35 Students Impact Addiction, Diversity, and Poverty in Leadership Niagara’S LYNC program

Niagara Falls, New York (Tuesday, May 8, 2012) – Leadership Niagara hosted its 11th annual LYNC (Leadership for the Youth of Niagara County) Graduation program and showcased their students’ impact on the Niagara region during a presentation with parents, educators, and community leaders and LN Board of Directors.

LYNC Class of 2011-2012

Major Andrea Pitruzzella, Chief of Public Affairs for the 914th Airlift Wing and Leadership NIagara Class of 2010, served as keynote speaker at the LYNC graduation.  Pitruzzella is Leadership Niagara’s newest board member and leads the organization’s coaching and mentoring program.

LYNC student leaders participated in monthly sessions from September 2011 to May 2012 through Leadership Niagara to nurture and practice their leadership skills.  The students, representing ten high schools, focused on platform projects in diversity, addiction, and poverty and were guided by Leadership Niagara mentors.  Students will discuss their projects and outcomes during their LYNC graduation ceremony.

“We believe in order to become better leaders we must roll up our sleeves and work at it,” stated Molly Anderson, executive director of Leadership Niagara.  “Our students took on major issues in our community and made a difference in just a few short months.”

LYNC (Leadership for the Youth of Niagara County) is the only county-wide student leadership development program which brings together 35 students from ten high schools across the Niagara region. Students participate in a nine month program modeled after Leadership Niagara’s adult class experience program. LYNC teaches students about issues impacting our region and provides practical and in depth training in leadership development, self awareness, communications, teamwork, critical thinking, and project management.

Leadership Niagara is the longest running community leadership development program in New York State which rebranded in 2009 and revamped its mission, vision, core values, strategy, board governance, bylaws, programs, and committees in order to position itself as a world class leadership experience. LN is expanding its leadership capacity and programs offerings which include coaching and mentoring, graduate level leadership development and organizational change projects for class members, alumni, and the region.

The LYNC Class of 2012 is:

• Anmol Bambrah – Niagara Falls High School
• Fiza Batool – Niagara Falls High School
• Henry Beaman, Jr. – Niagara Falls High School
• Kevin Bligh – Royalton Hartland
• Jenna Brzozowski – North Tonawanda High School
• Frankie Costanzo – Niagara Catholic
• Sean Delles – Niagara Falls High School
• Margaret Dorian – Lewiston Porter
• Bernice Dumbleton – Starpoint
• Bridgette Ehrmann – Niagara Wheatfield
• Theresa Fleckenstein – Lewiston Porter
• Ruth Gendrue – Barker High School
• Mohit Gogna – Niagara Wheatfield
• Pamela Gon – Starpoint
• Kathryn Gorman – North Tonawanda High School
• Jessica Hefferon – Barker High School
• Megan Helf – North Tonawanda High School
• Caitlin Jones – North Tonawanda High School
• Sandna Kaur – Niagara Falls High School
• Dilpreet Kaur – Niagara Wheatfield
• Aaron K. Lilly – Lewiston Porter
• Molly MacKenzie – Niagara Falls High School
• Hannah McGovern – Niagara Falls High School
• Daniel Miera – Niagara Wheatfield
• Hailey O’Connor – Lewiston Porter
• Allison Rung – Niagara Wheatfield
• Brenton Sandolfini – Barker High School
• Victoria Santos – Lockport High School
• Kaitlin Scirto – Lockport High School
• Saarang Singh – Lewiston Porter
• Jeremy Tock – Starpoint
• Alec Toth – Starpoint
• Allyssa Wadsworth – Niagara Catholic
• Patrick Wagner – Lewiston Porter
• Stephanie Zimicki – St Mary’s

Remembering to Love Canada

Niagara Gazette (May 1, 2012)  http://niagara-gazette.com/features/x1720497706/Leadership-Chronicles-Remembering-to-love-Canada

Tonawanda News (April 27, 2012)  http://m.tonawanda-news.com/tonawanda/pm_112993/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=gvqMwtQC

