Over the past 25 years, Leadership Johnson County has been responsible for some of the area’s most well-known events and enrichment programs.
More than 1,000 people gather together each winter for the Soup Bowl, a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity of Johnson County. The county’s tourism website Festival Country Indiana was initially a project known as Journey Johnson County.
Historical markers have been restored and repaired throughout the county by a Leadership Johnson County class.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery
But the impacts of the program are more far-reaching than that.
“How incredible to know there are so many people who have gone through leadership training who are truly connected by a passion for making our community a better place to live, learn, work and lead,” said Tandy Shuck, executive director of Leadership Johnson County.
Leadership Johnson County has been responsible for training nearly 700 local residents to be better leaders and contributors to the community. Graduates of the program are government officials, nonprofit directors and business executives. They are active in local schools and churches, civic organizations such as Rotary Club and Kiwanis, and youth sporting leagues.
With the foundation that has been laid over the past 25 years, both graduates and current members of the class are confident they can help steer Johnson County in a positive direction.
“I really hope to understand what people are doing in our community to improve it, and find ways to be part of that,” said Wendy Pottgen, a member of the current Leadership Johnson County class. “Whether it’s helping people in need or dreaming up future improvements for Johnson County — what we could use 10 years from now — I’m confident I’m in a cohort full of people who will have what it takes to move Johnson County forward.”
Leadership Johnson County was founded in 1995 after area residents expressed concern about the direction local agencies, government and business would go in the future.
At the time, Duke Energy, known at the time as Cinergy/PSI, conducted a survey to gauge public opinion about the future of leadership in Johnson County. People wondered who would fill future volunteer vacancies and board leadership positions as the current generation of community leaders grew older. They were also worried that those leaders might not be qualified to lead and serve.
Taking those concerns to heart, Duke Energy and Franklin College agreed to form a leadership program for the county. The first class had 23 people from all different organizations, businesses and backgrounds.
Since that time, the program has graduated 696 people.
“Some of the impacts we’ve seen are just the incredible network of trained leaders who are willing to take on grassroots efforts. It’s amazing to watch the 700 people reach out to people when there’s something that needs to be done in the community,” Shuck said. “It’s really neat to watch those stories of impact.”
The core of Leadership Johnson County is the Signature Program. The class meets once a month, where students focus on a different aspect of leadership each time. Participants learn how to lead meetings, identify the best people to help with a particular job and organize a team.
One of the keys of the Signature Program is the projects that each participant has to complete. Members break into small groups and have to plan and carry out a project that will impact the community.
More than 100 projects have been completed through the program, and 36 of those are still in place in the community, Taylor said.
Leadership Johnson County students helped start a tree-dedication program that is now used by Franklin Parks and Recreation. Fun runs and 5K races have raised money for local veterans and other groups. An inventory of historic barns throughout the county is available for research at the Johnson County Museum of History.
But as Leadership Johnson County has grown, so has its options in serving the community. Special workshops and seminars focus on management, women in leadership positions and the power of innovation.
“It’s a great milestone that our community leadership program has stayed strong consistently throughout 25 years,” Shuck said. “Being involved in some of our counterparts in other areas in Indiana, that’s not always the case. Sometimes community leadership programs go through ebbs and flows as they progress. But we’ve remained very consistent.”
Carolyn Goerner, a 2014 graduate of the program, enrolled in Leadership Johnson County shortly after moving to the county. She envisioned it as a way to both better understand her new home and learn about the issues, people and places that were impacting it.
“When I was reading a new report about where a road was going to go or a police project, I wanted context. I wanted to know who the players were and what the key issues were,” she said. “I wanted this to feel like my home, and it is.”
Over the nine-month program, Goerner was immersed in the history and operations of the county. She learned about agriculture, business, social-service organizations and unique attractions.
Along the way, she made close friends who that she still considers her “tribe.” Many of the members of her Leadership Johnson County group and past alumni remain friends and help guide her, particularly as she’s started her own consulting business.
“They’ve been amazing, supportive and are still teaching me a ton,” she said. “Through these people, I not only have the confidence to get this up and running, but I have a network that makes it possible.”
The 25th anniversary of the program has been an opportunity for alumni from all of the previous classes to come together and re-engage with its mission.
This year kicked off with a special breakfast, where past alumni, founding board members and current participants were invited to celebrate the program.
“We wanted take a look at where we’ve been and what we’ve accomplished, while also taking a look at where we go next,” Shuck said.
Officials also took advantage of the special event to announce two new unique programs. The Bonnie Pribush Distinguished Leadership Award, named for the program’s founder, will be presented to individuals whose contributions to effective leadership are significant, resulting in extraordinary impact.
A youth leadership academy for high school students will serve as an incubator for young leaders.
“It was something we’d been talking about for many years, and we just weren’t sure we had the resources to to make it happen,” Shuck said. “In the last three years, it has started to pop up again that people were very interested in it.”
Other special events are planned for the coming months, including a free holiday movie on Dec. 9 at the Artcraft for alumni and their family members, and a Groundhog Day celebration on Jan. 31.
“It’s a great opportunity to reconnect with some of our alumni who are out doing great things, but we might not hear from all the time,” said Kate Taylor, Leadership Johnson County’s program director.
Even in the midst of the 25th anniversary celebration, the current class of Leadership Johnson County is striving to make an impact, just as others before them.
Wendy Pottgen enrolled in the program this year for the chance to work with other like-minded people focused on making Johnson County the best community it could be.
“I desired to get to know people who really want to do some great work for our community, and get to know them in a way that was something I selected to do. I wanted to be with people who wanted to help improve our community,” she said.
The group has already visited farms to learn about agriculture in farming, taken part in experiential learning opportunities to hone their leadership skills and started working on their class projects.
“They’re all very excited about this year. We’ve been seeing that they’re already meeting with their project groups, talking about what they want to do,” said Andrea Gash, Leadership Johnson County’s program manager.
For the current class, it has been meaningful to see how the program has shaped the county in previous years, and have a chance to join the prestigious group of graduates.
“It’s been a whole lot of fun. There are obviously a lot of people who have come before us, and a cool part of this program is getting to meet the alumni and getting to see what they’ve done in the community,” Pottgen said. “Knowing we’re the 25th cohort, there’s a little added emphasis of what’s happening with Leadership Johnson County.”
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”By the numbers” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
By the Numbers
23 people were part of the first graduating class of Leadership Johnson County.
43 people are going through the Signature Program this year.
696 have graduated from the program.
More than 375 different businesses and organizations have sent participants to be part of the program.
1,100 people have participated in Leadership Johnson County select workshops.
105 community projects have been completed by Leadership Johnson County participants.
36 signature projects created by those participants are still impacting the community today.
[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”At a glance” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
About Leadership Johnson County
What: A county organization that works to train new leaders and make meaningful change in the community.
Where: Based at Franklin College
How to get involved: Applications for the 2019-20 class of Leadership Johnson County will be available in early 2019. Visit leadershipjohnsoncounty.org to apply online.
Any resident of Johnson County can apply, and nonresidents are eligible provided those individuals have worked or have been active in the county for at least two years immediately prior to the time of application.
The Leadership Johnson County Board of Trustees selects class members each year. Participants are chosen to reflect geographic, occupational and ethnic diversity.
Tuition for the program is $1,250. A nonrefundable deposit of $250 will be required at the time of acceptance into the program.
Scholarships are available for up to $1,000 of the program costs.
Information: leadershipjohnsoncounty.org
[sc:pullout-text-end]
