The Swainsboro/Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce has announced the names of participants selected for this fall’s “2011 Leadership Emanuel” class. 
     Selected for the class are Neil Shah, Lois Clark, John Thrift, Dennis Jones, Matt Henry, Beau Gunn, Tammy Wilkes, Dustin Vernon, Byrant Lewis, Jean Marie Cadle, Maria Daniels, Wanda Ellison, Jen Meadows, Rev. Eugene Davis, Lynn Brinson, Amy Carter, Greg Waters, Michelle Hutcheson, Trip Fitzner, and Kenny Griffin.    
     Earlier in the year, the Chamber was awarded two grants from The University of Georgia’s Fanning Institute and Mill Creek Foundation. The grants were made available to assist the chamber with efforts to implement a leadership program for Emanuel County. This marks the third leadership class initiative in four years sponsored by the chamber.   
     “This is probably the most important program the chamber undertakes. The goal of the program is to create a level of sustained leadership for Emanuel County,” stated Bill Rogers Jr., chamber president. “The program will focus on session topics such as communicating effectively, understanding community strengths and weaknesses, a community leader’s role in economic development, and understanding local government”.   
      The class is scheduled to begin on Tuesday night, September 6, with a 6 p.m. kickoff dinner at the Sudie A. Fulford Learning Center followed by nine classes on consecutive Tuesday nights.

Schedule of classes is as follows: