Chamber announces 2015 Springfieldian
Dr. John Bentley was named the 2015 Springfieldian at the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting Friday.
Bentley completed medical school at the University of Pennsylvania in 1964 and went on to finish his training in Internal Medicine at University of Wisconsin in 1968. He then practiced medicine at St. John's, now Mercy Hospital Springfield, for 35 years. What began as a volunteer position with The Kitchen Clinic in 1980 evolved into a directorship in 1985 and ultimately, his role with Jordan Valley Community Health Center, where he has served as a family practitioner for 11 years.
He has seen Jordan Valley grow from a small storefront on East Division with two doctors and two nurse practitioners to a medical and dental clinic with locations in Springfield, Marshfield, Hollister, and Republic. Personally and professionally, Bentley is committed to helping provide a safety net for area individuals who might otherwise find it difficult to get the care they need. He established the Bentley Fund through the Community Foundation of the Ozarks to help provide financial assistance to individuals to cover expenses for medical and dental care.
Bentley's years of service in the medical field have been recognized by the community. He is one of only a handful of individuals to be recognized with the Missourian Award, the Humanitarian Award and the Springfieldian Award. In 1999, he received the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce Salute to Healthcare Award. He has also been the recipient of the Gift of Time Volunteer of the Year Award in 2000, the Humanitarian of the Year in 2002, and the Citizenship and Community Service Award in 2003 from the Missouri State Medical Association. In 2010, Dr. Bentley was honored with the Missourian Award.
Bentley's family includes his wife, Roseann Knauer Bentley, who is a Greene County Commissioner and a former state senator, four children—Jeff Bentley, Christopher Bentley, Melissa Bentley Allen, and Jonathan Bentley—and 12 grandchildren.
For more than 50 years, the Chamber has honored an outstanding individual for leadership and commitment to our community. The Springfieldian is a citizen who has exemplified outstanding community service, excellence in his or her chosen profession and dedication to improving the quality of life for Springfield and its citizens.
