Our Founder & CEO, Jeff Hancock, has over 49 years of municipal experience. He has served as a city administrator, assistant city manager, budget officer, and manager of economic and development in cities with populations ranging from 7,700 to 495,000.

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Mr. Hancock knows the benefits of interim work and has twice served as Interim City Manager/Administrator for the cities of Fayette and Fort Scott, Kansas, and as interim City Administrator for the City of St. James, Missouri. He has also served as Interim City Clerk for the City of Laurie, Missouri.

• Jeff has supervised financial management, human resources, marketing, strategic planning, economic development, airport construction and management, capital improvements, fire, parks and recreation, and community services to meet efficient and effective service delivery goals.

• He has shown active leadership in community and regional economic development efforts.

• He is a Life member of ICMA and Missouri City Management Association, former president of MCMA and Central Missouri Development Corporation, and board member of the Missouri Municipal League. He was active in Lake of the Ozarks Council of Governments, Lake of the Ozarks Regional Economic Development Council, Johnson County Economic Development Corporation, and other economic agencies.

• Recognized with the 2009 Missouri Municipal League’s Innovation Award and the 2005 Missouri City Manager Award.

Ashley is a certified HR professional (Certified Compensation Professional (CCP), Certified Benefits Professional (CBP), SHRM- CP and PHR) with over seventeen years of experience in compensation, HRIS, recruiting, employee relations, training and development, payroll, and benefits administration. 

She has taught undergraduate and graduate HR courses including compensation management for the last nine years and enjoys being a mentor to others looking to get into the field. Her background includes working in the financial sector, automotive, retail and most recently, municipal experience in the City of Ann Arbor, Michigan. 

Ashley has most recently worked the last ten years leading the compensation department at the City of Ann Arbor and has served as the interim HR & Labor Relations Director, as needed.

At Interim Solutions, Brett administrates Conservatorships & Guardianships, performs Executive Searches, Interim City Transition-Troubleshooting Placements, Mentoring & Coaching.

Brett is an International City-County Management Association (ICMA) Credentialed Manager. He is a marginally Retired Manager, Governmental Consultant, Trust Administrator, and Management Accountant with BakerAndAssociates1.com. 

Brett grew up & was a Principal in his Family's long standing Western Nebraska Accounting Firm until he facilitated its sale to a Lincoln Nebraska Group in 2008. He has served Municipalities and Counties in the States of Kansas & Nebraska during his 25+ years public-sector career, including being presented the prestigious Nebraska 2011 Planning & Zoning Association (NPZA) Professional of the Year Award and leading two full terms as Nebraska State President for the Nebraska City-County Management Association (NCMA) in 2011 thru 2013.

Brett also served Lancaster County/City of Lincoln Nebraska as a Deputy Director of Emergency Management to complement his 18-years of Fire & Rescue Service Commitment.  Brett has served on the State League of Nebraska Municipalities Executive Board from September 2012 thru September 2015. He is a Charter Member of the Nebraska Community Energy Alliance serving as its State Treasurer.  He has served on the Board of the Great Plains Trail Association and several other State & Local Service Boards.

Brett is also a Classic Car Enthusiast-Collector along with being a Cancer Awareness Promoter and Survivor, along with his son, Kiernan.

“Capital will always go where it’s welcome and stay where it’s well treated. Capital is not just money; it’s also talent & ideas.”Wriston’s Law of Capital has become Steve Dust’s signature invitation to wake up to the imperatives of wealth-creating development, government effectiveness, and placemaking.

Steve’s 49-year career spans corporate, business, real estate, and economic development. The common thread among his assignments is moving public, nonprofit, and private organizations into and through startup and growth, and combinations that make financial, operational, and cultural sense, while building the place around him. He also enjoys taking on unique and difficult assignments for clients with high expectations. Whether in the public or private sector, Steve has been the key strategist and “dealmaker” on many public - private collaborations and projects.

Steve has pursued his passion for community building and economic development – professionally or as an avocation - in leadership roles for local, regional, and state level economic development organizations, as well as filling senior management roles in real estate, investor-owned utility, and construction businesses. He also led a private foundation created to redevelop and advance a rural micropolitan region, and parent to four subsidiary operations, including commercial and residential real estate development and management, and a commercial dark-fiber service. He is the author of a “how-to” book for local development organizations undertaking public-private partnerships in real estate and building projects.

As a volunteer, Steve served two terms as  mayor of a micropolitan city dominated by industrial operations and tourism, chaired a state health & education facilities finance authority, and has served on the board of directors for foundations, professional associations, state chambers, and national business associations. He has been recognized for his public policy advocacy.

Steve earned a personalized, comprehensive Bachelor of Science in Public Services Administration degree at the University of Central Missouri School of Public Services, and an MBA degree focused on corporate strategy and macroeconomics at the University of Iowa Tippie School of Business. Steve holds the distinction of being the youngest person to earn the Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) designation. His wife, Donita, is a retired speech-language pathology clinician. They have two sons, Alexander, a chef of the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls; and Andrew, Chicago, co-founder of a recently exited, venture -backed fintech. Steve enjoys shooting sports, international travel, writing on current economic and civic issues, and hanging around with family.

