Leadership Academy

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Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader success is all about growing others” ~ Jack Welsch

Our Leadership Academy is designed to provide a holistic understanding of the Sycamore Area and is suitable for emerging leaders and leaders new to the area.

Our mission is to engage professionals in the business and civic life of our community by providing a platform for leadership and professional development and significant opportunities for growth and exposure.  We have had 207 graduate from our Academy since its inception in 2011.

WE WILL . . .

  • Develop and improve leadership skills and knowledge, sharpen critical skills essential for creating engaged professionals, and effective community leaders.
  • Deliver programs that inspire attitudes and desires to strengthen our community and create a heightened awareness of the needs and challenges that affect our community.
  • Empower professionals with the opportunity to build a network and create relationships with community leaders and professionals from throughout Sycamore.
  • Advocate for the relationship between business, education, nonprofit, government, and community leaders.
  • Build a better future for the Sycamore area by developing informed and effective, dedicated leaders with a truly vested interest in our community.

Registration Forms for the Leadership Academy are taken annually but must be completed and returned to Chamber by January 10th.  

Leadership Academy Graduates

Our 2024 LeaDERSHIP aCADEMY cLASS IS pRESENTED bY fOSTER bUICK aTTORNEYS aT lAW

  • Pamela Castillo
    Opportunity House, Inc.
  • Nicole Patterson
    Resource Bank
  • Beth Ganion
    Safe Passage
  • Gavin Forsberg
    CMJ IT Solutions
  • Leigh Cregier
    Old National Bank
  • Tim Bryant
    OLT Marketing, Inc.
  • William Turner
    Sycamore Park District
  • Brianna Holloway
    Opportunity House, Inc.
  • Carl Richards
    Resource Bank
  • Reed Kousoulas
    Crum-Halsted Agency
  • Vahn Kongkousonh
    Foster Buick Attorneys at Law
  • Gayle Ornelas
    FNBO
  • Noah Forsberg
    Heartland Bank & Trust

CLASS OF 2023

  • Benjamin Meier
    DeKalb County Circuit Clerk’s Office
  • Kim McIver
    Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County
  • Jessica Lingle
    City of Sycamore
  • Rachel Sauber
    Sycamore Education Foundation
  • Michele Dvorak
    Gehrke Construction, Inc.
  • Tracy Kelsey
    Pay-It-Forward House
  • Cami Loving
    Voluntary Action Center
  • Nathan Erickson
    School Tool Box
  • Jeramie Hendricks
    School Tool Box
  • Ashlee Weaver
    Sycamore Chamber of Commerce
  • Phil Meyers
    The Suter Company
  • Carlos Torres
    The Suter Company
  • Kelsey Graham
    Sycamore Public Library
  • Camon Anderson
    Old National Bank
  • Laura Bucaro
    Heartland Bank & Trust
  • Matt Nelson
    Resource Bank
  • Alissa Pinne
    Foster & Buick Attorneys at Law
  • Alex Tobias
    FNBO

