Jim Anderson

Vice President, Marketing and Public Affairs (Retired)

Cox Health

Biography

Jim Anderson recently retired as the Vice President, Marketing and Public Affairs at Cox Health where he was responsible for marketing, corporate communications, public affairs and advocacy for the 12,500 employee organization. He continues to provide part-time support in community relations and public affairs.

Previously, Anderson served as president of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce for 26 years. Before joining the Springfield Chamber, Anderson served nine years as president of the Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce and was a school administrator and teacher in the Jefferson City Public Schools system.

Anderson was appointed by Missouri governors to serve on the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission, the Missouri Business Council and the Total Transportation Commission. He is a former member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management board of trustees and past chairman of Southern Methodist University Institute for Organization Management board of regents.

In addition to his national and state level involvement, Anderson is active in the Springfield community. He served in leadership roles for a number of organizations, including the United Way of the Ozarks, Urban Districts Alliance, Springfield Rotary Club, U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners Community Relations Board , Care to Learn, and the Springfield Innovation, Inc., Board of Directors.

Anderson is a 1971 graduate of Missouri State University. He is also a graduate of the Institute for Organization Management at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. In 2002, Drury University awarded him the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. The year before, he was named by Missouri State University as one of three “Outstanding Alumni.”

In 2005, he was presented the Springfieldian Award. Also, in 2005, he was a recipient of the Missourian Award. In 2007, he was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement in Business Award from the Springfield Business Journal. Also, in 2007, he was the recipient of the Distinguished Citizen Award from the Boy Scouts of America Ozark Trails Council. In 2008, he was inducted into the Academy of Missouri Squires. In 2010, he was the recipient of the O. Franklin Kenworthy Award for Outstanding Leadership. In 2013, Anderson received the Career Service in Economic Development award at the Governor’s Conference on Economic Development. In 2014, he received the Ozarks Technical Community College Excellence in Business Award, and the Springfield Business Journal Top Executive Award. He received the Pinnacle Award from the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau in 2015. In 2017, he received the statewide Diversity Champion Award. In 2019, Anderson received the inaugural statewide Kit Bond Citizen Leadership Award.

He is married to Janet. They have two daughters, Rachel and Rebecca.