Family
I’m a very lucky man.
I still remember the day I met my wife – June 4, 1994. She was the kind of girl who was on a different level. Like, way out of my league. Somehow, I convinced her that I was somebody she should spend time with. And all these years later, she still accepts me for who I am. We’ve now been married 28 years, since October 19, 1996.
We became parents seven years later. Everyone thought we were crazy, because my wife was in medical school at the time. Who starts a family during medical school? Several years later, when she was working 70 to 80 hours a week during her residency, she became pregnant with identical twins. It was a very crazy time.
We’ve been blessed with three beautiful boys: Braden, Dawson, and Dylan.
The journey has been awesome! And looking back, I wouldn’t change a single thing. I get to be in love with my best friend and help raise 3 young men. Even after 28 years together, I’m more in love than ever!
When I ask you how you’re doing, I’m genuinely concerned about you and your family.
Craig Henley
Community Involvement
We are parishioners at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, and we’re very involved in the Springfield area Catholic community. My faith is very important to me. I have found that as I lead with my faith, great things happen!
For the past 6 years I have collaborated with a small group of men to host the Catholic Men’s Conference. Last year nearly 500 men attended for a day to unite with other men to deepen their faith. In 2021, Bishop Rice presented me with the Citizen Recognition Award, given to one individual in the state for outstanding service at the diocesan level, following an inspirational presentation I gave at the men’s conference. “And he touched the hearts of many,” Bishop Rice said. “Such openness should be encouraged.”
Having supported the non-profit Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri for years, in 2024 I was asked to join their Board of Directors. You can’t imagine how amazing it feels to be a part of an organization that aligns with your faith and morals. It provides a deeper level of purpose to what I do. I am also a member of the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic men’s organization. Currently, I serve as a District Deputy for the Knights. Simply put, I work with local Knights councils to provide support and aid in their overall success. Among other things, we raise money and give it away to local and statewide charities in need, including the Pregnancy Care Center, Lifehouse Crisis Maternity Home, Missouri Special Olympics, and local homeless veterans.
In 2015 I started a business group called Sprout; by combining the best components of other business, networking and philanthropic groups I have been a part of. The goal is to provide personal and professional growth for our members through speaker presentations, interactive dialogue and community involvement. We are all better because of our participation. It’s been exciting to see how the group has evolved over the past 9 years.
I’m also involved with the non-profit Man Up and Go. We help fatherless children around the world with programs in Africa, the Dominican Republic and Ethiopia. In 2019, I went on a mission trip to Africa with Man Up to see firsthand the impact that their programs are having. You don’t realize how fortunate we all are until you see those who aren’t. Seeing those children motivates you to do more for those in need. Man Up also operates on a local level as Man Up 100. We’re looking for 100 men who will support fatherless children, emphasizing the importance of the role of the father in a family. We also support local foster families. It’s a great organization that allows you to have a big impact on multiple levels.
Extracurricular Activities
One of my favorite activities has been mountain climbing. This was not something I ever expected to be any part of my life. It’s only within the last 6 years that this came to be. In 2019, while in Africa with Man Up and Go, I climbed my first mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro. It forever changed my life. It forever altered the way I view my faith. So much so, just 3 years later, in January 2022, I was called to Argentina to climb Mt. Aconcagua. Now having summitted 2 of The Seven Summits, I’m hooked. In 2027, I plan to travel to Alaska to summit Denali. I have lots of training to do to be prepared for that trip. More on that later.
None of these efforts would be possible without the support of my wife and my children. They give me the ability to take time to do these things. They understand how much it means to me and the spiritual impact it has had.