History of Leadership Fort Smith

"The single defining quality of leaders is the capacity to create and realize a vision."

Warren Bennis

In 1986, the editor of the Southwest Times Record wrote in his column:

Leadership training is badly needed. But we must remember that leadership training does not produce robots. Out of such efforts comes the ability of people to work together on one issue, while opposing one another on something else. Increased community awareness, discussion and interest in issues and candidates almost always provide positive results. And things do happen for the better. Until the people of this area are willing to accept the criticism, risks, failures, and victories that come from leadership, Fort Smith will be less of the city it can and should be. We urge people to get involved, learn the tools of leadership and use them effectively and positively.

Jack Moseley, who had been a participant in "Forum Fort Worth," recommended that Westark Community College establish a community leadership development program. He also strongly urged the Chamber of Commerce to support such a program. As a result, a committee composed of Larry Clark, Strib Boynton, David Olive, Jack Moseley, Richard Sugg, Joel Stubblefield, and Sandi Sanders, was formed to create the program.

Dr. Sandi Sanders was designated as the executive director, and Westark, now the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, agreed to provide both the initial financial support and in-kind support. The Chamber of Commerce agreed to serve as co-sponsor. A board of directors was selected to oversee the program, and a part-time coordinator was hired. The budget was planned so that tuition would provide at least one-half the income with the remainder provided by contributions. The Whirlpool Corporation agreed to provide funding, and several companies agreed to sponsor individual sessions.

"You have an uncharted future if you don't have a good understanding of your past."

Parker Lucas Westbrook

A year was spent in planning the program and, in August 1987, 25 participants began the first year of Leadership Fort Smith. Using the framework established by leadership programs in other cities, curriculum planners designed a year that included a spectrum of community issues. Participants attended a retreat, met for a series of sessions about the community, participated in forums and discussions, and graduated after approximately nine months of instruction and involvement.

Community Issues & Projects

As the program continued over the next ten years, Leadership Fort Smith graduates became involved in community issues and initiatives such as the Riverfront Development Project, the building of the new Fort Smith Public Library and its branch network, and the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Trust. Other graduates had run for public office serving on the city board of directors, county quorum court and as state representatives, crediting their decision to serve in public office to their experience in Leadership Fort Smith. Curriculum changes were made from year to year according to input from participants. Several session topics were revised, skill-building sessions were added and additional emphasis was given to the servant leadership by the participants of the program. In 1997, Dr. Athena Russell assumed the role of executive director and continued what had then become a rich, ten-year history of Leadership Fort Smith.

New Executive Director

Julie Woods Moncrief accepted the role of executive director in 2007. Today, the curriculum has expanded the program to a full one-year calendar, beginning in July and ending in June. The program emphasizes more so than ever the ideas of regional strength and quality of life through regional leadership. Leadership Fort Smith puts the concepts of regionalism into practice by recruiting individuals from the entire region, not just Fort Smith residents; and by collaborating with neighboring Leadership Crawford County. Leadership Fort Smith and Leadership Crawford County utilize opportunities to bring the programs' participants together to discuss regional issues in a candid, open format.

Transformational Leadership

The Leadership Fort Smith program, in many ways, still models the original curriculum structure as first planned in 1987. Participants see the Fort Smith region from a variety of perspectives and learn to care about all segments of the population rather than one single group. However, the program now puts more emphasis on sharing the skills and tools needed to develop effective community leaders. The program recognizes that leadership learning, like all learning, is life-long. Leadership skills and tools must be taught and refined for effective leadership to take place. "Transformational Leadership", the concept of transforming the region to meet the needs of the citizens for the betterment of all, has been designed into the program curriculum. Transformational Leadership in a community emphasizes getting to the root cause of the problem or issue, not just addressing the symptoms. This concept is long-term and requires that leaders have a vision of the preferred future they want for the region.

Click here to see the listing of Leadership Fort Smith alumni
sorted by class year from 1988 to 2008.