Missouri
‘Champion of nonprofits’: John Baker to retire from Community Foundation of Central Missouri
John Baker, executive director of the Community Foundation of Central Missouri, in 2010 was feeling pastoral burnout from his duties as senior pastor at First Baptist Church.
“This is difficult,” Baker said of his decision to leave the church at the time. “Because you have lots of friends, there’s a lot of investment in time and heart and love. Whenever you leave a congregation, there’s always some pain even though there are good things to come.”
He soon would transition, though, in 2011 to head up the relatively new foundation, which aims to “facilitate philanthropy … (making) charitable giving easy, fun, accessible, and having impact.” He took on the directorship following Roger Still, who was in the role for about year.
“He did a lot of the groundwork to get the bylaws done and get things filed,” Baker said about Still.
Baker has led the foundation for 13 years and he recently announced his retirement, set for mid-April.
For eight of Baker’s 13 years as director, Susan Hart has served on the foundation board, and is its chair. Baker is committed to philanthropy in the community and that is his main mission, she said.
“John has built a legacy with the community foundation during his 13 years of tenure. He has put together a strong foundation for us to continue that growth. He will be missed, but we wish him well on his well-deserved retirement,” Hart said.
The foundation board already has started the search for its next director, she added.
A new career
Baker and his wife, Judy, first moved to Columbia in 1997 for the job at First Baptist Church, another role he was in for 13 years, but his overall pastoral career spans 30 years.
“After 30 years, I was just ready to engage in a new career,” Baker said. “A lot of clergy have periods of burnout and that is what I was facing.”
Baker ended up being a match for the community foundation role because much of the work of a minister relates to money, he said, such as through fundraising and stewardship. Related interpersonal skills give a person objectivity when working with others, he added.
Baker’s transition from the church to the foundation was a smooth one, he said, having learned of the foundation after a phone call from a friend. A couple days after that conversation, he had a call from the board, and a couple weeks after that he had the job.
“The way I looked at my leadership of the church was trying to get people to not just stay in the building in the realm of thought, but to move beyond the building and take their compassion, while doing the work of the church, into the community,” Baker said. “I do the same kind of thing with the community foundation, but with funding and not necessarily with people, except for leaders of organizations.”
Founding the foundation
The foundation was established first by the City of Columbia following a vision process from 2008-09, but such an organization was under discussion for at least a decade prior, Baker said.
“The goal at that time was increasing revenue for local nonprofits and what would make donors want to give,” he said. “The community foundation is this perfect vehicle that works both with donors and a way to get revenue to the nonprofits. It was a perfect solution to what people were looking for over the years.”
The foundation officially was established June 2010 and announced by November. When Baker came on as director it would advance to a federally recognized, rather than just a state recognized nonprofit, and expanded its scope from Columbia to instead encompass the central Missouri region.
The foundation currently aids nonprofits in five area counties (Boone, Callaway, Cole, Cooper and Randolph), though its region is upward of 10 counties, Baker said. Additional counties include Adair, Audrain, Howard, Macon and Moniteau.
“Anything that we do here in Boone County, we can do for those other counties,” Baker said, adding while the foundation takes an objective approach to nonprofit support, it does not aid hate groups or illegal activities.
The 501(c)(3) nonprofit designation happened in 2012 and a year later the annual giving campaign, CoMoGives, was established in December 2013.
“We have been able to funnel lots of money into the local nonprofit sector,” Baker said about services offered by the foundation. “We can’t track every dollar that has stayed local. That is beyond our accounting abilities because our broad array of services.”
This includes donor-advised funds, which are invested over a longer term and then the foundation is told to which nonprofit the funds should go. For nonprofits or others seeking to establish philanthropic foundations, the community foundation can help those organizations or individuals do the necessary legwork and paperwork involved by establishing a fund through the community foundation. It takes some of that headache away.
“A family that has assets that wants to do something to create a legacy, they don’t necessarily have to create their own foundation. They can create a donor-advised fund with the community foundation and it will act as the charitable focus for that family,” Baker said.
Apart from nonprofits establishing funds with the foundation, it also can provide direct grants. In 2022 about $4.4 million was distributed and 2023 also has seen an impressive year, Baker said.
The direct granting window of community support grants or impact grants from the community foundation usually opens in June, closes in August and awards are provided afterward.
Post-retirement plans
In the initial two weeks following his official end date at the foundation, Baker plans to take it easy. After that, he already has many ways in which he can keep busy.
“I’m a hobbyist. I have lots of hobbies. … I’m kind of a scientist at heart and I like to learn things. What this has resulted in is a quest to do well at what I do and to learn. I’m a woodworker, a beekeeper, a beer brewer, a musician of sorts and an audiophile. I love to garden.
“I don’t think I’ll have any trouble filling my time.”
