Businesses learn to connect with communities

Kate Campbell, Staff Writer, Daily Local News (Philadelphia)
8/4/2003

Andy Hartnett, chief executive officer of Symmetry Consulting in Downingtown, became involved last year with preserving the culture and combating the oppression of an ancient Guatemalan tribe.

"They"re one of the families of the Maya. They face discrimination and brutal treatment in Central America," he said.

At the same time that he joined the board of Q"eqchi Partners Inc. in 2002, he also enrolled in the Chester County Leadership Connection (CCLC), a course developed to train effective board members for nonprofit organizations.

"I wanted to get a better handle on how to be more successful with getting involved in nonprofit organizations. I didn"t think I was maximizing the experience for the nonprofit or myself," Hartnett said.

This October, the collaboration between United Way of Chester County, the Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry and West Chester University will begin its third year of training board members for nonprofit organizations.

Sean Reynolds, manager of community initiatives for United Way of Chester County, hopes to enroll 30 trainees for the program that spans 11 sessions from October to May.

A 2003 alumnus of the training program, Hartnett said he hopes to expand his community service to include health-related charities and credits the course with melding his business sense and altruistic spirit.

"After having thought about my charitable, community-based activities as being an addition to my work experience, the Chester County Leadership Connection allowed me to understand the link between business skills, my personal interests and the true meaning of nonprofit board governance," Hartnett said. "As a result, my work experience is more fulfilling and my community interests benefit from the full range of my skills."

The 36 other graduates of the program include a West Chester University administrator, a business attorney, a manager at QVC, a director of Planned Parenthood and a minister.

"The more diverse class we have, the better," Reynolds said.

Organizers said that employees sponsored by their companies join community-minded citizens in learning the same communication and leadership skills offered at corporate seminars with the addition of fundraising, strategic planning and diversity education. Reynolds said that CCLC trainees will also learn about personal responsibility as a board member and discover how to identify the needs of a community that can be filled by nonprofit organizations -- namely food, shelter and medical care.

"With new corporate parks, people can just drive to work and drive home. This exposes them to different parts of the county," Reynolds said.

A bus tour of Chester County, held on the second session of the course, exposes trainees to areas outside their own socioeconomic status.

Organizers said that the program will sharpen trainees" business skills as well as teach them to apply business strategies to their charitable work. Graduates will be placed with the organizations that most fit their talents and interests.

Reynolds said that graduates have been placed with organizations as diverse as the Crime Victims" Center of Chester County, the Police Athletic League and the Great Valley Nature Center.

Arthur Zadrozny, executive director of Safe Harbor of Greater West Chester, which provides food, shelter and counseling to the homeless, said that CCLC has provided a valuable service to the county by increasing the supply of people interested in being board members and by training effective fund-raisers.

"A board needs some degree of turnover with fresh perspectives -- fresh ideas," he said. "If we don"t have the financial base set, the community is ultimately going to suffer."

The Crime Victims" Center of Chester County has had an alumnus on its board for more than a year, and Peggy Gusz, executive director of the center, said that program graduates receive comprehensive training as board members.

"This job isn"t making sure that things get done, but that the things getting done are the right things -- things the community needs in terms of health," she said. "They (graduates) understand the responsibilities, not that it looks good on a resume."

Jerry Parsons, president of Communications Test Design Inc. (CTDI), a global telecommunications service and engineering company based in East Goshen that maintains 25 facilities around the world, also serves on the board of directors for United Way and initiated sponsorship of the CCLC by his company. He said that four CTDI employees have graduated from the course.

"CTDI encourages employees to make a commitment to get involved with the community -- it's part of our culture. It seemed like a great opportunity to train employees to get involved with local boards and organizations," Parsons said.

He said that his employees have been "very active" with nonprofit organizations.

"There's a good need to fill the void of having educated people that could become available for nonprofit organizations -- a good niche that the Leadership Connection is trying to fill," Parsons said. "Nonprofit organizations are looking for good experienced volunteers on that level."

Applications for the tuition-based training course are available at www.ccleadershipconnection.org.