By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

HOOVER – A group of 40 Shelby County residents and business owners will gain a greater understanding of the county, its history and how it operates over the next several months, as the Leadership Shelby County organization kicked off its class of 2019 during an Aug. 28 breakfast.

Through the program, the 40-member class will attend an opening retreat in early September, and will have themed class days between now and the spring of 2019 to learn more about the county’s education systems, business community, health care, government and more.

The class also will be split up into several groups to complete projects to better their communities before unveiling their work during the May 2019 graduation ceremony.

In the past, project groups have created everything from Shelby County Mental Health Court to support groups for local nonprofit organizations.

During the kickoff breakfast, retired Shelby County Probate Judge Jim Fuhrmeister encouraged the 2019 class to use the program to develop lasting relationships while gaining a greater understanding of their communities.

“It is what you give it. It is what you make of it. It can simply be a networking experience if that’s all you make of it. But if that’s all you make of it, you’re short-changing yourself,” Fuhrmeister said. “When I went through the program, I had been living in Shelby County for a long time, and I learned a lot about the county I didn’t know.”

Fuhrmeister encouraged the class members to envision themselves at “torch bearers” leading their communities.

“I think of a leader as a torch bearer leading his or her community out of darkness, whatever that darkness may be,” he said. “It takes courage to be a leader. If you work hard enough and assert yourself and use your mind and imagination, you can shape the world to your will.”

The following members are in the Leadership Shelby County class of 2019:

-Russell Bedsole with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office

-Graham Brooks with the Shelby County Reporter

-Krista Chick with Quality Correctional Health Care/NAMI

-Dr. Scott Coefield with Pelham City Schools

-Ashley Crumpton with Compact 2020

-Joel Dixon with Shelby County Schools

-Chris Fielding with Edward Jones

-Tim Garner with CPI

-Senta Goldman with the Shelby County Commission

-Keyla Handley with the Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce

-Mary Ellen Heuton with the University of Montevallo

-Dennis Hulsey with A.C. Legg Inc.

-Jomo Johnson with Shelby County Community Corrections

-Dr. Keri Johnson with Alabaster City Schools

-Kristy Lee with the University of Montevallo

-Alice Lobell with the Helena City Council

-Anne Lugar with Southern Company

-Jimmy Macon with the Harpersville Police Department

-Theresa Mays with Jefferson State Community College

-Yvonne Murray with 58 Inc.

-Christi Napper with Children’s of Alabama

-Cheryl Naugher with the Shelby County Commission

-Mike Northrup with America’s First Federal Credit Union

-Brian Parker with The WellHouse Inc.

-Paula Kickens with Shelby Baptist Medical Center

-Tony Picklesimer with the city of Chelsea

-Ryan Pindroh with St. Vincent’s One Nineteen

-Curtis Rigney with the Alabaster Police Department

-Benji Sawyer with Sawyer Solutions

-Kristi Scozzaro with Scozzaro Law LLC

-Nannette Sheaffer with Valley National Bank

-Keith Sides with The UPS Store Caldwell Mill

-Jerod Sinclair with Strickland Trading Inc.

-Kevin Snowden with Busworx/Truckworx

-Todd Stein with Liberty Mutual

-Jeff Stephenson with Sain Associates

-Laurie Stroud with Birmingham Christian Family Magazine

-DeWayne Taylor with Alabama Power

-Paige Wallace with Emma Gray

-Roderick Watkins with Shelby Ridge Rehab Select