Class of 2022

  • Darby Henke
    DeKalb County States Attorneys Office
  • Kendall Hampton
    Foster & Buick Attorneys at Law
  • Andrew Miller
    Old National Bank
  • Rachel Broderick
    Northwestern Medicine
  •  Jose Guevara
    The Suter Company
  • Robert Meinert
    Heartland Bank & Trust
  • Eva Berggren
    First National Bank
  • Katherine Watson Spearman
    Opportunity House
  • Madelyn Bohne
    Suter Company
  • Edward Valdez
    Sycamore Parks Foundation
  • Chas Goodell
    Pest Control Consultants
  • Christina Lamphere
    Circuit Court DeKalb County
  • Liam Sullivan
    DeKalb County Government
  • Aaron Miller
    Nicor Gas
  • Samantha Sundquist
    Sycamore Public Library
  • Eric Anstedt
    Edward Jones
  • Grace Faszczewski
    Foster & Buick Attorneys at Law
  • Hannah Davekos
    First Midwest Bank
  • Natalie Sheehan
    Northwestern Medicine
  • Justin Genz
  •  Suleyma Perea
    The Suter Company
  • Cal Mendez
    Heartland Bank & Trust
  • Devyn Grzywa
    First National Bank
  • Johanna Blocker
    Opportunity House
  • Matthew Kula
    Suter Company
  • Kelly Gillespie
    Express Employment Professionals DeKalb
  • Caitlin Teague
    NIU
  • Tony Trott
    The Suter Company
  • Kelly McGee
    Heartland Bank & Trust
  • Johanna Page
    First National Bank
  • Kimberly Kahl
    Opportunity House
  • Brenna Sierra
    First Midwest Bank
  • Kim Halsey
    Sycamore Public Library
  • Marc Hooks
    DeKalb County Community Foundation
  • Lacey Benedeck
    Sycamore Chamber of Commerce
  • Carrie Thompson
    Foster Buick Attorneys at Law
  • Anthony McMahon
    The Lincoln Inn
  • Theresa Tevsh
    Sycamore Park District
  • Heather DuVall
    Pay-It-Forward House
  • Brooke Schrieber
    Ramp
  • Miriam Tellez
    The Suter Company
  • Nick Reineck
    Sycamore School District
  • Steven Sulaver
    Heartland Bank & Trust
  • Tauna Willis
    Blackhawk Moving & Storage
  • Rebecca Myers
    Kish Health Systems Physician Group
  • Jill Barczak
    Blumen Gardens
  • Robert Heck
    First National Bank
  • Tasha Sims
    DeKalb County Government
  • Linda Korjan
    Opportunity House
  • Maury Dobbel
    First Midwest Bank
  • Jesse Butz
    Sycamore Public Library
  • Kyle Moore
    Walgreens in Sycamore
  • Mayra Vazquez
    ICCU
  • Jess Harrill
    Foster, Buick, Conklin, & Lundgren, LLC.
  • Josephine Fairall
    The Suter Company
  • Darcy Eggleson
    Sycamore School District
  • Natasha Beaumont
    Illinois Community Credit Union
  • Haley Gerdes
    Heartland Bank & Trust
  • Alyson Shipley
    DeKalb County Circuit Clerks Office
  • Shelby Huffman
    Shaw Media
  • Anna Schelkopf
    DeKalb County Farm Bureau
  • Anna Hart
    Foster, Buick, Conklin, Lundgren, & Tritt, LLC
  • Malwina Bardoni
    Midwest Museum of Natural History
  • Coral Ware
    Bethany Animal Hospital
  • Jessica Bacon
    Kishwaukee Family YMCA
  • Shawna Bennett
    School Tool Box
  • Erin Clark
    Shodeen Homes
  • William Finney
    Syndeo Networks, Inc.
  • Amber Floersch
    Illinois Community Credit Union
  • Eli Hamingson
    Blackhawk Moving and Storage Inc.
  • Leah Jordal
    Voluntary Action Center
  • Mike King
    CMJ Technologies
  • Cindy Khatri
    Midwest Museum of Natural History
  • Leslie Latimer
    Blumen Gardens
  • Stephanie Liesse
    KishHealth System
  • Terra Potts
    KishHealth System
  • Sarah Rex
    Sycamore Park District
  • Carlos Aburto 
    Kishwaukee Family YMCA
  • Bryce Law
    Kishwaukee College
  • Melissa Dobberstein
    Sycamore Park District
  • Trevor Holbert
    Blumen Gardens
  • Brittani Holliday
    First Midwest Bank
  • Ryan Janisch 
    Sycamore School District
  • Kelcie Robinson 
    Sharp Architects
  • Rebecca Zantout 
    DeKalb County Community Foundation
  • Jill Dubicz-Carter 
    Sycamore Public Library
  • Samantha Slagle
    Home Instead Senior Care
  • Tina Vavra  
    Le Print/New Values Magazine
  • Chris Botts
    Syndeo Networks, Inc.
  • Sarah Meyer
    Tom & Jerry’s of Sycamore
  • Noel Bradac
    Driv-Lok, Inc.
  • Holly Peifer
    Family  Service Agency
  • Amanda Wielgus
    Klein, Stoddard, Buck & Lewis
  • Brandon Haas
    National Bank & Trust Company
  • Courtney Cox
    City of Sycamore
  • Lucas Goucher
    NB&T
  • Michelle Jones
    Kishwaukee College
  • Emily Sahly
    School Tool Box, Llc.
  • Patrick McMillion
    Adventure Works
  • Cricket Wise
    Blumen Gardens
  • Zachry Downing
    State Farm Insurance
  • Dave Stouffer
  • Lesley Webster
    Kishwaukee Family YMCA
  • Rachel Beach
    Kishwaukee Family YMCA
  • Lisa White
    Sycamore Park District
  • Lesley Feyerherm
    Kishwaukee Family YMCA
  • Heather Eade
    Kishwaukee Family YMCA
  • Micah Stoddard
    Jeff Keicher- State Farm
  • Nate McClelland
    Driv-Lok Inc.
  • Nicholas Hamik
    American Midwest Bank
  • Laura Nolan
    Family Service Agency
  • Kathryn Piper
    Blumen Gardens
  • Gerrit Schrant
    Dairy Dogs
  • Tara Knull
    Northern Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine
  • Sandra Maahs
    Foster and Buick Law Group
  • Emily Roberts
    KishHealth System
  • Justin Elliot
    Clean USA
  • Megan Merchant
    NB&T
  • Kara Gallagher
    Kishwaukee YMCA
  • Scott Kelly
    Country Financial
  • Dana Chaplin
    Driv-Lok
  • Staci Hoste
    NPR
  • Christy Sharp
    KEC
  • Sarah Vize
    KEC
  • Julie Jordal
    American National Bank of DeKalb County
  • Jon Kuhn
    Banner Up
  • Ryan Kralka
    AlphaGraphics
  • Courtney Denison
    Family Service Agency
  • Adam Orton
    City of Sycamore
  • Lauren Diehl
    Sycamore Chamber
  • Todd Vanatta
    Northern Rehab and Sports Med
  • Chad Jewett
    CMJ Technologies
  • Josh Kruis
    Sparkle Janitorial
  • Jenna Cooper
    Foster & Buick Law Firm
  • Justin Yahnig
    The National Bank & Trust Company