Second Leadership QC cohort announced

We're bringing the best and the brightest of the nonprofit and business community together. Their charge is to see how we can work together to reimagine the role of businesses affecting change in the Quad Cities, as well as have more ownership of what success looks like for our region, both from a business perspective and from the need to address social issues.

The Quad Cities Chamber’s second cohort of the nine-month Leadership QC program started this week. These 16 members are already leaders in business, government and nonprofit organizations.

“The purpose of Leadership QC is to create a space for community-minded individuals to come together to learn about corporate social responsibility and to harness their existing leadership toward common goals in our community,” said LaDrina Wilson, CEO of the Quad Cities Chamber. “The goal is that people learn a little bit about themselves, but also get connected to what it truly means to be a regional thinker and a regional leader.”

Charla Hollowell, Chief Financial Officer for Vera French Community Mental Health Center, hopes to gain a better understanding of the community vision for the area and connection to those who would like to move that vision forward. “I would very much like to gain insight and connections to groups I may not interact with on a daily basis, and work together to make our region the best it can be for current residents, as well as future generations,” said Hollowell.

Randall Goblirsch, Director of Enrollment Communications and Marketing at St. Ambrose University, has lived in the Quad Cities for nearly 12 years, moving here as an out-of-state transplant. During this time Goblirisch experienced so much of what makes this region special. “Over the years, I’ve developed a deep commitment to my community. I hope to leverage my experience from the Leadership QC program to step into the next phase of investing my time and my talents to further improve the area I’m proud to (but never thought I would!) call home,” Goblirsch said.

“Leadership development is a continual process,” said Kendra Schaapveld, Project Director for Equus Workforce Solutions. “I strive to be a servant leader. This involves staying at the forefront of community needs, emerging research, identifying new resources, strategizing and networking with colleagues to improve services for workforce programming. I hope to gain new relationships to troubleshoot employee needs, to strategize business services' objectives and to develop our youth program as they embark on career pathways.”

We can’t wait to see how this next cohort will drive change in the future as our region’s leaders.

Congratulations to the Chamber’s second Leadership QC cohort:

• Nicholas Armstrong, Dohrn Transfer Company
• Abbie Bruns, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley
• Janessa Calderon, Greater Hispanic Chamber of the Quad Cities
• Kristen Doonan, IH Mississippi Valley Credit Union
• Tilford Flowers, John Deere
• Tharlyn Fox, John Deere
• Megan Gibbs, Dohrn Transfer Company
• Randall Goblirsch, St. Ambrose University
• Jason Gustafson, John Deere
• Charla Hollowell, Vera French Community Mental Health Center
• Riane Leib, Huiskamp Collins Investments, LLC
• Nevada Lemke, City of Silvis
• Alexi Licata, John Deere
• Kendra Schaapveld, Equus Workforce Solutions
• Beth Takemoto, John Deere Davenport Works
• Kaye Whitley, City of Moline