New Leadership Livermore Program Wraps Up The Year

I had the privilege of being part of the Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Livermore program a couple years ago. It's a nine-month program put on by the city's  in partnership with the , in which about 25 participants come together one day a month and get an inside look at our great city and build relationships with community leaders.

The program runs from September through May. It evolves each year right along with changes in the community and the way we all do business, and the chamber works hard to keep it fresh with new material. This year was no exception.

Just as it was when I attended, Local Government Day provided an inside look at our city government offices. The students had the opportunity to role play at a mock City Council meeting. Each of the participants was given a role: some were council members, residents with complaints or something to say and, of course, the mayor.

When I attended, I got to be "mayor" for an hour, sitting in Mayor Marshall Kamena's chair in the , and I can tell you that it's sure a lot harder than it looks!

New this year was Big Business Day, during which the class visited new chamber members Bridgelux and McGrath RentCorp, and members ended the day with a golf clinic at .

On Health and Human Services Day, participants toured the Multi Service Center, home of Axis Community Health Clinic and many other social services. They had lunch at Open Heart Kitchen's new location at the . This is one of the newest sessions, and one that everyone appreciates and learns from.

The latest and most exciting session is Safety and Judicial Law Day. This year, participants put on SWAT team gear and climbed a Livermore-Pleasanton fire engine's ladder. They ended the day at the Gale-Schenone Hall of Justice in Pleasanton, where they sat in Judge Hugh Walker's courtroom listening to several of his cases.

This month, the class will conclude with a visit to Sacramento, with a tour of the State Capitol and meeting with Sen. Loni Hancock, D-CA 9th District, and Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan, D-Alamo.

Leadership Livermore 2011-2012 Class

The Livermore Chamber of Commerce has opened registration for next year's class.

Each month you'll learn new things about the community, the city, local businesses and government. It's an excellent opportunity to connect with business leaders and government officials.

For more information, visit the Livermore Chamber website. Or call the chamber at 925-447-1606 and ask for Martha Espinoza.

There are a limited number of seats, so register early.