Councilman Haddad continues tradition with graduation from Project CENTRL

With his successful completion of the two-year Project CENTRL program, City Councilman Kelly Haddad joins a distinguished list of Maricopa graduates of the statewide leadership program.

Project CENTRL, the latter word an acronym for Center for Rural Leadership, is an educational program developed by The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension with a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Its mission is “to assist highly motivated leaders to improve and expand their leadership skills to become more responsive and effective in meeting the needs of rural people in public affairs.”

It accomplishes this via 12 highly interactive seminars, including a five-day state exchange and a week-long national seminar in Washington D.C. Beginning In 2006, an International Study Tour will replace the state exchange. The newest Project CENTRL class’s international seminar, “Global Dynamics South of the Border,” will be in Ciudad Obregon, Mexico.

The graduation ceremony and dinner took place at the Mesa Marriott.

Councilman Haddad (middle) at graduation with wife Jenny and fellow councilman and Project CENTRL grad Edward Farrell.

“It’s one of the most rewarding programs I’ve ever been involved with,” according to Haddad. “It’s demanding and requires a significant amount of time, but it’s well worth it. It’s a great program for motivating people to get involved in their community.”

The organization was founded in 1983 and, with Class XVII’s October 13 graduation, boasts 460 alumni. Notable local alumni include:
• Mayor Kelly Anderson, Class III
• Ms. Alma Farrell, Class XV
• Councilman Edward Farrell, Class XVI
• Councilman Kelly Haddad, Class XVII
• Mr. “MacD” Hartman, Class I
• Mr. Greg Main, Class XVI
• Ms. Sue Riley, Class X

Maricopa High alum Frank Pratt, shown with his wife, Janice, and the Haddads, was also a graduating member of Class XVII.

Coinciding with Haddad’s Class XVII graduation was the induction of the newest class, among whom is another Maricopa resident, Scott Bartle.