Champion City's Leaders of The New School No. 3

We would like to introduce our readers to Mo Carpenter, the third subject for the Hub Springfield's series on young professionals in our area. Mr. Carpenter is a Wittenberg alumni of 2010, and a current partner at Gallery Homes Real Estate who is driven towards altruism and having a hand in the prosperity of his community.

Carpenter was born in Columbus, Ohio and was introduced to Springfield while attending Wittenberg where he met his wife, a Springfield native. “I really fell in love with this town. It’s quaint, quiet, everyone’s really kind- I’m from a bigger city so I didn’t want to go back to that. I met my wife and just got connected with a few of the nonprofits at an early age. I met some great people this way and wanted to get involved to be an agent of change, and the rest is history!”

Carpenter is referring to his work with Leadership Clark County, United Way, Springfield Board of Realtors, Pregnancy Resource Center, and Christian Educare through Maiden Lane. He adds that Leadership Clark County is “A great resource. I thought I knew a lot about Springfield, but once I went through that program I was introduced to all the goings-on, and what is lacking in our county. It opens your eyes to some of the issues we’re facing, connects you with so many influential people and nonprofits, and through that you’re able to directly serve. Your time in Leadership Clark County doesn’t just stop once you graduate from the program, it’s just starting. You’re supposed to take that momentum and serve the community better.”

One concept which he still lives by from his initiation into Leadership Clark County is the idea of “Servant Leading.” To him, this has a two-fold meaning which is to identify needs in the community, and then to formulate ways to help. Some issues he hopes to tackle in Springfield, alone, include those surrounding poverty, race, and attainable food. Carpenter commends the current Board and Executive Director of the program, Leigh Anne Lawrence, for their work at making “..the best nonprofit around..” function smoothly.

Paradoxically, Carpenter’s current career as a real estate agent began as a joke with his own realtor while purchasing property. “I worked in the corporate world, early on in my career, upon graduating. During the COVID-19 epidemic I did a lot of self-reflection and realized I wasn’t passionate enough about it to be doing that for the rest of my life, though I was grateful for the skills. Nonetheless, my strong suit is in building relationships. So one day I turned to my wife and just told her I was making the move to get my real estate license, and less than a week later I was in my first virtual class.” 

Carpenter met Kate Wilson, his partner for Gallery Homes Real Estate, in 2020. “I was blessed because the owner and broker gave me an opportunity. Kate Wilson is an amazing lady, I had heard a lot about her beforehand, but I knew within the first 20 minutes that I wanted to work for her. I could tell that she was genuine and had integrity. I didn’t care what she offered, I just knew I wanted to start off working for her.”

He goes on to explain that real estate is more than just a job to him, saying "I get to demonstrate that integrity and kindness while pairing people with their homes. It was never about the money, but I get to network and volunteer with people from all professions from educators to first responders. Through my job I can hopefully do more for my community and show who I am as a person.”

According to Carpenter a lot of his passion for progress and compassion for others comes from a rocky experience attending inner-city schools, which ultimately motivated him to “be the difference he wanted to see”, as the saying goes.

Having transitioned from public education for his grade school years, to a private education for high school, the contrast opened his eyes to the ways his fellow students were struggling in various circumstances around him.

As he recalls, “Kids couldn’t afford to buy lunch, or others didn't have homes to go back to at the end of the day. Not just because of finances but as the result of other issues in the family, such as drug abuse. People just need different assistance no matter what phase of life they’re in. I want to be able to help others the best I can. This community has so many nonprofits, so many young people who want to make a change. There are people who want to come here and stay here now! When I went to Wittenberg, graduates would return to where they came from. Now they see the opportunity in a thriving downtown, and the organizations that are doing good work, and choosing to stay. That fills my heart.”

He also attributes his sense of empathy to his parents, Rose and William Carpenter.

“I had some of the best parents in the world. Although I didn’t grow up with much financially, my parents loved me, and they taught me how to treat people. It’s great because they just cared about me, and I would say that’s what really shaped me. They always showed me how to treat everyone the same no matter where they are in life. Never look down on anyone. Since they instilled those values in me, I hope to do the same for my daughters.”

Carpenter also mentions finding inspiration in his spouse, Jessica, a teacher at Clark Shawnee Elementary School. “Talk about someone who’s just passionate about our youth. An absolutely caring individual who makes me better. I’m very lucky.”

Mo Carpenter’s future plan is to help in any way he can find, so as to see Springfield grow and evolve. He hopes to spend more time on his philanthropy and mentoring. An upstanding individual such as this, one who employs the head on his shoulders and the heart on his sleeve to create a better future, is just the type we could all learn from. The times don’t need to be troubled to take a page from the book of Mo. Every day is the right day to be a humanitarian.