30 Years of Impact: CDI Alumni Book

30Years of

IMPACT

Community Development Institute Established 1987

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Though much has changed in our world over the past thirty years, the mission of the Community Development Institute (CDI) is still as relevant today as it was when CDI held its inaugural class in 1987. This mission—to empower people with the knowledge and skills necessary to proactively improve the physical and human resources of their communities, thereby increasing the quality of life for all citizens—is being fulfilled by alumni across the country, and we are proud to use this booklet to help tell their stories. We have highlighted one individual from each graduating class, so thank you to all program graduates that have provided a testimonial.

As we celebrate the 30th annual Community Development Institute, we are affirming the work of CDI’s founders and all of those who have contributed to its success over the years. I want to especially thank the University of Central Arkansas, CDI Advisory Board, and the individuals that have championed and advocated for the community and economic development profession. The future is bright for CDI, and I look forward to seeing the continued positive impact that CDI graduates will have in their local communities, regions, and states!

In service, Amy Whitehead, PCED CDI Director

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FEATURED CDI ALUMNI 1989 Monieca West

2003 Ivy Owen, PCED

1990 Jerry L. Smith

2004 Chris Marsh

1991 Chris Allen

2005 Gregory Dale

1992 Victor R. Lafont

2006 Kay King

1993 Steve Jones, PCED

2007 R. “Reese” Broadnax, PCED

1994 Sue McGowan

2008 Michael M. Philpot

1995 Flave J. Carpenter, Jr.

2009 Michael Armour

1996 Carolyn Horn Motl

2010 Sophie Uzzell

1997 Jon Chadwell

2011 Clair Hebert Marceaux, PCED

1998 Crystal Kemp

2012 Craig Lindholm, PCED

1999 Basil Julian, PCED

2013 Teresa Cheeks Wilson

2000 Debra Banks, PCED

2014 Luci Sposito, PCED

2001 Greg Phillips

2015 Wonder F. Lowe

2002 Jamie Gates

2016 Harry Brown

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‘89 MONIECA WEST

Arkansas Department of Higher Education

“The decision to attend CDI was my professional fork in the road. It changed the course of my career within Southwestern Bell and led to involvement in community and economic development oriented organizations that gave me great opportunity to grow personally and professionally. Community development became the core around which my career developed and I hope that my community development frame of reference strengthened the organizations, communities, and teams that I have contributed to.�

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1987

1989

Inaugural CDI session

First CDI graduating class

Berlin Wall comes down on November 9th

‘90 JERRY L. SMITH

Morrilton Area Chamber of Commerce

“In the years since graduating CDI, and because of CDI, I have known that I was on firm footing as a community development professional. It was clear from CDI that a great deal of research under-girded our work. With CDI-based knowledge, I have definitely been more confident (a happy warrior, if you will) in this very honorable work to improve communities.”

1990 Hubble Space Telescope is launched on April 24th

Bill Miller Scholarship Fund is established

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‘91 CHRIS ALLEN Entergy Arkansas, Inc.

“During 22 years as a community developer and customer service manager with Entergy, I used approaches and concepts used at CDI on a daily basis.

These include community assessment, active listening, consensus building and conflict resolutions. All of these skills made it possible for me to work effectively with economic development organizations and customers.�

1991 6

Arkansas Community Development Society establishes scholarship fund for CDI

US begins Operation Desert Storm

‘92 VICTOR R. LAFONT South Louisiana Economic Council

“Lifelong and/or temporary residents of coastal communities are constantly exposed to both natural and man-made disasters that can decimate any community. After four major hurricanes, a river flood and major oil spill, it was my core training at CDI that helped my communities to build and rebuild. For me and for what I learned at CDI, it was the ‘gift that kept giving’ for communities working through each and every incident!”

1992 Nichols State CDI Year 1 is offered

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is signed on December 17th

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‘93 STEVE JONES, PCED

Arkansas Economic Development Commission

“Because of CDI, I realized that something that would be a small issue in a large community may be a major issue in a small community. So I put more effort in teaching community development while working in small communities that have limited resources. If they learn just one thing it might make the difference between whether a small community lives or dies.”

1993 8

On April 20, CERN put the World Wide Web software in the public domain

Record CDI attendance of 229

‘94 SUE MCGOWAN

Paragould Regional Chamber of Commerce

“The networking with classmates continues to be one of the strongest long term impacts from attending the Community Development Institute. The continual support and advice received from these relationships continues to be beneficial in striving to enhance our community.”

1994 Nelson Mandela elected President of South Africa

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‘95 FLAVE J. CARPENTER, JR. Entergy Arkansas, Inc.

“I think the most valuable lessons I learned at CDI were learning the value of building constituencies and developing a resource network to include the relationships I built while attending and subsequently working with CDI.”

