The 39/94

On the worst day of your life, who shows up at your door? Usually someone wearing a badge. But between that first knock and actually getting help, there's a gap. Jen Gentry-Ton has spent 13 years as one of many who stand in it.

Jen is the Director of the Behavioral Health Liaison team at Family Guidance Center. Her team works alongside law enforcement, the courts and hospitals to connect people in a mental health crisis with the help they need. When the state created the role, Jen was the only liaison covering nine counties. Today she leads a team of ten, and they meet people wherever they are: at home, at the hospital, in jail or on the street.

In this episode, Jen talks about why rural communities struggle to talk openly about mental health and why so many officers and jail staff are "social workers with badges." She explains why it can take three to six months to see a therapist in our region, and how her team keeps people connected so they don't fall through the cracks while they wait.

Jen also gets personal. Mental health runs in her family, and after the 2020 loss of two members of our local first responder community, she found herself in a depression of her own. She talks about finally practicing what she preached. For Jodie, this conversation is a full-circle moment, because Jen was the person who answered her call when she needed help.

In this episode:

• What a behavioral health liaison does and how the program grew from one person to ten
• How law enforcement, courts and mental health professionals are working together
• Why small towns stay quiet about mental health, and why "it's okay to not be okay"
• The therapist shortage and why insurance companies call our area "saturated"
• Telehealth and other ways to reach people in rural counties like Worth and Gentry
• Mental health support for kids and young people in our schools
• Jen's own story of grief, burnout and asking for help

If you or someone you love is struggling:

• Call or text 988. You don't have to be in crisis to call. It's there even if you just need someone to talk to.
• Behavioral Health Urgent Care is on Frederick Ave. in St. Joseph, across from Meierhoffer, and is open Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Walk in, no appointment needed.
• Family Guidance Center: https://fgcnow.org/

If this episode helped you, or made you think of someone who needs help, share it with them. It might be the easiest way to start a hard conversation. 💛

The 39/94 Podcast - New episodes every week!

Watch this episode on YouTube: @the3994podcast

Learn more about supporting The 39/94 Podcast: Patreon

Our sponsors:

North Central Missouri College www.ncmissouri.edu

Scooter's Coffee Savannah & St. Joseph: https://www.facebook.com/ScootersCoffeeSavannah

Wollenman Family's Deluxe Truck Stop https://www.deluxetruckstop.com/

Gina's Cafe & Catering https://www.ginascafeandcatering.com/

E.L. Crawford Construction http://www.elcrawford.com/

Greater Than Financial https://www.greaterthanfinancial.com/

Hair by Morgan: https://www.facebook.com/hairbymorganhontz

Bob Wollenman has been doing business in St. Joseph since 1967, and Deluxe Truck Stop has served the trucking and agriculture industries since 1979. Today it's much more than a fuel stop. It offers truck washing, a tire shop, and food-grade, kosher-certified tank washing that handles well over 100 trucks a day.

In this season two episode, Bob talks with Jodie about more than trucks. He describes leaving his father's business and later mending that relationship while caring for his dad. He explains how a 30-year-old's "young and dumb" confidence in 1979 led to a lease, a locked-in purchase price, and the property Deluxe sits on today.

He also shares how 55 years of marriage to Connie gave him the courage to lead. Bob reflects on how St. Joseph has changed, from the stockyards and local leadership to the value of getting to know candidates as people. He also talks about his work nationally against human trafficking and distracted driving, and why he keeps giving back through United Way, the St. Joseph Chamber, and Progressive Community Services.

• Growing up in his father's business and graduating with Missouri Western's Class of '72
• 55 years with Connie, and how she gave a "too timid" young man the confidence to lead
• Walking away from the family business and finding healing with his dad
• The "young and dumb" 1979 deal that became Deluxe Truck Stop
• Adapting to change as agriculture and the Stockyards evolved
• James, the employee who has shown up since 1980
• From national Corvette club president to national truck stop leadership
• How truck stops are fighting human trafficking and protecting highway workers
• Why giving back matters, and what St. Joseph has lost in local leadership
• Getting to know candidates as people, not parties
• How a neighborly request from Nestlé Purina launched a kosher-certified tank wash
• Bringing son Nick into the business and doing it differently the second time around
• And, of course, the King Hill flag "weather forecast" for washing trucks 😂

The 39/94 Podcast - New episodes every week! Watch this episode on YouTube: @the3994podcast

Learn more about supporting The 39/94 Podcast: Patreon

Our sponsors:

North Central Missouri College www.ncmissouri.edu

Scooter's Coffee Savannah & St. Joseph (Facebook: ScootersCoffeeSavannah)

Wollenman Family's Deluxe Truck Stop https://www.deluxetruckstop.com/

Gina's Cafe & Catering https://www.ginascafeandcatering.com/

E.L. Crawford Construction http://www.elcrawford.com/

Greater Than Financial https://www.greaterthanfinancial.com/

Season two of The 39/94 kicks off with one of the most fearless young entrepreneurs in Northwest Missouri: Miu Sutton, founder of Miuze Marketing.

