Passion & Purpose: Summer 2026
A Message from Winter
The unofficial holiday that is July 1 — the beginning of the CFO’s fiscal year — has come and gone and, once again, I am overwhelmed by the work that our staff, donors, partners, affiliate leaders and grantees have done to make our communities better.
As I shared in my June email newsletter, it’s becoming something of a tradition to highlight a few numbers that wowed me over the course of the fiscal year — I hope you will look that newsletter up if you haven’t read it already! As a philanthropic organization, numbers are a big deal because every number has a story to tell.
For example:
- I logged more than a few of the 31,300-plus miles that our staff drove in fy26. That is like driving from the western edge of Missouri to the eastern edge more than 125 times! We drove all those miles in support of our mission to enhance the quality of life.
- Our “grow your own” rural teacher program, the Ozarks Teacher Corps, launched in 2010. This year, for the first time, six graduating seniors will receive a $500 stipend to set up their first classroom thanks to a grant from the Rural Schools Collaborative.
- We’ve had at least 320 mentions of the CFO or our affiliates in regional or national press. That comes out to just less than one a day — reminding me that this work is timely, meaningful and important.
- Reflecting the place-based nature of our work, 88% of the 11,200-plus grants processed this year stayed in Missouri, and 91% of nearly 30,000 total gifts were from Missouri donors.
For now, I want to focus on just one number: seven. That is the number of outstanding board members who are rolling off the CFO board this year. I am so grateful for the guidance of our entire Board of Directors, who generously give of their time and talent. I will truly miss working, in this capacity at least, with each of these folks.
- Kari Creighton, of Springfield, served on the CFO board and executive committee for six years as chair of our Investment Advisory Board, a vital role which guides the CFO’s investment strategy. Prior to her stint as chair, Kari served as an IAB member starting in 2017.
- Mike Garrett, of Monett, is a retired judge who helped establish the Monett Area Community Foundation. Judge Garrett and his wife, Phyllis, have established the donor-advised Garrett Family Fund as well as the Priscilla Bradford Memorial Scholarship fund to benefit Monett High School graduates. He also served on the CFO’s development committee.
- Sarah Honeycutt, of Cabool, spent the last two years of her term on the CFO board on the executive committee in treasurer and at-large roles. Sarah was instrumental in the establishment of the Cabool Community Foundation and remains active with the CCF board and the Cabool Education Foundation.
- Stan Irwin, of Cape Girardeau, served two terms on the CFO board. He is a member of the CFO’s Professional Advisory Council and has served on the IAB. Stan and his wife, Glenda, advise the Stanley M. and Glenda Irwin Family Fund.
- Emily Kembell, of Springfield, completes her board service as a development committee member and Generosity Collective advisory board chair. Emily, an estate attorney, previously served on the COVID-19 and the Collective Impact grant committees and is a member of the PAC.
- Anne E. McGregor, of Branson, chaired the CFO’s board during the renovation of the CFO’s new offices at 300 South Jefferson and has since co-chaired the committee overseeing the capital campaign to renovate the first floor (see page 3). She and her husband, Mac, established the Anne E. and Mac McGregor Fund to facilitate their charitable giving.
- Angela Swan, of Perryville, is a construction-industry professional and past chair of the Perry County Community Foundation. She is a member of the PCCF’s Legacy Society.
NEW BOARD MEMBERS & EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
We welcome seven new board members, who began their first three-year terms July 1.
- Dr. David Barbe, of Mountain Grove, is a retired physician and longtime chair of the Mountain Grove Area Community Foundation. He is also a past board chair of the American Medical Association.
- Trenny Garrett, of Osage Beach, is executive vice president for Central Trust at Lake of the Ozarks. She’s long been involved with the Community Foundation of the Lake and is a member of the PAC.
- Jim Grebing, of Kennett, is executive director of the Bootheel Regional Planning Commission and helped establish the Bootheel Regional Community Foundation.
- Dustin Kallmeyer, of Hermann, is a business owner and has served on the board of the Community Foundation of the Hermann Area.
- Shannon McMurtrey, of Springfield, is an information technology professional and professor at Drury University. He chairs the CFO’s Information Security Steering committee.
- Amy Wescott, of Branson, is a community volunteer and former staff with Philanthropy Missouri, a statewide association for private and community foundations.
- Gabrielle White, of Springfield, is an estate attorney with McKay & White and a member of the PAC.
The board will be led by these members of the Executive Committee:
- Chair: Jimmy Liles, Nixa (City of Nixa)
- Vice chair: Brad Erwin, Springfield (Paragon Architecture)
- Treasurer: Greg Hoffman, Nevada (retired financial professional)
- Secretary: Lynne Meyerkord, Springfield (APO)
- Investment Advisory Board chair: Gary Garwitz, Springfield (retired financial professional)
- Audit/Operations Committee chair: Barb Houser, Springfield (KPM nonprofit practice)
- At-Large: Travis Liles, Springfield (Forvis Mazars Private Client)
- Chair emeritus: Roy Hardy Jr., Ozark (Associated Electric Cooperative)
