Young Professionals Slate Development, Speed Networking, Schmoozing, and Book Club

Ron Wilshire

Ron Wilshire

Published January 30, 2018 5:26 am
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CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — Clarion County’s young professionals organization had a successful first year and has big plans in store for 2018.

The Clarion Leadership and Innovation Connection (CLIC) is an affiliate program of the Clarion Chamber of Business and Industry and was created in mid-2017 to foster connections between young professionals (suggested under 40) in the area.

After focusing on networking events and building momentum, CLIC will look to incorporate a variety of professional development and volunteer opportunities in 2018. CLIC is already hosting a six-part professional development series, Positive Leadership 101, which kicked off in mid-January and is currently sold out.

Speed Networking Februay 17

The next event offered by CLIC will be Speed Networking on February 17, 2018, from 2:00 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the American Legion in Clarion.

Formatted similar to speed dating, the event will provide a structured way to network, allowing participants to meet a large number of people in a short amount of time. Participants will proceed through timed rotations and will be able to meet every other participant at the event. In addition, Whitling Photography will be on hand to provide professional headshots to all participants at no additional charge.

The cost to attend is just $5.00. There will be light snacks, and a cash bar will be available. Registration is required because space is limited. For more information on this event and to register, go to: www.clarionclic.wordpress.com/events. All young professionals (suggested under 40) are welcome to attend.

 Schmooze and Booze February 28

To close out February, CLIC will be hosting a new event that will allow young professionals an opportunity to learn from business and community leaders in a casual, roundtable format.

This event, Schmooze and Booze, will take place on Wednesday, February 28, at Clarion River Brewing Company starting at 5:00 p.m.

Participants will have a chance to network and then at 5:30 pm, a roundtable discussion with a guest speaker will begin. For the February 28 event, the guest speaker will be Jim Crooks of F.L. Crooks & Co. In an era of big box stores and online shopping, F.L. Crooks & Co. has continued to adapt and thrive and has remained a staple in the Clarion community since opening its doors in 1905. Jim will share some of his experiences as not only a businessman, but also a community leader, and attendees will also have the chance to ask questions.

There is no cost to attend, and all purchases are dutch treat.

New book Club April 14

To add more opportunities for professional development, CLIC will be kicking off a book club in April.

The group will be selecting a variety of books about entrepreneurship, leadership, personal growth, and any other areas of professional development that interest members. Participants will read the book on their own and then will meet up at Michelle’s Café on a designated Saturday morning to discuss the book.

The first book for the club will be Creativity Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull. From one of the co-founders of Pixar Animation Studios—the Academy Award-winning studio behind Coco, Inside Out, and Toy Story—Creativity Inc. is an incisive book about creativity in business and leadership (find more info about the book here: https://www.creativityincbook.com).

The book club will meet to discuss Creativity Inc. on Saturday, April 14 at 9:30 a.m. at Michelle’s Café in Clarion. Anyone interested in the event can find more details on the group’s Facebook page.

CLIC is also looking for volunteer opportunities in 2018. If your organization could use volunteers, contact CLIC to discuss your needs and how the young professionals at CLIC can help.

For more information about CLIC, check out the group’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ClarionCLIC, Instagram (@ClarionCLIC) or send an email to clarionclic@gmail.com.

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