Learning to Lead: Leadership Springfield trains the community's elite

As the program’s 24th class begins with a Sept. 11–12 retreat, its 32 members join more than 300 alumni who have made their marks in the Springfield community.

The names of alumni pepper boards of community organizations, from the Boy Scouts to the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks to Ozark Greenways and the League of Women Voters.

How it works

Leadership Springfield aims to teach participants to lead community organizations, according to coordinator Kim Everest.

“It was created with the purpose of making the people who went through the class aware of problems in the community and equipping them with the skills to solve those problems,” Everest said of the program, which started with a 23-member class in 1985.

Sally Hargis, vice president for Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Co. and a member of that inaugural class, said she’s amazed at how the program has grown.

“A lot of things that begin with a great idea run their course,” she said. “Leadership Springfield is one that had so much relevance to the shape of our community that it just keeps getting stronger.”

Following an initial retreat, each class meets monthly to cover topics ranging from civic awareness and criminal justice to communications and technology, health and education. Each of those topics is covered in a daylong event; past classes have toured Springfield Underground and the Greene County Jail and participated in mock Springfield City Council sessions. The year concludes with a spring session focused on skills needed to participate on an organization’s governing board.

“It’s an in-depth chance to let them see the community in a way that everyone else doesn’t get to see,” Everest said.

Those interested in participating send in applications, and the 15-to-20 member Leadership Springfield board chooses each class.

Nonprofit aid

Lisa Slavens, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks, said Leadership Springfield has created a pool of highly qualified potential board members for her organization.

BBBS boasts numerous alumni in its board ranks, including Robin Robeson, Barby Pohl and Jean Twitty.

“What that program does is teach people how to be the best possible board members, and they are,” said Slavens, who’s a graduate of Leadership Springfield Class XXI. “It’s incredible the resources you have at your fingertips. … It’s just invaluable what our board members are able to do based on their participation (in Leadership Springfield.)”

When it comes to encouraging participation with community groups, Everest said the program has certainly met its goal.

“I don’t think you can find a nonprofit board in Springfield that doesn’t have someone from Leadership Springfield sitting on it,” she said. “The influence that Leadership Springfield has on the community is powerful; it’s just not well-known.”

Personal growth

While the intent of the program has always been to improve the community, participants say they also have benefited.

“Everyone in the program comes from a wide variety of backgrounds, which makes it really interesting,” said Brian Kubik, a principal at architecture and interior design firm Buxton-Kubik-Dodd Inc. and a member of Class XV. “It’s like a small fraternity, in the sense that you get to know these people so well and affiliate with them on a much different level.”

Of the 31 other members of Kubik’s class, at least five are now his clients.

Robin House, associate general manager-administration for City Utilities and a member of Class XII, said she also was impressed by the networking opportunities the program creates.

“It was a wonderful opportunity to meet community leaders, people who were in business around the community and build networks with those people,” she said.

The biggest advantage of Leadership Springfield for Hargis was that it is a sort of one-stop shop for personal development.

“Most everyone has the chance for some sort of leadership training, whether it’s in a nonprofit, in their profession or career, or a more formal education, but rarely do you see all of those types of leadership training come together in one place,” she said.

Employer advantages

While the participants come away from the program with community improvement ideas, the businesses they work for also benefit from Leadership Springfield.

“It really matches up well with what we’d like to see our employees and personnel do, which is to get involved in the community and give back (in an) area that suits them,” said Kim Hamm, partner with BKD LLP.

The firm has had 15 employees participate in the program, and No. 16, Gary Schafer is scheduled for this year’s session.

Hamm noted that BKD pays the $35 application fee for its participating employees and gives them time off to attend all Leadership Springfield sessions.

“We understand up front that it’s a commitment of time and they’ll be away from work to participate, but we feel it’s important enough that we encourage their participation,” Hamm said.

Such corporate support for Leadership Springfield isn’t uncommon, as business sponsors pay for monthly events throughout the year.

Scott Miller, CU associate general manager-electric supply, said the program allows CU employees to better stay in tune with the needs of the public – which benefits the utility in the long run.

“Our customers are our owners, so it’s critical for us to understand the community,” Miller said, noting that CU also pays for its employees to participate. “We’re also connecting with other leaders in the community, finding out their needs and interests, and that allows for good communications.”

CU has had more participants in the program – 24, counting one in the upcoming class – than any other organization. That includes Miller, who was a member of Class XX and also previously served on the Leadership Springfield board.

In the end, Hamm – a native Springfieldian – said she was amazed by how much she took away from the class when she participated as a member of Class XIII.

“It introduced me to people working in other segments of the community, both for-profit and not-for-profit business,” she said. “It was worth every minute.”

Interested?

The Leadership Springfield selection committee looks at several criteria when choosing participants, including commitment to personal and professional growth and commitment to serving the community by taking leadership roles in local volunteer efforts. Participants must live or work in the Springfield metropolitan area.

While the next class of Leadership Springfield participants has already been decided, those interested in participating in upcoming classes – or in the related Academy program for high school juniors or the Leadership is for Teachers program – can visit www.leadershipspringfield.com to get more information and download an application.

Leadership Springfield Class XXIV

A Sept. 11–12 retreat will mark the beginning of Leadership Springfield for this year’s 32-member class:

Tim Baltes – Megavolt

Tasha Blackwell – Integrity Home Health Care

Anne Brett – Cox College of Nursing

Barbara Brown – Child Advocacy Center

Cynthia Chiu-Pinheiro – The Goddard School

Bryan Cochran – KY3 Inc.

Christopher Craig – Missouri State University

Trevor Crist – Nixon & Lindstrom Insurance

Amy DeMelo – Springfield Catholic Schools

Joel Doepker – Ozarks Technical Community College

Ann Elwell – Webster University

Mike Fusek – Sperry Van Ness/Rankin Co. LLC

Susan Haralson – Premier Home Health Care Inc.

Sheri Hawkins – 2balance

Brad Heeren – Great Southern Bank

Dawn Hiles – Drury University

Kristin Kubitschek – Convoy of Hope

Jarod Michel – Bates & Associates

Kathryn Mihalevich – Husch Blackwell Sanders

Tim Oetting – U.S. Bank

Judson Poppen – Neale & Newman LLP

Collin Quigley – City of Springfield

Kelly Ross – Lake Country Soccer Inc.

Matt Russell – Greene County Prosecutors

Gary Schafer – BKD LLP

Matt Scheihing – Ollis & Co.

Sheri Shaffer – Commerce Private Bank

Jim Shuler – City Utilities

Susie Turner – Junior League of Springfield

Joy Ward – Kirkpatrick, Phillips & Miller CPAs PC

Tiffany Wilgus – Patterson’s Hospitality Agents

Jennifer Wilson – Jennifer Wilson Architect LLC

Source: Leadership Springfield[[In-content Ad]]