50 years of Leadership Dallas: “I was surprised at how much I learned”

By Catie George, Director, Communications and Storytelling

To celebrate 50 years of Leadership Dallas (LD), presented by Grant Thornton, the Dallas Regional Chamber’s (DRC) premier leadership development program, we are highlighting a series of alumni to learn more about the LD experience and the program’s impact on the Dallas Region.

Helen Giddings founded Multiplex Inc., in 1989 and has been President of the specialty concessions company for nearly 35 years. Her career also included service as a staff member at the DRC, where she helped shape LD programming as Vice President of Leadership Development.

“The people I met in Leadership Dallas, as both a participant and as the former Executive Director, are people I call on today,” she said.

Giddings was a Representative in the Texas House of Representatives for 26 years. Given her impressive and wide-spanning career, Giddings still found LD surprising and eye-opening when she participated in 1977.

“[Already] involved in many community activities, I jumped at the opportunity to learn more to be able to contribute more,” she said. “As a native Dallasite and someone involved, I was surprised at how much I learned.”

Reflecting on her LD experience, she encouraged others to embrace the full experience.

“I highly recommend Leadership Dallas if one is interested in contributing to this community in meaningful ways and having a positive impact.” She also added, “The connections and networking are amazing.”

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