Dynamic Duos: Five Powerhouse Couples Who Make 417-land Better Together

The Change Making Couple

Anniversary: August 5, 2006 | How She Describes Him: Bold, beautiful, bad to the bone | How He Describes Her: Detailed, focused, compassionate

H. Wes Pratt has spent his life advocating for social justice issues and against racial disparities. Francine Pratt’s career has focused on uplifting people who have less than she does. Together they fight for a better community and equity for all.

The two are powerhouses on their own accord: H. Wes Pratt’s career includes stints with the city council in San Diego, California, as well as the California Conservation Corps and the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, before moving to Springfield. Wes, who was a young man during the Civil Rights movement in the ’60s and is originally from Springfield, felt a pull to work with young professionals and advocate for racial disparity issues. His wife, Francine Pratt, also dedicated her career to a higher purpose. Her story begins in Europe, where she was born and lived until second grade before moving to the United States. She’s lived in quite a few places, but it was in Santa Ana, California where she found her niche. After fleeing an abusive relationship, Francine delved into the world of childcare support services and held various positions at organizations and government institutions like the State of California, the State of Missouri, and finally Springfield’s Isabel’s House.

The two’s shared passion to serve is what led Wes and Francine to find each other. The couple met at a conference in 2002 for the National Forum for Black Public Administrators where Wes served on the board. They married four years later on August 5, 2006.

Eventually, Wes wanted to return to Springfield. He earned a position with Missouri State University, where he’s been the past 12 years and works as both the Assistant to the President and Chief Diversity Officer. He remains laser-focused on championing the region’s diversity and inclusion efforts, which includes assisting the Student African American Brotherhood in moving its headquarters to campus. Outside of work, he co-founded networking group Minorities in Business. Since the move, Francine’s also made a name for herself. She’s now the director of Prosper Springfield where she’s focused on reducing Springfield’s poverty rate. She’s also the director of the Missouri College Access Network. Under this domain, she’s working to distribute CARES grant funding across the state to students and families that do not have reliable internet access and are thus struggling with virtual learning formats. This year, she also debuted Tough Talks, an initiative that aims to ignite difficult conversations to spur positive change. In addition to their roles, the couple is often sought-after for public speaking engagements and conferences to speak on their expertise and relevant community issues.

Though their interests and commitments mean they work long hours, the two offer each other unwavering support. Francine’s word of advice? Don’t compare yourself to other couples and move forward as a unit.

The Scholarly Couple

After serving in the military, McGull continued to follow his calling for law and government. He was a city councilman and mayor of Pleasant Valley, Missouri. He worked as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in Clay County before moving to Springfield, where he is now a member of City Council. It was in Springfield and during a diversity and inclusion conference at Missouri State University that the two first met. McGull was presenting when the two caught each other’s eye. Two years later they were married on the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Loving v. Virginia, which outlawed any ban on interracial marriage. “I love legal anniversaries and it was profound to realize that within our lifetime interracial marriage was illegal in the state of Missouri,” Hogan says.

So what’s next on the horizon? McGull is starting his own law firm and is interested in becoming a public defender, as well as focusing on personal injury and civil mediation. And Hogan is hoping that this opportunity will give them the chance to finally try a case together. In the meantime, the two will continue the work that they feel is never done. To wind down, the couple watches the news where McGull mans the remote and pauses the segment any time Hogan is ready to discuss a matter. It’s these moments and their combined interest in current events and law that bring them together.

The Fearless Couple

Jonathan ended his military career in 2017 so he could take a more active role in the company. He focuses on personnel, internal operations, and finances while Audrey takes a more public role and spends more time with clients. It’s been six years since the Garards took over Grooms and they’ve definitely made it their own. Since becoming owners, the duo have encouraged their employees to get involved in the community by financially supporting their various causes including Diaper Bank of the Ozarks. Their leadership walks the walk too, as Audrey has served on the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors the past three years and volunteers at Safe to Sleep. In addition to supporting a positive work environment, the business is also highly successful. The company has over 300 clients, one of which is the new Cox Monett Hospital. Grooms worked with the health system to outfit all of its spaces and furniture, with Audrey as the lead.

To decompress, the couple likes to travel when they can. As for how they balance their work and home life, Audrey says it’s all mixed together. The two also have two children. “If we go and have lunch together, we’re going to talk about something related to work and then we talk about family,” she says. “It’s always combined. I think this generation, the world we live in, you’re always taking work home with you. But we also bring our personal lives into work. We find a balance in that.”

The Tenacious Couple

Jeff says it was a combination of opening new doors in existing markets and growing into new markets through acquisitions that helped company grow. The turning point came in 2008. Verizon bought Alltel and it was during that year that the Russells had to convert all 100 of their stores to new standards. “It was out of our control,” Jeff says. “We reacted to that and adjusted and learned how to win with the new carrier we were now part of in the new environment.” He’s not kidding—everything from the paint color on the walls to the merchandise to the operations systems had to be updated accordingly. “That was a challenging year,” Jeff says.

Russell Cellular (RC) now has 614 stores spanning 37 states. Jeff now works with top Verizon and RC executives to develop the company’s long-term strategic planning. Kym works in an advisory capacity and focuses on what Jeff likes to call “passion projects” like planning and designing the company’s new 40,000-square-foot office in Battlefield. That’s not to say the family is taking a backseat. The next generation of Russells is already on track to lead the company. Jeven, who is the vice president of operations, has worked at Russell Cellular for the last 10 years and eventually plans to take over the company and its leadership team. The couple’s daughter, Layton Alsup, is also in a high-level position supporting the team’s executives and working on some of the passion projects her mother heads. She also owns Nu Essence Spa.

Before the next generation takes over, Jeff and Kym will continue doing what they do best: serving as a dynamic duo that knows how to adapt, change and serve an ever-growing industry.

The Ambitious Couple

Upon graduating from physical therapy school at the University of Missouri–Columbia, Mary Helen moved back to her hometown of Thayer to work at what was then West Plains Memorial Hospital and start a PT and speech program. Six years later, she opened her own practice and six years after that she opened a second location. Last year, Physical Therapy Specialists Clinic celebrated its 30th anniversary. She also runs a wellness program called HASS, LLC. In March 2019, Governor Michael Parson appointed her to the Missouri State Board of Education. “I believe every student and every individual should have access to education. It is the single most important thing that can pull someone out of poverty," Mary says. She also served on Missouri State University’s Board of Governors for 10 years and now serves on the board for its foundation.

When Jeff Schrag graduated from Kansas State University, he had his sights set on being a journalist. He moved to Springfield in 1995 to purchase The Daily Events, which he still owns today. “Along the way, I got nervous that newspapers were going away so I became somewhat of a serial entrepreneur where I started buying other businesses, investing in other things trying to make sure I could maintain a living,” Jeff says. That included investing in real estate, rehabbing historic buildings, buying a cuff link business and starting Mother’s Brewing Company. But these projects aren’t the only things keeping Jeff busy. He’s a past chair of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce as well as a past chair of the Missouri Press Association.

This year continues to be full steam ahead for the two titans. Mary is launching a women’s program at her clinic. And Jeff is breaking into new markets in the state. Plus, the brewery is celebrating 10 years in business this year, which means a year full of celebrations.