Business owners and senior management from a wide range of regional businesses have developed their leadership capacity and skills as part of the annual Leadership Wimmera's Business Leaders program.
To mark Leadership Week across the state, 11 participants graduated last week from the Business Leaders program, which is auspiced by the Wimmera Development Association.
Conducted from July 2007 to June 2008 the program was facilitated by Leading Teams from Melbourne, which provide performance improvement programs to a wide range of organisations across Australia also including Nillumbik Shire Council, Hawthorn Football Club and the North Queensland Cowboys.
Leadership Wimmera Program Coordinator, Anne Bothe said the program assisted regional professionals in developing the skills to take their enterprise to the next level.
``Participants focus on their individual leadership and management styles. They also form close business support networks and draw on the knowledge and expertise of fellow group members,'' she said.
This year's Business Leaders program participants graduated at the annual Leadership Wimmera Sponsors' Breakfast at the Horsham Golf Club on June 27.
Graduating were: Patrick Barrett, Horsham Rural City Council; Paul Clyne, Clyne Foods; Tim Hopper, CHS Group; Peter McCann, Warakirri Pty Ltd; Sandra Moon, ACE Radio Broadcasters; Melissa Pouliot, mpmedia solutions; Barry Ray, Longerenong College; Marty Reither, Bendigo Bank Ltd; Graeme Scott, Western Vic Wholesalers; Bryce Simpson, Simpson Personnel; and Michael McGough, JJ O'Connors Pty Ltd.
Guest speaker was Leading Teams Director Kraig Grime, who is also a Director of Highland Personnel, a not-for-profit organisation that specialises in training and employment for people with disabilities.
Ms Bothe said to foster a sustainable and thriving workforce in the region, and encourage strong leadership within the community, two other programs were also offered under Leadership Wimmera each year: - the Leadership Skills Initiative; and Community Leadership Year.
Two subsidised places for these programs were drawn at the sponsors' breakfast and were awarded to University of Ballarat and GWM Water.
``Since 2002 more than 217 people have graduated across the three programs; many experiencing life-changing improvements in their personal and professional lives,'' Ms Bothe said.
The programs are offered across the Ararat, Hindmarsh, Horsham, Pyrenees, Northern Grampians, Yarriambiack and West Wimmera municipalities. For more information please contact Ms Bothe on (03) 5381 6504.