CLIMB is a yearly leadership development program by the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce. Launched in 2017, it aims to provide connections, resources, and insight to help young professionals ascend to new heights of leadership and success within their organization and the community. Monthly sessions help participants learn about the regional economy through conversations with industry leaders. Participants also receive leadership training and one-on-one mentoring with an executive from the business community.

CLIMB is partnering with I Heart ROC to bring you an interview sharing the experience of young professionals in Rochester and with the CLIMB program.

Applications are now open for CLIMB’s fourth cohort, which will be taking place virtually! Learn more on their website.

Interview by Emily Hessney Lynch.

Published July 3, 2020.

What makes Rochester home for you?

Veronica Dasher: I was born and raised in the ROC. It is cool to watch its transformation and see how it is resurging.

Joshua Stampfler: This is where I was able to start my career, met my wife, and started my family.

Katie Claire: Rochester is home for me because it is a wonderful place to grow up and/or to raise a family while simultaneously being a great city for young professionals. 

Joshua Jacobs: I'm from Batavia and lived in Buffalo for 5 years prior and Rochester is what I call home. It's the caring people, vibrant communities, and overall spirit that has won me over.

What are some of your favorite hidden gems around Rochester?

Veronica Dasher: Turning Point Park, Mendon Ponds, High Falls, Highland Park, Maplewood Rose Garden, Middle Falls

Joshua Jacobs: The Swillburg neighborhood is definitely a hidden gem. From Otto Henderberg Park to The Cinema to Stuart's Spices--it’s a quiet, caring, and quirky city neighborhood.

Dawn Davison: Authentic Chinese restaurants - Szechuan Opera, Tsingdao House, Crepe and Go.

Joshua Stampfler: Swan Market and Sam Patch boat cruises.

If you could only eat one Rochester food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Veronica Dasher: Pizza Stop

Dawn Davison: Salvatore's

Meghan Oosterling: Trash plate

Katie Claire: Wegmans subs! If I could only have one Rochester drink for the rest of my life I would have to go with coffee from Leaf & Bean in Chili. It is a super cute, cozy, family-run cafe.

What makes Rochester unique?

Veronica Dasher: The food, the culture, the 20 minute drive time that literally gets you anywhere you want to go. We have the luxuries of some larger cities but the heart and soul of a small town.

Dawn Davison: Both big and small universities that cultivate talent and long-lasting love for Rochester.

Nick Greiner: It's a large-small city. We have enough arts and entertainment, but not sky high prices or congestion. The natural beauty of the Finger Lakes region is also amazing

Katie Claire: The outstanding college and universities, innovative tech companies, fast growing restaurant scene, museums and theatres, and sports and recreation combined with the friendly, compassionate, and near "small town vibe" is what makes Rochester so unique. Rochester offers a wonderful quality of life that I think would be hard to find in most other cities.

What's one thing you'd like to see change in Rochester over the next year? 

Veronica Dasher: Right now, I just want to see us safely re-open. I think we also need to examine how we can break up concentrated areas of poverty and create more opportunities for underserved populations.

Dawn Davison: Diversity in leadership across all industries.

Joshua Stampfler: I wish Rochester would become a more equitable community.

Katie Claire: Rochester has made fantastic progress in so many areas when it comes to economic development but something I have heard mentioned more than once is that, in short, not everyone wants to work together. I see so much opportunity for growth if businesses and leaders in our community can come together and work toward common goals.

What inspired you to apply to the CLIMB program? 

Veronica Dasher: CLIMB offers insight into our local business ecosystem and provides experiential learning about local business sectors, economics, and policy. I want to be more informed in these areas.

Dawn Davison: After living abroad for 8 years, I moved back to Rochester and realized a major gap in my professional experience: I don't have a connection to the Rochester business community.

Meghan Oosterling: I was looking to know more about my city and leadership.

Joshua Jacobs: My coworker had gone through the program and it sounded so interesting. I was always asking what his next event was and who they were going to meet.

Katie Claire: I was eager for an opportunity to learn more about the changes in my hometown after moving back from NYC. I also wanted to find out what I could do to get involved and be a part of shaping Rochester's future.

What's been your favorite part of the CLIMB program? 

Veronica Dasher: The executive mentoring is my favorite part of CLIMB. I have been paired with a wonderful mentor who has incredible knowledge, values, and perspective. 

Dawn Davison: A variety of stimulating sessions featuring professionals from different industries that I would otherwise never interact with.

Meghan Oosterling: Meeting new people and really learning about different things in Rochester I didn't know existed.

Joshua Jacobs: My favorite part of CLIMB has been meeting like-minded professionals from different industries. We have weekly Zoom chats because we all genuinely like each other and want to stay in touch!

Katie Claire: We had the opportunity to hear from amazing leaders in our community. It was such a privilege to spend time with remarkable individuals who I would otherwise not have the chance to meet. I valued their insights and found their stories inspiring. On numerous occasions I found myself reflecting on their words for weeks afterwards.

Which CLIMB program day was your favorite? Why? 

Meghan Oosterling: I enjoyed the gaming and media days- it’s so interesting to hear everyone’s stories!

Katie Claire: If I had to choose just one, I would have to say the economic development day. I found the speakers and conversations to be especially inspiring and stimulating that day and left with my wheels turning. I feel passionate about playing a role in helping the economic growth of Rochester however I can.

Joshua Stampfler: The second CLIMB day, we went into the Finger Lakes to learn about agriculture technologies, food production, and NY beverage. During this day it was truly amazing to see all the technology that goes into agriculture and food production for locally produced foods.

What's one story or experience from CLIMB that you'll remember for a long time to come?

Dawn Davison: At the last session, Andrew Brady, our leadership educator, showed us a video of a person trying to ride his bike with the handlebar steering directions swapped and he couldn't figure out how to ride it. It looked like such a simple thing to figure out and it took him months. We are living in a crazy period right now and are expecting everyone to make big and small adjustments to workflows/lifeflows. I need to remember that every ask, both big and small, can feel impossible at times. Patience and support are critical.

Nick Greiner: Advice from my mentor. Lots of small things that have helped a lot in day-to-day life.

Katie Claire: One thing I learned from our XLR8 Leadership discussions was the idea that it is not always beneficial to follow what we have all been taught as the "Golden Rule" of treating everyone as we want to be treated. Rather, it is better to identify how the other would want to be treated and to tailor one's own communication style based on how the other would best respond.

What's the biggest thing you've learned from the CLIMB program?

Joshua Stampfler: I've learned that there are different styles of leadership and what style I am.  This is important because it has helped me to discover more of my style and how to best utilize my strengths.

Katie Claire: I believe I have learned how to be a better and more effective leader having gone through the CLIMB program. The curriculum allowed me to learn new strategies, consider new ideas, and gain insight from the successful leaders that will enable me to approach my business with an expanded skill set.

Joshua Jacobs: The biggest thing I learned through CLIMB is that the FLX region is so diverse with different industries. Everything from agricultural to photonics to video games, if you are interested in it, it exists in our region.

Dawn Davison: There are so many ways to get involved in the Rochester community! You just have to ask.

This interview was an in-kind media partnership with the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce's CLIMB program.