OUTdrive

If you were told to plan an event that included entertainment, food and housing options for 350,000 guests, where would you start? For Kari Mergen, marketing director of the Missouri State Fair, this event planning process happens on a yearly basis. For the second episode in OUTdrive's "Live from the Fair" series, Cliff Callis sat down with Kari to get an inside look at the strategy behind hosting the state's largest agricultural expo.

Kari is in her seventh year as the marketing director, but her history with the fair goes back much further. As a Green Ridge native and lifetime fair-goer, Kari's first job was as a State Fair Farm Bureau tram hostess. She went on to earn a degree in education from University of Central Missouri, starting her career as a high school English and journalism teacher at Green Ridge. Kari joined the team at the State Fair in 2008 as a public information specialist and worked the next six years in that role before her promotion to marketing director in 2014.

From housing livestock to booking concerts to creating engaging TikTok videos, hosting an event like the Missouri State Fair is a unique planning challenge. Tune into this episode of OUTdrive as Cliff and Kari discuss all the moving parts that help make the magic of the fair come to life.

What you'll learn:

• Kari's day-to-day responsibilities during the fair and the rest of the year

• Kari's history working for the fair and her path to marketing director
• The impact of social media on marketing tactics and live coverage of the fair
• How the marketing staff handles challenges related to concerts and large-scale entertainment
• Insight on the Missouri State Fair internship program
• The extent of planning that goes into events within the 11-day fair
• Kari's reflection on pivoting the 2020 fair, takeaways from 2021 and thoughts for 2022

The Missouri State Fair only comes around once a year for 11 days. But, it takes every bit of the other 354 days of the year to make it happen. In the first installment of OUTdrive's "Live from the Fair" series, Cliff Callis sat down with the director of the fair, Mark Wolfe, to get a better understanding of what goes into making the fair a success.

Originally from Mountain Grove, Mark moved to the area to attend college, earning a degree in agricultural business from Missouri Valley College. He went on to own and operate a construction business for nearly 20 years before joining the Missouri State Fair staff in 2004 as facilities manager. In 2009, Wolfe was promoted to director, making the 2021 fair his 12th at the helm.

Tune into this episode of OUTdrive as Cliff and Mark talk about the work, rewards, and challenges that come with putting on the state's largest agriculture expo. They also discuss what's already in the works for 2022, the impact of COVID-19 and the rich history and tradition of the fair.

What you'll learn:

• Why it's important for all Missourians to experience the Missouri State Fair

• Mark's role and day-to-day responsibilities as director during the fair and the rest of the year.
• The effects of COVID-19, from last year's cancellation to this year's shortage of volunteers.
• The cost of maintaining the historical integrity of facilities and buildings on the fairgrounds.
• How the fair overcomes challenges like severe weather and entertainment changes
• Mark's marketing insights from the 2021 fair
• How the fairgrounds generates revenue during the off-season
• Current planning and preparation for the 2022 fair

Throughout the summer, you can find corn on the cob on the dinner table in most rural American homes. But, much of the corn grown in Missouri can be found year-round in everyday products like gas, soda, and even diapers. In this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff Callis visits with Bradley Schad, Missouri Corn Growers Association CEO of the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council, about the power and reach of this versatile crop.

As a life-long farmer, Versailles native, and University of Missouri alum, Bradley's agricultural roots go deep into Missouri's soil and he is passionate about representing corn farmers across the state. Bradley's role is dedicated to developing and expanding corn markets, educating growers and customers, and exploring new research opportunities. He works with legislators to make sure that farmers' voices are carried in the state capital and in Washington, D.C. Bradley's duties even extend overseas, working to grow corn markets on the international level.

Midwest corn crops stretch across state lines and into global markets in several forms. Join Cliff and Bradley as they discuss all the products and resources those little yellow kernels deliver to rural America and beyond. Check it out!

