ATLANTA, GA, Aug. 30th, 2023 – Turknett Leadership Group (TLG), a nationally recognized leadership development firm based in Atlanta, GA, will host its 20th-anniversary celebration for its Women in Leadership (WIL) program at the Commerce Club in Downtown Atlanta on Friday, September 15th, at 7:30 am.
“I am so proud of the TLG WIL program achieving twenty years,” said Tim Huff, President of TLG. This milestone is an incredible accomplishment for such an impactful program!”
Founded by Susan Hitchcock in 2003, WIL has become the longest-running leadership program of its kind, spotlighting women of achievement while providing women across industries with a space to come and network, forge relationships, and learn from other inspirational women.
“I had no idea at the outset that our women’s forum would last 20 years,” explains Susan. “But clearly, there was a need and an opportunity to make a significant impact.”
What began as a two-hour seminar featuring a leadership speaker and a small group of female participants in Turknett’s Executive Development Program has now grown into a monthly series that has featured over 200 speakers and 245 consecutive events while impacting over 9,100 individual attendees. The celebration is not only to recognize WIL itself but also to celebrate the history and achievements of women.
“WIL has provided tremendous opportunities to hear from truly diverse women of achievement,” says Anne Quiello, Senior Consultant and Host of Women in Leadership. “Our speakers have included an astrophysicist, the first female FAA Administrator, CEOs, university presidents, best-selling authors, a next-generation cancer researcher, an environmentalist, social justice activist, senior executives across all industries, government officials, and entrepreneurs. Each speaker has been informative, inspiring, and invigorating – and we celebrate each one and their generosity of spirit.”
The 20th-anniversary celebration will feature two former WIL speakers, Shan Cooper, CEO of Journey Forward Strategies, and Virginia Hepner, Corporate Director – Cadence Bank, National Vision Inc., and Oxford Industries. Celebratory surprises are planned throughout the morning along with a special breakfast menu.
Lyn Turknett, Co-founder and Co-chair of TLG, has seen the program grow from its humble beginnings and reflects on the importance of bringing Shan and Virginia , two of Atlanta’s most recognized women business leaders, back as speakers for the occasion.
“I remember Shan and Virginia as women who were role models in business for so many years in Atlanta,” shares Lyn. “We all looked up to Shan as the top executive in the southeast for Lockheed Martin – a woman building military aircraft! We also saw Virginia leading as a high-profile banker, retiring from Wachovia as EVP after a 25-year career. I am so thrilled that they are our panelists for the celebration!”
Following Lockheed Martin, Shan served as Chief Transformation Officer of WestRock and then as Executive Director of the Atlanta Committee for Progress. Following her retirement, Virginia served for five years as president and CEO of the Woodruff Arts Center. Both now serve on multiple for-profit and non-profit boards and have received numerous awards for their contributions and leadership.
Through Women in Leadership, Susan, Anne, Lyn, Tim, and the rest of Turknett Leadership Group hope that women will continue to be inspired, informed, and invigorated for years to come.
## About Turknett Leadership GroupTurknett Leadership Group (TLG) is a leadership development firm based in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded by Bob and Lyn Turknett in 1987, TLG has provided executive coaching and leadership development services for over 35 years. Grounded in science and guided by the Leadership Character Model, TLG has helped thousands of individuals, teams, and companies to unleash their full potential. To learn more about TLG and what we do, please visit www.turknett.com.