Course rebranded as Hamilton County Leadership Academy
What has been known since its inception in 1993 as the Hamilton County Leadership Class, graduated 11 more participants last Tuesday evening, May 21, under new branding as the program celebrates its 30th anniversary. A graduation reception was held for the Class of 2023/24 at the Bremer Community Center with community leaders, family members and others in attendance.
Following opening remarks and a class overview by Aurora Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Justise Rhoden, the nine women and two men who are the graduates of this year’s class presented their class project which they had researched and developed over the months of the course. Tasked with the assignment of developing a new adult recreation league for Aurora, the class conducted surveys, did research and put together a plan for a coed sand volleyball league.
Class members took turns reporting on the various aspects of their research and the process of developing the concept and plan for the league. One member reported that a survey of potential participants showed Thursday evening was the first choice as the best time for games to take place (34 votes). Coming in second was Tuesday evenings with 32 votes.
Another class member reported that the research had indicated the cost of building a sand volleyball court “from scratch” was between $15,000 and $20,000 and listed some of the construction features needed for such a facility.
At the conclusion of the presentation, Rhoden unveiled the new name and logo for the program going forward. She said it will be called the Hamilton County Leadership Academy and showed on the video screens the new red, white and blue logo for the program.
Rhoden said the program began in 1993 with a mission to cultivate, inspire, connect and engage an effective community of leaders and to instill in them the values of stewardship, integrity, passion and diversity.
Members of the Class of 2023/24 who were handed their certificates of completion last week were, Connor Ashby, Marketing Coordinator for Memorial Community Health; Lydia Behnk, Aurora High School Business Teacher; Laci Fleming, Finance and Program Coordinator for Hamilton Community Foundation; Bridget Gallagher, Hospital Pharmacist for Memorial Community Health; Beca Hadenfeldt; Head Receptionist at Memorial Community Health; Gabe Hewen, Relationship Manager at Heartland Bank; Shelby Landell, Lead Advocate at Willow Rising; Selena Longoria, Assistant Branch Operations Manager at Pinnacle Bank; Courtney Richardson, Loan Officer at Cornerstone Bank; Jordan Slough, Innovation Program Manager at Hamilton Telecommunications and Shaye Walker, Business Support Specialist at Hamilton Telecommunications.