Building Leaders for the 21st Century
Every organization says it wants “leadership” at all levels. Every person wants to provide leadership, whether at work, in the community or at home. Not every leadership program–in fact, not any other program—teaches leadership like the Mid-Level Leadership Training Program.
Sponsored by the Labor-Management Council of Greater Kansas City and Rockhurst University, the Mid-Level Program has been helping build leaders for more than four decades. The 16-session class gives participants the opportunity to learn and to test themselves in the context of the 21st century unionized workplace, and to discover and develop the leader within them.
The Mid-Level Leadership Training Program believes in enhancing not only the core leadership skills of participants, but in challenging them to face leadership issues with full understanding of the practical, ethical, legal, financial and human implications of their decisions for their organizations, for their communities and for everyone directly affected.
The Mid-Level program doesn’t focus on formulas. Instead, it emphasizes the skills effective leaders need and provides participants the chance to enhance, practice and refine those skills. The Mid-Level program has excellent instructors and materials but understands that participants often learn the most from each other, given the right setting and resources. We focus on preparing participants for today and tomorrow and for whatever leadership issues they will face.
The Mid-Level program addresses the missions of both the Labor-Management Council and Rockhurst University, which seek to enhance the leadership capabilities of our community. As W.E.B. Du Bois said, “the meaning of America is…a refutation of the widespread assumption that the real makers of the world must always be a small group of exceptional men, while most men are incapable of assisting civilization or achieving culture.” We seek to bring to the fore and to enhance the leadership potential of each individual and the community as a whole.
Mid-Level Participants Explore Topics Such As These:
Communication Skills How Leaders Learn CEO Leadership
Labor Law Organizational Culture Ethics
Leading Vs. Leadership Team Building …and more.
You Will Learn from Leaders and Teachers Such As These:
Pete Bicak Jason Mendenhall Kelly Byrnes Mike Amash
Prof. & Chair Business Manager Owner Attorney
Rockhurst University Heavy Const. Laborers Voyager Consulting Blake & Uhlig
Terry Kilroy Hayley Grayless Duke Dujakovich Terry Stone
Senior Counsel CEO President Consultant
Lathrop & Gage Vaxa Collective GKC AFL-CIO Business & Labor
Jimmy Walker Bob Jacobi Stephanie Haynes …and more
Fire Chief Executive Director Retired Commissioner
Independence MO. LMC FMCS
Your Path to Leadership….
…begins with discovering the details:
Participants have been union stewards, CEOs, union presidents, human resource professionals, middle managers, elected officials, business agents, department managers, international union officials, association staff, financial executives, rank-and-file workers and others. Though not required, most participants come from organizations that have collective bargaining relationships with unions Teams of two or more participants from the same workplace/industry are encouraged though not required. Teams may be counterparts, for example, a human resources manager and a union business agent or steward or a CEO and a union president. Teams have comprised as many as four persons.
The Mid-Level Program begins its 2026-2027 class Sept. 16. Sessions are held on Wednesdays through Nov. 11 from noon-4p.m., with eight more sessions Jan.-March 2027 Most sessions take place at Rockhurst University’s main campus, Massman Hall. Tuition is $950 per person for participants from LMC member organizations and $1,050 per person for those from nonmember organizations. Tuition covers all classes, materials refreshments and meals. Please contact the LMC office with any questions.
New for 2026-27 is a special scholarship offered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City for one union and one management participant. Please check the box on the application to indicate if you want to apply for the scholarship.
2026-2027 Class Session Dates
Each session runs from noon-4 p.m. at Rockhurst University unless
otherwise noted. Lunch is included beginning each session plus refreshments during and after the session.
Sept. 16 Sept. 23 Sept. 30 Oct. 7 Oct. 14 Oct. 28 Nov. 4 Nov. 11
Spring schedule to be announced
Who Else Has Followed This Path?
