For 51 years, it was easy for Rick Todd to leave the house every morning and head off to work. And not simply because of his roles for the Herschend Family Entertainment Inc., which owns Silver Dollar City.
Certainly, growing the company’s success and entertaining families was fun. However, along the way, he came to oversee the Silver Dollar City Foundation Pro-Am, whose profits aid local school kids. How rewarding it has been.
“It’s hard to put into words,” Todd said. “I’ve done a lot of things, but the things I value most are the opportunities to help kids and their families.”
Thus, the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to honor Todd with the President’s Award, presented to an individual who supports athletics in the state and especially supports the Hall of Fame, a 501c-3 not-for-profit.
Todd will be honored during the 2018 Enshrinement presented by Killian Construction, set for Sunday, January 28. Associate sponsors are Advertising Plus, Hillyard, Inc., Hiland Dairy and White River Valley Electric Cooperative. (See below for tickets).
He has led the Silver Dollar City Pro-Am since its inception 19 years ago when it partnered with the PGA Web.com Tour’s Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper. The tournament, managed by the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and backed by the financial generosity of businesses and individuals throughout the area, has gifted more than $14.6 million to Ozarks children’s charities since its inception in 1990.
The SDC Pro-Am was the first off-site pro-am on the Web.com Tour, and its reach is enormous.
The Silver Dollar City Foundation is a non-profit dedicated to preparing the hearts of kids to become men and women with Christ-like character in the communities of Stone and Taney counties. Incorporated as a private foundation in 1996, the Foundation funds projects and provides grants supporting youth and adult ministry programs and projects strengthening families.
Its Care For Kids project works in partnership with 14 school districts, providing kids in need with eye glasses, clothing, shoes, coats, medical care, food and housing. Care For Kids leans on school staffs, who see kids every day and are often aware of crises or issues needing attention but know the child’s family has no resources with which to provide immediate help. The Pro-Am also benefits Camp Barnabas and Youth Life.
For Todd, a 1969 graduate of Reeds Spring High School, leading the Pro-Am has been a labor of love ever since PCCC Tournament Executive Director Jerald Andrews floated the idea of an off-site pro-am.
“At first, you kind of wondered, ‘How is this going to work?’” said Todd, whose creativity made a difference: He secured a number of businesses tied to Silver Dollar City and challenged SDC’s internal groups on making sales pitches to business partners.
“Now,” Todd said, “we have no problem selling sponsorships and selling it out.”
The area has been near and dear to his heart, of course. Todd began working at SDC as a 15-year-old parking attendant. Overall, he has held 21 different roles, rising to Senior Vice President of Enterprise Risk Management and Business Administration before recently retiring. Not that he takes himself too seriously.
“You’d think they’d find something that I’m good at,” Todd joked.
He’s been good at everything. You see, it was Todd who led Herschend Entertainment’s 1976 venture into an east Tennessee theme park that later became known as Dollywood. He also played major roles in the development and design of rides, attractions and facilities at SDC and well as in the development of the Grand Palace, Grand Village and Showboat Branson Belle.
“I have been committed to continuous learning throughout my career,” Todd told the Springfield Business Journal in 2016, when he was among its Men of the Year honorees. “In most cases, I would take on the challenge to learn something and then lead the process to teach our management team.”
Todd also is a longtime supporter and contributor to MS 150 and has served numerous years as a youth sports coach and 18 years as an honorary coach and host for teams in the NAIA Division II Tournament.
Additionally, Todd is Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for Cox Medical Center Branson and a board member of Central Bank of Branson. He previously served on the Branson Board of Aldermen, Branson Area Lake Chamber of Commerce, Ozark Marketing Council, Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association.
He and his wife, Kim, are parents Jason and Kyle.
In other words, it’s easy to head to work every day.
“No doubt,” Todd said. “I can point to a lots of things I do and things I did. But having a positive impact on people ranks right up there.”
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Missouri Sports Hall of Fame’s 2018 Enshrinement Ceremonies presented by Killian Construction
When: Sunday, January 28
Morning reception: 11 a.m., presented by Meek’s The Builder’s Choice, at the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, 3861 E. Stan Musial Drive in Springfield.
Afternoon festivities: 4 p.m. reception, 5 p.m. dinner & ceremony at University Plaza Hotel & Convention Center, Springfield
Class of 2018: Mike Garrett (Kansas City Chiefs), Lee Smith (St. Louis Cardinals), Howard Richards (University of Missouri football), Jim Otis (St. Louis Football Cardinals & Kansas City Chiefs), Martin Mac Donald (Conservationist, Outdoorsman, Runner), football coach Gary Barnett (Northwestern University & University of Colorado), softball coach Holly Hesse (Missouri State University), Doug Elgin (Missouri Valley Conference Commissioner), Dr. Brian Mahaffey (Missouri State University, St. Louis Cardinals), shot putter Christian Cantwell (Eldon High School/University of Missouri/Olympics), basketball standout Kerensa Barr Cassis (West Plains High School/Mizzou), Dan Lucy (KOLR 10 TV Sports Director), Rockhurst High School football coach Tony Severino, basketball coach Steve Tappmeyer (Northwest Missouri State University, UMSL), Rick Grayson (PGA teaching professional), Learfield, the Lamar High School Football Program, Springfield-Greene County Park Board, Independent Printing – John Q. Hammons Founders Award, Rick Todd of Herschend Family Entertainment – President’s Award.
Sponsorship opportunities: Tables of 10 are $1,500 and include an autographed poster (a rendering by renowned artist Dayne Dudley), recognition in the printed program and at the table. Individual tickets are $150. Numerous other sponsorships are available, including congratulatory ads, trading cards and 20-month calendars.
Call the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame: 417-889-3100.
