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NE METRO YOUNG PROFESSIONALS PROGRAM IN ITS 4TH YEAR • Leadership • Strategy • Action Planning • Assessments • Retreats • Individuals,Teams and Organizations 2019 NMYP Cohort L-R Program Director Nancy Hoglund, Caleb Peterson, Molly Weibel, Meghann Welch, Erik Goebel, Brett Larsen, Ted Tschida, Donna Hankiewicz, Chelsea Holmes, Jenna Grendahl, Allison Johnson. Photo by James Ramsay Photography. (Not Pictured Kaitlyn Donnelly, Laura Rindahl and Kao Vang) T he year 2020 marks the fourth for a program VHEDC is proud to have established and continues to support. Since 2017, The NE Metro Young Professionals (NMYP) has been offering current young leaders, emerging leaders and leaders who are looking to move up in their careers, a unique opportunity to cultivate their leadership skills and gain a better understanding of the community. The majority of the NMYP sessions focus on these topics. The program also offers young leaders access to group discussions, networking opportunities, behind-the-scenes tours, and the ability to participate in community service projects that give them the opportunity to make a real impact on the community. Nancy Hoglund, owner and president of Hoglund Coaching, serves as the program leader and leadership coach for participants. She says NMYP is designed for people in their 20s and 30s. “The goal of the program is to help participants 26 Northeast Metro Business to grow personally, to grow their careers, and also to expose them to different types of organizations and cross sectors,” said Hoglund. Since its inception, the year-long program has served over 40 young leaders in a wide variety of sectors, including manufacturing, business, non-profits, hospitality, financial, healthcare and education.Business owner/entrepreneurs also invest in themselves by participating in the program. Among the participants is Allison Johnson, who has worked for IC System in a variety of roles over the past ten years. IC System is an accounts receivable company based in St. Paul. Johnson was recently promoted to the role of Training and Development Manager. She decided to apply for a spot in the Young Professionals program after seeing how beneficial it was for a colleague who was in the program. “As a young person being new to a leadership role. I saw this as an excellent opportunity for professional growth. I applied