Connie Hipp & Rob Bridgers
BUILDING BEAUFORT’S LEADERS
story by MEGAN THIBAULT MORRIS photos by CHARLOTTE BERKELEY
On the heels of their annual fall retreat, the newest class of Leadership Beaufort is ready to take on another year of immersing themselves and better understanding the local community. This 38th class, like the others before it, represents a wide array of local business sectors, roles, and backgrounds with its thirty-two class members. Some participants were born in Beaufort, some moved here recently, and everything in between. Each of the participants will learn new things about Beaufort and gain a better understanding of life in the Lowcountry.
The Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce began the program in 1985 with ambition to educate local business leaders in the areas of history, education, government, environment, and culture. Today, the program still focuses on those key aspects of Beaufort, and the wonderful connections participants make through Leadership Beaufort stays with them forever. As of this year, almost nine hundred participants have gone through the program, and organizers have a goal of reaching the one thousand mark by the 40th anniversary of Leadership Beaufort.
Two dedicated volunteers lead the program, and they are well known for doing so. Connie Hipp has been a program coordinator for 36 years and Rob Bridgers has joined her for the past 30 years, both after going through the program on their own. Together, with the help of other program alumni and a bevy of local connections, they plan and execute two annual retreats, seven monthly sessions that fill a Friday, and a graduation ceremony.
“We have a special approach to our program,” says Connie. “It’s not just sitting in a classroom to hear someone talk about important aspects of our community, it’s about experiencing them firsthand. It’s one of the ways Leadership Beaufort is unique.”
That means the Leadership Beaufort classes take the time to go to places they are learning about and meet the people they are learning from. They visit local military bases, walk the halls of local nonprofit facilities, spend time doing law enforcement simulations, and shadow students at local schools, just to name a few of the activities. They often incorporate special projects into their days of learning, and it’s not unusual for them to come up with a way their class can make a difference when a need is identified.
“The most valuable takeaway from this program,” shares Rob, “is that the group feels empowered as citizens to be involved, incite progress, and be active in the community. If we hear someone say ‘They should do something about that,’ then we tell them ‘You are the they.’”
The program is designed to build leadership skills in a diverse setting. Many group assignments focus on problem-solving skills and working together, using the strengths of the team and the community resources available. One traditional exercise called “Simulated Society” is Rob’s favorite way to achieve this lesson.
“The Simulated Society exercise really changed my perspective,” Rob recalls. “It is my favorite moment from being in the program, and it continues to prove with each new class that it is a valuable tool for learning how to solve problems and work together in our community.”
Connie’s favorite memory going through the class was the trip to Penn Center. Growing up in Beaufort, she learned about the history of Penn Center in school, but recalling how it felt to tour it for the first time and hearing Ron and Natalie Daise speak about Penn Center and Gullah history “truly made a lasting impact” on her life.
Moments like those and so many others of class participants over thirty-eight years have been a key driver for the success of Leadership Beaufort. Now there is even an Alumni Association that keeps the connections active and hosts socials to discuss current local issues.
Other leadership programs spawned from the original iteration. The Chamber also manages Senior Leadership and Junior Leadership programs through Clemson Extension, and local schools, like Beaufort Middle School, have their own leadership programming too. In fact, it is an annual tradition for the Leadership Beaufort coordinators to attend an annual presentation by Beaufort Middle program participants on what they accomplished while in the program.
The Leadership Beaufort program and alumni can be credited for helping to start DragonBoat in Beaufort and helping to bring the artistic mermaid statues to town. They have helped build a Habitat for Humanity house and conducted several fundraisers to support local causes and people. By the numbers, a dozen current elected officials are alumni, and multiple base commanders and sixteen Water Festival commodores went through the program. Seven current and several past Chamber Board members have graduated from the program too. The list goes on with current judges and business owners, community board chair members, and multiple generations of attendees within families.
“A glance at the Leadership Beaufort alumni list speaks volumes about this program’s strong legacy and community impact,” says Chamber President Ian Scott. “Participants graduate Leadership Beaufort with a holistic understanding of this community. You see where the region excels and some areas where we have room to grow. It’s no surprise that many Leadership Beaufort graduates go on to serve on boards, start new projects, or seek elected office.”
All of this shows how much of a local tradition the Leadership Beaufort program is in the community. It has served the citizens very well, and in turn the community, to have such an enthusiastic, professional group. And great kudos go out to Connie and Rob for coordinating year after year. They want to thank the community for being such gracious hosts.
To be in Leadership Beaufort is special, but the actionable outcome is achievable by any citizen: “Be a ‘they.’ Be engaged in the community and be a proactive part of Beaufort’s future.”
