Leadership Gilroy has been a wonderful opportunity for our Kaiser Permanente managers to participate in a program that gives them the opportunity to learn about the community they work or live within. Networking is a key to success and our Leadership Gilroy program both enhances individual skills and builds long lasting business relationships to further enhance our community. Kaiser Permanente is proud to support the Leadership Gilroy program and ensure class participation in the future.

Debra Vaurs, Medical Group Administrator, Kaiser Permanente, Gilroy Medical Offices

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Leadership Gilroy has been a remarkable experience. I have learned about my community and gained a greater appreciation for it. I have made lasting friendships with people I would not have known were it not for Leadership. I set my goals and met them; I challenge the next class to be all you can be. Thank you Leadership Gilroy.

Barbara DeLorenzo, CPA

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Leadership Gilroy has provided me invaluable knowledge of Gilroy's social, political and economic landscape as well as a great network of people working to make Gilroy a better place to live and work. I have strengthened my ability to face challenging situations that command effective leadership skills and most of all, I had a great time!

Angie Aguirre, Projects Coordinator
Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley

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Leadership Gilroy is a must if you would like to participate in your community. It is a well rounded program that gives you the opportunity to see how your community operates, and leadership skills and networking with others who have the same commitment and vision for their community. In all my learning and education, the nine-month course in Leadership Gilroy was the most beneficial in my personal and professional life.

Lynda Nolan, Senior Program Specialist
Gavilan College

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Hoa Minh Le Graduation Speech

When I was asked to join Leadership Gilroy, I was a little apprehensive. I was worried about how I could possibly find time for such a commitment with my already hectic life. Plus, I knew very little about the program. One day, when I asked a colleague about the program, he told me that most people who go through Leadership Gilroy were type "A" personalities. These are people who prefer to LEAD! "Well great," I immediately thought to myself, I will be stuck with a group of people who are just as hard headed and loud as I am. I imagined that it would take a whole lot of valium to calm this group of people down.

It was not until our weekend retreat that I got a real chance to know all of my classmates. I will not disclose any details about the retreat, because as we all know, what happened at the retreat stays at the retreat…plus I don't know how I could explain to Fred's wife what happened at the bar that night! "I am only kidding Fred."

At the retreat, I was blown away by how extremely intelligent, loving, and sincere these people are. I put down my defenses and immediately made new friends. During the course of my journey through the program, I have had the privilege of learning from the most diverse and talented group of people I have ever met. They taught me that being a leader does NOT mean you always have to stay up front, and lead; rather the most important job of a leader is to learn how to step back and support the team as a whole. Ensuring the success of the group's mission is paramount. The true reward of leadership is not about being recognized for your contribution or talent. No, the true reward is the satisfaction you get, when your team succeeds.

During these last few months, I have come to understand what being a civil servant means. Bob Kramer introduced me to Leadership Gilroy, and he was my mentor for the program as well. He is a man I greatly admired and respected. Sadly, Bob lost his fight to cancer. I never had the chance to tell him in person how thankful I am for the opportunity he gave me; not only to come back to Gilroy Gardens, but to see more of what humanity can do for one another. Through his tireless efforts at Gilroy Gardens and the city, Bob showed me that one person CAN make a difference in the community.

Bob along with many like him showed us that building a brighter future for our community depends upon responsible citizens. There is much work to be done. Work that City alone cannot do: teaching children to read, sheltering the abused and disenfranchised, ensuring that our elders are receiving proper health and nutrition, reclaiming our streets from drugs, gangs and graffiti, and finding affordable housing for those with low income in our community.

Over the course of this year, through this program, I have met many unsung heroes. People who work tirelessly to ensure these wonderful things happen in our community. People, who have spent so much of their time to simply serve others. Those selfless acts have left an imprint upon me and future generations, to continue the legacy of caring for the community.
The mission of leadership Gilroy is to develop an informed group of diverse leaders who are engaged in the community to help build the future of Gilroy. As I look at all my classmates, and at the people here in this room. I feel that Gilroy is a very lucky city, and the future of this city will be an exciting one, because there are many devoted leaders in the community to help guide her.
The experience of Leadership Gilroy is a unique and unforgettable one, and I encourage anyone interested to apply. Of course, from a purely objective point of view, I have to let future prospects to the program know early that your class can never be as exciting as our class of 2008, because we are simply: the best!
Albert Pine said it best: "What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal." Thank you!

Hoa Minh Le
Leadership Gilroy Class of 2008

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