Julianne Stone is the President of Stone Consulting. She specializes in work with public and non-profit sector clients navigating and facilitatingconversations and processes around strategic planning and implementation, priority- setting, designing and delivering, educational workshops, community outreach and engagement and collaborative partnership efforts. Stone has extensive experience working with local government officials, boards of directors and executive organizational leadership to identify and reach their goals. She also is an adjunct professor in public policy administration at University of Missouri-St. Louis teaching credit and non-credit courses in local government management, and economic development.

Stone most recently served as the St. Louis Region, Regional Administrator for the Missouri Department of Conservation leading staff in 9 counties to ensure responsible resource management and that the St. Louis public has the opportunity to enjoy the region’s many natural assets. Previously Stone worked as Vice President of Strategic Initiatives of Bi-State Development (BSD). In this capacity, she focused on the development of community, municipal, corporate and foundation partnerships, as well as the creation and implementation of new community-facing policy-related and educational initiatives including the creation and management of the Regional Disability Transportation Resource Network. After leaving Bi-State Development, Stone spent time assisting the City Manager of the City of Hazelwood with special policy projects. She is active in the Midwest Chapter of the International Association of Public Participation.

She spent 13 years as the Director of the Local Government Partnership (LGP), a program co-sponsored by the East-West Gateway Council of Governments, the Center for Ethics in Public Life at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and the University’s Public Policy Administration Program. For many years, University of Missouri Extension was also a key partner. The LGP was designed to provide training, technical assistance, outreach and information to local government officials and their constituents, as well as students of local government in the bi-state region. She concurrently served as the Manager of Community Engagement and Local Government Services at East-West Gateway Council of Governments, leading the team responsible for developing, implementing and supporting the Agency’s public engagement efforts and outreach for its Regional Transportation Plans and Public Involvement Plan including all Title VI, LEP, EJ and ADA requirements.

Stone was previously the Director of the St. Louis Urban Outreach Office of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. This multi-issue, non-regulatory office provided St. Louis City, St. Louis County and St. Charles County with focused policy, planning and technical outreach assistancein the fields of environmental quality, energy, historic preservation and parks and trails.

She has also served as Policy Assistant to former St. Louis City Mayor Clarence Harmon, where she handled a wide range of local, state and federal policy issues including brownfields redevelopment and other urban environmental programs. Stone began her career in government working in Washington D.C. for a lobbying organization focused on U.S.-Middle East policy.

Stone holds a Master of Arts and is ABD in Political Science from Washington University. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Oberlin College.

Ewell Lawson is a skilled public sector and utility industry leader with over three decades of experience in utilities, government, and association management. He has served in key leadership roles supporting all levels of government, from local municipalities to national associations, federal service, and academic institutes. His utility experience stems from working directly with over 120 municipal utilities to improve management and service delivery.

Lawson has a record of success in policy development, strategic planning, and advocacy. He has successfully navigated complex regulatory landscapes and advanced both public governance and utility sector interests. Throughout his career, he has served in key leadership roles guiding strategic business initiatives, operations, and public policy development. His expertise includes:

• Organizational Leadership: Driving strategic initiatives, fostering collaboration, and managing diverse teams.

• Utility Management: Leading municipal utility providers in delivering      essential services like electricity, natural gas, water, wastewater, and      broadband.

• Government Affairs: Advising on legislative and regulatory matters, lobbying, and building relationships with policymakers.

Lawson's commitment to public service and sound policy development is recognized nationally. He has received numerous awards, including the Alan Richardson Statesmanship Award from the American Public Power Association and recognition from the National Coalition for Local Internet Choice for his broadband policy advocacy. He served on the APPA Board of Directors from 2015-2018, playing a significant role in advancing utility sector interests.

Lawson complements his consulting with work with CEO and business leadership coaching and operational management for an academic institute on energy policy. With a Master of Public Administration from the Truman School of Public Affairs and a bachelor’s degree in political science, both from the University of Missouri, he combines both academic rigor with practical experience.

A proud parent of two grown children, Lawson is married to Dr. Shari Lawson, a professor of educational leadership at Columbia College. When not immersed in utility policy or his consulting and leadership coaching practice, he enjoys genealogy, history, outdoor activities, and service to his church.

Jeana L Woods is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with an extensive background in public accounting, municipal finance, and city administration. Her career spans over two decades, showcasing her expertise in financial management, public accounting, administration, and municipal governance.

Jeana began her career in public accounting after earning her Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Business Administration. She achieved her CPA designation, solidifying her expertise in financial accounting and reporting. She previously served the community of Osage Beach, Missouri, serving over twenty-two years in various positions in finance and administration, serving over ten years as the City Administrator.

During her tenure at Osage Beach, she was committed to providing the highest level of financial and management integrity and transparency, maintaining her International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Credentialed Manager designation, and was responsible for

overseeing the city’s financial and management operations, policy development, economic development efforts, and earned several awards and designations for her expertise. These included

the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Distinguished Budget Award for the preparation of high-quality budget documents, the Missouri City/County Management Association (MCMA) Jay T. Bell Professional Management Award for her high standards of accomplishment, professionalism and ethical conduct, and numerous other commendations for her community involvement and key leadership roles on various boards and commissions.

In addition, she has been a business owner and operator for many years, including her CPA practice in which she is committed to assisting her clients navigate complex financial regulations and financial and management strategies. She serves both the private and public sectors in optimizing financial and administrative management, and reporting.

Jeana L Woods’ career as a CPA and city administration leader demonstrates her commitment to financial and management excellence and public service and is testament to the impact that skilled and dedicated professionals can have on organizations in both the private and public sectors, and the communities they serve.