The seven county Ozark region is well-rounded.  In addition to a dynamic economy, it’s home to still-pristine Ozark forests and streams, the internationally acclaimed mecca of live entertainment, Branson, and the Springfield Cardinals.  Top industries in this area include Transportation/Logistics, Warehousing/Distribution and Manufacturing. The popular Bass Pro Shops and O’Reilly Auto Parts chains started in the Ozark Region.

December 2011- Dealer Uplink LLC, a Springfield company that develops changeable QR barcodes that help car dealers sell vehicles announced that it is planning to add 30 jobs over the next three years in Springfield.

November 2011- John Deere Reman, a remanufacturer of John Deere parts, announced it will invest $14 million to build a 275,000 square-foot storage facility in Springfield, adding 55 new jobs.

October 2011- Paul Mueller Co. announced that it would add up to 289 jobs to its Springfield operations to meet a backlog of demand for its products. In addition to the jobs announcement, Mueller said it will also make a capital investment of $600,000 in new equipment for the Springfield plant.

September 2011-  Undercover Inc., a southwest Missouri company that makes truck bed covers and accessories, announced a $5.3 million expansion in Rogersville, adding 70,000 square feet and 30 employees.

Mid-Am Metal Forming, Inc’s announced it will expand, creating 20 jobs and $560,000 in private investment, in Rogersville.

July 2011- HealthMEDX, an Ozark-based health care software provider, announced plans to fill 65 jobs over the next five years, creating a capital investment of about $1 million.

June 2011- Architectural Components Group Inc., a wood wall and ceiling manufacturer, announced plans to expand and create 70 new jobs over the next five years.

American Products LLC, a sheet metal company that makes custom enclosures, announced plans to create 59 jobs in Strafford, with the promise of 36 more jobs being added over the next five years.

PROFormance Powertrain Products, a company that refurbishes the engines of used cars, announced plans to add 131 jobs to their Springfield plant over the next three to four years.

May 2011- Gold Mountain Communications, an inbound/outbound call center and service agency, announced plans to add 140 new jobs to the company’s existing 180 employees. The company is also adding $540,000 in new capital investment and leasing additional space adjacent to their current location in Springfield.

November 2010- T-Mobile announced it would add 300 jobs to its call center in Springfield.

Key Industries:

Health Care, Manufacturing, Transportation/Logistics, Warehousing/Distribution

Major Employers:

3M: (Springfield)
American National Property and Casualty: (Springfield)
AT&T: (Springfield)
Archimica Cooperatief U.A.: (Springfield)
Associated Wholesale Grocers: (Springfield)
Bass Pro Shops: (HQ Springfield)
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad: (Springfield)
Chase Card Services: (Springfield)
Dairy Farmers of America: (Springfield)
Diversified Plastics: (HQ Nixa)
Great Southern Bank: (HQ Springfield) 
Hiland Dairy Foods: (HQ Springfield) 
Kraft Foods: (Springfield)
Loren Cook Company: (Springfield)
NorthStar Battery: (Springfield)
O’Reilly Automotive: (HQ Springfield)
Positronic Industries: (Springfield)
Prime, Inc.: (HQ Springfield)
Paul Mueller Company: (HQ Springfield)
Regal-Beloit: (Springfield)
SRC Logistics: (HQ Springfield) 
T-Mobile USA: (Springfield)
Teters Floral Products: (Bolivar)
YRC: (Strafford)

Area	Population 2010	Population Projection 2030	Civilian Labor Force	Employment	Unemployment	Unemployment Rate
Christian County	79,065	131,066	41,378	38,381	2,997	7.20%
Dallas County	16,649	22,172	7,322	6,649	673	9.20%
Greene County	269,500	329,825	142,243	131,622	10,621	8%
Polk County	30,551	40,139	14,540	13,132	1,408	9.70%
Stone County	31,290	40,346	16,667	15,318	1,349	8.10%
Taney County	48,900	68,041	29,418	26,908	2,510	8.50%
Webster County	36,977	53,282	17,081	15,620	1,461	8.60%
Ozark Region Summary	512,932	684,871	268,649	247,630	21,019	7.80%

Median Wages:

The regional average wage was $605 per week in the 1st Quarter of 2011.

Major roads in the region include I-44, US-60, US-65, and US-160. I-44 provides access to St. Louis, Springfield, and Oklahoma City.

US-60 links Virginia to Arizona, with major junctions at Richmond, Lexington, Louisville, and Phoenix. US-65 runs from Minnesota to Louisiana. US-160 begins in Missouri and terminates in Arizona.

Two regional airports serve the region, in Branson and Springfield.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe provides Class I rail service.

Springfield (Pop: 159,498)
Nixa (19,022)
Branson (10,520)
Bolivar (10,325)

Higher Education Institutions:

College of the Ozarks: (Point Lookout) 4-year, private
Drury University: (Springfield) 4-year, private
Evangel University: (Springfield) 4-year, private
Missouri State University: (Springfield) 4-year, public
Ozarks Technical Community College: (Springfield) 2-year, public
Southwest Baptist University: (Boliver) 4-year, private 

Educational Attainment:

	High School Diploma	Associate's Degree	Bachelor's Degree	Graduate Degree	Total
Christian County, MO	17,710	4,154	9,101	3,570	34,535
Dallas County, MO	5,121	516	912	463	7,012
Greene County, MO	54,041	10,999	32,908	17,289	115,237
Polk County, MO	7,997	960	2,287	1,173	12,417
Stone County, MO	9,793	1,157	2,797	1,412	15,159
Taney County, MO	13,215	2,265	4,075	2,030	21,585
Webster County, MO	9,946	1,332	2,118	1,119	14,515
Ozark Region	117,823	21,383	54,198	27,056	220,460
Source: ESRI. Population 25+, 2010.

Missouri State University Center for Applied Science and Engineering (CASE): Committed to the development and support of advanced materials, CASE provides engineering and support for electronics & devices, materials research, MEMS sensors and systems fabrication. CASE is also involved with “high risk” R&D, testing services, public safety issues, and educational opportunities for current and perspective employees.

Missouri State University Center for Biomedical and Life Sciences (CBLS): The CBLS is committed to the development and support of advanced biotechnology industries in Missouri.

 

 

The Ozark region is very well-rounded, with a healthy economy, a low cost of living, numerous state-of-the-art health care facilities, and one of a kind entertainment and recreational options.

Hospitals in the region include Cox Medical Center (Springfield), Citizens Memorial Hospital (Bolivar), and Skaggs Regional Medical Center (Branson).

Recreation is king in Branson, with three beautiful lakes, breathtaking scenery framed by the Ozark Mountains, and world-class entertainment options. With 50 live performance theaters, Branson is known as the "Live Music Show Capital of the World."  Other attractions in the area include Silver Dollar City amuseument park and White Water water park.

Springfield is home to the world’s only ride thru cave, Fantastic Caverns, the Springfield Cardinals Double A baseball team, as well as the Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, the site of an important civil war battle.