Do you know “WHY?” By Tom Bamford, Division Chief- Diversity Administration Division, District Captain-West “What can be done within the divisions of an area of responsibility to enhance leadership succession for elected and appointed offices?”
MEMBER FOCUS
This ques on, posed during the 2019 District Training Conference (DTRAIN) in Orlando, became the precept for the “Unit Commander and Staff Leadership Conference.”
Jim Barnard, Vice Commander Flo lla 82 Longboat Key, Toni Borman, Division 8 Commander and Ross Jacobs, Commander, Flo lla 82 Longboat Key display the cer ficates received for comple ng the weekend course Jan. 22, 2020. Auxiliary photo provided by Tom Bamford, District Captain-West
Interes ngly enough, during this past year, a few Division Commanders expressed the desire to resurrect a training ini a ve long ago discon nued. That districtwide ini a ve had been known as the “Flolla Commanders Academy,” which was conducted over a weekend for all incoming Flo lla Commanders and the Flo lla Vice Commanders. The previous training opportunity became the footprint for what has now become the “Unit Commander and Staff Leadership Conference.” The training was open to all the flo lla and division leadership teams within Sector St. Petersburg’s area of responsibility, as well as to anyone else from the district. Addi onally, it was open to any member who might aspire to become part of their units’ leadership team. Immediately a er the ini al presenta on at DTRAIN, Vickie Apon-
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Issue 1 2020
te from the office of the Director of Auxiliary was the first to say she was on board to help develop the material we would be using for the new leadership training. To address the ques on posed during DTRAIN, a team of nine including support from CDR Briggs, Director of Auxiliary D7 and CAPT Thompson, Commander, Sector St. Petersburg, set out to develop a program encompassing policies, direc ves and best prac ces. The many other contributors, some of whom became instructors with their exper se included COMO Judith Hudson, Immediate Past District Commodore; Donna Miller, District Staff Officer-Finance; Terry Hershman, Immediate Past Division 7 Commander; Braxton Ezell, Immediate Past Division 8 Commander; Ray O’Connell Division 15 Commander; Ron Howington, Auxiliary Sector Coordinator Sector St. Petersburg; Douglas Colwell, Flo lla Vice Commander 99 and John Sollecito, Auxiliary Unit Coordinator, Ft. Myers Beach. Also recognized were Brenda Burger, Assistant District Staff Officer-Informa on Systems, Craig De Toma, District Staff Officer-Communica on Systems and Tom Strzycki, Division 9 Vice Commander for their assistance in helping a endees set up computers for their access to Auxiliary Data System (AUXDATA). (Con nued on page 29)
Newsletter for District 7 USCG Auxiliary
