Foundation, K-State host leader development symposium

#LeadersofTomorrowKC – The Command and General Staff College Foundation and Kansas State University hosted the Leaders of Tomorrow symposium on Thursday, March 8, at the Kansas State University Olathe campus. The symposium was focused on leader development for mid-career professionals in both the military and the private sector. More than 110 were in attendance including 26 military officer students from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC).

Kansas State University President Richard B. Myers delivers the morning keynote address at the Leaders of Tomorrow Symposium on March 8 at the K-State Olathe Campus.

The symposium was conducted in roundtable discussion format. Pictured are members of the Table 1 group, the General Dwight Eisenhower (CGSC Class of 1926) table, led by Andrew Kaplan, EVP, Director of Private Banking, Commerce Bank (third from right).

Lynn Parman, CEO of the American Royal Association, provided the closing keynote remarks at the Leaders of Tomorrow Symposium conducted March 8 at the K-State Olathe Campus.

“The military and the private sector are different in how they develop leaders,” said Katie Ervin, the CGSC Foundation trustee who was the lead planner for the symposium. “Our symposium brought these two groups together and gave them an opportunity to build new relationships and learn how they might improve their own path to leadership.”

Foundation CEO Doug Tystad opened the symposium with welcoming remarks and provided context for the symposium from the Foundation’s mission perspective of enhancing scholarship and conducting outreach for CGSC.

Richard B. Myers, Kansas State University president, delivered the morning keynote address. Myers, who is also a retired four-star Air Force general and the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke about some of the differences in military and civilian leadership. He also touched on some leadership attributes such as integrity, humility and humor that he believes are effective across all sectors and organizations.

After Myer’s remarks, the attendees participated in roundtable discussion groups. The table groups were led by civilian business executives who were recruited by Ervin and Foundation Director of Development Joan Cabell to offer their experience and expertise to the more junior attendees. The roundtables were comprised of mid-career civilian business leaders and one or two mid-career military officers from the CGSC Class of 2018. The group discussion topics were focused on building paths to leadership through the use of various tactics and tools such as analyzing personal strengths and weaknesses, improving networking skills, leader resilience, and dealing with conflict. Visit the album on the CGSC Foundation Flickr site for photos of each group.

After the roundtable discussions, Lynn Parman, CEO of the American Royal Association, provided the closing remarks, discussing her own path to leadership and offering the group some tactics she has learned along the way.

Ervin wrapped up the morning with acknowledgement and thanks to the K-State staff and faculty who helped organize the symposium and invited interested people to learn more about Fort Leavenworth and CGSC by participating in the CGSC Foundation’s “Walk and Talk” program.

According to Cabell, initial feedback from the executives and the attendees at the symposium has been positive and a repeat of the symposium in the next calendar year is under consideration by the Foundation CEO and staff.

For more photos from this symposium visit the album on the CGSC Foundation Flickr site.

The CGSC Foundation wishes to thank K-State President Richard Myers for his support and his time in speaking to the group. The Foundation also thanks the K-State Olathe campus staff and faculty who were key in helping organize and support the event. Special thanks also goes to Lynn Parman, CEO of the American Royal, for her time and talent, as well as the civilian business executives for their commitment to the event and their leadership and mentoring of the attendees. The executives were:

Cheryl Boushka
Partner, Van Osdol, PC Attorneys at Law

Scott Brown
Legal Counsel, Faultless Starch

John Campbell
Owner, Studdard Moving and Storage

Lora Cheatum
SVP Human Resources, KC Southern

Chris Croft
CEO, C2X Enterprises, retired Army Colonel

Tom Dials
CGSC Foundation trustee, former President and Chairman of Armed Forces Insurance, retired Army Colonel

Andrew Kaplan
EVP, Director of Private Banking, Commerce Bank

Bill Mahood
Practice Leader – Mergers, Polsinelli

Bob Myers
Chairman of the Board, Casey’s General Stores

PJ Novick
Principal Planner, Confluence

Mary O’Connor
Executive Vice President, Country Club Bank

Will Shields
Leadership Speaker (former Chiefs Player/member of the NFL Hall of Fame)