The Sumter County Chamber of Commerce held its third annual Legacy of Leadership Graduation & Reception on Monday, May 8, 2017, at Rees Park Economic Development Center. Celebrating the achievements of 40 graduates, this year’s Legacy event offered inspiration and motivation from NFL-Free Agent and UGA All-American alum, Rennie Curran.

Curran reinforced the leadership principals taught within both the youth and adult programs, emphasizing the importance of investing in one’s own community.  Sharing the value of role models from his own experience, Curran issued a call to action to graduates of Chamber Champions and Advancing Sumter alike—“Leaders persevere, leaders never give up.  As a leader, you have a responsibility not only to yourself, but also to others around you.”

Chamber Chairman Jay Roberts (Georgia Power Company) welcomed everyone to the Legacy Graduation honoring graduates from the 2016-2017 Chamber Champions program, as well as the 2017 class of the Advancing Sumter Leadership Institute. Highlighting leadership as a foundation of the Chamber’s value to the business community, Roberts expressed, “It is our goal as a Chamber of Commerce to always provide opportunities to sustain a pipeline of leaders for Sumter County.”

Leadership Development Division Chairman Paul Farr (South Georgia Technical College) invited Americus-Sumter County High School Principal Kimothy Hadley and Southland Academy Headmaster Ty Kinslow to join Curran and himself in honoring the 2016-2017 graduates of Chamber Champions.  Graduates from the Chamber Champions are: Anjum Alam, Savanna Banks, Jenna Brown, Chelby Davis, Lilli Dickens, Mike Douglas, Tamiya Durham, Sage Finch, Jacqueline Granado, Sydney Hayes, Kayla Hunter, De’Shun Iverson, Bailey James, Kathleen Kinslow, Prerana Kumar, Kaniya Little, Ryan Mournighan, Hannah Philpot, Charlotte Schopen-Davis, Otis Tookes, III, Ny’Keria Walker, Jantz Womack and Morgan Youngdale.

Founder and Program Coordinator for the Advancing Sumter Leadership Institute, Dr. Andrea Oates (South Georgia Technical College) celebrated the graduates of Advancing Sumter by joining Curran and Farr in the graduation ceremony for the adult, curriculum-based leadership program. Graduates of the 2017 Advancing Sumter class are: Nakethia Banks, Elene Carne’, Dexter Cladd, Kalishah Dowdell, Alicia English, Paul Fitzgerald, Brittney Giles, Linda Kent, Vincent Mays, Jennifer Millwood, Kathryn Moore, Ted Norris, Pauline Stewart, Victoria Teele, Suzanne Usry, Tasha White and Jason Williams.

Sponsored by several local businesses, the Chamber would like to thank the Legacy of Leadership sponsors for their support:  Jimmy Whaley and Century 21 Realty, Georgia Power Company, and Dr. Lou Riccardi DDS, PC and Dr. Alex Riccardi DMD.

Both of the adult and youth leadership programs utilize research-based leadership curriculum developed by the faculty at the University of Georgia’s J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development.  Based on the principles of Dr. J.W. Fanning, both the Community Leadership Program and Youth Leadership in Action curricula, respectively, integrate skills training around specific leadership competencies needed for an effective and engaged community leader at any age.  Both programs emphasize core competencies of communication, diversity, group dynamics and decision-making, collaboration, partnership, managing conflict, as well as asset-based community leadership and economic development.

Due the overwhelming demand of additional leadership programs for targeted sectors of the community, the Chamber is again collaborating with the Fanning Institute to develop new initiatives focused on college students and an advanced program for “next generation” leaders.  Building on the work of the Chamber’s partnership with GeorgiaLEADS, these new programs are anticipated to be rolled out in August and January 2018, respectively. 

To get involved with one of the Chamber’s many leadership initiatives, please contact Ivy Oliver, Director of Member Services, at 229.924.2646, or at ioliver@sumtercountychamber.com. 

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For more information or how you and your company can get involved, please contact:  

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