On Thursday, March 14, 2024, The Chamber recognized the achievements of thirty-six business, education, nonprofit, and community leaders who graduated from The Chamber’s 49th Class of Leadership Catawba.
Since 1974, Leadership Catawba has educated and equipped hundreds of Catawba County residents about the critical issues facing our community. Over the 8 month duration, participants are immersed in community issues and challenges that we position ourselves to directly address in the areas of Reinventing Community, Telling Our Story, Serving our Community, Building for Jobs, Workforce Connectivity, and Small Business and Entrepreneurship. The program challenges each participant not only to be an effective and influential leader within their own organization, but to lead within our greater community through personal commitment and involvement.
Congratulations to the Class of 2024 Leadership Catawba Graduates:
Rana Ballard, Maynard Electric Company
Haley Beech, The Green Room Community Theatre, Inc.
Amanda Benfield, Frye Regional Medical Center
Heather Benson, HSM Solutions
Jamie H. Conrad, Lenoir-Rhyne University, College of Business and Economics
Casey Costner, First Citizens Bank
Ernest E. Davis, ATRIAX P.L.L.C.
Erica Derr, Catawba County Library System
Benjamin Dotson, Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence
Kari Dunlap, Martin Starnes and Associates, CPAs, PA
Wanda Hall, Carolina Caring, Inc.
Jeff Helgerson, Green Park Dentistry
Alyssa Holder, YMCA of Catawba Valley
Kaitlyn Lindler, City of Conover
Elisabeth Mauck, Integrity Roofing LLC
Summer Minton, Hilton Garden Inn Hickory
Daniel Moore, NuTex Concepts
Jennifer Payseur, Shurtape Technologies, LLC
Justin Phillips, Landmark Roofing
Brannon Pittman, HK Research Corporation
Sarah Prencipe, Lumin Strategies
Tiffany Ramirez, Realty Executives of Hickory & LKN
David Repass, The Salvation Army of Greater Hickory and the High Country
Lance Riddile, Hickory Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism
David Rockett, Hickory Police Department
Tanner Rockett, Davidson, Holland, Whitesell & Co., PLLC
Kaitlyn Seagle, First Security Company, Inc.
Michele Sedney, Catawba Valley Health System
Dr. Felicia Simmons, Catawba Valley Community College
Samantha Smith, Keller Williams Lake Norman
Phillip K. Stepp, Catawba Valley Habitat for Humanity
Karthik Thamaraiselvan, Williams Sonoma, Inc.
Benjamin Todd, Granite Insurance Agency
Mai Vang, Corning Incorporated
Kendyl Warren, Hickory Metro Convention Center and Visitors Bureau
Ashley Young, Western Piedmont Council of Governments
Thank you to our 2023-24 Leadership Catawba Sponsors:
Legacy Leadership Sponsor: Shurtape Technologies, LLC
Business Leadership Sponsors: Appalachian State University, Catawba County, Catawba Valley Health System, Corning Incorporated, Frye Regional Medical Center, Hickory Mechanical, Inc., HSM Solutions, Marcal Manufacturing, NextEra Energy Resources, Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc., Sutter Street Manufacturing-a division of Williams-Sonoma
Community Leadership Sponsors: Alex Lee, Inc., Lenoir-Rhyne University
Mission Sponsors: Granite Insurance, Graystone Eye, Tree Top Adventures on Lake Hickory
Single Session Sponsors: Atriax LLP, Catawba County Partnership for Children, Catawba Insurance Agency, Inc., Cintas Corporation, Downtown Newton Development Association, EveryAge, First Citizens Bank, First Horizon Bank, Jay Brown, Realtors, Novel Taproom, Realty Executives-Dawn Kilby, Tami Fox Realtor-The Temple Team Real Estate Redefined, Trinity Ridge.
Prospective applicants are invited to attend the Leadership Catawba Informational Meeting on May 7, 2024 from 3:30-5:00 PM at the CVCC Workforce Solutions Complex. Registration required here.
Join Leadership Catawba Graduates in small group roundtable rotations as they share individual stories of how the program impacted their leadership development journey and what advice they give those considering applying for the 2024-25 cohort.
Online applications will open on May 20th at 9:00 AM for the 2024-25 Leadership Catawba cohort. Program inquiries and questions may be directed to Kim Dahlsten, Director of Leadership Catawba and Vice President of Operations for The Chamber of Catawba County.
Access all our event photos here or watch the video below for a recap:
