By: Joshua Brumett – Herald Democrat

The Texoma Council of Governments held a short meeting Thursday evening at Austin College before celebrating its annual event. The theme of the evening was “Faces of Texoma,” and TCOG staff, Board members and guests shared dinner and success stories.

The evening’s guest speaker was Lisa Linton, principal at Premier High School in Waco. A Bonham native, Linton said an experience TCOG facilitated through the Job Training Partnership Act helped set her sights toward college and success after a difficult childhood.

Linton said that TCOG staff supported and encouraged her when no one else in her life would. “It was wonderful to have that support system because I didn’t have that from my parents, and I didn’t have that from extended family,” she told the audience. “But this (TCOG) family, I did receive it from them. It was awesome to know that there are people out there who care about me.

“It transitioned me from being economically and socially disadvantaged to taking advantage of education. That is what I call a legacy.”

Executive Director Susan Thomas held up Linton’s experience as an example of TCOG’s new vision: “better leaders building better lives.” Adopting this vision statement was a major item in Thursday’s Board meeting.

“We have such momentum and an incredible staff right now, it just seemed that it was time for us to sit down and talk about what the larger purpose of the organization is,” Thomas told the Board. That purpose, according to the new statement, is to build leaders at the local, regional, and even state and national levels to improve the quality of life in Texoma.

Join us,” she told the approximately 200 people gathered at the dinner. “Together we will be inspired, committed, courageous leaders who accept the challenge and actually believe we can make a difference.”

Source: http://heralddemocrat.com/news/local/tcog-dinner-focuses-leadership