50 years of Leadership Dallas: The ‘gift that keeps giving’

By Catie George, Director, Communications & Storytelling

Leadership Dallas (LD), presented by Grant Thornton, the Dallas Regional Chamber’s premier leadership development program, is celebrating its 50th year. To commemorate the program’s golden anniversary, Jimmy Tran, Former Franchise Owner of Code Ninjas and Founder & Principal at Oak Lawn Group LLC, shared how LD influenced his career journey.

“Being a part of LD was eye-opening,” said Tran, member of the LD Class of 2019. “Despite our best efforts, I think we all tend to operate in our comfort zones. LD shattered these bubbles for me and allowed me to meet and interact with people outside of my day-to-day personal and professional circles. This has been a gift that keeps giving, and I’m grateful to be connected to a large cohort of people from all walks of life, representing various industries and sectors across our city.”

The program itself was transformational for Tran.

“Leadership Dallas made me a more emphatic leader and allowed me to learn more about the issues, challenges, and opportunities facing our region,” said Tran. “I also recognize that leadership comes in many forms, and I think LD has given me more perspective on the value that each of us brings to the table.”

After completing LD, Tran made a drastic change in his career.

“The year after I completed LD, I moved from being in corporate America to taking a ‘portfolio approach’ to my working life,” he said. “After LD, I have also become more selective about how and where I spend my time. LD forced me to think about what gives me energy and where I can make change at both the micro and macro levels.”

Tran currently serves as a business owner, investor, and startup advisor, among other ventures.

“Because I have flexibility in my schedule, I have the privilege of serving on several local boards and can plug into my community in ways that are meaningful to me,” Tran said. One board is the City of Dallas Economic Development Corporation, which is a 15-member public board that helps bring economic opportunity to Dallas, focusing on the southern portion of the city.

Tran highly recommends participating in the program, especially as he reflected on his own experiences ahead of the 50th anniversary year of LD.

“If you have a heart for serving and want to expand your view of our city, I cannot think of a better program than LD,” he said. “You will learn a lot about the city, but you’ll also learn a lot about yourself, and the best part is that you’ll meet and become friends with approximately 50 other interesting and highly engaged people in Dallas.”

Interested in applying to LD? Hear more alumni testimonials and learn how to build a strong application at an upcoming information session.