CHARLESTON, WV – Members of the 2009 Leadership West Virginia class will be traveling to the New River region for the fourth of eight leadership sessions that are taking place throughout the state during 2009. The 52 class members will convene at The Resort at Glade Springs and other locations in the region from June 18-19. Members of the class are receiving broad-based education on critical topics and, at the same time, are getting opportunities to hone their leadership skills. The June topic/theme is the Chesapeake Energy Corporation Tourism Session.
“I am very pleased that Chesapeake Energy is the Session Partner for this two-day adventure,” said Pam Farris, Executive Director of Leadership West Virginia. “The support provided by Chesapeake will help to make this session even more dynamic and exciting for the class members.”
The class members will test their leadership and team-building skills on Thursday June 18 by participating in several outdoor activities in the Fayetteville area, including a ropes course and ziplining through the mountains. Passages to Adventure, a West Virginia-based company that specializes in outdoor activities, will lead the class members in this unique learning and team-building experience. Following this, the class will take a mid-afternoon break and then travel to Anstead to visit Blue Smoke Salsa. They will finish their day with dinner at Smokey’s of the Gorge.
The Tourism Session will continue Friday at Glade Springs with the leadership development component of the program. During each session, the class members are provided with a different leadership training activity. This session’s topic is Strategic Planning, which will be conducted by Tom Heywood, Managing Director, Bowles Rice McDavid Graff & Love LLP. “The tools that Tom will present to the class will better prepare them when dealing with situations not only in the workplace but also in their communities,” said Pam Farris
Following this, the class will hear presentations from a number of tourism professionals from around the state, including Eric Pories, Focus Intent, LLC; Jeffrey Lusk, Hatfield-McCoy Trails; Cindy Dragan, Chairperson of Bridge Day and Sharon Cruikshank of the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce. Lusk, Dragan and Cruikshank are graduates of the program.
Other events that will take place during the session include a discussion with David Arnold, Managing Director of Class VI River Runners and a member of the West Virginia Tourism Commission. “Tourism is a vital component to the continuing growth and economic diversification of our state, and the class will have an excellent opportunity to hear from a variety of leaders from the state’s tourism industry,” added Farris.
Financial support for the Tourism leadership session is provided by Chesapeake Energy Corporation, Class VI Mountain River, Focus Intent, LLC, Mountain State University, New River Gorge Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, Passages to Adventure, Pocahontas Land Corporation and Smokey’s on the Gorge.
Leadership West Virginia is a statewide education and leadership development program affiliated with the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce. Supported by tuition fees and private and corporate contributions, the program aims to identify emerging leaders throughout West Virginia and enhance their knowledge of not only the challenges facing the state, but also of the diversity and the unique attributes that the Mountain State possesses. “Graduates take away an understanding of the state, but most importantly the program serves as an extensive network of professionals who can put their collective energy together to make the state a better place for business and for residents,” said Farris. “The cultivation of new leadership is of utmost importance to the future of West Virginia’s prosperity and progress.”
Leadership West Virginia (www.leadershipwv.org) is committed to developing and motivating a cross-section of leaders who will use their talents and abilities to inspire others and to foster a new spirit of energy, enthusiasm and vitality throughout the state. To date, more than 750 individuals have participated and have been graduated as part of the Leadership West Virginia program.
Posted by Matt Livengood on June 22, 2009 at 9:06 am in the following categories: Events
