Columbia Chamber announces 2016-2017 Leadership Columbia class
August 2, 2016
59 Local Individuals in 44th Class of Chamber’s Leadership Program
COLUMBIA, SC – Leadership Columbia, a Columbia Chamber program for emerging and existing leaders in the Midlands, is pleased to announce the Leadership Columbia Class of 2017. The 59 individuals will be the 44thgraduating class since the program was founded in 1972.
“Each year the applicants of the Chamber’s Leadership Columbia program raise the bar,” says Columbia Chamber President and CEO, Carl Blackstone, “These individuals will go on to make tremendous contributions in our region and for our community.”
This group will engage in a 10-month curriculum including monthly class day sessions, a retreat, a class project and a variety of enrichment activities around the area. Since its inception, Leadership Columbia has celebrated more than 1,900 graduates.
Leadership Columbia Class of 2016-2017 candidates:
| Jessica Albert | Ronald McDonald House Charities of Columbia, SC
Sergio Aparicio | City of Columbia Parrish Behles | BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Stephanie Benjamin | Lourie Center Sheila Bias | Fisher Phillips Molly Brantley | United Way of the Midlands Benjamin Carlton | Richardson Plowden & Robinson, P.A. Mary Caskey | Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. Heather Cooper | South Carolina Farm Bureau Insurance Amanda Cusaac | Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports, & Tourism LeRoy DesChamps | The Comet Bob Evans | University of South Carolina Jaime Evermann | BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Stephanie Frazier | SC Technical College System Michael Friday | BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Austin Gawler | TEKsystems Hamilton Grant | Grant Business Strategies Kayla Gupton | Colonial Life Teosha Harrison | BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Caroline Hinson | Derrick, Stubbs & Stith, LLP Todd Hudak | BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Leah Inman | Palmetto Health James Kelly | McCrory Construction Thomas Kilpatrick | The Murphy Law Group Savannah Lawner | Pendelton Street Advisors Lyle Lee | South Carolina Department of Transportation Brieanna Logue | City of Columbia |
Kim McMahon | University of South Carolina
Lindsay Medlin | Bauknight, Pietras & Stormer, P.A. Ryan Miller | Elliott Davis Decosimo, LLC Zach Minton | K2 Technology Benjamin Montemayor | AOS Specialty Contractors, Inc. Andrew Montgomery | Rogers Townsend & Thomas, PC Angela Pillsbury | Colonial Life Perzavia Praylow | Abounding Hope New Worshiping Community Ryan Principe | Palmetto Health C.D. Rhodes | Pope Flynn Jim Rourke | Nexsen Pruet Tabitha Safdi | South Carolina ETV Andrew Saleeby | McNair Law Firm, P.A. Allison Sanford | Palmetto Health Mee Jean Sasine | BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Sarah Sawicki | Richland Library Andrew Schiavone | BB&T Annie Scott | NBSC David Sickinger | Garvin Design Group Alana Simmons | Hate Won’t Win Movement Inc. Sarah Sipes | USC Alumni Association John Slavich | Landrum Human Resources Sarah Sloan | Woodforest National Bank Ammie Smith | South Carolina Education Lottery Caroline Tracy | Recruiting Solutions Carrie Walker | Cox Industries, Inc. Holly West | Colite Allison Whittle | EdVenture Children’s Museum Allen Wilkerson | Colliers International Elizabeth Wynn | Chernoff Newman |
“We are thrilled to introduce the Class of 2017. This year’s class is a completive group of dynamic candidates,” says Josh Elliott, 2016-2017 Chair of the Leadership Columbia Advisory Board (LCAB), “The Class represents a growing desire to lead and a need for change in our community.”
The class was chosen from combined application and interview scores, each marked by separate groups of Leadership Columbia Alumni. The selection criteria included civic involvement, leadership potential, diversity of perspective and commitment to the leadership program and the community.
About Leadership Columbia
Leadership Columbia is an educational program offered through the Columbia Chamber. The 10 month program provides emerging and existing leaders in the Midlands area with an opportunity to enhance their civic knowledge and network. For over 40 years, Leadership Columbia has helped participants better understand the local community, while building relationships with the region’s current and future leaders.
For more information on Leadership Columbia, visit www.ColumbiaChamber.com or contact Elizabeth Cardell at 803.733.1152.
About the Columbia Chamber
The Columbia Chamber is a private, non-profit, partner-driven organization comprised of 1,500 business enterprises, civic organizations, educational institutions and individuals in Calhoun, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lexington, Newberry and Richland counties. The Columbia Chamber serves as the voice of its partners and the business community at large on matters of economic, educational, social, cultural and political concern, as well as supports and promotes the success of its partners through networking, professional development, advocacy and leadership. Theorganization has represented the interests of the local business community since 1902.
To become a partner or to learn more about the Columbia Chamber, as well as its events, programs and initiatives, visit www.ColumbiaChamber.com.
