Mayor Michael Harmison

I am a 1982 Graduate of Indianola Iowa High School where I was very involved in the sport of wrestling.  After High School, I attended Central Missouri State University where I continued my wrestling career.  I also signed up for the United States Army Reserves in what they call “Split Option Training”.  Meaning, Basic and Advanced Individualized Training (AIT) is split while attending college during the school year.  I attended Basic Training in Fort McClellan Alabama in the summer of 1983, back to college and then AIT in the summer of 1984.  

In addition to wrestling in college I was also a member of the Phi Sigma Epsilon Fraternity as well as the Student Government Association.  In 1986 I had the opportunity to live in Heidelberg Germany for a year while working for the Army at the Heidelberg Civilian Personnel office and a volunteer wrestling coach for the Heidelberg High School team.  I ended up living back in Iowa and took a job with Amoco Oil Company Credit Card Center in West Des Moines and helped raise my daughter Kylie Harmison (now 32) and my son Michael Harmison Jr. (now 26).  I enjoyed coaching my kids in gymnastics, soccer, Little League, and softball.  It was during this time that we fell in love with the Lake of the Ozarks making annual trips down to the place I one day hoped to call home. 

It was in 1990 that I began working in the Fund-Raising business helping non-profit organizations raise needed funds through product sales such as Fruit, Cheese, Sausage, Snacks and Cookie Dough.  My primary customers were Future Farmers of America (FFA) in the states of Iowa and Missouri.  For years I said that as soon as my son graduated from High School that I was moving to the Lake of the Ozarks.  My plan was to call on my FFA Customers during the school year and enjoy the lake in the summer. 

In the year 2000, with the assistance of some close friends, I was instrumental in starting the Indianola Elks Lodge, 2814 and still proudly carry the Elks member card number 000001, Charter Member, Veteran and P.E.R.  In 2004 I started my own Fund-Raising Company, Harmison’s Hometown Fundraising.  In 2014, shortly after the bypass was created, I purchased a building on 3 acers on what many called the “dead end” because of the newly created bypass.  However, rather than enjoying my summers as I had planned, I opened Harmy’s Cheese Store & More, LLC and started selling Cheese, Sausage, Snacks, Harmy’s Hooch and many local and Missouri made products.  The building is bright blue and yellow representing the FFA colors and the name Harmy was my nickname in college. 

I continued in the fund-raising business up until recently and have a very good staff handling most of the Cheese Store operations so that I can now concentrate on my Mayoral duties.  My mother, Norma Harmsion, was a senior VP of Ozark Mountain Bank in Branson Missouri, and my brother, Jerry Harmison, is a Judge in Springfield Missouri.  I am currently on the Lake Race Board of Directors as well as a member of the Convention and Visitors Board of Directors.  I have 2 dogs, Buddy and Birt and truly have a love for animals.  During my free time, Kim and I enjoy going out on our jet skis, boating, hiking at Ha Ha Tonka, coving out with friends and enjoy the Lakes Restaurants and Water entertainment venues.  

I absolutely love Osage Beach and the Lake of the Ozarks and there is nowhere else in the world I would rather live.  I am truly honored that the citizens of Osage Beach have put their faith in me as their Mayor and I will do my best to live up to my campaign slogan to Make Osage Beach Great Again!