Flint Hills Regional Leadership on the GMCF Community Hour Show Episode - 279

We trace how the Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program builds servant leaders who think bigger than their zip code and act locally with speed and empathy. Alumni form deep networks, serve on boards, fuel civic conversations, and find purpose that anchors long-term community impact.

• origins in 1980s agricultural leadership and 1990s regional expansion
• 683 alumni to date with seven-county reach
• sharp rise in women leaders and cross-sector diversity
• visits to the Statehouse to build civic fluency
• systems thinking and collaborative decision-making
• lifelong networks that support personal and professional growth
• alumni service on boards, councils, and commissions
• application window May 15 to July 15 at FHRLP.org
• Eileen Cray Memorial Scholarship covering up to 50 percent of tuition

To get signed up to find out more, the website is FHRLP.org

GMCF

CFAs

Transcript

Opening And Introductions

SPEAKER_06 0:00

Philanthropy today is brought to you by the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation. In this episode, we feature a recently broadcast segment of the GMCF Community Hour, as heard on News Radio KMAN. And we are back with the GMCF Community Hour here on News Radio KMAN. Gwen, good job on passing that EAS test. Really proud of you back there at the studio. Gwen's uh back there running the controls for us here on this Monday morning in our new time slot. And Mold Buddy Jack Lindquist is here to talk about Flint Hills regional leadership. And well, you know, we we get sidetracked from time to time.

SPEAKER_02 0:39

We do. I was just thinking that uh 44 years ago when we were in Abu. Oh, 44 years ago.

SPEAKER_08 0:44

Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 0:45

Yeah. That's we we actually started our roles in servant leadership then.

SPEAKER_06 0:51

Well, I didn't really think about servant leadership, but you were the 4-H dude there. Yeah, and it just rolled into what I've been doing my whole life. And I'm still in front of a microphone. Yeah. Behind a microphone. Still doing the job. Still doing that. But it's a quite a service. It is. It is. A lot of people don't think of it

Origins Of Servant Leadership

SPEAKER_06 1:10

as that, but you know, it's uh uh especially in the industry. Well, being informed is critical, and that's part of why we have this regional leadership program. Yeah. Well, this is uh, you know, you've got a terrific track record with what um the Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program has done and has become.

SPEAKER_02 1:32

Well, the program was formed in 92-93, first class graduated in 94. So to date, there have been 683 participants in the region. Goodness. And uh I've been with the program, uh,

Flint Hills Program By The Numbers

SPEAKER_02 1:45

was hired in 2016. So this will be my tenth class upcoming. Did you come in after I'm in craze? I did. Okay. And so uh I've got uh 253 under uh my experiences with uh leadership development here in the region.

SPEAKER_06 2:00

It's a heck of a way to bring uh to build up your friends list on Facebook.

SPEAKER_02 2:04

It is, yeah. I I often look at that and I think, where did all these friends come from? And I think, oh yeah, we grew them. There you are.

SPEAKER_06 2:12

There you are. But you know, and it's just like you know, your your leadership perspective has has developed over the years. You know, you were in 4 H and then Extension, and then you developed Carl, Kansas Agricultural Reader Regional Leadership Program. Right. And um that uh was, you know, you took that from its infancy and, you know, very similar to carry on with what you're doing with the Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program. There's a a lot of parallels there. There are.

SPEAKER_02 2:44

Um that program actually started as Douglas County Leadership Agriculture in the mid-80s during the agricultural crisis. And so it was a real, wasn't it? It it was not a reaction, it was a response to uh an intervention to get more people involved

Leadership Roots In Agriculture

SPEAKER_02 3:00

in their own local and regional leadership roles. And so uh continued that through a statewide basis with 360 participants that I worked with there for a two-year program for each class. And now uh with the Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program, working with individuals as an example from this last class. They live in seven counties. Uh they there was 26 in the class. Uh that included um 17 women and nine men. And uh I'm just watching this metamorphosis of leadership through the region and how people are getting much more interested in engagement and problem solving, and it's a response to issues that are causing challenges in the area and how they can help.

SPEAKER_06 3:50

How does that demographic differ today than from when you first started with the program?

SPEAKER_02 3:57

Oh, it's a a dramatic shift in uh especially gender. Uh a lot more women involved in leadership roles, which is wonderful. And I think most importantly, it's uh an interest and a desire to learn from people that you wouldn't be exposed to otherwise. And so that's an expansion of knowledge and awareness, uh, collaboration and empathy that uh we didn't see as much of early uh in leadership development, but we're certainly seeing it today. And it's that local engagement that's making a huge difference now.

