Business in brief: New magazine celebrates Ozarks women, LaQuinta unveils renovations
New magazine highlights stories of everyday Ozarks women
Cory Powell Photography has announced the release of its latest project: Glamography Magazine, which highlights the stories of everyday Ozarks women. A red-carpet event and art exhibit is planned for Saturday, March 23, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Discovery Center to honor the 37 women featured in the magazine’s first issue.
Powell began the project in 2023 to help give local women a platform and redefine standards of beauty in the community. The first issue of Glamography Magazine predominantly features women in their 40s and 50s from all over the Ozarks. This includes entrepreneurs, stay-at-home moms, Springfield natives, and recent Ozarks transplants.
For the project, Powell designed custom photoshoots based on how each woman wanted to be represented in photographs. After the shoot, Powell interviewed the women to share their stories and words of inspiration for others who are working on self-care journeys.
“For many of these women, this was the first time they had been professionally photographed in decades if at all,” Powell said in a press release. “I’m constantly humbled by the opportunity to be a part of the journey of self-exploration for the hundreds of women I’ve photographed over the years. This magazine is a natural evolution of the work I’ve been doing and I’m so excited to bring these inspirational stories to print.”
Ozarks Alive event series hopes to bring life to regional lore
Local history and culture will come to life in 2024 through Ozarks Alive’s Folk Lure Exchange. The event series will explore popular topics related to the region’s past and how they integrate with the present.
Folk Lure Exchange events are limited to 50 people. This provides an intimate experience at a unique venue: the Kindall Store, a rural Ozarks stop dating back to the 1920s. The store reopened in 2023, and food and other goods will be available for purchase during the events.
All events begin at 7 p.m. and cost $12.50 to attend. Tickets for the first event are available now on the Ozarks Alive website. This year’s events include:
A Legacy of Old-Time Ozarks Music on April 19, 2024. Primarily focused on old-time fiddle tunes, the evening will feature musician David Scrivner among other guests. The event will also feature information about local legacy musical names and how people can carry on the musical tradition in the present day.
The Art of Foraging on June 21, 2024. Foraging is trendy nowadays, but it was once a necessity in the Ozarks. Hear from foraging expert Rachael West, owner of Eating the Ozarks, who will share more information on the topic and common items to forage for in the summer months. Weather permitting, guests will go on a short foraging walk through the property.
Notable Ozarks Women on Aug. 23, 2024. Ozarks Alive’s Kaitlyn McConnell will share the stories of several famous women with a foundation in the Ozarks.
Ozarks Superstitions, Legends and Lore on Oct 25, 2024. Learn about local legends, ghost stories, and superstitions that have been part of the region’s history for generations.
Vital Farms "Egg Central Station" egg-washing facility shines in sustainability report
Vital Farms recently published its 2024 Impact Update, which highlights the company’s annual Impact Goals. It also showcases progress toward achieving the Impact Goals outlined in last year’s report. A key achievement, according to a press release, was the successful attainment of the zero-waste-to-landfill goal at Egg Central Station, Vital Farms’ Springfield egg-washing facility.
The 2024 Impact Update shares tangible progress Vital Farms has made addressing its short and medium-term impact goals and other accomplishments over the past year. This year, Vital Farms:
Achieved its goal of “zero-waste-to-landfill” at Egg Central Station in Springfield (defined by TRUE certification with just 2% of waste generated going to landfills);
Engaged 15% of its farmer network in additional regenerative agriculture principles beyond the existing principles that Vital Farms farmers already practice;
Began implementation across its operations to reduce greenhouse gas intensity by 25% by the end of 2027;
Identified no significant pay discrepancies in a pay equity analysis with an independent third-party auditor to ensure fair pay for all crew members;
Hosted a farmer recruiting event with the Kansas Black Farmers Association and fostered relationships with the Farmer Veteran Coalition and National Young Farmers Coalition to help expand and diversify its growing farmer network;
Continued to be one of 29% of Russell 3000 companies with a gender-balanced board of directors;
Amplified its partnership with Ozark Technical Community College to support student curriculum in robotics and manufacturing systems and to give ECS crewmembers access to educational opportunities.
LaQuinta Inn & Suites Springfield Airport Plaza to hold ribbon-cutting
The La Quinta Inn & Suites Springfield Airport Plaza has undergone major renovations to its guest rooms, public areas, and lobby. The newly renovated hotel will host a ribbon-cutting with the Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, April 4, at 4 p.m.
“We’ve offered tours up until six o’clock if they want to take tours and different things,” said Bill Caraway, area director of sales for Driftwood Hospitality Management. “I’m sure a lot of people will. They’ll want to see some of the finished guestrooms and the public space.”
Caraway added that going forward, the hotel will be working on its outreach to the business and university communities. He said he received a “yes” RSVP from Missouri State as well as members of the Chamber. Light food and beverages will be served at the ribbon-cutting.
OTC student named Coca-Cola Academic Team Bronze Scholar
Robert-Thomas Gumersell, an Ozarks Technical Community College student, has been named a 2024 Coca-Cola Academic Team Bronze Scholar and will receive a $1000 scholarship. Gumersell graduated from homeschool in 2022. He plans to graduate from OTC in May 2024 with an Associate of Arts degree and a Certificate of Specialization in Honors Studies.
The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation sponsors the Coca-Cola Academic Team program by annually recognizing 50 Gold, 50 Silver, and 50 Bronze Scholars with nearly $200,000 in scholarships. Scholars also receive a commemorative medallion.
Students are nominated for the academic team by college administrators. Selection is based on academic achievement, leadership, engagement in college, and community service. Coca-Cola Academic Team members will be recognized in both local and statewide ceremonies, as well as during Phi Theta Kappa’s annual convention, PTK Catalyst, in Florida in April.
Apply to speak at Missouri S&T’s TEDx talk
Speaker applications are now open for the TEDx event on the Missouri S&T campus on Wednesday, Oct. 30. The event, located in Leach Theatre, is looking for presenters with a topic relating to the theme “Unveiling Resilience.” The application deadline is Sunday, April 28.
“We are seeking speakers who will share how they’ve been able to recover and spring back from challenges in their lives or how they have observed resiliency in their communities, science or the world,” said Melanie Keeney, TEDx executive producer and director of engagement and outreach at S&T.
Applications can be submitted online at tedx.mst.edu. Applicants must summarize their topic, explain why it is worth sharing, how it connects to the overall theme of the event, and why they want to be a TEDx speaker.
TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together for a TED-like experience. TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to “Ideas Worth Spreading” that shares media and supports educational initiatives. TED stands for “technology,” “entertainment,” and “design.”
OMB hires Taylor and Strong for dedicated "Banking as a Service" department
OMB Bank announced in a press release the formation of a new dedicated “Banking as a Service” department to facilitate its expanding financial technology partnerships. BaaS, as it is known in the banking industry, enables financial technologies to market bank products under their own brand names with the help of the partner bank’s financial services and FDIC membership.
Mindy Taylor will lead OMB’s newest division as BaaS operations manager. She joined OMB in October 2023 as an organizational development specialist, and she has nearly 24 years of banking experience. Thirteen of those years were spent at Jack Henry and Associates.
Faith Strong was also promoted to BaaS Operations Specialist. Strong joined OMB in 2022 as a float teller before promotions to personal banker and assistant branch manager of the bank’s Mt. Vernon location.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Glamography Magazine celebrates Ozarks women; events explore lore
