Deadline to Apply for LAUNCH Approaches

Applications Accepted Until Oct. 31

The Ohio AgriBusiness Association will select no more than 30 promising leaders to participate in a leadership enhancement program in early 2015.

Knowing that half our workforce could retire in the next 15 years, Leaders Achieving Unexpected New Career Heights, or LAUNCH, was designed to help inspire confidence in emerging leaders to help them achieve career growth and their organization’s strategic goals. Earlier this year, 18 participants from 14 different organizations graduated from our second LAUNCH class.

“The LAUNCH program made it possible to further my knowledge in the Ag industry and allowed me to network with a great group of people,” said Alex Denman, Trupointe Branch Manager and 2014 LAUNCH participant. “Staying in contact with fellow classmates from the LAUNCH program has enabled me to continuously learn. The benefits from this program have made me a better co-worker, manager, and leader.”

“The recruitment and retention of exceptional employees is crucial to the future success of Ohio’s agribusinesses,” said Chris Henney, OABA President and CEO. "The LAUNCH program has seen tremendous success in not only developing participants' career skills, but also in adding value to their sponsoring agribusinesses. It's a win-win for everyone involved, including the state's agriculture industry."

The LAUNCH program will consist of two sessions: January 6-8 and February 17-19. The program will cover a variety of topics, including personal insight and diversity in thinking styles, management skills and decision making, communication and presentation skills, global issues in agriculture, sales and marketing principles, Ohio/regional trends in agribusiness, strategic planning, critical thinking, goal setting and organizational skills, state and local government, and a capstone project.

To be considered, participants must be employed by a member company/organization of the Ohio AgriBusiness Association, must be sponsored by their employer, and must submit an application and letter of recommendation. The application form is available at www.oaba.net. The deadline to apply is October 31, 2014.

For more information and to see what 2014 participants are saying about LAUNCH, go to oaba.net/events or contact Margo Long at 614-326-7520 or mlong@oaba.net.