Leadership Napa Valley began in 1987 as a new program supported by the Napa Chamber of Commerce.
In the early years, getting people involved in LNV was a challenge. Since there had never been a local leadership program, it was all new territory. Under the direction of John Wagenknecht, who was already well known and respected in the community, the program soon developed a reputation for delivering a high-quality experience for participants.
Over the years the program has been refined and improved many times over, and today LNV is recognized as one of the best leadership training experiences in the country. More than 600 people have graduated from the program and gone forward with a deeper commitment to making Napa Valley a better place to live, work and grow.