Rob Fulp, Amy Counts will lead 20-member search committee for next MSU president

Claudette Riley, Springfield News-Leader
Updated ·3 min read
Rob Fulp
Rob Fulp

The Springfield banking executive who led the search for the CoxHealth president and CEO in 2022 has now agreed to help Missouri State find its next president.

The university announced Thursday that Rob Fulp, regional managing director of Great Southern Bank, will chair the presidential search committee.

MSU President Clif Smart, in the role since 2011, recently announced plans to retire in mid-2024.

"I am very honored to serve as chairman and we have great expectations going into this search, as we did with the CoxHealth search," Fulp said Thursday.

Fulp said given Missouri State's solid footing, he expects high interest in the president's job.

"Clif Smart is leaving Missouri State with a strong foundation for the future. It is important to him, to our committee and to myself to find the next leader to build upon that legacy," he said.

"To do one of the largest universities in the Midwest justice, it is deserving to do a high-level national search and that is what we are going to do."

Amy Counts
Amy Counts

Amy Counts, who served on the MSU Board of Governors from August 2017 through January 2023, will serve as the vice chair. Based in St. Louis, she is regional vice president of sales for Wise F&I.

They will lead the 20-member search committee, which has an aggressive timeline. They plan to meet Monday and start gathering input.

Starting Nov. 1, the committee will look at applications with the goal of selecting semifinalists by the end of 2023. Those interviews are expected to take place in January with the goal of having finalists visiting the campus during February.

The MSU board will make the final decision and hopes to announce the next president in March.

More: End of an era: Missouri State University president Clif Smart to retire from 'job I love'

Here is a look at the committee members:

Community, alumni

In addition to Fulp and Counts, there are:

  • Trevor Crist, CEO at Nixon & Lindstrom Insurance, Springfield

  • Ryan Sivill, partner at FORVIS, Springfield

  • Greg Spears, CEO at FCS Private Wealth Management, Kansas City

Board members

  • Lynn Parman, board vice chair, chief operating officer of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, Kansas City

  • Jeff Schrag, board member, business owner, Springfield

  • Chris Waters, board chair, financial advisor for the Hennings Waters Group Private Wealth Management at Baird & Co., Kansas City

Faculty, academic leaders

  • Kim Church, director, School of Accounting

  • Doug Gouzie, professor, geography, geology and planning

  • Shannon Wooden, professor, English

  • Barri Tinkler, dean, College of Education

  • Shurita Thomas-Tate, associate professor, communication sciences and disorders

  • Beth Walker, professor, animal sciences, chair of Faculty Senate

Administration

  • Brad Bodenhausen, vice president for Community and Global Partnerships

Staff

  • A'dja Jones, assistant director of athletics for inclusive engagement and student services

  • Laura Derrick, project manager-architect and chair of State Senate

Students

  • Bradley Cooper, student governor

  • Elizabeth Simcoe, student body vice president, Student Government Association

West Plains

  • Crockett Oaks, associate vice chancellor for business and support services, West Plains campus

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Rob Fulp, Amy Counts to lead Missouri State president search committee