SPEAKER_06 4:33

Well, there's a lot of things that people walk away from, uh, you know, and you, as the director of it,

Evolving Demographics And Inclusion

SPEAKER_06 4:40

have tremendous takeaways from each class because everybody learns something new. And and there's also, you know, all kinds of accomplishments that uh that your graduates walk away from.

SPEAKER_02 4:55

Well, as we were going through the the Topeka session as an example, uh, which took place in January, uh, the class members realized that they have to think much bigger in their big picture than just the region. But what are the implications of what's going on across the state and how is that impacting our local communities? And it's that awareness, uh, that knowledge uh enhancement, uh, developing contacts uh from key leaders across the region that's helping them make decisions locally and make them quite quite rapidly, actually, because they know how to gather information quickly and make a quick decision by analyzing what's going on between A and C is not a straight line. It's a cyclical process where they have to think about a lot of different things. And it's that exposure that helps them make better decisions.

SPEAKER_06 5:47

Aaron Powell And then the camaraderie. Oh, yeah. You know, they're they're they're friends for life, they're you know, they're business acquaintances, they bounce ideas off. They probably got their own little friends group on Facebook where they all, you know, intersect and they absolutely do.

SPEAKER_02 6:03

And it's not just professional, it's personal with having those connections with people that they never would have met otherwise. And so they're drawn to those, that diversity, the differences that they have, and they're getting uh an appreciation of one another. Uh people that are in completely different roles

Statewide Perspective And Faster Decisions

SPEAKER_02 6:20

from what they are, but they realize how important they are to each other.

SPEAKER_06 6:23

Yeah. You know, I wasn't part of the I have not been in the Flint Hills program, but I was in the Manhattan program, and you know, there are parallels there, obviously. Um, but I was in the program in 2006. Our first session was two weeks after my wife passed away. Oh, right. You needed that family. And I just I just did not want to go. Yeah. And then um Lyle Butler says, Really, you should. You really should. And I'm so glad that I did because those those people held me up also. And it was just a wonderful relationship, a wonderful friendship, and great memories. And you know, my takeaway was was community more so than leadership. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 7:04

That's I think the bottom line. One of the participants said that uh after his experience, he came from another state and moved to Kansas because he just really liked his experiences and uh what Fort Riley uh the location of Fort Riley had to offer. He said after the leadership program, I bought land in Walbunsey County.

SPEAKER_14 7:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:26

I fell in love with this region and decided I'm gonna sink my roots deep into this area. And he bought some uh prime uh rangeland and a property out in Walbunsee County because of the program.

SPEAKER_06 7:40

You know, and you get such a diversity of backgrounds. You got people from Fort Riley

Lifelong Networks And Support

SPEAKER_06 7:45

that are coming in, and they they may, and like this, this young, this man that you're talking about may have come from you know, New York or Michigan or wherever, and and set roots here. We've seen a lot of people retire here and become active in the community here, and that's just been, you know, they're they're wonderful assets to have, no doubt about that.

SPEAKER_02 8:04

Yeah, it's it's just something that you get here and you realize how much this region has to offer, but how great the people are. And uh yes, there are some uh controversial issues and subjects and sure, individuals that comes with anything anywhere. It's how to react to that is the the most important thing, and how to engage uh with other people so that you can build coalitions and work through collaboration and compromise.

SPEAKER_06 8:30

You talked about going to Topeka, and that's a trip to the State House, and that's a wonderful experience. Um have you had many in your program? No, there have been some, but have you had many that have gone on to serve in an elected capacity? Oh, many, especially on the local level.

SPEAKER_02 8:45

Uh, but uh they also, um many of them, most of them realize that they're gonna do uh more important roles in being uh an information feeder, um, a person that gathers uh support for issues, and individuals that help educate the population as to the impact of uh uh an issue or a matter that might be coming up for uh

Community Roots And Regional Pride

SPEAKER_02 9:10

legislation. And so behind the scenes tends to be a larger step that most of them take.

SPEAKER_06 9:17

Okay. Well, I know that in my Manhattan leadership class, I think we had four individuals that were elected to some sort of capacity here. And and uh yeah, I happen to be one of those.

SPEAKER_02 9:29

So the number of p uh participants that we have that have gone on to uh be on boards, council's advisories for the city or the county that they're from, uh that it's is too numerous to mention. It's a large number of them, and and also those that have run for city and county commission.