Born and raised in Bangkok, Miu grew up in Thailand, Papua New Guinea, Laos, and Australia, learning English after moving abroad and making friends from around the world at international schools. A college fair in Bangkok led her to Missouri Western State University, where she arrived alone at 18 in 2013. Only after she was accepted did she realize she'd spent childhood Christmases in Savannah, Missouri, where her aunt lives.

Miu shares how her mentor Annette Weeks helped shaped her path, and how she built Miuze Marketing into an all-women boutique agency serving St. Joseph and Kansas City. She talks about helping to launch Palmer's Ice Cream and Desserts from the ground up, her advice for camera-shy business owners, life as a proud single mom to five-year-old Leon, and her newest venture: Pour Before, a coffee and beverage shop she's opening with business partner Alexis in Kansas City's Parade Park development near 18th & Vine.

In this episode:

• Growing up across four countries and landing in St. Joseph

• A "God-coordinated" connection to Savannah, Missouri

• How mentorship and programs like Leadership Savannah shaped her journey

• Building Miuze Marketing: social media, websites, SEO, and ads

• Advice for business owners who'd rather stay behind the camera

• Going into business with a best friend, and how to protect the partnership

• Why Northwest Missouri is home

Connect with Miu: miuzemarketing.com | @miuzemarketing on Facebook and Instagram

The 39/94 Podcast - New episodes every week!

Watch this episode on YouTube: @the3994podcast

Learn more about supporting The 39/94 Podcast: Patreon

Our sponsors: North Central Missouri College www.ncmissouri.edu | Scooter's Coffee Savannah & St. Joseph (Facebook: ScootersCoffeeSavannah) | Wollenman Family's Deluxe Truck Stop https://www.deluxetruckstop.com/ | Gina's Cafe & Catering https://www.ginascafeandcatering.com/ | E.L. Crawford Construction http://www.elcrawford.com/ | Greater Than Financial https://www.greaterthanfinancial.com/

The 39/94 is officially one year old! 🎉

For this special anniversary episode, the microphone changes hands.

Gina Calderwood of Gina’s Café & Catering turns the table and interviews Jodie (after Jodie asks a ton of questions). We hear about Gina's journey and they discuss female friendships, but we also get the story behind the podcast and everything that has happened during its first year.

Jodie and Gina talk about:

• How The 39/94 began and why local storytelling matters

• The people who encouraged Jodie to believe the podcast could work

• What Jodie has learned after more than 50 podcasts

• The importance of friendship and having people who will tell you the truth

• Gina’s passion for cooking and the story behind Gina’s Café & Catering

• The challenges of staying authentic in a world increasingly shaped by algorithms and AI

• Why local voices and local journalism still matter

• The evolution of The 39/94 and what’s ahead for Season Two

• And, of course, Gina's unforgettable San Francisco Waymo adventure 😂

This conversation is part anniversary reflection, part friendship conversation and part "look behind the scenes/peak behind the curtain" of The 39/94.

Most of all, it’s a thank-you to the people who have shared their stories and to everyone who has listened, watched and supported the show during its first year.

Gina Calderwood is the owner and head chef of Gina’s Café & Catering in Cosby, Missouri. She returned to her hometown and followed her passion for cooking, building Gina’s into a destination for home cooking, catering, meal kits and more.

Learn more: Gina’s Café & Catering

The 39/94 Podcast – New episodes every week!

▶️ Watch more episodes on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@the3994podcast

❤️ Support The 39/94 Podcast on Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/the3994

Scooter's Coffee – Savannah & St. Joseph

https://www.facebook.com/scooterscoffeesavannah

Wollenman Family's Deluxe Truck Stop

https://www.deluxetruckstop.com/

Gina's Cafe & Catering

https://www.ginascafeandcatering.com/

E.L. Crawford Construction

http://www.elcrawford.com/

Greater Than Financial

https://www.greaterthanfinancial.com/

Pankakes, Pups & Suds

https://www.facebook.com/cpankake/

North Central Missouri College

https://www.ncmissouri.edu/

Mentioned in this episode:

• Missouri Western State University
• KQ2-Mike Bracciano
• Lute Atieh
• Patterson Foundation
• Annette Weeks

Louie Guardado joins The 39/94 for a conversation about finding his path, building a career in real estate, becoming a husband and new dad, and learning what it means to give back.

