Leadership Greater Hartford Launches New Brand Identity As 40th Anniversary Approaches

Leadership Greater Hartford (LGH), the region's highly regarded go-to source for tackling community challenges through knowledge and cooperation, has unveiled its new logo and visual identity, which reflects the organization’s growth and prominent role in strengthening community leadership connections. Three pillars, “Community. Leadership. Connections,” informed the design of the organization’s new logo and form the backbone and structure of the new website, www.leadershipgh.org. "We are proud of our past and look forward to the future. While our logo is changing, one thing that will never change is our purpose and mission,” said Ted Carroll, President of Leadership Greater Hartford. “It is important that our brand reflect the organization we have become and where we will continue to be headed in the future - making our communities better and stronger.”

The website points out that “more than 600 employers have enriched the development of their staff and become involved with civic progress; 2500+ students from four dozen schools across the region have gained broader perspectives and wider circles of friends; more than 500 seniors gained the opportunity to continue giving back to the communities they’ve seen undergo so much change in their lifetimes.”

As Leadership Greater Hartford has grown and evolved, broadening participation and developing an array of effective programs and initiatives, the organization notes that the business landscape has changed, including in market demographics, competitive environment, and the acceleration of social media.

LGH will celebrate its 40th anniversary on November 15, with their annual Polaris Awards Gala.  As the organization enters its milestone fortieth year, it is “well-prepared and firmly engaged to be a relevant, forward-thinking resource for the community – both the private and public sectors – for the next 40 years,” officials said, as the website highlights that “our program participants have completed more than 200 community impact projects, we have trained and placed more than 450 individuals on more than 125 nonprofit boards, and program graduates volunteer at a rate of 137% higher than that of the rest of the country.”

The web redesign and visual identity was developed by MRW Connected, Inc. “All of us at MRW Connected engaged with Leadership Greater Hartford in the exciting process of re-branding and re-messaging this important organization in their 40th anniversary year,” explained MRW Connected president and founder Tom Willits.

Officials indicated that LGH staff, organization leadership and Board members, program participants as well as the Greater Hartford community, were involved in the process “to better understand their organizational objectives and accomplishments.  In this way we helped Leadership Greater Hartford realize their goals of creating an updated look and responsive, engaging website that truly represents the inspired leadership development work they do and allows the community-at-large easier access to their programs and their network," Willits added.

Leadership Greater Hartford (LGH) is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization that supports and strengthens the local community by training and connecting aspiring and established leaders.  The well-known LGH programs for professionals include Quest, Executive Orientation, Hartford Encounters, Leaders on Board and Summit.  Encore Hartford and Third Age Initiative are aimed at late-career individuals and retirees; Common Ground, Leading Off Campus and Summer Nexus are designed for high school and college students.

For more information about how to be a participant or sponsor, or to inquire about customized training with Leadership Greater Hartford, call 860-951-6161 (x1800), email info@leadershipgh.org visit .leadershipgh.org, or follow LGH on Facebook and Twitter @leadershiphtfd.

Leadership Greater Hartford Connects More Than 400 Volunteers with Nonprofit Board Service

In just over six years, more than 400 people in the Greater Hartford area have joined the board of directors of local nonprofit organizations, through an innovative matching program run by Leadership Greater Hartford.  The program has proven both popular and successful, and is seen as a win-win for the nonprofit organization in need of expertise and individuals looking for ways to contribute to the well-being of the community. The Leaders on Board program has matched 404 individuals – from young professionals to retirees - with more than 100 nonprofit organizations since January 2009.  The program attracts individuals with an interest in serving on a board, and looking to develop their leadership skills and serve the community.  Potential board members receive training in nonprofit organizational structure and management, are introduced to the role and responsibilities of board members and are encouraged to explore their own individual skills. The training session provides the foundation for effective board service. 

Leaders on Board, unique in Connecticut and perhaps the largest initiative of its kind in the region, provides a critical connection for nonprofit organizations who are looking for board members that have been trained in the basics of board membership and have expressed an interest in serving on a nonprofit board.  In some cases, individuals’ employers encourage such community activism, in others, the person is seeking to give back to the community or broader their involvement in issues that are of particular interest.  Corporations and businesses participate in the Leaders on Board program by offering board governance training to encourage their employees who are interested in serving the community.

The program works in a round-robin matching session, where representatives of nonprofit organizations conduct brief one-on-one interviews.  At the end of the session, both the individual and the organizations indicate where they think there might be a match.  If there’s agreement, there are further follow-up conversations to determine if selection to a specific board should go forward.  Often, the answer is yes.

“I decided to participate in leaders on Board because I was looking for a way to become a board member on a local, small to medium-sized nonprofit organization," explained Bill Valentine, Donor Relations Manager, United Way of Central and Northeastern CT. "Leaders on Board is the ideal way to learn the basic information about the responsibilities of being a board member and to learn about the organizations that are looking for new board members.”

