While attending Missouri, Haefner met her future husband, Greg Haefner, a fellow member of Marching Mizzou. The two married following graduation and moved to Pensacola, Florida where Greg trained as a Naval Flight Officer. During the next five years, they moved nine times, including a base assignment in Brunswick, Maine and two deployments to Rota, Spain and the Azores Islands. Following his naval service, they returned to Oakville to work and raise their three children.
Entrepreneurship
Along with her husband, Marsha owns and operates a small business. In the early 1980s, the two opened Haefner’s Greenhouses and quickly became a leading wholesale supplier in the St. Louis area. Over the years, their small business has employed over 1000 local residents throughout 37 years in business. The couple also operates a growing facility in House Springs and a garden center located on Telegraph Road in Oakville, Missouri.
Haefner first began serving in the Missouri House of Representatives in 2010, after defeating Democratic challenger Andrew Spavale. She currently represented the 95th District and served as the Chair of the Fiscal Review Committee. She also served as a member of the Ethics Committee and Joint Committee on Tax Policy among others.
Committee assignments
Fiscal Review
Budget
*Subcommittee on Appropriations – Health, Mental Health, and Social Services
During her tenure in the Missouri House of Representatives, Haefner sponsored several major pieces of legislation ranging from issues concerning welfare reform to child protection laws. Some of her major pieces of legislation included:
Sponsored HB 1491 Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting
Sponsored HB 2202 Evidence
Sponsored HB 640 Modifies SNAP Waiver
Sponsored HB 1795 Modifies Provisions Relating to Public Assistance Programs
Potential campaign for U.S. Senate
Haefner considered a run for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Claire McCaskill after receiving encouragement from Republican U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner.
Awards and honors
St Louis Business Journal: Legislative Award, 2013 & 2014
Missouri Kids First: Standing with Children Award, 2014
St Louis Children’s Hospital: State Advocate of the Year, 2014
National Association on Mental Illness: Outstanding Legislator, 2015
Missouri Association of Rehabilitation Facilities: Legislator of the Year, 2015
Behavioral Health Network: Outstanding Leadership, 2015
Brain Injury Association: Legislator of the Year, 2015
Missouri Coalition of Children’s Agencies: Child Welfare Champion, 2015
Foundation for Government Accountability: National Legislator of the Year, 2015