After struggling to figure out what came next, Louie joined the Army, a decision he says was one of the best he ever made. Today, he's a young realtor navigating a competitive industry while building relationships and establishing himself in Northwest Missouri.

Louie and I also talk about the whirlwind of the past two years. He and his wife got married, moved to a new city, bought a house, got a dog and had a baby.

We get into fatherhood, faith, family, the challenges of being an introvert in a relationship-driven business and the lessons Louie has learned along the way.

Louie is also spearheading The One Invitational, a golf fundraiser supporting Sisters of Solace. We talk about why giving back is important to him, the challenges of organizing his first fundraiser and what he hopes the event will accomplish.

And, of course, we have to talk about his 10-month-old son, who apparently doesn't believe in quietly waking Dad up. 😂

The One Invitational golf tournament (Oct 9, Fairview Golf Course) for Sisters of Solace

Register to Play or Become A Sponsor: https://birdease.com/THEONEINVITATIONALSTJOE

The 39/94 Podcast – New episodes every week!

▶️ Watch more episodes on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@the3994podcast

❤️ Support The 39/94 Podcast on Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/the3994

Scooter's Coffee – Savannah & St. Joseph

https://www.facebook.com/scooterscoffeesavannah

Wollenman Family's Deluxe Truck Stop

https://www.deluxetruckstop.com/

Gina's Cafe & Catering

https://www.ginascafeandcatering.com/

E.L. Crawford Construction

http://www.elcrawford.com/

Greater Than Financial

https://www.greaterthanfinancial.com/

Pankakes, Pups & Suds

https://www.facebook.com/cpankake/

North Central Missouri College

https://www.ncmissouri.edu/

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• Realty One Group Cornerstone
• Sisters of Solace
• Fairview Golf Course
• Wellspring Community Church

Tom Brand, St. Joseph author, storyteller, and weekly columnist for about 12 Missouri newspapers, and director of the St. Joseph Community Alliance joins Jodie O'Brien this week on The 39/94 to talk about his unusual hobby of buying old photographs at thrift stores and inventing fictional stories for the strangers pictured in them, a project he sees as a way of preserving people who might otherwise be forgotten....but that's not all.

The conversation moves through his writing life, from his newspaper columns to his books, including the origin of his memorably titled first book, a tribute to his father through personal essays, and his kids' book inspired by Pony Express rider, "Johnny Fry".

Tom also opens up about surviving a massive heart attack and bypass surgery in 2013, including the moment his heart stopped and a surgeon held it by hand to keep him alive, reflecting on how it reshaped his outlook on life.

The episode closes with a candid, deeply personal conversation about the loss of his son, Alex, to suicide in 2015, suspected ties to CTE from repeated concussions, and how he and his wife have carried that grief while continuing to find meaning and gratitude.

Topics Covered:

• Preserving forgotten lives through fiction inspired by discarded photographs
• The evolution of a weekly newspaper column into published books
• Family, faith, and rural Missouri as recurring themes in his writing
• Practical guidance for first-time authors on publishing and independent bookstores
• Surviving cardiac arrest in 2013 and the perspective it produced
• Losing a child to suicide, the role of concussions, and living with grief
• Building community through the St. Joseph Community Alliance

You can learn more about Tom here: https://tombrandwrites.com/

The 39/94 Podcast – New episodes every week!

▶️ Watch more episodes on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@the3994podcast

❤️ Support The 39/94 Podcast on Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/the3994

Scooter's Coffee – Savannah & St. Joseph

https://www.facebook.com/scooterscoffeesavannah

Wollenman Family's Deluxe Truck Stop

https://www.deluxetruckstop.com/

Gina's Cafe & Catering

https://www.ginascafeandcatering.com/

E.L. Crawford Construction

http://www.elcrawford.com/

Greater Than Financial

https://www.greaterthanfinancial.com/

Pankakes, Pups & Suds

https://www.facebook.com/cpankake/

North Central Missouri College

https://www.ncmissouri.edu/

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• KFEQ
• EL Crawford Construction
• Greater Than Financial
• Gina's Cafe and Catering
• Wollenman Family's Deluxe Truck Stop
• Pankakes, Pups and Suds
• Scooters Coffee
• North Central Missouri College
• Pony Express Museum
• Richardson Press

Links referenced in this episode:

• richardsonpress.com

Wes Simmons played on back-to-back NCAA Division II national championship teams at Northwest Missouri State, then spent his career coaching coaches...not just in athletics, but in business, education, healthcare and beyond. Today, he is the founder of the 3D Institute and founder/president of the Joseph Company, the group behind St. Joseph's movement to reclaim its identity as the “City of Coaches.”