At times, prospective board members learn of nonprofit organizations they had not been aware of or knew little about.  For people new to the region, and even those who have spent a career in Greater Hartford, the variety of nonprofit organizations, and they work they pursue with various populations, can be eye-opening.  The list of organizations that have placed members on boards through the Express Match process is quite impressive – a who’s who of community organizations.

In 2013, the Association of Leadership Programs, a national organization with affiliates across the country, presented Leadership Greater Hartford with its first “Excellence in Innovation” award for the implementation and success of the Leaders on Board program.  Recent years have also seen greater diversity among prospective board members, and interest by nonprofit organizations in having boards that more closely reflect the diversity of the community they serve.

"I had been considering pursuing board membership for a few years when The Junior League of Hartford offered its members a chance to participate in Leaders on Board," recalled Patricia Sasser, Dean of Students at Loomis Chaffee.  "The Leaders on Board orientation provided great information on what a prospective board member needs to know about board service; it definitely set me up for success.  I felt prepared and excited when I attend my first Leaders on Board Express Match. Having a chance to speak with different organizations about their mission and purpose opened my eyes to all the different types of organizations I could support. I found several that really spoke to my heart and was excited when I was matched with an organization I admired."

Among those who have recently accepted board of directors positions, following the most recent Leaders on Board session:

• Ann Means - Hartford Preservation Alliance
• Chris Whelan - First Choice Health Centers
• Sue Murphy & George Montowski - Hebrew Health Care
• Nancy Frede - Hartford Knights Youth Foundation
• Jessica Dansereau & Veda White - Lupus Foundation of America - CT Chapter
• Veda White - Trinity Academy
• Michael Fournier, Richard Moriarty and Patrick Garrity - Kinsella Arts, Inc.
• Chris Thomas - Mental Health Association of CT
• Jim Barrett - St. Philip House
• Bernard Jenkins, Meri Horowitz and Gary Brochu - Coram Deo Recovery, Inc.
• Richard Moriarty and Patrick Garrity - Kinsella Arts, Inc.
• Karen Adamson, Maia Brooks, and Anthony Viggiano - Project Genesis
• Aaron Clay and Jasmine Baten - West Hartford YMCA

Leaders on Board operates with support from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.  For more information, contact Mae Ryan Maloney at 860.951.6161 x1900 or email Mae.Maloney@leadershipgh.org. The mission of Leadership Greater Hartford is to develop, connect and inspire diverse leaders to build strong and vibrant communities.

https://youtu.be/vuXF7lKGuew

Nonprofits See Tangible Benefits from Leadership Greater Hartford’s Quest Program

Four Hartford-based nonprofit organizations have received a boost from some of the region’s up-and-coming leaders participating in the flagship program of  Leadership Greater Hartford (LGH).  The Hartford Consortium for Higher Education, Oak Hill School, CountMeIn! Hartford and GreenShare Technology saw rising and established leaders from diverse career backgrounds - corporate, government, small business, academia and nonprofit – work on key projects as part of the Quest program.  It is the most recognized community-based leadership development program for professionals working throughout the Greater Hartford region, a landmark initiative of LGH for more than three decades.

The 11-month program kicks off with an orientation and retreat in January and ends with November class presentations and commencement. Workshops throughout the program focus on learning about one’s own leadership personality, participatory decision- making, effective group dynamics and leadership practices, including change leadership. The field experiences allow participants to meet the area’s key players and organizations, better understand the region’s assets and challenges, and gain a greater understanding of creative problem solving while leveraging limited resources.

Central to the Quest program is the community service component, a collaborative team project working alongside various nonprofits in the Hartford region. Through real world community projects, Quest participants work in teams and learn the tools and insights needed to become collaborative leaders. The four community-based projects tackled by the 2013 Quest participants, now completed, included:

Working with the Hartford Consortium for Higher Education (HCHE) to create a media device that would tell the story of the Career Beginnings program, which connects Hartford-area high schools, businesses, volunteers/mentors and parents in a coordinated effort to increase the percentage of Hartford teenagers who graduate from high school, pursue higher education and fulfill career goals.

One of the Quest project groups created a magnificent 25-page booklet – which has now been produced by HCHE and is being distributed to interested parties throughout the region - that effectively tells the story of the students who are a part of the Career Beginnings program.  They presented the publication to stakeholders of Career Beginnings at an event held at the Artist Collective.

 Working on the project were Brenda de los Reyes (Corporation for Independent Living), Diana Marsh (United Healthcare), Cara Farrrell (Women’s Health USA), Teresa Nieves (Village for Families and Children), Shawnee Baldwin (Archdiocese of Hartford), Lisa Galinski (Wild Heart Coaching), Brenda Pabon (Aetna), Vivek Mukherjee (OptumHealth), Karen Bernard (retired; Dept. of Correction), William Tarinelli, Jr. (Travelers), Alice Ferguson (HIV/AIDS Commission) and Shazia Chaudry (Alzheimer’s Resource Center). They coordinated with Martin Estey, a Quest 2012 participant, the executive director of HCHE. 

