Jeff Tegethoff knows what it means to build something permanent. That was his goal when starting Tegethoff Development, but what he didn’t know is how his career journey would eventually bring him home to Lake of the Ozarks to develop one of the largest future landmarks the area has ever seen, besides the construction of the physical Lake itself.
Jeff describes his childhood with joy and reverence as he reminisced on coming down on the weekends from St. Louis to Lake of the Ozarks, where he would be found in 
the early mornings on the dock, oiling and sanding the old wooden platforms. “No one asked me to do it, but I just loved it. I would wipe down the boat and spray wax, doing it at a very young age. I used to love when my dad would tell me, ‘Hey, why don’t you go fill the boat up with gas, and were going to go out all day? I would take the boat by myself and go get gas in it. And I just think that’s so cool.” Having magical childhood memories at the Lake is no strange thing; most everyone who grew up visiting almost always comes back with their family throughout the years, making it a generational tradition that continues 
to touch the lives of many.
Before he was taking on multi-million dollar projects, Jeff was a Boston College graduate with a degree in Finance in 1997. Enamored with the bright lights and big city, he found a mentor who led him to work in South Africa for a few years of his career. “So I said yes
and then that led me to move to Zimbabwe.” Later on in life, he notes how the act of saying yes played an integral part in his personal and professional life.
After years of traveling and acquiring different successes, Jeff found himself slowing down and searching for a deeper purpose once he met his wife and started his family. He realized there was a need for better housing at the Lake, and he wanted to make a world where the place he grew up loving would be an even better place for his daughters to grow up. When speaking about the idea for Oasis at Lakeport with his developer partner, Fred Ross, he explains his vision and his hope for a renowned amusement park and hotel. “We both have incredible memories going back decades of experiencing the Lake with our families, and all the great family-focused activities that there were to do at the Lake in the 80s and 90s. We were reminiscing it all, and I said, wouldn’t it be great if there was a new center of gravity for family-focused entertainment at the Lake?”
Jeff revealed the heart of his career journey and where it has led him to today. His hope for his current major project includes developing quality year-round career development for Lake residents 
to come home to and to encourage other developers and business owners to create generational opportunities for a place that so many love. The Lake is always evolving and always changing, but one thing that will continue to stay the same is the deep-rooted loyalty that touches the heart of so many people just like Jeff Tegethoff. “That’s what I’m most passionate about. I love Missouri. I’m kind of a boomerang in the sense that I grew up in Missouri, and then I left and came back because I feel like I can continue to create a real legacy for the region of central Missouri, and Lake of the Ozarks.”