What you'll learn:

• How the Missouri Corn Growers Association and Missouri Corn Merchandising Council represent corn growers and the corn industry at the state and national level
• How the MCGA and MCMC work with federal organizations to promote and grow the corn market on an international level
• Ways the MCGA and the MCMC are educating consumers on the corn market and sharing current research
• The impact of the corn industry on product manufacturing
• The importance of ethanol and how it's used
• New innovation and technology being used in the corn industry
• Bradley's day-to-day role as CEO

Baseball may be America's Pastime, but for play-by-play announcer Bill Brown, the sport spans a lifetime. In this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff visits with Bill about the journey from his childhood as a baseball fan in rural Missouri, all the way to the MLB broadcast booth.

Bill is a semi-retired sportscaster who spent 30 years as a play-by-play announcer for the Houston Astros from 1987 to 2016. As a veteran MLB broadcaster, Brown has been honored several times over the course of his career including a 2013 Texas Sportscaster of the Year Award by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. A Sedalia, Missouri native, Bill earned a degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and started his career by calling local high school and college sports in the Jefferson City area. Bill made his way to the MLB scene with the Cincinnati Reds in the 1970's, joining the broadcast team following back-to-back World Series and NLCS titles in 1975 and 1976.

Bill shares stories about former professional players, winning and losing seasons, and what it's like to live a day in the life of a sportscaster. Tune in to this week's episode of OUTdrive to hear about the home runs, and strikeouts, of working in professional baseball.

What you'll learn:

• Game-day prep work for a play-by-play announcer
• Changes in sports broadcast and marketing over the last decade
• The characteristics of a great sportscaster
• Bill's personal encounters with baseball's greatest players
• Lessons from the highs and lows of working in professional sports
• How to create fan engagement in losing seasons
• Bill's advice for aspiring sportscasters

During season one of OUTdrive, we had Mark Thomas on the show to discuss crisis communications and audience segmentation. The episode aired during the early stages of the COVID pandemic, and the discussion was very insightful and well-received by audience members. For this episode, we invited Mark back on the show to discuss how he sees things changing as COVID evolves.

At the time of the previous episode, Mark was Director of Marketing and Communications for ACES in North Haven, Connecticut. During 2020, he transitioned to become Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Simplicity Engineering in Westfield, Massachusetts. Simplicity is a premier dealer for material processing equipment, service, and parts. Mark is leading the company's marketing efforts with his expertise and knowledge to deliver results.

Listen along as Mark shares his thoughts on crisis communications and the impacts of COVID. We also discuss marketing trends, understanding customers, the rural lifestyle and more.

What you'll learn:

• Mark's thoughts on crisis communications during the COVID-19 pandemic
• The lasting impact of COVID on various industries
• Marketing trends including video and email to deliver a strong return on investment
• Tips for success including utilizing tools and trying new things
• The '4-1-1' social media strategy and how Mark uses it in his work
• Differences between rural America and the Northeast where Mark lives
• More from Mark and Cliff about crisis management, life in rural America and more

OUTdrive has been airing each week for over a year now with this being the 61st episode. In every episode, I ask guests to share something they think others would find interesting or beneficial, and their responses are always insightful. In this episode, I chose to revisit each episode and share the quotes through a solocast.

One of my favorite parts of OUTdrive is meeting with different individuals and hearing their unique stories. Every episode is different, and every featured quote is as well. Whether it is personal or professional advice or a guiding principle they live by, I enjoy learning from others' points of view and I hope you do as well.

Join me as I share the featured quotes from the first year of OUTdrive episodes and revisit each guest's story along the way.

Rural American roots run deep, even when an individual no longer lives and works here. In this episode of OUTdrive, I visit with John Ashford, co-founder, Chairman and CEO of The Hawthorn Group L.C. The Hawthorne Group is an international public affairs and public relations firm that John co-founded in 1992.

John grew up in Marshall, Missouri and was enamored with politics at a young age. He first appeared on the political scene in Missouri and went on to work for members of the US House and Senate. He later spent a decade with legendary political consultant Matt Reese and gained experience through hundreds of successful political and corporate campaigns. He now leverages years of experience to provide senior counsel to Hawthorne clients across the country and around the world.

Tune in to this episode of OUTdrive as John shares his path from rural America to international affairs and the things he's learned along the way.