Working with Oak Hill School on a new, all abilities/inclusive wellness facility that is being built in Bristol, a second Quest group was charged with developing aspects of a recruitment plan for members and staff for the wellness facility.  They produced a video montage for marketing and a recruitment plan for staff and facility members.  The group worked with a 2012 Quest graduate, Leslie Sanborn.  The wellness center is projected to open in late 2014 or early 2015.

The participants in the projected included Bob Bourett (ConnectiCare), Pat Sebring (Imagineers), Kent Limson (Phoenix), Alex Cuevas (Stone Academy), Neville Brooks (Hartford Police), Leilany Rivera (Harc Inc.), Jim Mindek (UConn), Chris Baker (American Red Cross), Anne Hayes (Travelers), Casey Bandarra (Eastern Connecticut State University), Mel Camacho (United Way of Central and Northeast CT), and Dan Wenner (Day Pitney).

CountMeIn! Hartford is a new, local think tank whose mission is to provide thought leadership for individuals who want to turn an idea into an organization.  The third Quest group – anxious to help start an endeavor from scratch – set out to provide organizational structure.  The group focused on marketing, strategic relationships, board development and fundraising, breaking into subcommittees to develop a document with plans outlined in each of these areas.  They worked with Scott Orsey, a Quest 2009 participant , who is leading CountMeIn! Hartford.

The project team included Betty Ann Grady (Hartford Foundation for Public Giving), Aliza Finn-Welch (Junior League of Hartford), Mike Fritz (Shipman and Goodwin), Lee Hameroff (Goodwin College), Dartanion Reed (Hartford Arts Center), Jay Arcata (Halloran & Sage), Lindsay Ryan (Ryan Marketing Partners), Jas Millette (CT1 Media), Mick Connors (CCMC), Kiran Panati (OptumHealth) and Christian Sager (Travelers).

The fourth Quest group shared a passion for closing the digital divide for residents of Hartford, and worked with GreenShare Technology, a social enterprise and one of the first reSET Social Enterprise Trust projects, now operating in Hartford.  The organization refurbishes computers and then sells them to organizations that might not otherwise be able to afford computers.  The group developed and held a fundraising event which raised sufficient funds to purchase six refurbished computers that could then be donated to area nonprofits that the group had visited as part of their Quest program.

Working on the GreenShare Technology project were James McLaughlin (Murtha Cullina), Corey Fleming (Hartford Public Library), Jessica Gagliano (Lincoln Financial Group), Anthony DeSalvo (Travelers), James McLoughlin (Hartford Fire Department), Rasheed Ali (Phoenix), Christopher Pagano (Travelers), Jennifer Carrier (CRCOG), Matthew Wallace (CCMC), Dalyn Delgado (CNG) and Kim McPherson-Shiffrin (OptumHealth).

 Photo: Leadership Greater Hartford's 2013 Quest class

Leadership Greater Hartford Initiative Selected for National Recognition

The Association of Leadership Programs, a national organization with affiliates across the country, will present Leadership Greater Hartford with its first "Excellence in Innovation" award for the implementation and success of the Leaders on Board program.  The presentation will take place during the 2013 National Leadership Conference to be held in Arlington, Virginia later this month.

Leaders on Board is an ongoing program that strengthens nonprofit organizations by training and connecting participants with boards of directors seeking new members.  The program attracts individuals who want to serve on a board, develop their leadership skills and serve the community.

Leaders on Board has successfully matched nearly 300 individuals with more than 75 nonprofit organizations throughout the region since its inception in January 2009.  The list of organizations that have placed members on boards through the Express Match process is quite impressive – and a who’s who of community organizations.

Potential board members receive training in nonprofit organizational structure and management. They are introduced to the role and responsibilities of board members and are encouraged to explore their skills and interests.  Then nonprofit board leadership and prospective board members interview each other, and “matches” are pursued by the organizations and the individuals.

In announcing the recognition, LGH said the success of our Leaders on Board program is not only due to the hard work of the LGH staff, but also to the commitment and time that the participants and nonprofits invest in making sure the program is a success. "We are delighted to share this award with everyone who has been involved with Leaders on Board since 2009, especially the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, our funding partner. Thank you for making Leaders on Board the best it can be." Leaders on Board is a program created by Leadership Greater Hartford with support from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving and in collaboration with the United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut. Corporations and businesses also participate in the program by offering board governance training to encourage their employees who are interested in serving the community.

Also during the conference in Virginia, longtime LGH president Ted Carroll will be leading a workshop for conference participants, entitled “Building Community by Transforming Local Government.” The workshop description highlights that “As Leadership Greater Hartford’s consulting and training activities have increased, our most important, and most profitable client has become our city government. This workshop will provide insights into how community leadership programs can apply their services and expertise to help municipalities develop more collaborative, participatory cultures.”

Upcoming "Leaders on Board" Express Match The next Leaders on Board “Express Match” program is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, June 11, 5:30 – 8:30 at Asylum Hill Congregational Church (814 Asylum Avenue) in Hartford.  Pre registration required, on the Leadership Greater Hartford website.