Rudolph Farber Recognized by Hawthorn Foundation

Inaugural Hawthorn Award of Excellence awarded to Farber at the Governor’s Conference on Economic Development

The Hawthorn Foundation is honoring key leaders making an impact on economic development in Missouri. The organization recently awarded Rudolph Farber with its inaugural Award of Excellence. Farber was selected for the award due to his unwavering commitment to economic development across Missouri and his longtime dedication to the Hawthorn Foundation. Governor Mike Parson presented the award to Farber during the Missouri Governor’s Conference on Economic Development.

“Missouri is home to some of the most loyal, hard-working, and dedicated people, and Rudy is a great example of the many champions of economic development around the state,” said Becky Willard, Executive Director of the Hawthorn Foundation. “Rudy’s leadership has made a tremendous impact on the state over the years. We believe it’s important to recognize Missourians making a difference in our communities, and the Hawthorn Award of Excellence helps us do just that.”

Farber is the Chairman of Community Bank and Trust in Neosho, Missouri. For decades, Farber has supported efforts to improve Southwest Missouri by supporting development, infrastructure improvements, historical renovations, education, and the arts. Prior to his current role, Farber served as Chairman of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission.

“Economic development is a team effort and not a one-person endeavor,” said Rudolph Farber. “Working together, we can and are making Missouri a more prosperous place to live and raise a family. It is an honor to be a part of the excellent work being done by the Hawthorn Foundation through its support of Missouri Partnership. I would urge anyone interested in helping our state grow and prosper to support the Hawthorn Foundation.”

Farber is a longtime investor in the Hawthorn Foundation. He served on the Executive Committee and as Treasurer. Over the years, Farber’s support and leadership helped ensure the Hawthorn Foundation would continue to be a vital resource for creating new jobs in Missouri.  

The Hawthorn Foundation hosts the Governor’s Conference on Economic Development annually. It typically draws more than 400 attendees from across the state. In addition to the Hawthorn Award of Excellence, the Hawthorn Foundation honored American Foods Group with the Project of the Year Award.

About Hawthorn Foundation

Hawthorn Foundation is a highly diverse group of statewide leaders dedicated to the economic prosperity of all Missourians. Since 1982, the Hawthorn Foundation has supported trade missions to assist with the promotion of Missouri globally. The organization works diligently toward development, growth, and prosperity for the state of Missouri through partnerships with the Missouri Department of Economic Development, Missouri Partnership, and local and regional economic and workforce development organizations.

About Missouri Partnership

Missouri Partnership is a public-private economic development organization focused on attracting new jobs and investment to the state and promoting Missouri’s business strengths. Since 2008, Missouri Partnership has worked with partners statewide to attract companies that have created 32,900+ new jobs, $1.7 billion+ in new annual payroll, and $6.4 billion+ in new capital investment. Some recent successful projects that led to major investment in Missouri include Accenture Federal Services LLC, American Foods Group, Casey’s, Chewy, Inc., James Hardie, Meta, Swift Prepared Foods, URBN, USDA, and Veterans United.