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David Spence, 53, recently stepped down as the President of Alpha Packaging after nearly 27 years at the helm. Alpha is a Missouri-based plastics manufacturing company that Dave built from the ground up. Spence secured a loan to buy Alpha in 1985 at the age of 26. At the time, the business had about 15 employees and $350,000 in annual sales. A proven job creator, Dave has led Alpha’s rem
arkable expansion to over 800 employees and almost $200 million in revenue. He has also served as the Chairman of Legacy Pharmaceutical Packaging, a Missouri-based company. While quality manufacturing jobs were evaporating across the country, Dave found the formula to break that trend and help provide a good living for hundreds of Missourians.
Spence was born and raised in Missouri. Dave spent most of his childhood in Overland with his mother and two sisters before moving to Kirkwood. A public school student, he graduated from Kirkwood High School. While still in school, 14-year-old Dave began working at his father’s business sweeping floors and eventually learned every job in the company, from receiving the raw materials to shipping the final product. After high school, Dave attended University of Missouri-Columbia School of Business and earned a degree in Economics.
Dave believes strongly in the need for quality education to create a skilled workforce and attract new high-paying jobs. With his success in business, Dave has generously given back to several educational causes. Alpha Packaging currently funds more than 20 college scholarships for the children of its employees. Additionally, Spence is a sponsor of a special entrepreneurial study program for students at the Trulaske School of Business at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Dave’s wife Suzie, who holds a master’s degree in education from University of Missouri-St. Louis, is also involved in Community Alliance to Reinvigorate Education (CARE).
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