History

In a 1982 survey of community opinion leaders, the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce asked respondents to comment on leadership development within the Green Bay area. These people sensed a lack of leadership among potential leaders, or at least reluctance among new people to assume leadership roles.

The chamber's board of directors addressed this issue twice during 1983: first at a planning conference and again during the accreditation process. Out of this came a recommendation to develop a formalized leadership program.

The purpose of the program, which came to be called Leadership Green Bay, was defined in terms of:

• identifying and developing potential leaders
• acquainting these leaders with community needs and problems
• offering alternatives for dealing with these needs and problems
• preparing and challenging them to become involved.

Now in its 26th year, Leadership Green Bay has introduced more than 850 program graduates into the community.