Emerge '14's logo
Finding a way to coalesce and mobilize the young professional community in Lexington has been a focus since the Commerce Lexington Leadership Visit to Omaha, Neb., in spring of last year. Out of that discussion, Emerge ’14 Presented by Forcht Bank has taken shape, modeling itself after the annual Young Professional Summit held in Omaha.
“We have such a passionate young professional community here in Lexington, and it seems like it could be more unified, and we have a lot of people who are leaving a positive impact on this community, but if we combine that ability and that collective passion, we could see exceptional results,” said Mike Hilton, who is chairing the steering committee for Emerge ’14. [Disclosure: Business Lexington’s editor Erik A. Carlson is a member of the steering committee.]
The inaugural event, which organizers hope to make annual, will be held on Thursday, May 15, at the Hilton Lexington/Downtown. The event will feature keynote speakers and panel discussions ranging from faith-based efforts and the leaders behind them to entrepreneur enterprises that have leveraged being active members of their community to both lift the area around them and their company at the same time. There will also be panels with twenty-somethings who serve in public office discussing what drew them to running for office, executives explaining how they’ve grown leaders within their businesses, turning a passion into a business, going viral and growing a movement.
“I want this to be the go-to event for young professionals each year,” said Amy Carrington, Commerce Lexington’s director of leadership development. “I want to create synergy among the young professionals, because there are those various groups. How can they work together and partner?
“I also want the attendees who are thinking more individually to walk away thinking more inspired but also have some extra tools in their toolbox to make that thing they are dreaming about or envisioning actually come to fruition,” she said.
One aspect the organizers said they took note of was a struggle the Greater Omaha Young Professionals said they faced of being exclusionary. Having “Young Professional” in the title acted as a barrier, which kept people who could have been valuable from taking part because they had hit their 40th birthday.
“Emerge comes from emerging leader,” said Carrington, who has headed up Commerce Lexington’s Leadership Lexington class since 2011.
“You don’t stop being inspired when you turn 40,” added Hilton, a 31-year-old customer relations manager with Quest Direct.
Registration for the full day is $99 and includes lunch with a yet to be announced keynote speaker. For a full agenda and to register, visit EmergeBluegrass.com