SPEAKER_06 9:48

And you know, you you talked about boards, and that's an important aspect. A lot of participation, a lot of feedback, a lot of ideas come to these various boards, and and the city and the county, and everybody's always looking for someone to serve on those boards, as well as, you know, in the nonprofit world.

SPEAKER_02 10:04

Yes, and today they're not looking for the individual that uh might be uh very outspoken on one issue. They're looking for somebody with a broadened experience, uh, a lot of knowledge and background information that they're bringing to the table so that they know that they're gonna be thinking about more than just uh their own interests. Okay. Well, let's talk about the next class. Yeah, this is uh the process now is to start recruiting individuals for the next leadership class. And so that application period is May

Public Service And Board Engagement

SPEAKER_02 10:35

15th through uh July 15th. It's all online. Uh it includes uh a recorded video introduction, a minute and a half to three minutes that they would record uh on their own computer and upload that when they do the application process. But uh now's the time for interested individuals to surface their nominees, uh, let them know that uh they need to go to our website and check out the dates. They want to make sure they're clear on all of the dates that we already have scheduled for the 26-27 class. And once they are are aware of that and know what to experience and what to expect, then they can uh go ahead and do the application process in May. But it's important now to gather information and make sure that they are team players and they're the ones that uh we want to surface for the next leadership class.

SPEAKER_06 11:26

What can they expect of the program next session?

SPEAKER_02 11:29

Well, the next session is is gonna be um visiting five different locations. Uh we're gonna go through nine leadership experiences. Uh the leadership modules that we have at the opening of each session uh provides background in core methods and philosophies in leadership for the region and helps them understand collaborative leadership, servant leadership, uh diversity and inclusion, systems thinking, and just philosophies of leadership, uh, but most importantly working together as a team. And

Recruiting The Next Class

SPEAKER_02 12:05

then uh probably I think one of the most important things that we do right up front is to help the participants find their purpose. Uh they may have an idea of what they want to do in leadership roles, but uh going through the experience helps them focus on finding your purpose. It helps the participants discover that they're more engaged citizens that are morally grounded in servant leadership, not just thinking about it.

SPEAKER_06 12:30

Okay. To get signed up to find out more, the website is FHRLP.org.

SPEAKER_02 12:37

That stands for Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program. Program.

SPEAKER_03 12:42

There's a P in there.

SPEAKER_02 12:44

FHRLP.

SPEAKER_07 12:45

Anything else you want to touch base on?

SPEAKER_02 12:48

Uh just that it's exciting to think about uh the longevity of the program. Yeah. Uh what uh we're entering into for the the late uh 2020s and uh just the the interest that there is for the program and uh the desire to make things better for the region.

SPEAKER_06 13:06

That's good for all of us. You know, I'm I'm just gonna get in a quick addendum in here. We talked about Eileen Cray. There is a scholarship, isn't there?

SPEAKER_02 13:13

Yes. For individuals that are either small business or nonprofits, uh there's the Eileen Cray Memorial Scholarship, which pays up to 50% of the tuition. Tuition is uh hasn't changed over the years at $600, and that's payable

Curriculum And Core Modules

SPEAKER_02 13:30

by the individual or their supporting business or organization. Uh and then uh there's also scholarships available. Okay. Sounds great.

SPEAKER_00 13:39

Good to have you in again.

SPEAKER_06 13:40

It's great to be in, and it's great to keep people informed. Absolutely. Jack Lindquist here with the Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program, f HRLP.org. Dennis Mullen is in the house, and uh we're excited about uh getting an opportunity to learn a little bit more, not just about him, but about the work uh that uh he and his wife Rhonda have done in the community, and also some uh perspectives on what to look forward to and how people can get engaged in the community in a philanthropic perspective or volunteer perspective in 2026 and beyond. This is the GMCF Community Hour here and now in the new time slot at 9, 9 to 10, and Mike Manson will be back tomorrow within Reason. We'll be back in just a couple of moments with Dennis here on News Radio KMAN.

SPEAKER_13 14:29

Hello, Dennis.

SPEAKER_06 14:30

Philanthropy today is brought to you by the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation. In this episode, we feature a recently broadcast segment of the GMCF Community Hour, as heard on News Radio KMAN. And we are back with the GMCF Community Hour here on News Radio KMAN. Gwen, good job on passing that EAS test. Really proud of you back there at the studio. Gwen's

Purpose, Scholarships, And Access

SPEAKER_06 14:55

uh back there running the controls for us here on this Monday morning in our new time slot. And mold buddy Jack Lindquist is here to talk about Flint Hills regional leadership. And well, you know, we we get sidetracked from time to time.

