(Estherville)--A graduation ceremony was held Wednesday morning for the 2026 Lead the Ville Class at the Janice K. Lund Performing Arts Center on the campus of Iowa Lakes Community College in Estherville. Eight Estherville residents received awards for completing the nine month leadership course. One of the graduates was Northwest Bank President Marcy Sander.
Also graduating from the program was Justin Barnett with Estherville Foods who said it was an excellent experience.
The Lead the Ville class met once a month to tour various businesses, governmental agencies and service organizations. Sander was asked about her favorite part of the program.
Each Lead the Ville Class is asked to come up with a project to benefit the community. Sander says this year’s project was drinking water stations in city parks.
The other graduates were Tammy Andrews of Bank Plus, Austin Fick of Fick’s Ace Hardware, Dane Ross with the city of Estherville and Julie Duitsman, Crystal Olson, and Candi Wacker with Avera Holy Family Hospital. This was the third graduating class of Lead the Ville. For more information, visit estherville.org.
