Two Springfield journalists will be among those joining the Missouri Newspaper Hall of Fame on Sept. 20 during the Missouri Press Association’s annual convention in Springfield. The class of 2024 is the 34th group to be inducted since the Hall of Fame was established in 1991.
This year’s inductees are Mike O’Brien, former editor and columnist for the Springfield News-Leader; Dianne Elizabeth Osis, founding editor of the Springfield Business Journal; Doug Kneibert, former editor of the Sedalia Democrat; and Michael Stair, former city editor of the Joplin Globe.
Hall of Fame members (or their families) receive Pinnacle Awards in honor of the members’ service to the Missouri newspaper industry and their communities. The new inductee plaques will join the permanent inductee display in the MPA office in Columbia and in the student lounge in Lee Hills Hall at the Missouri School of Journalism.
Mike O’Brien, former News-Leader editor and columnist, to be inducted into Missouri Newspaper Hall of Fame
For nearly 60 years, Mike O’Brien has been a driving force in keeping southwest Missourians informed and entertained. He started in 1966 as an intern at Springfield Newspapers, regardless of the fact that he was studying advertising at the Missouri School of Journalism. O’Brien’s well-known nose for news, informative columns, photographic work and his ability to capture the reader’s attention ensured a steady stream of assignments after that.
After graduating in 1967, O’Brien joined the dual Springfield Leader & Press and Springfield Daily News operation. He remained there during the newspapers’ merger with the Springfield News-Leader. He left the newsroom in 1987 as associate editor, but continued as a columnist for another 20 years.
Throughout his career, O’Brien has embraced the future of the profession, including creating Springfield Newspapers’ first computer system and teaching his colleagues how to use it. He also helped younger journalists develop and hone their skills. “OB” is considered a true master of the journalistic craft and serves as a role model and mentor to budding journalists.
Over the years, O’Brien has been asked to return to the newspaper to give new reporters a lesson in all aspects of the job and share the history of the Ozarks. O’Brien’s departure from the News-Leader was a gain for the journalism profession when he joined the faculty of Missouri State University and later Drury University. He continues to fulfill the role of training the next generation of journalists at Drury.
A master of adaptation, O’Brien has worked in every editorial position in a print newspaper. But at heart he is a beat reporter. These days, O’Brien’s beat is writing occasional articles for the Springfield Daily Citizen website and writing on social media about community issues that interest him.
Dianne Elizabeth Osis, founding editor of Springfield Business Journal, to be inducted into Missouri Newspaper Hall of Fame
Dianne Elizabeth Osis produced her first newspaper, Top’s Executive Journal, in July 1980 from her kitchen table, with only an academic background in journalism. Representing The Ozarks Pulse, she was inspired by a similar publication from her time working at a law firm in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and was the first business magazine in Missouri.
The newspaper, which was initially published every two weeks, limped along in its early years because people in the area were unfamiliar with the concept of a business magazine. Osis persisted because he believed the newspaper model could work in Springfield, and in 1983 the publication was renamed the Springfield Business Journal, bringing new success.
A move to fledgling downtown Springfield in the mid-1980s, combined with Osis’s determination, meant the newspaper embraced the up-and-coming area and, in turn, businesses supported SBJ. Additionally, he would show his commitment to the city center by purchasing and renovating an old hotel to serve as the newspaper’s office.
Community leaders credit Osis’ vision and commitment as a major factor in the revitalization of downtown Springfield, helping to build trust with others in the area and inspiring a resurgence of investment in the years ahead.
Osis, who regularly volunteers for community efforts, is an example of an altruistic leader and is seen as “a model of a civic-minded journalist” with many of the same traits that made her a good journalist and is also running for his work on various boards and committees.
Osis’s work as one of the country’s first business magazine editors broke barriers and paved the way for other women in the industry, including her daughter, Jennifer Jackson, who succeeded Osis as editor of SBJ in 2011 and as president of SBJ Publishing. in 2017. Her commitment to journalism and mentoring aspiring journalists continues to have a lasting impact, fostering the growth and success of countless people throughout her career.
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