Sandra Padgett Retires as Executive Director; Ed Bryant to Take the Helm at Consumers Council
For Immediate Release
Sandra Padgett Retires as Executive Director; Ed Bryant to Take the Helm at Consumers Council of MO
ST. LOUIS, MO — After four years of exemplary leadership, Sandra Padgett has announced retirement from Consumers Council of Missouri (CCM) on March 31, 2026. She will be succeeded by Edward L. Bryant who was selected by the Board of Directors through a search process that began in December, 2025.
CCM Board president Jeanette Mott Oxford said, “Padgett has been a transformational leader for Consumers Council of Missouri, and we are thankful for her amazing service as our executive director. She has brought us farther than we dared to envision four years ago, and we will remain forever in her debt.”
Padgett, an MSW and attorney, oversaw successful grant writing and fundraising campaigns that allowed CCM to add staff members and consumer protection projects responsive to emerging crises in Missouri. She also guided CCM’s work on the St. Louis Water Affordability Project and oversaw publication of a January 2026 report covering 2020-2025 that demonstrated that utility rates in MO are rising faster than national inflation and Missouri job wage growth.
Bryant has two decades of experience in government relations and community engagement work, including four years as Vice President of Stakeholder Engagement at the United Way of Greater St. Louis. Most recently he was Vice President of Public Affairs and Communications at Heartland Coca-Cola. He has also served on boards of many of the most impactful not-for-profits in the St. Louis Region and was a fellow in the St. Louis Business Diversity Initiative Leadership Development Fellows Program.
CCM Board vice president Shawna Collier said, “Due to our unwavering commitment to Missouri’s vulnerable households, we must expand our reach and impact as a truly statewide entity. We believe Mr. Bryant will work with our board to strengthen our infrastructure, deepen partnerships, and align our programs for current demands, expanding our ability to achieve our vital mission.” Founded in 1971, CCM advocates for consumers’ interests locally, regionally, statewide and nationally by organizing consumers and educating policy.
