter schools pose an additional threat to school funding and underlying property values.

Interestingly, charter schools were the last request of a single state legislator termed out after this year’s legislative session. Boone County residents should’ve had more say before the state forced charter schools onto their communities. CBT

Brian Toohey is the Chief Executive Officer for the Columbia Board of REALTORS®.

Touchdown COMO: Unveiling Sports Tourism Treasures

BY MATT M C CORMICK

WHETHER IT’S A CRISP FALL EVENING AT

FAUROT FIELD or a scorching summer track race, Columbia is a vibrant hub for sports enthusiasts. e city has experienced a surge in student attendance, thanks to the rising success of Mizzou Football, bringing sold-out crowds and a signi cant boost to local businesses on game days.

Beyond football, Columbia boasts an array of impressive sports venues. With professional-level disc golf courses at Albert Oakland Park and Harmony Bends at Strawn Park, and a national-level cross country course at Gans Creek, Columbia o ers something for every sports lover. Additionally, the city features over 40 miles of hiking trails and 3,000 acres of parkland, making it a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. e diverse venues and activities make Columbia a top destination for sports tourism.

Columbia is proud to be home to the University of Missouri Tigers, a powerhouse in collegiate sports. Mizzou Football games, particularly during homecoming, create an electrifying atmosphere, drawing massive crowds. Annual sports events and local tournaments further enhance the city’s vibrant sports culture, o ering numerous opportunities for both participants and spectators to engage and enjoy.

SPORTS TOURISM ATTRACTIONS

Key attractions for sports fans in Columbia include the University of Missouri Athletics, where top-tier college sports

can be experienced rsthand. Local parks and recreational facilities provide a variety of options for sports enthusiasts, while the Columbia Sports Fieldhouse o ers state-of-the-art amenities for various sports. Special events like the Show-Me State Games, NCAA events, and local high school championships add to the rich sports tourism landscape, drawing visitors from near and far.

SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE

Columbia’s robust infrastructure supports its thriving sports tourism industry. A range of accommodation options, from hotels and motels to Airbnb and vacation rentals, cater to all preferences and budgets, ensuring a comfortable stay for every visitor. Dining and entertainment options abound, with popular restaurants and bars o ering a taste of local cuisine and vibrant nightlife. Entertainment venues and activities ensure that there is always something to do, even beyond sports, making Columbia an ideal destination for a well-rounded vacation.

ECONOMIC IMPACT OF SPORTS TOURISM

Sports tourism signi cantly bolsters Columbia’s local economy. Game days bring in large crowds, boosting revenue for local businesses such as restaurants, hotels, and retail stores. is in ux of visitors also creates job opportunities and fosters business growth, leading to community bene ts and development. e

economic ripple e ect of sports tourism strengthens the city’s overall economic health and sustainability, making it a win-win for both the community and local businesses.

FUTURE OF SPORTS TOURISM IN COLUMBIA

e future of sports tourism in Columbia looks incredibly promising, with several exciting developments on the horizon. City plans and initiatives are in place to further promote sports tourism, ensuring that Columbia remains a top destination for sports enthusiasts. e potential for growth and expansion is immense, with ongoing e orts to enhance facilities, host major events, and attract more visitors. As Columbia continues to develop its sports tourism infrastructure, it is poised to become an even more signi cant player in the sports tourism industry.

Columbia, Missouri, o ers a rich tapestry of sports tourism opportunities, from collegiate athletics to recreational activities and major sports events. With a robust supporting infrastructure, a vibrant sports culture, and promising future prospects, Columbia stands out as a premier destination for sports tourists. Whether you’re a passionate sports fan or simply looking for an exciting getaway, Columbia has something for everyone.

Business owners, community members, and visitors alike can all reap the bene ts of Columbia’s thriving sports tourism scene, making it a must-visit destination for all. CBT

Matt McCormick is the president and CEO of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce.

What’s Missing from Your Hiring Practices

BY JANINE STICHTER

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU REFLECTED on your hiring process? If you’re struggling to nd good talent, the problem might not be the talent pool, but rather your approach to hiring. Many companies complain about a lack quali ed applicants, but they often overlook a crucial aspect: applicants are also interviewing you. Your local reputation can play a signi cant role in attracting top talent. Word of mouth from previous applicants that were ghosted or had a less than stellar experience can impact top talent from even applying.

THE PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND A POSITIVE CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE

Understanding the psychology of job applicants is essential. Today’s job seekers are not just looking for a paycheck; they are seeking a place where they feel valued, respected, and understood. e hiring process is their rst interaction with your company, and it sets the tone for what they can expect as an employee. A disorganized experience can deter even the most quali ed candidates

THE IMPACT OF FIRST IMPRESSIONS

First impressions are powerful and lasting. Research shows that job seekers form an opinion about a company within the rst 10 minutes of an interview. If your process is disorganized, if communication is poor, or if the applicant feels undervalued, they are likely to carry this negative impression forward.

STATISTICS HIGHLIGHTING APPLICANT EXPECTATIONS

Responsiveness: According to a survey by CareerBuilder, 60 percent of job seekers have a negative perception of a company if they do not hear back after an interview. Prompt communication is key.

Clarity: A LinkedIn report found that 72 percent of applicants want a clear understanding of job responsibilities and expectations during the interview process.

Respect: e Talent Board’s Candidate Experience (CandE) Awards Research Report indicates that 80 percent of job seekers say their experience during the hiring process strongly in uences their decision to accept a job o er.

STRATEGIES

FOR CREATING AN OPTIMAL CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE

1. Be Transparent and Clear From the job posting to the nal interview, clarity is crucial. Clearly outline job responsibilities, expectations, and bene ts. Provide a detailed roadmap of your interview process so candidates know what to expect.

2. Communicate Promptly Timely communication can make a signi cant di erence. Acknowledge receipt of applications, keep candidates informed of their status, and provide feedback after interviews. Even a simple acknowledgment can show that you respect and value their time.

3. Showcase Your Company Culture Use the interview process to highlight your company’s culture. Share stories and examples that re ect your values, work environment, and team dynamics. Candidates are looking for a place where they can see themselves thrive.

4. Provide a Positive Interview Experience Ensure that the interview process is respectful and engaging. Train your interviewers to be attentive and courteous. Create a welcoming atmosphere and make sure candidates feel comfortable and appreciated.

5. Seek Feedback and Improve After the interview process, seek feedback from candidates about their experience. Use this feedback to make continuous improvements. Showing that you care about their experience can signi cantly enhance your reputation.

6. Be Upfront About Compensation and Bene ts Candidates want to know what they are working for. Being transparent about compensation, bene ts, and growth opportunities can help in building trust and attracting serious candidates.

Finding good people starts with being a good company to work for. Re ect on your hiring process from the perspective of the applicant. Are you making them feel valued and respected? Are you communicating clearly and promptly? Remember, your hiring process re ects your company’s values and culture. By creating an optimal candidate experience, you not only attract top talent but also build a positive reputation that will serve you well in the long run. CBT

Dr. Janine Stichter, President of JS Advantages, is a seasoned executive coach with a Ph.D. in Behavior Science.

Building Community and Addressing Social Isolation

BY ANDREW GRABAU

HEART OF MISSOURI UNITED WAY recently hosted our Week of Action. What began only last year as a Day of Action has quickly grown into an inspiring week for hundreds of individuals who chose to “take action” and help tackle some of our community’s toughest problems. Our Week of Action presenting sponsor, MU Health Care, has been instrumental in the success and advancement of this volunteer week.

From June 15-21, over 200 volunteers worked on more than forty projects for many local nonpro t organizations. Some of these projects included volunteering with City of Refuge to support their growing culinary program; removing invasive plants at the Agriculture Park for Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture; building a horse shelter for Coyote Hill; and packing wellness kits at Heart of Missouri United Way.

Volunteers also took on projects with Columbia Parks and Columbia Public Schools, including some speci cally focused on recognizing and celebrating Juneteenth. Many organizations, individuals, friends, and families gathered United in Action to complete these much-needed projects and make our community a better place. It was incredible to see our community coming together to accomplish so much good! A comment posted on Heart of Missouri United Way’s Facebook page tells a wonderful testimonial by one project completed at Boys and Girls Club: “ e volunteers ... did a phenomenal job! Both of our storage units were cleaned out and organized in 3.5 hours

...We are so grateful for their e orts today!” How wonderful is that?

As I re ect on the Week of Action, I am so thrilled to hear about the impact of the projects and why this work is so important to so many local nonpro t partners. However, there is another important bene t to volunteering. While we know this work benets our community, it also has a signi cant impact on individual health.

In today’s fast-paced world, social isolation has become a major concern, with signi cant implications for mental and physical health. We saw this accelerate during the pandemic and are nding the challenges greater as communities feel more alone. One of the best ways to address this is by getting involved with your community. Doing so can foster a greater sense of self-worth and connection to others. Research from a 2023 report by the U.S. Surgeon General shows that stronger community connections lead to reduced social isolation and overall better mental and physical health.

“A sense of meaning positively contributes to health because it motivates greater self-regulation in pursuing goals – including health goals” (Murthy, 2023).

