Posted: Monday, October 5, 2009 10:57 am

The Messenger 10.05.09
Applications to participate in the largest and oldest regional leadership development program in Tennessee are now available from WestStar, which serves the 21 counties of West Tennessee and is operated by the University of Tennessee at Martin.
For application and additional information, contact WestStar at (731) 881-7298 or write WestStar, Room 321, Hall Moody Administration Building, University of Tennessee at Martin, Martin, TN 38238-5011.
The deadline for application is Nov. 13. Anyone can apply to participate in the program. Nominations are accepted but not required. Class members will be competitively selected to participate in the 2010 program.
The WestStar mission is to identify, encourage and equip community-minded people who want to become more involved, want to help West Tennessee become a better place and are willing to accept assertive and dynamic leadership roles.
Participants learn new leadership skills and develop strategies for assisting communities in solving problems and maximizing potential. Participants also become part of a growing network of other leaders who, through mutual support and assistance, shape the future of West Tennessee.
WestStar’s vision is that it will be the premier leadership program in the U.S. that establishes an elite group of people bonded by their commitment to realizing the educational, economic and social development of West Tennessee.
WestStar — which is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2009 — has welcomed a new executive director, Charley Deal.
Deal is assistant vice chancellor for alumni relations, a post he has held since 2007. He succeeds David Belote, who served three years in the post. Deal received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from UT Martin. He began his career with the university in 1992 as associate director of housing. He also has served as assistant director of development, assistant director of athletics and director of alumni relations.
Deal serves as a board member for a number of organizations, including the UT Federal Credit Union and Weakley County Emergency Food and Shelter; is past president and current assistant treasurer of the Martin Kiwanis Club; and coordinates the annual We Care Stocking Drive. He has received the Love Community Service Award, UT Martin Outstanding Employee Award and UT Foundation Board of Directors Award.
He and his wife, Shannon, UT Martin Student Health Services director and a nurse practitioner, have two children.
The WestStar program consists of eight specially-designed seminar programs addressing contemporary major issues important to the development of West Tennessee. Each seminar takes place over a 1 1/2-day period, with graduation in June. The program begins Jan. 7.
Last year’s graduating class brought the total number of alumni to 555.
WestStar alumni from Obion County include Ginny Acree, Kevin Bowden, Jim Cooper, Mike Daniel, Pat Fligor, Gary Houston, Lee Ann James, Bill Latimer, Gail Latimer, Henry Lewis, Al Oliver, David K. Parks, James Sanders, Sam Sinclair, David Stokes, Sheila Stone, Trena Taylor, Brad Thompson, Dr. Jeff Triplett, Joe Ward and John Warner.