Second in a series of candidate profiles to be published Feb. 7-Feb. 16. Profiles are being published in order names will appear on the ballot.
Landon McCarter developed an interest in building businesses as a child. As his mother taught swim lessons over summers in a backyard pool, McCarter set up a little concession stand, selling soda, candy and gum to kids waiting on lessons.
“I was this little kid making, like, $100 a week,” McCarter said. “That was really my entrepreneurial start, selling these concessions to the brothers and sisters of the kid doing the swim lessons.”
McCarter, 39, is one of seven candidates running for three open seats on the Springfield Board of Education. As he grew up and graduated from Kickapoo High School, and with a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Missouri State University, McCarter found ways to make a career out of growing businesses, from that concession stand to selling bounty from the family’s garden.
Over the almost 15 years, McCarter said he helped build several businesses to the point of profitability and sale. He co-founded Secure Agent Marketing, and recently sold that business to start another that he is not yet ready to announce, he said. He also is working in real estate with his wife.
“I always had this interest in growing things,” McCarter said. “My skill set is really creating. I’m not a business operator as much as I am a start-from-scratch guy. But I’m pretty dedicated once I go in, and so I don’t have a problem with chasing squirrels. I’ve been pretty consistent of building up companies that have been worth something to other people, and I’ve been able to sell those and move on to the next.”
While not an educator, McCarter enjoys coaching in a variety of ways. He is a youth basketball coach, with teams at the Fieldhouse Sports Center — he is currently coaching a third grade girls’ basketball team named the Angels. He has coached all three of his children on similar teams.
He also coaches Missouri State University’s marketing department as a member of its advisory board. And he coaches other fathers in Man Up and Go, a Christian-based organization that emphasizes family responsibility and the role of fathers to communities across the world.
Lately, McCarter is one of the growing number of athletes discovering how pickleball is an engaging, entertaining sport. As part of a regular group of players, he finds time to compete with friends and colleagues.
Motivation for running
If voters elect McCarter, it will be the first elected office he has held. He also ran for a seat on the Springfield Board of Education in 2023.
He said that his family’s connection to education is what drives him to serve on this board. McCarter’s father taught eighth grade math in Springfield Public Schools for 30 years, and his mother also taught for 14 years.
He and his siblings all grew up in Springfield, all graduating from Kickapoo. And his three children are following his path — all are students in SPS schools.
“I’ve been really blessed by Springfield. It’s my home,” McCarter said. “I believe that the public school system of Springfield is maybe one of the most important pillars of our community. I want to serve the community, serve the teachers, serve the students ultimately, and help Springfield become, and stay the most epic place in the country to live.”
Strongest qualification
Of all the skills he has developed over his career, McCarter said his business acumen will be what makes him an outstanding school board member if elected.
McCarter said he has faced situations where money must be spent carefully in order for a business to survive. He sees a similar situation as Springfield Public Schools is about to lose millions of dollars in extra funding from the American Recovery Plan Act — schools are losing several assistants and other professionals that the extra money provided for. That problem will persist for at least a couple of years, he said.
“We are losing a lot of money that we are accustomed to having,” McCarter said. “So we have got to have an entrepreneur and a businessman who has the real-world experience of looking at a balance sheet, looking at a budget, understanding capital allocation and understanding where to invest money and where to cut.”
McCarter said he has worked with similarly sized groups before — a leadership group for a 50-employee business he helped build was seven members, just like the board of education. He said he was able to work with that diverse group, and together they thrived.
“My entrepreneurial skills and my business acumen are going to be why I’m going to be able to serve these next several years on the board,” McCarter said. “I can bring a lot of value to that group of individuals to create a voice of unity.”
Editor’s note: This story is part of an ongoing series in the Springfield Daily Citizen’s coverage of the April 2024 election for the Springfield Public Schools Board of Education.
