CEO Roundtable w. Fred Parry

The Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture (CCUA) started in 2008. Its mission is feeding and educating our community. CCUA executive director Billy Polansky joined host Fred Parry in-studio Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable” program. Mr. Polansky tells listeners that the CCUA aims to connect people with agriculture and their food. The CCUA also helps get young people interested i...

Columbia Parks and Recreation oversees 3,800 acres of parkland, 79 parks and 62 miles of trails. It also has 56 playgrounds. Gabe Huffington has served as Columbia Parks and Recreation director for three years and has worked for the department for 17 years. Mr. Huffington grew up in southwest Missouri’s Buffalo. He joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable.”...

Pope Francis’ funeral is scheduled for Saturday. He died this week at the age of 88. Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe is a Roman Catholic and a parishioner at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Jefferson City. Governor Kehoe joined us live on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Missouri”, telling listeners that the Pope’s death is sad for all Catholics. Governor Kehoe describes Francis as the “People’s Pope”, noting...

Columbia Regional Airport’s (COU) manager is optimistic about the restoration of passenger air service between Columbia and Denver. COU staff members have been working with airlines to try to restore air service to Denver. Columbia has received a $1-million federal grant for the restoration or reinstatement of air service to Denver. That grant was from the U-S Department of Transportation. Columbi...

Columbia-based Boone Health says it continues to accept all commercial Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance plans. While negotiations continue, Anthem and Columbia-based MU Health Care have still not reached an agreement. Boone Health president Brady Dubois addressed the issue Saturday morning in-studio on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable” program. Mr. Dubois tells listeners he doesn’t know any...

Motorists on Paris road can see the new multi-million dollar community center being built near Sylvan and Towne in northeast Columbia’s Whitegate neighborhood, which has high poverty. United Community Builders is building the 22,500 square foot facility, which will be called the Beacon of Light. Senior Bishop and executive director Damian Dean and new development director Rochara Knight of United...

Columbia’s My Life Clinic at Providence and Wilkes started as Open Arms pregnancy center in 1992. It aims to support women and families experiencing an unexpected or unsupported pregnancy. They offer services such as pregnancy testing and ultrasound services. Their website also says they provide prenatal and parenting education on pregnancy, baby care, health, birth, parenting, budgeting, and more...

The Boone County Recorder of Deeds office is a critical one that is often overlooked. You will visit Boone County Recorder of Deeds Bob Nolte's office when you get married, if you're refinancing a house, for some land transfers and for military discharge paperwork. Mr. Nolte joined host Fred Parry in-studio Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle's "CEO Roundtable". Mr. Nolte earned his bachelor's degre...

The longtime president of the nation’s second oldest women’s college is in her final few months before she retires. Longtime Stephens College president Dianne Lynch is finishing her 16th and final year as president at Stephens in Columbia, which was founded in 1833. She joined host Fred Parry in-studio this weekend on 939 the Eagle’s "CEO Roundtable" and tells listeners that Stephens has an incred...

A prominent businessman who founded Midway USA in Boone County 48 years ago is serving again as its chief executive officer. Larry Potterfield joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable.” Midway USA is a shooting, hunting, outdoor and fishing internet retailer, and has about 350 employees. Mr. Potterfield tells listeners that he suffered a str...

Columbia’s city council will hear a presentation Monday at city hall on the convention center feasibility study. It’s an issue that has been discussed in Columbia for about 30 years. The feasibility study discussion will take place Monday at 5 pm at city hall, during the council’s pre-meeting. Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) director Amy Schneider will be presenting that report, and...

Columbia-based MU Health Care says it's doing all it can to continue their participation in the Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield network. Columbia-based MU Health Care started notifying patients in December that they’re working to reach an agreement with Anthem to renew its contracts, which are set to expire on March 31, 2025. That's a little more than a month away. MU Health Care says the two partie...

Storage Trust Realty was founded in 1974 by Columbia residents Gordon and Mickey Burnam. The family went on to found the self-storage company StorageMart in 1999, which began with one location on Rangeline. StorageMart is now the largest family-owned and privately operated self storage company in the world, and they're still growing. StorageMart president and chief investment officer Mike Burnam j...

