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WORKFORCE & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT With over one-thousand alumni stretching across the community and region with a presence in nearly every sector, Leadership Greater Rochester (LGR) is the Chamber’s esteemed leadership development program. “Since its inception in 1987, this ten-month program immerses 36 leaders in monthly sessions that examine various topics such as economic development, arts, culture, and humanities, workforce Minnesota,” Krull says. “Currently, the class of 2023, a cohort of 36 individuals, is working through the program, with the program’s graduation in May. The Leadership Greater Rochester experience continues to facilitate lifelong relationships and provides business and community leaders the opportunity to further their leadership abilities while learning more about the Rochester region.” With a diversely skilled community, the
Chamber connects content experts for a quarterly professional development event, Business Development Exchange (BDX). This event series is geared towards learning and evolving best business practices. Each BDX features a panel of speakers discussing a specific topic related to improving the operations of your business or organization, whether that be budgeting, marketing, workplace wellness, stress management, or hiring best practices, etc.
development, and sustainability just to name a few,” says Jonathon Krull, Public Affairs and Leadership Development Director at the Chamber. After a brief hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program returned welcoming 36 individuals for the
Leadership Greater Rochester Class of 2022. Notably, the program is known for its Community Impact Projects, of which each LGR class is tasked with identifying a community need and working collaboratively to address that need. As Krull explains, the Class of 2022, aiming to improve community connectedness, unveiled their Community Impact Project, the Thrive Outside Winter Activity Trailer in the spring of 2022. “The Thrive Outside Winter Activity Trailer is a free community resource and comes stocked with sleds, snowshoes, fort-building kits, and a firepit. It aims to bring together community members of all backgrounds and ages to enjoy winter in
“It’s a way for area professionals to learn the best business practices and bring that experience back to their business and teams,” Aldrich says. “It’s a great workforce development opportunity and it helps your business grow their expertise within that specific topic.” A key part of the Chamber’s growing workforce efforts are opportunities for career exploration. This includes connecting industry employers and students to highlight pathways to in-demand careers throughout the region. The STEAM Summit is the Chamber’s key program in this effort and the reach
| Advantage Magazine 8
February 2023
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