YPN E-Newsletter

OCTOBER 2007 a monthly e-newsletter of the Young Professionals Network
	YP PROFILES Roy Saenz YPN Advisory Council Member and Events Team Leader Employer: Primerica Job Title: Division Leader Hometown: South Bend Hobbies/Interests: Working on projects around his newly purchased home, hanging out with his friends at the local watering holes, playing guitar and coaching baseball for the Northern Indiana Baseball League. Something most people don't know about Roy: Roy has volunteered for Junior Achievement for four years and has also spoken at local schools on the topic of personal finance. Roy also served in the Marine Reserves from 1997 to 2005 and was stationed in Iraq for two of those years. What drives Roy in his work for YPN: “Seeing my peers succeed in the projects we work on. I really believe in the purpose of YPN, and I believe it’s needed in our community.” Advice to fellow YPs: Roy encourages YPs to invest in real estate in the downtown areas of our community so that an atmosphere will be created where YPs build and enjoy an energized downtown.	YPN Hosts Its First-Ever Candidates Forum Thanks to the effort and collaboration of all the YPN work teams and numerous volunteers, the first-ever YPN Candidates Forum was a huge success, with over 150 YPs in attendance! Held at the newly renovated South Bend Civic Theatre, the event featured Mishawaka candidates Mike Hayes (D) and Mayor Jeff Rea (R), and South Bend candidates Tom Brown (Green Party), Juan Manigault (R) and Mayor Steve Luecke (D). A handful of Common Council candidates for both cities were also in attendance. Candidates stayed for the networking portion of the event to meet with YPs and learn more about issues important to them. Click here to view pictures from the event. Connecting...With the Lieutenant Governor Indiana Lieutenant Governor Becky Skillman made an exclusive visit to South Bend to meet with YPs of the Young Professionals Network on October 5 at Gibson Insurance Group. Lieutenant Governor Skillman presented an economic development update, discussing issues impacting YPs and the state. Following her presentation, she answered questions from YPs in attendance, addressing hot topics like property taxes, education and the environment. September Lunch ‘N Learn Recap…Leading Like Your Life Depends on It! Is your life going in the right direction? September’s Lunch ‘N Learn focused on personal and professional leadership skills, specifically addressing goal planning systems for success. Pat Frazier, owner of Five Star Performance, presented the session. Pat discussed theories and techniques for developing one’s personal and professional success, as well as some of the tools he uses to help people achieve goals. During the presentation, Pat recommended that YPs strive to set SMART goals: S – Specific M – Measurable A – Actionable R – Realistically High T – Target Date For extra credit, Pat says you can aim to be WAY SMART W – Written A – Aligned Y – Yours VOLUNTEER NEEDS The South Bend Youth Symphony is seeking a board member with an accounting background who possesses a passion for youth and the arts. Under the direction of the Raclin School of the Arts at IUSB, the board meets at IUSB on the second Wednesday of each month at 4:30 p.m. The organization has two concert orchestras offering a total of four concerts per year. There is a concert orchestra for youth in grades 5 through 8 and a symphony orchestra for high school students. COMMUNITY CORNER Saturday, October 27 is Make a Difference Day in Michiana. Founded by USA Weekend Magazine and the Points of Light Foundation, Make a Difference Day is the largest day of volunteerism in the nation. Millions of Americans across the country will be volunteering to improve their communities and help neighbors in need. Locally, the non-profit organization Make a Difference Michiana is coordinating volunteer projects with other non-profit organizations in southwest Michigan and northern Indiana. Getting involved is easy! Just log on to the Make a Difference Michiana Web site and click on the Make a Difference Day Project Link. If you or a group of friends can tackle the project, let them know and they'll mark the project as filled. Then show up on October 27 ready to conquer your project while having some fun at the same time. If you've ever wanted to see a difference made in your community, this is the day for you! READING CORNER Advice on How to Make Teamwork Work These days, most professionals are highly involved in team projects. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, by Patrick Lencioni, is a thorough analysis of what makes teams work effectively and what makes them fail. In the book, he identifies the five dysfunctions as: 1. Absence of Trust 2. Fear of Conflict 3. Lack of Commitment 4. Avoidance of Accountability 5. Inattention to Results A 15-question instrument evaluates a team’s susceptibility to the five dysfunctions. The author briefly describes each dysfunction, gives suggestions for overcoming the dysfunction, recommends actions that the leader can take and then connects the dysfunction to the next dysfunction. Overall, Lencioni presents a concise but fun-to-read “how-to” on making teamwork “work.” Check it out!
EVENTS
	Thursday, November 1 Lunch ‘N Learn Series: Are You a Coach or a Referee? LEARN MORE/REGISTER Wednesday, November 7 Investing 101 LEARN MORE/REGISTER MORE YPN EVENTS CHAMBER EVENTS 'BASS EVENTS
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