📰 Highlighting News and Events... including LA Class XXXIII 👏🏼
August 25, 2023
Highlighting News and Events and Introducing Leadership Alabama Class XXXIII
Leadership Alabama is preparing for another incredible year of programming and member events, and we are so excited about being with you as we travel throughout the state.  In addition to the Welcome Receptions for new class members, the four LA retreats – all including area membership dinners with the current LA class – and the three ALI sessions, be sure to watch for other planned activities such as field trips and regional events that will be planned and announced throughout the year.  Â
“Connecting Engaged Leaders and Establishing Lasting Relationships”
During last year’s program year, LA Class XXXII visited Kids to Love, a nonprofit dedicated solely to meeting the needs of children in foster care.  Its dynamic founder and LA member Lee Marshall (Class XXIX) presented an engaging and very comprehensive view of the many initiatives that are Kids to Love’s foundation, from training and licensing foster care parents, to providing a communal home for young girls and a community of houses for those who age out of the system, to providing backpacks for 5,600 children, to facilitating “shopping” for families during the holiday season to creating one of the most successful training programs, KTECH, for connecting students to jobs in the Huntsville area.
Jo Bonner, president of the University of South Alabama and a member of Class XXXII, was so moved by the work 
being accomplished – all through donations and gifts without any government subsidies – that he invited Lee to Mobile so that he could introduce her, her team and their incredible work to USA’s School of Social Work and to a wide spectrum of Mobile leaders and potential partners.  He hosted an informational breakfast in the President’s boardroom at USA and invited area LA members and other community leaders.  Ken Brown, South Alabama Market president of First Horizon Bank and a XXXII classmate of Jo’s, orchestrated a Business After Hours event at the Gulf Quest National Maritime Museum to share the critical need and accompanying services targeted for Mobile to support children in foster care and to recruit, train and license foster families.  Graciously hosting the event were The Honorable Sandy Stimpson (Class II)/City of Mobile, Ken Brown/First Horizon Bank, Jeb Shell (Class XXXI)/Hargrove Engineers & Constructors, Eliska Morgan (Class XXXII)/Thompson Engineering and Jo Bonner/University of South Alabama.
Since visiting Mobile, partnerships and sponsorships have been formed that are allowing Kids to Love’s presence in south Alabama to grow at a rapid pace.  The foster parenting training class held its orientation the first week in August, office space has been secured in Mobile and Baldwin County and the assembly of “Team South” has begun.  Kids to Love now has social workers strategically placed across the state to serve its children and families in foster care as needs arise.
This is a new feature that highlights the transformative work of LA members connecting throughout the state. Do you have a success story built from a relationship or connection made in Leadership Alabama? We would love to hear about it and share with members in a future newsletter!
Leadership Alabama Class XXXIII
LA Class XXXIII launches on Thursday, October 12, in Montgomery, and it is our pleasure to share the class members with you.  Once again, we received a record number of nominations, and it is thrilling to welcome 76 outstanding individuals to our program.
Click “play” above to see the members and photos of LA Class XXXIII.
Click here to see the full class roster.Â
Statewide Welcome Receptions and Luncheons for Class XXXIII
One of LA’s most storied traditions is hosting Welcome Receptions and Luncheons throughout the state to introduce the new LA class members to regional members.   The celebrations always provide an excellent opportunity for networking and visiting with old friends in addition to meeting those who will be experiencing Leadership Alabama for the first time. 
Following is the schedule of events, and Constant Contact event invitations will be emailed to you, as well.  We hope to see as many of you as possible at these events, for your attendance and enthusiastic support always mean so much to the class members.
Auburn
Thursday, September 14, 2023, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
1856 – Culinary Residence
205 South College Street, Auburn, AL 36830
Birmingham
Wednesday, September 6, 2023, 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Regions Bank Executive Dining Room, 20th Floor
1900 5th Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203
Hosted by David Turner, Regions Financial CorporationÂ
Decatur/The Shoals
Tuesday, September 12, 2023, 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
MeritHouse Realty
113 2nd Avenue Southeast, Decatur, AL 35601
Hosted by Doug Bachuss, Nowlin, Bachuss, & Gray; Crystal Brown, Decatur Morgan County Chamber of Commerce; Kent Lawrence, TVW Electrical Supplies, Inc.; Jeremy Nails, Morgan County Economic Development Association; Kelli Powers, Decatur Morgan Hospital; Jamie Reeves, MeritHouse Realty; and, Wade Weaver, Adams Beverages
Huntsville/NE Alabama
Wednesday, August 30, 2023, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Redstone Federal Credit Union Twickenham Rooftop
200 Davis Circle Southwest, Downtown Huntsville
Hosted by Penny Billings, Cadence Bank; Hank Isenberg, Iron Mountain Solutions; Michael Kirkpatrick, DESE Research; and, Joe Newberry, Redstone Federal Credit Union
Mobile/Baldwin County
Tuesday, September 26, 2023, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Community Foundation of South Alabama
212 St Joseph St, Mobile, AL 36602
Hosted by Rebecca Byrne, Community Foundation of South Alabama; Henry O’Connor, Jones Walker; and, Jay Watkins, Maynard NexsenÂ
Montgomery
Thursday, September 28, 2023, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Ravello
36 Commerce St, Montgomery, AL 36104
Hosted by Carl Barker, ServisFirst Bank Â
Tuscaloosa/West Alabama
Wednesday, September 13, 2023, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
The Bryce House
315 Bryce Lawn Drive, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
Wiregrass Â
Friday, September 22, 2023, 11:30 – 1:00 p.m.
Wiregrass United Way
304 N Foster Street, Dothan, AL 36302
Hosted by Walter Hill, Wiregrass United Way and Harrison Morris, ServisFirst Bank
Statewide Regional Councils, the Backbone of Leadership AlabamaÂ
Leadership Alabama is comprised of regional councils throughout the state, and the members of the councils are key to the organization in so many ways.  In addition to representing Leadership Alabama in their respective communities and hosting regional events & informational sessions (in conjunction with the LA office), they play an integral role in the nomination, review and selection process for each LA class by convening each year to thoughtfully discuss and vote on their regional nominations.  Their input and evaluations are integral to the ongoing success of compiling diverse, energized and interactive classes of premier state leaders who passionately embrace the mission of continually moving our state forward.   Those serving on regional councils are listed on our website (click below to view), and we salute their ongoing commitment to Leadership Alabama.
LA 2023-2024 Regional Councils
Again, we are so excited about the many upcoming opportunities to be together.  The regional receptions are always fun and engaging, and they are the perfect introduction for new class members to each of you and Leadership Alabama.  Watch for the next newsletter this fall with photos from the state events, a recap of the opening retreat and an update and roster about Alabama Leadership Initiative’s Class VI, which launches in November.
Saluting another exciting year!
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