City wants more leaders
By Lee Bonorden/Austin Daily Herald
Austin is looking for more people to take on leadership roles.
A new program, called Leadership Austin, was launched today at a press conference at Riverland Community College.
The college's training and development department, in cooperation with the Austin Area Chamber of Commerce, developed the new program. It will be eight months long with a maximum 20 participants and include a series of thematic seminars with personal development training.
Austin has already been served for many years by the Blandin Foundation's own Community Leadership Program. The two programs are not expected to compete with each other, but to complement each other, according to those at the press conference.
“Day Leaders” were at this morning's press conference to tell about specific focus areas, including education, government, health and human services, economic development, diversity and quality of life.
Sandy Forstner, executive director of the Austin Area Chamber of Commerce, welcomed guests and described the new endeavor.
Forstner credited Todd Penske, a past-president of the Chamber's board of directors, with conceiving the idea.
Rod Langrell, RCC's vice president of academic and student affairs, emphasized, “This is not an exclusive program. It is an inclusive program that will draw from all corners of the community.”
For more information about Leadership Austin, contact the Chamber office at 437-4561 or Riverland at 433-0611.
Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com. |
