Leadership Program Joins Greater Fort Wayne Inc.
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA longtime civic engagement organization is merging with Greater Fort Wayne Inc. Leadership Fort Wayne will continue to be led by Cheri Becker and operate as part of the leadership development and community engagement department. Greater Fort Wayne Inc. was formed last year by the combination of the Fort Wayne‐Allen County Economic Development Alliance and the Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce.
June 25, 2014
News Release
FORT WAYNE, Ind – The Board of Directors of Leadership Fort Wayne, Inc. announced today that Leadership Fort Wayne, Inc. has joined forces with Greater Fort Wayne Inc. effective July 1, 2014. This bold move will better position the adult Leadership Fort Wayne program for sustainability, collaboration and engagement and add significant new programming to GFW's investors and businesses.
The signature adult Leadership Fort Wayne program will continue to be offered, with the 2014-15 program year commencing in September 2014. Recruitment is underway for the class with applications due by June 30, 2014.
Leadership Fort Wayne, Board Chair and 2010 alumnus, Chuck Clark said, “Leadership Fort Wayne is an important institution and for the past 32 years has encouraged individuals to positively impact the community through positive civic engagement. Merging with Greater Fort Wayne Inc. will build leadership momentum for a greater community and will cast a spotlight on the importance of a community of engaged leaders to create and support a vibrant and prosperous community.” Clark noted that the Board of Directors were very careful and purposeful in their decision to merge with GFW to ensure that GFW continue to offer the adult signature leadership development class annually, as it has for the past thirty-two years.
LFW Alum (1993), and CEO of Greater Fort Wayne Inc., Mark Becker says, “Leadership and engagement is the backbone of our success as a community. It's the people who make things happen and we are fortunate to have thirty-two years of tradition of training individuals about our community and what it means to be a servant leader. This is a natural extension of being bold and being greater. Leadership Fort Wayne will add a new dimension in programming that supports diversity and inclusion and action. It is my hope that LFW Alumnus will see this merger as their opportunity engage in the community conversation and work with us to build a greater tomorrow for our community and region.”
The adult Leadership Fort Wayne program will become one of several programs under the Leadership Development and Community Engagement department of Greater Fort Wayne Inc. The mission of the adult signature program will remain “to train, prepare and inspire individuals to positively impact the community through civic engagement.”
Cheri Becker, executive director of Leadership Fort Wayne, Inc. will become an employee of Greater Fort Wayne Inc. on July 1, 2014,. She will assume the responsibilities of the Leadership Development and Community Engagement department with the title of Vice President and will be responsible for several other programs including a new executive program scheduled to lift off in November, the Inter-City Visits, internship and graduate retention programs and the Women's Leadership and Athena Award program.
Source: Greater Fort Wayne Inc.