BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The Kern Leaders Academy has announced its graduating class of 2018 which features eight graduates from a variety of business and service backgrounds who spent 72 intensive training hours over the course of nine weeks to learn from seasoned Kern County business and industry leaders.

The Academy is designed to assist in the development of visionary community leaders who recognize that a healthy business climate leads to a strong economy.

The graduates were honored at the Bakersfield Country Club on Wednesday, November 15 and included the following people:

• Audrey A. Armstrong, Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) Coordinator at California State University, Bakersfield
• Laura Avila, Chief Appraiser at the County of Kern-Assessor’s Office
• Clayton Fowler, Field Representative at the Office of Assemblymember Vince Fong
• Chad Garcia, Retired US Army Airborne Infantry
• Midge Boydstun Jimerson, Broker, President and Co-Owner of Boydstun Realty
• Allie Mae Perkins, Owner and Founder of The Beautiful Life, LLC
• Antonio T. Reyes, Director of Nursing for Adventist Health Bakersfield Emergency Department, Nursing Supervisors and Transfer Center