LEADERSHIP CAPE READIES FUTURE COMMUNITY LEADERS

Most people don't have the opportunity to call up a local business and ask for a tour of the building or a presentation on management styles. But with the help of Leadership Cape, 26 emerging community leaders have done just that.

"You don't have a lot of opportunities to call up Dana Corp., and say I'd like to see the facility and listen to your management styles," said Kathy Swan, co-chairman of the committee overseeing the program.

Through Leadership Cape, people are given the opportunity to see and learn about things "they wouldn't otherwise be exposed to," she said.

Leadership Cape is a program of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce that began in 1986 as an effort to identify and motivate emerging leaders into developing their potential. The 2000 class of the program will graduate today.

The graduation event begins at noon and includes a keynote address by Jim Biundo, a 1992 graduate of the program, and presentations on several group projects.

During the eight sessions of the program, Swan said the lessons have been "infusing bits of information about what it is to be a leader as well as information about Cape itself."

Monthly meetings have focused on team building and leadership, city services, special public and private services, health services, education, legal and law enforcement, regional economy and media issues. Guest speakers and tours were part of each session. The group met once a month on a Thursday for most of the day.

During those meetings they also worked in smaller groups on particular projects designed to benefit the community. Presentations from each of the groups will be given during the graduation ceremony.

Each project involved an objective and a list of methods used to achieve the goal. One group studied the feasibility of building a family aquatic center in the city; another studied developing an online calendar listing community activities.

Two groups studied youth programs, and one developed Youth Action 2000 as a program that would extend recreational activities to youths. Another looked at connecting youths and leaders through a mentoring program called "Facing Tomorrow Today."

The 2000 class is the second group to work on community projects, Swan said. Several of the projects, both past and present, have been implemented almost before the graduation service.

The teams work with organizations that need the information or would benefit from the program outlined, she said. Each group picks its own projects so "they can see and explore" ideas to "help improve the community."

Suggestions for improving the city that had been submitted to Vision 2000 and Vision 2020 were also shared with Leadership Cape as the group began looking at possible projects, Swan said.

Leadership 2000 classes are based on applications submitted to the chamber. Class size is limited to around 25 people and includes participants from Southeast Missouri State University, both St. Francis Medical Center and Southeast Missouri Hospital, public schools, area banks, small businesses and civic groups like the Girl Scouts of America and Area Wide United Way.

"You'll see these people's names in the media or involved in volunteer services or projects after this," Swan said.

Leadership Cape class

Members of the 2000 class of Leadership Cape:

Laura Hinkebein

Bob Kinder

Dan Steska

Mike Tenholder

Angela Wilson

Bill Brockmire

Becky Bomar

Jason Crowell

Lowell Peterson

Nikki Stallion

Sharon Stanley

Tarryl Booker

Paul Hullar

Steve Obermann

Tom Schumer

Paul Short

Leslie Walker

Kevin Essner

Rob Parrent

Don Hinkebein

John Johnston

Jeff Spray

Steve Bjelich

Fran Bock

Kathy Denton

Clint Karnes