1995 Ebay launches online auction 10and shopping website

Community Development Council founded

UCA Baum Gallery of Fine Art established

‘96 CAROLYN HORN MOTL The Motl Group, Retired from Entergy Texas

“CDI provided me with fundamental tools that enabled me to provide excellent and useful service to the communities with which I work. Acquiring the PCED certification provided the verification to my company that the time and money invested in my participation was a benefit. After attending the flagship program in Arkansas, it inspired me to bring it to Texas which became the second location to host the full CDI program. One of my highest honors is to have a scholarship provided in my name to a Year 1 attendee as well as being allowed to continue my involvement in the program and on the CDC Board of Trustees.”

1996 UCA forms first Retention Committee and Academic Advising Center

Scientists clone the world’s first sheep, named Dolly

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‘97 JON CHADWELL

Newport Economic Development Commission

“The importance of networking and ‘telling your story’ to other people in your state was the biggest lesson I learned at CDI. I also learned how willing state and federal agencies were to work with communities who were making the effort to address their own issues. Learning how to work with others in a productive way is another one of the things that stuck with me, even twenty years later.”

1997 CDI Texas offers Year 1 class

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UCA creates the first Residential College in the State of Arkansas, Hughes Residential College

‘98 CRYSTAL KEMP Conway Corporation

“Community Development Institute is a place to connect with community leaders and to enhance your own leadership skills. The relationships and skills remain a part of the work I do for my company and for our community.”

1998 Europeans agree on a single currency, the euro, on May 3

Bill Miller retires from UCA

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‘99 BASIL JULIAN, PCED

Arkansas Economic Development Commission (Retired)

“At CDI I learned that community and economic development are inseparable.

While it is possible to study them separately from an academic standpoint, in the real world you must develop both simultaneously in order to develop a healthy and prosperous community.”

1999 CDI Northwest offers Year 1 class

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The proclaimed 6 billionth living human in the world is born

‘00 DEBRA BANKS, PCED Pulaski County Community Services

“The most important lesson that I took away from CDI, and continue to take away, is that communities have the same issues. The scale of the problem may be different, but many of the issues faced are very similar. Sharing the solutions and successes that have occurred in one community or area can greatly assist another area in achieving similar success. Every participant at CDI is both a learner and teacher, and that helps us all.”

2000 The dot-com bubble bursts on March 10

Ernest Whitelaw Award established to recognize outstanding Year 3 participant

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‘01 GREG PHILLIPS Main Street Arkansas

“Attending CDI had a really big impact on my career. It provided me with an opportunity to learn not only in the classroom but also in exchanges with other faculty members and participants outside the classroom. I was able to return home with helpful information, new ideas, and a sense of being a more accomplished community development professional.”

2001 Grand opening of UCA’s Brewer-Hegeman 16Conference Center

World Trade Center and Pentagon are attacked on September 11

‘02 JAMIE GATES

Conway Area Chamber of Commerce

“I can’t imagine a better introduction to community and economic development. It’s like taking a class in ‘applied civics’ as an adult. CDI established my mindset for ethical and effective community and economic development. Having CDI present in our community has definitely given us a large group of residents and officials who are ‘community development literate’ and understand how to ethically pursue better outcomes for our city.”

2002 CDI East offers Year 1 class

The CDI Advisory Board is reconstituted

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‘03 IVY OWEN, PCED

Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority

“Attending CDI gave me a different perspective on professional development and it enabled me to be more effective in the communities that I assist. I utilized the community development principles on a constant basis and building and maintaining relationships has made my job much easier.”

2003 CDI courses can be completed for graduate credit through UCA’s 18Master of Science in Community and Economic Development

Myspace.com is launched on August 1

‘04 CHRIS MARSH Boyette Strategic Advisors

“Starting my career in community and economic development, I quickly realized the path would be full of challenges and rewards. From working for community-based economic development organizations to diving head first into utility economic development and now working with organizations across the US, the most significant impact that CDI made on my career is the constant reminder to be as inclusive as possible. My first CDI class included a wide-range of ALL types of communities, organizations and people who all had one desire: to make tomorrow better than today.”

2004 Bill Miller Award established to recognize contributions of CDI

CDI Advisory Board establishes account with UCA Foundation to support private fundraising

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‘05 GREGORY DALE USDA, Rural Development

“The most important skill I learned at CDI was being able to understand that there are proven steps in building a path to a better community. Also, that as a facilitator of this process, we have to guide communities in decisions to plan the future of there communities and not to impose our vision. Finally, identifying and establishing partnerships is essential to any community planning process.”

2005 CDI Midwest offers Year 1 class

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Hurricanes Katrina and Rita wreak catastrophic damage on the Gulf Coast

UCA joins Division I athletics

‘06 KAY KING

Morehouse Economic Development Corporation

“Team building was my biggest takeaway from CDI. I would come back each year with a renewed goal to build team efforts. So many things in pure economic development are confidential it takes a lot of effort to build a team.

This has been a big challenge but my community is getting there. (Maybe I am getting there.) Working with other like minded people creates a good team building environment.”

