Leadership Mid Valley Class Underway

Leadership Mid Valley, sponsored by the Weslaco Area Chamber of Commerce, kicked off the program with a retreat held at Estero Llano Grande on January 6-7.  Leadership Mid Valley is designed to identify and motivate emerging leaders and develop their potential for community leadership by exposing them to the realities, opportunities and problems of the community. 

The retreat is held as a way for the group to become acquainted with one another, and it sets the tone for the purpose of the class.  Held at Estero Llano Grande, the retreat began on Friday evening with guest speaker Barbara Baggerly-Hinojosa, who presented on Servant Leadership and discussed ten qualities or practices that define good leadership.  The presentation was based on Baggerly-Hinojosa’s book Are You a Ten? The Ten Characteristics of a Servant Leader.  On Saturday, the group participated in a set of team building exercises led by Mike Buck, retired Texas State Technical College Vice President.

The first official class was the History course, held on Thursday, January 12.  Leadership Mid Valley students began the day at Estero Llano Grande, where they went on a tour of the park and learned about its history.  The next stop was the historic Villa de Cortez, where in addition to the history of the building, the class was treated to a lunch time presentation by Weslaco native Glen Housely.  Class participants then took a trolley tour of several Weslaco landmarks, including Tower Theater, the Skaggs House at Frontera Audubon, and Placita Plaza and ended the day with a tour of the Weslaco Museum.

This year’s Leadership Mid Valley Class VII participants are: James Enriquez, Edward Jones Investments; Laura Espinoza, Weslaco Chamber of Commerce; Rachel Luna; Esteban Mejia, Sky I.T. Solutions, Marisol Nunez, Dr. Gregoris Nunez; Luis Obregon, Valley Grande Institute for Academic Studies; Kyle O’Haver, Estero Llano Grande State Park; Cesar Ortega, Knapp Medical Center; Art Perez, Payne Weslaco; Veronica Solis Ramirez, City of Weslaco; Kathy Scheuerman, Aurora House and Sarah Williams, Frontera Audubon.

Pictured: Leadership Mid Valley Class VII held its retreat at Camp Thicket at Estero Llano Grande on January 6-7.  Leadership Mid Valley is designed to identify and motivate emerging leaders in the community.