By Barbara Lockard
David Dellifield, director of ONU’s McIntosh Center, would not have met the Kenton fire captain if it hadn’t been for Hardin Leadership.  

“The program connected me to people in the county that I would not have met on a daily basis,” said Dellifield.  

A graduate of the 2013 Hardin Leadership Program, Dellifield holds a bachelor’s degree from ONU and a master’s from Bluffton University.  Having grown up in the Allen East area and living out of state for a few years, however, put him at a disadvantage when it came to a knowledge of area individuals and resources.

In his position at ONU, Dellifield manages the logistics and physical resources for all student activities and some services like the library and bookstore.  The skill he finds most important is creative problem solving.  

“I’ll sit down with a group of students who have an idea for an event and maybe aren’t aware of what’s all involved,” he added.  “We don’t tell our customers ‘no’ here, so I need to guide them through the planning process.”  

In nine monthly sessions, Hardin Leadership 2020 will focus on skills needed by today’s business and community leaders, including conflict management, public speaking and marketing. This year’s program will be held in morning sessions from March through November.  

Thanks to his Hardin Leadership experience, Dellifield not only honed his business skills, but learned more about local government and non-profit organizations.  

“I became more aware of what resources are available, especially resources for those in need,” stated Dellifield.  This was knowledge he could add to his “personal wheelhouse.”  

He added that some of the contacts he made through Hardin Leadership have since been promoted and can provide even more expertise and assistance.  

Other comments from Ada participants

Jodi Dearth - I graduated from Hardin Leadership in 2017.  The program is a great opportunity to learn about Hardin County and how to help it thrive.  I appreciated learning about local government and community partners and what they do within the county.  I’ve met wonderful friends from my class and while I have participated in the steering committee.  It gave me the desire to get involved in Kenton Hardin County Soroptimists.  I also gained a lot of confidence in my abilities.

Sheila Coressel - Hardin Leadership provided the opportunity to learn about Hardin County and what it offers. I heard from county commissioners, the judge, sheriff, and many other county employees.  I was able to develop my leadership skills through the variety of sessions.

Natalie Walton - If you live and/or work in Hardin country, I would highly recommend this class to you, sign up ASAP. There is so much valuable information to gain from Hardin Leadership. Such as, the inner workings of local nonprofit agencies, local government, professional self-assessments, and many opportunities to visit leadership in action. The best is working with your peers in each class session. It was fun and interesting to meet other professionals outside of the library world where we had the same goal in mind; to give back and better our community. 

Rhett Grant - As a newcomer, Hardin Leadership really connected me to my new home. Whether you are new to Hardin County or a native, consider joining Hardin Leadership to build connections and improve your leadership and people stills. The local economy, politics, business, and more—there is a lot to learn. 

The Hardin Leadership 2020 Program is recruiting participants through March 5.  The class is limited to 24 individuals and some scholarships are available.  For more information, contact the Hardin Leadership Steering Committee at [email protected].

The 2020 brochure is attached