Jones County Chamber of Commerce announces 2013 Future Leaders of Jones County Class | Business

The following is a press release from the Jones County Chamber of Commerce:

The 2013 class of Future Leaders of Jones County was introduced Tuesday night at a reception at the Four.One.Five City Centre in downtown Laurel. Leadership Jones County Board member, George Bassi of the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, welcomed the class on this six month journey and encouraged participants to commit to the program and to each other as they develop their leadership and networking skills. Also welcoming the class during the reception were AEE representative Bob Billingsley of Sanderson Farms, Inc. and Pastor James Johnson Hill of Agape Church. Billingsley and Hill both commended the participants for their involvement in the program and charged each attendee to be more involved in effective community development for the future of Jones County.

Future Leaders of Jones County is a program of the Jones County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Authority of Jones County. Developed to identify and prepare the community’s future leadership resources, FLJC has provided Jones County with a network of current and emerging leaders who possess the skills and sense of commitment to improve our community.

Currently in its eighteenth year, the program begins in December, with a one day team building retreat and concludes in May with a graduation ceremony.  Monthly sessions are scheduled in various locations throughout Jones County including a session at the State Capitol in Jackson. Session topics include quality of life, state and local government, leadership skills training and more. 

In addition to leadership skills training, participants of the program will work in teams to identify, develop, fund and implement a community service project to benefit the Jones County community. Past projects have included initiatives such as enhancements at several ball fields, additions to the Jones County Library system, projects at Ellisville State School, beautification enhancements in Ellisville, Laurel and throughout the county as well as numerous other educational and beneficial programs for youth, teens and kids.

For additional information about Future Leaders of Jones County, contact the Chamber Director, Larkin Simpson, at (601) 649-3031 or email larkins@edajones.com.  Also, learn more about Leadership Jones County on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jonescountychamber.

PHOTO: The 2013 class participants are: (Jones County Home Educators) Patrick Lee Scoggin; (Laurel Christian School) Shelley Jones, Matthew Lisanby, Katie Pickering, Esther Tibbs; (Laurel High School) Victoria Evans, Kiambree Hayes, Jerry James; (West Jones High School) Erik Caves, Tori Gieger, Ma'Rhonda Ratcliff, Bert Rodriguez, Payton Roney, Ben Winpigler; (Northeast Jones High School) Emily Bedwell, Shelby Caraway, Bobbie Jo Davis, Sarah Grantham, Bayle Hayes, Kasie Hodge, Brittany Lee, Blake Stokes, Allison Wigley; (South Jones High School) Dru Elkins, Kaylie Flynt, Brayden Hodge, Paige Lawson, Dallas McKinnon, Jordan Parker, Alden Swindle