BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- After 20 years of working in the Stoddard County Assessor's office, Dan Creg has a new title - Stoddard County Assessor.
Creg was elected by Stoddard County voters in the August 2016 election by a large margin. Because of Missouri Statutes, which call for the change in the assessor's office to take place after the property tax assessments are completed in the following year, Creg did not take office until Sept. 1, 2017.
There could not have been a more seamless transition.
Creg was hired by former Assessor Wayne Millington in the fall of 1988. He worked for Millington for several years before opting to start his own business doing appraisals and building houses. In 1997, he got a call from newly elected Assessor Jody Lemmon asking him if he would consider returning to the assessor's office, and he took the position as chief appraiser.
Creg said he became interested in becoming the county assessor when his boss, Lemmon, told him in early 2016 that he was going to retire.
"I told him if you don't run, I will," recalls Creg.
Creg found out there is a lot more to running for political office that he anticipated. He spent two solid weeks walking -- going door-to-door all over the county.
He considers the expense and work he put into the campaign well worth the effort.
Creg liked his job as a county appraiser. The field work involved going to every parcel of land in the county on a yearly basis, and that suited Creg's taste.
"I like to be outside," he says, adding, "A lot of farmers know me. They see my truck and start kidding me about their appraisals from the time I get out."
Creg did most of the appraisals on land in recent years, while Lemmon dealt more with personal property taxes. He has seen the huge surge in agricultural land prices, which he says have now leveled off. Still, farm land in Stoddard County brings a premium price.
Outside of work, Creg's biggest passion is the St. Louis Cardinals. He grew up in Dexter as a big Cardinal fan, and that has never changed. He has been to six or seven Cardinal games this year and watches every game he can on television. He was disappointed that he couldn't attend as many games last year because he was involved in the political campaign.
Like many Cardinal fans this year, Creg is unsure whether the Redbirds will make it to the playoffs. The team has suffered through injuries and inconsistency throughout the season.
"We (the Cardinals) need a big bat in the middle of the lineup," says Creg. "We just don't have that big hitter that pitchers fear."
He recalls the likes of Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday as being feared hitters in the middle of the lineup.
Creg also sings the praises of Stubby Clapp, the manager of the Memphis Redbirds, the Cardinals' AAA team. He notes that several hitters who have been sent back to Memphis, start hitting again in the big leagues once they are coached by Clapp.
Creg graduated from Dexter High School in 1976. He married soon after graduation and went to work in the family business. His parents, Wayne and Alice Creg, owned Creg's Real Estate and Appraisals in Bloomfield.
He attended Three Rivers College and at SEMO, before obtaining his Missouri State Certified General Real Estate Appraiser license. He continued to work in the family business until he got the call from Millington to work in the assessor's office.
Creg lives between Bloomfield and Dexter on a small family farm. He has four grown children -- Josh, Catherine, Heather and Laura. He raises a few head of Angus cattle on the small farm.
"It's mostly a hobby," Creg says.
The cattle provide Creg with another excuse to be outdoors. He likes to fish and hunt, but the job prevents him from being too avid about those hobbies.
There are six employees in addition to the elected assessor in Stoddard County. Robin Moody has been in the assessor's office longer then Creg, but just by a few months. She will continue her work. Creg said he is hopeful Tina Norman will return to fill the vacancy in the office when he was elected assessor.
Creg doesn't see a lot of changes being made in assessor's office, and he has no intention of sitting at a desk now that he is the assessor.
"I'm still going to work outside," he contends. "Traveling is something I like."