For over 34 years, the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce has sponsored a transformational community program called “Leadership Sioux Falls (LSF)”
The annual program begins in the fall and concludes in the spring of the following year (Oct-May). It involves eight group sessions with nearly 100 guest speakers sharing the why, who, and how to make a difference as leaders within their community. The results of this program may appear to be intangible, but yet so impactful to the community it serves. Leap Chear, director of EAPC’s Sioux Falls office, architect, and EAPC partner, said he is honored to have been selected to this year’s class and to be the 1,000th graduate of the program.
“This means 999 others before me are already on this journey with many more to follow.”
Leap said it is a true honor to be part of an amazing group but more importantly that the Chamber believes in the “good” that comes from this program.
“I am thankful for the opportunity to be introduced to so many influential community leaders. Each and every one of their messages resonate with me where passion is the fuel and the ending of LSF34 marks the beginning of something great. I look forward to engaging and will be advocating for others to turn their eyes toward this program. I am forever grateful. Congratulations to my fellow LSF34 classmates! Now let’s go do something great!”
With some resemblance to normalcy, especially in this pandemic year, the program culminated with a formal, in-person graduation ceremony at the Holiday Inn City Centre Starlite Lounge in downtown Sioux Falls where former governor Dennis Daugaard (also a graduate of LSF) was the keynote speaker. His profound message for the graduates was, “As leaders, we need to be persistent in everything we do, be first to listen and then be understood, and find meaningful ways to say thank you and be sure to acknowledge in front of peers”.
“I want to express a BIG thank you to EAPC Architects Engineers for sponsoring me into the Leadership Sioux Falls Program and for allowing the time to be fully engaged. Also, a special thanks to Chris Houwman (Malloy Electric) and Wes Engbers (Gil Haugan Construction) for your recommendations.”
—Leap Chear