FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Last night, 46 individuals celebrated their graduation from the Leadership Fort Wayne (LFW) program. The graduation ceremony, part of Greater Fort Wayne Inc.’s Holiday Night event, served as a milestone in the Class of 2022’s commitment to servant leadership and community trusteeship.
The evening also marked a pair of historic achievements for the LFW program itself: the Class of 2022 is the 40th cohort in the program’s history, and the class also pushed the number of LFW alumni past 1,500 since its founding in 1983. Many alums have gone on to serve on or lead nonprofit boards, hold elected office, or run businesses.
LFW is an nine-month program that provides an in-depth view of the many facets of the community while developing each participant’s leadership skills. By developing these skills, participants are better prepared to positively impact the community and their workplaces.
Highlights of the program include behind-the-scenes tours of local landmarks, presentations by community leaders and leadership development experts, skills assessments, and Community Action Team projects that help local nonprofits solve real-world challenges. The Class of 2022 participated in monthly program days covering topics including community history, public safety, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. LFW participants can also gain additional leadership experience serving as intern board members for local nonprofits.
“This class is incredibly talented, and they are passionate about serving and improving our community,” said Meghan Short, director of investor programs at GFW Inc. “It has been an honor to watch them discover and develop their innate talents. I can’t wait to see them lead the way to a successful future for Allen County.”
Members of the Leadership Fort Wayne Class of 2022 and their sponsoring organizations are:
| Ramadan Abdul-Azeez Vera Bradley | Jamie Bankert 1st Source Bank | Kamron Bell Fort Wayne Fire Department Ambassador Enterprises LFW Alumni Donors |
| Thad Berkes Weigand Construction | Yusanda Blackmon Association of Fundraising Professionals – Northeast Indiana Chapter | Natalie Brown Lincoln Financial Group |
| Andrea Burton Fort Wayne Fire Department | Shonda Cann Frontier Communications LFW Alumni Donors | Bethany Clapper Purdue University Fort Wayne |
| Ashley Faurote Fort Wayne City Utilities | Andy Fenker AWS Foundation | Jessica Fogle Vera Bradley |
| Lee Fuhr Luminary Wealth | Morgan Galecki SCAN, Inc. | Sarah Gnagy St. Joseph Township |
| Joshua Hale City of New Haven | MarTeze Hammonds Purdue University Fort Wayne | Lindsay Hannah Greater Fort Wayne Inc. |
| Jeremiah Hatfield Design Collaborative | Prachi Hoffmeister Flagstar Bank | Trent Hogue City of Fort Wayne |
| Carrie Jones Lincoln Financial Group | Aaron Kennerk Catholic Community Foundation of Northeast Indiana | Seth Marshall PNC |
| Mason Metzger AWS Foundation | Francois Mikobi Cummins Inc. LFW Alumni Donors | Emily Owen Whittle Strategic Accounting |
| Josh Pulfer 3Rivers Federal Credit Union | Kelly Rentschler Indiana Michigan Power | Doug Robertson Fort Wayne-Allen County Airport Authority |
| Cassandra Rosene Visiting Nurse | Heather Rush Lutheran Health Network | Abeer Saeed Custer Inc. |
| Alan Scherer Sold by the Gold | Rob Schleinkofer Allied Payment Network | Elena Sierk Greater Fort Wayne Inc. |
| Laura Smith Sweetwater | Julia Stambaugh YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne LFW Alumni Donors | Jeremy Stoner Indiana Air National Guard 122nd Fighter Wing |
| Jon Stroud NIPSCO | Cammy Sutter (Self-sponsored) | Tammy Taylor Anthony Wayne Area Council – Boy Scouts of America |
| Todd Titus NewAllen Alliance LFW Alumni Donors | Jennifer Vanderpool Felderman Design-Build | Gary Wolf Flagstar Bank |
| Aric Young BFGoodrich |
Applications for the LFW Class of 2023 closed in October. Individuals interested in participating in the Class of 2024 can visit LeadershipFW.com or email leadership@gfwinc.com for more information about applying.
About Greater Fort Wayne Inc.
Greater Fort Wayne (GFW) Inc. serves Fort Wayne and Allen County, Indiana, as its primary point of contact for economic growth. GFW Inc. focuses on prosperity and community vibrancy through economic development, advocacy, programs and resources that support business success, leadership development, graduate retention and community engagement. To learn more, visit gfwinc.com.
