Phil Barnhill, East Market Street Development, Returns from American Express Nonprofit Leadership Academy
Posted: 11-19-2009 : GREENSBORO, N.C.

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Phil Barnhill, Director of Operations for East Market Street Development Corporation (EMSDC), recently completed a session of the American Express (AXP) Nonprofit Leadership Academy, a nationwide program to develop the next generation of leaders in the nonprofit sector. Held at American Express’ headquarters in New York City, the AXP Leadership Academy is a week-long training program created in partnership with the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) that immerses participants in a series of leadership training and development courses. Through the Academy, participants gain a better awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses as managers and hone the skills necessary for effective leadership.

The week also featured sessions with American Express senior executives, including the company's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Kenneth I. Chenault and AXP Board Director Steve Reinemund, Dean of the Babcock and Calloway Business Schools at Wake Forest University. In addition, leadership training, lectures and Q&A sessions were led by AXP executives Susan Sobbott, President of American Express OPEN, and Al Kelly, President of American Express’ Global Consumer Group.

Launched in 2008 to address the need created by a growing deficit of leadership talent in the nonprofit sector, the AXP Leadership Academy brings together 24 emerging leaders from within community, environmental, international relief and cultural organizations from across the country. The curriculum focuses on building the personal, business and leadership skills needed to run a successful nonprofit organization. Class discussions are enhanced by bringing together government officials, CCL trainers, and American Express’ most senior executives. In the past, featured speakers included New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Congressman Charles Rangel.

The goal of the program is that these emerging leaders will bring back tools that will help them in their current and future nonprofit and community leadership roles. The program is conducted twice annually.

Barnhill manages the daily operations of EMSDC, a private nonprofit organization that offers comprehensive community revitalization services in East Greensboro. He also manages the organization’s Business Development programs and facilitates the REAL Entrepreneurship Program, which provides classroom training and mentoring for up to 40 participants annually.

“The American Express Leadership Academy was a time to truly focus on myself and to understand, through analysis, my make-up so that I can strategize and become a more effective individual leader,” Barnhill said. “In addition to coming away with that better understanding of myself, I found it valuable to be able to network with so many extremely talented and diverse people from across the country.”

To ensure the AXP Nonprofit Leadership Academy has a lasting impact and to measure its effectiveness, participants set goals and action plans during the training and then have access to follow-up support from CCL in the form of online networking tools, telephone coaching sessions, leadership goal checkpoints and a one-year review to complete their training, as well as access to an education fund for further development opportunities.

“American Express was pleased to provide this important development forum to a new group of emerging leaders in the nonprofit sector,” said Timothy J. McClimon, president, American Express Foundation. “The program continues to offer the type of training that nonprofits need in order to be effective in the 21st century.”

Other local non-profit leaders who have participated in the program include: Gail Gore-Lewis, Greensboro Urban Ministry; Cecelia Thompson, Action Greensboro (previously with the Guilford Green Foundation); and Laura Holly, Music Academy of North Carolina-Greensboro.

About American Express
American Express Company (www.americanexpress.com) is a leading global payments and travel company founded in 1850.

American Express: Developing New Leaders for Tomorrow
One of American Express' three platforms for its philanthropy is Developing New Leaders for Tomorrow. Under this giving initiative, which recognizes the significance of strong leadership in the nonprofit sector, American Express is making grants focused on training high potential emerging leaders to tackle important issues in the 21st century.

About the Center for Creative Leadership
The Center for Creative Leadership (CCL®) is a top-ranked, global provider of executive education that helps unlock the potential of individual leaders and organizations through its exclusive focus on leadership education and research. Founded in 1970 as a nonprofit, educational institution, CCL serves more than 20,000 leaders and 2,000 organizations annually in the corporate, education, government and nonprofit sectors.

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