Dexter, MO - The Dexter Chamber of Commerce held their 2020 Awards Banquet at The Gathering on Saturday, February 8th.  On hand were Senator Doug Libla and 151st State Representative Herman Morse to present resolutions from the MO House and MO Senate.

The last of award of the evening will be a new award, The John William Ringer Life Time Achievement Award and it went to John William Ringer as the first recipient!

On hand to present the award was Aaron Mathis, President of the Regional Healthcare Foundation.

John William Ringer began his law practice, September 6, 1960, practicing under Clarence Powell and Marvin Jones.  In his own words, "he was immediately thrown into something they didn't teach at the University of Missouri - Columbia law school, how to be a hospital lawyer".

A group of citizens tasked the young attorney to identify the steps necessary to eventually establish a hospital in a rural farm town.  As it with anything in life, the number one ingredient is...money.  You can't take donation without having a 501 c3 to ensure donors, their donations are tax deductible.  And with that, the Dexter Memorial Hospital was incorporated in the late months of 1964.  At that time, the IRS said you had to be in operation for two years to request such a classification, given the nature of the project, John William was able to request and ultimately receive a waiver on that condition.

Once the capitol was raised, through donations, and the selling of bonds, ti was time to start planning the physical building.  Dexter was in the same district as Poplar bluff meaning the certificate of need (meaning an allotment of beds) was already met, with all of those beds being in Poplar Bluff.  Yewell 

Yewell Lawrence (Bud Lawrence's father) had political connections in Jefferson City and was able to get the boundaries re-drawn.  and ultimately a certificate of need was given to the Dexter area.

Ringer went on to serve as legal counsel to the Dexter Memorial Hospital Board. He was also responsible for contracts of the physicians and nurse practitioners. Ringer served on the hospital board for 40 years and served as president for 25 years. Ringer retired from the board, now known as the Regional Healthcare Foundation in 2019.

Pictured presenting the award in back from left: Morse, Trammell, President of the Regional Healthcare Foundation Aaron Mathis and Libla. In front is John W. Ringer.