Leadership Calhoun officially launched its inaugural class on Wednesday, October 15, at Twin Lakes Bible Camp with a high-energy, skills-focused first session themed “The Leader in You.” Fifteen emerging and established leaders from across Calhoun County participated in a full day of learning, connection, and community pride.
Leadership Calhoun is a countywide leadership development initiative built to discover, develop, and deploy local leaders who strengthen communities, businesses, and quality of life in alignment with CCEDC’s Strategic Plan. The program blends issue awareness, skills training, and place-based experiences across Calhoun County.
The opening session began with a warm welcome and introductions led by the Leadership Calhoun Team and cohorts, followed by an overview of the program from Theresa Hildreth, Team Leader & Calhoun County Economic Development Executive Director, setting the tone for a day centered on growth, connection, and discovering “The Leader in You.” Participants also had the opportunity for professional headshots and a group photo with Katie Decker Photography, capturing the excitement and energy of the inaugural class.
The morning’s first presentation, “Setting the Eagle to Flight,” by Stacy Besch, encouraged participants to embrace personal growth and authenticity in leadership. Using the memorable analogy that “a duck can’t go to eagle school,” Stacy illustrated how each person must lead from their own unique strengths and purpose rather than trying to imitate others.
Next, Jessi McQuerrey presented “Becoming the Leader in You,” focusing on the importance of surrounding yourself with the right types of leaders—those who challenge, inspire, and hold you accountable. Her session reminded participants that leadership is both a personal journey and a collective effort.
After lunch, Scott Larson offered a guided tour of Twin Lakes Bible Camp, sharing its rich history and community impact. The day concluded with Shelly Greving’s interactive session, “Strengths in Action: Discover, Develop, and Lead,” where cohorts learned how diverse strengths within a team are essential to achieving shared success. Shelly emphasized that understanding and leveraging these differences leads to stronger collaboration and more effective leadership across Calhoun County.
“The caliber of discussion and engagement we saw today tells me these leaders are ready to take action,” said Shelly Greving.
Stacy Besch added, “When you invest in leadership locally, you unlock a ripple effect of courage, creativity, and service.”
Throughout the day, Joe Brincks (SeventyOne30) captured supplemental video and aerial footage to support Leadership Calhoun storytelling and the program’s forthcoming web page.
What’s Next
Cohorts will reconvene in November at Stewart Memorial Community Hospital (SMCH) in Lake City for Session Two, where participants will share their “5-Minutes of Fame” introductions and continue building individual and team leadership competencies aligned with the CCEDC Strategic Plan. The day will also be focused on everything healthcare, led by the professionals of SMCH and CEO Linn Block.
Program Partners & Sponsors
CCEDC gratefully acknowledges the partners whose support makes Leadership Calhoun possible:
Calhoun County Economic Development; Calhoun County Electric Cooperative Association; Fareway Meat & Grocery; Stewart Memorial Hospital & Clinics; Lauver Farm Solutions; Rockwell City Rotary Club; Landus; NEW Coop; United Bank of Iowa; Iowa Area Development Group Foundation; Empower Rural Iowa; Iowa Rural Development Council (Spark Grant).
More information is available on the CCEDC website www.calhouncountyiowa.com about Leadership Calhoun.
