Monthly Piece Published in the Reading Eagle- July

The graduating class of 2023 — this will be the 30th year of the TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce Leadership TriCounty program. It will see our 21st class graduate and those graduates will join the 250+ professionals that have already graduated from our program. The program begins in September and the class of 2023 will graduate in June of 2023. 

On Thursday, June 9 we celebrated the accomplishments of the class of 2022! This class was our return to offering the program. Due to the unfortunate circumstances of the pandemic we chose not to offer a class during the September 2020-June 2021 time-frame of the 10-month program. We were excited about the continued popularity of the program and we were thankful for the support of the 17 people that made up the class of 2022. They benefited from a great experience but we also appreciated their flexibility as we still encountered situations where the program flipped from in-person sessions to virtual sessions instead and sometimes at the last minute. 

At the TriCounty Chamber 9 in 5 Membership Breakfast on June 9, each member of the class of 2022 shared with our attendees the most impactful moment from their 10-month participation in this leadership development focused program offered through the TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation Inc.

Each participant shared the personal impact that either an exercise, a speaker, or an in-person tour had on them and their leadership development. The breakfast program was enjoyed by those in attendance and generated a great deal of interest from those unfamiliar with the program, wanting to learn more, and considering being a member of the class of 2023.

Leadership TriCounty is a financial commitment, with a separate tuition fee above and beyond chamber membership dues. In addition, it is a 10-month commitment that the class participants commit to; and their employers support that the class is out of their work environment for one full day per month from September to June. However, the reputation that the program has, shows the value that our local employers know the program brings to their company.

Everyone wins with Leadership TriCounty: 

How Participants Benefit: 

Increased understanding of the tri-county area through site tours and meetings with local elected officials and businesspeople; enhanced leadership skills; improved public speaking skills through presentations during the program; development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills; expansion of an informed network of colleagues; and improved team building skills through group projects.

How Organizations Benefit: 

Strengthened employee skills through training in leadership and strategic thinking; increased visibility and access to community leaders and resources; encourages employee volunteerism and leadership through exposure to the variety of community and nonprofit organizations that service the tri-county area; expanded leadership and critical thinking abilities, which will result in improved and confident decision makers for your company. 

And our community benefits by having another group of business professionals now knowledgeable and passionate about our local nonprofits and the projects, missions, etc. of those organizations.

For more information on the Leadership TriCounty program or joining the class of 2023, please contact me at 610-326-2900 or eileen@tricountyareachamber.com.

Participants in the TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce Leadership TriCounty class of 2022: