This year, Executive Exchange will expand the opportunity for nonprofit Executive Directors to learn and grow with their peers. Executive Exchange will be conducted monthly and hosted by six different discussion leaders. Each discussion leader will recommend a book that the participants will be expected to read and be prepared to discuss. The Foundation will provide the books chosen by the discussion leaders.

The interactive format will challenge executives to examine their leadership and management skills. Participants in Executive Exchange will be exposed to the latest thinking about how organizations change and the role of the leader in that process. Come and join your peers in exploring best practices and proven principals for individual and organizational growth and development.

Only Executive Directors who have completed Fast Forward 2001-2002 or 2002-2003 are eligible to join this six-month series of monthly discussions.

Executive Exchange Dates, Discussion Leaders
and Topics

Date	Leader	Topic	Reading Material
Oct 3, 2003	Coleman Peterson	Managing People	The Wal-Mart Decade    by Robert Slader
Nov 7, 2003	Dr. David Williams	Developing Your Personal Leadership	Leading    (Online reading)
Dec 19, 2003	Dr. Dan Ferritor	Taking Your Agency to the Next Level	Good to Great    by Jim Collins
Jan 9, 2004	Julia Hobbs	Effectively Communicating About Your Agency	Leadership is an Art    by Max DePree
Feb 6, 2004	Wendy Soderquist	Developing Facilitation Skills	The Five Dysfunctions of a Team    by Patrick Lencioni
Mar 5, 2004	Pan Adams	Taking Care of Yourself to Enable You to Take Care of Your Agency	The Impossible Takes A Little Longer, Living with Purpose and Passion    by Art Berg

Participating Executive Directors must commit to the whole series of six lunch meetings. The Executive Exchange is restricted to agency Executive Directors. Deadline to register is September 5, 2003. Cost for all six sessions is $50. Lunch will be provided.

Schedule for Sessions

11:30 a.m. Lunch and Discussion Begins
1:00 p.m. Adjourn

To register, you will find our form here.

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Executive Exchange Biographies

Cole Peterson has the distinction of being the Chief Human Resource Officer of the world's largest private workforce – Wal-Mart's 1.3 million "associates" world-wide. Wal-Mart is a $244.5 billion a year retailer, and was named in 2003 "America's #1 Most Admired Company" by Fortune magazine.

As Executive Vice President of Wal-Mart's People Division, Cole is responsible for the recruitment, retention and development of employees for an organization that continues its global growth in countries, including Mexico, Canada, the United Kingdom, Asia and South America.

During Cole's nine years with Wal-Mart, the People Division has flourished, becoming a strategic partner within the company. In addition to focusing on three basic "People Needs" of getting, keeping, and growing great associates, he has helped diversify a workforce to represent the communities it serves. Wal-Mart is the country's number one employer of African-Americans and Hispanics, and is ranked sixth among Fortune magazine's most admired companies in America.

David Williams, Ph. D., is the President and CEO of Ozark Guidance, Ozark Guidance Foundation, Watson Street Apartments, Oak Tree Apartments and Hemingway Apartments, Inc. He has been in behavioral health services management for over 30 years serving as a planner, division director and operations manager for a community mental health center and mental retardation and substance abuse services in Austin, Texas prior to his 1978 move to his current position in the Ozark Guidance network.

His professional credentials include: Texas Christian University Master of Divinity (emphasis on pastoral counseling); University of Texas Ph. D.; plus a Professional Counselor's license and certification as a Mental Health Administrator. He is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

David is a member of the Board of Managed Behavioral Healthcare, Inc. and several professional advisory committees. He is adjunct professor for the University of Arkansas Health Education Graduate School. His community involvements have included First Night, AHEC Community Advisory Board, United Way, Fayetteville Planning Commission, Governor's Task Forces on DWI and Children's Services, Washington County Health Advisory Committee, the Human Resources Preservation League and several local and state task forces.

Dan Ferritor, Ph. D., is Chancellor Emeritus and University Professor, Department of Sociology, of the University of Arkansas. He served as UA's Chancellor for 11 years. He began his academic career at the University of Arkansas in 1967 as Assistant Professor. In 1971, Ferritor left UA to be come the Associate Director of the national program on Early Childhood Education in St. Louis, Missouri. He briefly returned to UA as Associate Professor, Department of Sociology. His work lead him to serve as research design specialist for the then Department of Health, Education and Welfare in their administration for Children, Youth and Families. He later served as a Visiting Senior Research Associate at the National Testing Service Corporation. Ferritor returned to the UA in 1979 as a Professor in the Department of Sociology and became University Chancellor in 1986.

He has partnered in writing two books and 40 refereed articles and technical reports. He has provided leadership to eleven research grants. Ferritor's distinguished career has been recognized with numerous awards: Distinguished Achievement in Teaching and Research; Chancellors Medal for Service to Higher Education, University of Arkansas; Citizen of the Year, 2001 NWA American Heart Association and the Biological Sciences Building at the University of Arkansas named Daniel E. Ferritor Biological Sciences Hall.

Julia Hobbs, As vice president of strategic marketing for ThompsonMurray, Julia is responsible for leading the development of national marketing plans, shopper research, national promotional campaigns, cause-related marketing initiatives, public relations and community involvement strategies. Working with clients such as Procter & Gamble, General Mills, Energizer, Coke, Wal-Mart and others, she leads national and international customer marketing initiatives. Julia has a unique career background in the corporate and nonprofit industry. For six years, Julia served as Executive Vice President of Give Kids the World, a 70 acre resort for terminally ill children and their families. Julia was instrumental in obtaining over $15 million dollars of in-kind products and services that are donated annually. Julia serves on several nonprofit boards including America's Charities in Washington, D.C. and Give Kids the World Trustee Board, Orlando, Florida and is President of the Children's Safety Center Board in northwest Arkansas.

Julia has also worked at the executive, marketing promotions and community relations level with the following companies: Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children & Women, Hard Rock Cafe, Sea World, Universal Studios, Elvis Presley Enterprises, Communities in Schools, Planet Hollywood and Walt Disney World Co.

Wendy Soderquist serves as the Director of Leadership Development for the Soderquist Center for Leadership and Ethics. She provides leaders and emerging leaders with real and impactful connections, as well as provides leadership to the overall marketing of the center to its various constituents. A gifted communicator, she speaks on behalf of the Center, and is responsible for their non-profit clientele. Wendy is the lead consultant for nonprofits enrolled in Care Foundation's The Empowerment Zone.

Wendy brings experience in innovative leadership development from several colleges and universities, including eight years at Taylor University in Student Leadership Development. Wendy holds her Masters of Arts in Student Personnel Administration in Higher Education.

Pan Adams, is a Licensed Professional counselor and Psychiatric Nurse and has been a mental health professional for more than 20 years. She is a trained mediator in domestic, family and business situations. Pan is Co-Owner of Alternative Solutions, PLLC, offering individual, group therapy and substance abuse services for adults and adolescents.

Pan has worked at Ozark Guidance, the local mental health center, serving as the creator and director of the state's first crisis intervention unit. She served for three years as the Northwest Arkansas consultant for RAIN, the Regional AIDS Interfaith Network. In addition, she has served as an instructor in the Nursing Department of the University of Arkansas and is a contributor to the book Surrounded by a Cloud of Witnesses.

Pan regularly presents workshops, training for counseling and summer camp staffs, work teams, and church advisory boards. She is a regular speaker at area civic groups, volunteer organizations, businesses and churches. A graduate of the University of the South at Sewanee, Tennessee and the University of Arkansas, Pan is also a licensed registered nurse.

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