Gaining Access to the Space Coast’s Finest
LEAD Brevard Hosts Annual YP Opportunity
ACCESS – the ability or right to approach, enter, exit, communicate with, or make use of,” that is LEAD Brevard’s ACCESS 2012, an evening of shared access between existing community leaders and those who are in the next generation to succeed them in the coming years.
LEAD Brevard developed the signature event known as ACCESS several years ago in response to the community need to enhance the conversations between “seasoned statesmen” (and stateswomen) and our community’s young professionals. The conversation provides both a venue and a structured opportunity for YPs to engage in candid dialogue with other leaders. YPs are encouraged to ask their personal leadership questions and senior leaders are invited to share the story of their professional ascent and lessons they have learned along the way.
Mark Your Calendar
LEAD Brevard will host ACCESS 2012 on Thursday, May 3, 2012 at 6 p.m. at Suntree Country Club. The goal of ACCESS 2012 is to offer our county’s young professionals the opportunity for social networking with marquee business leaders in our community in a relaxed and intimate atmosphere.
So if you are a YP reading this article and want to have an “insiders’ view” of what makes the leadership “tick” and want to know more about the personal accomplishments of these leaders in our community, we invite you to consider ACCESS 2012. It’s good business to learn what you can from those that have years of practical business experience and how to use their experiences to benefit your own career and community leadership aspirations.
Answering the Why’s
If you are a “seasoned professional” reading this and wonder why this matters as a best practice, consider this sobering thought: If just the respondents of a local YP survey who said they “weren’t sure they would stay in Brevard County” left today…our community would lose $12.4 million in taxable income and suffer over $86 million in lost economic impact (in 2005 dollars).
As a sense of the event, quotes (regarding advice to young professionals) from community leaders participating as facilitators in
2011 include:
“Make sure that you are either in a field that you love or are using a skill set that you excel at. To really be happy and productive, use that skill set in a field that you love.”
– Keith Winsten, executive director of the Brevard Zoo
“Try everything, especially when you are first starting out. If you find yourself doing something you don’t like, go do something else. Life is too short to not love what you do.” – Brevard County Manager, Howard Tipton
In 2005, a report by Next Generation Consulting (WI) included the following survey respondent’s quote: “One ‘cool community’ factor that Brevard County lacks is the community leaders’ willingness to accept new and young talent into the community.” The recommendation offered by the consultant to offset such a perception was to give Brevard’s experienced statesmen and young professionals exposure to each other through a “world café,” where they can share ideas about the issues facing Brevard. By offering a conversation, you broaden the base of voices engaged in community shaping decisions.
Join the conversation! Space is limited; registrations are required and must be received no later than April 21. Your investment in an evening of ACCESS is only $35 for Young Professionals of Brevard (ypB) members and $45 for potential members. To reserve your spot visit LEADBrevard.org today.
Kristin Bakke is the president of LEAD Brevard, a community organization to develop and engage leaders for positive local change. Contact her at (321) 632-8222.
