CLEVELAND, Tenn. (Aug. 19, 2009)—“I found it to be one of the best ways possible to learn about our community and all the wonderful things that it represents,” Mitch Napier, owner of Little Caesars and a 2009 graduate, said about Leadership Cleveland.

Leadership Cleveland is an adult program of the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce that provides an educational experience to build bridges to community leadership. For more than 25 years, the program has enabled participants to better understand the local community and how to prepare for the challenges it faces by learning about the many facets that make up Cleveland and Bradley County.

“It’s been a joy making new friends and experiencing firsthand how our city and county operate,” Napier added, “and I truly believe that we have a community that puts the interest of business and family first. I’m proud to be a part of this great community and speak highly of it wherever I go.”

The application process for the 2009-10 class of the Chamber’s Leadership Cleveland program has begun, announced Cleveland Utilities’ Rick Lawson, chairman of the steering committee for the program, recently. Since its introduction in 1984, more than 300 participants have graduated from the eight-month program.

The goal of Leadership Cleveland is for participants to develop leadership skills and greater knowledge about Cleveland and Bradley County through a series of one-day sessions and an overnight trip. Topics covered include Education, Public Safety, Law Enforcement, Local Economy, Healthcare, Local and State Government, and Charting the Future, presented through lectures, discussion, tours, on-site visitations, and informal question-and-answer sessions.

Valorie Garmon, Ocoee Insurance Services, noted, “Leadership Cleveland was a valuable use of my time and money. I would highly recommend the class to any business person that operates in the Cleveland area. It was truly an eye-opening experience to all that Cleveland and Bradley County has to offer.”

“Leadership Cleveland is an educational experience,” Bernadette Douglas, Chamber executive vice president and program coordinator, said. “The goal of the program is to open the minds of participants to the perspectives that surround each issue. Through consideration of these perspectives, participants are enabled to become more visionary leaders in our community.”

Douglas added that many graduates of the program have gone on to become involved in a variety of aspects of the community, from involvement on Chamber committees and task forces to local government and leadership positions in other volunteer organizations.

Scott Beck of Jones Management Services commented that Leadership Cleveland “is an outstanding program that provides an individual with great insight on the infrastructure of Cleveland and Bradley County—very informative on [everything from] public works to non-profits to local businesses. This program should be a must for any person that works or has a business in Cleveland/Bradley County.”

The 2009-10 class will run from September 2009 through May 2010. Those interested should call the Chamber at 472-6587 for application information.

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