JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Today, the State of Missouri announced the winners of the 2023 Show Me Challenge competition. On Friday, eight finalist teams competed in-person before a panel of state government senior leaders to present the best ideas to improve state government.
Inspired by the hit TV show “Shark Tank,” the Show Me Challenge continues to bring together state team members from across Missouri’s 17 executive departments to pitch solutions that improve systems and processes that serve the citizens of Missouri, cut out unnecessary work, and/or save the State time and money.
The Show Me Challenge invited all State of Missouri team members in the executive branch to submit an initial pitch outlining their solutions. Eight teams were then invited to participate in the final competition. They had the opportunity to further develop their pitch, receive coaching, and then present their ideas in front of a panel of judges, including department directors and other senior leaders with government, policy, and business expertise.
The finalist teams represented 13 of the 17 executive departments of the Missouri state government and competed in front of a live audience.
First place went to the team MO VTIP (Missouri Vicarious Trauma Improvement Plan) from the Department of Corrections (DOC), Department of Mental Health (DMH), Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Department of Public Safety (DPS), Department of Social Services (DSS), Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), Missouri Department of Transportation (MODOT), and Missouri Natural Guard (MONG) for their idea to enhance wellness services for Missouri State team members experiencing the effects of post-traumatic stress to improve their quality of life and facilitate service delivery to Missouri citizens.
Winning team members of MO VTIP are:
- Johanna Bisges
- Meckenzie Hayes
- Shawn Holzhauser
- Todd Houf
- Rachel Jones
- Sarah Jones
- Tara Meisenheimer
- Brian Miller
Second place went to Show Me Sirens from DNR and DPS for their project that will focus on enhancing the safety of not only the guests and employees in the parks, but also the surrounding communities by getting storm sirens installed in state parks where no sirens can be heard and cell phone reception may not be reliable enough to adequately warn of severe weather.
Third place went to Operation: Show-Me Brighter Futures from DSS and MONG for their idea to promote career exploration to youth ages 15-18 in the custody of Children’s Division and the Division of Youth Services through the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) Career Exploration program (CEP) to encourage positive career options for those youth prior to aging out of foster care.
A Fourth and Fifth place were also awarded to contestants. Fourth place went to Show Me Retention from DNR for their proposal to address the loss of core expertise through a cross-departmental program that retains institutional knowledge, increases skill competency among staff, and maintains regulatory leverage with all stakeholders. Fifth place went to Safety Squad from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DOLIR), DNR, and DPS for their idea to develop a safety toolkit for all state departments to increase the safety of staff and the customers we serve.
The judges for this year’s competition were Representative Dave Griffith; Anna Hui, Director, DOLIR; Valerie Huhn, Director, DMH; Robert Knodell, Director, DSS; and Caroline Coulter, Deputy Commissioner, Office of Administration (OA).
The judges considered a pitch’s quality, practicality, and potential for impact.
“Our state workforce continues to demonstrate their devotion for improving government and offering up solutions to leave a positive impact on the people we serve,” said Rep. Dave Griffith. “By bettering state government for our citizens, we don't just create efficient processes; we cultivate trust and lay the groundwork for a brighter future for all.”
“This competition is a great opportunity for frontline state team members to present workable solutions to real life challenges that are facing not only our customers, but our state workforce as well,” said Robert Knodell, Director, DSS. “Every improvement in state government resonates in the lives of the citizens we serve. They are the reason we strive for better every day.”
“It is inspiring to watch our fellow team members’ present problem solving ideas to the betterment of our customers. Our state workforce understands that our truest measure of success is the satisfaction and trust of the people we serve," said Caroline Coulter, Deputy Commissioner, OA. “When we prioritize the wellbeing of our customers, every step forward in government is a stride towards a better future for them."
To date, over 600 team members have pitched ideas to improve production and processes across state government. The 2024 Show Me Challenge competition will begin next spring.
For more on the Show Me Challenge, go here.