By Amanda DePerro, communications manager
On Nov. 9-13, the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce’s EPIC Toledo, northwest Ohio’s largest young professional organization, held its annual Leadership Summit presented by Buckeye Broadband. This year has been full of changes and surprises, and this year’s Leadership Summit was no different. The event, which is typically held on one day in fall, this year filled an entire week of leadership development, networking and exciting virtual sessions.
The week kicked off on Nov. 9 with Leadership Summit Chair Malena Caruso’s Becoming Mentally Resilient to Change. The event focused on rebalancing your life when it gets knocked off course by unexpected challenges – a common theme for many young professionals this year. Caruso discussed meditation and breathing exercises to help attendees mentally prepare for any changes in their lives.
Leadership Summit presented by Buckeye Broadband continued with Real Good Ventures’ Sara Best, who presented The Leader Rebuild. Best used a car as an example: You might regularly tune up your car by rotating its tires, getting its oil changed, and fixing parts here and there. These tune ups are a way to prevent a major malfunction. So, shouldn’t we be doing the same with ourselves? Best talked attendees through how to “diagnose” any problem areas in our professional and personal lives and how to address any issues that are slowing us down or hindering our performance.
Kirby Brendsel, assistant vice president of Welltower, welcomed attendees to the first event of Nov. 10 with Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace. Brendsel discussed how to encourage inclusivity and diversity in attendees’ own organizations and talked the importance of creating a work environment where everyone feels welcome and heard.
Leadership Summit presented by Buckeye Broadband continued with Real Good Ventures’ Sara Best, who presented The Leader Rebuild. Best used a car as an example: You might regularly tune up your car by rotating its tires, getting its oil changed, and fixing parts here and there. These tune ups are a way to prevent a major malfunction. So, shouldn’t we be doing the same with ourselves? Best talked attendees through how to “diagnose” any problem areas in our professional and personal lives and how to address any issues that are slowing us down or hindering our performance.
Kirby Brendsel, assistant vice president of Welltower, welcomed attendees to the first event of Nov. 10 with Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace. Brendsel discussed how to encourage inclusivity and diversity in attendees’ own organizations and talked the importance of creating a work environment where everyone feels welcome and heard.
“I learned a lot about the topics through the speakers, and about communicating and understanding more of how younger minds think and do business. The stress relievers were a gift during this time of COVID. Thank you for a wonderful experience.” |
Co-founding partner of Zingerman’s Ari Weinzweig followed up with a session on Visioning. Have you ever thought about what you want in five years? In 10 years? Are you really on a path to achieve those goals? Those were questions Weinzweig was once asked by a mentor, and he realized he didn’t know how to answer. Inspired by this conversation, Weinzweig created Visioning as a tool to clarify what is most important to us and how to better utilize our resources and time to achieve the future we want.
Leadership Summit welcomed Dr. Patrice McClellan, or Dr. P, to discuss Doing the Right Thing: Allyship and Advocacy at Work, on Nov. 11. Dr. P educated attendees on the matrix of oppression and how this impacts our daily lives, even if we don’t realize it; the barriers that prevent many of us from becoming an ally; and the journey toward being an ally for any given community. We learned how to stand for equity rather than oppression and how to challenge prejudicial messages – not reinforce them.
Nov. 11 attendees then talked to each other in smaller groups to engage in meaningful conversations in the Leadership Summit breakout sessions. Attendees chose between Parenting in a Pandemic, during which panelists discussed challenges they’re facing with childcare, schooling and other parenting challenges during the pandemic; Freelancing + Gig Economy, in which Stough and Stough Architects’ Lyndsey Stough led a discussion on turning your passion project or side hustle into a business; and 10 Ways to Improve Your Wellbeing, which gave attendees tangible tools to improve their wellbeing that day.
Nov. 12 followed up with Toledo Mindfulness Institute’s Jenn McCullough’s Mindfulness Practice for Positivity and Equanimity During Challenging Times. McCullough expanded on the ideas introduced in our first session, including how to be mindful and present rather than zoned out or escaping. With these tools, McCullough helped attendees to spark their creativity, affirm what actually works rather than what might feel good in the moment and learn to nourish themselves in the future.
