our board

Aaron Owen is the General Manager of the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds and Event Center in Springfield, MO since June of 2012. The Fairgrounds produce or co-produced fifteen events and have one hundred and four event rentals and catering plus several off-site food events. The Ozark Empire Fairgrounds has a conventions department for pipe and drape, tables, chairs etc. as well as on-site camping.

Aaron spent thirty-three years working for Paul Mueller Company serving as President of Mueller Transport, Inc. for twelve years and seven years as President of Mueller field Operations, Inc. and four years as divisional President of Mueller Services with gross revenue responsibility of twenty five million to one hundred and forty million per year.

Aaron owns and operates a large purebred Simmental and Angus cow calf beef cattle operation with his family. Aaron was on the American Simmental National Board, one year as their publication Chairmen and One year as their Chairmen. Aaron Is currently serving on the American Simmental Foundation Board, Sports Commission Board, Cattle Baron Executive Board and Missouri Simmental Board.

Bill Hobbs is the Director of Hotel Operations at Elliott Lodging and oversees hotel operations for seventeen hotels. Eleven of which are in Springfield, two in Branson, three in Joplin and one in Pittsburg, Ks. Hobbs and his son Rob also own and operate "Kwik Kar Automotive" service and repair facilities in Springfield and Dallas, TX. Hobbs has served as Assistant Director of the Springfield/Greene County Park Board, President of the Missouri Amateur Softball Association, Springfield Sports Commission's initial Executive Director and has been involved with several boards and organizations. He and his wife Linda have two married children, love to travel and spend time with their six grandchildren.

Bob is the Director of Parks for the Springfield-Greene County Park Board, and also serves as Ownership Representative to the Springfield Lasers World TeamTennis Franchise. Bob has been with the Park Board since 2004, having served as its Director since 2012. He has also been employed as the Director of Parks and Recreation for the Cities of Independence, Missouri, and Sioux City, Iowa, and is a past-president of the Missouri Park and Recreation Association. During Bob’s tenure the Park Board celebrated its 100-year centennial in 2013, achieved national accreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies in 2016 and was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2018. The Springfield Lasers Franchise has also won World TeamTennis Championships in both 2018 and 2019. In his off-time, Bob and his wife, Deana, enjoy tennis, golf and going to the lake with family and friends.

Cara Walker Whiteley is the General Manager of La Quinta Inn and Suites Airport Plaza. Cara graduated from Drury University in 2003 with a degree in Business Administration and Accounting. She joined the family hotel business in 2005.

Cara has served on the Springfield Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Board and currently serves on the Springfield Hotel Lodging Association Board and the Development Board for Springfield Catholic Schools.

She is married to Josh and they have three sons, Isaiah, Noah and Andrew. Cara enjoys watching her kids play sports and travelling.

Corey Bray started his tenure as Drury University’s Vice President and Director of Athletics on March 18, 2019. Bray was previously the Associate Athletics Director for Compliance at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where his responsibilities included serving on the athletics department's senior leadership team with direct oversight of selected budgets, compliance, and specific athletics programs. Bray’s tenure at UAB started in 2011. Prior to that, he was the Assistant Athletics Director for Administration at Eastern Kentucky University for six years, and he spent seven years working for the NCAA in Indianapolis in various roles, including associate director of research focusing on areas such as gender equity, diversity, finances, marketing, and participation rates. Bray was also a liaison to several national committees while at the NCAA headquarters. Bray earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Pacific Lutheran University, where he also minored in coaching and earned letters in football and track & field all four years. While at Pacific Lutheran, he was part of their 1993 NAIA-II National Championship football team. He holds a master's degree in sports psychology from the University of Oregon and is a graduate of the Sports Management Institute.

A lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan, Dan got his start with Cardinals Baseball by winning the Fox Sports TV contest, "Payin' Your Dues" in May of 2004.

Since joining the Springfield Cardinals prior to the inaugural season in 2005, Dan has gone from the last Account Executive hired all the way to Vice President/General Manager, with various sales and marketing positions along the way. As the second General Manager in Team History, Dan hopes to lead the team with a renewed commitment to increase the club’s civic involvement as well as increasing the Fun levels in the stadium.

