NATCHEZ — Fourteen local businessmen and women graduated from Leadership Natchez Thursday ready to “pay it forward” in the community.

Leadership Natchez — an arm of the Natchez-Adams Chamber of Commerce — is a leadership development class aimed at building a network among local business leaders.

A new class has formed each fall since 1986. The students spend time getting to know different facets of the community and developing a community service project.

Upon graduation, their job is much like the cliché, “pay it forward,” former graduate and Regions’ Bank President Charlie Speed said.

And the graduates are ready to accept the challenge, Greg Spangle of Grand Soleil said.

“The 2008 class has built a very nice pavilion in Duncan Park,” Spangle said. “We want to add park benches and picnic tables to make it a place where the City of Natchez can gather.”

The group is in the midst of raising funds to pay for the project. Any extra money will go to the Natchez Children’s Home and the Sunshine Children’s Center.

Long-time Natchez resident and graduate Frances Cothren said her time with the group was eye opening.

“I thought I knew everyone and everything there was to know about Natchez,” she said. “But I was wrong. I learned so much about what goes on in our community.”

Leadership Natchez members are nominated and sponsored by their employers. This year’s class included:

– Janet Bader, United Mississippi Bank

– Kari Blaney, Monmouth

– Lindsey Callon, Harrison Drilling

– Frances Cothren, Britton & Koontz Bank

– Beth DeAngelis, Paul Green & Associates

– Buddy Duplechain, Isle of Capri

– Stephen Edwards, Concordia Bank & Trust

– Becky Guedon, Natchez egional Medica Center

– Mary Hood, The Natchez Democrat

– Betsy Hungerford Iles, Crye-Leike Stedman Realtors

– Kelvin Luster, B&K

– Stephanie Schwartz, Grand Soleil

– Douglas Smith, Regions Bank

– Greg Spangle, Grand Soleil