Class of 2008 Travels to Southwest Virginia

The Class of 2008 traveled to beautiful and vast Southwest Virginia September 11-13 and saw the region through the lenses of sustainability: economic, environmental and agricultural. Featured keynote speaker on Thursday was Michael Quillen, President of Alpha Natural Resources, speaking on The Future of Coal in the region. A presentation on the 9/11 commemoration was added to the agenda with Shawn Kelley, '08 class member, who was an incident commander from the Arlington County Fire Department during the attack on the Pentagon. Dinner at The Tavern Restaurant in Abingdon and "Sweeney Todd" at the Barter Theatre were entertainment enjoyed during the session, as well as Ron Short's intimate performance of bluegrass music. Class members appreciated the tour of the Powell River Project and visit to a surface mine. A trip to Southwest would be incomplete without a stop at Mountain Rose Vineyard and experiencing the agricultural bounty from reclaimed mine land. UVA's College at Wise was the setting for presentations on Creating a Culture of Education and Dr. Amy Clark's The Appalachian Dialect. The Friday session ended with a delightful reception and dinner at the Lila Vicars Smith House at UVA Wise, hosted by LEAD VIRGINIA Board Member and UVA Wise Chancellor Dr. David Prior and his wife Merry Lu. Saturday's session focused on Appalachian Sustainable Development and included a visit to the Abingdon Farmer's Market, ending with a presentation on Healthcare and the Healthy Appalachia Project in Southwest Virginia. Many thanks to Alumni Art Meade '07, Marcia Quesenberry '06 and to Rachel Fowlkes of the SW Center for Higher Education for their tireless efforts to make this region's session a great visit. Thanks also to Skip Skinner '08 and Shannon Blevins '08 for sharing their perspectives on the bus trip. Class of 2008 at the Powell River Project

LEAD VIRGINIA Is Invited...

Tuesday, October 7, 2008: The University of Richmond's Jepson School of Leadership invites LEAD VIRGINIA alumni and current class as guests to a reception and program at the Modlin Center for the Arts at U of R. This insightful program is entitled "What Lincoln Was Up Against: The Context of Leadership" and features noted American South Historian Dr. Edward Ayers as speaker. Reception begins at 6 p.m. and program at 7 p.m. Reservation information is forthcoming via separate email. Take advantage of this opportunity re-connect with your classmates. All LEAD VIRGINIA alumni are invited to attend. Friday, November 21, 2008: LEAD VIRGINIA's Class of 2008 Graduation Dinner at The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond. Keynote speaker is John O. "Dubby" Wynne, retired President & CEO of Landmark Communications, Vice Rector of The University of Virginia's Board of Visitors and Vice Chair, The Council on Virginia's Future. The program agenda will include a special appreciation for outgoing LEAD VIRGINIA Board Chair G. S. "Sandy" Fitz-Hugh, Jr. who has guided LEAD VIRGINIA so wisely and well during the organization's formative first four years. Reception begins at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. Invitations are forthcoming. Directory publication is underway . . . and LEAD VIRGINIA Class of 2008 and alumni are invited to submit a business card ad in this year's Directory and Yearbook for $75. Contact Amanda Keller at akeller@leadva.org to learn how you can support this year's class and alumni directory.

Who Should Be In The Next LEAD VIRGINIA Class?

It's not too early to begin thinking about who you would recommend as a candidate for LEAD VIRGINIA's Class of 2009. We are counting on YOU to help us get the word out about LEAD VIRGINIA. If you would like an ambassador packet sent to a prospective candidate, send their contact information to Amanda Keller, akeller@leadva.org. Speaking opportunities are also a great way to get LEAD VIRGINIA noticed; if you would like to set up a speaking opportunity with a group or organization please let Susan Horne know. Regional recruitment outreach efforts are underway! We would like to see every region with a recruiting event scheduled on the calendar this fall. If you would like to assist with this effort, please contact Susan at shorne@leadva.org or 804-237-1465.

Alumni Buzz

Mike Drzal '07 has relocated from Charlottesville to the Blacksburg office of LeClair Ryan. Mike serves as Chair of the Technology and Venture Capital Team for the firm and serves as general counsel to a growing angel investor network. He can be reached at Michael.drzal@leclairryan.com or 540-443-3910. The Danville Regional Foundation announces the release of the first of three regional assessments, Healthcare Challenges and Opportunities, available at www.danvilleregionalfoundation.org. Other assessments to be conducted include Workforce development and related educational challenges, and community and economic development. Donna Fleming '05 and her organization College Summit co-sponsored a recent forum "Tackling the Tough Issues of College Access" with the University of Richmond. Barbara Reese '05, Deputy Secretary of Transportation for the Commonwealth, was recognized by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, along with Transportation Secretary Pierce Homer and the Virginia Department of Transportation, for their work on Virginia's nationally recognized public-private partnerships. Melanie Salyer '08, Deputy Clerk for Wise County Circuit Court, attended the Democratic National Convention in Denver as a delegate from Big Stone Gap. Pat Harvey '07 was recently elected to the office of Kiwanis Lt. Governor for districts 18 and 24 effective 2009-2010.