SPEAKER_02 15:09

We do. I was just thinking that uh 44 years ago when we were in Abu. Oh 44 years ago, thank you.

SPEAKER_08 15:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:16

That's we we actually started our roles in servant leadership then.

SPEAKER_06 15:21

And well, I didn't really think about servant leadership, but you were the 4-H dude there. Yeah, and it just rolled into what I've been doing my whole life. And I'm still in front of a microphone. Yeah, behind a microphone. Still doing the job. Still doing that. But it's a quite a service. It is. It is. A lot of people don't think of it as that, but you know, it's uh uh especially in the industry. Well, being informed is critical, and that's part of why we have this regional leadership program. Yeah. Well, this is uh, you know, you've got a terrific track record with what um the Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program has done and has become.

SPEAKER_02 16:03

Well, the program was formed in 92-93, first class, graduated in 94. So to date, there have been 683

Closing Reminders And Website

SPEAKER_02 16:11

participants in the region. Goodness. And uh I've been with the program, uh, was hired in 2016. So this will be my tenth class upcoming. Did you come in after I'm in craze? I did. Okay. And so uh I've got uh 253 under uh my experiences with uh leadership development here in the region.

SPEAKER_06 16:31

It's a heck of a way to bring uh to build up your friends list on Facebook.

SPEAKER_02 16:35

It is, yeah. I I often look at that and I think, where did all these friends come from? And I think, oh yeah, we grew them. There you are.

SPEAKER_06 16:42

There you are. But you know, and it's just like you know, your your leadership perspective has has developed over the years. You know, you were in 4 H and then Extension, and then you developed Carl, Kansas Agricultural Reader Regional Leadership Program. Right. And um that uh was, you know, you took that from its infancy and, you know, very similar to carry on with what you're doing with the Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program. There's a a lot of parallels there. There are.

SPEAKER_02 17:14

Um that program actually started as Douglas County Leadership Agriculture in the mid-80s during the agricultural crisis. And so it was a real, wasn't it? It it was not a reaction, it was a response to uh an intervention to get more people involved in their own local and regional leadership roles. And so uh continued that through a statewide basis with 360 participants that I worked with there for a two-year program for each class, and now uh with the Flinton Hills Regional Leadership Program, working with individuals as an example from this last class. They live in seven counties. Uh they there was 26 in the class.

SPEAKER_06 17:57

Uh that included um Philanthropy Today is brought to you by the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation. In this episode, we feature a recently broadcast segment of the GMCF Community Hour, as heard on News Radio KMAN. And we are back with the GMCF Community Hour here on News Radio KMAN. Gwen, good job on passing that EAS test. Really proud of you back there at the studio. Gwen's uh back there running the controls for us here on this Monday morning in our new time slot. And mold buddy Jack Lindquist is here to talk about Flint Hills regional leadership. And well, you know, we we get sidetracked from time to time.

SPEAKER_02 18:39

We do. I was just thinking that uh 44 years ago when we were in Abu. Oh, 44 years ago, thank you. Yeah. That's we we actually started our roles in servant leadership then.

SPEAKER_06 18:51

And well, I didn't really think about servant leadership, but you were the 4-H dude there. Yeah, and it just rolled into what I've been doing my whole life. And I'm still in front of a microphone. Yeah, behind a microphone. Still doing the job. Still doing that. But it's a quite a service. It is. It is. A lot of people don't think of it as that, but you know, it's uh uh especially in the industry. Well, being informed is critical, and that's part of why we have this regional leadership program. Yeah. Well, this is uh, you know, you've got a terrific track record with what um the Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program has done and has become.

SPEAKER_02 19:32

Well, the program was formed in 92-93, first class graduated in 94. So to date, there have been 683 participants in the region. Goodness. And uh I've been with the program, uh, was hired in 2016. So this will be my tenth class upcoming. Did you come in after I'm in craze? I did. Okay. And so uh I've got uh 253 under uh my experiences with uh leadership development here in the region.

SPEAKER_06 20:00

It's a heck of a way to bring uh to build up your friends list on Facebook.

SPEAKER_02 20:04

It is, yeah. I I often look at that and I think, where did all these friends come from? And I think, oh yeah, we grew them. There you are.

SPEAKER_06 20:12

There you are. But you know, and it's just like you know, your your leadership perspective has has developed over the years. You know, you were in 4 H and then Extension, and then you developed Carl, Kansas Agricultural Reader Regional Leadership Program. Right. And um that uh was, you know, you took that from its infancy and, you know, very similar to carry on with what you're doing with the Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program. There's a a lot of parallels there. There are.