Local researchers at the University of Missouri have also noted the importance of social connections and relationships to combat social isolation, highlighting the importance of positive relationships and their correlation with better physical health. e research is strong, so while we celebrate the larger community impact of volunteering, we

facebook.com/UWHeartMO

should also celebrate the positive e ects on individual health achieved during this year’s Week of Action! Talk about a win/win!

As the Week of Action ended, we gathered for a celebration breakfast. During the breakfast, several compelling examples of why volunteering matters for community and personal health were shared. We heard stories from Ric Ransom, CEO of MU Health Care; Kip Kendrick, Presiding Commissioner of Boone County; Lorraine Gustavis, United Way’s Give 5 and volunteer coordinator; Debbie Beal, executive director of City of Refuge; and Fred Young, a City of Refuge volunteer. ey each spoke about di erent aspects of volunteering and how it touched their lives, highlighting how community service can alleviate feelings of isolation and promote a sense of belonging. It was an inspiring morning!

If you missed the opportunity this year but would like to volunteer in our community at anytime, visit volunteer.uwheartmo.org for a list of opportunities. CBT

Andrew Grabau is the President and CEO at Heart of Missouri United Way.

The Stable WELCOME TO

In the swing at The Club at Old Hawthorne.

BY SARAH JOPLIN | PHOTOS BY CHARLES BRUCE III RENDERINGS PROVIDED BY SIMON ASSOCIATES INC.

For golfers at Old Hawthorne, life is good and getting better since the Club found a solution to the game-stopping temperatures of sweltering summers and bone-chilling winters. ey call it “ e Stable” and when it opens in the winter of 2024-2025, the 1800-squarefoot structure will be the rst indoor golf facility on-site at a Columbia country club.

“Having the ability to o er advanced technology in an indoor environment that shields players from the unpredictable weather of mid-Missouri will pro-

vide endless possibilities and represents the next step in our growth as a Club,” says Max Frericks, the Club’s head golf professional. He touts Old Hawthorne as a dedicated and passionate golf community where competitiveness is re ected by the level of play and tournament participation that continues to grow.

e Stable will enhance player performance through year-round, state-of-theart launch simulator technology that provides precise data to hone players’ swings and best utilize their equipment.

“A lot of times golf is viewed as a hobby or a recreational activity, but our members understand that golf is a sport and they love to compete,” Frericks says.

e robust local golf membership, which hovers around 350, already enjoys one of the larger driving ranges in the state.

“It’s used sunup to sundown with players practicing and working on their game to get ready for the next tournament,” Frericks reveals. e Club typically hosts about eighteen annual member tournaments, weekly golf leagues, and fteen outside

golf events. Old Hawthorne is also the home course of the University of Missouri Tigers golf team where the student players have their own practice and driving range and headquarters.

e Stable will provide a new hub for members to improve their game. Two hitting bays will be used for lessons and instruction and house the gear necessary for e cient club tting as both Frericks and Kevin Stull, Director of Instruction, are master club tters with Callaway Golf. Junior golfers can be taught with the new technology and adult players will also be able to use the simulators without an instructor. Centrally located across from the clubhouse, between the upper- and lower-member driving ranges, the new structure will house a snack shop and seating area, and will likely become a waypoint for the community.

“We take club tting very seriously and the numbers from launch monitors are essential these days as we can use the information to ne-tune a player’s game and shrink their dispersion, so that will be really neat,” says Stull. Within e Stable, the Club is looking at upgrading its instructional technology to the Foresight Sports built-in GC Hawk launch monitor which mounts above the hitting bays. e GC Hawk harnesses the same object-sensing and image-capturing technology found in the mobile GC Quad used by Old Hawthorne for the past two years but represents the latest technology.

e GC Hawk will take a couple hundred photos per second within impact with the ball to show how the club reacts to the swing.

Frericks says, “It shows us what we cannot see with the human eye and the data tells us precisely what is causing inconsistencies in a player’s game.”

e GC Hawk collects information from both the golf club and the ball. Club data includes club head speed, smash factor, angle of attack and the club swing path while the ball data captures ball speed, face angle, impact location on the club face, loft and lie at impact, horizontal and vertical launch angles, spin, side spin, and carry distance.

Frericks re ects, “We won’t have to wait for it to be above 50 degrees to

“A lot of times golf is viewed as a hobby or a recreational activity, but our members understand that golf is a sport and they love to compete.”

— MAX FRERICKS Head Golf Professional

obtain accurate ball ight data with the climate-controlled environment of e Stable.” From this information, teaching lessons can be ne-tuned to instruct each golfer to swing properly and yield the best performance from their set of clubs. If a player opts to have a tting and purchase new equipment, Frericks says the launch monitor data “allows the player to see that they are making improvements and that there is progression rather than buying a new club because it looks and feels good.”

In addition to the launch monitor, Old Hawthorne is also looking to install motion plates into e Stable. Analysis systems like Swing Catalyst use 3D motion plates to read swings and detect inconsistencies.

Stull explains, “When you are talking in terms of instruction after you get your fundamentals down, motion plates are very important when you are working on your footwork and groundwork and add-

ing power and connecting the body with best swings.”

With golf as the centerpiece of the social and sporting lifestyle at e Club at Old Hawthorne, its enjoyment is paramount and when golfers play well, they have more fun. e Stable is thus intended to serve players’ ability to keep their competitive edge all twelve months of the year.

“You can’t take four months o from the gym and go back and expect to lift the same amount of weight. With winters in Missouri, we have to keep our players conditioned and keep them accountable to the things that they are working on in their game,” Stull says.

Speaking of enjoyment, e Stable will be the latest in many facilities and amenities at e Club at Old Hawthorne. While golf is a huge draw to the community, everyone in the neighborhood of Old Hawthorne maintains a minimum social membership at the Club. Ariana Schneider, membership and

marketing director, says the total membership numbers are just under 1,100, including student, regional, national, social, athletic, and golf members.

Depending on the type of membership, Schneider explains that members can use the golf practice facilities and a championship-level eighteen-hole golf course designed by architect Arthur Schaupeter; a racquet sports facility which includes tennis and pickleball; a pool complex comprised of a junior Olympic size and in nity-style pools, the wellness center/ gym, and enjoy club events and the bar and grill within the clubhouse. CBT

THE CLUB AT OLD HAWTHORNE

Ariana Schneider

Membership and Marketing Director 573-442-5280 ext 5000

Ariana@OldHawthorne.com

WHAT THE PROS KNOW BUSINESS

TECH STRATEGIES TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS

By Andrew Gilstrap agilstrap@gfidigital.com

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, the resilience of an organization’s IT infrastructure is foundational to its success. As organizations increasingly rely on technology to drive their operations, the need for robust systems capable of withstanding various challenges becomes paramount. Moreover, with the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats, staying ahead of cybersecurity trends is essential to safeguarding sensitive data and maintaining business continuity.

A resilient IT infrastructure not only ensures smooth operations but also defends against unforeseen disruptions, such as cyber-attacks, natural disasters, or system failures. When an event of this magnitude does occur, organizations want to know their system is designed to withstand and quickly recover from unplanned disruptions. The following strategies are just some of the characteristics of a resilient IT infrastructure:

• Redundancy

• Fault Tolerance

• Scalability

• High Availability

• Data Protection and Backup

• Security

• Monitoring and Alerting

• Geographic Diversity

By incorporating these elements into the IT infrastructure design and operations, organizations can ensure their systems are resilient enough to withstand a wide range of challenges and maintain continuity of operations. Unfortunately, with cyber threats becoming more sophisticated and pervasive than ever before, organizations must stay vigilant and proactive in adapting to emerging cybersecurity trends such as:

ANDREW GILSTRAP Vice President

Andrew graduated from the University of Missouri, Columbia with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance. Prior to joining the GFI Digital team, Andrew was Director of Operations for Sangita Capital Partners. Andrew came to GFI Digital in the summer of 2016 with over eight years of sales and management experience. He spent three years as a sales manager in St. Louis, 5 years as Managing Director in Kansas City, and was recently promoted to Vice President.

croofe@gfidigital.com (media contact) marketing@gfidigital.com (general) (877) 434-0012

Zero Trust Architecture: Traditional perimeter-based security models are no longer sufficient in today’s dynamic threat landscape. Zero Trust Architecture advocates for the principle of “never trust, always verify,” whereby access to resources is granted based on strict verification criteria.

AI-Powered Threat Detection: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies can analyze vast amounts of data to identify behavior patterns indicative of potential security threats, enabling proactive threat mitigation.

Cloud Security: Cloud security solutions encompass a range of measures, including data encryption, identity and access management (IAM), and secure configuration management, to protect data and applications hosted in the cloud from cyber threats.

Ransomware and Extortion Attacks: Cybercriminals employ increasingly sophisticated tactics where sensitive data is exfiltrated before encryption, to maximize their leverage.

Supply Chain Security: Supply chain attacks, where threat actors target thirdparty vendors to infiltrate the primary target’s network, have surged in recent years, highlighting the need for enhanced supply chain risk management practices.

