Fast Track Revisited

Carol Troy, Carl Edwards and Mark Funke, three LOKC alumni closely involved in Fast Track’s founding look back on the program, its history, its formation and its successor program.

BY MARY WALSH

What was the purpose of Fast Track?  Why did LOKC choose offer it?

Carl:  In the Spring of 2000, LOKC leadership asked a group of us to design a “niche program” targeting local business executives.  “Niche” in our view meant the program would be a short-format course geared for a small group of those specific people, emphasizing community information, involvement and networking.

Carol:  It had been suggested to us that two subsets might be especially receptive to our effort: 

(1)   Executives who could not fulfill the requirements for the Signature Program, either because they did not have sufficient community involvement, or because they could not meet the attendance requirements.  And

(2)   Those newly transferred to Oklahoma City who lacked the networking links to become involved in our city.

Carl:  But from the get-go, we all acknowledged one requirement remained paramount:  this program should be viewed by all as a partner of the Signature Program rather than a detraction from it.

Mark:  Yes, that’s right.  We wanted participants who might apply to the Signature Program or join Signature Program alumni in acquiring the tools and contacts to make LOKC a more effective organization and Oklahoma City a better place to live.

Were these the only target audiences considered for the program?

Carol:  Not at first.  We also considered young people who had not been here long enough to have a community involvement record to enable them to join the Signature Program.  Also, mentioned were City executives whose company had never been involved in LOKC; stay at home parents whose children were now gone and who desired to get involved in the community; other stay at home parents whose children were now in school all day and who desired to get involved in the community; and older/retired citizens who had time on their hands and wanted to do something for or give something back to the community.

Mark:  At one point we thought it might be wise for LOKC to consider yearly which group it would be appropriate to target. 

OK, where did you go from there?

Carl:  At this point, we knew what we were doing and for whom.  So our next step was to decide what our specific goals for the program should be. 

As an aside, the “we” (members of the original planning committee) were Ann Ackerman, Chris George (until she moved) Mark Patton, Dana Shadid, Cheryl Vaught and Devery Youngblood.  And of course, Beth Shortt represented the LOKC staff.

From the final report the committee sent to the LOKC Strategic Planning Committee:  We outlined goals/proposed outcomes this way:  Involve more people in community service; develop a commitment on the part of participants to have a “hands on”  role in the community; create in the participants a desire to “make a difference” in Oklahoma City; provide the participants with information necessary for them to make a connection with the needs of their community; and familiarize the participants with Leadership Oklahoma City and its mission and programs.

Now for the specifics:

 Class recruitment?

Mark:  As to the policies, class members would be invited to participate, not required to apply.  Once our invitation was accepted, they would be considered a member the class.  Also, since our objective would be to include people not currently involved in community service, demonstrated community service would not be a criterion.

Carol:  Carl, Mark and I gathered suggested names of potential class members from our own networks and from the committee, always emphasizing diversity in ethnicity, range of city geography and professional variety; then together the three of us divided the list and made the calls.  Our pitch included the structure (four meetings late in the afternoon and into the early evening; meetings over a four-month period; a group of no more than 20 so getting acquainted would be easy; tuition of $1000.)

As for the program format?

Mark:  From the beginning, the nuts and bolts of the agendas were left to the Program Co-chairs so once the class was formed, Carol and I distributed a survey to the members and shaped the content from there.  Generally speaking, our plan was to select the specific issues of interest indicated and then use the Signature Program agendas to mirror how those issues were addressed, but in shorter form.  

Planners’ names you might recognize as having LOKC ties include Jane Sutter, Ray Bitsche, Jim Couch, Hershel Lamirand, Roy Williams, and John Michael Williams.  Speakers have included Joyce Henderson, Ann Simank, Michael Brooks-Jimenez, George Young, Rodney Bivens, Dan Straughan and Lynn Adams. 

Carol and I were Program Co-chairs for two years, and I must tell you I was honored to serve in that capacity and I was honored to work with Carol.  We were succeeded by Polly Nichols and Mike Joseph for another two years.  Incidentally, Mike was a member of Fast Track class one.

So, looking back at the list of goals/proposed outcomes, do the three of you think Fast Track was successful?

Carl:  No question.  As a newcomer to Oklahoma City in the mid-1970s, I knew people from my time at OU and through my family, but I was always looking to widen my network.  Leadership Oklahoma City did that for me, and I watched as it did the same for Fast Track alums.  That’s one of the main reasons I wanted to get involved with the program.

Carol:  Yes!  In two areas.  Diversity in ethnicity, geography and professional ties for one.  And also, the fact that these sets of “new eyes” looking at things contributed to improved performance in many areas.  “Because we’ve always done it that way” was no longer an acceptable answer.

Mark:  Absolutely!  Many people whom I met during the program have told me that they thought it had real value.  And I’ve seen many alums become involved with Leadership Oklahoma City and in other endeavors city-wide.  Names you might recognize:  Kay Martin, Lee Symcox, Robin Roberts Krieger, Bob Blackburn, Dave Lopez, Nancy Coats Ashley, Avis Scaramucci and Frank Merrick.

Frankly, I’ve wondered why LOKC paused the program.  I know in year five they decided to look for a different target audience, and chose young people who hadn’t been here long enough to have community volunteer experience.  Of course, that resulted in LOYAL.  If you’ll have a look at your LOKC directory you can see how that’s turned out.  Maybe someday we’ll find a way to return Fast Track to our list of options.  I hope so!