Work

September 14, 2007


FROM THE CHAIR

The mission of Leadership Pensacola is to create more community leaders, not more followers. Once again, I have been afforded the opportunity to work with a team of dynamic community leaders to further our mission. I get to be a team member to the wonderful talent on the Advisory Board, the numerous day chairs and volunteers, and the class members and alumni that make LeaP what it has been, what it is, and what it will be.

This year marks the 25th Anniversary of LeaP. I have challenged the Advisory Board and Curriculum Committee to develop an exciting year that will allow the participants to see things in our community they have never seen before, to visit places, meet people and be exposed to opportunities and challenges that it would otherwise take many years to experience. As the chair, I have the honor of selecting the theme for the class. As I set out to discover an appropriate, inspirational thought for the class, I looked for inspiration in the usual places – researching the great sayings and -isms about leadership. I started to notice a trend. Most focused on what leadership is not. Leadership is not a position, is not a title, is not power, is not authority… it is not a salary, and it is not a corner office. I found little on what leadership actually is. Then I stumbled across a simple quote from Donald H. McGannon, a businessman who died in the 80’s. It is just three words, and it defined leadership for me and I have chosen his quote for this year’s theme: “LEADERSHIP IS ACTION.” It’s about doing something. That is the challenge for the 25th Anniversary Class. That is the challenge for each alumnus – DO SOMETHING. I challenge you to put leadership into action. Here is what I mean:

  • Don’t take action half way – fully commit to your goals. Often times, the biggest and hardest things to do are often the easiest, because there is no competition.
  • Stop giving excuses: you can make up any excuse to not do something – some one else will do it, I’m too old, I don’t have the resources, I could never do that. Not doing something is easy. Taking action is just as easy.
  • Turn fear into passion – fear is natural and normal and at times a very important part of success. But fear keeps us from taking action. If you are not afraid of the goals you set to some extent, then you are not aiming high enough and the reward will be disappointing. Find out who you truly are, set audacious goals and let your passion overcome your fear.
  • Stay away from negativity – Any time you take bold action you will attract naysayers, but the question you must ask is “whose life are you living?” “Yours or theirs?” If we let others decide what we can and cannot do, then prepare to do nothing. Live your own dreams, not others' failures.
  • Stay positive and enjoy the ride: Taking action is tough and can be painful. You’ll have setbacks and things won’t always be fun. But remember, nothing is easy to the unwilling. If you stay positive, enjoy the ride and allow yourself to grow, then you will never be the same person again.

We can’t make progress as an organization, or a community by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and complaining about our fate. We make progress by implementing ideas and taking action. If things don’t work out, implement the next idea and the next one and the next one. I promise you everything works out in the end – if it hasn’t worked out, it’s not the end.

Youth LeaP, our high school leadership development program has a very exciting year in store as well. Did you know that your alumni dues support the Youth LeaP program? We are training the future of Pensacola, here, today. Here is what Youth LeaP will be doing:

One leadership expert said the first responsibility of a leader is to define reality and the last responsibility is to say thank you –To the Board of Directors of the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, Buzz Ritchie and Evon Emerson, THANK YOU. To the Staff at the Chamber, Natalie Prim, Amy Maddox, Connie Slaughter and all Chamber Staff that assist with LeaP, THANK YOU. To the Advisory Board and Curriculum Committee, THANK YOU. To the LeaP Alumni, THANK YOU. And to the 25th Anniversary Class of 2008, THANK YOU.

Ed Spears (Class of 2004)
2006-2007 LeaP Advisory Committee Chair

CLASS OF 2008 SCHEDULE

Congratulations to the 25th Anniversary Class of 2008! Here is what the 25th Anniversary class will be doing: September 13, 2007 Community Day
October 19-21, 2007 Weekend Retreat
November 8, 2007 Future Economics Day
December 13, 2007 Present Economics Day
January 10, 2008 Tangible Support Day
February 14, 2008 Intangible Support Day
March 13, 2008 Quality of Life Day
March 26-27, 2008 Tallahassee Trip
April 10, 2008 Leadership and Ethics Day
May 9, 2008 Closing Retreat

2007-2008 LeaP ADVISORY COMMITTEE

The Advisory Committee is charged with guiding this program to become the pre-eminent leadership development program in Northwest Florida. The 2007-2008 Board are:

Curriculum Co-Chairs: Judy Gund and Kurt Larson
Alumni Co-Chairs: Rick Finch and Caron Sjoberg
Youth Leap Co-Chairs: Andrea Farage and Michelle Horton
The Finance Chair: Allen Upchurch
And the At-Large Members: Kristen Fairchild, Michelle Rushing and Michelle Ortiz-Miguez

LeaP ALUMNI NOTES

It’s that time of the year again! LeaP 2008 has kicked off in grand style, and we have a great class of eager leaders ready to dive into another productive year!