IoT Security: Many IoT devices lack robust security features, making them vulnerable

to exploitation by malicious actors. Securing IoT ecosystems requires comprehensive strategies, including device authentication, encryption, and regular software updates.

Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements not only mitigates legal risks but also helps strengthen overall cybersecurity posture by promoting best practices in data protection and privacy.

Staying abreast of these emerging cybersecurity trends and implementing proactive measures to address evolving threats, organizations can bolster their defenses and safeguard against potential security breaches. But how can IT professionals and enterprise leadership stay up to date on these evolving trends?

GFI Digital is a proven leader in technology solutions design, procurement, implementation, and support. Our local team of solutions engineers and architects are here to help with all your data center, networking, security, application, collaboration, and hardware needs. If you are looking for a proven leader in technology, GFI Digital is a partner you can trust.

From ransomware attacks to data breaches, the threat landscape continues to evolve, demanding innovative strategies and robust defenses for all your systems. GFI Digital can help support your evolving technology needs, including design, spec, procurement, implementation, and support of your critical infrastructure needs.

THE LAST STRATEGY FOR REDUCING THE COST OF YOUR NEXT PROJECT

By Vaughn Prost info@prostbuilders.com

Prost Builders carefully vets their professional trade contractor partners to ensure the success of their projects and STRATEGY NO. 7 is exactly about that. Sean Lundy, president and CEO of MP Lundy Construction, Inc. and an inaugural member of the Construction Leadership Network, discusses this strategy in detail. General contractors and commercial builders rightfully take credit for their contribution to the success of their projects, but we rely heavily on the professional, innovative, and committed trade contractor partners who work with us to make it all happen.

Choosing the right trade contractor partners is a make-or-break factor for a project’s success, so we continually look for ways to strengthen our relationships with the best in our area. Lundy states that if your project has a roster of strong trades, you’re halfway to phenomenal success. All that’s needed is a builder who is focused on planning and great at leading, which leads us back to Strategy No. 1. Hiring the right team and promoting a positive team culture will make all the difference in keeping construction costs in check, which is what astute buyers and owners know. Every project has a unique set of challenges and requirements, but the 7 Strategies we follow are found at work in every successful project. When looking ahead for the next construction

project, it’s important to use these strategies as a tool when choosing your general contractor and their building team.

VAUGHN PROST Owner & President

Vaughn Prost is the owner and president of Prost Builders lnc., a design/build and construction services firm located in Columbia. Vaughn has over forty years of domestic and international design and construction experience as a cost and scheduling engineer, structural engineer, owner’s construction representative, and general contractor.

(573) 635-0211 | prostbuilders.com 3305 Crawford Street Columbia, MO 65203

Prost Builders has proven their success with these 7 Strategies as evidenced by our long list of successful projects for over 75 years of serving Central Missouri clients. Our client’s new projects have included medical clinics and hospitals, office buildings, distribution and warehouse facilities, industrial facilities, schools, government buildings, and ecclesiastical facilities. Our historical renovation and restoration client projects include Boone County Courthouse, Cole County Courthouse and Annex, Missouri State Capitol, the Governor’s Mansion and Garden, Jesse Hall at the University of Missouri Columbia Campus, and numerous other historical projects throughout the State of Missouri.

Our passion is to construct projects so that our clients are completely satisfied! Prost Builders, Inc.’s current and former construction professionals are very proud of our 75-year legacy of projects and our current professionals look forward to building another 75-year legacy of quality projects for new completely satisfied clients.

If you’re interested in building a future project, let us know, because we’re ready to help you grow your business.

IT DOESN’T HAVE TO HURT

By Erica Pefferman erica@comomarketing.co

The most essential marketing tool for any business is a website. Your website will attract new clients and help retain your current clients. It acts as a communication channel with clients, conveys your brand message, and most importantly, sells your product or service. However, the process of building one seems to fill people with dread. A week doesn’t go by when we don’t talk to a client about how awful their previous experience was building their website. They bring up experiences like receiving surprise bills, a lack of communication, blown timelines, a lack of creativity, and an overall feeling of resignation to the process.

This is one of the reasons that I even started our firm. I knew there was a better way to deliver what clients needed. COMO Marketing is a firm built on relationships, proven processes that are client centric, and guarantees. It doesn’t have to be awful, and we’ve created a system that ensures that. Our website development team has created a simple process that delivers a complete website package. We organize whatever you need to get your website launched, from logo design to content creation.

Introduction

Our team will meet with you to discuss your goals and vision for your new site. This is where you explain how you want it to represent your company brand as well as any additional functionality that’s on your wish list. We will provide you with one package price that is guaranteed not to change if the project stays in scope and a timeline with defined steps and launch date. Most sites are delivered in 10-12 weeks.

ERICA PEFFERMAN President & Owner

Erica Pefferman is the owner and president of COMO Companies, which owns and operates COMO Magazine, COMO Business Times, COMO Marketing, and COMO Tickets. In 2017, Erica was named Outstanding Business Woman of the year and her team was named the Columbia Chamber Of Commerce’s Small Business of the Year.

573.499.1830 | comomarketing.co

Assets

COMO Marketing collects and helps provide the content needed for your site. This includes the site map, written content, logos, pictures, and links.

Approval

COMO Marketing collaborates with you to review the content and make any necessary edits.

Build

Our web developer builds your beautiful new site using the site map, framework with approved copy, and all brand assets.

Process

Together we review multiple design phases. This ensures approval of what has already been built and an awesome result!

Launch

Your site is now live! After your site is launched, you are given a 30-day SEO trial package. This allows your site to be optimized for searching purposes. Please note, we will never launch your site without your approval.

Training

After launch, you will meet with our web developer and learn the basic functions on the backend of your site. This ensures you feel comfortable using and navigating your site.

Celebration

This is where you crack open that bottle of champagne and celebrate a process that was painless, creative, collaborative, and innovative.

THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN STARTING YOUR BUSINESS

By Brad Roling broling@midambk.com

You finally made the decision to start your own business, but you’re neck deep in the details and worried you’re going to forget something. To help you finish preparations, let’s talk through a few basics to make sure your business is ready for the big opening day!

Apply for Licenses and Permits

Based on your business activity, you may need to apply for a license or permit with the federal, state or local government. Do your research on what business activities need a license or permit in your area. If you need additional help, consult a professional. The U.S Small Business Administration’s website sba.gov is a great resource for those starting up a new business by walking you through step-by-step instructions on how to launch your business.

Set Up Collection and Payable Solutions

Receiving payments and paying vendors is important for the livelihood of your business. Having a smooth process in place for this task will help prevent hiccups on opening day. Things like Merchant Services can make transactions easy for both clients and employees. Having business debit cards can be a secure and convenient payment option. Think about how your business will

operate and what tools you’ll need to operate smoothly & efficiently.

Be Ready for the Unexpected

Anyone who has owned a business before will tell you that while it’s rewarding, each day comes with its own unique set of challenges. When facing the unexpected, be ready to assess the situation and pivot if necessary. You could face unexpected expenses that you need to save for or have larger issues like a rent increase. Being prepared ahead of time will help you manage the situation with ease.

ROLING

Brad Roling is the Columbia Market President for Mid America Bank. Brad has more than 10 years of banking experience that he uses to help businesses in and around Columbia thrive. When he is not helping your business with its financial needs, Brad is serving the community in a variety of capacities. He is proud to serve on the Ronald McDonald House Mid-Missouri Board of Directors as Treasurer, the Columbia Chamber Foundation Board as Treasurer, Heart of Missouri United Way Board of Directors and Beta Theta Pi Advisory Board. Brad is a proud Mizzou grad and loves cheering on the Tigers!

midambk.com

Finalize Business Financing

You’ve crunched numbers, drawn up a business plan, and are ready to embark on your new endeavor. Don’t forget to talk with your loan officer about financing options. There are different loan types that can help meet your financial needs and get you one step closer to your opening day. Loan

types such as a commercial real estate loan, commercial equipment loan or business line of credit all have specific uses to help you reach your goals. If you haven’t found a loan officer that’s meeting your needs, I’d love to help you discuss your options!

It’s true that the devil is in the details but with some proper planning & forethought, you and your business can be ready for a successful opening day!

From Classroom to Camo

Missouri Hunter Education sees rise in school participation.

BY RYAN SHEEHAN

THROUGH THE HUNTER EDUCATION PROGRAM, the Missouri Department of Conservation not only teaches students of various ages how to hunt safely but also helps to create new generations of responsible hunters.

In recent years, the program has seen a rise in online classes and participation among Missouri school districts, says Justin McGuire, the Hunter Education and Shooting Range Coordinator with the Missouri Department of Conservation.

In 2023, there were 108 in-person hunter classes in the Central Region of Missouri (mid-Missouri), certifying 1,526 individuals. Fifty-eight of those classes, and 945 of those students, were taught in schools as a part of the inschool curriculum.

McGuire says that topics covered by the department’s courses range from learning rearm safety and rst aid to understanding Missouri wildlife and the role a hunter plays. He says the program has helped reduce the number of hunting-related accidents, along with improving relationships between hunters and landowners. McGuire has been associated with the program since 2017, becoming its coordinator in 2019.

He says the rst bene t of the hunter-education program is rearm safety.

