Class of 2009 Travels to Southern Virginia |
LEAD VIRGINIA 2009 spent a lively session in May visiting a number of innovative sites in Southern Virginia. Beginning with a reception at the Berry Hill Resort, class members traveled to the Prizery and Southern Virginia Higher Education Center, the Danville Community Market, the Institute for Advance Learning and Research, Halifax Regional Hospital, VIRginia International Raceway, Molasses Grill Restaurant and Riverstone Technology Park. Among the highlights were a tour and briefing on the economic impact of racing and technology in the region, as well as the transformational impact of such visionary institutions as the Harvest Foundation and the Danville Regional Foundation. Once again agriculture was a featured part of the session, giving class participants a new appreciation for the use of technology in farming. Class members were wowed by a spin around the track in pace cars at VIR and a ride in the VIPER race car and track simulator. The session concluded with leadership case studies formulated around topics of uranium mining and the energy economy of Southern Virginia, moving from milltown and manufacturing to diversification, and re-branding Southern Virginia.
LEAD VIRGINIA thanks Curriculum Co-chairs Wanda Jeffress '08 and Jeff Liverman '08 for their diligent efforts in constructing an outstanding Southern Virginia session. Thanks also to Benny Summerlin '08 for his extensive involvement and support and the many behind-the-scenes efforts that went into a very successful Southern Virginia visit. |
Alumni Invited to Make Up Missed Sessions |
| Did you miss a class session during your LEAD VIRGINIA class year? If so, alumni are invited to join the class for a missed regional session and complete your picture of the Commonwealth. A small fee to participate may apply. Contact Amanda Keller for details.
May 14-16 Southern VA
June 18-20 Shenandoah Valley
July 16-18 Northern VA
September 17-19 Southwest VA
October 15-17 Hampton Roads
November 19-21 Richmond
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LEAD VIRGINIA
Alumni Visit the Northern Neck |
More than 50 alumni, sponsors, current class members and guests were on hand to launch the second annual alumni conference for the Thursday evening, June 4th reception and dinner at The Tides Inn in Virginia's Northern Neck. All four years of alumni were represented, along with members of the current class. The Class of 2007 was best represented with the highest class members' attendance.
Featuring a diversity of venues throughout Irvington, Kilmarnock and Burgess, participants gave enthusiastic reviews to their experiences. The beautiful setting of The Tides Inn on Carter's Creek in Irvington set the tone for alumni to re-connect and
re-engage. A rainy forecast did not dampen the weekend's activities; alumni brought out their umbrellas and braved the intermittent showers. Friday's agenda began with a visit to the incredibly picturesque setting of historic Christ Church, built in 1735 by descendants of John Carter. Back on the bus, participants traveled to the innovative Virginia Quality of Life collaborative campus in Kilmarnock where local residents access healthcare, child care and exercise opportunities and an award-winning free clinic offers health and dental care to low-income residents.
The maritime economy segment included a tour of Tiffany Yachts with evidence of the exceptional craftsmanship of boatbuilding. A tour of Omega Protein included briefings on the health benefits and industrial uses of Omega 3 fish oils produced from the local harvesting of menhaden fish. The agricultural and aquacultural economies of the Northern Neck featured speakers from the Tangier Island Foundation and Chesapeake Bay Foundation (crab harvesting), Kellum Seafood (oyster harvesting), and corn, barley and soybean production in the region. Challenges faced by the crab and oyster industries include overharvesting in past decades (1920s and 1930s overharvesting of oysters for road building and lime production), grappling with disease strains in the 1980s and 1990s that wiped out 85-90% of the Bay's oyster population, shrinking labor availability with an average age of oyster shuckers at 74 years old and HB2-1 Visa workers being diverted to competing labor markets such as landscaping and construction, and the decline of the crab industry due to a stricter regulatory environment.
