This past Friday, October 4, the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber’s Leadership Fredericksburg program held its Annual Leadership Impact Awards celebration at the A & B Creative Events Center. The event brought together local business leaders, alumni, and community supporters to honor the contributions of Leadership Fredericksburg alumni who make positive impacts on the community.
Susan Spears, Executive Director of Leadership Fredericksburg, said: “The Leadership Fredericksburg program continues to cultivate leaders who not only excel in their professional lives but also make lasting, positive impacts on our community. We are thrilled to recognize these five outstanding individuals who have embodied the spirit of community leadership and commitment.”
One honoree was Paul Milde, District 64 Delegate and Founder and President of CIP Finishes. A 2021 alum of the Leadership Fredericksburg Class of 2021, Milde shared what initially inspired him to participate. “It was around 2011 when I was on the Stafford Board of Supervisors. I noticed many highly regarded businessmen and women would mention that they were alumni, and it was obvious they felt they had gotten something special out of the program.”
Though his duties on the Board of Supervisors and as a member of VRE kept him from enrolling until 2018, once he completed the program, Milde said the program has changed his communication style, it “assessed my communication and personality traits and suggested areas where I might be better off with a different style. It helped me see better how others saw me—simply put, how to improve my people skills.”
Milde believes leadership is about leaving the community better than he found it. “That could be anything from preserving large tracts of forest and farms for future generations, building up our transportation network, fostering diverse business opportunities with good jobs, or being part of the growing network of LF alumni who help keep the counties and city connected as one family of businesses and leaders.”
He now actively encourages others in his company to participate in Leadership Fredericksburg. “Based on my experience, I started sending my company’s management through LF. It is worth the return on investment.”
Nicole Cole, Owner and President of Nicole Cole Financial Services Group and a 2017 alum of Leadership Fredericksburg, was also recognized. Cole, who moved to Spotsylvania in 2013, explained that she was inspired to join the program after hearing about it from her cousin, a Leadership Metro Richmond graduate. “She said it would be a great way to build my leadership skills, learn ways to apply them within my community and build a stronger network with fellow members of the Chamber. All these things were accomplished through my participation in Leadership FXBG.”
As a leader in the financial sector, Cole credits the program with enhancing her ability to develop leadership within her team. “The skills related to developing the leadership capabilities of my employees and trusting in delegating tasks have been most useful so we can better serve and respond to our clients,” she shared.
The program helped Cole evolve her own leadership style, particularly in becoming more visionary and collaborative. “The program helped me to add more ways to involve others, recognize leadership capabilities in others, and inspire others to work together to develop the plan and take ownership of the work required to achieve our common goals,” she said. She also noted the importance of mental health and self-care for leaders, a lesson that resonated deeply with her: “Leaders take on so much, often very selflessly, and it can take a toll. We must remember self-care or, better, creating harmony, is a must for us to be able to do the work we do and stay healthy.”
Cole also emphasized the value women bring to leadership. “While in the past, finance hasn’t been an area women were encouraged or supported in engaging, much less becoming leaders, it is a great industry in which women can thrive. The industry needs the diversity of thought, temperament, and understanding that women bring to the table as leaders.”
Other recognized alums were Veronic Curry, of Germanna Community College; Meghann Cotter of Micah Ecumenical Ministries; and Martha Hutzel of Central Rappahannock Libraries.
