Two Springfield journalists to be inducted into Missouri Newspaper Hall of Fame

Mike O’Brien, former editor and columnist for the News-Leader, and Dianne Elizabeth Osis, founding publisher of the Springfield Business Journal, are among those to be inducted.

Two Springfield journalists will be among those joining the Missouri Newspaper Hall of Fame on Sept. 20 during the Missouri Press Association’s annual convention in Springfield. The 2024 class is the 34th group to be inducted since the Hall of Fame was established in 1991.

This year’s inductees are Mike O’Brien, former editor and columnist for the Springfield News-Leader; Dianne Elizabeth Osis, founding publisher of the Springfield Business Journal; Doug Kneibert, former editor of the Sedalia Democrat; and Michael Stair, former city editor for the Joplin Globe.

Hall of Fame inductees (or their families) receive Pinnacle Awards in honor of the inductees’ service to the Missouri newspaper industry and their communities. Inductees’ plaques will join the permanent display of inductees in the MPA office in Columbia and in the student lounge in Lee Hills Hall at the Missouri School of Journalism.

Mike O’Brien, former News-Leader editor and columnist, to be inducted to Missouri Newspaper Hall of Fame

For nearly 60 years, Mike O’Brien has been a driving force in keeping those in southwest Missouri informed and entertained. He started in 1966 as an intern with Springfield Newspapers — never mind the fact he was an advertising major at the Missouri School of Journalism. O’Brien’s well-known nose for news, informative columns, photography work, and ability to grab a reader’s attention ensured a steady string of assignments after that.

After graduating in 1967, O’Brien joined the dual Springfield Leader & Press and Springfield Daily News operation. He remained there through the papers’ merger into the Springfield News-Leader. He left the newsroom in 1987 as associate editor but continued as a columnist for another 20 years.

Throughout his career, O’Brien has embraced the future of the profession, including setting up Springfield Newspapers’ first computer system and teaching colleagues how to use it. He also helped younger reporters develop and hone their skills. “OB” is regarded as a true master of the journalist’s craft, serving as a role model and mentor for budding journalists.

Over the years, O’Brien has been asked to return to the newspaper to provide new reporters with a lesson on all aspects of the job and share history of the Ozarks. O’Brien’s departure from the News-Leader was the journalism profession’s gain as he joined the faculty of Missouri State University and later Drury University. He continues to fulfill the role of training the next generation of journalists at Drury.

A master of adaptation, O’Brien has worked in all the newsroom roles of a print newspaper. But at heart, he is a beat reporter. Today, O’Brien’s beat is writing occasional feature stories for the Springfield Daily Citizen website and writing on social media about community issues that interest him.

Dianne Elizabeth Osis, founding publisher of the Springfield Business Journal, to be inducted into Missouri Newspaper Hall of Fame

Dianne Elizabeth Osis produced her first newspaper, Top’s Executive Journal, in July 1980 from her kitchen table, with only an academic background in journalism. Standing for The Ozarks Pulse, it was inspired by a similar publication from her time working at a law firm in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and was the first business journal in Missouri.

The newspaper, initially published every other week, limped along in its early years because people in the area were not familiar with the business journal concept. Osis persisted because she believed the newspaper model could work in Springfield, and in 1983, the publication was renamed as Springfield Business Journal, bringing new success.

A move into Springfield’s fledgling downtown in the mid-1980s, combined with Osis’ determination, meant the newspaper embraced the up-and-coming area and in turn the businesses supported SBJ. She would further show her commitment to the downtown by purchasing and renovating a former hotel to serve as the newspaper’s offices.

Community leaders credit Osis’ vision and commitment as a significant factor in the revitalization of Springfield’s downtown, helping to build confidence with others in the area and inspire a resurgence of investment over the following years.

Regularly volunteering for community efforts, Osis is an example of an unselfish leader and seen as “a model for a civic-minded journalist” with many of the same traits that made her a good journalist also applying to her work on various boards and committees.

Osis’ work as one of the first female business journal publishers in the nation broke barriers and paved the way for other women in the industry, including her daughter, Jennifer Jackson, who succeeded Osis as publisher of SBJ in 2011 and as president of SBJ Publishing in 2017. Her commitment to journalism and mentorship of aspiring journalists continues to have a lasting impact, fostering growth and success of countless individuals during her career.