Celebrating Leadership Temple Alumni and the Class of 2024

On Tuesday, May 21, 2024, business and community leaders gathered at the Hilton Garden Inn-Temple to celebrate the Leadership Temple Alumni and the Leadership Temple Class of 2024 at the annual Leadership Temple Alumni & Graduation Banquet.
 
This event, a product of a Class of 2018 Action Team project, aims to enhance the Alumni Association and the future impact of the program. It is an opportunity to network, learn about the current class project, and celebrate the new graduates.
 
Proceeds from the banquet contribute to the Leadership Temple Tuition Assistance Scholarship, designed to promote inclusivity and diversity within the program. This initiative supports small businesses and nonprofits, fostering a more representative community leadership landscape.

Honoring a Distinguished Leader
The highlight of the luncheon was honoring David Nix, a graduate of the Leadership Temple Class of 1988, the charter class of the program. 
 
Leland Gersbach, CPA, Retiring Partner at Brockway, Gersbach, Franklin & Niemeier, and founder of the Leadership Temple program, presented the 2024 Leadership Temple Distinguished Alumni Award to Nix.
 
Nix, a dedicated community leader known for his commitment to economic development and civic engagement, recently retired as President of The David Nix Agency, which he founded in 1993. Under his leadership, the agency, now affiliated with Acrisure, won numerous industry awards for sales, service, and community involvement.
 
His extensive civic contributions include service on the Boards of the Temple Economic Development Corporation, the Temple Chamber of Commerce, the Temple Business League, the Temple Industrial Foundation, the Temple Reinvestment Zone, and the Rotary Club of Temple, among others.
 
“The banquet was a wonderful way to honor a dedicated community leader and alumni of the program, David Nix, and to celebrate the new graduates,” said Whitney Theriot, President of the Temple Chamber of Commerce. “It was encouraging to hear from a pioneering community leader and inspiring to learn about the work in service of the new graduates. Temple has a strong foundation of community leaders who model civic engagement for future generations. Temple’s future is bright with the new and recent graduates of the Leadership Temple program.”

Celebrating the Class of 2024
The eighteen professionals of the Leadership Temple Class of 2024 were celebrated for their dedication to the nine-month program focused on community leadership, professional development, and personal growth.
 
Led by Class President David Shine of Shine Richardson Investment Group of Wells Fargo Advisors and Curriculum Chair Tanner Johnson of Central National Bank, the 2024 graduates are:
 
Jennifer Avery | Temple Economic Development Corporation
Shane Brooks | Alliance Bank Central Texas
Sydney Cable, MBA | Temple Area Builders Association
Rachel Clemons, LMSW | United Way of Central Texas
William Dabney | BKCW Insurance
Tom Elmore | Workforce Solutions of Central Texas
Mac Fairey | City of Temple - Police Department
Taylor Fitzner, J.D. | Baird, Crews, Schiller & Whitaker, P.C.
Lindsay Francis | City of Temple - Marketing
Ben Hammonds, MBA | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
Hudson Kennedy, CPA | Extraco Banks
Chase Kern | Paramount Wastewater Solutions, LLC
Erin Kiella, Ph.D. | Real Property Analytics
Clarissa Martinez | Temple College
Logan McClinton | CentraLand Title Company
Joe Rela | Materials Transportation Co.
Rob Schilling | Walmart Distribution Company #6083
Bobbie Jo Young | Temple Chamber of Commerce
 
Action Team Project: Feed My Sheep Community Farm Collaboration
The Class of 2024 presented their Action Team project, a collaboration with the Feed My Sheep Community Farm, aimed at addressing hunger and homelessness in Temple.
 
The project involved significant contributions to Elizabeth Farm in East Temple, including acquiring a greenhouse, covering an eighty-foot grow house, donating fruit trees and topsoil, and developing a production plan for produce. The class also assisted in the installation of a tiny home on the property, providing housing for a previously homeless individual.
 
Through their efforts, the class has bolstered the farm’s resources, providing the necessary infrastructure for the farm to begin growing fresh fruits and vegetables and providing educational opportunities for Feed My Sheep’s clients. This initiative complements the City’s ongoing Arbor of Hope project, making it a promising long-term investment for the community.
 
“The Temple Chamber leadership is immensely proud of our Leadership Temple program graduates from the Class of 2024,” added Theriot. “Their commitment to professional development and community service embodies the spirit of Leadership Temple.”
 
A Lasting Legacy
The Leadership Temple program continues to cultivate strong community leaders. The contributions of David Nix and the Class of 2024 exemplify the spirit of service and commitment to the growth and prosperity of Temple.
 
Thank you to the 2024 banquet sponsors, including the City of Temple, McLane Group, Extraco Banks, Garcia Architects, Johnson Brothers Ford Lincoln, First United Bank & Trust, Clark Associates, Workforce Solutions of Central Texas, Materials Transportation Company (MTC), and Walmart Distribution Center #6083, who helped make this celebration possible.
 
As the Leadership Temple program moves forward, it continues to build a brighter future for the community, driven by passionate and dedicated leaders.
 
For more information about Leadership Temple, visit www.templechamber.com/leadershiptemple.