Dan has always and will continue to put a focus on being active in the community, both through new community relations programs with the Cardinals and serving on a variety of Board positions in the community. Currently he is serving on the Boards for the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, the Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Springfield Area Sports Commission.

A graduate of Springfield Catholic High School, Dan attended the University of Missouri-Columbia. He graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Minor in Psychology while also co-founding the student operated designated driver program STRIPES.

Dan was married in September of 2011 to the lovely Heather Anderson. After a series of adventures together the two have embarked on the crazy journey of parenthood, welcoming Andy (or DR3 as Dan calls him) to the world in July of 2015. In October of 2018 they welcome their second son Tyson (Heather refused to sign a birth certificate with the name Bruce Wayne). Life, as well as the carpets, have never been the same.

Fans are always welcome to contact Dan with comments, ideas or concerns.

David Holtmann is the Director of Finance for the City of Springfield. David also serves as the Board Treasurer for the Springfield Sports Commission

Dr. Dennis McDonald was named the Director of Athletics at Evangel University prior to the 2015-16 academic school year.

A 1984 Evangel graduate, McDonald championed a 30-year career in public education most recently as the principal of Staley Middle School in Frisco, Texas. Prior to his 13 years in Texas, he was a school administrator in Bremen and Valdosta, Georgia.

McDonald returns to Evangel where he has also served as an assistant football coach, strength and conditioning coordinator and an assistant professor in the physical education department for seven years. An assistant coach for the Crusaders NAIA national semifinal season in 1988, McDonald earned three varsity letters, was the captain of the 1983 squad and named the “Most Promising Physical Education Graduate” in 1984 earning his degree Physical Education and Health.

Jason Pyrah is a Licensed Athletic Trainer and the Sports Medicine Manager at CoxHealth. Jason is an Olympic athlete, running the 1500 meter in both the 1996 and 2000 Olympics. Jason is now active as a MSHSAA track and field official, officiating both Cross Country and Track and Field.

Jerald Andrews has been the President and Executive Director of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and the Price Cutter Charity Championship since 1995. Prior to that time he served as the Executive Vice President at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri. In addition, to his work he serves on several local boards including the OakStar Bank board of directors.

Jim Raynor is the Executive Director of Mercy Sports Medicine and is involved in establishing their performance enhancement and primary care sports medicine program. His current responsibility is to lead the Mercy Sports Medicine Department in positioning and development within the sports and medical community of southwest Missouri. His experience includes collegiate, high school, Olympic and clinical settings. Formerly of Long Island, New York, he is married to Brenda and has four children. He is an avid New York Yankees and Oklahoma Sooners fan and enjoys all types of sports.

Joshua Scott is the District Athletic Director for Springfield Public Schools. He is currently serving his 11th year in Athletic Administration and 18th overall in public education. Josh has been active in both the Missouri Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association and the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association and earned his Certified Master Athletic Administration in 2014. 2019 marked the end of his term as President for the MIAAA and he currently serves as Secretary for the Board of Directors for the NIAAA. Josh was the MIAAA AD of the Year in 2017, NFHS Citation Winner in 2018 and NIAAA State Award of Merit recipient in 2019. Josh is married to Keely, a Glendale Falcon high school teacher and father to Gabriel.

Kelly Polonus is Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at Great Southern Bank, based in Springfield. Polonus oversees internal and external communications, marketing, community relations, and investor relations for Great Southern, including a significant investment in sports marketing. A native of Springfield, she is a graduate of Glendale High School and received her bachelor’s degree from Missouri State University. She is married to Eric and they have three grown children.

Kyle McClure is the Director Governmental Affairs/Public Policy for City Utilities of Springfield. He's been a part of the CU team for twelve years working with federal and state policymakers. Prior to joining the utility, Kyle's professional experience includes working ten years for Senator "Kit" Bond and Congressman Roy Blunt. He is a graduate of Drury University.

Kyle Moats has been the Director of Athletics at Missouri State University since 2009. Prior to his arrival in Springfield, Moats spent four years as associate athletics director for national marketing at Louisville. Moats also worked in the athletics department at both Marquette University and the University of Kentucky. A native of Dixon, Ill., Moats is a 1988 graduate of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville with a bachelor's degree in physical education. While at SIUE, Moats was a three-year letter winner in golf and was a student assistant basketball coach for the Cougars from 1985-1988. He earned a master's degree in sports management from the University of Kentucky in 2001.