Leadership Summit welcomed Dr. Patrice McClellan, or Dr. P, to discuss Doing the Right Thing: Allyship and Advocacy at Work, on Nov. 11. Dr. P educated attendees on the matrix of oppression and how this impacts our daily lives, even if we don’t realize it; the barriers that prevent many of us from becoming an ally; and the journey toward being an ally for any given community. We learned how to stand for equity rather than oppression and how to challenge prejudicial messages – not reinforce them.
Nov. 11 attendees then talked to each other in smaller groups to engage in meaningful conversations in the Leadership Summit breakout sessions. Attendees chose between Parenting in a Pandemic, during which panelists discussed challenges they’re facing with childcare, schooling and other parenting challenges during the pandemic; Freelancing + Gig Economy, in which Stough and Stough Architects’ Lyndsey Stough led a discussion on turning your passion project or side hustle into a business; and 10 Ways to Improve Your Wellbeing, which gave attendees tangible tools to improve their wellbeing that day.
Nov. 12 followed up with Toledo Mindfulness Institute’s Jenn McCullough’s Mindfulness Practice for Positivity and Equanimity During Challenging Times. McCullough expanded on the ideas introduced in our first session, including how to be mindful and present rather than zoned out or escaping. With these tools, McCullough helped attendees to spark their creativity, affirm what actually works rather than what might feel good in the moment and learn to nourish themselves in the future.
“I really enjoyed the topics covered and the speakers who presented at Leadership Summit this year. I learned so much and I am working on integrating them into my daily life.” |
Then, Houston Young and Christie Taylor of Owens Corning’s Diversity and Inclusion team took the virtual stage for Allyship and How to Engage in Courageous Conversations. For newcomers to the conversation, talking about diversity can be uncomfortable and challenging, but Young and Taylor says these conversations are vital in ensuring not just that everyone has a seat at the table, but that everyone sitting there has a voice that is heard, considered and valued.
Nov. 12 ended with a Happy Hour with Fifth Third Bank’s Alex Gerken. Gerken, a former EPIC Toledo member himself, offered advice to young professionals in attendance and discussed what helped him on his journey to become the leader he is today.
On Nov. 13, the final day of Leadership Summit presented by Buckeye Broadband, EPIC Toledo was joined by Mark Ostach (and a furry friend!) for Courage to Connect. In a world that is right now filled with social distance, masked faces and lots of screens, it’s as important as ever to be courageous in showing empathy, emotion, and restoring your own and others’ energies. Ostach led a truly emotional and restorative session – the perfect way to end a week filled with discovery, passion and personal growth.
As 2021 approaches, reflecting on the challenges and successes of 2020 was key to the success of Leadership Summit 2020. With mental health challenges related to the pandemic and heightened conversations regarding inclusion and diversity in the workplace, we look forward to seeing what our young professionals do next.
Nov. 12 ended with a Happy Hour with Fifth Third Bank’s Alex Gerken. Gerken, a former EPIC Toledo member himself, offered advice to young professionals in attendance and discussed what helped him on his journey to become the leader he is today.
On Nov. 13, the final day of Leadership Summit presented by Buckeye Broadband, EPIC Toledo was joined by Mark Ostach (and a furry friend!) for Courage to Connect. In a world that is right now filled with social distance, masked faces and lots of screens, it’s as important as ever to be courageous in showing empathy, emotion, and restoring your own and others’ energies. Ostach led a truly emotional and restorative session – the perfect way to end a week filled with discovery, passion and personal growth.
As 2021 approaches, reflecting on the challenges and successes of 2020 was key to the success of Leadership Summit 2020. With mental health challenges related to the pandemic and heightened conversations regarding inclusion and diversity in the workplace, we look forward to seeing what our young professionals do next.
Thank you again to our sponsors. Without you, EPIC Toledo’s Leadership Summit 2020 presented by Buckeye Broadband would not have been possible.
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