LTC Alumni Exemplary Leadership Award



 

 

2008 LTCAA Exemplary Leadership Awards

 
 

The LTCAA Exemplary Leadership Award was introduced in 2006.  It was designed to honor an LTC alumni member who exemplifies, or as they say “walks the talk” leadership.  The award recognizes an alumni member for a specific achievement within their own field or more broadly in the community. 

 

This year, two outstanding LTC Alumni Association members were honored with LTCAA Exemplary Leadership Awards:


This award is given to an LTC graduate who has demonstrated continued leadership qualities in the community.  The 2008 recipients are John LaFemina and Connie Eckard.


John LaFemina

John, a graduate of Class V, is honored by the Leadership Tri-Cities Alumni Association for his proven leadership both on the job and within our community.
 

As President of the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club, John has helped lead the expansion of services provided by this organization.

John leads by example.  He takes the time to know the organization and where he can make a difference.   He is successful because John is not afraid to give of himself.  He understands the outside commitment it takes to oversee the operation, and has the organizational skills to let the workers do the work.

As a result, the Boys & Girls Club is not an organization sitting on past successes.  Change in the Executive Director position could have left the organization in some chaos, but the board was there to continue the guidance, and the Boys and Girls Club continues to be a shining example of service being provided to the whole community.

John has also done the ultimate in the LTC world, and that is to serve as President of the LTC Board and take a class through the process.

A donation has been made to the Boys & Girls Club of Benton and Franklin Counties in honor of John LaFemina receiving the Leadership Tri-Cities Alumni Association Exemplary Leadership Award.

Connie Eckard

Connie is a graduate of Class VII and works as a contractor in the communications field.  He has served on a variety of local boards of directors including:

Leadership Tri-Cities; Leadership Tri-Cities Alumni Association, board president 04-05; The ARC of the Tri-Cities, board president 99-03; National Management Association Hanford Chapter; Columbia Basin Texas A&M Club, president 99; Women in Communication Mid-Columbia Chapter, president 95-07; Northwest United Protestant Church,  board moderator 99-01, elder 95-97, 02-04; Richland Masonic Lodge, worshipful master 07; and Scottish Rite Bodies Kennewick Valley, venerable master 04.  He is also professionally active with the International Association of Business Communicators (received IABC Fellow award in June), the Society of Professional Journalists and he has judged national and international award competitions of IABC, WIC and SPJ.

Connie’s approach that has led to his many successes is to manage with openness in all situations, allowing all members of various governing bodies to have ownership in all decisions. All opinions are listened to, honored and respected. There is success because of his willingness to receive and consider input from others, and whenever possible, challenges are turned into opportunities.  Overall, the community benefits because of his focus on solutions rather than problems.

In honor of Connie Eckard receiving the Leadership Tri-Cities Alumni Association Exemplary Leadership Award, a donation has been made to The Arc of the Tri-Cities.