SPEAKER_02 20:44

Um that program actually started as Douglas County Leadership Agriculture in the mid-80s during the agricultural crisis. And so it was a real on all of us, wasn't it? It it was not a reaction, it was a response to uh an intervention to get more people involved in their own local and regional leadership roles. And so uh continued that through a statewide basis with 360 participants that I worked with there for a two-year program for each class. And now uh with the Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program, working with individuals as an example from this last class. They live in seven counties. Uh they there was 26 in the class. Uh that included um 17 women and nine men. And uh I'm just watching this metamorphosis of leadership through the region and how people are getting much more interested in engagement and problem solving, and it's a response to issues that are causing challenges in the area and how they can help.

SPEAKER_06 21:50

How does that demographic differ today than from when you first started with the program?

SPEAKER_02 21:57

Oh, it's a a a dramatic shift. And uh especially gender, uh, a lot more women involved in leadership roles, which is wonderful. And I think most importantly, it's uh an interest and a desire to learn from people that you wouldn't be exposed to otherwise. And so that's an expansion of knowledge and awareness, uh, collaboration and empathy that uh we didn't see as much of early uh in leadership development, but we're certainly seeing it today. And it's that local engagement that's making a huge difference now.

SPEAKER_06 22:33

Well, there's a lot of things that people walk away from, uh, you know, and you, as the director of it, have tremendous takeaways from each class because everybody learns something new. And and there's also, you know, all kinds of accomplishments that uh that your graduates walk away from.

SPEAKER_02 22:55

Well, as we were going through the the Topeka session as an example, uh, which took place in January, uh the class members realized that they have to think much bigger in their big picture than just the region. But what are the implications of what's going on across the state and how is that impacting our local communities? And it's that awareness, uh, that knowledge uh enhancement, uh, developing contacts uh from key leaders across the region that's helping them make decisions locally and make them quite quite rapidly, actually, because they know how to gather information quickly and make a quick decision by analyzing what's going on between A and C is not a straight line. It's a cyclical process where they have to think about a lot of different things. And it's that exposure that helps them make better decisions.

SPEAKER_06 23:47

Aaron Powell And then the camaraderie. Oh, yeah. They're friends for life, they're you know, they're business acquaintances, they bounce ideas off. They probably got their own little friends group on Facebook where they all, you know, intersect and absolutely do.

SPEAKER_02 24:03

And it's not just professional, it's personal with having those connections with people that they never would have met otherwise. And so they're drawn to those, that diversity, the differences that they have, and they're gaining uh an appreciation of one another. Uh people that are in completely different roles from what they are, but they realize how important they are to each other.

SPEAKER_06 24:23

Yeah. You know, I wasn't part of the I have not been in the Flint Hills program, but I was in the Manhattan program. And, you know, there are parallels there, obviously. Um, but I was in the program in 2006. Our first session was two weeks after my wife passed away. Oh, right. You needed that family. And I just I just did not want to go. Yeah. And then um Lyle Butler says, Really, you should. You really should. And I'm so glad that I did because those those people held me up also. And it was just a wonderful relationship, wonderful friendship, and great memories. And, you know, my takeaway was was community more so than leadership. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 25:04

That's I think the bottom line. One of the participants said that uh after his experience, he came from another state and moved to Kansas because he just really liked his experiences and uh what Fort Riley uh the location of Fort Riley had to offer. He said after the leadership program, I bought land in Walbunsey County.

SPEAKER_14 25:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 25:26

I fell in love with this region and decided I'm gonna sink my roots deep into this area. And he bought some uh prime uh rangeland and a property out in Walbunsee County because of the program.

SPEAKER_06 25:40

You know, and you get such a diversity of backgrounds. You got people from Fort Riley that are coming in, and they they may, and like this, this young, this man that you're talking about may have come from, you know, New York or Michigan or wherever, and and set roots here. We've seen a lot of people retire here and become active in the community here, and that's just been, you know, they're they're wonderful assets to have, no doubt about that.

SPEAKER_02 26:04

Yeah, it's it's just something that you get here and you realize how much this region has to offer, but how great the people are. And uh yes, there are some uh controversial issues and subjects and sure, individuals that comes with anything anywhere. It's how to react to that is the the most important thing, and how to engage uh with other people so that you can build coalitions and work through collaboration and compromise.

