Business

Destin Chamber graduates 18th ‘Destin Forward’ class, honors Kyle Davis with leadership award

The Destin Chamber celebrated 16 graduates from its 18th Destin Forward class on May 7, with Kyle Davis earning the leadership award.

Jared Williams

The Destin Chamber marked the graduation of 16 business professionals from the 18th Destin Forward class on May 7, capping an eight-month program designed to develop future city and business leaders.

Kyle Davis of Integrity Financial Group received the Destin Forward Leadership Award, which is chosen by a vote of the class.

Destin Forward is a community education and leadership program created to find and educate future leaders in the city. Following a retreat in August, the class spent the program touring and learning about Destin’s waterways, tourism industry, arts and culture, nonprofits, environment, city programs and services, economic development and the military.

Class requirements include attendance at several Chamber and civic functions, as well as a group project that creates a lasting impact on the city. This year’s class is restoring the tank in front of American Legion Post 296 in Destin.

With this class, the program’s alumni total has reached 283.

Graduates of the Destin Forward Class of 2026 are:

Graduates of the Destin Forward Class of 2026 are:
Chris Wade, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast
Wendy Baggett, First National Bank
Lesley Brown, First Security Bank
Kyle Davis, Integrity Financial Group
Shannon Davis, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast
Amber Feliz, Greystar Property Management
Dan Feliz, Raymond James and Associates
Megan Gehlbach, Gypsea Pool and Spa
Ed Hart, BluePoint Financial LLC
Jessica Jullian, Destin Water Users
Jolie Kremser, Community Bank
Evangeline Mercado, Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Destin
Beatriz Miller, City of Destin
Davis Parrish, Renasant Financial Services
Andrew Rowe, NexTech Business Solutions, LLC
Brand Thaggard, Warren Averett

Four class members, also chosen by class vote, will join the Destin Forward Advisory Board for three-year terms to help guide the program for future classes. Those selected are Wendy Baggett, Megan Gehlbach, Jessica Jullian and Beatriz Miller.

Applications are now available for the Destin Forward Class of 2027. For more information, call 850-837-6241 or email mail@DestinChamber.com.

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