History of Achievements
1982
IPFW, the Chamber of Commerce and the Corporate Council receive seed funding from the Lilly Endowment, provide matching dollars, establish an Advisory Board, develop the LFW program, and appoint Donna Jean Darby as executive director. The first class is selected to begin in January, 1983.
1985
Colleen Spencer is hired as executive director.
The Alumni Association is organized to coordinate continuing education and networking opportunities for graduates of Leadership Fort Wayne.
1986
A program evaluation reveals that LFW is meeting its goals and is a benefit to the community. It is recommended the program should be continued. A recruitment effort is formalized to increase diversity of participants, and to that end, GTE provides a scholarship for a minority participant.
1987
A board internship program is developed to provide a means for graduates to be more involved in the community. Program participants serve as interns on nonprofit boards for one year. Historically 85% of the interns are elected to serve a term on the board.
1988
Jane Wilks is hired as executive director.
1991
LFW is incorporated and granted 501(c)(3) status. The program is redesigned from a calendar-year to school-year (September-May) format. Community Trusteeship/Servant Leadership is adopted as the core philosophy, and class projects become a component of the program. New scholarships are established by Fort Wayne National Bank and the LFW Alumni Association.
1992
LFW is approached by Switchboard to take over two youth programs. The Board appoints a task force to do the research and make a recommendation. The task force is a broad based group made up of youth-oriented citizens and LFW board members.
1993
The LFW board approves the proposal to add Youth Leadership and Youth as Resources. A YLFW Advisory Board is formed and two year start up funding sought for both programs. Pam Zielke is named the first youth program director.
LFW is selected as one of six pilot sites for Leadership Works, a philanthropic fundraising curriculum developed by the National Association for Community Leadership and Indiana University Center on Philanthropy.
1994
LFW is selected as one of 20 programs to participate in the Indiana Leadership Initiative, a program funded by Lilly Endowment through the National Association for Community Leadership to provide education, skill development and facilitation training for program directors. This initiative results in revised program curriculum.
The first Youth as Resources grant cycle is held and training provided to grant seekers. Youth are the majority on the YAR board with adults serving as mentors and role models. Darren Bickel is hired as YLFW program director. Youth are excused from school once a month for day-long YLFW program sessions.
1995
The 1995 class partners with the Hoagland Masterson Neighborhood to develop the neighborhood association and enhance residents’ leadership skills. This marks the beginning of LFW's outreach into the grassroots community.
1996
Leadership Fort Wayne presents a program on Community Projects at the 1996 Indiana Leadership Association annual conference in Indianapolis. Kathleen Randolph is named YLFW program director.
1997
LFW receives a 40th Anniversary Milestone Grant from the Foellinger Foundation to develop a program that re-grants dollars for neighborhood/community improvement projects and provides leadership development for grassroots leaders.
1998
Funding for the Building Communities project is extended two more years. Over the three years, a total of $210,000 in grants is awarded to over 100 community groups and leadership development opportunities are made available to hundreds of citizens and community groups.
1999
LFW is selected to present a workshop on the Building Communities project at the National Association for Community Leadership annual conference. LFW’s executive director, Jane Wilks, is honored by the National Association for Community Leadership with a Preceptor Award for outstanding leadership and direction to the program. Ellen Cavacini joins Leadership Fort Wayne as program director.
2000
The LFW Board formally adopts community outreach and grassroots leadership development as a component of Leadership Fort Wayne.
2001
Leadership Fort Wayne’s website, www.leadershipfortwayne.org, is launched. Leadership Exploration and Development (LEAD), a leadership program for middle school students, is designed and implemented by graduates of Youth Leadership Fort Wayne trained as LEAD facilitators.
2002
Leadership Fort Wayne is invited to participate in the Institute for Organizational Effectiveness, Cohort II. YAR board is redesigned adding youth officers. LFW board adds two youth board positions.
2003
Leadership Fort Wayne celebrates its 20th Anniversary with a new logo, new print materials, and several programs throughout the year. The annual report received a merit award from the Community Leadership Association. An IOE grant allows Leadership Fort Wayne to build its effectiveness through board development, staff development, program development and marketing efforts. Youth As Resources partners with the Drug and Alcohol Consortium to provide funding for community projects that give youth alternative behaviors to drug and alcohol use.
2004
LFW forms a partnership with United Way of Allen County, the City of Fort Wayne, Purdue Extension Services, and IPFW and applies to Pew Partnership for Civic Change for its grassroots leadership development initiative. The Fort Wayne partnership is one of 20 communities selected to deliver Pew’s LeadershipPlenty curriculum.
The LFW class project assignment is redesigned and results in seven successful Community Action Team projects developed and implemented by members of the 2004 Leadership Fort Wayne class.
Youth Leadership Fort Wayne receives a Youth Worker Grant from Foellinger Foundation. The project is delivered through the LEAD program and facilitated by graduates of Youth Leadership Fort Wayne and a LFW Community Action Team. LEAD Curriculum is published.
2005
A LFW class project raises funds to commission local artist Terry Ratliff to paint two large murals depicting NE Indiana for the Fort Wayne International Airport Business Center.
2006
Leadership Fort Wayne partners with the Mike Downs Center for Indiana Politics to offer the Political Boot Camp for individuals planning to run for public office or work on a campaign.
Fort Wayne On Board, a fun, one-of-a-kind "opoly" style real estate trading game is developed as a fund raising project. The game is customized for Fort Wayne-Allen County and showcases the businesses and attractions that make the community so special.
2007
Leadership Fort Wayne is instrumental in the development of the NE Indiana Nonprofit Alliance (NINA), a membership organization committed to helping build leadership capacity in the nonprofit sector and increase organizational effectiveness.
2008
In celebration of its 25th Anniversary, Leadership Fort Wayne establishes an endowment fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne and conducts a Leadership Legacy campaign.
The Drug & Alcohol Consortium recognizes Youth as Resources as Prevention Program of the Year.
Jane Wilks retires after 20 years as executive director of Leadership Fort Wayne.
2009
Becky Hill hired as Program Director for the Northeast Indiana Nonprofit Alliance. Cheri Becker hired as Executive Director.