About

fof

The grassroots organization working on how to grow our brand, create a compelling narrative, and update perceptions about the region — with the longterm goal of impacting economic development, and talent attraction and retention.

The Ozarks

Geographically, The Ozarks is a forested plateau and hill country in southwest Missouri.

Culturally, Ozarkians hearken from independent Appalachian settlers, Irish and German immigrants.

Different Cars.
Same Train.

Convention & Visitors bureau

Marketing individual cities to promote economic development through travel and tourism.

Chambers of commerce

Job growth, workforce development, and business investment initatives for the metro-area of a city.

LORE

Leaders for Ozarks Region Evolvement - longterm societal, economic, and political challenges.

Future Ozarks Foundry

Regional brand identity and convener of cultural and economic efforts to elevate perceptions of The Ozarks.

The Co-Founders

Marcus Aton

GENERAL CONTRACTOR

Networker and project management. Marcus is a 4th generation builder, boardmember of Better Block SGF and Ozarks Film Foundry, and former candidate for Springfield mayor.

Doug Austin

Business Development

Long-term strategic planning and growth coaching. Doug helped build and sell a network of ad agencies and brings valuable insights to every stage of business growth.

TYLEr Head

organizational Culture Coach

Strategic planning and development. Tyler works with leadership teams to create and sustain cultures of performance and compassion. He is a member of Rotary.

layne Hunton

architect

Hospitality and multi-family expert. Layne is a boardmember of the Missouri AIA, SGF Chamber Growth Development Council, and Chairs the Springfield Landmarks Board.

Dustin Myers

Visual Identity

Brand identity research, development, and design. Partner in Longitude Branding, Flyover Developments, and The Ozarker Lodge in Branson.

Jeremy Wells

Brand Strategy

Market positioning and planning.
Partner in Longitude Branding, Flyover Developments, and The Ozarker Lodge in Branson. Author of Future Hospitality, and Indie Hotel.

Why We Started FOF

2022

Marcus had moved back to SGF from Germany, his brother Alex had moved back from Russia, and they wondered if The Ozarks could develop a regional identity as distinct as the countries they had returned from.

With SoCal as precedence, they began asking their contacts, “How was SoCal able to turn a place into a brand, and a lifestyle - and can we do that here?” The question resonated.

April: Doug Austin joined us.

May: Dustin Myers and Jeremy Wells joined.

June: Layne Hunton and Tyler Head joined.

2023

For the next year we unearthed and polished our understanding of what the regional identity of The Ozarks was.

July: increasingly, every coffee meeting was reaching more and more of a consesus so we began building a pitch deck.

August: logo design.

December: hosted our first presentation attended by business leaders and city officials from Springfield, Nixa, Ozark, Branson, and Joplin.

2024

The Springfield Business Journal publishes a front page feature about Future Ozarks Foundry.

Currently working with ad agency, glOh Studio, the City of Springfield, and the CVB to develop a new welcome sign between the SGF airport and the city.