13 Sonnax Employees Complete Customized Leadership Training

Jan. 9, 2025 - Richmond Community College President Brent Barbee joined the management team from Sonnax Transmission Co. last month to celebrate the accomplishments of 13 local Sonnax employees who recently completed a yearlong customized leadership program.

“This program tied directly into our company mission of providing our employees with a rewarding career experience that is respectful and challenging,” said Sonnax President Klynt Baker, who traveled from company headquarters in New Hampshire to take part in the graduation ceremony at the Laurinburg facility.

“I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews about the experience the employees have had, and we’ve also been able to see the results on the floor,” Baker said.

RichmondCC Program Development Director Angineek Gillenwater worked with local Sonnax leaders to create and deliver the training, which was customized to the company’s specific needs for a class on supervisory and leadership skills.

“Leadership is a journey and not a destination, meaning it’s constantly evolving,” said Gillenwater. “This program allowed supervisors throughout the company who may not always interact to get together and share ideas and challenges and learn from one another, as well as study best practices for handling common workplace issues.”

Topics covered throughout the year included addressing poor performance, conflict resolution, delegation/empowerment, employee retention, team building, unconscious bias, motivation, inclusion and goal setting.

The customized format also allowed the company to address issues that arose in real time throughout the year, as opposed to following a generic cookie-cutter platform.

Michael Marich spoke on behalf of the Sonnax employees who participated in the training, saying the class agreed that the experience was invaluable. Others completing the yearlong program included Myrtle Barber, Christopher Bingham, Phillip Bostic, Robert Gibson, Kayla Hardee, Shane Killion, Patricia Locklear, Shonda McClennahan, Samantha Roberts, Amanda Sessoms, Carol Ward and Daffney Westbay.

The cost of the training was offset for the company by state incentive funds provided through NC Edge, a customized training program offered through the North Carolina Community College System.

“This has been a prime example of the public/private partnership Richmond Community College strives to embody,” said President Barbee. “We were able to use state funds to cut the company’s costs in half and provide training for their very specific needs.”

For more information about state benefits offered through NC Edge or to begin creating a customized approach to your industry’s specific needs, contact RichmondCC’s Customized Training Director Leighton Bell at (910) 410-1775.