Leadership Development program graduates 25 in 2022-2023 cohort

Wabash County, IN – Grow Wabash County would like to congratulate the 25 emerging leaders for their completion of the Leadership Development Wabash County (LDWC) program as part of the 2022-2023 cohort.

These 25 graduates were recognized at a ceremony on Thursday, May 18th, in the Parkview Ballroom at the Eagles Theatre. 

Tenille Zartman, vice president of Grow Wabash County and LDWC program facilitator, shared an overview of some of the great opportunities and experiences presented to this year’s cohort of graduates including various panels with community leaders, tours of some of Wabash County’s most interesting places, and instruction from an impressive roster of professors from Indiana University of Kokomo. 

The graduates also had time to present in front of their peers and supervisors to talk about the community service projects they worked on in groups throughout the duration of the LDWC program. Each member of this graduating class was required to complete at least 25 hours of community service in order to graduate from the program. 

Following the ceremony, Grow Wabash County hosted its second annual LDWC alumni mixer which allowed for these new graduates to connect and network with the many years of graduates that came before them. 

Graduates for the 2022-2023 LDWC cohort include: Becky Arnett, Wabash County Habitat for Humanity; David Bassett, Beacon Credit Union; Tony Binkerd, Real Alloy; Cody Blackburn, Ford Meter Box Company, Inc.; Haley Bryant, Bippus State Bank; Brittany Burnett, Wabash County YMCA; Thomas Cavins, Visit Wabash County; Andrew Claytor, Real Alloy; Alex Corn, Indiana DWD; Cody Flager-Lee, Honeywell Arts & Entertainment; Kyle Grubbs, Manchester University; Brittney Hernandez, Arc of Wabash County; Jessi Huston, Purdue Extension Wabash County; Gavin Jones, Ford Meter Box Company, Inc.; Jonathan Kaler, Charley Creek Inn; Jensen Keffaber, Ford Meter Box Company, Inc.; Jeff Knee, City of Wabash; Kimberly Lundmark, Wabash County Court Services; Austin Presley, Ford Meter Box Company, Inc.; John Schuler, First Farmers Bank & Trust; Chris Sipes, Beacon Credit Union; Scott Thornsberry, Pathfinder Services; Brent Wainscott, Ford Meter Box Company, Inc.; Madison Waldon, Chittick Insurance; and Mary Willcox, Charley Creek Inn.

In addition to the graduation certificates, there were also several awards presented to members of the cohort who stood out for their various strengths. 
These awards included: The Social Change Award presented to Brittnay Burnett; The Sunshine Award, presented to Kyle Grubbs; The Entrepreneur Award presented to John Schuler; The Best Communicator Award presented to Brent Wainscott; The Servant Award presented to Scott Thornsberry; and the Emerging Leader Award which was presented to Alex Corn, Cody Flager-Lee and Chris Sipes.

Grow Wabash County is thrilled to see a new cohort of leaders take what they have learned over the past several months and apply it to their respective jobs, committees, and boards in an effort to make Wabash County an even greater place to be. 

Grow Wabash County would also like to thank all the supporters and sponsors that made the 2022-2023 LDWC program and incredible success.  
Core Sponsors include: Beacon Credit Union; City of Wabash; and Wabash County Commissioners.
Network Sponsors include: Town of North Manchester
Lunch Sponsors include: Edward Jones; Heartland Career Center; Josiah White’s; NIPSCO and Ruoff Mortgage
Scholarship providers include: Downtown Wabash, Inc.; Grow Wabash County; and Hoosier Jiffy Print.

Plans are already in the works for the 2023-2024 cohort of Leadership Development Wabash County and registration for this next program will begin in August 2023 with classes beginning in October 2023. Companies or individuals interested in being placed on the waitlist for this upcoming cohort can do so by emailing Tenille Zartman at tenille@growwabashcounty.com.