SPEAKER_06 26:30

You talked about going to Topeka, and that's a trip to the State House, and that's a wonderful experience. Um have you had many in your program? No, there have been some, but have you had many that have gone on to serve in an elected capacity? Oh, many, especially on the local level.

SPEAKER_02 26:45

Uh, but uh they also, um many of them, most of them realize that they're gonna do uh more important roles in being uh an information feeder, um, a person that gathers uh support for issues, and individuals that help educate the population as to the impact of uh uh an issue or a matter that might be coming up for uh legislation. And so behind the scenes tends to be a larger step that most of them take.

SPEAKER_06 27:17

Okay. Well, I know that in my Manhattan leadership class, I think we had four individuals that were elected to some sort of capacity here. And and uh yeah, I happen to be one of those.

SPEAKER_02 27:29

So the number of p uh participants that we have that have gone on to uh be on boards, council's advisories for the city or the county that they're from, uh that it's is too numerous to mention. It's a large number of them and also those that have run for city and county commission.

SPEAKER_06 27:48

And you know, you you talked about boards, and that's an important aspect. A lot of participation, a lot of feedback, a lot of ideas come to these various boards, and and the city and the county, and everybody's always looking for someone to serve on those boards, as well as, you know, in the nonprofit world.

SPEAKER_02 28:04

Yes, and today they're not looking for the individual that uh might be uh very outspoken on one issue. They're looking for somebody with a broadened experience, uh, a lot of knowledge and background information that they're bringing to the table so that they know that they're gonna be thinking about more than just uh their own interests. Okay. Well, let's talk about the next class. Yeah, this is uh the process now is to start recruiting individuals for the next leadership class. And so that application period is May 15th through uh July 15th. It's all online. Uh it includes uh a recorded video introduction, a minute and a half to three minutes that they would record uh on their own computer and upload that when they do the application process. But uh now's the time for interested individuals to surface their nominees, uh, let them know that uh they need to go to our website and check out the dates. They want to make sure they're clear on all of the dates that we already have scheduled for the 26-27 class. And once they are are aware of that and know what to experience and what to expect, then they can uh go ahead through the application process in May. But it's important now to gather information and make sure that they are team players and they're the ones that uh we want to surface for the next leadership class.

SPEAKER_06 29:26

What can they expect of the program next session?

SPEAKER_02 29:29

Well, the next session is is going to be um visiting five different locations. Uh we're gonna go through nine leadership experiences. Uh, the leadership modules that we have at the opening of each session uh provides background in core methods and philosophies in leadership for the region and helps them understand collaborative leadership, servant leadership, uh, diversity and inclusion, systems thinking, and just philosophies of leadership, uh, but most importantly working together as a team. And then uh probably I think one of the most important things that we do right up front is to help the participants find their purpose. Uh they may have an idea of what they want to do in leadership roles, but uh going through the experience helps them focus on finding your purpose. It helps the participants discover that they're more engaged citizens that are morally grounded in servant leadership, not just thinking about it.

SPEAKER_06 30:30

Okay. To get signed up to find out more, the website is FHRLP.org.

SPEAKER_02 30:37

That stands for Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program. Program.

SPEAKER_03 30:42

There's a P in there.

SPEAKER_02 30:44

FHRLP.

SPEAKER_07 30:45

Anything else you want to touch base on?

SPEAKER_02 30:48

Uh just that it's exciting to think about uh the longevity of the program. Yeah. Uh what uh we're entering into for the the late uh 2020s and uh just the the interest that there is for the program and uh the desire to make things better for the region.

SPEAKER_06 31:06

That's good for all of us. You know, I'm I'm just gonna get in a quick indendum in here. We talked about Eileen Cray. There is a scholarship, isn't there?

SPEAKER_02 31:13

Yes. For individuals that are either small business or nonprofits, uh there's the Eileen Cray Memorial Scholarship, which pays up to 50% of the tuition. Tuition is uh hasn't changed over the years at $600, and that's payable by the individual or their supporting business or organization. Uh, and then uh there's also scholarships available. Okay. Sounds great.

SPEAKER_00 31:39

Good to have you in again.

SPEAKER_06 31:40

It's great to be in, and it's great to keep people informed. Absolutely. Jack Lindquist here with the Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program, f HRLP.org. Dennis Mullen is in the house, and uh we're excited about uh getting an opportunity to learn a little bit more, not just about him, but about the work that uh he and his wife Rhonda have done in the community, and also some uh perspectives on what to look forward to and how people can get engaged in the community in a philanthropic perspective or volunteer perspective in 2026 and beyond. This is the GMCF Community Hour here and now in the new time slot at 9, 9 to 10. And Mike Manson will be back tomorrow within reason. We'll be back in just a couple of moments with Dennis here on News Radio KMAN.