“Anytime rearms are being implemented as a tool in an activity, whether that activity be hunting, or that activi-

ty be recreational shooting, safety is always a top priority,” McGuire explains. When it comes to in-person courses in rearm safety, students learn information regarding the proper handling of rearms, but also the operations of the rearm. is includes training on how to handle di erent types of rearms, their loading and unloading process, and how to cross obstacles safely while carrying a rearm.

“It (the program) has a lot of di erent bene ts aside from safety,” he adds. “But certainly, safety is a big component.”

In addition to rearm safety, the program also teaches other elements of Hunter Education such as biology, ecology, and ethics.

“ at’s why it’s not called necessarily hunter safety or something like that,” McGuire said. “We call it Hunter Education because it really is a holistic approach to creating passionate, involved, safe hunters.”

Much of the program’s curriculum focuses on the population dynamics of wildlife and the role hunters play in managing the population’s size.

“It (the program) really does dive deep into who we are as hunters,” McGuire notes. “And what our role is as hunters, and how we serve the health of the populations (of wildlife) that we pursue.”

e Hunter Education program is divided by age, with classes for students from 11 through 15 years of age, and

The Hunter Education program was established as an optional course.

program became mandatory.

The number of certified students reached 500,000.

then students who are 16 and older. Missouri residents born before Jan. 1, 1967, are not required to take the course. e program was rst founded in 1957, starting as an optional course, before becoming mandatory in 1988. Around 1988, McGuire said that it was not unusual to see in-person classes of 300 people, especially in larger areas such as Kansas City and St. Louis.

“Over the course of time, our methods for completing Hunter Education have changed and evolved,” he says. Students 16 and older can take the course online. Online-only courses were

rst o ered to students in 2017, with interactive online courses further added in 2022. McGuire says both courses are e ective and fun, but the interactive course was designed with newer learners in mind. e interactive course implements “gami cation” where students can choose a character who looks like them and then choose a game species that they’re interested in hunting.

In 2023, 60 percent of certi cates came from students 16 and older via online-only courses. However, the introduction of online courses has reduced the demand for in-person courses.

“Since online only became an option several years ago,” McGuire says. “It has certainly reduced the size of our in-person classes.”

Currently, McGuire says that the Department usually awards completed certi cates in the range of 25,000 to 26,000 certi cates per year, with the Department awarding almost 27,000 certi cates in 2023.

“We do about 5,500 educational programs a year in the state of Missouri,” he said. “And over 300,000 thousand people attend those 5,500 programs.”

Furthermore, more than 7,000 of the certi cates came from 241 participating Missouri schools as a part of an inschool curriculum. e number of certi cates awarded through the school curriculum has been steadily increasing, going up by 48 percent since 2018.

“Which we are very proud of,” McGuire says. “Getting this (program) in front of school kids, to give them some perspective and some context around rearm safety and hunting.”

In 1989, the number of certi ed students reached 500,000. And by 2006, that number had risen to one million.

“We have done a total of over 1.4 million certi cations since we started the program,” McGuire said. “... We’re pretty proud of that number.”

In general, McGuire sys that the Department provides numerous classes to teach di erent elements of hunting and shing. ese range from introductory to more advanced courses. Anyone interested in taking one of the courses can sign up by visiting mdc.mo.gov/ events. From there, use the “contact us” feature and select a training course by their county. CBT

Expert Care for Active Lives

Orthopedic doc and sports trainer offer insight on sports injuries.

COLUMBIA RESIDENTS are often passionate about staying in shape, which for some includes participating in sports. But a common aspect of sports is the injuries. And when one kind of sporting activity becomes popular, it’s only natural to see an increase in player injuries.

Case in point: Pickleball.

“ e sport is a lot more popular now than it ever was,” says Dr. Christopher Farmer, a sports medicine physician with Columbia Orthopaedic Group. “ at consists of people shifting from one activity to another, and then whatever ends up hurting them. It just happens to be more likely pickleball now than other sports previously.”

Farmer says pickleball-related injuries have increased compared to ve years ago. He said that the increase is mostly due to more people playing the sport, though he is unsure if the overall rate of injury has increased.

“I just think that there are a lot more people playing,” Farmer explains. “And so now it’s a more common reason to see patients.”

Regarding pickleball, Farmer notes that the most common types of injuries are to the ankles, shoulders, and elbows. One common type of sporting injury is called “tennis elbow” and is simply caused by gripping an object, such as a tennis or pickleball racket. Besides this, another type of injury that can be caused by pickleball is an injury to the Achilles tendon “just because of the quick change of direction.” In addition, falling while playing pickleball can also cause injury.

Because many pickleball players are older individuals, age can be a factor regarding injuries. Farmer says that can a ect such things as a player’s balance or body tissue quality, as it’s generally easier to hurt your body at an older age.

“But I see people in their seventies and eighties that are a lot healthier and tougher than people half their age,” he says. “So, it [age] is a little bit relative.”

BY RYAN SHEEHAN

Farmer adds that his son, who is in high school, enjoys playing pickleball with his friends.

“And he is not near as hardcore as a lot of these folks that are older,” he says. “It’s like they live and breathe it.”

While there has been an increase in pickleball injuries, Farmer notes that pickleball injuries themselves are not an outlier when compared to other sports-related injuries. During the fall season, when there is an increase in school sports, there will probably be more injuries from those activities compared to pickleball. And from there, pickleball injuries are less common during the winter months simply because not many people play it during that time of year.

Besides pickleball, Farmer says that he had seen an increase in football conditioning injuries from kids being in football training camps over the summer. However, there tend to be fewer sporting-related injuries during the summer because school sports are not organized at that time, he says, adding that the orthopedic practice’s busiest season for injuries is probably during the fall sports season.

e uptick occurs especially from August through November.

Stefanie West, a certi ed athletic trainer and director of sports medicine at Peak Sport and Spine, echoes Farmer’s observations.

“Injuries tend to follow suit with what [sport] is in season,” she says.

During the fall season, West explained that there are a lot of contact sports going on, such as football and soccer, along with additional fall sports, including baseball and cross country. She says that there tends to be a higher number of sports injuries — including concussions — during the fall season, but there is also a higher number of athletes participating.

For the same reason, the number of injuries generally goes down during the winter season. However, West adds, there are some wintertime sports, such as basketball and wrestling, with the latter also producing concussions. During the spring season, most sports tend to be related to running, like track and soccer, along with baseball.

Of the various sports, West says that the most severe injuries probably tend to

“I think it’s mostly just being smart and listening to your body. And knowing that at the age of sixty, you’re not going to be able to heal and recover and participate like you did when you were twenty; and that’s just the way it is.”

DR. CHRISTOPHER FARMER, sports medicine physician, Columbia Orthopaedic Group

STEFANIE WEST , certified athletic trainer and director of sports medicine, Peak Sport and Spine

“Don’t ignore what your body is trying to tell you. Work up to whatever level it is that you’re trying to obtain, instead of just jumping in.”

“be from football, due to the nature of the sport, which can include concussions, neck injuries, and fractures. She adds that high school football injuries can be more serious than college football, due to the potential body di erences between a high school freshman and a high school senior.

According to the Missouri State High School Activities Association’s 2021-22 Interscholastic Youth Sports Brain Injury Report, the leading sport for head injuries in 2021-2022 and 2020-2021 was football. In addition, other top seven head injury sports for two school years were boys and girls soccer, boys and girls basketball, wrestling, volleyball, and sideline cheerleading.

When it comes to preventing sports-related injuries, Farmer says individuals should know their limitations. He explains that there is nothing wrong with basic exercise to help keep your body healthy. Regardless of age, smaller exercise goals are far more obtainable, as unrealistic ones may lead to failure. ere are also preventative methods that can help make the body more e cient and avoid injury, such as lifting weights, yoga, and pilates.

“I think it’s mostly just being smart and listening to your body,” Farmer says. “And knowing that at the age of sixty, you’re not going to be able to heal and recover and participate like you did when you were twenty; and that’s just the way it is.”

West says injury prevention is not always considered when it comes to recreational sports, such as pickleball or ultimate Frisbee. Regardless of the activity, she says that sports-related injuries are sometimes caused by not warming up properly or having the wrong equipment, such as not wearing the correct type of shoe.

“ e best thing for prevention is education,” West says. “Know your body; know what you’re doing.”

Despite all the resources available for recovery, West says the key element is giving the body time to heal. However, that can be a hard sell as every athlete wants to recover quickly.

Like Farmer, West advises listening to your body.

“Don’t ignore what your body is trying to tell you,” she says. “Work up to whatever level it is that you’re trying to obtain, instead of just jumping in.”

CBT

LAIRD VEATCH

DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS, UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI

JOB DESCRIPTION: Oversight, direction and support of all Intercollegiate Athletics programs, coaches, sta , and studentathletes for the University of Missouri.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND:

A 25-year veteran of intercollegiate athletics administration in the Big 12 and Southeastern Conference, at Florida, Texas, Kansas State, Memphis, Iowa State, and now Mizzou.

HOMETOWN: Manhattan, Kansas

YEARS LIVED IN COLUMBIA: 1997-2002 and 2003-2006.

