Suwanee Residents in Leadership Gwinnett Program

Suwanee Council Member Dick Goodman and attorney Beth Hilscher have been named to the newest class of Leadership Gwinnett, a program by the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce.

Also chosen was Melissa Burton of Suwanee-based Annanadale Village.

The 40 participants of the 2011-12 Class of Leadership Gwinnett were chosen from nearly 800 nominations for the nine-month experience (August-May), according to an announcement by the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce.

Leadership Gwinnett alumni selected the final group based on work experience, accomplishments, community involvement, education, and other information. This group will be the 27th Leadership Gwinnett class.

The leadership training includes two overnight retreats and seven one-day symposia covering topics such as world-class community, infrastructure, economics, education, health and human services, justice and regional relations. The group will also participate in monthly study groups and other activities.

“Leadership Gwinnett has been a tremendous success for our county. Since the program’s inception in 1985, over 800 alumni have taken their places in our community as decision makers and role models,” Jim Maran, president and CEO of the Gwinnett Chamber, stated in the announcement. “Leadership graduates can be found in every aspect of Gwinnett business, civic and cultural life,” he said.

This year’s class will be led by the Gwinnett Chamber’s new Leadership and Education Director Lisa Zaken, a 2005 graduate of Leadership Gwinnett. “I look forward to supporting the mission of Leadership Gwinnett – to educate, equip, and engage leaders to serve and strengthen Gwinnett County and the region,” said Zaken.

Goodman also is on the board of the Gwinnett County Public Library, and Hilscher is a member of the Suwanee Downtown Development Authority. 

The 2011 – 2012 Leadership Gwinnett Class includes:

• Ruth Bettandorff, University of Georgia, Gwinnett Campus
• Susan Boland Butts, Hi-Hope Service Center, Inc.
• Joy Bolt, Georgia Gwinnett College
• Kyle Bowen, Development Planning & Engineering, Inc.
• Cliff Bray, Westbrook, McGrath, Bridges, Orth & Bray
• Melissa Burton, Annandale Village
• Kevin Carmichael, Georgia Chamber of Commerce
• Brian Carmony, Andersen Tate & Carr, P.C.
• Jackson Chang, Golden Seed International Group
• Jay Dennard, Gwinnett Medical Center
• Samuel Donley, Fifth Third Bank
• Dick Goodman, Suwanee City Council
• Kristen Griffin, Merial
• Stephanie Hills, Cisco Systems, Inc.
• Beth Hilscher, Beth S. Hilscher, P.C.
• Tom Jackson, Eastside Medical Center
• Debbie Kalec, RBC Bank
• Laurie Ann Kimbrell, American Red Cross
• Dan Kniffen, Drew, Eckl & Farnham
• Chris Earnest, E2E Benefit Services, Inc.
• Greg Lahatte, Gwinnett County Public Schools
• Tim Le, Exit Realty Platinum
• P.K. Martin, Hood Insurance Agency, Inc.
• Molly McAuliffe, Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology
• David McNeill, 4th Strand, LLC
• Steve Moyers, Gwinnett Technical College
• Ron Osterloh, Pond & Company
• Jaye Peabody, Covenant Counseling & Family Resource Center
• Stephen Pereira, Thompson & Sweeney, P.C.
• John Reidy, O’Brien & Gere Engineers, Inc.
• Ken Rutherford, Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce
• Ed Shaddix, North Gwinnett High School
• Kelly Sloan, Georgia United Credit Union
• Anne Soutter, Primerica
• Richard Steele, Gwinnett County Office of the Tax Commissioner
• Alex Villasana, Christos Community Church
• Kendra Washington-Bass, Gwinnett County Public Schools
• Mark Willis, Georgia School Boards Association
• Lisa Winton, Winton Machine Company
• Latabia Woodward, Southern Company