| Upcoming Events
11th Annual Working Women’s Conference
Friday, February 27, 2009, UT Martin, Ballroom
Be looking for more information REAL soon!
11th Annual African American Leadership Conference
Tuesday, April 7, 2009, Jackson, UT Experiment Station
7th Annual Economic Development Conference
Week of March 9, 2008, UT Martin, Auditorium (details to be determined)
WestStar Reunion
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS!!!!!
August 20, 2009, Jackson, Tennessee
Jackson Fairgrounds
More information will be made available soon!
Tennessee State Leadership Conference
October 7-9, 2009, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
More information will be made available soon on conference
For information on TACL, please go to www.leadershiptennessee.com
WestStar News
MARTIN, Tenn. – June 17, 2008 – WESTSTAR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM C.P. BOYD AWARD PRESENTED – Dr. Vicki Lake, of Madison County, receives the C.P. Boyd Leadership Award at the recent graduation of the WestStar Leadership Class of 2008 in Jackson. Making the presentation are Steve Holt, left, 2007 award recipient, and David Belote, executive director of WestStar. Class members selected Lake for her leadership in the Class of 2008. Lake is West Tennessee Healthcare in Jackson market research and community development director. She is past board president of Youth Town of Tennessee, The STAR Center, the Jackson Arts Council, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Madison County, Jackson-Madison County Sports Hall of Fame, the Jackson Family YMCA Regional and local Board. Lake is past president of the Jackson Rotary Club and a current District 6760 Assistant District Governor; chair of the Jackson State Community College foundation; and chair-elect of the Jackson/Madison County Library Foundation. She serves on the Union University Board of Regents and the boards of the Jackson Symphony Association, the Jackson Arts Council and the West Tennessee Housing Resources Network. She is an adviser to the Jackson-Madison County Humane Society and is chair of the Institutional Review Board of the STAR Center. Most recently, the Jackson mayor asked her to serve as chair of the Safe Neighborhoods Task Force. She was named 1996 Outstanding Woman in Jackson, presented by the Jackson Jaycees; the 1997 Woman of the Year, presented by the Altrusa Club of Jackson; and was the 2000 recipient of the President’s Award, presented by the president and CEO of West Tennessee Healthcare; and, in 2007, she was named the recipient of The Jackson Award for Community Service by the West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation. The University of Tennessee at Martin sponsors WestStar.
MARTIN, Tenn., June 17, 2008 – MAKE-A-DIFFERENCE AWARD – Judy Renshaw, of Madison County, received the eighth Jimmy Daniel Make-A-Difference WestStar Leadership Alumni Award at the annual WestStar Leadership Graduation Banquet. The award is presented each year to a WestStar alumnus in memory of Daniel, WestStar Class of 1990, who served as West Tennessee field representative for Gov. Don Sundquist. Making the presentation is David Belote, WestStar director. The award recipient has made a positive impact in his or her city or county; has a strong record of leadership during the past five years in West Tennessee; has been an active participant in WestStar, alumni, seminar and regular leadership programs; and embraces the importance of and provides effective leadership to the concept and practice of regionalism in West Tennessee. Currently, Judy is Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce senior vice president of business and community services. She is starting her 34th year during which time she has held most of the positions at the chamber. She has worked with the chamber’s leadership development programs since their inception. Leadership Jackson is starting its 30th year. She also helped create Leadership University, a youth leadership development program, which began in 1999. Renshaw also works with the Leadership Jackson Alumni Association in continuing the networking, continuing education and community service of graduates of Leadership Jackson and also oversees the chamber’s West Tennessee Business Resource Center and its programs. She serves on the WestStar’s Working Women’s Conference Committee and is vice chair of the WestStar Alumni Council. Servant Leadership is an important part of her life. She is currently on the American Red Cross Board, Carl Perkins Child Abuse Prevention Center Board and Jackson Arts Council. She is a past president of numerous other associations and organizations, including the Tennessee Association of Community Leadership, the state association she helped to create to assist new leadership programs and foster growth in existing programs across the state. Renshaw, along with her husband, Dennis, started a leadership development program for the United Methodist Church, called S.A.L.T., Servant and Leadership Training, which is in its seventh year. The couple has four grown children and three grandchildren, Calvin, Ruth and Mary. Also pictured with Renshaw is Virginia Grimes, WestStar coordinator. The University of Tennessee at Martin sponsors WestStar.
MARTIN, Tenn., June 17, 2008 – BUNNELL 500TH WESTSTAR GRADUATE – Steve Bunnell, a member of the 2008 WestStar class became the 500th graduate of the leadership program at a recent banquet in Jackson. WestStar was created in 1989 to serve the 21 counties of West Tennessee by providing leadership development and training for selected participants. WestStar consists of seven specially designed seminar programs focusing on major issues important to the development of West Tennessee. Participants learn new leadership skills and develop strategies to assist communities in solving problems and maximizing potential. Participants also become a part of a growing network of other leaders who, through mutual support and assistance, shape the future of West Tennessee. Bunnell is Team Hardin County chief executive officer. He is a member of the Savannah Rotary Club, and CEO of the Savannah Industrial Corp., the Hardin County Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Tennessee River Museum. He has received several awards from Athens State University in Athens, Ala. Pictured with Bunnell are David Belote, WestStar executive director, and Virginia Grimes, WestStar coordinator. The University of Tennessee at Martin sponsors WestStar.
