Joe Gerstandt | keynote speaker, freedom fighter, freak-flag flier

On the North Omaha Community in Action website, Dell Gines writes about Elite Good Ones, Inc.:

5-7-2007

Elite Good Ones – New Leaders on the Rise
By Dell Gines

I hear it quite often. They say there is a leadership gap between the baby boomer generation and generations X and Y. They say the X and Y generation hasn’t picked up the mantle of leadership, that they haven’t stepped up to the plate. The criticisms of the young adult generation of our community have ranged from, “They are selfish, and self centered” to “We have lost an entire generation of leaders and youth, we will have to start over with the children”. To those who offer up such criticism the only words I offer are, “You just ain’t paying attention.” However, like any generation, it is important for the new generation of leaders and individuals to find their own way in the time period that they have to exist. They have to frame the issues that challenge our community from their own perspective and create their own movements. This brings me to the organization Elite Good Ones, which is an acronym for Example Leading, Intelligent, Talented Entrepreneurs, Getting Out Our Dreams, Omaha, Nebraska Style.

I first heard of the Elite Good Ones last year. A friend of mine told me about this organization of young adults from the community who were banding together to do big things. As I got busy I forgot about them. The next time I saw my friend she told me about this organization who had just did… and she rattled off a list events. Interested but busy, I never got a chance to follow up with this organization, that is until I ran into them at the teen summit.

Realizing that I knew the vice-president of the organization Ashley Adams, I immediately grabbed her card. Whenever I see leadership particularly from our younger generation my interest is immediately peeked. I wanted to learn more about these Elite Good Ones. So I visited them at their new location, the Bryant Center. When I first walked in I noticed a young man interviewing a young woman, both in their mid to early twenties. Thinking I was in the wrong place, I wandered around until this young woman left and then asked where I could find the Elite Good Ones. Ashley came around the corner causing me to ask, “Are you hiring someone?” She quickly explained to me that their organization is a membership organization and that every individual that wants to join must go through an interview process. She explained that they took membership seriously. They only wanted people who believe in the Elite Good Ones mission and could work with the group on behalf of the community.

Then I met Bruce Briggs, a talented up and coming artist who specializes in artistic drawings of famous celebrities (www.brucebriggs.com – check it out) who is the multimedia director of the organization. He showed me a large poster board of all the events the organization has done or been involved in. Very impressive. Ashley then invited me to come and speak at the new membership meeting the following Saturday. Over 20 young adults were present, wanting and willing to participate in changing their community. After watching Roni Davis (the President) chair the meeting and the interaction between the members organization it was right then that I recognized that we will be in good hands.

See, I believe there is no such thing as a future leader. There are only leaders and those who are not. The Elite Good Ones are leaders, and good ones (no pun intended). It is the cultivation and support of these leaders by our seniors and community that serve as the driving force for other youth and young adults to be willing to take on the leadership mantle.

So as we embark on this quest to transform North Omaha I have no doubt that among those who are helming the change the Elite Good Ones will be in the forefront. Kind of ironic when you figure that most people have written that generation off.

Elite Good Ones Vision Statement

We are all leaders who embrace excellence, flexibility, and balance in all that we do. In providing our services, we demand and give satisfaction, respect, and accountability. We participate in, and support, our community.

For information on the Elite Good Ones, call 706-9673 or visit – www.egosinc.org

 Based on my interactions with Ashely Adams, I could not agree more.  Hats off to Dell for continuing to spread the word about important things, efforts, and people that you otherwise may not hear about.