Rotarians learn of Leadership EXCEL program from alumni

Leadership EXCEL, a program offered by the Acadia Parish Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the Jeff Davis Chamber of Commerce, was the subject of a recent presentation heard by the Rotary Club of Crowley.
The topic was introduced by Rotarian Jackie Loewer, who read a number of quotes about leadership to the audience.
Rotarian Katie Chiasson, one of the founders of the program, which is now in its 27th year, provided a history of its development, explaining that EXCEL is an acronym for Experience in Community Enterprise and Leadership.
Chiasson said that the model is based on the premise that every citizen can function as a leader if equipped with the right tools – communication, problem-solving, working with groups, etc. – and have a knowledge of their community.
Rotarian Michael Doughty told the group of his experience as a member of a recent Leadership EXCEL class.
Each year up to 25 participants are selected to participate in an 11-month educational program that consists of a two-day orientation and Simulated Society exercise, followed by 10 monthly day-long sessions.
Doughty said that when his class participated in the Simulated Society exercise it became chaotic and he realized “there’s constant give and take that has to happen.”
He told the group that his personal favorite session was the one focused on agriculture. Despite having grown up here in the midst of the rice industry, he said that he learned a lot from Dustin Harrell, who talked about the role of the LSU AgCenter; Alan Lawson, a local multi-generational farmer; and John Morgan, vice president of Supreme Rice Mill.
The location and format of each session is different. Topics addressed during the year include workforce and education, economic development, criminal justice, regionalism, arts and culture, civic engagement and leadership development.
Rotarian Suzy Webb completed the presentation by explaining how to apply for Leadership EXCEL.
For more information, visit https://acadiaparishchamber.org/leadership-excel/ or call (337) 788-0177.