October 21, 2022 (Foley, AL) – The Highland Group’s Vice President of Preconstruction Services, Ryan Long, has been selected to participate in a premier leadership class focused on industry and community leaders in the Northwest Florida area. The program, headed by Florida’s Great Northwest (FGNW) Foundation, is focused on regional collaboration through community, content, and growing connections. Eighteen leaders were selected to participate in “Class 1” of the program from various fields and burgeoning industries. Leadership Northwest Florida is an educational program offered for professionals in all industry sectors desiring to grow their knowledgebase, network, and skillset in the 12-county region of Florida’s Great Northwest footprint.
“The FGNW Foundation Board selected individuals most likely to utilize their leadership abilities for the long-term benefit and betterment of Northwest Florida,” said Jennifer Conoley, President and CEO of Florida’s Great Northwest & FGNW Foundation. “Ryan was selected for demonstrating the ideal characteristics sought after in program participants.”
Class 1 participants will be immersed in a seven-month educational program and meet other leaders from a variety of backgrounds representing Northwest Florida’s diverse composition. The class offers participants a holistic view on the conditions, challenges, and opportunities that are shared throughout the region focusing on the areas of Business Vitality, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Infrastructure, Talent, and Quality of Place. This class is the culmination of a massive collaborative effort formed by Florida’s Great Northwest Foundation in partnership with the State of Florida, local economic development organizations, rural regional economic development organizations, utility partners, private sector businesses, local government, higher education institutions, workforce boards, and other various community leaders.The program kicks off with an opening retreat in November and will run until May 2023.
“The mission of Leadership Northwest Florida aligns with our commitment to the region,” said Long. “We are delighted to have Highland join other leaders across Northwest Florida in this inaugural class to grow their knowledgebase, network and skillset.”
“Our primary purpose at Highland is to develop leaders committed to higher standards who have an impact on our firm and the communities in which we work and live by developing trusting relationships and building quality projects,” said CEO Scott Shamburger. “The very first core value we display as a company is Leadership, seeing Ryan be acknowledged for his ability to lead is exactly the kind of standard we like to set as a company,” Shamburger remarked. “We believe in developing our people professionally and personally so they become leaders who will benefit our firm and the communities where we work and live. I can’t think of a better living example of this than Ryan Long.”
For Northwest Florida to continue to compete, diversify and thrive, it will take informed, dedicated leaders who understand the complex and competitive environment of economic transformation. Leadership Northwest Florida is designed to be an educational program offered for professionals in all industry sectors desiring to grow their knowledgebase, network, and skillset in the 12-county region of Florida’s Great Northwest footprint. This experience will ultimately result in the long-term influence of the leadership graduates for the betterment of Northwest Florida.
Florida’s Great Northwest is the regional economic development organization for the Florida Panhandle. The organization was created to promote Northwest Florida for economic growth and diversification, advocate for economic development issues that affect the region, and collaborate to improve regional competitiveness. The organization accomplishes this in partnership with state and local economic development organizations, rural regional economic development organizations, utility partners, private sector businesses, local government, higher education institutions, workforce boards, and community leaders.
The Highland Group is a real estate development and commercial construction firm that specializes in real estate development, preconstruction services, general contracting, construction management, and design-build delivery. Their mission is to develop leaders committed to higher standards who have an impact on their firm and the communities in which they work and live by developing trusting relationships and building quality projects. The Highland Group has offices located in the Gulf Coast Region (501 South McKenzie Street, Suite 2, Foley, Alabama, 36535), the Tennessee Valley Region (415-H Church Street NW, Suite 201, Huntsville, Alabama, 35801), and the Florida Panhandle Region (130 Richard Jackson Blvd., Suite 104A, Panama City Beach, Florida, 32407). They have been proudly serving clients throughout the Southeastern United States since 2005. Learn more at www.HighlandGroup.org