SPEAKER_13 32:29

Hello, Dennis.

SPEAKER_02 32:30

17 women and nine men. And uh I'm just watching this metamorphosis of leadership through the region and how people are getting much more interested in engagement and problem solving, and it's a response to issues that are causing challenges in the area and how they can help.

SPEAKER_06 32:52

How does that demographic differ today than from when you first started with the program?

SPEAKER_02 32:59

Oh, it's a a dramatic shift in uh, especially gender. Uh, a lot more women involved in leadership roles, which is wonderful. And I think most importantly, it's uh an interest and a desire to learn from people that you wouldn't be exposed to otherwise. And so that's an expansion of knowledge and awareness, uh, collaboration and empathy that uh we didn't see as much of early uh in leadership development, but we're certainly seeing it today. And it's that local engagement that's making a huge difference now.

SPEAKER_06 33:35

Well, there's a lot of things that people walk away from, uh, you know, and you, as the director of it, have tremendous takeaways from each class because everybody learns something new. And and there's also, you know, all kinds of accomplishments that uh that your graduates walk away from.

SPEAKER_02 33:56

Well, as we were going through the the Topeka session as an example, uh, which took place in January, uh, the class members realized that they have to think much bigger in their big picture than just the region. But what are the implications of what's going on across the state and how is that impacting our local communities? And it's that awareness, uh, that knowledge uh enhancement, uh, developing contacts uh from key leaders across the region that's helping them make decisions locally and make them quite rapidly, actually, because they know how to gather information quickly and make a quick decision by analyzing what's going on between A and C is not a straight line. It's a cyclical process where they have to think about a lot of different things, and it's that exposure that helps them make better decisions.

SPEAKER_06 34:48

Aaron Powell And then the camaraderie. Oh, they're they're they're they're they're friends for life, they're you know, they're business acquaintances, they bounce ideas off. They probably got their own little friends group on Facebook where they all, you know, intersect and absolutely do.

SPEAKER_02 35:04

And it's not just professional, it's personal with having those connections with people that they never would have met otherwise. And so they're drawn to those, that diversity, the differences that they have, and they're gaining uh an appreciation of one another. Uh people that are in completely different roles from what they are, but they realize how important they are to each other.

SPEAKER_06 35:24

Yeah. You know, I wasn't part of the I have not been in the Flint Hills program, but I was in the Manhattan program. And, you know, there are parallels there, obviously. Um, but I was in the program in 2006. Our first session was two weeks after my wife passed away. Oh, right. You need that family. And I just I just did not want to go. Yeah. And then um Lyle Butler says, Really, you should. You really should. And I'm so glad that I did because those those people held me up also. And it was just a wonderful relationship, wonderful friendship, and great memories. And, you know, my takeaway was was community more so than leadership. Absolutely. That's I think the bottom line.

SPEAKER_02 36:07

One of the participants said that uh after his experience, he came from another state and moved to Kansas because he just really liked his experiences and uh what Fort Riley uh the location of Fort Riley had to offer. He said after the leadership program, I bought land in Walbunsey County.

SPEAKER_14 36:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 36:28

I fell in love with this region and decided I'm gonna sink my roots deep into this area. And he bought some uh prime uh rangeland and a property out in Walbunsee County because of the program.

SPEAKER_06 36:41

You know, and you get such a diversity of backgrounds. You got people from Fort Riley that are coming in, and they they may, and like this, this young, this man that you're talking about may have come from, you know, New York or Michigan or wherever, and and set roots here. We've seen a lot of people retire here and become active in the community here, and that's just been, you know, they're they're wonderful assets to have, no doubt about that.

SPEAKER_02 37:05

Yeah, it's it's just something that you get here and you realize how much this region has to offer, but how great the people are. And uh yes, there are some uh controversial issues and subjects and sure, individuals that comes with anything anywhere. It's how to react to that is the the most important thing, and how to engage uh with other people so that you can build coalitions and work through collaboration and compromise.

SPEAKER_06 37:32

You talked about going to Topeka, and that's a trip to the State House, and that's a wonderful experience. Um have you had many in your program? No, there have been some, but have you had many that have gone on to serve in an elected capacity?