QUOTE YOU LIVE BY: “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is His good, acceptable and perfect will.” Romans 12:2.

FAVORITE VOLUNTEER/COMMUNITY ACTIVITY: Anything supporting underprivileged children.

FAVORITE RECENT PROJECT: Moving back to Columbia, MO!

A COLUMBIA BUSINESSPERSON YOU ADMIRE AND WHY: Richard Miller because of his unwavering, humble, and generous commitment to the people and programs in Missouri.

WHY YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR JOB: Because it brings together and connects so many people from di erent walks of life and has a broadbased, big-picture impact on the entire university community and state of Missouri.

IF YOU WEREN’T DOING THIS FOR A LIVING, YOU WOULD: I enjoy building, so it would likely be some type of real estate development.

WHEN YOU HAVE COMPETING PRIORITIES (AND, YEAH, WE KNOW THAT’S USUALLY ALL THE TIME), HOW DO YOU PRIORITIZE YOUR PRIORITIES? I plan a lot, starting every day, week, and month. I focus on and reassess my top personal and professional priorities on a regular basis. I also try to keep things simple and focus rst on faith, family, and the people in my life (friends, co-workers, and customers).

WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOUR PROFESSION: It can be crazy and challenging (especially in this “modern era” of college athletics) but it is unbelievably rewarding, particularly if you’re a competitor and also love people.

THE NEXT CHALLENGE FACING YOUR INDUSTRY: I suppose this answer is fairly obvious; the continued evolution of college athletics and the demands and opportunities associated with revenuesharing with student-athletes.

YOUR NEXT PROFESSIONAL GOAL: Maximize this incredible opportunity with Mizzou Athletics!

BIGGEST LESSON LEARNED IN BUSINESS: ere is nothing more important or more powerful than genuine, trusting relationships.

GREATEST STRENGTH: I want to believe it’s an ability to truly connect with people to build and retain trusting relationships. I also like to think I’m a good strategic thinker and work well with a team of people to turn challenges into opportunities.

GREATEST WEAKNESS: I can tend to be naïve, so I’ve had to learn the value of a “healthy level of skepticism” at times.

WHAT YOU DO FOR FUN: Spend time with family and friends, preferably outdoors.

WHO MAKES UP YOUR FAMILY: I like to think there are “inner circles and wider circles” to family. My closest inner circle is Jesus and my wife, Brandy. Next of course are my children Dru, Sydney, Taylor, and Jordyn (and recently her husband, Trent). I’ve been blessed with incredible parents, Chuck and Fran, along with my big brother Matt. From there the circles widen with extended family, close friends, current and former co-workers, and now the Mizzou Family again!

FAVORITE PLACE IN COMO: e parking lots around Memorial Stadium on a football game day.

HOW YOU WANT TO IMPACT THE COLUMBIA COMMUNITY: I truly believe that a highly successful (i.e., winning) and well-run athletics program can and will have an incredibly positive impact on not only the University of Missouri, but also the Columbia community and entire state of Missouri.

ACCOMPLISHMENT YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF: Seeing my children grow up to be amazing young people with strong faith, real values, and leadership qualities (thanks primarily to their mother).

MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW THAT YOU: I was born with a birth defect that required my legs to be in a brace for several months early in life. Fortunately, there were no long-term e ects and I turned out to be a fairly good athlete! CBT

Photo by Charles Bruce III

LEAVING IT ALL ON THE FIELD

Sports tourism is serious business for Columbia. The Sports Commission and Convention and Visitors Bureau aren’t playing around.

BY MICHELLE TERHUNE

Sports tourism is big business. In the United States in 2023, it contributed more than $50 billion to the economy, according to Future Market Insights, Inc. By 2033, that number is expected to exceed $185 billion. Communities that want to grab a payo for playo s need to be prepared for battle.

In October 2022, COMO Magazine produced a story about the Columbia Sports Commission and the Convention and Visitors Bureau. e COVID-19 pandemic had disrupted normality for two years, throwing o multi-year contracts, particularly with event sponsors like the Missouri State High School Activities Association. In 2017, Columbia, which had hosted MSHSAA’s Show-Me Showdown for years, lost out on the lucrative ve-year contract to Spring eld, Missouri. You might say that the southwest Missouri city brought a slightly better A game to their hosting bid. And because of the pandemic, it was extended to a sixth year.

e Columbia Sports Commission is certainly a good sport, but it’s not one that accepts defeat lightly. In 2023, the city came roaring back, reclaiming the contract that brought the basketball tournament back from 2024 through 2028. Bolstered by great venues, ample hotel space, energetic local volunteers, and promises made by individuals and businesses to pledge sponsorship dollars, the Sports Commission made an o er MSHSAA couldn’t refuse.

It’s one of many stellar sporting events that bring thousands of people and millions of dollars to the city every year. e competition is always erce. But by all accounts, Columbia is in the game. But the Sports Commission and CVB aren’t playing games. is is serious business.

IT’S A NUMBERS GAME

Two. at’s how many sta at the Convention and Visitors Bureau are dedicated to sports tourism. e entire operation is lean, with only a sta of twelve, led by Amy Schneider, director.

Adam Ziervogel is sports development supervisor and Trevor Bradley is sports events coordinator. CVB sta rely on the advice and guidance of the eleven-member volunteer Columbia Sports Commission. e CVB director, CVB Advisory Board chair, and Parks and Recreation director also have seats at the table.

Pulling sports events to the city isn’t the only job of anyone involved. Still, the economic impact of what they do is expected to be more than $8.9 million in the 2024 calendar year. For 2025, it’s estimated to surpass that by an additional $325,000.

e entire CVB is funded solely by the 5 percent lodging tax paid by the customers who stay at Columbia’s 33 hotels. at means visitors — not local residents — pay for e orts to attract sports and other events to the city.

Todd Guess, city business services manager, says the tax generated more than $4 million in scal

“We’re really fortunate here to have a dedicated crosscountry course that rivals the top courses in the country. We compete against that handful for NCAA and NAIA national championships.”

Adam Ziervogel, sports development supervisor for the Columbia Visitors Bureau (Photo by Casey Buckman Photography)

“

BRINGING IN SPORTS EVENTS IS AN ECONOMIC GENERATOR. IT’S BRINGING NEW MONEY INTO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH NOT ONLY THE LODGING TAX BUT IN SALES TAX. ADDING SALES TAX DOLLARS HELP COLUMBIA CONTINUE TO GROW AND IMPROVE.”

Amy Schneider, director of the Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB)

“Everyone is excited by having MSHSAA basketball back. You can tell from the team of community volunteers who turn out for that event.

“

year 2023, which ran from October 1, 2022, through September 30, 2023. Of course, hotels are lled with other events than just sports, such as college and university graduations and Mizzou home games. Occupancy is also raised by conventions and conferences that the CVB attracts. But the Sports Commission activities alone draw more than twice the CVB budget.

HOTELS ARE THE FOCUS

“One hundred percent of anything you see in this building comes from the lodging tax,” says Schneider. “ at’s our salaries, our administrative costs, any of our tourism development, our sales, our communications, our marketing. It all depends on the lodging tax. at’s why we see the hotels as our number one stakeholder. And that’s why we make sure that the money we put out, our return on investment, is bringing people into town and staying in our hotels.”

Keeping the occupancy rates up in Columbia hotels is no easy task. ere are currently roughly 3,500 hotel beds in COMO.

Jared Klarfeld is regional director of sales for Chester eld Hotels, Inc., and a member of the Sports Commission. Among its portfolio, Chester eld Hotels owns and operates Hampton Inn & Suites — Columbia (at e University of Missouri), Stadium Grill, and e Broadway Columbia — a DoubleTree by Hilton. e Broadway is currently undertaking a $33.8 million expansion, building a new tower at its downtown location. at’s not chump change. e hotel is counting on keeping lled the 194 guest rooms it will have after the expansion. And the CVB’s track

record with bringing sporting events to town has played an important role in that investment.

“ ere were certainly many factors that went into the decision to expand the property,” Klarfeld says about e Broadway project. “ e overall demand for guest rooms and event space in Columbia, in part due to the work of the Sports Commission and the CVB, was no small part in that decision.”

THE VALUE OF GREAT PARTNERS

Hotels are banking on the success of the Commission and the CVB. However, their success is also dependent on what local partners bring to the table. After all, the CVB doesn’t own sports venues and doesn’t pay organizers to hold their events here. For that, they rely on the strength of community. Without them, you might say the CVB can’t play ball.

Columbia is fortunate to boast some of the best athletic facilities anywhere. ose located at Mizzou and Columbia College are designed to meet the demands of the NCAA and NAIA. Moreover, these collegiate organizations won’t hold major events in cities that lack the presence of a member institution, which gives Columbia another advantage.

Columbia Parks and Recreation is a vital partner in many of the events the CVB brings to town. Gans Creek Recreation Area is arguably one of the best cross-country courses in the country.

e NCAA national championships there will generate an estimated $2.3 million in 2025.

