Leadership Character Awards and Greenleaf Combine Forces to Recognize Georgia S Servant Leaders

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Leadership Character Awards and Greenleaf combine forces to recognize Georgia’s servant leaders

ATLANTA, Georgia (March 28, 2014) – The Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership and Atlanta-based Turknett Leadership Group announce an exciting new partnership. The 11th Annual Turknett Leadership Character Awards will be presented under the auspices of the Greenleaf Center, a nonprofit [501(c)3] with international reach. This year’s awards luncheon will be held as part of the Greenleaf Center’s 24th Annual International Servant Leadership Conference at the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel, September 24, 2014. The conference, which convenes those interested in building the understanding, awareness and practice of servant leadership, is an ideal venue for recognizing individuals who represent the best in leadership character in Georgia.

"We are extremely proud to transfer the Awards to a nonprofit with the history and mission of the Greenleaf Center – we couldn’t have found a more aligned organization.” said Robert Turknett, CEO of Turknett Leadership Group. "Our for-profit business, Turknett Leadership Group, will continue to provide character-based leadership development and coaching, but we feel that the Awards will have a much more appropriate home in a nonprofit setting. Surplus funds can go to extending the important work of the Greenleaf Center," continued Turknett. Sharing the organization’s enthusiasm for this new collaboration, Greenleaf Center CEO Joe Iarocci believes this partnership will “be a very natural collaboration for us. The Turknetts have a long history of recognizing servant leaders in our community, and this is work we are honored to continue.” Registration for the Leadership Character Awards Luncheon is open to the public, and will be held at noon on Wednesday, September 24, 2014. Find out more at www.greenleaf.org/2014-conference/

Since 2003, the annual Turknett Leadership Character Awards have recognized Georgia leaders who demonstrate character in leadership based on alignment with the Leadership Character Model, a model developed by Bob and Lyn Turknett in 1995. The model represents character as a scale with integrity as the base and respect and responsibility balanced on either side. Founded in 1964, the Greenleaf Center is an international nonprofit organization that serves students, individuals, workplaces and the community by growing servant-leaders through education and programming. Robert K. Greenleaf was the author of “The Servant as Leader,” a landmark essay that coined the phrase “servant-leader” and launched the modern servant leadership movement. Today the Greenleaf Center nurtures students, enhances workplaces and builds the servant leader community through education, leadership development and conferences. To find out more, please visit www.greenleaf.org.

The partnership will allow members of the corporate and nonprofit community to share dialogue, strategies and ideas involving servant leadership at work and in life, impacting a much larger audience and extending its reach.

All nominees for the Awards will be honored at the ceremony on September 24th. Winners in each category will be selected by an esteemed panel of judges including:

 Ann Cramer, Senior Consultant with Coxe Curry & Associates and former Director for IBM of Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs

 Tom Crawford, retired chairman and CEO of Crawford & Company and a 2007 Turknett Leadership Character Award winner

 Conchita Robinson, president and CEO, C. Robinson Associates, Inc.

 Dr. Betty Siegel, president emeritus and endowed chair of leadership, ethics, and character, Kennesaw State University Nominations are accepted in 4 categories: Business, Non Profit, Education and “Inspiritor.” More information on past Awards programs can be found at www.LeadershipCharacter.com. Nominations open on April 15, 2014 at www.LeadershipCharacter.org.

Contact: Bianca Wirth, Consulting Services Coordinator [email protected] 770.270.1723 # # #