Missouri State University alumnus Jason Ray has been a dedicated director for the Center for Resource Planning Management (CPRM) for 10 years.

In recognition of his professional contributions to the university and community, the Springfield Business Journal (SBJ) named him to its 2026 40 Under 40 class. He received this award alongside 39 other honorees on April 13 at the Oasis Convention Center.

“It’s very rewarding and fulfilling to be recognized by SBJ. It elevates our organization and the work of our team here,” said Ray, who was one of SBJ’s 2023 Men of the Year.

Studying planning at Mo State

Growing up in a military family, Ray’s father served in the Air Force. He considers Kansas City, Missouri, where his extended relatives live, his hometown.

He recalls driving through downtown Kansas City and thinking about ways to improve parking. This reflected his strategic mind and early interest in strengthening established areas.

That interest eventually led him to Missouri State in 2006 to pursue a bachelor’s degree in community and regional planning. He graduated in 2010.

Becoming a planner

After five years of working his way up to be the deputy director of the Regional Planning Commission in the Joplin area, Ray returned to Missouri State in 2015 as a CPRM planner and became director in 2016.

Housed in the College of Natural and Applied Sciences (CNAS), the center is an applied research and outreach unit focused on community planning, public policy and resource management. It provides professional services, supports academic programs and engages students in real-world projects while serving a statewide mission. It is recognized as Missouri’s leading planning agency.

Since Ray took on this role, the center’s staff and budget have both grown significantly.

“Regional planning commissions across the state look to us for guidance and support. Statewide and national associations also often reach out for technical assistance and research expertise,” he said.

Building on this collaborative role, the center has expanded its partnerships beyond CNAS. It has collaborated with the efactory and the Jordan Valley Innovation Center, with plans to work with additional university units in the future.

Another position Ray holds is director of the Southwest Missouri Council of Governments, which contracts with the university for personnel services. In this capacity, he supports a 10-county region, which includes 88 local government units and several stakeholder organizations.

“We’re tasked with overseeing the region’s growth and development, such as consulting with local governments and partner agencies on planning the built environment, infrastructure and water management,” he said.

Ray recently received a notice of a grant award that his team developed for the downtown revitalization of Greenfield, a rural Southwest Missouri town. After three years of waiting for funding, the project is finally coming to fruition.

“I know this project will be so impactful for the town in rebuilding pride in its downtown, attracting new small businesses and restoring vibrancy to an area people care about,” he said.

“People take pride in their hometowns, just as I do in my alma mater, Missouri State. It’s rewarding to make a lasting difference for our communities.”

The importance of planning

For future or current students in community and regional planning, Ray emphasizes that “funding follows planning.”

“In this scale of planning, we focus on the long term. If we’re going to use public resources to invest in things for our community, people want to see a thoughtful plan behind these projects,” Ray said.

He highlights that planners play a key role in “laying the groundwork for implementing the vision they’re creating.”

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