This week, Wes joins Jodie O'Brien on The 39/94 to talk leadership, legacy, hope and what it really means to coach beyond the scoreboard.

He explains the 3D Coaching framework and why the areas where leaders can have the greatest impact...mindset, identity, character, significance and self-worth often receive the least training. He also shares how losing his brother and being surrounded by extraordinary coaches shaped his understanding of what a healthy culture can mean when people are going through hard things.

Then we turn to St. Joseph.

A community survey conducted this year found that 78% of respondents did not believe St. Joseph was headed in a healthy direction for future generations. Wes says that should be a reason to “call a timeout”...not to give up, but to have an honest conversation about where the community goes from here.

We talk about the trust gap between citizens and community leadership, the importance of building culture intentionally, and Wes's vision for St. Joseph as the City of Coaches, a place where people can be resourced, equipped and launched to pursue their dreams.

Wes also shares the “halftime” moment during the pandemic that caused him to rethink whether he should leave St. Joseph, the difference between success and significance, and why he believes you can “make the big time where you're at.”

And, of course, we talk about Bob Ross.

This is a conversation about where St. Joseph has been, where it is now, and what it could become if its people decide to build the next chapter together.

Interested in signing up to be part of the conversation Sept 1st?

https://thejosephcompany.com/events/coaches-timeout/

The 39/94 Podcast – New episodes every week!

▶️ Watch more episodes on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@the3994podcast

❤️ Support The 39/94 Podcast on Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/the3994

Scooter's Coffee – Savannah & St. Joseph

https://www.facebook.com/scooterscoffeesavannah

Wollenman Family's Deluxe Truck Stop

https://www.deluxetruckstop.com/

Gina's Cafe & Catering

https://www.ginascafeandcatering.com/

E.L. Crawford Construction

http://www.elcrawford.com/

Greater Than Financial

https://www.greaterthanfinancial.com/

Pankakes, Pups & Suds

https://www.facebook.com/cpankake/

North Central Missouri College

https://www.ncmissouri.edu/

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• 3D Institute
• The Joseph Company
• Northwest Missouri State University
• EL Crawford Construction
• Great than Financial
• Gina's Cafe and Catering
• Wolleman Family's Deluxe Truck Stop Pancakes
• Scooters Coffee
• North Central Missouri College

For over 50 years, the Bartlett Center has been a fixture in Midtown St. Joseph, child care, preschool, after-school programs, and a lifeline for families across a low-income part of the city. This year, it's also been in the headlines: financial strain, a request to the city for rent relief, and hard questions about what comes next.

In this episode, I sit down with Tama Wagner, Vice President of the Bartlett Center's board of directors, for an honest conversation about where things stand. We talk about the Center's shoestring budget and reliance on inconsistent state subsidies, what really happened when the board went to the city council for help, the delicate balance of separating executive director Latonya Williams' political life from her role serving nearly 90 children a day, and the board's new "Friends of the Bartlett Center" push to refocus attention on the kids, families, and staff who depend on it.

We also get into Tama's own remarkable career, a journalism degree from Kansas State, a decade covering the Kansas legislature and politics for public radio (including some memories with Senator Bob Dole), a jump to the "dark side" of political campaigns, and 15 years at Mosaic Life Care before roles in manufacturing, at the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce, and at Missouri Western, before retiring this past June.

This is a candid look at what it actually takes to keep a community institution alive, and what you can do to help.

In this episode:

• What the Bartlett Center does day to day, and why it's always operated on the edge financially
• The real story behind the city council rent-relief request
• Navigating the politics around executive director Latonya Williams
• The board's brand refresh and new fundraising push
• Tama's path from TV reporter to political operative to nonprofit board leader
• What a thriving Bartlett Center looks like a year from now, and how to help today

How to help:

Follow "Friends of the Bartlett Center" on Facebook, or donate directly via the Center's online portal or Venmo @BartlettCenter.

The 39/94 Podcast – New episodes every week!

