Leadership Texarkana
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Celebrating 40 Years of Engaging Leaders
by VICKI MELDE
The 2019-2020 Leadership Texarkana Board of Directors are: (front row) David Reavis, Ruth Ellen Whitt (Executive Director), Eric Cain, Amy Roberts, Emily Ransom, Myra Loving and Robbin Bass; (back row) Jaimie Alexander, Mary Ellen Young, Fred Norton, Paul Norton, Charles Jordan, Kristie Dempsey and Novella Medlock. Not pictured are Lesley Ledwell Dukelow, Toney Favors, Rachael Potter, Trish Russell Reed, Skylar Rogers and Eric Voyles.(Photo by Alamond Photography)
“Leadership is a responsibility. Assuming the responsibility to lead means an individual must empower and inspire others to work for a common goal.”
– Sonja Yates Hubbard,
2019 Idalee Hawkins Leader of the Year Honoree
These eloquent words by Sonja Hubbard certainly capture the essence of Leadership Texarkana. The organization was founded in 1979-80 by the Texarkana Chamber of Commerce under the premise that community leaders – effective ones – do not suddenly appear to take up the challenge and step into cadence. Seldom, without training and exposure to other organizations and community activities, do they really see and understand the overall picture of community needs. That can only come from listening, learning and participating.
At its beginning, the purpose of Leadership Texarkana was to give interested men and women with leadership potential the opportunity to develop their Texarkana community. In 2000, Leadership Texarkana separated from the Chamber and became an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity. It is focused on creating our community’s best future by developing our people POTENTIAL, imagining our POSSIBILITIES, and pursuing the community PROGRESS and excellence we say we want. It’s all about engaging even more citizens to care about – and INVEST in – our community and equipping them to lead the way to work together for the changes they desire.
During September 2015, the LT Class of 2016 held its Opening Retreat at Red River Army Depot.
One way to assess the value of a program or organization is to consider what its participants take away from it – and, more importantly, what they continue to use to make a positive difference. Graduates of Leadership Texarkana benefit from a wealth of knowledge, understanding and perspectives such as …
– Texarkana, USA, is what we each make it – it is individuals who lead the way and that they each have the power, potential and responsibility to step up and work with others to foster the changes they want to see.
– To succeed, we must understand the citizens’ dreams and vision for their community, the values of those who live here, and the priority challenges and opportunities to seize.
– Leadership is influence – and the keys to influence are integrity and intention.
– If the community is to be different or better, someone, somewhere has to do something differently.
– Working together is imperative if we are to excel.
– The best future for the Texarkana community will come when we apply the same leadership wisdom for excellence that wise business leaders apply. Texarkana, USA, is OUR business!
A Joint Meeting Leadership Summit, hosted by LIfT (Leadership Initiative for Texarkana) was held for the Texarkana, Texas, City Council and the Texarkana, Arkansas, City Board during February 2015.
How has Leadership Texarkana retained its relevance over its entire 40 years? It has always been focused on growing the number of citizens who understand our community’s opportunities and challenges and on encouraging even more citizens to become actively involved in making it better. And it has been supported by key leaders and organizations who annually participate in Leadership Texarkana initiatives by sharing their wisdom, bringing their perspectives, investing themselves in programs as sponsors, teachers, learners, mentors, facilitators, hosts, board members, team members – all working together as partners in pursuit of our best community.
1989 Leadership Texarkana graduate Ruth Ellen Whitt has served as its Executive Director for 10 years and is certainly a defining factor in the success and longevity of the organization. When asked what the most important thing citizens can do to change the future of the Texarkana region in a positive way, she stated without hesitation, “Begin by imagining that Texarkana, USA, is your business – you’re in charge, and you are responsible for its success. Just as you would with your own business, do what you can to build it up and share a narrative of all that is good about it. Texarkana is a community of excellence – name it, claim it, share it! Make your business grow – and do what you can to make it even better!”
Jeff Maisee, Judge Josh Morriss III and Larry Copeland participate in a Leadership Texarkana team-building “construction” project during one of the LT Class of 1981 sessions.
Ruth Ellen’s obvious passion for Leadership Texarkana serves as a catalyst to draw others into what has become more of a movement than simply an organization. “I believe in the power of Texarkana’s people for making Texarkana, USA, authentically second to none in every way they want,” she shared. “I know from 37 years of living and leading here that we are a community of excellence – and that our citizens truly are twice as ‘nice,’ community-minded, and generous and smart enough to accomplish whatever we put our minds to. I believe that Texarkana CAN!”
As Leadership Texarkana celebrates its phenomenal first 40 years and looks forward to its future, the question of “where to from here” arises. Leadership Texarkana envisions a community FULL of leaders stepping up to lead the way – working together for community excellence around this question:
Imagine Texarkana, USA, is everything you want it to be – with an economic prosperity that benefits all who live and work here and attracts all who don’t (yet)!
What would that be like … for each of us and our business and families?
What could we do to get us there? What should we each do? What WILL we each do?
That’s a question for all of us …
