Leadership Hendricks County (LHC) is a not-for-profit group created in August 1992 to give a selected group of citizens the background and inside information it needs to take on effective roles of leadership in the Hendricks County community.

The concept of a broad- based community leadership development program in Hendricks County was brought about by the efforts of the Agriculture Advisory Council of the Hendricks County Cooperative Extension Service as they began to develop a training program for the agriculture community. In their research, the need to develop a broader base of community leadership opportunities emerged.

Representative leaders from various walks of life and geographic areas of Hendricks County were invited to a discussion meeting to evaluate the perceived needs identified by the Ag Council.

With enthusiastic response, theLeadership Hendricks County Steering Committee was formed to establish a strong year-long curriculum of leadership development for Hendricks County.

"The mission of Leadership Hendricks County is to seek, prepare, involve and sustain leaders from diverse backgrounds who are committed to address community and countywide challenges."

By January 1993, and under the guidance of Rick Thomas, Chairperson of the LHC Steering Committee, the first class of Leadership Hendricks County was selected to participate in a series of day-long seminars and programs developed to enhance their leadership skills and knowledge of Hendricks County's growing needs and opportunities. In April of that year, they became incorporated with a 501(C)(3) classification.

Gary T. Emsweller
Former CED
Purdue University
Cooperative Extension Service
Hendricks County

Leadership Hendricks County moved to the next level with the hiring of Suzanne Whicker as part-time Executive Director in October 1994.

After the first few years of successful operation, LHC’s Board of Directors determined that the county’s youth would benefit from a similar program. In 1997, the Board organized a task force that held frequent meetings and discussions with local school administrators.

Youth Leadership Hendricks County, the result of those meetings, began its first class in August 1998. This class, representing 28 sophomores from all six of the county’s school corporations, graduated in April 1999.
As demand for LHC’s programs grew, the Board recognized a need to expand the staff. A part-time Youth Coordinator was hired in 2006, followed by a part-time Administrative Assistant during 2007.

As the Board and staff began to discuss ways in which YLHC participants could bring what they learned back to their high schools and communities, a statewide youth philanthropy organization was in search of a pilot program. LHC created its third program, Youth Encouraging Philanthropy, in 2007. The Board hired a part-time coordinator for the program, in which juniors and seniors put their new skills into practice.

In 2008, Duke Energy Indiana approached LHC to see if the organization would be willing to design and facilitate an internal leadership development program modeled on LHC’s adult program. In response, LHC developed the Leadership in a Box program.

LHC has continued to educate groups of local leaders who are more acutely attuned to the county’s problems, needs, opportunities and resources. Program graduates bring the community sharper leadership skills, energies focused on solving specific problems, and a network of associates with the talents and abilities to create a blueprint for Hendricks County's future.

Suzanne Whicker
Executive Director
Leadership Hendricks County