Vision 2006 Leadership Class

The Rooks County Leadership Class, Vision 2006, completed their four-week training on October 18, 2006, and will be recognized at a graduation celebration at Cedar Links Country Club on December 13, 2006.  Twelve participants from Damar, Plainville, and Stockton were part of the leadership training program conducted by Rooks County Economic Development.

Economic Development Director Roger Hrabe conducted the training, with the help of Teresa Webb, program assistant with the Solomon Valley RC&D.   The training emphasized servant leadership and was part of a program originally funded by the Kansas Health Foundation to promote the development of leadership throughout Kansas.  Hrabe went through a two-year program to prepare for training other individuals and groups.

"It used to be that a select few individuals in a community made the decisions that determined the direction that a community would take" Hrabe stated.  "Today that model is longer effective or even possible.  New leadership must be developed that focuses on making communities, groups, and organizations function better by understanding different learning styles, and the importance of creating a vision, and understanding the importance of consensus and collaboration."

Members of the class included Kim Thomas, Linus Pfannestiel, Jenny Thayer-Wood, Connie Conyac, Brenda Benoit, Allen Dinkel, Glen Sears, Bill Stahl, Chris Sander, Julie Price, Michelle Storz, and Kathy Ramsay.