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FLEX Leadership Reflects on Another Successful Year


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Welcome 2019

As 2018 comes to an end, we reflect on the successes of FLEX this year. We’ve had great events, launched a speaker series, welcomed new members and officers, and gained skills and experience together.

This year, we celebrated Young Professional of the Year Charlie Cotherman, and recognized a group of amazing nominees, who represent only a fraction of the successful young professionals (YPs) in our region.

We began the FLEX Speaker Series and had presentations about health, self development, boardsmanship, and community involvement.

Many events and socials were held, including another successful Bike ‘n Brew, bringing hundreds of people to Oil City for activities, food, and entertainment.

We grew substantially in numbers, in which we welcomed almost 50 new FLEX members.

Most of our officers are stepping down, but it allows new YPs the opportunity to learn what it takes to be a leader. Our outgoing officers shared what they gained from their experience:

Zachary Covington: “I thoroughly enjoyed my time as Vice President/Secretary of FLEX this year!  Our community is full of so many vibrant, capable young professionals, and it has been a pleasure meeting so many of them!”

Casey McVay: “My involvement with FLEX has propelled me into a Board of Directors experience where I’m contributing at a high-level and filling leadership roles. It’s endless the ways FLEX has impacted my life and career. I’ve met some of the best people in my life through FLEX, and now my experience is full circle as I work with another YP to teach skills to be a leader within the group. It’s an honor to pass the torch and watch others grow and succeed.”

Jessica Ewing-Falco: “Contributing to an organization that is helping YPs in our area is a wonderful experience. I am thankful for such a strong team of leaders to serve with and the opportunity to make a difference.”

Alan McBride: “I enjoyed getting to know other YPs and understand why they want to network and make a difference. We have strong leadership from a variety of YPs and to connect on both a professional and personal level has made a profound impact on me. As an officer, I gained confidence and authenticity with my leadership style, and enjoyed being supportive of other YPs in their own developmental paths.”

Marissa Dechant: “Acting in a FLEX leadership position made me more organized and communicative and a better leader. I gained skills in event coordination and planning, all while working alongside friends. My role as marketing/community partnerships chair ultimately helped me gain employment in a new city, something for which I’ll always be grateful.”

Thanks officers for your commitment, and welcome new leadership! Next year will be full of even more opportunities for networking, leadership, and skill building.

The FLEX website will be redesigned, events will be added, and new young professionals will be welcomed. FLEX has taken feedback from our Annual Survey and will continue to work to make this organization the best it can be for the future leaders of Venango County. Thank you to those who made this another great year!

 

This articles was published in the Future Leaders & Entrepreneurs Exchange’s (FLEX) December 2018 edition of the FLEX Your Ideas (FYI) Newsletter.

FLEX is What You Make It


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Written by: Marissa Dechant

Come to FLEX events, and you’ll hear time and again, “FLEX is what you make it.” You can get involved as little or as much as you want—want to attend only networking events, only socials, or a mix of both? It’s up to you.

FLEX started out for me as a chance to make friends after returning to work in my hometown after college. I went to a coffee chat after meeting Venango Chamber program manager Ashley Cowles in March 2017, and yes it was awkward, and I only knew two people there, Ashley included. But it was a start.

IMG_0684-1I kept attending FLEX events, becoming a member in August 2017, and being asked to chair the Marketing and Community Partnerships committee for 2018. I became fast friends with Ashley and FLEX president Rachel Stiller (pictured on the right), not only within the group, but outside as well. We met up for coffee and brunch and even had a girls’ weekend in Pittsburgh. I also met my boyfriend Chett DeLong at the FLEX Annual Meeting last year, and he continues to be a staple in my life and the best person I know.

FLEX gave me the opportunity to create a social circle and flourish in Venango County, and several months ago, when Chett and I decided we wanted to thrive elsewhere, it helped me, too. I started looking for jobs in Pittsburgh in late August and continually made reference to my work with FLEX in cover letters and interviews. My employers at the job I landed were impressed with the marketing and leadership skills I learned through FLEX and asked that I utilize those talents at work.

For those young professionals who call Venango County home, I say take the opportunity to get involved in FLEX to whatever degree suits your schedule. It can give you a step up in more ways than you know.

Congratulations on the new job, Marissa! Thanks for being a huge part of FLEX the past two years!

This article was published in the Future Leaders & Entrepreneurs Exchange’s (FLEX) November 2018 edition of the FLEX Your Ideas (FYI) Newsletter.