The world through Chris Schoepflin’s eyes

Niagara Gazette (April 4, 2012)  http://niagara-gazette.com/features/x611941943/LEADERSHIP-CHRONICLES-The-world-through-Chris-Schoepflins-eyes

Leadership Niagara Aligns 2012 Program with Priorities of WNY Economic Council and Equips Leaders in Transformation, Innovation, Creativity, and Change

Howard Zemsky

NIAGARA REGION, NEW YORK – (March 15, 2012) Leadership Niagara will present a full-day leadership session focused on “Economic Development and Smart Growth” on Thursday, March 15th for its current class members and alumni, as well as members of Leadership Buffalo, at the Conference Center in Niagara Falls and Larkin Building in Buffalo.

The Economic Development and Smart Growth program sponsored by Leadership Niagara will include presentations by: Howard Zemsky, Managing Partner of the Larkin Development Group, Christina Orsi, Regional Director of Empire State Development, Tom Kucharski, President and CEO of Buffalo Niagara Enterprise, Christopher Schoepflin, President of USA Niagara Development Corporation, Chuck Bell, Director of Planning and Development of City of Lockport, David Kinyon, CEO of Town of Lockport IDA, and Henry Sloma, Chairperson of Niagara County IDA.

Leadership Niagara has aligned its 2012 program strategies with the priorities of the WNY Regional Economic Development Council and the blueprint for the future of our region.  Additional monthly strategy sessions inspired by the council include:  Bi-National Relations, Renewable Energy, Higher Education and Workforce Development, Life and Health Sciences, and Entrepreneurship.  The sessions are designed by Leadership Niagara’s team of strategy leaders around core foundations which include regionalism, reform, government, and positive change.

“This is monumental day for Leadership Niagara as it sets the course not only for economic development and smart growth, but also for collaboration and transformation,” stated Molly Anderson, executive director of Leadership Niagara.   “It is time everyone at all levels, whether in Buffalo or Niagara, to work together to strengthen our strengths and advance Western New York.”

In addition to presenting the issues and industries that impact Western New York, Leadership Niagara offers year-long participants graduate-level leadership development and training in the areas of creativity, innovation, change, transformation, coaching and mentoring, and will pilot a new “Organizational Change” project for class members to apply what they have learned to a local business.

“Our organization is more than a communication platform for our region,” added Molly Anderson. “We want results.  We  have leaders with boots on the ground and ready to act.”

Leadership Niagara’s Class of 2012 includes 28 individuals from small business, law enforcement, military, education, nonprofit, government, media, and banking.  They are part of a year long program which provides an in-depth and practical understanding of leadership development and the Niagara region.  LN has reached out to leadership organizations throughout the state this year, including Leadership Buffalo, and will host a statewide leadership professionals conference at the 914th Air Reserve in Niagara Falls in June 2012.

The mission of Leadership Niagara is to strengthen regional leadership.  It is the longest running leadership development organization in New York State and rebranded in 2009 to create bold new programs, new mission, vision, strategies and leadership capacity.  The organization’s core values are excellence, regional partnerships, visionary leadership, lifelong learning, and diversity.  Over 1000 leaders have graduated from LN and are continuing to renew their leadership through new breakthrough programs and coaching and mentoring.  For more information visit www.leadershipniagara.org.

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Places in Niagara You Don’t See Everyday

Niagara Gazette (March 5, 2012)  http://niagara-gazette.com/features/x579804399/LEADERSHIP-CHRONICLES-Places-in-Niagara-you-dont-see-everyday

Leadership Niagara kicks off annual fund and new scholarship initiative (February 15, 2012)

Dear Leaders:

What do we need from leaders in Western New York?

While we’ve all dreamed of a single business or government leader turning things around in our region, we need to recognize that leadership exists in all of us and we need to do our part to move things forward.

At Leadership Niagara, we believe that leadership is bigger than any one person or organization; and that in order to advance our region it will be the result of a collective effort. As the longest running community leadership development program in New York State, we are also the first program to challenge how we define and practice leadership, and what we need to know about regionalism and reform.  In 2012 we further responded to the needs of our region and aligned our programs with the priorities of the WNY Regional Council.

