State Representative Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit) was among 39 select lawmakers to complete a leadership training program that identifies and assists emerging state and provincial leaders in the Midwest. Rep. Spreitzer met with fellow lawmakers from Wisconsin, 10 other Midwestern states and four Canadian provinces on August 11-15, in Minneapolis, for The Council of State Governments’ (CSG) 23rd annual Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development (BILLD).
“The Bowhay Institute was a great help in further developing my leadership skills alongside many talented and inspiring Midwestern leaders,” Rep. Spreitzer said. “I am eager to put the leadership skills I learned to use for the 45th Assembly District.”
Legislators from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan were chosen to participate through a competitive, nonpartisan selection process.
“The Bowhay Institute is one of the premier leadership training programs in the nation,” says Iowa Rep. Rob Taylor, who serves as co-chair of the institute’s steering committee. “The legislatures in the region have benefited greatly from the skills their members have gained through this unique educational experience. Many of the graduates now hold leadership positions in their states.”
BILLD was founded in 1995 to help new legislators meet the demands of federal devolution and, in many states, term limits. These two emerging forces have highlighted the shortage of training available for legislators, a void that BILLD aims to fill.
A program of CSG’s Midwestern Office, BILLD is held in partnership with the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Seminars are conducted by Humphrey faculty, Midwestern legislative leaders and professional development experts. In addition to courses designed to develop leadership skills, the program analyzes a variety of public policy issues, including health care, US-Canada trade and the regional economy. The program is funded through grants from foundations, organizations and corporate sponsors and an in-kind contribution provided by The Council of State Governments’ Midwestern Office.
The Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development is named in honor of the late James Bowhay, longtime director of CSG’s Midwestern Office. Founded in 1933, CSG has national headquarters in Lexington, Ky., and regional offices in Atlanta, Chicago, New York City and Sacramento. The goal of the national, nonpartisan organization is to assist and advance state government.
