Allen Lima Leadership celebrated its 38th class at a Wednesday evening event at Lima's City Club, where 37 people from the 2026 cohort graduated, according to The Lima News.
Each class takes on a project. This year's effort paired ALL with United Way of Greater Lima, and a $2,500 grant paid for tree planting in Lima and Allen County.
Before certificates and awards were presented, Lima Police Chief Curtis Hile addressed the graduates on leadership. He emphasized hearing out employees, appearing the part and, for those promoted from within, recalling their own starting points.
ALL president Matt Childers, who went through the program in 2001, presented the Spirit of Leadership awards. Linsey Paul, chief nursing officer at Mercy Health-St. Rita's Medical Center, received the 2026 Lois Rubens award, while Scott Hittepole, a sales manager at Perry ProTECH, received the 2026 Chad King award.
Paul, who joined the program to build her network, said leadership and emotional intelligence assessments were the toughest but most valuable portion of the class, requiring her to be vulnerable with people who had been strangers. Hittepole enrolled at his supervisor's urging and said he now cannot picture skipping the program.
The article listed graduates alongside their employers, including health systems, banks, courts, colleges, manufacturers and nonprofits.