Trevor Bradley, sports events coordinator for Columbia Visitors Bureau

(Photo by Casey Buckman Photography)

“A lot of cross-country courses are on golf courses or large mass-area parks,” says Ziervogel. “We’re really fortunate here to have a dedicated cross-country course that rivals the top courses in the country. We compete against that handful for NCAA and NAIA national championships.”

e new Columbia Sports Fieldhouse is a multi-use indoor complex for basketball, pickleball, volleyball, and archery. Now featuring four courts, there are plans to double the number of courts by late spring or early summer 2025. at size will be yet another weapon in Columbia’s arsenal when competing for circuit sporting events.

e championship-level disc golf course at Harmony Bends in Strawn Park is another magnet. e park hosts the Columbia Disc Golf Club, but also the Mid-America Open Disc Golf Tournament.

To illustrate how vital it is to have partners with top-notch facilities, look no further than MSHSAA’s 11-man state football championships. Columbia has been hosting this event since 2018. But the 2024 games this fall will be the last for a while because Mizzou is renovating the venue.

“ at shows you why facility partners are so important,” says Schneider. “Mizzou literally cannot bid on them after this year because they’re doing renovations to Faurot Field. at’s a nogo. Once the renovations are done and Mizzou’s comfortable, we may be able to bid on them again.”

SWEETENING THE POT

In addition to all the local business and private nancial support, partner venues and facilities, volunteer availability, and consistent delivery of promises made to event organizers, the CVB has one other secret weapon. It’s the Sports Development Fund.

Of the 5 percent CVB funding, 1 percent is placed in the Tourism Development Fund. e SDF grants come from there and are awarded to organizers who apply for funding to help them with a range of activities the organizer will have to pay to host an event, such as venue rental, insurance, and event sta .

“ e SDF was created to help us remain competitive in the sports tourism industry,” Ziervogel says. “With the growing costs of owning and operating events, it gives us a designated way to outline how we can recruit and continue supporting sports tourism-related events in Columbia that drive room-night generation. It additionally gives us a clearer way to support the bid fees that accompany events. It also helps us set limitations and better regulate our funding.”

IT'S A GAME CHANGER

e work of the Sports Commission and CVB continues to keep Columbia on the sports tourism map. e result is a boon to not only local hotels, but to hundreds of other businesses as well. Plus, residents are excited by the life sports inject into the city.

“People in the community take great pride in having these events,” says the CVB’s Bradley. “Everyone is excited by having MSHSAA basketball back. You can tell from the team of community volunteers who turn out for that event.”

“Bringing in sports events is an economic generator,” Schneider says. “It’s bringing new money into the community through not only the lodging tax but in sales tax. Adding sales tax dollars help Columbia continue to grow and improve.”

Sport tourism is good for residents, for businesses, for organizational sponsors and for local venues they pay to use. Don’t forget the athletes, coaches, family, and friends who travel here to compete. And whatever you do, don’t ever count out Columbia. is town is a erce competitor in its own right. CBT

Oversight or

Mizzou sports special committee focused on a new era in college athletics.

BY JODIE JACKSON JR

Mizzou o cials still cringe a bit when they hear the term “oversight commission,” though that moniker remains for the special committee the Board of Curators created in February 2024 to “obtain, monitor, and gather all information” deemed necessary to assess the athletic department’s spending and revenue.

e rst two weeks of February were tumultuous at Mizzou, a roller-coaster of highs and lows — and lingering questions — that was chronicled thusly:

• February 5, then-Athletic Director Desiree Reed-Francois announced a record $62 million anonymous donation that would help o set costs of a massive renovation project for 98-year-old Memorial Stadium.

• February 8, the Board of Curators, meeting at the MU campus, established the MU Athletics Special Committee, naming four Curators to the group.

• February 13, Reed-Francois announced her resignation with a ood of emotion as she revealed she was “going home” to Arizona to become the athletic director there.

But that abbreviated chronicle certainly omits an even bigger picture that was then at the backdrop — and now at the forefront — of intercollegiate athletics. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 member schools may begin paying their athletes via a revenue distribution model starting in 2025. And Mizzou’s revenue-producing participation in the nation’s cream of the crop conference — the Southeastern Conference (SEC) — means an even higher payday for conference schools when a new television rights deal with ESPN begins in 2025.

SEC schools received roughly $51 million each in the 2023-24 scal year. e additional media revenue will make that shared pot of cash that much sweeter. And it comes on the heels of the pay-forplay plan that has already been in place via name, image, and likeness (NIL) compensation deals that are putting cash in players’ pockets.

Chair ROBERT BLITZ (St. Louis)

TODD GRAVES (Edgerton)

JEFFREY LAYMAN (Springfield)

ROBIN WENNEKER (Columbia)

Combined with the transfer portal where players can leave one school for another without having to sit out a year before playing, the era of college athletics free agency has already begun. e stakes are that high now and monitoring — or overseeing — athletic department funding is a basic duciary duty, curators have said.

Reed-Francois was credited for making a signi cant impact on the Mizzou athletic department in her two and a half years at the helm — she hired men’s hoops coach Dennis Gates in 2022 and signed football coach Eli Drinkwitz to a hefty contract extension in December 2023. But there was also a mix of celebration and consternation. MU athletics produced record revenue in 2023; but it also had record spending, ending the year exactly one dollar in the black.

Two and a half months after Reed-Francois departed for Arizona, MU hired Memphis Athletic Director Laird Veatch for that role at Mizzou. Veatch o cially began that post on May 1. e Curators unanimously approved forming the four-member special committee, noting in a press release that its focus would range from nances to progress of athletic facilities renovations to name, image, likeness compensation, and the future of the NCAA.

In May, as reported by ESPN, the NCAA and its ve power conferences agreed to allow schools to directly pay players for the rst time in the 100-plus-year history of college sports. e leagues and the NCAA announced a multibillion-dollar agreement to settle three pending federal antitrust cases. e NCAA will pay more than $2.7 billion in damages over 10 years to past and current athletes, sources said.

Since that announcement, those conferences have con rmed a revenue-sharing plan for each school to share up to some $20 million per year with its athletes. Multiple media reports also point out that though the NCAA issued a joint announcement about the settlement, it only reluctantly agreed to do so as a matter of self-preservation. e Power 5 Conferences —the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, Pac-12 Conference, and SEC — may have the collective clout to leave the NCAA and become their own national organization

(A valuable note for context: It’s more accurately called the Power 4 because the Pac-12 was essentially neutered in the past year with the defection of all but two universities.)

at’s the background — and urgency — for the formation of Mizzou’s special athletic committee.

“Particularly at this critical moment in the evolution of key programs and with major planned investments in MU Athletics imminent, accountability to the Board and the State through this new committee is more important than ever,” reads a curators meeting document making the case for the committee. e special committee includes Bob Blitz, the attorney who led St. Louis’ legal e ort against the Rams, as chair, and Todd Graves, Robin Wenneker, and Je Layman.

e committee description continued, “We are aware that the fundamental aspects of Collegiate Athletics are undergoing signi cant and ongoing changes.

ese include, but are not limited to, shifts in athlete acquisition and retention methods and costs, the changing landscape of coach salaries and mobility, as well as the rising expenses associated with maintaining, upgrading, and constructing facilities. ese changes bring about various challenges with broader implications.”

e new committee has the power to “obtain, monitor and gather all information the committee deems necessary to assess progress of athletic funding, efforts and results of funding.”

e St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that in the 2023 scal year, which ended in June, the athletic department nished in the black by a single dollar, partially because of direct nancial support in the form of a loan from the university. Mizzou athletics spent and generated record amounts that year, which ended before the 2023 football season and the record-setting donation for Memorial Stadium.

e committee is also tasked with obtaining and monitoring “all information regarding the progress of the Memorial Stadium Project, any other athletic facilities or plans and the progress of the Huron Roadmap.”

What The Charter Says

This special committee will be charged, but not limited to, the following:

A. To obtain, monitor, and gather all information the committee deems necessary to assess progress of athletic funding, efforts and results of funding.

B. To obtain, monitor and gather all information regarding the progress of the ($250 million) Memorial Stadium Project, any other athletic facilities or plans, and the progress of the Huron Roadmap.

C. To be advised of regularly or upon request of the committee on matters concerning NCAA, SEC or any legal matters pending or on the horizon regarding the foregoing and NIL, Title IX, taxable status of contributions or other matters that may affect Athletics at MU.

D. To do whatever is necessary to aid the committee in measuring, understanding and keeping current on any matters related to MU athletic activities that exist or what is foreseeable when it becomes foreseeable.

Huron is the consulting rm that the athletic department hired to identify areas where Mizzou could “further invest invest in athletics excellence,” according to a news release. e special athletic committee of curators was an outcome of the MU-Huron work.

e committee’s third charge gets to the heart of the nancial picture. e group will be updated “on matters concerning NCAA, SEC or any legal matters pending or on the horizon regarding the foregoing and NIL, Title IX, taxable status of contributions or other matters that may a ect athletics at MU.”

e committee also has the power to tackle other matters related to Mizzou athletics as it sees t.

e contract with Huron — a university press release referred to that as an “engagement” — cost $540,000 to provide “a full assessment of the current state of resources and infrastructure that support Mizzou Athletics, as well as outline a roadmap for how the Board can enhance its support.”

e nancial oversight has a sense of urgency if only because of the seismic shifts on the college athletics landscape. Curator Darryl Chatman noted in a news release that “college athletics has evolved rapidly in the last couple of years due to changes like Name, Image and Likeness, and conference expansion,” and that the work with Huron was expected “to build a roadmap for growth that capitalizes on the distinct strengths of Mizzou and propels us to the top of collegiate athletics.”

