Drake’s Executive Education Center celebrated the completion of its inaugural Leading Others Cohort on Nov. 10. Twenty executives from 14 companies in central Iowa completed the 18-month experience with great success:
- Sarah Battani, Bankers Trust
- Rona Berinobis, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield
- Amy Blahnik, DuPont Pioneer
- Ben Bruns, The Weitz Company
- Bill Connolly, John Deere Financial
- Sandy Cox, Nationwide Insurance Co
- Dan Crew, EMC Insurance Companies
- Jim Dougherty, MidAmerican Energy Company
- Michael Geringer, MidAmerican Energy Company
- Lisa Heagle, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield
- Amela Imsirovic, John Deere Financial
- Dr. Charlie Keller, Mercy Clinics
- Tracey Knudtson, Principal Financial Group
- Doug Kouma, Meredith Corporation
- Dr. Steven Langdon, Mercy College of Health Sciences
- Beth Nigut, EMC Insurance Companies
- Michael Scholten, Principal Financial Group
- David McKenzie, ChildServe
- Ryan Vanyo, Kum and Go
- Courtney Yuskis, Meredith Corporation
The program was created as a result of Drake asking local corporations how their relationship with Drake could be enhanced; the business community responded that they needed Drake’s help to accelerate leadership faster in their organizations. The experience is aimed at executives who are leaders of teams who want to learn the what and the how of leadership in a hands-on, experiential environment. Based upon 120 hours of instruction, executive coaching throughout the 18 months, and guidance in implementing a leader development and business plan back at their office, these leaders can expect to see a leadership shift from being “ready later” to being “ready now.”
The unique experience with Leading Others includes the following highlights:
- Foundational business model: This model establishes a causal relationship between what a leader does and how he or she does it and team member engagement and business outcomes
- Proprietary leadership success profile: Along with a subsequent assessment report, the profile—produced from multiple perspectives—establishes a leadership readiness baseline and measures leadership readiness gains throughout the program.
- Leader Development Plan and a Business Plan: Based upon the participant’s leadership success profile and business planning process, the participant will create both a leader’s development plan and a business plan.
- Executive delivery team: Participants are instructed and coached by deeply experienced facilitators and executive coaches and national and global panel members for maximum return on investment.
The Executive Education Center is running two cohorts per year and is currently recruiting for its fourth cohort. Applications for the program are due Jan. 27, 2017. Please contact Sarah Ramsey, director of the Executive Education Center, for more information at sarah.ramsey@drake.edu.
—Sarah Ramsey