Mix of youth, experience a good sign for continued growth

Coming off last week’s feel-good A’ROR’N Days vibe it strikes me that Aurora has a lot of momentum on various fronts, due in part to a growing trend toward generational leadership.
I first learned of that concept years ago from my father, who taught me at a very young age how important it is for any group, business, organization or community to have vested interest and buy-in from a variety of age groups. Seasoned veterans in their 50s, 60s and 70s may have deeper pockets and bring more experience to the table, he advised, but the fresh ideas and energy a younger generation can provide are equally important. Such balance of perspective is imperative for long-term growth.
I was reminded of that lesson while watching the video celebrating Aurora’s 150th birthday as a city. It took tremendous vision and sheer guts to make the decision to build a city around two iconic cottonwood trees back in 1871, and in many ways it is no less challenging to keep a community on a progressive path forward in 2021. Different times, different challenges, to be sure, though the one thing that has not changed is the need for visionary leadership.
Aurora has a proud history of being ahead of the curve as a community, thanks to exceptional, pro-growth leaders who made visionary decisions in their time. Some of the best examples are buying large tracts of land allowing Aurora Public Schools and Memorial Community Health space to grow and change as needed; creating a pro-business, tax-friendly environment that invited and encouraged large and small businesses alike to invest in Aurora; and establishing a culture of philanthropic giving which has evolved over several decades to create numerous local foundations with combined assets of more than $70 million. Those three initiatives are a huge part of Aurora’s growth formula.
If you look around in 2021, there is a noticeable and contagious sense of energy and momentum on many local boards and organizations, even coming out of a year of COVID uncertainty. That has a lot to do, in my opinion, with the generational balance of leadership you see reflected in, for example, locally owned businesses, the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, the Aurora Development Corporation and various foundation boards.
The need for generational leadership is as strong today as it was 50 and 150 years ago. On that note, Aurora seems well poised for the future.  
Kurt Johnson