Moberly Area Community College Shines Bright as an Example of Excellence in the Community College Sector
Moberly Area Community College (MACC) takes great pride in announcing its extraordinary accomplishments at the 2023 Missouri Community College Association (MCCA) Annual Convention and Tradeshow. This event brings together community colleges from across the state, providing an opportunity to recognize exceptional achievements and celebrate their contributions to higher education.
As an institution dedicated to empowering students and enriching communities, MACC’s mission is to provide dynamic and accessible educational opportunities. In pursuit of this mission, MACC anticipates and responds to the changing educational needs of the diverse communities it serves.
The Missouri Community College Association Annual Convention and Tradeshow is renowned for honoring outstanding accomplishments in numerous award categories, each representing the highest standards of excellence. These awards recognize the institutions, faculty, and staff who have demonstrated exemplary commitment to their students and communities.
Finalists Announcement
MACC proudly announces its finalists in multiple award categories, highlighting their remarkable contributions and achievements. The finalists from MACC include:
- Distinguished Alumni: Matt Fleming, President & CEO of MidwayUSA
- Distinguished Business & Industry: Columbia Chamber of Commerce
- Excellence in Teaching: Patti Cole, Associate Professor of Physical Science
- Classified Staff: Stacy Donald, Director of ADA Services
- Outstanding Adjunct Faculty: Gerald Thompson, Adjunct Instructor of Wind Energy Technology
- Administrative Professional Leadership: Heather Witt, Director of Business Services
- Innovation: Maggie Holper, Director of MACCLab
Winners Announcement
We are thrilled to announce the following winners from MACC:
• Matt Fleming (’88) was presented the Distinguished Alumni Award. This award is presented to exceptional individuals who have attended a Missouri community college.
Matt has served as the President & CEO of with MidwayUSA since 2021. An industry-leading internet retailer of shooting, hunting, and outdoor products, Matt has been instrumental in developing Midway’s strategic direction and work systems which has led to average annual double-digit growth in sales and profits over the past 20 years.
“The MACC Alumni Association is proud of our alumni all over the world. Matt Fleming’s state-wide recognition as a Distinguished Alumni by the Missouri Community Colleges Association, along with his exemplary career and service shows our current students the possibilities before them as MACC graduates entering the workforce and our communities. We are proud to claim Matt as one
of our own!” — Susanna Freeman, MACC Director of Institutional Development & Alumni Service
• The Columbia Chamber of Commerce was recognized with the Distinguished Business & Industry Award. This award is presented to individuals and/or businesses that have engaged in significant partnerships with their local community college to stimulate economic activity and support students and programs.
The Columbia Chamber of Commerce has partnered with MACC in numerous ways resulting in positive impact in the Columbia community and region. In 2019 the Chamber began the new Workforce Development Division to impact workforce issues in Columbia. Since that time, the Chamber workforce division began participation in the “Show Me Careers Program” and has just completed year two of the program. The Show Me Careers program takes middle school and high school educators into advanced manufacturing, IT/technology, health care, construction and other job sites where workforce shortages exist.
“The Columbia Chamber of Commerce is very worthy of this recognition for their extensive work and commitment to workforce development, convening the business and industry community with educational and training resources, and recognizing the value of numerous pathways to the workforce. MACC students and the Columbia community have benefited greatly from this important relationship with the Chamber.” –Dr. Jeff Lashley, MACC President
• Heather Witt, MACC Director of Business Services was honored with the Administrative Professional Leadership Award for her exemplary leadership practices within the college and throughout the community.
Heather’s commitment to process improvement is demonstrated by her efforts to streamline the purchasing process transitioning it from a paper-based to electronic system. She also successfully implemented the P-Card system for electronic approval of credit card purchases.
“Heather’s exceptional leadership skills led to improved efficiency for the entire MACC system. She and her team have greatly improved our college’s purchasing operations, empowering our faculty and staff to efficiently and conveniently manage their departmental needs and budgets.” –Susan Spencer, MACC Vice President for Finance
“According to MACC president, Jeff Lashley, “All of the finalists and winners should be congratulated on their outstanding achievements. Their devotion to the success of our students and communities is an excellent representation of the values that we hold at MACC. We are incredibly proud of each and every one of them for their dedication and hard work. Their accomplishments and contributions are a testament to MACC’s commitment to excellence.”
About MACC: Moberly Area Community College is an open-admission, public community college offering a wide variety of Degree and Certificate Programs. That college has five campuses in Central and Northeastern Missouri and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. MACC provides dynamic and accessible educational opportunities that empower our students and enrich our communities.
Contact: Tina Van Horn, Director of Marketing and Public Relations
Phone: 660-263-4100 ext. 11261 Email: marketing@macc.edu

Distinguished Alumni Award: Pictured Jeff Lashley, MACC President, Matt and Paula Fleming

Distinguished Business and Industry Award: Pictured Jeff Lashley, MACC President, Matt McCormick, Columbia Chamber of Commerce President and Eric Morrison, Columbia Chamber of Commerce Chairman

Administrative Professional Leadership Award: Pictured Jeff Lashley, MACC President, Heather Witt, MACC Director of Business Services, and Susan Spencer, MACC Vice-President for Finance