2025 SBDC Annual Meeting

From breathing new life into our city’s core to hatching big opportunities for local businesses, this year’s Springfield Business Development Corporation (SBDC) Annual Meeting showcased how strategic growth fuels success for everyone. Attendees heard how projects like Vital Farms’ Egg Central Station aren’t just about one industry—they’re catalysts for broader economic impact, supporting other local businesses like Cold Zone Storage and beyond.

The annual investor luncheon showcased the region’s significant economic growth and development. Brad Erwin, president of Paragon Architecture and SBDC board president, highlighted some of the SBDC’s recent successes, emphasizing that economic development isn’t just about industrial expansion—it’s about transformative projects that strengthen the community.

One such project is the expansion of Keep Supply, a local industrial parts supplier and distributor, moving its offices to the square in downtown Springfield. This strategic investment not only creates jobs but also bolsters the city’s core, bringing more than 170 people downtown every day, and attracting additional business activity and fostering a more vibrant downtown.

This kind of revitalization is exactly what the event’s keynote speaker and founder of Recast City LLC, Ilana Preuss, champions. Preuss emphasized the power of small-scale manufacturing in transforming city centers across the country.

“People want to be in a place that they feel connected,” Preuss said. “Where there is some aesthetic beauty—the natural environment, the buildings that make them feel a part of that place.”

Small-scale manufacturing—businesses producing goods in limited quantities with a small workforce—plays a crucial role in creating inviting, dynamic downtowns.

“Think of them as mom-and-pop shops making candles, furniture, bathing products, and much more. Every city and town in America has them, and they’re the key to the revitalization of downtown centers,” said Preuss. “They are the hidden gems in every community.”

Springfield has already embraced this model of growth, with businesses like Askinosie Chocolate demonstrating how small-scale manufacturers can thrive and expand. These businesses don’t just contribute to the local economy—they create a sense of place, drawing people in to see the work happen and feel connected to the process. As they scale, moving into larger spaces and deepening their community roots, they reinforce the idea that Springfield is a hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and production. Preuss emphasized that providing technical assistance and shared spaces fosters an environment where making things locally becomes part of the city’s identity, attracting both talent and investment.

Continuing the conversation on economic impact, a panel discussion brought together industry leaders to explore Springfield’s evolving business landscape. Christina Angle, chief financial officer for Erlen Group, and Mike O’Brien, director of plant operations with Vital Farms, shared their own insights on the region’s economic development, highlighting the balance between attracting new businesses and supporting existing ones. They discussed Springfield’s fast-growing job market, the ripple effects of investment in local industries, and the interconnected network of businesses that drive the local economy.

One example of this economic synergy is the ‘chain of custody’ for products like those from Vital Farms. O’Brien detailed how their operations rely on strategic partnerships to keep the supply chain moving efficiently across more than 425 family farms.

“The egg is laid on the farm, loaded onto a pallet—900 dozen, which is 10,800 eggs per pallet—and shipped to our partners at Cold Zone. Cold Zone stores them before sending them from Egg Central to our plants for processing. We process 4.2 million eggs a year,” said O’Brien. “We all help each other succeed with strong stewardship and ultimately, the partnerships.”

Angle reinforced the value-added nature of Vital Farms: “About four years ago, we converted a 90,000-square-foot building into a cold storage unit. Now, Cold Zone is doubling down on its partnership with Vital Farms, investing more than $57 million and expanding to PIC West to increase its footprint by more than 170,000 square feet – with the ability to quadruple the space as needed.”

Angle also emphasized how strongly the local impact from Vital Farms has been felt with companies like SMC Packaging supplying the corrugated boxes, Show-Me Global Logistics and Ruan trucking company providing supply chain support as well as Keep Supply providing the cold storage facility hardware. These local companies have been intertwined with Vital Farms and those relationships continue to grow.

The panel discussion left attendees with a deeper appreciation of how collaboration fuels Springfield’s economic success, underscoring the importance of partnerships and strengthening the community’s sense of pride.

The SBDC Annual Meeting underscored the power of strategic investment, collaboration, and innovation in shaping Springfield’s future. From revitalizing the downtown core to fostering small-scale manufacturing and strengthening industry partnerships, the event highlighted the many ways businesses are driving economic momentum. As Springfield continues to grow, the insights shared by speakers and panelists reinforce a clear message—when businesses, entrepreneurs, and community leaders work together, the entire region thrives. With a strong foundation and a shared vision for progress, Springfield is well-positioned to seize new opportunities and build a more vibrant, resilient economy for years to come.