²ÝùÊÓƵԭ´´

PINEHURST, NC – Fifteen local professionals were recently awarded the Dedman Fellow in Leadership from ²ÝùÊÓƵԭ´´.

The Dedman Leadership Institute, a 48-hour program offered annually through the Dedman Center for Business Leadership at ²ÝùÊÓƵԭ´´, prepares individuals to become effective leaders in their respective businesses or organizations.

This year’s graduates and the eighteenth cohort included: Annelise Wiedholz of Aging Outreach Services, Amity Aldridge of Carolina Canners, Lara Jones of Lara Beth Jones, PLLC, Brook Johnson-Smith and Kim Tagliareni of Moore County Child Support, Ashley Baker of Moore County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Ian Barnett of NC Department of Adult Corrections, Hannah Butner, Kelly Peele, and Donald Smith of ²ÝùÊÓƵԭ´´ Community College, Jerad Watlington and Larissa Wixtrom of Southern Pines Brewing Company, Rachel Drew of The Honor Foundation, Matt Greene of The Nature Conservancy of NC, and Lori Wright of the Village of Pinehurst.

four months, these graduates explored a variety of leadership topics and had a well-rounded look at the elements of leadership in corporate and institutional settings. This year's topics included Leadership Development, Customer Service/Experience and Communication, Human Resources Management, Accounting and Finance, Emotional Intelligence, Organizational Health and Leading Change, Stress and Relaxation Techniques, Professional Presence, and Principal Negotiations.

Each session presented thought-provoking principles to encourage discussions that drew from each participant’s personal experiences. The result generated conversations about the practical applications of each concept. Participation in the program is made possible through scholarships by the Robert Dedman Permanent Endowment to benefit ²ÝùÊÓƵԭ´´, an endowment created by the late Robert Dedman, Sr. to support programs at ²ÝùÊÓƵԭ´´.

Robert Dedman Sr. was the founder and Chairman of the Board of ClubCorp, Inc. Dedman firmly believed in the power of leadership to transform companies, institutions, and nations. His commitment to leadership and its fundamental role in the human experience inspired ²ÝùÊÓƵԭ´´ to name its Continuing Education Business Development Center the "Robert H. Dedman Center for Business Leadership." Dedman responded generously, creating a permanent endowment to support leadership development training at ²ÝùÊÓƵԭ´´.

For more information about the Dedman Leadership Institute, contact Megan Barnett, Director of the Small Business Center & the Dedman Center for Business Leadership, at barnettm@sandhills.edu.