The Wetumpka Civic Center was ablaze at Thursday’s Ignite Leadership Summit.
It was the third year the Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce hosted the leadership event. This year, the program surrounded a theme of “Ignite.”
“It only takes a spark to get a fire going,” chamber executive director Shellie Phelps said. “That's true when you're building relationships in your nurturing life or professionally, or in building an organization, or when it comes to revitalizing a town.”
Phelps said everyone has great ideas, but it’s those who act on those “sparks” that make an impact in their own lives, organizations and communities. Phelps invited some of her friends to share stories about inspiration. J.F. Ingram State Technical College president Annette Funderburk works behind razor wire to educate prisoners to better their lives when they get out. Hometown Takeover co-creator Jenna Keane shared what attracted her and others from HGTV to Wetumpka for the first season of the show. Don Erwin is considered an Alabama icon in economic development and shared how he and others worked together to recruit Mercedes to Alabama. Wetumpka native Jenny Stubbs shared stories of her great aunt Mary Olive Enslen Tinder who was one of the first female radio and television broadcasters.
“We all have great ideas, but the people that will pass the fear and surround themselves with other passionate people and do something great with those ideas that succeed,” Phelps said.
Erwin told the story of how Alabama Power partnered with the State of Alabama and others after seeing a story in a European newspaper about Mercedes wanting a U.S. based plant. After the German automaker made the announcement about Alabama, Honda, Hyundai and Toyota followed and most have made even larger investments.
“Alabama is now the No.1 exporter of automobiles in the U.S.,” Erwin said.
Barber Motorsports was only an idea when Erwin had a conversation with George Barber who had sold Barber Dairy the year before. Erwin approached Barber about a museum for his motorcycle collection. Erwin had previously put together land in Leeds for a project for BASS that never came to be. Barber bought in. More than a decade later Indy Car is a frequent visitor to the track and Formula I can race there as well.
Bass Pro Shops, restaurants and hotels have followed.
What started it all was getting a $15,000 investment into an International Baccalaureate degree for high school students. It was needed to show European executives schools in Alabama were adequate for their students. A decade later the Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School was named the top high school in the country in 2005. It was the first school in the state to offer the program a decade earlier.
The IB program is now in more than 20 Alabama schools.
“The program's success demonstrates that a small investment can lead to significant educational opportunities,” Erwin said.
The “spark” of a small investment showed the state’s commitment to European industries.
Stubbs' story highlighted the perseverance of her great aunt. Tinder was well ahead of her time in interviewing stars about their movies and more.
The speakers’ stories described the “sparks” many took to achieve success in their careers..
“Our goal is to create an atmosphere of inspiration and excitement where you can meet other people who have amazing ideas,” Phelps said. “We hope those connections that are created here will help everyone move forward and closer to their goals.”