Rappahannock Community College was featured as a key resource in the vast region's labor and educational needs. The conference concluded with two statewide-focused presentations on Virginia and Energy, followed by Leadership in Virginia: What's at Stake for the Future. Attendees gained insight into characteristics of broad-based leadership needed to maintain Virginia's competitiveness in its economy, energy infrastructure and supply, healthcare resources, education sector and workforce preparedness.
LEAD VIRGINIA offers its sincere appreciation to Julien Patterson '05 and Tom Gosse '08 for their leadership in shaping a meaningful introduction to the Northern Neck. Appreciation also goes to Mike Drzal '07 and Bernie Niemeier '07 for serving as moderators for the Energy and Leadership panels, respectively. Thanks also to Beth Bortz '07 for her strategic guidance throughout the planning process. Finally, our sincere thanks to conference sponsors OMNIPLEX World Services Corporation, Bank of Lancaster, Bay Trust Company, Chesapeake Bank, Omega Protein, Northern Neck Insurance Company, Rappahannock Community College and Rappahannock General Hospital. Without their financial and inkind support and encouragement, this effort could not have gone forward with such resounding success.
Theresa Noe,'08, Caryn Durham,
'08 and Judy Cash, '08
Phillip Adams, ;08, Jeff Merriman,
'07 and Bernie Niemeier, '07
Beth Bortz, '07, Nancy Gansneder, '07
and Steve Rosenberg, '07
Robert Powell,' 08 climbing a yacht at
Tiffany Yacts, Inc in Burgess, VA
Dr. Patricia Cormier, LEAD VIRGINIA
Board of Directors Chairman, in her
hard hat at Omega Protein
Tom Gosse, '08, Delegate John Chichester, Dr. Sissy
Crowther and Julien Patterson, '05 |
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Phyllis Errico '09 chairs the Local Government Board of Governors for The Virginia State Bar, the governing and regulatory body for all lawyers practicing in Virginia.
Colonel Dionysios "Dan" Anninos '07 will deploy to Iraq soon. Dan hopes to keep in touch and will send his new email shortly.
Joe Hines '08 reports recent shoulder surgery. We wish him a speedy recovery. Joe and Shawn Kelley '08 joined with Class of 2009 members on their recent visit to Southern Virginia.
LEAD VIRGINIA Board Member and Former Lt. Gov. John H. Hager has been elected chairman of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia. John served as lieutenant governor from 1998 to 2002. He also is the past chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia.
LEAD VIRGINIA Southwest Virginia alumni Mark Estepp '08 and Shannon Blevins '08 were in the news, along with LEAD VIRGINIA Board Member Dr. David Prior on the announcement of The University of Virginia's College at Wise welcoming Southwest Virginia Community College to the Southwest Virginia Technology Development Center in Lebanon.
UVa-Wise Chancellor David J. Prior and SWCC President J. Mark Estepp signed a five-year agreement that provides for the community college to offer academic programs at the UVa-Wise-operated center. The new partnership at the Lebanon facility will allow students to complete two years of college studies before completing four-year bachelor degree studies at UVa-Wise.
Former NASA Astronaut and veteran of three space shuttle missions Colonel Richard Searfoss, brother of Debbie Armstrong '08, offered his insight on leadership at an alumni gathering at the Bank of America offices in downtown Richmond May 22. Many thanks to Debbie for sharing her brother for the benefit of LEAD VIRGINIA alumni!
Keep your LEAD VIRGINIA colleagues in the loop; email your updates to Amanda Keller at akeller@leadva.org. |
Linking In |
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Are you LinkedIn? LEAD VIRGINIA is urging you to join LinkedIn, an interconnected network of experienced professionals from around the world. LinkedIn is a FREE professional social networking platform that allows you to connect with peers, colleagues and friends. To start a LinkedIn profile, go to www.linkedin.com and click "join." Use a work email or another professional email address. Fill in the required Profile information. Once you have signed up, search for colleagues and friends to connect with. Join the LEAD VIRGINIA Group and connect with alumni from all classes since 2005. It's free and user-friendly and its usage will expand as LEAD VIRGINIA populates its own profile with more robust information.
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