Baker and his wife, also plan to travel in May. Following that, he plans to explore volunteer opportunities or a part-time job he may want to undertake “to continue to contribute to the world around me,” Baker said.
Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism.
The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 22, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from June 22 drawing
17-19-21-45-48, Powerball: 13, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from June 22 drawing
Midday: 3-9-7
Midday Wild: 4
Evening: 3-9-8
Evening Wild: 9
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from June 22 drawing
Midday: 9-1-5-6
Midday Wild: 7
Evening: 7-5-9-8
Evening Wild: 6
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from June 22 drawing
Early Bird: 03
Morning: 13
Matinee: 06
Prime Time: 10
Night Owl: 10
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Show Me Cash numbers from June 22 drawing
03-11-14-15-21
Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from June 22 drawing
18-41-43-64-65, Powerball: 25
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.
To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:
Ticket Redemption
Missouri Lottery
P.O. Box 7777
Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777
For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.
For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.
When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
- Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
- Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
- Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
- Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Missouri
Second Missouri man charged in alleged White House UFC attack plot; affidavit mentions World Cup
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The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported 10 arrests across north Missouri between June 19, 2026, and June 21, 2026. The arrests involved allegations including driving while intoxicated, kidnapping, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to maintain a single lane, and outstanding warrants.
It is important to note that, while all the individuals listed below have been reported as arrested, they may not have been physically transported to a detention center. Depending on the circumstances, an individual may be issued a summons, which includes a court date. When the Missouri State Highway Patrol issues a summons with a court date, it is considered an arrest, even if the individual is not physically transported to a detention center.
Noah T. Nims, 35, of St. Joseph, Missouri, was arrested in Buchanan County on June 19, 2026, at 6:14 p.m. He was accused of driving while intoxicated, first offense, and failure to maintain a single lane. Nims was held at the Buchanan County Law Enforcement Center on a 24-hour hold.
Jaedyn C. Bacerra, 22, of Kansas City, Missouri, was arrested in Livingston County on June 19, 2026, at 9:47 p.m. Authorities alleged he was driving while intoxicated. Additional allegations included failure to have two lighted headlamps and failure to equip a vehicle with two approved red taillights. Bacerra was held at the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office and later released.
Justin F. Myers, 35, of St. Joseph, Missouri, was arrested in Andrew County on June 20, 2026, at 2:11 a.m. He was accused of driving while intoxicated as a prior offender and operating a motor vehicle in a careless and imprudent manner involving an accident. Myers was released to Mosaic and was listed as released.
Edgar Y. Martinez Ramirez, 36, of Olathe, Kansas, was arrested in Harrison County on June 20, 2026, at 8:46 a.m. He was accused of child kidnapping, a Class A felony; first-degree kidnapping, a Class A felony; and first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle, a Class D felony. Martinez Ramirez was held at the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department on a 24-hour hold.
Albin B. Kos, 42, of Kansas City, Missouri, was arrested in Daviess County on June 20, 2026, at 2:23 p.m. Authorities alleged he unlawfully possessed drug paraphernalia as a prior offender, operated a vehicle without a valid driver’s license, and failed to maintain insurance. He was also wanted on misdemeanor Jackson County warrants for failure to appear on charges related to speeding and driving without a valid license. Kos was held at the Daviess-DeKalb Regional Jail and was listed as bondable.
Andres A. Reed, 43, of Omaha, Nebraska, was arrested in Holt County on June 21, 2026, at 1:40 a.m. He was accused of misdemeanor driving while intoxicated. Reed was held by the Holt County Sheriff’s Office on a 12-hour hold.
Timothy R. Nelson Ptomey, 32, of St. Joseph, Missouri, was arrested in Buchanan County on June 21, 2026, at 10:11 p.m. He was accused of driving while intoxicated, failing to display valid license plates on a motor vehicle or trailer, and driving the wrong direction on a divided highway in a manner that created an immediate threat of an accident. Nelson Ptomey was held at the Buchanan County Law Enforcement Center on a 24-hour hold.
Trace A. Wheeler, 23, of Edina, Missouri, was arrested in Lewis County on June 19, 2026, at 5:39 a.m. He was accused of driving while intoxicated and failing to drive on the right half of the roadway in an incident involving an accident. Wheeler was held at the Lewis County Jail and later released.
Shane D. Kurk, 29, of Canton, Missouri, was arrested in Lewis County on June 21, 2026, at 1:31 a.m. He was accused of driving while intoxicated. Kurk was held at the Lewis County Sheriff’s Department and later released.
Travis J. Miles, 41, of Shawnee, Kansas, was arrested in Ralls County on June 21, 2026, at 11:28 p.m. He was accused of driving while intoxicated and failing to wear a seat belt. Miles was released following his arrest.
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