Newly launched leadership center topic of Oakland County Planners' gathering

The newly launched Larson Center for Leadership of the Michigan District Council of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) is the focus of March's Oakland County Planners' Gathering. The event is set for Friday, Mar. 15, at 11:30 a.m. at the Crofoot Ballroom, 1 South Saginaw in Pontiac. The cost is $20 per person and includes lunch. Speakers include William Watch, ULI Michigan Chairman, First Commercial Realty & Development Co.; Doug Brown, ULI Membership Committe Chair, ASTI Environmental and John Petz, ULI Michigan Larson Center for Leadership, Dominos Farms Corporation. The Larson Center for Leadership is a leadership development program targeting mid-level professionals from all aspects of the real estate, land-use and development sectors. These leaders are part of a changing industry dynamic currently emerging throughout Michigan. The Larson Center for Leadership provides the opportunity to engage in a transformational professional development process. By providing educational forums, community outreach programs and industry expertise to community leaders, the opportunity to influence local land use policy continues to be the focus of ULI's District Councils. The Michigan District Council of the Urban Land Institute, founded in 1999, has grown to more than 270 members in the past 14 years. The Planners' Gathering is a quarterly luncheon, networking and speaker series regarding community development issues. For more than three decades, Planners' Gatherings have attracted individuals from various backgrounds who wish to learn ways of improving the built and natural environment in their communities. It is hosted by the Planning Group within the Oakland County Department of Economic Development & Community Affairs. A registration form is available online in the events calendar at AdvantageOakland.com. For questions, contact Julie Skene, 248-858-5437 or skenej@oakgov.com. The Oakland County Department of Economic Development & Community Affairs, under the leadership of County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, is committed to promoting economic vitality, supporting distinct communities and conserving environmental resources through knowledge, cooperation and consultation services. AdvantageOakland.com. Published: Tue, Mar 12, 2013