What qualities do you expect to see in a highly effective leader?
I think, I am drawn to folks who have the ability to articulate a vision and in so doing, the ability to see an issue from many, many different points of views. The ability to rally folks around a central theme and that’s a starting point. Other kinds of attributes, I particularly like folks who are willing to get their hands dirty, those folks that won’t ask someone else to do something they would not do themselves. Those folks that can put themselves in the position of various kinds of constituencies and understand why someone may in fact either rally to a cause or have a problem in coming to that cause and the ability to deal with it. It really comes down to someone who can lead folks to someone who can motivate folks. That is a skill that requires a lot of different things…-Jim Pennekamp (54 sec.)
Jim Pennekamp, Special Assistant to the Chancellor for Regional Economic Development and Executive Director, University Park, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville,
LSL Class of 1985
Jim Pennekamp has over 28 years of economic development experience in the greater bi-state St. Louis metropolitan area. In December 2005, Jim was appointed Special Assistant to the Chancellor for Regional Economic Development and Executive Director, University Park, SIUE, Inc. In that position he works with the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville community to help organize and develop SIUE’s economic development resources. He also works to attract private sector investment to the 330-acre University Park on the campus of SIUE. His most recent success includes bringing the American Red Cross Blood Processing Center and National Testing Laboratory to University Park. The American Red Cross will invest approximately $50 million in state of the art facilities and create over 500 new jobs in the Park. Prior to accepting the position with the University, Jim served as Executive Director of the Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois.
Jim’s work with the Leadership Council involved him in numerous projects designed to enhance the investment climate within Southwestern Illinois and the greater St Louis metropolitan area. Major projects include the St. Clair County MidAmerica Airport, the MetroLink light rail extension into greater Southwestern Illinois, the extension of Interstate 255 into northwestern Madison County, and improved Mississippi river crossings including the Clark Bridge, the McKinley Bridge, and the new downtown St. Louis Mississippi River bridge. In addition, he led the successful regional effort to retain and enhance Scott Air Force Base in the 1995 and 2005 rounds of Base Realignment and Closure.
Jim Pennekamp is an active member of numerous Boards and Committees throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area. Jim currently serves as chairman of the Southwestern Illinois Flood Prevention Districts’ Council, charged with the responsibility to restore the Mississippi River levee system in Madison, St. Clair and Monroe County.
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