Marc Mayer is a Senior Vice President at Springfield First Community Bank in Springfield. Mayer graduated from Kickapoo High School in 1998 and from Drury University in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in public relations with a minor in business. He received his Masters in Business Administration from Henderson State University in 2003. He is married to Kim and has one child, Trystan. He is an avid sports fan and enjoys giving back to the community.

Mark Fisher has compiled a distinguished list of accomplishments and accolades, both on and off the court, in more than three decades of involvement with athletics. In 2018, he was honored with the Gary Filbert Award, the highest honor given by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association for his work in basketball as a coach and administrator. In 2015, he was inducted into the Springfield Area Sports Hall of Fame and this past January he was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

For 12 years, Fisher was the athletic director for the Springfield Public Schools and oversaw the activities programs for the city’s five high schools and nine middle schools that included a roster of more than 300 coaches reporting directly to him. Under his leadership, $3.5 million was raised through corporate partnerships to fund the Healthy Place to Play Initiative. The program allowed for athletic facilities improvements which were completed during the 2012-13 school year.

In addition, Fisher served as tournament directors for the 32 team Greenwood Blue and Gold Tournament and the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions, the most attended high school basketball event in the nation that perennially features the top prep talent in the United States. He was also the organizer for the annual Pink & White Lady Classic, the elite girls’ high school tournament held each winter in Springfield.

Fisher coached boys’ basketball in addition to a variety of other sports at Greenwood High School in Springfield from 1989 to 2003, Owensville High School from 1986-89 and Stanberry High School from 1981-86. He guided Greenwood to a state runner-up finish in 1991, was the Co-Coach of the Year in the state that season and was twice named the Springfield Tip-Off Club Coach of the Year. He guided the Stanberry girls’ track & field team to a state championship in 1982 and
Mark Fisher will enter his fourth year as the Vice President and Director of Athletics at Drury University in 2018-19.

On June 6, 2018, Fisher announced that he intends to retire at the end of the '18-19 academic year.

During his tenure, the Panthers have won eight Great Lakes Valley Conference championships and appeared in 18 NCAA-II national tournaments.

The Drury athletics department also experienced significant growth under Fisher adding wrestling and women’s bowling as NCAA programs in addition to shooting sports and STUNT as non-NCAA sports. The number of student-athletes enrolled at Drury has grown from 250 in his first year to nearly 450 in 2018-19. Fisher also hired Drury’s first full-time head coach for the men’s and women’s track & field programs in 2015-16.

A native of Fairfax, Missouri who received his BS and MS degrees from Northwest Missouri State University, Fisher served on the MSHSAA Board of Directors and is also actively involved in many of the Springfield area’s sports-related organizations. He has serves on the board of the Springfield Area Sports Commission as well as the Springfield Area Sports Hall of Fame.

Fisher and wife Debbie have three children and six grandchildren: son, Trevyor and wife Kortney (granddaughters Kinley, Blakely, and Landree), daughter, Ashley and husband Chris (grandsons Graham, Brooks, and Theo) and son, Ben.

Ryan has served the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce in several roles over the last 20 years, most recently as senior vice-president of economic development. His primary responsibilities include leading the Chamber's economic development program and primary staff support to the Springfield Business Development Corporation board of directors. Ryan has served as a past chair and current board member of his statewide professional association, the Missouri Economic Development Council, and is a past chair of the Economic Development Division of the international Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. He's a graduate of Missouri State University.

Tom Mast has more than 40 years of experience in sports media in the Ozarks. He previously served as Sports Director for KOLR and KSPR television as well as a television and radio commentator for Missouri State, Drury and Evangel Universities, along with countless local high school broadcasts. He was inducted into the Springfield Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2006, and serves a member of that group’s Board of Directors.

Tracy Kimberlin has held the position of president for the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau since 1987. A graduate of Missouri State University, Kimberlin managed several hotels prior to joining the Bureau. In addition to his service on the board of the Sports Commission, Kimberlin serves on the boards of the Missouri Association of Convention & Visitor Bureaus and the Springfield Hotel & Lodging Association.