Staff reports
The Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce-sponsored Leadership Beaufort program, led by Connie Hipp and Rob Bridgers, has announced the members of its 40th class.
Each year, through Leadership Beaufort, a select group of Beaufortonians get a unique experience to learn not only what is going on but how to make a difference in their community. The program builds community trustee leadership through an in-depth view of cultural, economic, historic, social, educational, environmental and government resources.
The result is that hundreds of alumni have made countless contributions to the community and its quality of life. Leadership Beaufort connects participants with prominent civic, business and government leaders. It is an interactive process for the “movers and shakers.”
Applications are taken during April and May of each year and are due to the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce office the Friday before Memorial Day. After an interview process, participants of the class are typically announced by the first week in July.
Classes begin with a weekend retreat in September, followed by monthly classes from October to April, usually held on the first Friday of the month. The final session is a weekend retreat the first weekend of May. Leadership Beaufort seeks a diverse group who represent the community; consideration is given to age, employment, gender, socio-economic background, ethnicity and other forms of diversity.
40th Class of Leadership Beaufort
- Stacy Applegate – Realtor, Keller Williams Realty
- Melissa Bortnem – Homemaker
- Ashley Brandon – Downtown Manager/Main Street Beaufort, City of Beaufort
- Charles Cherry – Retired
- Tony Cox – Deputy Provost Marshall, MCAS Beaufort
- Angela Coxe – Program Manager, Beaufort Digital Corridor
- Tom Daniels – Owner, Lady’s Island Marina
- Barbara Denson – Registrar, Technical College of the Lowcountry
- Amanda Dickman – Library Director, Beaufort County Library
- Greg Dyson – Executive Officer, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, USMC – MCRD Parris Island
- Bill Entwistle – HR Manager (remote), Rockwell Group
- Mo Gallego – Engineer, Burton Fire District
- Carrie Gorsuch – Engineering & Infrastructure Project Support Coordinator, City of Beaufort
- Shellie West Hodges – Executive Director, Parris Island Heritage Foundation
- Ruth-Naomi James – Coord of Community Initiatives & After School Program, Beaufort County School District
- Evelyn Jenkinson – EJenkinson Communications
- David Kinlaw – Self Employed, PAES
- Jason Kleiner – Engineer/AEMT, City of Beaufort/Town of Port Royal Fire Department
- Thad Lane – Retired
- Kayla Lyon – CEO/Speaker/Coach, Lyon Coaching & Consulting
- Joe’l Maldonado – Deathcare Professional, The Multicultural Death & Grief Care Academy
- Mike Sandstrom – Deputy Director, Marine Corps Family Team Building, MCCS
- Josh Scallate – Lt., Lady’s Island-St Helena Fire District; Beaufort City Councilman
- Melanie Servick – Owner, Kitty Liquors/Seagrass Exterminating
- Linda Sviland – Owner/Graphic Designer, Wink Ventures LLC
- Eric Voegtle – Owner, Voegtle Enterprises
- James Walker – Aviation Ordnance Chief, USMC – MCAS Beaufort
- Tameka Walker – Owner, Energy Evolution
- Josh Ward – Realtor, Charter One Realty (Owner, Remnant Horizon Media)
- Andy Westbrook – COO, Palmetto State Bank
- Angela Wright – Counselor/Owner, Door’s Open Therapy
- Carl Young – Project Manager, Allen Patterson Builders
Editor’s note: In the interest of full disclosure, The Island News Editor Mike McCombs and Publisher Jeff Evans are graduates of the Leadership Beaufort program.
