(Charlottesville, Virginia – August 16) The Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce today announced that thirty-two (32) citizens from a diverse range of Chamber member businesses and civic organizations will comprise the Chamber’s Leadership Charlottesville Class of 2017.
The Chamber established Leadership Charlottesville, a community leadership development program, in 1982 as a Chamber economic development initiative. Leadership Charlottesville has been sustained as a signature Chamber program since, helping to serve Chamber member enterprises in an effort to help improve our Chamber members’ and community’s economic vitality and quality of life by building a reservoir of engaged, dedicated civic leaders. Since its inception, the Chamber has graduated more than 950 area citizens from Leadership Charlottesville. The list of the 2017 Leadership Charlottesville class is attached.
Klöckner Pentaplast and Union Bank & Trust continue as lead underwriters for Leadership Charlottesville. Additionally, the Leadership Charlottesville Alumni Association and the Chamber Business Diversity Council each awarded $1,500 in scholarships to five Class of 2017 members
“Our Chamber welcomes our Leadership Charlottesville Class of 2017,” Adrian Felts, Chief Operations Officer for Centridian who serves as the 2016 Chairman of the Chamber Board of Directors. “Our Chamber thanks our underwriters, scholarship sponsors and member enterprises for their strong support and commitment to our Chamber’s Leadership Charlottesville program.”
Leadership Charlottesville is coordinated and guided by Andrea Copeland-Whitsett, the Chamber’s Director of Member Education Services and Director of Leadership Charlottesville.
The Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to representing private enterprise, promoting business and enhancing the quality of life in the greater Charlottesville communities. Founded in 1913, today the more than 1,200 Chamber member and affiliate member enterprises employ more than 45,000 people in Greater Charlottesville, representing an estimated total payroll of more than $1.75 billion a year.
Leadership Charlottesville Class of 2017
Robert “Chris” Ackerman, MicroAire Surgical Instruments, LLC
Adrienne Agee, Cadence Companions
LaNika Barnes, Albemarle County Public Schools
Susian Brooks, Klöckner Pentaplast
Brian “Scott” Carpenter, Charlottesville Fire Department
Elise Cruz, Monticello Area Community Action Agency
Leslie Deane, Cavalier Notary LLC
Gary Driskill, State Farm Insurance
Libby Edwards-Allbaugh, The Tax Ladies Inc.
Lee Elberson, Clayborne Education
Nicole Ferretti, University of Virginia
Sue Haas, Piedmont Virginia Community College
Sarah Hamfeldt, Jefferson-Madison Regional Library
Christian “Chris” Henningsen, Henningsen Kestner Architects
Alexander “Alex” Ikenfuna, City of Charlottesville
Stephanie Kester, Crutchfield Corporation
Terrie Lantor, Omni Charlottesville Hotel
Brittani Lemonds, Michie Hamlett, Attorneys at Law
Nicolas “Nick” Mari, MillerCoors
Brandy Martin, Federal Executive Institute
Deidra Massie, Commonwealth Senior Living
Matthew Murphy, City of Charlottesville
Melissa “Melly” Neff, Gary Albert State Farm Agency
Jordan Roelofs, Blue Ridge Bank
Nicole Scro, Williams Mullen
Sara Simoneau, City of Charlottesville
Jacqueline Smith, Commonwealth Assisted Living
Keith Smith, Roy Wheeler Realty Inc.
Cheryl Thacker, Union Bank & Trust
Robert “Wade” Thomas, R.E. Lee & Son
Brantley Ussery, Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau
Dorothy “Dori” Williams, University of Virginia School of Medicine
