Future leaders meet community

Molly Shore

Their ranks include city and school district employees, community

volunteers and business people each seeking to become a leader in the

community.

The 26 new members of Leadership Burbank’s Class of 2004 were

introduced to the community Wednesday night at a reception hosted by

Woodbury University.

The university jointly sponsors the program with the city, the

school district and the Burbank Chamber of Commerce. The program

helps prepare men and women to guide and shape the future of the

city, said Susan Bowers, the chamber’s executive director.

“What we wanted to do was provide an opportunity to those people

who want to be leaders,” Bowers said. “We’re looking to the future,

and we want to ensure that future.”

“These courses will accelerate my ability to move up in the

company,” said Kim LaFollette, a Warner Bros. employee who hopes to

one day become a liaison between the studio and the city.

Kreigh Hampel, the city’s new recycling coordinator and a 16-year

resident of Burbank, is eager to participate in this year’s

Leadership Burbank program.

“It is a good chance to meet more people in the community and do

more outreach,” Hampel said, adding that his personal goal is to

increase commercial recycling in the city.

In his welcoming remarks, City Councilman Jef Vander Borght told

the incoming class that the community can always find better ways of

doing things.

“I expect to see all of you take a stronger leadership role from

this class,” Vander Borght said. “Life in Burbank is never static.”

J.P. O’Connor, who helps teach Leadership Burbank classes with

James DeLizia, said the incoming group offers different perspectives,

including age and work and volunteer experience.

“I think that the kind of people that we want to attract have a

zeal that says, ‘I want to be a leader,’ ” O’Connor said.