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If you haven't seen it first-hand, you will be as surprised and impressed as the members of Leadership Orlando Class 82 with the state-of-the-art facilities and intellect associated with the Medical City at Lake Nona. Hearing the story "from the ground up" from the leaders who made our newest regional asset a reality is impressive.

Beginning with the vision for a Medical School at the University of Central Florida, to its implementation, Dr. John Hitt, President of UCF, and Dr. Deborah German, Dean of the College of Medicine, shared not only the dream but also the reality of how it came to be, stressing the overall importance of regional partnerships as well as its potential economic impact on our region.

Dr. John Hitt, President University of Central Florida	Dr. Deborah German, Dean University of Central Florida College of Medicine

A series of panel discussions followed. The first discussed the economic impact of the Medical City with Brian Walters, Executive Vice President of the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission and a member of Leadership Orlando Class 82, and how projects like these can be accomplished, with Thad Seymour, Jr., Ph.D. with Lake Nona Land Company, who advised: "Think big and execute; understand that partnerships are essential; and maintain relentless urgency with great persistence."

The second panel focused on other Medical City partners and future plans for M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, Burnett School of BioMedical Sciences, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and University of Florida Research Center.

An overview of the Nemours Children's Hospital was provided, and following lunch, our participants took advantage of a "hard hat" tour, offered by the teams at Nemours and Skanska, the construction manager. Scheduled to open in October, the state-of-the-art campus will include the 137-bed hospital with 13 NICU/10PICU beds, and create 500 new jobs. Briefings were provided by Nemours key staff and members of its Family Advisory Council, who were instrumental in providing input and feedback on its design which includes a holistic approach that includes healing gardens, nature trails, pet therapy areas, water features and a more creative peaceful environment that fosters both mental and physical healing.

The afternoon program included VIP tours at Orlando Health and Florida Hospital in downtown Orlando, showcasing excellence and innovation in healthcare delivery for our residents and visitors. To all of those who participated and made these visits possible, we say Thank You.

From high tech Air Care at Orlando Health to DaVinci Robotic Surgery at Florida Hospital, Leadership Orlando class members received VIP access.

If you have been looking for the "right" time to participate in Leadership Orlando, or know someone who should be in the room for these discussions, now is indeed the perfect time to be a part of America's largest Community Leadership program, Leadership Orlando. Preparing for the future of our region is up to each of us. Now is the time to learn about the issues, participate in the difficult conversations and help in guiding our future.

Enrollment is underway for Class 83 which begins in April. Space is limited, so don't delay! The online enrollment form and the full schedule may be accessed at www.LeadershipOrlando.org. Should you have questions, contact Kathy Panter at 407.835.2499 or via email at Kathy.Panter@ideastoresults.org.

About Leadership Orlando
Developing regional leaders is important to the future success of the Central Florida Region. That is why "Regional Leadership" is a primary line of business for the Central Florida Partnership. With over thirty years of proven success, Leadership Orlando, America's largest "Community Leadership Program," continues to recruit, cultivate and encourage emerging leaders to better serve the Central Florida Region.

Working together with Orlando, Inc., (Regional Entrepreneurship), BusinessForce (Public Policy Advocacy), and myregion.org (Regional Research & Resolves), the Central Florida Partnership is moving "Ideas to Results."

Click here to learn more about Leadership Orlando
Click here for a listing of the 2012Leadership Team