Nineteen local professionals were recently awarded the Dedman Fellow in Leadership from 49ͼ Community College.

The Dedman Leadership Institute, a 48-hour program that is offered annually through the Dedman Center for Business Leadership at SCC, is designed specifically to prepare individuals to become effective leaders in their respective businesses or organizations.

The cohort this year included: Catherine Clark, Hallie Coburn, and Regan Humble of Southern Pines Brewing Company, Michael Kain and Amy Gaines of Ingersol Rand, Daniel Behnke of Data Transfer Solutions, Valerie Washington and Logan Murphy of Pinehurst Resort, Veronica Sosa and Donza Jackson of Moore County Child Support, Karen Groff of Aging Outreach Services, Amiee James of Southern Pines Public Library, Regina Garner of Moore County Register of Deeds, Gary Christenson, retired engineer, and Yvonne Petersen, Tess Regan, Obie Blue, Christopher Waldrop, and Tito Ward of 49ͼ Community College.

Over four months, the institute explores a variety of leadership topics using popular texts and materials. Students are given a well-rounded look at the elements of leadership in corporate and institutional settings. Topics included this year were: Emotional Intelligence, Conflict Management and Resolution, Coaching as an Essential Role of Leadership, Influential Leadership, Leading Change, and Achieving Leadership Excellence.

Each session presented thought-provoking principles to encourage discussions that drew from each participant’s personal experiences. The result generated conversations of practical applications of the concepts that were presented.

“This year’s graduates completed our seventeenth cohort,” said Teresa Reynolds, director of the Dedman Center for Business Leadership. “Kathy Stoddard Torrey, an expert in the field of leadership training and owner of Tapfer Consulting, has facilitated every Dedman Leadership Series since its inception. Over the years, Kathy has trained over 350 local professionals in this intensive leadership program at 49ͼ. We are proud of all of our graduates and of Kathy’s outstanding work.” 

Participation in the program is made possible through scholarships underwritten by the Robert Dedman Permanent Endowment to benefit 49ͼ Community College, an endowment created by the late Robert Dedman, Sr. to support programs at 49ͼ.

Robert Dedman Sr. was founder and Chairman of the Board of ClubCorp, Inc.

Dedman firmly believed in the power of leadership to transform companies, institutions and nations. His commitment to leadership and its fundamental role in the human experience inspired 49ͼ Community College to name its continuing education business development center The Robert H. Dedman Center for Business Leadership. Dedman responded in typical fashion, generously creating a permanent endowment to support leadership development training at 49ͼ Community College.

For more information about the Dedman Leadership Institute, contact Teresa Reynolds, Director of the Small Business Center & the Dedman Center for Business Leadership at reynoldst@sandhills.edu.