Leadership Clarksville was born in 1987, after two years of close study by two leaders in the Clarksville community, Dee Bryant Boaz, Editor of The Leaf Chronicle, and Jim Mann, President of First Federal Savings Bank.
At the same time, Jack B. Turner, president of Jack B. Turner & Associates, was identified as the founding president. Jack, Jim, and Dee did not do it alone, however. Ross Hicks, attorney, and Wendell Gilbert, retired brigadier general, were instrumental in developing the concept and helping with its initial execution. Following Leadership Nashville’s model, a full-time executive director was hired. Carole R. Dorris was hired as the first executive director and retired a full 35 years later.