Huron issued its report and recommendations in fall 2023.

Blitz told the Post-Dispatch that a desire to lend heightened attention to nances and stay informed regarding the continued college sports landscape’s complexity were behind the decision.

“With the statistics that we saw, we felt in lling our duciary duty that it was a must to step in and nd out more about what was going on in the athletic department,” Blitz told the newspaper. “We’re not trying to pick coaches; we’re not trying to do those kind of things. We’re trying to make sure that the athletic department is running in a nancially responsible way and doing the best they can, that they have the best methods to raise money.” CBT

Locked On Mizzou

Podcaster is a ‘true son’ fan of all things MU athletics.

BY RYAN SHEEHANN

If you have ever searched for a video or podcast covering Mizzou sports, you might have heard the following phrase: “Hey all you true sons and daughters. I’m John Miller, your Mizzou Ma oso.”

Miller, a Columbia resident and University of Missouri graduate, hosts the sports podcast “Locked On Mizzou,” and releases new content several times each week. Miller says his passion for Mizzou stems from his father, who met his mother while they both went to MU.

“I’ve been a massive fan since I was a little boy,” he said. “Since as long as I can remember.”

Miller attended MU from 2001 to 2005 and has a background in journalism and sales. He rst started with his own Mizzou sports podcast, having it for less than a year before joining the Locked On Podcast Network in 2019. Locked On is a podcast network with sports podcasts across the country, covering a range of sports at the collegiate and professional levels. According to its website, the company has some 207 sports team-focused podcasts and was founded in 2016 by David Locke, who is the radio voice of the Utah Jazz.

With Locked On, Miller usually creates ve episodes per week. He says his podcasting has improved since 2019, partially due to repetition. Referring to his writing process, Miller explained that he mostly tries to read everything that he can relating to Missouri sports.

However, he said that he can’t just “vomit back” what other people have reported, as providing his own take is what makes his content interesting. He tries to be fair with his opinions and not “super harsh.”

Miller described his idea process for his content as organic and constantly changing, with a lot of it simply coming down to creativity. He is always developing new ideas and regularly using the notes app on his phone to record any idea that pops into his head.

“I have a constantly rotating list of topics,” he said. “ ere is stu I thought of three months ago that I haven’t even gotten to yet because other stu comes up, or better stu comes up. You know, I might not even get to it. at kind of deal.”

When Miller is not podcasting, he works as a trader. He also has a family — he and his wife, Melissa, a nurse at Boone Hospital — have two daughters, and he enjoys playing golf. Miller refers to his podcasting as his “side hustle,” though he is considering making it his full-time job.

Miller said he always wanted to share his opinions, giving credit to one of his high school teachers for giving him the freedom to write a column in the school paper. During his senior year of college, he wrote a sports column for e Columbia Missourian , recalling how he mostly wanted to write about his opinions, especially on Mizzou football. But his editors wanted him to write about other topics, making him feel “hamstrung.” So for Miller, the podcast is “the dream.”

“ is (podcast) is kind of always what I wanted to do,” he said.

Miller’s podcast mainly covers MU football and basketball, though he occasionally covers additional sports. Specifically, Miller said that he owes a lot of his success as a podcaster to the 2023 season of Mizzou football.

“Because last summer, I was kind of getting burned out. Almost quit,” he said. “ e fact that they followed up with this season just reinvigorated me … not only as a podcast but as a fan. I think that’s showing through right now in my work.”

Describing himself as an “a able weirdo,” Miller says he’s the perfect guy for that line of work.

I’m an aff able weirdo in that I’m weird enough that I can stay in a dark room and figure out a podcast fi ve days a week. But I think I’m likable enough that people keep listening to me, too. That’s what I’ve figured out.”

“I’m an a able weirdo in that I’m weird enough that I can stay in a dark room and gure out a podcast ve days a week,” he said. “But I think I’m likable enough that people keep listening to me, too. at’s what I’ve gured out.”

His podcast can be found on multiple podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcast, as well as YouTube and Amazon Music. According to his YouTube account, Locked On Mizzou has more than 3,000 subscribers with some 560 videos. His episode count is approaching 1,000.

Zac Blackerby, the host of “Locked On Auburn” and John’s supervisor within Locked On, says Miller is “very creative and bold in his takes as a sports podcaster.” Blackerby explained that John has a “measured” and “intentional” approach, where he can explain how he feels regarding Missouri sports and why.

“I don’t think he says things just so say them,” Blackerby said. “I think whenever he says something, it’s very measured. It’s very thought out. And there’s always a purpose behind it, which I think is pretty valuable.”

He also praised Miller’s passion for his subject.

“If there is somebody that cares about Missouri (sports),” Blackerby said, “there is no one better to check out than John, for sure.” CBT

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Mizzou Arena renovations

Street Talk

Capital Improvement Sales Tax extension; short-term rentals; and a 1 Mlllion Cups celebration.

BY JODIE JACKSON JR

COLUMBIA’S

POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS are relying on a tenyear extension of the existing capital improvement sales tax that city o cials say is vital for maintaining and improving crucial infrastructure. Voters will decide Tuesday, August 6, whether to extend the quarter-cent sales tax that is set to expire at the end of December. If extended, the sales tax is projected to generate some $83 million over the next ten years. Total needs are estimated to cost $125.8 million. City ocials say the remaining costs will be covered by development fees, use fees, and the county road tax funds.

At a quick glance, here’s what the existing ¼-cent sales tax will help fund in the next ten years.

e completion of the second oor of the Molly Bowden Neighborhood Policing Center in north Columbia; a new facilities study to determine the needs of the downtown police headquarters (which was built in 1933); and expansion of CPD’s evidence storage capacity. Total cost is estimated at $16 million.

Construction of Columbia Fire Department Station 10 at East Broad-

way/WW and Chaparral Avenue South, in addition to the re trucks and equipment needed for the station. Total cost is estimated at $15.4 million.

Nearly 30 street and sidewalk improvement projects, totaling just more than $80 million. (Total public works projects, including streets and sidewalks, estimated at $94.3 million.) Take note that the city is responsible for 1,450 lane miles of streets.

e city of Columbia has used a the Capital Improvement Sales Tax to fund infrastructure and public safety projects beyond the scope of the city’s annual budget since 1991.

SHORT-TERM RENTAL REGS GET ANOTHER LOOK

If there’s any question about confusion or the complexity of the short-term rental rules adopted by the City Council some months ago, consider that the nal action before approving the regulations required an amendment to an amendment. And there was still puzzlement among those who see short-term rentals as an a ordable housing issue and the property owners/Realtors who see short-term rentals from a business point of view.

Short-term rentals are generally homes, apartments, rooms, or another part of a structure that the owner may list on Airbnb or Vrbo for guests looking for overnight lodging or an extended stay up to thirty days. Unlike a hotel room, those rentals might include the entire house: bedrooms, kitchen, and all amenities. A ordable housing advocates assert that those properties exacerbate the local housing crisis because it removes properties from available rental stock and may even contribute to an overall increase in rental rates.

Two items came before the City Council on July 15, and a moratorium on requiring business licenses for shortterm rentals will continue through July

1, 2026. e hot-button issue with that measure is that the business license rule would require additional insurance for short-term rentals.

e second short-term rental item was the council’s decision to equate bed and breakfast and short-term rentals as a hotel or motel. at means those properties must now collect and remit the city’s lodging tax.

Stay tuned on the short-term rental conversations …

COME ONE, COME ALL Columbia’s 1 Million Cups chapter was one of the rst dozen such chapters in the U.S., and it celebrates its eleventh anniversary on August 14.

e celebration event is set for 4-6 p.m. at Logboat Brewing Company at 504 Fay Street. e 1 Million Cups Facebook page says the event is designed to “celebrate another successful year of empowering entrepreneurs.” Logboat co-founder Tyson Hunt will talk about some of his entrepreneurial experiences while also providing tours of the brewery. e January Lanterns will provide musical entertainment. e anniversary event is free.

1 Million Cups meets at 9 a.m. every Wednesday at the REDI Hub, 500 E. Walnut Street, Suite 105 CBT

What’s Going Up?

New hotel at Discovery Ridge, six more East Campus townhomes highlight June building permits.

BY JODIE JACKSON JR

A SECOND HOTEL in the Odle’s Discovery development got the green light for construction in June. e city of Columbia’s o ce of Building and Site Development issued a building permit to Discovery Development LLC for construction of a four-story hotel — TRU HOTEL — at 4401 S. Ponderosa St.

e permit lists the hotel square footage at 55,486 and a valuation of $10.95 million.

e city issued 97 permits with a combined valuation of $32.26 million in June. e Boone County o ce of Resource Management issued 71 permits with a combined valuation of $10.55. In total, the city and county issued 168 permits with a valuation of $42.81 million.

e summary of the city-issued building permits includes:

• Commercial addition: 2 permits, $3.43 million valuation.

