Regional Leadership Program Celebrates a Decade 

May 2007 -- Leadership Mid-America, Inc. recently celebrated the graduation of Class X as friends, family and co-workers showed their support for the Leadership Class of 2006- 2007 by attending the graduation held at Mid-America Technology Center. The program was planned and led by the graduation class.

Colby Christian, First American Bank, Purcell, began the evening with the invocation followed by classmate, Norene Moore, Yarbrough Heating & Air, Blanchard. Moore sang “God Bless America” while the audience was moved to their feet and viewed the DVD she created from pictures of her son, son-in-law and nephew serving in Iraq as well as pictures of scenes timed to the words of the song. Moore then led in the Pledge of Allegiance. After the dinner, catered by Mid-America Technology Center and served by Purcell Key Club & Builders Club, Angielee Wright, American Red Cross, welcomed the guests and thanked the individuals and groups who had assisted in banquet preparations. Courtney Collett, McClain Bank, Purcell, and Susan Pope, IBC Bank, Pauls Valley introduced the Mid America Leadership Board and presented Rulissa Jones, Board President, with an engraved marble desk clock. 

Stacy Roberts-Snyder, DDSD/DHS, Pauls Valley and Clarissa Robison, Mid-America Technology Center, Wayne, recognized individuals and businesses who have given assistance to the program during the year. Dusty Ricks, Superintendent, accepted the award given to Mid-America Technology Center in appreciation for his support of the program throughout the year. Two companies were recognized for sponsoring at least one graduate per year from their company all 10 years – Mid-America TC and McClain Bank, Purcell. All businesses were recognized who sponsored a participant from their business. On behalf of Class X, Snyder and Robison present Sandy Bull, LMA Director with a gift of appreciation from the class. 

Class members, Amee Shaw, Heather Fox and Kelly Smith presented “Highlights from Class X”. Shaw shared her personal mission statement as an outcome from one of the fall sessions on Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People when Sandy Bull taught on “Compassing Planning” and creating your personal mission statement. Heather Fox then presented a video titled, “Anything’s Possible”, created from pictures of the class sessions. Kelly Smith Class presented a humorous “Top 10 Reasons to Join LMA”, Next, Representative Lisa Billy presented the each graduate with a “Congressional Citation of Regional Leadership” as she called each graduate forward. 

Rulissa Jones of McClain Bank, Board President and James Powell of Walker & Sons, Inc., Board Vice-President, called each graduate forward by reading a narrative, written by the graduate, entitled “Who am I?” The graduates were presented a framed Certificate of Completion. Graduates from the program have completed monthly class sessions developing community leadership and covering topics including leadership styles and teamwork through the ropes course experience in the Arbuckle Mountains. The class also toured communities in the region to gain onsite experiences in education, history and tourism, civic & human services and traveled to the capitol for state government. Jones and Powell also presented each graduate with an “Oklahoma Rising” DVD and a Centennial Eastern Redbud Tree to be planted in their community along with the class member’s name on a tree stake, engraved by the Mid-America Machine Tool Technology Program.

Carla Fry, Santa Fe Place Community Home, sponsored by C.A.R.E. and Teresa Marquard, Stratford Schools, closed the program with their personal testimony of the benefits of participating in the program and encouraging others to join or nominate an employee. Mid America Leadership, Inc. is a non-profit organization formed by a group of business and industry individuals interested in promoting area leadership to communities primarily located in the Mid-America Technology School District. The mission of the program is “Developing and Uniting Regional Leaders.” The Leadership Board which oversees the local program will meet this summer to outline the program sessions for the upcoming class that will begin in September. Applications are now being accepted for Class XI scheduled to begin in September. Anyone interested can go online to: http://www.matech.org/leadership or call Sandy Bull at 405-449-3391or email sbull@matech.org