Class of 2017-18 Graduation

Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program Class of 2017-18 Completes Course

Release Date: February 9, 2018

The Board of Directors of the Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program is pleased to announce that the thirty members of the 25th Anniversary class for the 2017-18 program year graduated on February 9th  during ceremonies at Liquid Art Winery and Estate, according to Jack Lindquist, Executive Director of the organization.  The non-profit educational program trains and more-fully engages leaders in the region that includes Fort Riley, Geary, Riley and Pottawatomie counties.

Class members completing the seven-session course over the last six months included:

Ryan Almes

RL County            Manhattan

Deputy Fire Chief,

Manhattan Fire Department

 

Hillary Badger

RL County            Manhattan

City of Manhattan – Accounting

 

Will Baldwin

GE County  Milford

Project Director,  K-State Plant Diagnostic Information System

 

William Biles

RL County             Manhattan

Computer Tech, Riley County Police Department

 

LaVerne Bitsie-Baldwin

GE County            Milford

Director for the K-State Multicultural Engineering Program

 

Curtis Blanke

DK County           Abilene

Regional Network Enterprise Center – Ft Riley

 

Sara Blankley

PT County             Westmoreland

K-State Associate Director – Undergraduate Admissions

 

Crystal Bryant-Kearns

RL County            Manhattan

Site Manager, USO Transition Services – Fort Riley

 

Leza Chryssovergis

RL County            Manhattan

Directorate of Human Resources, CIV USARMY USAG

 

Rob Couch

GE County            Junction City

Corvias, Senior Community Manager

 

Terry de la Garza

GE County            Milford

Historic Architect & Cultural Resources Manager, Fort Riley

 

Anthony (Tony) Ewers

GE County            Junction City

USAG Riley, Resource Management Officer

 

Judy Fielder

DK County           Chapman

Management Analyst, Department of the Army, Directorate of Contracting

 

Phyllis Fitzgerald

GE County            Junction City

Ft Riley Department of Veteran Affairs / Mayor of Junction City

 

Lizzie Flores

GE County            Junction City

Colyer Forsyth Community Manager, Corvias

 

James Johnson

RL County            Manhattan

CivicPlus Talent Acquisition Manager

 

Allison Karnowski

PT County            Wamego

Manufacturing Engineer  Caterpillar Work Tools

 

Matt Kenney

PT County            Manhattan

Director of Product Engineering at CivicPlus

 

Melissa Kirkwood

RL County            Manhattan

Community Relations Officer, Manhattan Parks and Rec

 

Brett Louk

RL County            Manhattan

Project Manager, SMH Consultants

 

Sharla Meisenheimer

RL County            Manhattan

Director of Membership, Manhattan Area Chamber

 

Scott Olesky

PT County            Manhattan

Eagle Communications General Manager

 

Christopher (CHIP) Redmond

PT County            Manhattan

Assistant Scientist – Weather Data Library, K-State

 

Lucas Shivers

RL County            Manhattan

Manhattan-Ogden USD 383, Dir. of Elementary Education

 

Heather Stewart  *NOT ABLE TO ATTEND

DK County           Abilene

USAG Plans, Analysis, and Integration Office – Action Officer

 

Mica Stites

GE County            Junction City

Certified Message Therapist, Body First

 

Danielle Tegtmeier

RL County            Manhattan

Venue Operations, Liquid Art Winery and Estate

 

Matt Walters

RL County            Manhattan

Commercial Product Specialist, Commerce Bank

 

Elizabeth Wert

GE County            Milford

Corvias, Senior Community Manager

 

Curtis Wood

GE County            Junction City

US Army Garrison, Department of Plans, Training, Mobilization & Security

 

In the announcement, Lindquist said, “The Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program helped the Class leaders find a way to change their world by building on their – Integrity, Confidence, Discipline, Professionalism, Self-Development, Broadened Viewpoint & Servant Ethos.  Our newest Graduates now possess a sense to serve and follow, in-order-to LEAD.”

Lieutenant General Perry Wiggins (retired), Executive Director of the Governor’s Military Council, provided the “Charge to Leadership” keynote address to cap off the evening and to equally celebrate the 100th anniversary of FHRLP founding partner, Ft Riley’s Big Red One 100th anniversary.   Board Chair and program graduate Marla Brandon concluded the event adding, “With the graduation of the leaders of the class we have met the goals in our mission.  We should all look forward to a better life because of what they have done and what they will accomplish in the future.”

Recruitment of the 2018-19 class will get underway with on-line application in mid-May.

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