Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce Business Journal Q1 2015 | Page 56

Issue Sponsor:

Chairman: Shane C. Crofts, LTC, EN, WYARNG
Staff Liaison: Tristan Johnson, Vice President
Accomplishments:
• Selected the 2015 Leadership Class
• 2013 Committee of the Year
Select Leadership Cheyenne:
I went through Leadership Cheyenne in 2008-2009,
and was approached about coming on the steering
committee in 2010 as the military advisor. I thoroughly
enjoyed the program, was surprised about how much
I learned about Cheyenne during the program. Being
a native, I especially enjoyed what I feel is a primary
benefit of the program, which is the ability to network
outside of your normal professional circles. I felt
coming on the committee would be a great way to
stay involved with the program, continue to build the
unique network, and to help ensure the future viability
of the program.
Committee Highlight:
In 2013, we won committee of the year, which
was an amazing testament to the hard work and
professionalism of all the committee members. In
June we graduated the 3rd class I was involved in,
and in July 2014 we selected the 4th. Selection of a
new class is always the highlight of the year for me,
because I continue to be impressed with the quality
and commitment of our applicants. The last few
years we have been fortunate to have so many great
applicants, which shows how great the reputation of
this program is.
Chairman Challenges:
My biggest challenge as Chairman has centered
around some personality conflicts. Any time you
gather up a group of leaders, you get a bunch of
“Type-A” personalities, and clashes inevitably occur.
Communication is almost always the solution, and
I tell every class right up front, part of leadership is
followership; sometimes you just have to get behind
the class decision and support it, even if it wasn’t your
idea.

PG 56 l

Expanding Your Influence

Advice from the Chairman:
I think the best advice I can give anyone regarding
leadership is to take time to get to know your people.
If they feel like you genuinely care about them, they
are more likely to go the extra mile for you. Another
great lesson is to find a mentor, someone you trust
and respect who can advise you, and reach out
to them once in a while. It’s amazing how a fresh
perspective can sometimes make the biggest
problems become so simple.
CHEYENNE CHRISTMAS PARADE
The 24th Annual Christmas Parade takes place on
the Saturday following Thanksgiving in downtown
Cheyenne beginning at 5:30 pm. We have numerous
volunteer and sponsorship opportunities available.
You can also have your own float in the parade!
Chairman: Jesse Clement, Audiomatrix, Inc.
Staff Liaison: Tristan Johnson, Vice President
Accomplishments:
• Engaged more than 500 community members
• Hosted the largest parade in Wyoming featuring
more than 100 float entries

Each year the Annual Cheyenne Christmas parade
grows. This year there were 113 float entries.

Select Christmas Parade:
After retiring with the Air Force with 23+ years,
all of them right here in Cheyenne, I wanted to do
something for this great community. Cheyenne