▶️ Watch more episodes on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@the3994podcast

❤️ Support The 39/94 Podcast on Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/the3994

Scooter's Coffee – Savannah & St. Joseph

https://www.facebook.com/scooterscoffeesavannah

Wollenman Family's Deluxe Truck Stop

https://www.deluxetruckstop.com/

Gina's Cafe & Catering

https://www.ginascafeandcatering.com/

E.L. Crawford Construction

http://www.elcrawford.com/

Greater Than Financial

https://www.greaterthanfinancial.com/

Pankakes, Pups & Suds

https://www.facebook.com/cpankake/

Links referenced in this episode:

facebook.com/friendsofthebartlettcenter

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• Scooter's Coffee
• Wollenman Family's Deluxe Truck Stop
• Gina's Cafe and Catering
• Greater than Financial
• EL Crawford Construction
• Pankakes, Pups and Suds

Northwest Missouri author Sieglinde Othmer is proof that life doesn’t stop at 80, it can actually begin a whole new chapter.

On this episode of The 39/94, Sieglinde and I talk about resilience, reinvention, purpose and what it means to embrace aging with joy and intention.

After losing her longtime husband and navigating significant changes in her life, Sieglinde turned her experiences into wisdom—and eventually into her book, “Joyous Longevity: The A to Z Field Guide.”

We talk about the habits that can contribute to a longer, healthier life, why relationships and community are so important, the connection between trauma and aging, and why having a sense of purpose can make such a difference.

Sieglinde also shares five essential habits for longevity and explains why the environment and people around us can have such a profound impact on our health and well-being.

This is a conversation about getting older, but it’s really about something much bigger: how to keep growing, connecting, finding purpose and living fully in every chapter of life.

In this episode:

• Sieglinde’s journey of resilience and reinvention
• Joyous Longevity: The A to Z Field Guide
• The importance of purpose and social connection
• Five habits that can support longevity
• Managing trauma and looking toward the future
• How our communities and environments influence our well-being
• Why aging can be an opportunity—not an ending

The 39/94 Podcast – New episodes every week!

▶️ Watch more episodes on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@the3994podcast

❤️ Support The 39/94 Podcast on Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/the3994

Scooter's Coffee – Savannah & St. Joseph

https://www.facebook.com/scooterscoffeesavannah

Wollenman Family's Deluxe Truck Stop

https://www.deluxetruckstop.com/

Gina's Cafe & Catering

https://www.ginascafeandcatering.com/

E.L. Crawford Construction

http://www.elcrawford.com/

Greater Than Financial

https://www.greaterthanfinancial.com/

Pankakes, Pups & Suds

https://www.facebook.com/cpankake/

Links referenced in this episode:

• joyouslongevity.com

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• Bradley Communications
• The Metropolitan Opera
• Washington University
• University of Kentucky
• Scooter's Coffee
• Wollenman Family's Deluxe Truck Stop
• Gina's Cafe and Catering
• Greater than Financial
• EL Crawford Construction
• Pankakes, Pups and Suds

What if one unexpected opportunity completely changed the direction of your life? That’s exactly what happened to Tracy Lindley.

A Missouri Western graduate, nationally recognized voice actor, LinkedIn educator and entrepreneur, Tracy has voiced projects for brands including Google, Walmart, Uber, NASCAR and realtor.com, all from her home studio in St. Joseph.

In this episode, Tracy shares how she accidentally discovered voice acting, the networking strategy that completely changed her business, why LinkedIn became one of her greatest marketing tools, and how she's helping creatives build sustainable careers.

She also discusses balancing motherhood with entrepreneurship, creating online courses, mentoring the next generation, and advocating for voice actors through the National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA) as artificial intelligence reshapes the industry.

Topics include:

• Building a national business from a small town

• Voice acting behind major brands

• LinkedIn networking strategies

• Creating passive income through online courses

• Faith, family and entrepreneurship

• AI and protecting human voices

• Finding your purpose and using your gifts

If you've ever wondered how to turn a unique skill into a successful business—or how to stand out in today's digital world—this episode is full of practical insight and inspiration.

The 39/94 Podcast – New episodes every week!

▶️ Watch more episodes on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@the3994podcast

❤️ Support The 39/94 Podcast on Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/the3994

North Central Missouri College

https://www.ncmissouri.edu/

Scooter's Coffee – Savannah & St. Joseph

https://www.facebook.com/scooterscoffeesavannah

Wollenman Family's Deluxe Truck Stop

https://www.deluxetruckstop.com/

Gina's Cafe & Catering

https://www.ginascafeandcatering.com/

E.L. Crawford Construction

http://www.elcrawford.com/

Greater Than Financial

https://www.greaterthanfinancial.com/

Mentioned in this episode:

• Walmart
• Business
• NASCAR
• Google
• Uber
• Missouri Western State University
• LinkedIn
• Voices.com
• Voice123.com
• Outworks
• NAVA
• Truth Travelers
• Andy Williams
• Frederick Blvd Baptist