In the spring of 2014, the Chamber of Commerce began to discuss ideas for supporting economic development initiatives in Fuquay-Varina. Those discussions led several dedicated volunteers within the Chamber to the idea of offering a leadership development program that could familiarize residents with the workings of their town and region. An effort to produce more informed citizens and groom responsible individuals to assume positions of leadership across the community was the goal – to introduce them to all the facets of our community and encourage them to get involved.
After much planning and research, the Business Development Committee created a robust program that appealed to a wide variety of local business professionals. In a few short months, the committee had a plan that built on some of the very best leadership programs from across the country and developed a curriculum for “Leadership Fuquay-Varina.”
The inaugural program that began in September of 2014 attracted 11 participants, four of which had been involved in the creation and development of the program. The program consisted of half-day sessions with topics that included leadership training, a view into the Fuquay-Varina non-profit world, nonprofit board training, and an in-depth look at our town and region. The participants listened to presentations by the department heads of our town, our town manager, a town commissioner and the mayor. In addition, they had an opportunity to hear from a local school board member, the county sheriff, and economic development and transportation professionals from across the region.
This inaugural class of participants are already stewards of our town and leaders of tomorrow as they serve on non-profits boards and take on positions of leadership in their respective businesses. Hailing from companies such Bob Barker Company, Johnson Optometric Associates, Wake Christian Academy, Practical Scientific Solutions, Cisco, and several small businesses, this group of individuals represented a cross-section of our community, united in a common sense of purpose. Several of them are already helping with the planning for next year’s program, and a number of them are now serving on boards and committees at the town and county level as a result of their participation in Leadership Fuquay-Varina.
The program was a great success and the committee is now preparing for its second cohort of leadership candidates. The 2015-16 program is being expanded based on feedback from the first graduating class, and will now consist of 10 three-quarter-day sessions, one each month from September to June. This robust curriculum will include more time with regional experts in leadership development, education, and economic development, and more time for networking and group discussion. Participants in the second year of this dynamic program can expect to read material between sessions, donate some time to community service, attend a few town or county government meetings and participate in social/networking events with current and past participants.
The Chamber is currently accepting applications for up to 15 candidates for the next cohort of Leadership Fuquay-Varina. The cost of the program is $500 and a limited number of partial scholarships are available. Applications are available on the Chamber’s website at www.fuquay-varina.com/about-the-chamber/leadership-fuquay-varina/. For more information, call the Chamber office at (919) 552-4947.
