Who Is Show Me Christian County?
In 2012, the city administrators of Ozark and Nixa got together to talk. The two Missouri cities, which sit just miles from one another, have nearly the same population and were experiencing tremendous growth with no end in sight. These two men came together to determine how to manage this growth and sustain the county in the future. After hiring a firm to help them develop an action plan, the city administrators learned that an economic development organization was necessary to continue the growth. Fast forward to 2017: Show Me Christian County (SMCC) was born to represent all seven municipalities in Christian County. Shortly after, Andrea Sitzes became the President and CEO, and SMCC has been on the front lines, fighting for economic development issues in Christian County ever since.
At SMCC, we are much more than a resource for businesses; rather, we are a partnership, dedicated to the continued and lasting development of our beautiful, innovative, and expanding county. We are the voice of growth and opportunity for every business, employee, family, and resident of Christian County. We truly believe this is the best place to start a business and raise a family, and we are careful to set goals that are focused on promoting our wonderful county to the rest of the world!
Our primary goal is to encourage business attraction, business retention & expansion, workforce development, and entrepreneurship throughout Christian County by aligning resources and processes to make things easier on everyone. We love working with businesses and our cities to discover how to help our community thrive and shine!
2022 Board of Directors
Board ChairSarah ApplebyFinancial / Banking
SecretaryRalph PhillipsChristian County
Chris SnyderUtility
Amanda SatterleeClever Chamber of Commerce
Dr. Craig CarsonOzark School District
Jamie ClarkFinancial / Banking
Curtis JaredReal Estate - Commercial
Jason EnglandFinancial / Banking
Advisory MemberAmber BryantChristian County
Advisory MemberChris RussellNixa Chamber of Commerce
Vice ChairBrian SteeleCity of Nixa
Brad JacksonCity of Ozark
Jarad GiddensAt-Large
Don FleuryManufacturing / Distribution
Teresa McGeehanRetail / Commercial
Ben SappArchitecture / Design
Greg WilliamsInsurance
Advisory MemberSteve ChildersCity of Ozark
TreasurerJeff AllenAccounting / CPA
Clint EllingsworthMunicipal Seat - Highlandville
Tenya PrivettOzark Chamber of Commerce
Dr. Gearl LodenNixa School District
Dr. Cliff DavisHigher Education
Jason MassengaleReal Estate - Residential
Jeff TuckerHealthcare
Chris ThomasCharitable / Nonprofit
Advisory MemberJimmy LilesCity of Nixa
Advisory MemberGreg WilliamsOzark Chamber of Commerce
Show Me Christian County Staff
Kristen haseltine
president & CEO
Kristen Haseltine serves as President & CEO, where she leads the Show Me staff, works with the board of directors, and maintains the vision of the organization. Kristen facilitates partnerships between community leaders to ensure that SMCC's mission of balanced and intentional economic growth is carried out.
Prior to her work at Show Me, Kristen spent more than five years in leadership with Children’s Smile Center, a Christian County based nonprofit that provides dental care services to eligible children in six counties in Southwest Missouri. In total she has spent 15 years providing leadership and guidance to local nonprofit organizations in the Ozarks.
Kristen says, "I am humbled and honored to serve Christian County and the greater Ozarks region through Show Me Christian County. Bringing together community partners who want to make this the best area to work, live and play for generations to come is an incredible opportunity!”
Anna Evans
Vice President - Business Retention & Expansion
As Vice President - Business Retention & Expansion, Anna works to connect local business owners with the education and resources they need to grow and expand here in Christian County. She serves as SMCC's staff liaison for the organization's Strong Business Council and Government Relations Committee, and takes the lead in communicating local business and industry concerns with elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels.
Anna is a certified business resilience manager and executes FORTIFY Christian County, SMCC's business resilience outreach program. She serves on Christian County's COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disaster) team, and is a graduate of the Citizen's Fire Academy through the Ozark Fire Protection District. Previous roles in the county include marketing and event management and serving as Executive Director for the Ozark Chamber of Commerce.
Originally from Oklahoma, Anna has called Southwest MO home for more than a decade. She resides in Springfield, MO with her husband Dustin, two small dogs, and a growing collection of coffee tumblers.
Ethan Swick
Marketing Coordinator
As Marketing Coordinator, Ethan handles not just the internal and external communication for Show Me, but also works to promote Christian County on the regional, state, and national level. Whether it be through video, newsletters, digital media, or print literature, Ethan works every day to market our county as a great place to live, grow, and build a business.
Ethan previously served as the Creative Content Assistant in Evangel University’s athletics department, where he spearheaded the organization’s burgeoning multimedia campaign. He produced video content, motion graphics and live broadcasts for three seasons before transitioning to Show Me. Ethan also has five years of experience partnering with local and regional businesses as a freelance marketer, videographer and graphic designer.
Ethan says, “I’m thrilled to be working with a team dedicated to advancing this wonderful slice of the Ozarks. I’ve always known that I belong in a role where I can use my creative skills to work with the community, and Show Me allows me to do just that.”
Rachel Campbell
office administrator
Rachel Campbell serves Show Me as Office Administrator, where she assists the CEO, coordinates schedules and meetings, manages the office, and keeps the team in line. Rachel's role allows the team to focus on their primary responsibilities with the assurance that nothing is falling through the cracks.
Rachel previously served at Jordan Valley Community Health Center as Strategic Partner for Care Coordination. Before transitioning to Show Me, Rachel worked to support the Jordan Valley research team, connecting patients with much-needed community aid and opportunities, and she was tasked with spearheading the organization's Medicare expansion campaign in response to COVID-19. She is also a member of the Ozarks Literacy Council board.
Rachel says, “As someone who personally views the Ozarks as one of the most beautiful places in the Midwest, I am so excited to join a team that gets to shine a spotlight on Christian County on a daily basis.”
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Committed To Christian County
At SMCC, we are much more than a resource for businesses; rather, we are a partnership, dedicated to the continued and lasting development of our beautiful, innovative, and expanding county.
Show Me Christian County · 417-212-0699 · info@showmeccmo.com