A Program designed to create strong leaders in our community

2025 Class Presented By:

Creating Strong Leaders In Our Community

Leadership Decatur is a program of the Decatur Chamber of Commerce that attracts a diverse group of businessmen and women. This program was established to ensure the continuing vitality of the Decatur Community by providing a solid source of motivated leaders.

Each class is comprised of 15 participants from a variety of sectors, including education, medical, small business, banking, industrial, hospitality, and nonprofit. The program focuses on information, education, and discussion of local and regional assets, challenges, and opportunities.

The Program

Each year, approximately 15 (fifteen) adult individuals will be chosen by a selection committee, made up of Leadership Decatur Graduates, to participate in a eight-month educational program that includes a full day retreat/ropes course and seven monthly day-long sessions.

The Leadership Decatur program is open to anyone who currently lives or works in Wise County, and whose organization is a Chamber Member. If you are new to Decatur, it’s the quickest way to get plugged into the community. If you’re familiar with Decatur, take this program to find out all the things you’ve been missing!

The Benefits

Leadership Decatur inspires class members to increase involvement in their organizations and communities in which they live. The program helps them identify where strategic alliances might be formed. Employers will see increased awareness of issues most important to our region and inspiration to create positive changes.

The Community will experience immediate benefit from increased involvement on the part of the participants and will reap future benefits from the collective commitment to effective leadership of the graduates from Leadership Decatur.

All Candidates Should Demonstrate:

A passion for the people and future of Decatur and a personal commitment to help improve the quality of life in the Wise County Area.
A demonstrated commitment to the community through past and current activities.
A demonstrated capacity for leadership within their own organizations through significant achievements.
An interest in enhancing their leadership capabilities to meet the demands of the 21st century.
A willingness to commit the time and energy necessary to complete the program requirements, which requires the full support of their organizations.
A commitment to supporting the continuation of leadership and trustee development in Decatur and the Wise County Area.

The Cost

Tuition for the program is $525 per individual. Tuition can be financed by the individual, the employer or a sponsoring organization. Payment is due in full before the first session.

Leadership Decatur

The heart of our Program will be helping participants find a way they can leave their mark in our community and make a great impact to follow for years to come. Our hopes for the graduates is to continue to serve in our community by choosing to lead on City Council, become a board member for the School District, sit on some of our great non-profit boards or lead in many of our civic organizations.