We need leaders who understand our potential and want to pick up the torch and demonstrate their commitment to help others to develop their leadership capacity.  We need your help.

We hope that you will support our request for a tax deductible donation.  This year we have added the opportunity to support a scholarship to assist members of LN who demonstrate a financial need.

We invite you to invest in the future of LN and our region:

• $49 – Annual Frontline Membership
• $250 – Lifetime Membership
• Please include my gift of $ _____ to support the scholarship fund
• Please contact me, I am interested in helping in other ways

As a supporter of Leadership Niagara, you receive insider news and special member rate at LN events.  Your name will be recognized on our website, at our annual events, and in our county-wide news tab in the Niagara Gazette in April 2012.

Please make your check payable to Leadership Niagara and return by March 30th.

We thank you in advance for your commitment to leadership.

Sincerely,

Peter Mio                                                                           Maureen Wendt

LN Board Member, Class of 2010                                 LN Board Member, Class of 1995

Leadership Niagara newbie has change of heart after retreat

Niagara Gazette (February 6, 2012)  http://niagara-gazette.com/features/x1346837462/DELUCA-The-Leadership-Chronicles

Niagara Region, NY (Friday, January 13, 2012)  – Leadership Niagara held it’s 2012 Opening Retreat on Friday, January 13 and Saturday, January 14 at The Giacomo Hotel in Niagara Falls, NY.  The Class of 2012 is:

• Cheryl Blacklock – Mental Health Association
• John Briglio – Niagara Falls City Schools
• Krystal Conger – The Laundry Lounge
• William Conrad - Orleans Niagara BOCES Board
• Michele DeLuca – Niagara Gazette
• Tammy Dodge – First Niagara Bank
• Destinee Henderson – Mental Health Association
• Angela Jackson – City of Niagara Falls
• Marc Kasprzak – Niagara County Sheriff’s Office
• Roy Kemsley – Covanta Energy
• Sarah K. Lanzo – Independent Living of Niagara County
• Marie Lenhart-Butkuss – New York Power Authority
• Teresa Martinez – New York Power Authority
• Joseph McMahon – Audubon Machinery
• Rich Meranto – Niagara Falls City Schools
• Brande Newsome – 914th Airlift Wing
• Michael Niethe – Lockport Police Department
• Katrina O’Sullivan – Key Investment Services
• Annette Pecenco – Stollberg, Inc.
• Cheryl Phillips – Niagara Gazette
• Angel Pletcher – The Dale Association
• Richard Rabin – Key Bank
• Krista Ryan – Key Bank
• Randy Szukala – North Tonawanda Police Department
• Justin Tedesco – Tedesco Contruction Services
• Chris Thurn – 107th Airlift Wing
• Thomas Weeks – Calamar Construction Mgmt
• Patricia Wrobel – Niagara University

Niagara Region, NY (Tuesday, January 3, 2012)  - Leadership Niagara is accepting nominees for the 2012 Leader of the Year awards.

Leader of the Year Award*
Alumni of the Year Award
Organization of the Year Award
Emerging Leader Award (ages 16-29)

Eligibility:
Individuals/Organizations from all sectors – government agencies, nonprofits, corporations and private sector – are eligible for the awards.  Nominees need not reside in Niagara County, but their impact must be made on the Niagara Region.

Criteria:
An individual or organization who: (1) Significantly impacts the Niagara Region; (2) Supports our mission to strengthen regional leadership; (3) Serves as a role model/mentor for future leaders; (4) Exemplifies our organization’s core values:

• Visionary Leadership
• Excellence
• Regional Partnerships
• Societal Responsibility
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Lifelong Learning

Nominations:
1. Submit a one-page statement demonstrating how your nominee fulfills the criteria.
2. Include contact information for both nominee and nominator.
3. Indicate name of the award you are nominating your candidate for.
4. Please list two references.

Please submit your nomination to tfletcher@leadershipniagara.org
Nominations are due by 5:00pm on February 10, 2012.