What you'll learn:

• John's experiences in state and federal government affairs and what he's learned along the way
• How John made his way to Washington DC after growing up in a rural Missouri town
• Behind the scenes of the international public relations and affairs industry
• Stories and history of politics and communications from John's perspective
• The importance of hard work and how "Hard work makes life easier."
• Grassroots marketing and the role it plays in John's work
• The importance of relationships, networking and word of mouth
• More from John about growing up in rural America and discovering a love of politics at a young age

Agriculture is the backbone of rural America, and there is a significant amount of science and technology at work behind the scenes. In this episode of OUTdrive, I visit with Erin Ogle about her work in the agriculture and environmental fields and her position as the Watershed Project Coordinator for Taylor County, Iowa SWCD.

Erin is passionate about conservation and joined the Taylor County SWCD to implement the Taylor County Water Quality Initiative project in 2016. With a B.S. in Biological Systems Engineering from Kansas State University and experience in the field, she was well suited for the position. Her team partners with farmers and producers to prevent erosion, improve soil health and educate community members each step of the way. Through strategic analysis, planning and implementation, they're improving land and water quality and fostering the growth of rural communities and businesses.

Tune in to this episode of OUTdrive as Erin shares what it's like to partner with rural Americans to improve their operations and foster growth for years to come.

What you'll learn:

• The importance of water quality and soil preservation in agriculture operations
• How Erin and her team partner with farmers and producers to improve their operations while also improving the environment
• Innovative tools and technologies used in the Water Quality Initiative project
• Erin's passion for agriculture and rural America and how she lives out her passion every day
• The importance of strategic planning and implementing a plan in manageable steps
• How Erin communicates with the farmers and producers she works with, including mail, newspaper and word-of-mouth
• The success of the Water Quality Initiative project and expected growth moving forward
• Erin's favorite aspects of living and working in rural America

The work ethic of rural Americans stretches beyond fields and businesses into art galleries and museums across the country. In this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff Callis visits with professional artist Doug Freed on his impact on the art culture in the Midwest. Doug is a profound artist, the former head of the State Fair Community College art department and founding director of the Daum Museum of Contemporary Art in Sedalia, Missouri.

Doug is represented by galleries in several U.S. cities, including New York City, Boston, Miami, Houston, St. Louis and Kansas City. Doug's artwork is currently featured in six different Missouri museum collections throughout the state. His skillset has been commissioned by many corporations, including the Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City, Emerson Electric and Sachs Properties. Proclamations from the Missouri Senate and House of Representatives have recognized him for his profound contributions to the cultural and artistic climate of the state.

Tune in to this episode as Doug takes listeners from his humble beginnings as an elementary art student in small-town Kansas to a solo exhibitor in New York City.

What you'll learn:

• Doug's influence on the robust arts culture of rural America
• Community acceptance of the contemporary art scene
• Founding roots and history of the Daum Museum of Contemporary Art
• Inner workings of artist galleries and exhibitions
• How the beauty and landscape of rural America influenced Doug's artistic style
• Advice for young artists looking to gain exposure in the Midwest

Nature is part of what makes rural Missouri so special, and few people know that as well as Tabitha Schmidt, this week's guest on OUTdrive. As Executive Director and President of Powell Gardens, Tabitha gets to help showcase the beauty of nature year-round.

With a deep appreciation and passion for art and the outdoors, Tabitha loves sharing the history and experience of Powell Gardens with others. As Powell Gardens turns 33 this year, Tabitha continues to share the Powell family's mission of embracing the Midwest's spirit of place and share an appreciation for the importance of plants in our lives.

Tune in to this episode of OUTdrive as Cliff and Tabitha take a look at the hard work and planning that goes into maintaining and improving every aspect of the Gardens. They also discuss the importance of marketing, navigating the challenges of COVID-19 and plans for the future.

What you'll learn:

• How Tabitha and the Powell Gardens team are embracing the Midwest's spirit of place and sharing an appreciation for the importance of plans in our lives
• The importance of learning, challenging yourself and working as a team
• Strategic planning for the future and how the team is making plans a reality
• The three pillars of the Gardens: beautiful display, solid education and conservation
• How community feedback and involvement play a vital role in the future of the Gardens
• The effects of COVID-19 on the Gardens and how they are transitioning into 2021
• Opportunities to get involved and volunteer at the Gardens
• More on what's new at the Gardens and what you can look forward to as 2021 continues