With the kickoff of our current class comes the time for all LeaP Alumni to participate in our activities as well. We have a 25th Anniversary celebration being planned, along with our fantastic Youth LeaP Program, and all kinds of social activities. Being the special year that it is, funds will be needed for activities and promotion of LeaP events to commemorate the success of LeaP and its 1,200 alumni over the past 25 years!

On behalf of the entire Advisory Committee, I want to invite you all, and encourage you, to “re-up” and send in your dues as soon as you receive the annual dues statement, so that we can continue the great tradition of LeaP in our community. Dues statements are in the mail. Please note that there are two options for advanced dues payments.

One final note--LeaP Alumni have funded the Youth LeaP program for a number of years and have enriched the lives of fifty deserving 11th graders from Escambia County high schools for years. LeaP has made a difference.

Please do your part to help make this year’s LeaP activities the best ever!

Allen Upchurch (Class of 2004)
Finance Chairman

YOUTH LeaP ANNOUNCES NEW CLASS

Life is change. Growth is optional. Choose wisely.
- Karen Kaiser Clark

Youth Leadership Pensacola was established in 1988 to enhance leadership development for Escambia County high school students. The program was an outgrowth of Leadership Pensacola (LeaP) and was sponsored by LeaP Alumni, the Foundation for Excellence and the Escambia County School District. The original 39 member class has been expanded and today we have 50 students who are chosen from a selected youth leaders to attend this year- long course. With the support of LeaP alumni, the students will learn about our community leadership, local government, culture, history, community concerns and educational opportunities. The hope is that these future leaders will use the information they gain to make positive changes in their community.

This year’s Youth LeaP program is being co-chaired by Andrea Farage and Michelle Horton. They are joined the following curriculum chairs: Michelle Ortiz-Miguez (chair-elect), Charles Bare, Glenn Griffith, Sharon Bourges-Jones, Kurt Larson, Paul Berg and Megan Pratt. These chairs will be sharing information with the students on the following classroom days: Orientation: August 28, 2007, Retreat (Adventure’s Unlimited): September 8, 2007, Government/Judicial Day: October 4, 2007, Economics Day: November 8, 2007, Education/Tourism Day: March 13, 2008, Cultural Day: April 10, 2008 and Graduation will be April 28, 2008.

This year’s Youth Leadership Class is comprised of the following students: John Cristopher Joiner, Sonia Ivette Gonzales, Jessica Evonne Fleming, William Nolan Isern, Amy Nicole Stephens, Joshua Spenser Kelley, Markia Dominique Daniels, Kaila Anne Barrington, Jeffrey Donald Price Jr., Billie D. Evans III, Mary Elizabeth Bush, Carlee Ross Hoffman, Arela Maria Atwell, Cassandra Rae Daum, Whitney Blair Ponson, Christine Marie Bruha, Dan TheLam, Melanie Dufva, Sarah Caroline Batchelor, Hali Nicole Beebe, Michael Genovese, Anna Pearl Kirkpatrick, Codi Bayne Carpenter, Whitney Claire Preisser, Claire Elizabeth Errington, Kathleen Neville Kimbrough, David K.T. Herrera, Justin Grant Doughty, Scott Durham Wallace, Madeline Lee Chivington, Olivia Sarah White, Sabrina Nicole Trice, Joy Elizabeth Dueck, Jennifer R. D'Ambra, Alexandria Danielle Jarman, Linsay Rose Young, Andrea Taulman, Stephanie Ellison Pennewill, John Hughes Rentschler, Grier Davis Halstead, Ashley E. Mercier, Simone Imani Watson, Brittany A.M. McCaghren, Mary Reid McMilion, Jacqueline Joy Turnage, Sidney Joseph Roussell III, Joseph Franklin Young III, Zak Andrew Morris-Webb, Rayla Kristin Gindl.

This will be an exciting year and our curriculum chairs are already working toward a challenging schedule of class days and valuable take homes like donated flash drives and class t-shirts. If you are interested in volunteering to assist with Youth LeaP, please contact Connie Slaughter at 438-4081 or Andrea Farage at 477-2273.

Andrea Farage
Youth LeaP Co-Chair