A Joint Initiative Between     Heart of Wisconsin     Business & Economic Alliance and     Community Foundation of Greater     South Wood County

Home About Us B2B Club Breaking News Contact Donate Events / Programs Feedback Ideas Incubator Industry Clusters Links / Resources Progess Funds Progress Teams Public Art / Murals Publications		Breaking News April 11, 2005 - Speaker to address managing community change By Beth Burger, Daily Tribune Staff Community members will have a chance to learn ways to improve their community Friday. Katherine Tyler Scott will be the sixth speaker in the Community Progress Initiative New Ideas Speaker Series. "She's certainly an engaging communicator and communicates very well," said Jake Close, board chairman of the Community Foundation of South Wood County, one of the organizers of the Community Progress Initiative. "She connects well with her audience. Anybody who is going to hear her will find themselves enlightened," Close saw Scott speak three years ago in Atlanta when she gave a talk on conflict management. He said her speech made him view situations in a different light. Scott will be giving a presentation entitled, "The Transforming Power of Leadership: Values, Vision & Community Vitality." Members of the community are hoping Scott will lend her expertise to revitalizing Wisconsin Rapids. "We've been trying to get strategies. Now the next step is to take these concepts and visions and make it a reality," said Deborah Hickey community volunteer, who saw Scott speak in Baltimore in October 2003. "I think this is the difficult part. She will be very good to give us the tools we need and giving us the next step to get there." Both Close and Hickey said they plan to attend Scott's presentation. Outside of Scott's community presentation, she will be working with local nonprofit organizations and meeting with initiative team members. "She will be talking about managing community change, which is very timely for us," Close said Scott is the president of Trustees Leaders Development, an organization that helps advance leadership in nonprofit and community based organizations. She is an author and consultant. Scott also was trained at Harvard in mediation, negotiation and conflict resolution. "She is someone who can really motivate - not a motivational speaker - but she can certainly motivate you about the issues that are in front of you," Close said. "I would urge everyone to go hear her. I think they would hear a timely message from us." The series is organized by the Community Foundation of South Wood County and the Heart of Wisconsin Business & Economic Alliance as part of the Community Progress Initiative. Mary Olson, vice president of communication at the community foundation, said it was important to bring in speakers like Scott. "By bringing in high-caliber speakers, we are bringing in new ideas that can be put to use here," she said. "Speakers such as Katherine Tyler Scott offer successful methods of moving a community forward based upon research and best practices of other successful cities." You can reach reporter Beth Burger at 422-6726 or at bburger@wisconsinrapids.gannett.com.
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