The Leadership Northwest program is designed to develop resourceful, motivated business leaders who are committed to making Northwest Connecticut a better place to live and work.
Participants meet the 3rd Wednesday of each month between October and May. Each session offers a full day of professional development. The class participates in workshops, panel discussions and tours of state and local organizations. In addition, each person works with a team to plan and complete a self-directed, community oriented service project.
Our Purpose...
- Strengthen potential community and business leaders committed to improving this region,
- Educate participants about the economic, social, and political forces affecting the state and our region,
- Develop leaders equipped to identify and resolve the potential challenges of the future,
- Enhance the organizational and problem-solving skills of our local leaders, &
- Provide a network of up-and-coming community leaders whom will fill community leadership roles.
2010 Leadership Group Projects
Paying it Forward
A social service project based on the movie “Pay it Forward”. This team will be working with local Boy Scout troops and Grade 2 at Blackrock Elementary School in Thomaston in an effort to show them the value of doing selfless acts of kindness. Each scout and class member will be asked to do something nice for someone with the request that they do something nice for 3 other people. A “Pay it Forward Tree” will be placed in the Chamber office to track their success. When someone pays it forward, they will get to put a leaf on the tree.
Team Three: Sylvia Mendoza, La Via Latina & Litchfield Hills Medical Center; Natalie McIntosh, Register Citizen; Doug Grieco, Founders Insurance Group; Aaron Mambrino, Dymax Corporation
ADVISOR: Renee Fisher, Union Savings Bank
Project Pro-Teen
A scholarship program designed to promote a healthy lifestyle among teens by awarding them memberships to the Northwest CT YMCA. Applicants for Project Pro-Teen scholarships will be chosen from the following participating schools: Pearson Middle School, The Gilbert School and Northwestern Regional Middle and High Schools in Region 7, all within the Winsted area.
Team One: Donna Bak, Sandler Training; Darlene Smith, Alcoa Howmet; Janet Sebastiano, Education Connection; Cheryl Venditti, Founders Insurance Group
ADVISORS: Margret Warner, Litchfield Bancorp; Sabrina Smeltz, Northwest CT YMCA
Financial Reality Fair
This Fair will provide senior high school students of Northwest Connecticut with a ‘hands-on’ budgeting experience to gain practical knowledge about personal financial management in a one-day “real world” environment. The Fair is designed to teach students the value of using money responsibly. This “real world” exercise requires each student choose a career and salary and then budget their money wisely to make ends meet. The hands-on practical aspect of this initiative will occur in a four hour Reality Fair at Burns, Brooks & McNeil in Torrington.
Team Five: Fran King, MW Financial Group, Ltd; Melissa Jacquette, Dymax Corporation; Gail Woolsey, Union Savings Bank; Sarah Better, Litchfield Bancorp
ADVISORS: Candee Palmer, Northwest Community Bank; Robert Britton, People’s United Bank
Backpack for Kids
A project that will provide backpacks full of food from the Connecticut Food Bank which will be delivered to needy children in Winsted in order to ensure that they have nutritious meals to eat over the weekend. The children’s needs have been identified and evaluated by the staff of Winsted Area Childcare. Backpacks are discreetly handed out to the children at the end of the day on Fridays.
Team Four: Anthony Helm, Alcoa Howmet; Sandi Scaviola, Northwest Community Bank; Angela Hohider, Litchfield insurance Group
ADVISOR: Tilda Renza Jones, Register Citizen
Secure-a-Start
This project will collect spare change at businesses in the area in order to enable low income and homeless individuals to secure housing accommodations by providing them with a security deposit guarantee. Tenants will be making up their security deposit amount in small increments with their monthly rent until the full amount is received. If they do not live there long enough to make it up or damages occur and they are no longer living there we will guarantee the amount.
Team Two: Brian Fasci, Boy Scouts of America, Connecticut Rivers Council; Stacey Meyers, Litchfield Bancorp; Orie Marrero, Education Connection; Kathy Briggs, Torrington Savings Bank
ADVISOR: Cindy Donaldson, Founders Insurance Group
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Members of the Leadership Class of 2007
visit WFSB Studios in Hartford
Download an application here. |
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To be considered for the 2012 class, please submit your application to the Chamber office no later than
September 16, 2011. |
Leadership Northwest is sponsored by
Founders Insurance Group, Inc. |
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What Our Graduates
Are Saying...
“Leadership Northwest has helped me grow personally and professionally. It has opened new doors for me in the community, helped me to step out of my comfort zone
and try new things, and made me a more confident
business professional.”
—Sabrina Smeltz, Northwest CT YMCA
“The monthly sessions were interesting and taught me so much about the region—what it has to offer as well as the challenges. I am so glad to have been a part of the program
and enjoyed the experience.”
—Margret Warner, Litchfield Bancorp
“I found Leadership Northwest very meaningful for both my personal and professional development. Working with so many different people, all with different personality types, made me more aware of how to approach people to
get the best results. My job requires interacting with many people on different levels,so it made me much
more aware of my approach.”
—Rose Rovero, Northwest Community Bank
“I am sure that I would not have had the
opportunity to meet businesses and community
leaders, to learn about their roles
and to have
the chance to work with some
great people had
it not been for this program.”
—Art Lampron, Alcoa Howmet
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