Each year, the Weirton Area Chamber of Commerce offers a program aimed at encouraging networking (a major component of any chamber activity) as well as increased involvement in the community.

The 2025 class of Leadership Ohio Valley began its year Thursday and Friday, and it already appears as if this will be a great group which, hopefully, will find their own paths when it comes to being leaders.

This year’s class, and their sponsors, include Ira Aracich, Hancock County Commission; Kevan Brown, IBEW Local 246; Yolanda Edwards, Form Energy; Nathaniel Kurty, Bulldog Rack; Clark Miller, Business Development Corp.; Lavonnia Montgomery, Howard Hanna Mortimer Realty; Lettie Muynila, Weirton Geriatric Center; Jennifer O’Neill, Hancock and Brooke Young Professionals; Dawn Smith, City of Weirton; Elizabeth Smith, True North LLC; Danielle Stroud, CHANGE, Inc.; and Heather Southern, First Commonwealth Bank.

As a matter of full disclosure, as I always try to do, I’m active with the Weirton Area Chamber of Commerce, serving on its board of directors and as chairman of the Education Committee which organizes the Leadership program.

I’m also a graduate of the program, having been part of the Class of 2008 back when it was known as Leadership Weirton.

The group met for the first time Thursday afternoon, taking part in a True Colors exercise, led by Carole Scheerbaum of the Lee Day Report Center. The exercise looks at personality traits, with tips on how each can address their own needs as well as best interact with people of other personalities. This can be a key component for any leader, as they learn to walk those lines of working with others and encouraging work within their teams.

Friday was a full day of activity, with a SIMSOC exercise. I won’t go into detail on this, because the chamber has adopted the rule of “You don’t talk about SIMSOC.” That aspect of the program, though, is always interesting, both having gone through it and having the opportunity to observe on multiple occasions.

Over the next few months, the group will work together, both in smaller groups and as the entire class, to organize and participate in a series of sessions focusing on topics such as government, business, healthcare and education.

They also will attend meetings of local governmental agencies and civic organizations, volunteer their time within the community, and then implement a project in service to the community.

As with anything, each year of Leadership is different. You have different people, learning about themselves and each other, along with the community. They get a better sense of how connected things can be and also how they can get more involved, at work and in their towns, if they choose to do so.

There are challenges, as with anything, and I’ve seen people struggle, at times. I’ve also seen groups form tight bonds with each other and become lifelong friends.

There are still members of my class I see, or am in contact with, regularly, evan after more than 15 years.

The big thing to remember, and this is for the current class as well as anyone interested in going through in the future: be willing to be open to new experiences, don’t limit yourself to your own perspective about what can be done, take time to get together outside the scheduled program events, look at opportunities throughout the region (it is Leadership Ohio Valley and the Weirton AREA Chamber of Commerce, after all), and, most importantly, have fun.

(Howell, a resident of Colliers, is managing editor of The Weirton Daily Times, and can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com or followed on Twitter/X @ChowellWDT)