2006 UCA is ranked 61st in the South in academic excellence by US News and World Report

Community Development Handbook is published, serving as the official curriculum for the PCED certification exam 21

‘07 R. “REESE” BROADNAX, PCED Southwest Arkansas Planning & Development District, Inc.

“I’ve become an inspiration to others who desire to be assets in their communities. Being a CDI graduate and a Class Director also affords me the opportunity to reach out to businesses and people to recruit more ‘ambassadors’ or ‘champions’ of community and economic development initiatives.”

2008

2007 CDI Advanced Year Class assists the 22community of Lake Providence, Louisiana

UCA celebrates its 100th anniversary

Nabholz Foundation provides $80,000 endowment to CDI

‘08 MICHAEL M. PHILPOT West Tennessee Industrial Association

“CDI gave me ideas and concepts that could be implemented in our region to generate progress. I work with 15 counties and many different sized chambers and municipalities, and I became more aware of opportunities and needs of the people and places I serve.”

U.S. government responds to financial crisis with $200 billion loan program to country’s largest banks

Barack Obama becomes first African American to be elected President of the United States

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‘09 MICHAEL ARMOUR

Director, Appalachian Regional Commission, Office of the Governor

“It was a great experience working with and learning from the entire team at CDI. The instructors were hands on and very knowledgeable. Our fellow classmates were great and have been an excellent resource when called. I have referred many prospects to CDI and will continue to do so. Every course taught me valuable skills that I put into use daily.”

2009 UCA’s Center for Community and Economic Development 24formed to provide training and technical assistance beyond CDI

CDI Scholarship Fund founded by Year 3 Class

‘10 SOPHIE UZZELL Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

“Thanks to CDI, I went on to complete a Master of Science (MSc) in International Development, which has broadened my professional interests and career path. Though I now work in policy advocacy, I consider my learning in community development at CDI an invaluable experience and a great asset.”

2010 CDI receives award for innovation and engagement from the University Continuing Education Association

UCA opens new College of Business building for classes

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‘11 CLAIR HEBERT MARCEAUX, PCED Cameron Parish Police Jury

“CDI laid the ground work for me to find my passion. I take great pride in my certification as a Professional Community and Economic Developer. The most important lesson I learned from CDI is that all of us are in development together: elected officials, government employees, community leaders, stakeholders, educators, healthcare professionals, private developers and on and on. If we do not work together we will likely not reach our shared goals and if we do, despite not working together, it will take longer and certainly not be as rewarding.”

2011 UCA’s Division of Academic Outreach and Extended Programs is 26renamed the Division of Outreach and Community Engagement

Tom Courtway becomes President of UCA

‘12 CRAIG LINDHOLM, PCED City of Lindale, Texas

“I lead for the future, not the present or the past. I use the skills I learned from CDI to more effectively communicate with elected officials. CDI was transformative - I am a better leader and better city manager. CDI has helped me frame all my decisions within the context of ‘community development’ what is best for my community in the long term.”

2012 Michael Phelps wins his 19th Olympic medal, becoming the winningest Olympic athlete of all time

UCA Freshman enrollment up 10 percent

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‘13 TERESA CHEEKS WILSON Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

“The most important lesson I learned from CDI is, ‘Don’t be a fixer.’ Assist and empower communities in building a sense of ownership whereby they have influence over their decisions and control their own destiny. The results will be long-lasting and more meaningful!”

2013 CDI Southeast offers Year 1 class

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UCA’s Center for Community and Economic Development receives Governor’s Quality Award for performance excellence

‘14 LUCI SPOSITO, PCED Lafourche Parish Council

“As I learned more through CDI, I looked around and realized just how many voices were not being heard, and that became unacceptable to me. I ran for office and was elected in 2015. I feel that my training prepared me to better and more efficiently serve my community and all its members.”

2014 CDI launches re-vamped Advanced Year option in Paris, AR in a partnership with Dr. Mark Peterson and the Breakthrough Solutions program

One World Trade Center opens for tenants in lower Manhattan 29

‘15 WONDER F. LOWE The Butterfly Effect, Inc.

“I believe that attending CDI has made me a better more well rounded leader.

Being around others who have excelled in this area and are out there making a difference has inspired me to try even harder. I think the impact to my community is the quality and effectiveness of our services and educational programs. CDI has given me the courage to expand and offer our services in a second area of the state.”

2015 UCA’s Center for Community and Economic Development receives 30$84,000 grant from the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation

UCA becomes official TEDx site

‘16 HARRY BROWN Mayor of Stephens, AR

“I found that there is so much to be learned by working with others and that no matter what the problem that you or your community encounter, there is a solution. There are people and programs that are available and willing to assist you in whatever your needs may be. I have been able to communicate with my constituents more effectively and convey our plan for moving our city and community forward, and I have learned to be more opened minded when making decisions that affect others.”

2016 CDI celebrates 30th annual institute

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