• Residential addition: 5 permits, $269,425.

• Commercial alteration: 5 permits, $278,897.

• Residential alteration: 9 permits, $475,674.

PICTURED TO THE LEFT

Barricades are up and a portion of the sidewalks are closed at 901 E. Broadway in preparation for work on the Commerce Bank building. The building permit was still in plan review in early July and had not yet been issued. The right-of-way permit called for closing the sidewalk and using a covered walkway on Broadway for construction on the building’s exterior: Parapet repair, terra cotta repair, and glazing removal and replacement. The pending building permit lists a valuation of $1.05 million for the three-story, 7,000 square foot project.

Photo by Jodie Jackson Jr

• New commercial: 3 permits, $12.15 million.

• Deck only: 11 permits, $161,835.

• Re-roof: 24 permits, $709,203.

• Single family detached: 30 permits, $12.92 million.

• Solar system (residential): 1 permit, $17,250.

• Townhouse: 6 permits, $1.85 million.

In addition to the Odle group’s new hotel, other highlights of the city’s June building permit report include:

A 12,986 square foot addition to BATTLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL , 2600 Battle Avenue, to complete the originally planned prototype elementary school footprint. Reinhardt Construction Co. LLC is the contractor for the $3.2 million project.

A commercial shell building — common name SPRINGCREEK BUILDING #2 — at 4101 W. Vawter School Rd. e building will be 5,872 square feet with a valuation of $947,155. Kreutzer Construction of Columbia is the contractor.

A $250,000 reroo ng permit for 1205 University Avenue, apartment 442. e contractor is Rapid Commercial Roo ng LLC of Troy, Missouri.

SIX NEW TOWNHOUSES are joining the roughly dozen that are already under construction in the East Campus neighborhood. All six are being built at 1611 University Avenue in the Fyfer Subdivision. Five of the townhouses will be 2,375 square feet, each with a valuation of $324,967. e sixth townhouse will be 1,795 square feet with a valuation of $226,543.

THE TOP DOLLAR SINGLEFAMILY HOME getting a building permits in June will be in the Creek’s Edge Development o Stonington Court. Hemme Construction LLC is the contractor for the $824,317 home with 5,909 square feet.

Boone County’s building permit summary for June includes:

• Single family residential: 20 permits, $7.8 million valuation.

• Other nonresidential: 6 permits, $866,750.

• Other structures: 10 permits, $491,717.

• Residential additions/alterations: 14 permits, $45,861.

• Nonresidential additions/ alterations: 1 permit, $1,400

• Residential garages: 7 permits, $668,000.

• Miscellaneous: 13 permits, $179,668.

Some of the top-dollar permits included:

A single-family home at 11485 S. Hwy UU, valued at $1.34 million. e general contractor is Tompkins Construction. A 750-square-foot covered deck is part of the 7,214 square foot project.

om Construction LLC is the builder of a single-family home at 11607 N. Varnon School Rd. in Hallsville. e 6,359-square-foot home lists a valuation of $721,000.

SHOW ME COMMUNITY

SERVICES got a building permit for an adult day care at 222 Elizabeth Street in Hallsville. e permit shows a valuation of $645,000 for a 4,200 square foot project. e permit did not list the contractor.

e Boone County building permit report for June 2023 recorded 125 permits with a valuation of $20.43 million, roughly double the valuation of the June 2024 permit total. e di erence comes from a commercial permit for $7.2 million issued for the Hallsville School district last June. at project for a building addition and track entailed 15,300 square feet. CBT

Deeds of Trust

Worth more than $780,000

$20,000,000

TLI Real Estate Holdings LLC

7A TLI Lender LLC

Lt 108A Crosscreek Center Plat 1-A

$8,375,600

Storyboard On Hilltop LP

CNB Bank & Trust

Lt 3 Good Time Acres

$3,060,000

MB Capital LLC

Peoples Savings Bank of Rhineland

Lt 101 Rockbridge Condominiums Plat 1

$2,046,090

Land Development 10 LLC

AEGIS INVESTMENT GROUP

II LLC

Lt 1 Columbia Plaza North Sub

$1,750,000

CCS Property

Management LLC

e Callaway Bank

Lt 66 Setter’s Knoll Plat No 3

$1,422,269

Mid-Missouri Real Estate

Holdings LLC

e Central Trust Bank

Lt 2 Katy Place Heights Subdivision Plat 3

$1,369,000

Wildwood Farm LLC

Mad Capital Group PBC

Str 16-47-11 /NE/NE Sur Bk/ Pg: 5725/128 Ac 10 Ff Tract 2

$1,250,000

Brew Crew LLC

United Bank

Lt 1 Pt University Centre Sub

$1,233,500

Martin Builders Inc

e Central Trust Bank

Lt 401 Liberty Landing North Plat 4

$1,100,000

Jason Alan Rytlewski

First State Community Bank Str 3-49-12 /S/SE

$999,000

e Jill J MacDonald

2019 Trust Alliant Bank

Lt 17 Bl 1 Bellview Acres Replat #1

$900,000

Mendez Properties LLC

Buena Vista National Bank

Lt 246 Forest Ridge Plat 1

$899,000

Kent Willett

e Bank of Missouri Str 35-49-12 //N Ac 10 Ff Survey 8045

$871,320

Jody M Gerken

e Central Trust Bank

Str 32-51-13 S/W/NE Sur Bk/ Pg: 5839/156 Ac 30.86 Ff Tr A

$800,000

Hemme Construction LLC

e Callaway Bank

Lt 510 Creeks Edge Plat No 5

$780,000

John E Ott

Commerce Bank

Lt 1 Bl 5 Grasslands Sub CBT

Report for June 2024 from the Boone County Recorder of Deeds Office

New Business Licenses

Issued June 2024

Miss Vee’s Kitchen

14 E Business Loop 70

Columbia MO

Queen Nails

5614 E St Charles Rd

Columbia MO

Straight Beastmode LLC

Construction/general contractor

6102 E Orear Rd

Columbia MO

BJ’s Coffee Bar LLC

601 W Broadway

Columbia MO

Tiger Multi Services LLC

4806 Bullhead Lane

Columbia MO

Utilibore Inc

Construction/general contractor

864 Little Creek Road

Leslie MO

Bawsology LLC

802 Copse Court

Columbia MO

Como Shawarma LLC

14 E Business Loop 70

Columbia MO

Feel Me Better Bakes

Roseann Naik

3414 Sierra Madre

Columbia MO

Citrine & Cypress

Deanna Killea

107 Neal Street

Fort Leonard Wood MO

Buchanan and Son LLC

General contractor

4005 Imperial Court

Columbia MO

Horizons Remodeling & Repair LLC

Construction/general contractor

900 Canterbury Drive

Columbia MO

L&J Development Inc

Construction/general contractor

Je rey Lawrence

104 W Fowler Rd

Moberly MO

Midwest Alarm Services Inc

Brian Du y

9745 Widmer Road

Lenexa KS

Missouri Barbecue Supply LLC

3890 Rangeline Street

Columbia MO

Hokkaido Columbia Inc

Hokkaido Ramen House

1007 E Broadway

Columbia MO

Campbell Farm and Machine LLC

Kaylee Campbell

7498 County Road 419

Fulton MO

Fa & Ay Enterprises LLC

Internet cafe

Andree Yousef

212 E Green Meadows Rd

Columbia MO

Aardvarx

Melissa Frier

17 N Tenth St

Columbia MO CBT

Source: Columbia Finance Department — Business License Division

SEC ATHLETIC BUDGETS

NEWCOMERS:

Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners competed in the Big 12 Conference in FY2023.

DOING MORE WITH LESS?

Missouri and Ole Miss were the only SEC athletic departments that spent under $180 MILLION in FY2023 but went on to have football teams with ABOVE-.500 RECORDS last season.

PAY DAY’S COMING:

NCAA Division 1 athletic departments are expecting to operate with a revenue-sharing cap in the low-$20 million range when players begin getting paid in fall 2025. It’s also expected that about three-fourths of those dollars will be dedicated to the sport that generates the most revenue: football.

e SEC took in $852.5 MILLION of revenue in FY2023 and distributed roughly $51 MILLION to each of its 14-member schools. A new television deal with ESPN will pump between $12 million to $15 million into each school’s co ers next year. CBT

The Ultimate in Leisure Lifestyle

Join a social community where cars are appreciated and good memories are created. The GKR Car Campus and Event Center is the destination for car enthusiasts, celebrations, and weeknight getaways.

While eye-catching cars provide plenty of sparkle, the community offers plenty of options to make new friends and showcase who you are. Whether you consider yourself a car person or not, you’ll love the social energy and classy vibe of the GKR Car Campus.

Personal Luxury Garage owners get a 28x36x20 canvas to create their perfect custom setup for hosting gatherings, watching games, polishing cars, and polishing off wings. Garages are movein ready with climate control and full bathrooms, leaving it up to you to put the personal touches on your dream escape. gkrmotorcars.com

Find out more and join the waitlist