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*For Immediate Release                                                                                *

*September 16, 2025 *                                                                                                                    

*State of Missouri Selects 2025 Show Me Challenge Competition Winners*

*JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.* – The State of Missouri today announced the winners of the 2025 Show Me Challenge competition. On Monday, six finalist teams presented their innovative ideas to improve state government in person before a panel of senior state leaders.

First place for the 2025 Show Me Challenge went to the team *MOgrooves* from the Missouri Office of the Lieutenant Governor for their project, a one-stop website that shares arts and culture assets and events throughout the state.

Inspired by the popular television show “Shark Tank,” the Show Me Challenge unites state government team members to pitch innovative solutions that enhance systems, streamline workflows and ultimately save the state time and money.

“The Show Me Challenge has evolved into a powerful platform for innovation and teamwork. This year’s finalists demonstrated how a spirit of continuous improvement, combined with bold, data-driven solutions, can truly enhance the way we serve the people of Missouri. Their work is a testament to the incredible talent and dedication within our workforce,” said *Missouri Office of Administration Commissioner Ken Zellers*. “I’d like to extend my congratulations to the finalists, and I look forward to seeing these ideas put into practice.”

The challenge, hosted by Missouri’s Office of Administration, invited teams to submit an initial pitch outlining their solutions. Six teams were then selected for the final competition, where they refined their pitches, received coaching and presented their ideas to a panel of judges, including department directors and senior leaders with expertise in government, policy and business.

When finalized, the MOgrooves site will enhance the citizen experience and amplify Missouri’s $1.7 billion creative economy. The winning team members are Barbara MacRobie, Bob Madden, Donald Rice, Jenni Ryan, Jim Riordan, Karon Hatchett, Piper Hutson and Wryn Engelmeyer.

When asked for their perspective on the accomplishment, the *MOgrooves* team stated, “This project wouldn't have come to fruition without the full team--each person made their own significant contributions. We are incredibly grateful to have won, and so proud of the work we can do when we come together! This has been such a rewarding experience, and we are excited to see how this momentum builds what comes next!”

Finalists represented one elected official’s office and four of the state’s 17 executive departments. They presented their pitches before a live audience.

The judges for this year’s competition were Macee Ernst, Governor’s Office; Maj. Gen. Charles D. Hausman, Missouri National Guard; Director Anna Hui, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; Jordan Roling, Governor’s Office; and Deputy Director Tim Van Zandt, Department of Health and Senior Services.

The judges evaluated the pitches on their quality, practicality and potential for making a significant impact.

“The Show Me Challenge exemplifies Missouri’s commitment to fostering innovative solutions to complex problems. The critical thinking and problem-solving skills demonstrated by the participating teams are a testament to the talent within our state and a step toward building a more resilient and technologically advanced future,” stated *Missouri National Guard Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Charles Hausman.* “The Missouri National Guard is proud to support these types of initiatives and values the partnerships that enhance our state’s capabilities to address evolving challenges.”

Second place went to the *Enterprise Address Validation and Certified Mail* team from Missouri's Office of Administration. Their project is an application that allows users to validate mailing addresses and generate and track USPS Certified Mail numbers and barcodes. Team members include Edward Durrill, Will Lewis and Howard Sheppard.

Third place went to *MO Hope* from the Missouri Department of Social Services and Department of Mental Health. Their project is an education initiative grounded in federal regulations for providers of state-contracted Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers on how to use provider-budgeted funds to pay the "Spend Down" for selected participants to ensure Medicaid coverage remains active for the entire month. Team members include Nicole Clayton, Bre Woodmansee and Anna Witherbee.

Fourth place went to *R.E.S.E.T *from the Missouri Department of Social Services. Their project focuses on establishing a RESET program that creates specialized, trauma-informed foster homes with tailored training and supports to care for children who have experienced human trafficking. This would reduce re-victimization and costly, inappropriate placements while improving long-term stability and recovery. Team members are Jessica Martin, Rachel Davis, Jennifer Menz, Cheri Norton, Emma Bruns, Rene Brinkman and Melissa Selsor.

Fifth place was awarded to the *Mobile Operations Kit* from Missouri’s Office of Administration. This project is a self-sustained, compact, mobile communications package for the Information Technology Services Division to build communication resiliency for IT continuity of operations during times of crisis. Team members are Dale Lingar, Aaron Cluff, Brent Gholson, Blake Grosvenor and Jeff Nelson.

To date, over 1,800 team members have pitched ideas to improve state government processes. The 2026 Show Me Challenge competition will begin next spring.

For more information about the Show Me Challenge, visit showmechallenge.mo.gov. [ [link removed] ]

Press Contact: [email protected]

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