The Columbia Chamber of Commerce describes Columbia as a great place to live, learn, work and play. Columbia Chamber of Commerce president Matt McCormick joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable” program. They tackled the issues of homelessness and crime during the interview and they also discussed the importance of the new $220-million I-70...

Boone County’s presiding commissioner says Schneider Electric sees the need for the proposed $73-mllion expansion at their facility on Columbia’s Route B. Presiding Commissioner Kip Kendrick joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable.” Schneider Electric, which many of our listeners will remember used to be called Square D, is seeking property...

A May 30, 2024 memo from Columbia Utilities director David Sorrell to city manager De’Carlon Seewood recommends proceeding with building a new transmission line connecting the Persche Creek and Grindstone substations along a path that follows Scott Boulevard, Vawter School road, Nifong and Grindstone Parkway. Columbia voters approved a $63-million bond issue to finance the project in April 2015, b...

Love Columbia says one in five Columbia residents live in poverty and that many others struggle to make ends meet and find livable wage jobs. The nonprofit organization says there is not enough affordable rental housing here, adding that few income-based public housing units have been built in the city in the past 45 years. The group also says increases in wages have not kept pace with the cost of...

The Columbia Housing Authority (CHA) was founded in 1956. Its mission is to provide safe, healthy and affordable housing to low-income Columbia/Boone County residents and families. That includes vulnerable residents. It also includes elderly residents who live at Oak Towers and elsewhere. Columbia Housing Authority chief executive officer Randy Cole joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour th...

Columbia’s municipal elections are less than three months away. Columbia mayor Barbara Buffaloe is seeking a second term in April and has at least two challengers: businessman Blair “Murph” Murphy and Mizzou journalism instructor Tanya Heath. Ms. Heath also ran in 2022. Mr. Murphy co-owns Johnston Paint and Decorating on Buttonwood. Comobuz publisher Mike Murphy, who also anchors afternoon newscas...

The former chairman of Columbia’s Landmark Bank says Columbia’s economy is much more diversified in late 2024 than it was when he moved to town in 1987. Former Landmark Bank chairman Jeff MacLellan says Columbia’s three economic pillars used to be education, healthcare and insurance. He joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour on 939 the Eagle's "CEO Roundtable" program, telling listeners tha...

An increased emphasis on public safety and a renewed focus on the pension plan are top priorities for the Columbia Police Officers Association (CPOA). CPOA president Matt Nichols joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable” program. Mr. Nichols describes CPOA as the voice for the men and women who serve the Columbia Police Department, who decid...

The retiring Columbia Public Schools (CPS) superintendent will be paid regularly on his $261,000 annual salary through December 31 and then will receive a lump sum payment of $667,000 in January. 939 the Eagle's Mike Murphy, who publishes Comobuz, broke that story in late November. He joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle's "CEO Roundtable." Mr. Murphy out...

Columbia businessman Ryan Kreuger has sold men's clothing at Bingham's downtown and has managed two AT&T stores for Mid-American Wireless. Today, Mr. Kreuger owns RTK Properties and also helped start Boulevard Realty. RTK Properties is a property management company. Mr. Kreuger joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday on 939 the Eagle's "CEO Roundtable" program. They discussed in-det...

Caring Hearts and Hands of Columbia is a not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to taking care of people at the end of their life. Nurse Jackie Reed and Deb Portell of Caring Hearts and Hands of Columbia joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle's "CEO Roundtable" program. Ms. Reed tells listeners that their home "basically takes the place of a person’s...

Missouri's winningest coach in any sport is longtime Mizzou wrestling coach Brian Smith, who’s written a brand-new book that will be released on Monday. Coach Smith has led his team to a 334-120-3 record in 27 years of coaching. His book called “Tiger Style” comes out tomorrow morning, and he’ll be signing books Monday evening from 5-7 pm at Memorial Stadium’s Columns club, which is on the east si...