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Global leadership seminar coming to Penn Theater

The committee members planning the LIVE2LEAD seminar Nov. 22 at the Penn Theater are, from left, Emma Stevenson, Tricia Pritchard, Jonathan L. Koebler, Alex Giannetti, Joseph M. Fetzer and Glen Mason. Submitted photo

The Penn Theater will be the venue for an event that invites leaders, employees and residents to become the very best version of themselves.

LIVE2LEAD will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 22 at the Penn Theater on Main Street in Butler.

The seminar is a leader development experience offered globally for the past 11 years that is designed to enhance leadership skills and personal growth.

The recorded presentations of five well-known, big-ticket speakers, called “World Class” guest speakers at LIVE2LEAD, will be played at the event.

Also, five speakers from Butler County and the surrounding region, known as “Real World” speakers, will give their presentations in person at the event.

Tricia Pritchard, director of community employment development at Butler County Community College, will serve as a Real World speaker and co-host at the seminar; she also is on the planning committee.

She said the half-day seminar is a high-energy, jam-packed event that will offer something for everyone regarding personal or professional growth, or both.

“I feel like having the opportunity to learn from the World Class speakers and leaders, as well as people you are familiar with in your community in a one-day leadership event is very attractive to people,” Pritchard said.

When she heard LIVE2LEAD was looking to host an event in Butler, Pritchard suggested the newly renovated Penn Theater. The planning committee agreed to tour the historic theater as a potential venue.

“The group walked into the Penn Theater in the summer and everyone’s mouths dropped,” she said. “It was like ‘Oh my gosh, this would be a great venue.’”

Pritchard said in keeping with the idea to support local businesses, a local coffeehouse and caterer were hired for the event.

The sound quality and acoustics at the Penn were a main reason the theater was chosen, as the World Class speakers’ presentations will be played on the big screen.

“The Penn Theater people have been awesome,” Pritchard said. “Everyone has been so accommodating and kind.”

She said 150 to 175 people are expected to attend the seminar, including several businesses and organizations.

Pritchard said the Center for Community Resources in Butler is sending 16 team members, and Sechler Law Firm in Cranberry Township will send eight people.

Other local organizations sending employees include the Ellen O’Brien Gaiser Center, S&T Bank and the Rotary Club of Cranberry Township.

Pritchard said the latter bought six extra tickets to the event and asked her to give them to veterans who want to attend.

She said there are some veterans in the BC3 Empowerment Program who she plans to offer the tickets to.

“I love that we are able to extend special invitations to veterans in our community to attend the event,” Pritchard said.

Regarding Pritchard’s presentation at LIVE2LEAD, the experienced public speaker will discuss the self-doubt that holds us back from doing our best work and being our best selves.

She said her presentation, “Change Your Soundtrack,” will reveal how a thought process can be changed.

Pritchard said as a planning committee member, she watched the five presentations by the World Class speakers. She found the one delivered by four-time Olympian Chaunte Lowe to be very impactful.

“I was laughing at times, and other times, I had tears in my eyes,” she said. “I was so inspired.”

Bringing it to Butler

Mike McCormick, a speaker, coach and trainer for the John Maxwell team, also is helping out with the seminar.

He said the World Class speakers offer a profound message that is relatable to everyone.

“Once the event starts, you don’t even really remember you’re looking at them on the big screen,” McCormick said.

He said the recorded messages mixed with the Real World speakers is an interesting concept.

“With the Real World speakers, people have someone there they can interact with,” McCormick said.

He said the seminar will greatly benefit all who attend.

“There is a desire in a lot of people to improve their leadership skills,” McCormick said. “They recognize that their company or career may rise or fall based on their leadership skills.”

He said entrepreneurs, employees who want to be more valuable and people who run companies often are the most frequent attendees at LIVE2LEAD seminars.

“Leadership is nothing more than influence, and all companies rise or fall on the quality of their leadership,” McCormick said. “It’s not about your title, it’s about the energy you bring to your table, group, company or church.”

He said Butler County is a great place to hold a LIVE2LEAD seminar.

“There are a lot of hardworking people who have moral and spiritual values that include being truthful and having integrity,” McCormick said. “I think Butler County is a community on the grow and starting to move toward the future.”

He also appreciates the Penn Theater, and even traveled from his home in Washington Township to watch a Steelers game there.

“That’s a great idea, and hopefully we’re going to have people who think creatively and think in terms of ‘What can we do to better Butler County?’” McCormick said.

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