Fourteen business professionals graduated Thursday from the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce Institute for Leadership Development, a program that aims to create stronger leaders to serve Albany Area businesses and the community by effectively utilizing the resources of the chamber. The gradution ceremony was hosted at Wynfield Plantation in Albany at 5:30 p.m.
 
“The Albany Area Chamber’s Institute for Leadership Development has been successful in molding future business leaders through personal and professional development. It is important to build upon the professional skills of our participants and realize that leaders can be developed from all levels within an organization,” said Bárbara Rivera Holmes, president and CEO of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce.
 
A key element of the Institute for Leadership Development is the mentor-mentee program, which pairs current community leaders with young professionals, providing invaluable experience and knowledge to help fully develop the participants’ talents. Along with mentorship, the curriculum provides a genuine and detailed focus on several key leadership qualities including effective networking, delegation; understanding leadership style; visioning and strategic planning; political savvy; influence and negotiation; image and the media.
 
INSTITUTE FOR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CLASS OF 2016-2017

David Anderson          MCLB Albany

Kimberly Carter          Albany State University

Deborah Clemons        Renasant Bank

James T. Ealum          Campaign Manager

Lola Edwards              Albany Technical College

Erin Freeman              Albany Area Resource Center

Reedi Hawkins            Albany-Dougherty EDC

Tim Hunter                 Tim Hunter, CPA

Haley Janousek          Mauldin & Jenkins

Michael Kennedy         Lee County Library

Whitney Passmore       AB&T

Latreesa Perryman      MCLB Albany

Daniel Stone               SB&T

Jason Wilson               Southern Point Staffing

On May 11, the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Albany announced a merger of the two leadership programs. The merger allows for the blend of the Leadership Albany program, which places a strong emphasis on building community trustees, and curriculum programs of the chamber’s Leadership Institute, which focuses on developing traits such as political awareness, media savvy and business leadership.