Sheppard participates in program

Summerville DREAM Executive Director Jami Sheppard has completed an intensive week-long nonprofit leadership training program at the University of Georgia.

The Institute for Organization Management symposium, produced by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, was held June 22-26 in Athens, Ga.

The program helps participants enhance organizational management skills. Through a combination of required courses and electives, participants are shown how to add new fuel to their organizations, making them run more efficiently and effectively.

In June of 2007 Sheppard, formerly of Spring Lake, N.C., became executive director of DREAM, which stands for Downtown Restoration Enhancement and Management.

Sheppard holds a bachelor's degree in communications with a concentration in public relations from East Carolina University and a master's degree in administration with a concentration in leadership from Central Michigan University.

DREAM's goal is to boost the health and vitality of historic downtown Summerville. Numerous family-friendly events and concerts have been sponsored by DREAM to draw crowds into the business district.

The Institute for Organization Management is an industry leader in nonprofit education and offers a four-year program held at five sites each year.

Most participants attend the one-week sessions at the same site each year, building valuable relationships with others in the industry and creating a network of idea sharing.

Institute graduates receive recognition signifying completion of 96 hours of course instruction in association, chamber and nonprofit management. In addition, participants can earn points toward the Certified Chamber Executive or Certified Association Executive designations.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.

For more information, call the institute at the chamber's headquarters at 202-463-5570 or visit the program's Web site at www.uschamber.com/institute.

Reach Edward C. Fennell at efennell@postandcourier.com or 745-5865.