FLEX Looks Forward to Another Year of Helping Young Professionals Thrive


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IMG_0567-1Written by: Hannah Kennedy

The FLEX Annual Meeting was held at Karma Coffee Company on Friday, October 26. The night provided FLEX members and guests, with a total of about 40 attendees for the event, opportunities to network and stay up to date on the various FLEX events throughout the past year.

An array of hors d’oeuvres was provided by Karma, while young professional and photographer Chett DeLong offered free professional headshots. Attendees enjoyed a time of networking, icebreaker games, and drinks, followed by a presentation of FLEX news in 2018, with members voting on 2019 leadership (see new officers below).

FLEX President Rachel Stiller gave a presentation of highlights from 2018, including various FLEX events like the Bike ’n Brew, Historical Walking Tour, Dinner and Show Social, and others. FLEX membership increased by nearly 75% in 2018, and has a current total of 85 Members in Good Standing. The organization offered volunteer opportunities throughout the year to get members involved in the community, as well as a book club and a speaker series to help members develop their own professional skills.

In the upcoming year, FLEX looks forward to offering its members more leadership development resources, including a speaker series on topics such as mentorship, team building, and entrepreneurship. FLEX hopes to continue to encourage its members to be active in the community, as well as reaching out and staying connected with fellow young professionals.

The organization will continue to help young professionals thrive while living and working in the Venango area.

Welcome 2019 FLEX Officers!

IMG_0677-1New FLEX leadership was elected at the Annual Meeting in October. The 2019 officers are:

President – Rachel Stiller
VP/Secretary – Kat Thompson
Membership – Laura Ordaz
Events & Fundraising – Hannah McCarthy
Marketing & Community Partnerships – Tessa Byham

 

Find more photos from the Annual Meeting on the FLEX Facebook page.

This article was published in the Future Leaders & Entrepreneurs Exchange’s (FLEX) November 2018 edition of the FLEX Your Ideas (FYI) Newsletter.

 

 

FLEX Member Highlight: Alan McBride Gets Job Promotion


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IMG_0117-1Congratulations to the current FLEX Membership Committee Chair and past FLEX Vice President & Secretary Alan McBride for a recent job promotion! Alan is now the Global Manager of Inclusion & Diversity at Komatsu Mining Corp.

In this new position, Alan will focus on customer engagement, design for diversity, formal mentoring programs, recruiting and hiring practices, and inclusion and diversity elements of core leadership training programs throughout the organization.

He will be developing and leading projects with support from Komatsu’s Global Inclusion & Diversity Advisory Council, which is made up of 18 employees from 9 different countries.  Alan will also work with Komatsu Limited’s Diversity Department in Japan and their Global Women’s Network.

Alan has worked at Komatsu for about 7 ½  years. He started as an intern in 2011 and moved into the Talent Management Department in 2016.

“If I can make a positive difference in the lives of employees through our inclusion and diversity initiatives, as well as continue to support their career development and professional goals, then I feel like I am effective in my job,” he told us. Best of luck with your new position, Alan!

This article was published in the Future Leaders & Entrepreneurs Exchange’s (FLEX) November 2018 edition of the FLEX Your Ideas (FYI) Newsletter.

 

FLEX Annual Meeting Scheduled for October 26


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2018 Annual Meeting LogoIt’s that time of year for the FLEX Annual Meeting, an event where the FLEX young professionals gather together to celebrate their successes over the past year and discuss plans for the future.

This year’s event will be on Friday, October 26, at 5:30 p.m. at Karma Coffee Company in Oil City. Similar to last year, attendees can expect a fun evening of networking, with hors d’oeuvres and drinks.

A presentation will be given by FLEX leadership, covering a review of 2018, plans for the upcoming year, election of new committee chairs and officers, and the FLEX Highlight Awards. After the presentation, they will have trivia, with a variety of fun questions and prizes for winners.

Attendees also have the opportunity to get a free professional headshot taken by FLEX member and photographer Chett DeLong.

“This past year has gone very well for us. The committees have accomplished several goals, such as increasing paid membership, diversifying/expanding our events, and strengthening our social media presence,” said Rachel Stiller, FLEX president. “This well-anticipated meeting is unique in that we still take care of organizational business, but the focus of the meeting is for our members to network with one another. It’s an appropriate time for reflection on what we’ve spent our effort on the past year and it’s an exciting event to usher in our new leadership.”

FLEX would like to thank Penelec for once again sponsoring this event, and Karma Coffee Company for supplying delicious food and a great venue.

Any young professionals are invited to attend! Please RSVP to Ashley Cowles at (814) 676-8521 or acowles@venangochamber.org by Friday, October 19.

Learn more about FLEX at www.venangoflex.org.

https://venangochamber.org/2018/10/