My family and I have lived in Christian County since 2008 owning a home in the Rivers Subdivision. My wife, Shannon, and our son Jarrett and I are active in the local community. I am a member of the Ozark Chamber of Commerce, serve as an Alderman on the Ozark City Board of Alderman, President of Business 2 Business, former member of the Board of Directors for MPACT, volunteer for Southwest Center for Independent Living and participating in OzarkLeads.
I am the youngest of three boys born to Jack and Joyce Shaffer. My father was a veteran who held numerous jobs as a young man until he was injured in a car accident which rendered him disabled. My mother was a registered nurse always working two jobs to help ends meet. My brothers and I helped out the best we could and I have good memories of my childhood. Although we never had much it seemed like it was always more than enough. I learned from my parents the importance of hard work, honesty and faith in god.
As a child I grew up in Camdenton, Missouri and was active in sports, drama, debate and Boy Scouts, obtaining the rank of Eagle Scout. I was elected the President of my High School Senior Class. I worked and borrowed my way through college at Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State University) graduating in 1990 with a degree in Communications. I was active in Student Government and was elected the President of my College Senior Class. After college I worked and borrowed my way through law school at the University of Missouri-Columbia. I graduated from law school in 1993 where I had an active role in Student Government and was elected President of the Graduate Student Body.
After law school I returned to the Springfield area to practice law including arguing a case before the Missouri Supreme Court. My current and former clients include some of the largest employers in southwest Missouri. As a lawyer I took great pleasure in challenging the government. Too often government agencies would bully and intimidate its citizens often exceeding their statutory authority. I successfully assisted disabled children being denied their rights by negligent school districts. I defended employers from the abusive tactics of federal agencies such as the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission, Director of Revenue, Wage and Hour, Occupational Safety and Health Administration and others. I sued the Missouri Department of Industrial Relations for their refusal to comply with the law successfully obtaining an injunction against the agency to stop their improper and unconstitutional conduct.
Now I am seeking the office of State Representative for the 140th District. I will to continue the good fight against bad government.