Leadership Susquehanna Valley is a course that inspires while it educates

A cloud of sawdust settled silently on the workshop floor as the scent of freshly stained wood blanketed the massive workshop within the world-class operation of Wood-Mode’s Custom Cabinetry in Kreamer, Pa.

Despite the overload of sensory stimuli during the 90-minute tour, however, my mind kept drifting to the theme song of the old television show, “Cheers.”

Wood-Mode — where everybody knows your name. At least, where human relations guru Paul Hitesman knows everybody’s name.

His tour of Wood-Mode was one of many highlights from the past year of monthly Program Days offered as part of Leadership Susquehanna Valley — a course run by the Greater Susquehanna Chamber of Commerce.

Hitesman led a group of LSV class members around the plant, making sure to take a moment to stop by each employee he passed for a quick hello. He asked about their families, shared anecdotes and let the class know that these employees were special. He offered the perfect illustration to a lesson taught earlier in the day by certified John Maxwell leadership instructor Caz Russell — that a good leader adds value to those he serves. An effective boss shows his employees that they matter.

The LSV experience was loaded with similar lessons that not only boosted leadership qualities for class members, but offered a unique networking experience and served as a grand-scale showcase of what the Susquehanna Valley has to offer.

Program days were developed around themes that both educated and inspired the 24 members of the class — a group representing everything from bankers and healthcare workers to those directly involved with industries such as agriculture, communication, manufacturing and transportation.

We experienced the technological advances in Valley farming — including robots milking cows — and how local educators are helping the less fortunate achieve their dreams and create productive lifestyles. We went through a poverty simulator, toured Evangelical Community Hospital and interacted with local governmental leaders. We walked through the Allenwood Low Security Federal Penitentiary and were treated to a meal created by inmates who are trying to better their situations. We even received a back-stage tour of the Knoebels Haunted Mansion, saw first-hand how the new Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area is reconnecting the region and learned about numerous creative inventions born right here in the Valley — including the world’s first mechanical melon harvester at Pik-Rite.

One common denominator among all the stops over the past 10 months was an infectious passion and pride — it was apparent with students who eagerly showed off the multitude of programs at SUN Area Technical Institute and at every other destination we visited. Our region is blessed with people who love what they do and passionately try to make their products better.

Throughout the experience, leadership object lessons — such as Hitesman’s investment in each Wood-Mode employee — were paired with interactive instruction from Russell and LSV Executive Director Chris Berleth, along with a variety of LSV alumni who joined classes throughout the year.

The LSV experience not only inspires its class members — it empowers them. Part of the graduation requirements involves a community service project. This year, the class was divided into four smaller groups and each group was able to pitch, develop and carry out its own service project. This year, class members used that springboard to educate the community about opioid drug dropoff, help a local recreation center track new participants, impact a nearby children’s museum and teach Valley volunteers about youth-based depression, suicide and drug use red flags and how to get help.

As an Eagle Scout, the LSV experience was like a miniature business-based version of the Scouting experience. The themed Program Days offered merit badge-esque education on a wide variety of topics. The class and small-group teams offered camaraderie and self-growth similar to the structure and opportunities in a troop full of youth from different backgrounds. And the service project mirrored the Eagle Scout project that is necessary before taking the final step of the Scouting program.

The LSV experience even kicked off at a Scouting venue — class members bonded and learned through a weekend retreat at Camp Karoondinha in western Union County.

Ultimately, the experience was far more than leadership — it was an opportunity for self growth and to rediscover the hidden gems scattered throughout the region. Perhaps the most impressive of them all is the LSV course itself.

The deadline to sign up for the 2019 LSV class experience is soon approaching. Learn more, and download the application, at www.leadershipsv.org