non-profit: Leadership Anne Arundel - Anne Arundel's Premier Non-Profit Leadership Training & Networking Institute

Our Leadership Partners

Leadership Anne Arundel's mission is to provide people of diverse backgrounds with the education, resources and networks necessary to become successful, proactive leaders.

LAA lowers tuition rates

Leadership Anne Arundel's Board of Directors approved new tuition rates for Flagship, ELS and Fellows programs. The Board is pleased that the restructuring and improved efficiencies implemented over the past couple of years allow for lower tuition costs. Programs have been enhanced to improve the quality and depth of the materials, information and activities of the programs. We had tremendous success with the initial Fellows class and have some excellent free Fireside Chat Programs planned.

LAA has repositioned itself to truly be the preeminent leadership program in Anne Arundel County. The success of LAA is attributed to the outstanding efforts of your board, staff, great sponsors and your participation. This is also a result of the benefits obtained from member Annual Fund contributions and payment of class dues. So if you have not participated, please go to www.leadershipaa.org and join your fellow LAA graduates. In the very near future, all graduate names and class years will also be listed alphabetically for all to see our great alumni.

NEW TUITION RATES
Flagship:
$3,500
$2,750 Non-profits (charitable, educational, fraternal and governmental entities) individuals and small businesses (no more then 5 total employees)

Executive Leadership Series:
$2,500
$1,750 Non-profit organizations and special status individuals LAA wants to approve

Fellows Program:
$1,500

Applications for the upcoming program year are being accepted now! Please help us spread the word by sending your prospects to Glenn Baer gbaer@arinc.com or Eric Edstrom at ericedstrom@leadershipaa.org

Welcome New LAA Board Members - July 1, 2011

Welcome 9 new LAA Board Members starting July 1, 2011 for 3-year terms: Dr. Faith Harland-White, dean of the School of Continuing & Professional Studies at Anne Arundel Community College; Vanessa Carter, director of the Bureau of School Health and Support, Anne Arundel County; Dave Vogel of Praxis Engineering; Carlene Cassidy, professor at Anne Arundel Community College and founder of its Entrepreneurial Studies Institute; Bob Crosby of Baltimore Gas and Electric; Lawrence Scott of Scott Consulting; Nancy Luttrell, vice president of Human Resources at Anne Arundel Medical Center; John Goldthwait of M&T Bank; and Bill Kuethe of Kuethe State Farm Agency.

The Board also paid tribute to departing board members Lisa Hillman and Tim O'Ferrall, whose 6 years on the board were the maximum they could serve. Also leaving the board were Dave Wheeler, Nick Lambrow and Jeff Griffith who finished their 3-year term. Their extraordinary work was instrumental in moving LAA forward. Please join us in thanking them for their loyal commitment to LAA.

LAA appoints new executive director

Leadership Anne Arundel has hired a veteran banking executive and well-known community volunteer as its next executive director.

Eric W. Edstrom will assume the organization's leadership position on April 25. He replaces Patrick Lee, who will remain with LAA as a volunteer through June.

Edstrom has more than 25 years in financial and managerial experience and most recently was president of the Annapolis Community Bank before its purchase by CFG Bancorp in 2009. Prior to then he was the company operating officer of Whitmore Print & Imaging in Annapolis.

"We are very fortunate to have someone who has a deep involvement in the community and who has a wealth of business and educational experience to help guide LAA into the future," said Tom Marquardt, LAA's board president.

LAA provides tuition-based education and networking opportunities through four programs structured to familiarize participants in such topics as government, business, agriculture, technology and the environment. More than a thousand local residents, including business owners and elected officials, have graduated from one of its programs. Edstrom graduated from the organization's Flagship program in 2003.

Edstrom has been very involved in community activities. He was president of the Annapolis Rotary Club in 2006-2007 and is currently the president of the Library Foundation. Edstrom is treasurer of the Annapolis Optimist Club, Hillsmere Pool Association, Fairwinds Condominium Association and several Masonic organizations including the Annapolis Lodge 89 AF&AM Foundation. He has also served on the boards of Annapolis Wellness Center, Eastport United Methodist Church, and United Way Anne Arundel County Partnership Board.

"I am excited to be joining such a dynamic organization so committed to improving our community and preparing future leaders," he said.

Edstrom has a masters of business administration from Salisbury University and earned his bachelor of science degree from Middle Tennessee State University. He is also graduates of financial programs at the University of Georgia and the University of Connecticut.

He has taught business courses at Salisbury University and Wor-Wic Community College and is an adjunct management and economics instructor with Washington Adventist University and Anne Arundel Community College.

Edstrom is an Eagle Scout and lives with his wife, Wendy, in Hillsmere. They are the parents of three sons and have four grandchildren.

Lee is leaving the executive director position after having been involved with LAA for more than a decade. A 2002 graduate of the Flagship class, he served as a volunteer before joining the board of directors in 2003 He has served as board president before taking the executive director position in 2008. He will continue to work with the organization's current Flagship class until it graduates in June.

During his administration, Lee oversaw the graduation of more than 175 program participants, remodeled two program curriculums and created a graduate program. An award in his name is given to an outstanding LAA volunteer each year. Lee is currently on the boards for the county Arts Council and Bay Theater.

Leadership Fellows Create Small Business Safety Net
Join our Next Fellows Class

Corporations and major employers have understood the importance of emergency preparedness for a long time. But what about the small business owners who don't think a disaster can happen to them?

Click here to read the rest of the The Capital's story

2010 Leadership Fellows

Nancy Almgren, Retired Financial Planner
Joyce Coleman, Signature Program Facilitator for Anne Arundel County Public schools
Marilyn Corbett, President, Back Creek Communications
Robert Crosby, Manager of Design Services, Baltimore Gas and Electric Co.
John Gower, Director of Business Operations, ARINC
Scott Gregory, President, R. Scott Gregory Inc.
Maggie Griffin, Principal, Griffin Marketing & Technology
Hank Gundlach, Senior Vice President, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Rita Ormasa, President, Sailwind Marketing
Jeremy Parks, Vice President, Jerome J. Parks Co.
Kristina Seidel, Paralegal Consultant
Adam Tracy, General Manager, Westfield Montgomery Mall
Brian Tucker, Community Volunteer
David Vogel, Principal Consultant/President Subsidiary, ABSI/Compass Information Systems

Leadership Anne Arundel is currently recruiting for its next Fellows class. If you are a graduate of another LAA program and are interested in applying, click here to fill out/download our application.