MARTIN, Tenn., April 23, 2008 – The African-American Leadership Conference Outstanding Leader Award (40+ years of age) was presented at this years’ conference to commemorate the 10th anniversary to District 80 State Rep. Johnny Shaw, who represents Hardeman County and part of Madison County. The award criteria notes that the nominee has made a positive impact in his or her city/county during the past year, has a strong record of leadership during the past five years in West Tennessee, has been an active participant in the African-American leadership conferences and embraces the importance of and provides effective leadership to the concept and practice of regionalism in West Tennessee. Pictured with Shaw, a resident of Hardeman County, is Anne Banks, second from left, assistant to the mayor of Brownsville and director of community development, Brownsville, WestStar Trustee member, conference committee member, and a member of the WestStar class of 1997; his daughter, Rhonda Shaw-Hardin, second from right, education consultant, Hardeman County Center for Literacy and Education, and member of the WestStar class of 2003; Virginia Grimes, left, coordinator, WestStar Leadership Program; David Belote, right, executive director, WestStar Leadership Program.
MARTIN, Tenn., April 23, 2008 – The African-American Leadership Conference Outstanding Leader Award (under 40 years of age) was presented at this years’ conference to Dexter Williams, coach, Liberty Technology Magnet High School, Jackson. The award criteria notes that the nominee has made a positive impact in his or her city/county during the past year, has a strong record of leadership during the past five years in West Tennessee, has been an active participant in the African-American leadership conferences and embraces the importance of and provides effective leadership to the concept and practice of regionalism in West Tennessee.
Pictured with Williams is Harold Nance, owner, The Wing Stop, Memphis, a resident of Crockett County, conference committee member and member of the WestStar class of 2002.
WESTSTAR CLASS OF 2007 DONATES MONEY TO WESTSTAR ENDOWMENT
The Weststar Class of 2007 recently donated $613 to the Weststar Endowment fund in honor of David Belote and Virginia Grimes, to recognize their outstanding work and efforts in spreading the Weststar Mission. The Class of 2007 felt a deep sense of gratitude toward David and Virginia for the wonderful experience that they provided to the class during the spring of 2007.
The presentation of the check was made at the Opening Reception for the first Weststar session in Martin for the class of 2008. Four members of the class of 2007 were present. Pictured (from L to R) are, Bobby Goode, Allyson Horner, Virginia Grimes, Steve Holt, David Belote, and Sam Lewallen.
OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP EDUCATION AWARD RECENTLY PRESENTED
MARTIN, Tenn. – The Robert M. Smith Outstanding Leadership Education Award recently was presented to Beth Pippin at the State Leadership Conference in Clarksville.
This award is to recognize an individual who has made significant contributions to the advancement of leadership education either by virtue of a major achievement within the past year or over a number of years through his or her dedication and service to leadership development within Tennessee.
Pippin, of Hardin County, is Hardin County Chamber of Commerce executive director. As part of her responsibilities, Pippin…….. (use the information to put whatever you see is necessary)
WestStar Leadership, a regional program that covers 21 counties, has presented the award for the past 12 years. The award was named in honor of Robert M. Smith, founder of WestStar and Tennessee Association of Community Leadership. Smith currently serves as president of Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania.
Beth Pippin, of Hardin County, middle, recently received the Robert M. Smith Outstanding Leadership Educator Award at the State Leadership Conference. Making the presentation was Virginia Grimes, right, coordinator, WestStar Leadership, the University of Tennessee at Martin; and Jim Malone, President, Tennessee Association of Community Leadership (TACL).
WestStar Leadership Book sponsor recognized - Dr. David Gordon, Covington mayor, WestStar Board of trustees member, 2002 class member and a University of Tennessee at Martin graduate. Gordon Veterinary Clinic is sponsoring the 2008 program's book, "The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader," by John Maxwell. At scheduled points during each WestStar session, selected class members will present one of the leadership qualities to the class. The purpose of this exercise is for presenters to share their insights on the assigned leadership quality using their own personal study and experience. The ultimate goal of the exercise is to present the leadership quality in real life terms. One of the goals of the WestStar experience is to learn from one another. In its 19th year, UT Martin's WestStar program provides leadership development and training for selected participants. The program identifies and educates people to assume leadership responsibilities in the economic and social development of West Tennessee . Class members participate in a series of seminars designed to provide information about major issues facing West Tennessee . Seminars feature different speakers who focus on subjects that go hand-in-hand with leadership and community progress issues such as education, health care, community and resource development and leadership skills. WestStar graduates already hold key leadership positions throughout the state in every West Tennessee county.
WESTSTAR GRADUATES' KNOWLEDGE, EXPERTISE EXTENDED VIA SPEAKERS' BUREAU MARTIN, Tenn. - Capitalizing on the knowledge, expertise and leadership skills of WestStar Leadership Program graduates, a speakers' bureau has been established to share that knowledge. Speakers on a variety of topics, ranging from health care, economic development, leadership strategies and public and private partnerships, will provide programs for civic, church and educational organizations. They also are available for a host of other venues.
The project was developed by the WestStar Alumni Council Continuing Education Committee. Speakers will be available at no charge.
"One of the priorities of the WestStar Alumni Council has been to develop a speakers' bureau that would facilitate access to the wealth of leadership skills and knowledge of WestStar graduates," said Nick Dunagan, University of Tennessee at Martin chancellor and WestStar director. "WestStar is equipping graduates to take on the challenges of applied leadership."
Currently, there are 58 graduates available to fill speaker requests throughout West Tennessee. The WestStar Web site is the clearinghouse for speakers' bureau activities. There is information regarding the purpose, policies and procedures for using the service and reserving speakers.
Included on the Web site is a listing of speakers and their topics with contact information. The Web site address is: http://www.utm.edu/weststar.
For more information, contact Virginia Grimes at 731-881-7298 or vgrimes@utm.edu.
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