SPEAKER_02 37:44

Oh, many, especially on the local level. Uh, but uh they also, um many of them, most of them realize that they're gonna do uh more important roles in being uh an information feeder, um, a person that gathers uh support for issues, and individuals that help educate the population as to the impact of uh uh an issue or a matter that might be coming up for uh legislation. And so behind the scenes tends to be a larger step that most of them take.

SPEAKER_06 38:19

Okay. Well, I know that in my Manhattan leadership class, I think we had four individuals that were elected to some sort of capacity here. And and um, yeah, I happen to be one of those.

SPEAKER_02 38:31

So the number of p uh participants that we have that have gone on to uh be on boards, councils, advisories for the city or the county that they're from, uh that it's it's too numerous to mention.

SPEAKER_06 38:45

It's a large number of them and and also those that have run for city and county commission. And you know, you you talked about boards, and that's an important aspect. A lot of participation, a lot of feedback, a lot of ideas come to these various boards, and and the city and the county, and everybody's always looking for someone to serve on those boards, as well as, you know, in the nonprofit world.

SPEAKER_02 39:05

Yes, and today they're not looking for the individual that uh might be uh very outspoken on one issue. They're looking for somebody with a broadened experience, uh, a lot of knowledge and background information that they're bringing to the table so that they know that they're gonna be thinking about more than just uh their own interests. Okay. Well, let's talk about the next class. Yeah, this is uh the process now is to start recruiting individuals for the next leadership class. And so that application period is May 15th through uh July 15th. It's all online. Uh it includes uh a recorded video introduction, a minute and a half to three minutes that they would record uh on their own computer and upload that when they do the application process. But uh now's the time for interested individuals to surface their nominees, uh, let them know that uh they need to go to our website and check out the dates. They want to make sure they're clear on all of the dates that we already have scheduled for the 26-27 class. And once they are are aware of that and know what to experience and what to expect, then they can uh go ahead and do the application process in May. But it's important now to gather information and make sure that they are team players and they're the ones that uh we want to surface for the next leadership class.

SPEAKER_06 40:27

What can they expect of the program next session?

SPEAKER_02 40:30

Well, the next session is is going to be um visiting five different locations. Uh we're gonna go through nine leadership experiences. Uh, the leadership modules that we have at the opening of each session uh provides background in core methods and philosophies in leadership for the region and helps them understand collaborative leadership, servant leadership, uh, diversity and inclusion, systems thinking, and just philosophies of leadership, uh, but most importantly working together as a team. And then uh probably I think one of the most important things that we do right up front is to help the participants find their purpose. Uh they may have an idea of what they want to do in leadership roles, but uh going through the experience helps them focus on finding your purpose. It helps the participants discover that they're more engaged citizens that are morally grounded in servant leadership, not just thinking about it.

SPEAKER_06 41:31

Okay. To get signed up to find out more, the website is FHRLP.org.

SPEAKER_02 41:39

That stands for Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program. Program.

SPEAKER_03 41:44

There's a P in there.

SPEAKER_02 41:45

FHRLP. Anything else you want to touch base on? Uh just that it's exciting to think about uh the longevity of the program. Yeah. Uh what uh we're entering into for the the late uh 2020s and uh just the the interest that there is for the program and uh the desire to make things better for the region.

SPEAKER_06 42:07

That's good for all of us. You know, I'm I'm just gonna get in a quick indendum in here. We talked about Eileen Cray. There is a scholarship, isn't there?

SPEAKER_02 42:14

Yes. For individuals that are either small business or nonprofits, uh, there's the Eileen Cray Memorial Scholarship, which pays up to 50% of the tuition. Tuition is uh hasn't changed over the years at $600, and that's payable by the individual or their supporting business or organization. Uh, and then uh there's also scholarships available. Okay. Sounds great.

SPEAKER_00 42:40

Good to have you in again.

SPEAKER_06 42:41

It's great to be in, and it's great to keep people informed. Absolutely. Jack Lindquist here with the Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program, f HRLP.org. Dennis Mullen is in the house, and uh we're excited about uh getting an opportunity to learn a little bit more, not just about him, but about the work that uh he and his wife Rhonda have done in the community, and also some uh perspectives on what to look forward to and how people can get engaged in the community in a philanthropic perspective or volunteer perspective in 2026 and beyond. This is the GMCF Community Hour here and now in the new time slot at 9, 9 to 10. And Mike Manson will be back tomorrow with within Reason. We'll be back in just a couple of moments with Dennis here on News Radio K M A N.

SPEAKER_13 43:30

Hello, Dennis.