Media:History

Press Release  |  Facts at a Glance  |  Region  |  History  |  Background

In response to a need to organize activities around the civil rights movement, the concept of community leadership development originated in the United States in the late 1950s. Cities dealing with the growing social unrest of the 1960s also recognized that responsible, collaborative leadership was needed to build healthy communities. Building this capacity meant expanding a community’s leadership base, and the Community Leadership Association was born.

Recognizing the need to develop community leadership in the Asheville area, UNC Asheville and the Asheville Chamber of Commerce formed a collaboration to develop the Leadership Asheville program in 1982. Following a short period of running the program jointly, Leadership Asheville was moved completely under the umbrella of UNC Asheville.

In 2007, Leadership Asheville introduced their Strategic Partner Program to engage more community organizations in their mission.  The financial contribution of Strategic Partners subsidizes the cost of programming thus making the resource available to more members of our community.  Current Strategic Partners include Southern Community Bank and Trust, UNC Asheville, and the Van Winkle Law Firm.

Leadership Asheville has a long history of contributing to the engagement and development of community members. With nearly 1000 graduates and a 27 year tradition, Leadership Asheville continues to be dedicated to building productive leadership for today and tomorrow.