A few of the 450+ Mid-Level Leadership Training Program alumni, each of whom attained their listed position after completing the program:
Annette Beck, Past President Jason Mendenhall, LMC Co-Chair Dan Heizman, LMC Co-Chair
Kansas Gas & Electric Heavy Const. Laborers #663 Fire Fighters Local 42
Cassie Morrison, Project Manager Jimmy Walker, Fire Chief. Bo Moreno, LMC Co-Chair
JE Dunn Construction Co. Independence, Mo. IBEW Local 124
Cemal Gungor, City Administrator Rodger Kaminska, Int. VP (Ret.) Bret Bonge, LMC Co-Chair
City of Grandview, Mo. Operating Engineers Evergy
Alise Martiny, Int. VP Teri Casey, Retired HR Director Brian Dietz, LMC Co-Chair
OPCMIA City of Kansas City, Mo. DLR Architects
To join these leaders during the 2026-27 year,
please see application form below Thanks.
Labor-Management Council of Greater Kansas City
Mid-Level Leadership Training Program Nomination-Application Form
(please print or type; see instructions)
Name
Address City State Zip
Business Address City State Zip
Phone, Work Fax Phone, Home
Work Experience
Current Title Employer/Years
Previous Job Title Employer/Years
Union Membership–Present/Previous
Education
High School
City, State Dates of Attendance/Degree
College
City, State Dates of Attendance/Degree
Other (please specify)
Honors, Community Involvement
Please list community involvement, honors you have received, and any other information that may be relevant to your application (include separate sheet/resume if you wish).
References
Name & Occupation Address Phone
1.
2.
3.
_____ Yes, please send me information on the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City Scholarship
Return by Sept. 4, 2026, to:
Labor-Management Council Selection Committee or Email bob.jacobi@rockhurst.edu
1100 Rockhurst Road Kansas City, MO 64110
Signature Date ___________________________
Labor-Management Council of Greater Kansas City
Mid-Level Leadership Training Program Nomination-Application Instructions
The Mid-Level Leadership Training Program is accepting nominations for its 40th class, which begins Sept. 16, 2026 A limited number of applications will be accepted into the program by the Selection Committee. Nominees need to supply the following to the LMC by Sept. 4, 2026:
1. A completed nomination-application form (see reverse).
2. A signed letter of nomination from the applicant’s organization. Up to three additional letters of reference and/or other objective evidence of demonstrated leadership will be considered.
3. A brief cover letter written by the applicant explaining why the applicant is a good candidate for the Mid-Level Leadership Training Program.
Individuals must be nominated by their organization. Self-nominations will are only accepted for consideration based on space availability. Organizations can nominate as many persons as they wish. The Selection Committee will review the nominations, selecting participants based upon their potential for leadership as identified by their organizations and their record of past leadership in the workplace and/or the community. Due to limited class size, the Selection Committee may not be able to choose all qualified nominees in a particular year. Nominees not selected due to class size are welcome to submit nominations for the next class.
While not required, the Selection Committee encourages nominations from both labor and management in the same workplace, even within the same unit or team. The Selection Committee seeks a balance of union/management, gender, racial and business/public sector representation in each class, but does not require any particular formula of class makeup. Nominees from either labor or management in a unionized workplace are desired, but nominees from firms that serve unionized companies and unions, United Way agencies, nonprofits, governments and foundations are also welcome.
The cost is $950 per person for nominees from LMC member organizations and $1050 per person for non member organizations. This includes 16 four-hour class sessions (eight in the fall, eight in the spring), all program materials, 16 class lunches and selected LMC events. The program is co-sponsored by Rockhurst University. Most class sessions take place at the Rockhurst main campus in midtown Kansas City; other sessions may take place at tour/event sites.
For more information, please contact Bob Jacobi at the LMC office. The phone number is
(816) 510-0228 and email is bob.jacobi@rockhurst.edu.
Send nominations to:
Labor-Management Council Selection Committee
1100 Rockhurst Road
Kansas City, MO 64110
Email bob.jacobi@rockhurst.edu
