NORTHWEST, Fla. – Florida’s Great Northwest (FGNW) Foundation has selected its participants for Class III of Leadership Northwest Florida. The program is designed to focus on regional collaboration through community, content, and connection.
Class III participants will be immersed in a seven-month educational program and meet other leaders from a variety of backgrounds who represent Northwest Florida’s diverse composition. It will offer participants a holistic view of the conditions, challenges, and opportunities shared throughout the region focusing on the areas of Business Vitality, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Infrastructure, Talent, and Quality of Place.
“Our mission for Leadership Northwest Florida is to cultivate a pipeline of engaged and empowered leaders through regional collaboration resulting in long-term influence for the betterment of Northwest Florida,” said Jennifer Conoley, President and CEO of Florida’s Great Northwest & FGNW Foundation.
The following individuals have been selected for Class III of Leadership Northwest Florida:
AJ Brown, Wharton-Smith, Inc.
Rhonda Byrd-Lee, West Florida Electric Cooperative
Bill Conder, The Highland Group
Branden Crosby, Warren Averett, LLC
Brandon Elkins, CareerSource Okaloosa Walton
Darwin Gilmore, Jackson County Economic Development Committee
Brent Hargett, Navy Federal Credit Union
Ildi Hosman, Landrum
Kristie Kelley, Central Gulf Industrial Alliance
Brent Melvin, David H. Melvin, Inc.
Ruthie Noel, Achieve Escambia
Hong Potomski, Florida Blue
Kerri Powell, Merrick Industries, Inc.
Michaelean Stewart, Visit Panama City Beach
Justin Woodard, Community Bank
For Northwest Florida to continue to compete, diversify and thrive, it will take informed, dedicated leaders who understand the complex and competitive environment of economic transformation. Leadership Northwest Florida is designed to be an educational program offered for professionals in all industry sectors desiring to grow their knowledgebase, network, and skillset in the 13-county region of Florida’s Great Northwest footprint. This experience will ultimately result in long-term influence of the leadership graduates for the betterment of Northwest Florida.
The Florida’s Great Northwest Foundation was established to improve the business growth and economic competitiveness of Northwest Florida. In addition to the Leadership Northwest Florida program, the Foundation also supports Northwest Florida FORWARD, a regional strategy for economic transformation. The Foundation operates as a support organization of Florida’s Great Northwest, the regional economic development organization for the 13-county region of Florida’s panhandle. The organization's purpose is to promote Northwest Florida for economic growth and diversification, to advocate for economic development issues that affect the region, and to collaborate to improve regional competitiveness. For more information, visit FloridasGreatNorthwest.com.
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