Rick’s Automotive, Springfield auto repair business and longtime Ozarks Tech supporter, received the Missouri Community College Association Distinguished Business & Industry Award at this year’s MCCA annual convention.
The Distinguished Business & Industry Award recognizes individuals and/or businesses that have engaged in significant partnerships with their local community college to stimulate economic activity and support students and programs. Ozarks Tech nominated Rick’s Automotive and the Hughlett family for the award for their deep-rooted and ongoing support of the college.
“Rick’s Automotive and the Hughlett family are great friends to the college. They not only give generously of their time and financial resources, but they also take great personal pride in helping further our mission,” said Dr. Hal Higdon, Ozarks Tech chancellor.
Rick Hughlett and his wife Karen, who started Rick’s Automotive in 1980, have a long history with Ozarks Tech. Rick attended the precursor to the college, Graff Area Vocational-Technical Center. Not long after the college opened its doors, Rick became involved with the college on the automotive technology advisory board. Later, the college asked Rick to serve on the OTC Foundation board, a position he still holds.
In 2022, the Hughlett family donated to the new Robert W. Plaster Center for Advanced Manufacturing to establish a student lounge in the PMC. In May of this year, Ozarks Tech dedicated Rick’s Automotive Student Lounge located in the newly remodeled Industry and Transportation Technology Center. This student lounge is adjacent to the automotive technology classrooms where Rick and his employees have spent countless hours talking with and mentoring Ozarks Tech students in the program.
In addition to their donations to establish the two student lounges, Rick’s Automotive also invests in other OTC Foundation initiatives including scholarships, emergency funds, golf tournaments, the automotive program and various other funds.
“We support Ozarks Tech because we know that every dollar invested will come back many times over in a way that benefits individuals and in turn a more successful workforce,” said Rick Hughlett.
Each year the MCCA convention and tradeshow brings together Missouri’s 12 community colleges for advocacy, professional development, information and collaboration. The event attracts nearly 600 attendees, making it the largest gathering of community college professionals in the state.